Magazine Review: Out of the Gutter #7 (Winter 2010)
Back in the day, the low-cost entertainment option of choice was the pulp magazine. It contained fast, exciting stories on cruddy paper–a lowbrow art form that is still fondly remembered by some. “Out of the Gutter” tries to be somewhat in that tradition.
This is the “U.S. vs. U.K.” issue, with alternate stories from American and British authors. They’re handily arranged by the time it takes to read them, with the shortest stories up front, interspersed with somewhat relevant quotes and bits of non-fiction.
Unfortunately, while the cover promises “pulp fiction and degenerate literature,” the stories tend much more strongly to the degenerate side of the equation. Lots of drugs, sex (yes, including rape), strong language and of course violence, with few likable characters to be seen. It’s kind of like pouring habañero sauce on your jalapeños; too much burn and not enough nutrition underneath.
That said, there are a couple of good stories. “Darkness Creeps” by Stephen D. Rogers is a good snapshot of a petty bureaucrat trying to fix a town one atrocity at a time. “Real Estate” by Benedict J. Jones is about a finger man investigating drug dealers’ deaths. And “Pleading and Bleeding” by Charlie Wade follows two police officers tracking down a serial killer with a thing for bankers.
The non-fiction is more varied. A comparison of infamous murderers of the U.S. and U.K., a remixed comic about social etiquette, and a piece suggesting that the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Paine rather than Thomas Jefferson are a sample of these.
Based on this issue, I would not recommend this magazine, but it was certainly an interesting read.
