Posted on: January 8, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Committed to the Custody of the Attorney General (Seth M. Ferranti, 18205-083 Box 420 B-Left , Fairton, NJ 08320)

This is probably the second zine that I’ve ever had the chance to review by a prisoner, and this one is much different in tone and style than the other one I reviewed. Completely deconstructing the inane laws of the judicial society in poetry, in pieces of art, and other prose, Seth really weaves a strong argument for the hopelessness of a prison society, of even American society, in each word. A master of all mediums, Seth intersperses the text with what I can only assume are pieces of art by another prisoner (Danab), intricately made pieces that look almost like a stamp or woodcut instead of something done presumably by hand. In a zine that strikes at the root of problems, the most Spartan, the most true comment is not Seth’s but rather a quote on the opening page by Paul Klee : “Art does not reproduce what can be seen, it makes things visible”. Making the problems that he and countless other prisoners locked up by society have faced visible is truly Seth’s job, with each word, each phrase giving yet another good reason. The only question I have is with the continual reference to “UNICOR” or “United Nations Incorporated”. I must not be cynical enough, but I still see the UN as a body that was created to do good, and has at least some of its objectivity left even with considerable US influence. I’d like to personally see a more detailed view of what UNICOR is, why UNICOR provides a threat, but I don’t know – Seth really gets a lot done in a very small space, and it might just be a pipe dream to assume that he would have adequate space to discuss everything he wanted.

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