Issue 3 - October 2006

ahhh... the ill-fated "maga" zine attempt. enjoy.

News / Letters to the Editor
Socket Shocker Showcase Photo Spread
The "Green House" Effect
Getting Outdoors Without Getting Toxic
The National Lint Project
Radical Cheerleading
Great Plains Restoration Council
Indie Lit.
Poetry
Album Reviews
Zine Reviews

Issue 2 - June 2006

Penguin Studios Comics
Cultural Void Comic
News / Letters to the Editor
"Moustache World" Crossword Puzzle
Open Letter to Foot-Picker Girl
Doug Burr
Lil' Fresh Dougie B Photo Spread
Fourth Estate - M.S.G.
Blacklights
Featured Biography - Mary Shelley
Telegraph Canyon
The Suicide Generation by James Carlson
The Shapes
The Burning Hotels
Jack Douglas Jr. - Legendary Newsman
Professional Juice
Album Reviews
Live Show Reviews
Zine Reviews

Issue 1 - March 2006

Photography by Derek Bradley
"Smurfs, Satan, My Childhood and What I Know Now" by Joshua Pollock
"Reflections" by Seelan Palay
"Excess Gravity" by Seelan Palay
"Crayon Way Outside the Lines" by Justin Hermann
"A Poem for Emily" by Jo Mundy
"All He Ever Wanted Was Everything" by Chad Sokol
"Health Food" by Chad Sokol
"An Open Letter to Scott Bakula" by Ben Phillip
Photography by Ben Phillip
Interview with Greg Pherigo by Jennifer Farley
"No Romance" by Chaz Holmes
Album Reviews / Film Review / Zine Reviews
"An Open Letter to Ben, the Director of a Play" by Jeanne Travis

Reviews:

"This is a compilation zine, with several contributors providing content under the editorship of Jennifer Farley (author of last issue's Trying on Hats). Like any zine in this format there will probably be some stuff that you dig and some stuff that you don't, but unlike most zines, Scissor Socket Shocker begins with a full-page tribute to Darrin McGavin. The recently deceased octogenarian actor has appeared in countless movies and television episodes, including a memorable turn in the classic children's film A Christmas Story. But McGavin will forever be remembered for his role as the curmudgeonly, credulous and undissuadable news-hound Carl Kolchak, who turned two TV movies and one season of a series into a cult phenomenon that continues to win over new fans some thirty years later. That series was awesome, but Darrin McGavin was even better, and I'll really miss the guy.

Jennifer herself contributes an introductory letter to get the ball rolling, and conducts an interview with singer/songwriter Greg Pherigo. She also provides album, film and zine reviews at the end. In between we get photography; a story by Joshua Pollack about growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and being taught about the Satanic origins of the Smurfs, poetry and more. Jennifer's reviews read as generally fair and insightful, though she seems (if this is possible) even more personally offended by shameful grammar than I am.

Anthology zines depend a lot on outside forces for success, and this is a promising debut for SSS. Without knowing how much material she actually had to choose from, Jennifer Farley has definitely exercised a successful level of quality control over the submissions. She has compiled an intelligent, highly readable zine that has a lot of variety and keeps things moving along at a steady clip. Most important of all is her attitude; so far, Jennifer is really gung-ho about the whole prospect, looking forward to Scissor Socket Shocker thriving as a sort of community center for writers and artists of all stripes. She's eager for submissions so check out her zine and web site, and then become a part of the process yourself.

-- Matt Fagan, Xerography Debt, Issue 20