PP Blog

It's sad to have to say it, but it's a great issue, so hey: PUNK PLANET 80 is out now at the Punk Planet Merch Table. What's in it? Well...

-Punk Planet says goodbye with this, our final issue. But it's no clip show: PP80 is filed with NEW interviews and articles about folks starting new things, building from scratch, reinventing themselves and more! It's inspiring and a dedication to new beginnings.
-Interviews in Punk Planet 80 include a talk with G7 WELCOMING COMMITTEE RECORDS about their move to all-digital release, comic artist GABRIELLE BELL, participatory economist MICHAEL ALBERT, the reborn SUBHUMANS, israeli activist FEDERICO GOMEZ, pop punkers THE STEINWAYS, and publisher ANDRE SCHIFFRIN.

Dear Friends,

As much as it breaks our hearts to write these words, the final issue of Punk Planet is in the post, possibly heading toward you right now. Over the last 80 issues and 13 years, we've covered every aspect of the financially independent, emotionally autonomous, free culture we refer to as "the underground." In that time we've sounded many alarms from our editorial offices: about threats of co-optation, big-media emulation, and unseen corporate sponsorship. We've also done everything in our power to create a support network for independent media, experiment with revenue streams, and correct the distribution issues that have increasingly plagued independent magazines. But now we've come to the impossible decision to stop printing, having sounded all the alarms and reenvisioned all the systems we can. Benefit shows are no longer enough to make up for bad distribution deals, disappearing advertisers, and a decreasing audience of subscribers.

With a year and a half of dealing with this shit, I can't say we didn't see this coming 1000 miles away at this point, but still it's a blow. Add to that the number of cool magazines folding or radically rethinking their plans because of these people, and it doesn't paint a very pretty picture of the current reality of independent publishing.

Dear IPA members,

We are very sorry to report that the Independent Press Association has ceased operations, effective immediately. We have taken this action because we have been unable to raise the funds necessary to continue ongoing operations and to resolve our debt to Indy Press Newsstand Services publishers. Ultimately, we were unable to overcome the toll of the ongoing deficits incurred by the newsstand operation. Because of this, the IPA board voted to shut down operations in order to liquidate the assets of the organization and distribute the resulting funds fairly to all of IPA's creditors.

Due to being snowed in 1000 miles away from the Punk Planet offices, the Punk Planet subscription sale that offers BIG SAVINGS on US-based subscriptions will continue up to January 5th. At that point, Subscriptions will return to their usual low price. What are you waiting for? Subscribe or renew now!

So after four months of collecting stats on the site, we're glad to announce that as of today, we're selling web ads on PunkPlanet.com. Affordable and VERY visible, our web ads connect you with a growing independent online community.

Interested? Find out more here!

A quick note to let those that are interested in this sort of thing that the ad deadlines for 2007 are now online. Cost to advertise is unchanged from 2006 (yay!). We look forward to getting your ads into the magazine, even if we are totally flabbergasted that somehow we're now on the verge of printing issues numbered in the EIGHTIES. Wow.

I’m happy to announce that the 2006 Utne Independent Press Award nominations have been announced and Punk Planet is once again among the finalists. This year we’re up in the “Arts Coverage” category, along with titles like Wax Poetics, subTerrain, Broken Pencil and more.

Apparently they’ll have the listings up on their site shortly, though currently they’re still displaying last years’ (and, come to think of it, I have no idea why last year was 2004 and this year is 2006, though I’m OK with dropping 2005 of the face of the earth if they are).

If you’re going to be in Chicago on October 19th, you have your choice of Punk Planet-related events to take part in! Far North Side? We’ve got you covered! Near North? We’ve got you too!

In the beautiful Lincoln Square neighborhood, Joe Meno will be reading from The Boy Detective Fails at the Book Celler bookstore. He’ll be reading alongside Todd Dills, Stephen Asma, and music by Joe’s “Icebergtown” collaborator Nick Butcher. details here

And at the incomparable Hideout, Anne Elizabeth Moore will be appearing alongside comic luminaries Harvey Pekar, Lilli Carre, Ivan Brunetti, and Anders Nilsen to talk about the new book Best American Comics 2006. details here

Join Punk Planet Books author Joe Meno at his dates on the West Coast. Joe will be reading from his new book The Boy Detective Fails and will be joined by authors Todd Dills, Todd Taylor, and Mickey Hess at all readings. Stop by and say hey!

Mon., Oct. 2, 7pm
USC Channel Islands Science Auditorium
One University Drive
Camarillo, CA

Tues., Oct. 3, Time TBA
Gallery AD
366 South 1st St.
San Jose, CA

Weds., Oct. 4, 10pm-Midnight
Delta of Venus
122 B St
Davis, CA