Lumpen – Field Guide to Chicago Jagoffs

(Lumpen.com) I don’t usually cotton to snide pessimism; sure you can make fun of the Chicago stereotypes and archetypes that rub you the wrong way, but isn’t that the equivalent of making airplane peanut bag jokes in standup comedy? It’s easy and it’s been done, right? But in perhaps the greatest issue of their always impressive longtime zine, Edmar and company take it to the next level, recruiting fine writers (Bill Savage, Paul Durica, Katherine Uhrich), awesome cartoonists (Nate Beaty’s beautifully rendered exploration of “dibs” shoveled snow parking spot placeholders is a marvel), and spot on spot illustrations by the always reliable Dmitri Samarov make this exploration of the Ronnie Woos, John Kasses, Rahms, and El Door Blockers a work of impressive, forward-looking, positive negativity.