Essentially, all this issue is is a collection of fliers that Josh Redd Sanchez has created for concerts during the last few years. However, the evolution of the fliers is shown through a chronological arrangement and as such, we can start to notice the construction of a set of characters and story. The style is a very sketchy style and J.R.’s comedy properly shows the problems that plague many of the independent music scenes in America. Instead of just Xeroxing and placing the advertisements, Josh does the right thing in putting a caption explaining the circumstances regarding each of the concerts. This zine is just as valuable to the Ann Arbor scene as something like a pile of demo tapes or interviews with individuals, as it provides dates, bands that were supposed to play, and a little bit of history about that show in particular. Even though it isn’t really a part of the zine per se, the high point of this issue comes in a call for music from about 100 different Ann Arbor-area bands. The continued archiving of a scene’s history is imperative for a scene to progress and bring itself to more national prominence. J.R. has put out this inspirational zine, and one can only hope that eir’s fliers continue to bring individuals into Ann Arbor-are shows, and the Shoulda Been There collection can actually get off the ground! $2 would seem a little high-priced for this ‘zine, but some of the more glossy books collecting old fliers can approach $20.
Rating: 8.4/10
Stupid Comic Fliers / :20 / 20M / $2 / J.R. Sanchez, 807 North Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 / Reviewed 05 September 2005