Back in the days when the internet consisted of message boards and email was a novelty, one of the best ways to express yourself to the world was to publish a "zine," that is, a home-made magazine. All you needed was a computer with desktop publishing software and a photocopier (thank God for Kinko's).

From 1994 to 2000, PAGAN PLACE, the "Irrelevant but Important" art, text and poetry magazine, was put out by New York City denizens Merry Fortune and Robert Martens. All the paper issues are now a part of history, but the final issue "WaterWorks," which was published as a webzine in 2000, is permanently online.



Issue #12 - 2000
WaterWorks

Webzine

Art and Text regarding H20. Featuring the work of Peter Bushyeager, Marcella Durand, Merry Fortune, Bill Kushner, Susan Maurer, Judy Nylon, Eve Packer and many others describing the life acquatic.

PERMANENTLY ONLINE

Issue #11 - 1999
The Collect Pond

40 pages, saddle-stapled

As the name implies, a collection of runoff and detritus from New York's Lower East Side.

Also the only magazine ever dedicated to New York City's Collect Pond Park.

Art and writing by Carl Alessi, Angela Bocage, Peter Bushyeager, Brenda Coultas, Fielding Dawson, Jean Dougherty, David Huberman, Andy Plumb a.k.a. Selene, Liz Longo, T. Motley, Judy Nylon, Shoshana Rothaizer, Larissa Schmailo, Faith Schwartz, Sparrow, Mat Straub, Richard Treitner, The Twenty Percent Tippers, Vashti, Carl Watson, Paul Weinman. Plus the Incredible Upsey-Downsey Bird!

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #10 - 1997
Cellar Door Psalms

38 pages, saddle-stapled

The most elegantly designed and inspired of all Pagan Place issues. An evocative journey through perfume and decay.

Art and writing by the Ahia Art Ark, Lynne Beyer, Cricket, Merry Fortune, Cliff Fyman, Kim Lyons, Eileen Myles, Susan Maurer, Robert Martens, Jason Rogan, Shoshana Rothaizer, Richard Treitner, Larissa Schmailo, C. Szmatowsciz, Ur, Vashti, Monika de Vries-Gohlke, Suzanne Wimmer.

Plus Merry Fortune's interview with Barbara Barg of the band Homer Erotic.

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #9 - 1996
Lovers and Deviants

32 pages, saddle-stapled

Funny and gross,
a follow-up to the Love Is Immoral Issue.

Art and writing by Joan Carra, Brenda Coultas, Merry Fortune, Bill Kushner, Diane Lilli, Jon Mazur, Joseph Pomerance, Shoshana Rothaizer, Tom Savage, Gary Schoichet, Rosalie Schwartz, Ilka Scobie, Violet Snow, Ken Sorkin, Sparrow, Dangerous Diane Spoderek, Michael Teterboro, Tommaso, and The Twenty Percent Tippers.

Extra Special Plus - Merry Fortune's interview with SPARROW!!

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #8 - 1995
LOVE IS IMMORAL

34 pages, saddle-stapled

Funny and perverse!
Called "illuminating trash" by PAPER.

Includes the most pathetic confession letter ever found - NAKE! (sic), and excerpts from Ric Doonan's self-published (and later discovered in a trashcan by the editors) diatribe against love, Love is Immoral!.

Also includes good art and writing by Peter Black, Merry Fortune, Bingo Gazingo, Marcella Harb, Gillian McCain, Joseph Pomeranz, Judith Ren-Lay, Thaddeus Rutkowski, Rosalie Schwartz, Ken Sorkin, Dangerous Diane Spodarek, Mel Thompson, Richard Treitner, Frank Wallis, plus found material and snippets from the usual circle of jerks.

Plus - Merry Fortune's interview with legendary East Village poet Tommaso!

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #7 - 1994
The Language of Space

40 pages, saddle-stapled

UFO humor, and then some!
Read the Jackie Gleason Cosmic Mission, Allouf's UFOLOGY 101, and excerpts from Professor John W. Weilgart's invented language, The Language of Space! Also the true story of Moontown, Trevor Tantrums, space poetry by Joan Carra and additional delights from the usual spacenuts.

Plus, Merry Fortune's interview with WFMU's The Hound (Jim Marshall).

Click here to see the ALTERNATE COVER ART

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #6 - 1993
Domestic Dis

36 pages, corner-stapled

Takes on subhurbia and growing up -
mostly downputting, as you would expect.

Art and Text by Merry Fortune, Lenny Kaye, David Matthew, Jon Mazur, Matthew Paris, Wanda Phipps, Michelin Quill, Romaine-In-One a.k.a. Faith Schwartz, Rosalie Schwartz, David Shepherd, Elyse Taylor, Michael Teterboro, Richard Treitner, Michael Teterboro, and Trevor Wagon in addition to the extended family of dysfunctionals.

Includes part 2 of Merry Fortune's interview with Eileen Myles.

OUT OF PRINT

Issue #5 - 1992
Death and Faxes

28 pages, corner-stapled

Office Life, or Death.
Re: Stupid faxes, slaughterhouse songs, why Caspar the Friendly Ghost is dead, friends who died, answering machines from Hell, and more, courtesy of Bronwyn Carlton, Mick Davis, Merry Fortune, Christian X. Hunter, Edie Kantrowitz, Robert Martens, Jon Mazur, The Twenty Percent Tippers, S. M. Taggert, Trevor Wagon and the usual band of clerical sluts.

With part 1 of Merry Fortune's interview with Eileen Myles.

OUT OF PRINT

Older issues, also out of print:
#4 - 1992 POLITICS AND PARLOR TRICKS
#3 - 1991 GENIUS ISSUE
#2 - 1990 HAMSTER MURDER
#1 - 1991 FIRST ISSUE
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