Black Punk is the Movement of the Future: On “Black Punk Now”

"Black Punk Now" cover

Coming on the heels of Shotgun Seamstress, the collection of zines by the same name edited by Osa Atoe, Black Punk Now — edited by James Spooner and Chris L. Terry — expands the definition of black punk by including many fiction and non-fiction texts, as well as comics. The fiction varies from fantasy to sci-fi to gripping political tales that examine the nature of friendship, identity, and the problem of class structures. The non-fiction texts include essays on how to create DIY zines and how to opt out of the surveillance and policing tactics of the digital age, as well as lyrical pieces that explore grief, pain, and the relationship between the older generation and the younger. Atoe reappears in the book where she interviews the musician and polymath Charlie Valentine, and there is a screenplay for a short film by Kash Abulmalik about young Muslim brothers, one of whom is a punk, and their relationship with their parents. Collectively, all the texts in the book develop our notion of what Black punk is about in all its complexity; politically fierce but tender as well, musically varied, queer, or straight, white or Black; it’s about the new revolution which won’t be televised because it’s off the radar, secretive, nomadic, creative, imaginative, not bound by walls, codes or laws.

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Books of the Month: October 2023

October 2023 books

And now it’s October; we’ve entered the home stretch of the year. In other news, one of our editors is still unsure of whether or not they should be writing “2022” on checks, so — it’s been that kind of year. But hey, at least there are books. What follows is a look at some of the titles due out this month that we’re most excited about — ranging from cosmic horror to meditations on the nature of essays. Whether you’re seeking intellectual stimulation or visceral thrills, this list of new books has plenty to offer.

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