'Zine Day

 For several years, I have subscribed to a collection of interesting and unique 'zines.  The current issue of one of these arrived recently, and put me in mind of its iconoclastic author and publisher.  Since 1969, Fred Woodworth has been publishing a assortment of periodicals on a variety of subjects.  His longevity and dedication are perhaps the most astonishing aspect of his work.  To have persisted so long with his primary 'zine, The Match!, is a staggering accomplishment in its own right.  Of high interest to me is that he does this just as he did when he began a lifetime ago- without the use of any sort of digital device in any stage of production.  No computers, no cell phone, no nothing.  Just manual typesetting, and offset press printing on antique equipment.  Nor does Fred use email to communicate- you can reach him only by postal mail (He's glad to respond to mail sent to Fred Woodworth, PO Box 3012, Tucson AZ 85702).  This is probably the reason why you'll not find much about Fred in an online search; he shuns digital devices that much.  Just a sparse Wiki entry, and a single short YouTube video are about the only traces of Fred to be found online.  But the library of his publishing work is vast.  Fred has single-handedly turned out 125 content-packed issues of The Match!  He also regularly publishes the long running niche 'zine The Mystery and Adventure Series Review, of which 61 editions exist.  This is what I received from Fred most recently; a jam-packed volume of articles about vintage boy's adventure series books (you may know of the Hardy Boys, yet there is so much more to the genre), in addition to various cultural and typography topics.  And then there is also The Opera Glass, a 'zine covering opera and fine arts that Fred publishes for his wife, Iris.  It's mind-boggling how Fred gets the energy to maintain such a pace of production, which must be exhausting for a solo editor/publisher.  As a reader, I joined his efforts mid-stream, so to speak, but I find it's been more than ten years that I have been a subscriber (yes, that's yours truly as author of a letter to the editor in one of Fred's publications.)  To be sure, this extraordinary persistence comes with some tradeoffs.  As a long time correspondent with Fred, I have witnessed his gruff side, especially regarding politics.  He and I certainly differ on a number of points.  But that doesn't dimmish in any way my complete respect for his publishing legacy and his contributions to alternative media.  How long Fred's work will continue is an open question.  Equipment and supplies for his vintage printing processes have become scarce.  He's suffered personal setbacks as well.  But however long he may continue, he's already built a legacy to be proud of.

Fred Woodworth: Mystery & Adventure Series Review issue 61