Camelot issue #1 by Miss Pussycat

(2018, Rhinestone Records) Miss Pussycat is a treasure. The artistry, sophistication, and stratospheric level of comedy in her puppet shows betrays any idea that her work is simple or childlike, or raw in any pejorative senses of those words (though it is certainly simple, childlike, and raw in every awesome sense of those words). More-so, I would never attribute her aura of sincerity, enthusiasm, and wonder in any way to affectation, and if you are a cad who would do such a thing, then this puppet zine will put a stop to that stinking thinking, toot sweet. In Camelot we get some peeks into a secret window of the magical, technical, virtuoso-heavy world of puppetry festivals/conventions, as the centerpiece of this is a million word interview with Peter Allen (not Liza's "Bi-Coastal," "First Gay Husband" but a veteran puppeteer from England) and his partner in puppetry Debbie, the Judy to his Punch (sans paddle abuse) . The mutual respect, the deep knowledge of the craft, the enthusiasm for an under-appreciated art, the joy, and the secrets make this long, entrancing talk very special (also, Miss P reveals some of her origin story). Puppet tour diaries, an interview with Kid Koala about his multimedia puppet project, a convo with punk puppet band Three Brained Robot, and a lovely talk with Nancy Smith (with beautiful photos of her expressive people, plant, animal and elf puppets) make this the Zine of the Year (in 2018, but also this year, so the Zine of Two years).