Rum Lad #4

Rum Lad #4
By Steve Larder
www.stevelarder.co.uk

While some of this zine counts as comics, most of it is just illustrated prose. But what illustrations! I really enjoy Larder’s art, whether it’s a desolate railway station in Germany, bands and punks rocking out, or just the collection of stuff someone has in their house, it’s all done with skill and a style I really enjoy.

In between illustrations Larder recounts going to Germany to attend a zine conference, going to a punk picnic, interviews another zinester he really likes, and wanders through life wondering what he’s doing (though don’t we all?).

The trip to Germany is the longest part of the zine, and it seems Larder experienced many of the same things I’ve felt when travelling to other countries. He says the experience brought to mind the song “Petty Problems” by Defiance, Ohio (such a good band, and I’m listening to them right now), and how getting lost in a foreign country or not knowing what to do with your life are kind of meaningless worries when he can travel to another country on holiday just because he wanted to. In comparison to people with real problems, his seem minuscule. If only everyone had access to the luxuries we do. Sigh.


I felt I really got a sense of who Larder was by reading this zine. His interests, his fears, his expectations: it’s all in there. Though to be honest you can tell a lot about him just from the list of music he listened to while making this zine. J Church, Dillinger Four, and Jawbreaker*? Hmm, I wonder what type of person he could be... One that makes really good zines of course.

*Admittedly these are almost the only bands he lists that I’ve heard of.