We highly recommend the brand new issue of Nozone edited by frequent collaborator Nicholas Blechman and containing several contributions originating from our Topanga studios. Nozone, like Nicholas, comes from New York City and meticulously maintains a NY edge in both message and media.

Nozone is a graphics-based political ‘zine that Nicholas (AKA Knickerbocker) and a Xerox machine started when the latter was a teenager. Each issue has a theme (the last was “EMPIRE”) and the theme for the current issue, Nozone’s tenth, is “Forecast”. Inspired by prophesies of all kinds - from weather reports to doomsday predictions - Nozone X takes a long look at our relationship with an increasingly uncertain future. Over fifty designers, cartoonists and artists offer their visions, projections, and scientific findings. Though it never loses its sense of humor, this issue has a very serious underbelly and, cumulatively, manages to pack a very profound punch. As far as praise goes, perhaps it would be best to quote zeitgeist designer Stefan Sagmeister from his blurb on the back cover:

“Nozone proves again and again that design can do so much more beyond selling and promoting. And it is gorgeous.”

Agreed! The book is beautifully printed and produced, a pleasure to hold (and smell!). Please support your own print fetish (if you have one) by purchasing the item from publisher Princeton Architectural Press or one of many other stores including, and this is particularly cool, Urban Outfitters who have a very snappy book section in play these days.

It was an honor to participate in this endeavor and congratulations Nicholas!

As far as my contributions are concerned they are, as usual, mostly story-based. Below is an excerpt from our NOZONE SURVIVAL KIT - a fantasy toolbox of items designed to make an environmental mega-disaster both more survivable and, um, more fun.