As we all know the atomic punk of all things cute, Ultra Happy Alarm, has a book coming out. Part of the cool hype machine for that book, masterfully run by BlueBlood’s Amelia G, contains a super secret code for BlueBlood’s Barely Evil magazine’s second issue.
The digital copy is slick and views beautifully on my iPad Pro. I love the super sharp images and the articles—-especially the fiction by Amelia G (more on that later)—are well worth the price of admission.
From cover to cover, this magazine has it all. Scarlet Starr looks gorgeous on the cover. Her hair pops with the bright reddish orange and the colour works because her skin tone complements it. Some models go for bright or different hair but the hair ‘becomes’ the shoot. For Starr, the hair colour accents her, for a lack of a better word, model face.
It’s really easy to get lost in the ‘everything else’ of an erotic shoot. I’m guilty of that with tattoos and shoes (don’t ask), but what draws my attention the most in this shoot is Scarlet’s face. BlueBlood has the amazing ability to consistently draw out and display the inner model in all of their muses. Scarlet Starr, with her eyes peering away from center view and her well painted lips slightly open in a small smile, is the perfection of innocence. This look works because BlueBlood sets up the counterbalance with the font of Starr’s name (I don’t know whose font that is, but damn it works well) and the rather sinister decor. Everything comes into balance with this spread, including the very fine work of Trevor Curtis in the interview.
The article on Junker Designs is pretty fascinating. I love the opening shot by Johanathan White. The angles really make this one special. The angles produce the superiority look, which works rather well with the golden horns. The horns are the touch of colour that sets everything off. There is a great shot on page 18 that highlights an amazing set of leather strapped gauntlets (Thanos is jealous, or so I heard) and pair of heels (Thanos is, oddly, also jealous of these, too—but I can’t tell the joke without spoilers). It’s not often that a mostly nude model can fill my screen and I can’t stop looking away from her arm wear. You really have to check this out. I can imagine this for a Ren Fair or Con for all of you professional costumers and cosplayers.
Happy Ultra is a model I most remember for having this spectacular shot with her in a giant ‘bowl of cereal’. I love her hair, the pinks with the blues with the greens with the purple—I love her colour scheme in general. Everything about her is, well, Happy. The set design is a fun piece because of her shoes (which deserve their own modeling line, just look at that yellow!) and the figurines. They both give scale to this spread. I found the interview by Audra Hughes to be a great peek into the word of Ultra Happy Alarm and I recommend it to any fan.
Fiction. There is some fictions in this here magazine! I remember reviewing BLT and seeing how well the stories held up. What Amelia G writes in her new short story (Flash Fiction if we want to get down n dirty), makes me remember BLT. I love the visual aspect of this story and I know just how damn hard it is to present a story in this fashion. If this was Amelia G or Forrest’s Black’s concept, I am not sure. Either way—hats off to them. They certainly raise the bar in presentation of fiction. Amelia G’s story is raw. It’s funny. It’s hot. It is something I would have published in my ‘other other day job’. She uses words as imagery and has an authentic voice that carries the story. Flash fiction isn’t easy, trust me on this one, and to have a story—not just a beat but an entire story—flow, twist, and crush in such a limited canvas space is a testament to the artistic talents of Amelia G. I loved this story and it makes me wish Amelia G had her own book out of short fiction. I know I’d buy a copy and I am betting most of you heathens would, too.
One quick other note on Amelia G’s writing. I’m not sure if she’s taking the piss but I too suffer from sinus f’dome and if that vibrator really helps out, count me in. Now, if I could just explain to my dad why his son is watching teevee with a pink vibe on his face…
Bella Vendetta has this great one-two combo of a killer interview by Mickey Mongol and photos by Amelia G and Forrest Black. I think I figured out why I love reviewing for SexyFandom. The models and artists are, by and large, real. They are secure in who they are. This is a rarity in the business and an absolute pleasure to see. Bella Vendetta is a perfect example of what I mean. Bella Vendetta’s slave-training documentary, The Training of Poe, sounds fascinating. So many times a movie like that would focus on the wrong things but Bella’s movie goes back to roots and goes into the rationale behind slave training. This is the difference between someone who is ‘on just for the camera’ and someone who is a true believer. Bella Vendetta is all in and I loved every picture and sound bite from the interview. If you are into learning about an ‘alt’ life style, then this is a must read.
To cap off the issue there is a very cool interview with Danni Shinya. Matt Kennedy takes us through a journey to introduce Danni for those in the audience who have not seen Gem, X23, Soft Candy or are not familiar with GirlsDrawinGirls. I am not going to spoil the interview but as someone whose PhD studied graphic art, I can say that I learned a bit more about Danni than I previously known. The interview is adorned with her artwork and there is one major take away. For those who have natural gifts, the big take away is art school does help. Danni hits it on the head when she says art school gave her a better ‘view of self; work ethics…drive’. For any aspiring artist (in whatever medium you work) Danni’s interview is a must-read. You will see what it takes to be one with your art and to really push your game to the next level (plus you get to see some cool work by one of the industry’s best artists!).
What can I say about this issue that I haven’t already? It’s great. I loved it for the art. I loved it for the photography. I loved it for the writing. There are a lot of amazing pieces of art in both verbal and graphic text, in design, and in photography. If you like BlueBlood or maybe you are new to their work and want to ‘test the waters’, then Barely Evil is definitely the magazine for you. Do yourself a favour. Buy a copy. The digitial copy looks amazing and the print copy is high quality—this would make the perfect gift for any alt fan in your life.
Speaking of perfect gifts, one of the last ads in the magazine is for Ultra Happy’s cam on MyFreeCams. She has a book coming out soon and if this interview is anything to go by, the book is going to be a must have for anyone enjoying the SexyFandom family. I know I will have a copy and I can’t wait to get my filthy greedy little hands on it.
