Touched By An Anvil #16

Touched By An Anvil #16
Zine by Webly Bowles
Review by Alan Lastufka

I once asked Webly what the title "Touched by an Anvil" meant to her, her reply; it "is the funny part of being "touched" by an anvil, as in cartoons, and the painful as being squished, like a broken heart."

She added, "I've always had a thing for anvils. I LOVE the Anamaniacs!"

Touched by an Anvil #16 is a story of growing up, as is its subtitle. Webly begins with a brief introduction of herself via her last zine and why she hasn't written one since. The topic turns quickly to her love for dogs and her partner Brian, and how the now famous Coda came to live with them.

Coda is Webly's dog, she came not in the way that most acquire a new pet – going to the pet store, picking out the cutest or quietest one. No, Coda just kinda fell into Webly's care and wouldn't let her not keep her.

Coda was there for Webly's "in between parts" of life. The transitions from high school to college to working to family are all mentioned. I felt Webly was writing for me for a bit there. I'm a working professional too, but I write a zine. I'm out of college now too, and grandma Lastufka keeps asking about a girlfriend.

Webly made me feel better with the fact that I wasn't going to have it all figured out by my twenty-third birthday.

Touched by an Anvil is half-sized and the layout is the signature Bowles's' security envelope backgrounds and fun positive/negative text play. Contact her for a copy if you can relate to any of the above, or if you just like well-told stories.

Contact: Webly Bowles
5307 N. Minnesota Ave.
Portland, OR 97217

Or order it online.

Cost: $1.00

PS. The story of Coda from Touched By An Anvil was retold in a short documentary film by Microcosm Publishing's Joe Biel. You can download the complete documentary from Fall of Autumn (with Biel's blessings of course) by clicking here and scrolling down to the bottom of the page.