Java Turtle #1 - Lynne's friendly and accessible zine is a medley of the entertaining and thoughful. I was moved while reading about a few heartbreaking moments of racism in Santa Barbara. She writes openly and honestly about trying to find "black" make-up in town (the ignorant store clerk suggests going to L.A., since "that's where all of your people live") and an encounter with some psycho idiots. There's also stuff on coffee, turtles, bookstores, office politics and much more. An excellent debut issue of a zine that will speak to a lot of people.

Ruel Gaviola - Amusing Yourself to Death (1997)

blackgirl stories #1 & 2

Many of you may be familiar with Lynne's various endeavours: Java Turtle zine, the Santa Barbara Zine Fest, et al. But I doubt any of you are ready for what these mini-zines divulge: the real Lynne. From a deeply concerned, sincerely grieving friend to raging, out-of-control bitch, she finally spills the proverbial beans as to what drives here otherwise charitable dynamic. And the result is highly enjoyable. In the debut effort, Lynne laments a friend who drowned in the Pacific Ocean, but what makes the tale remarkable is the dream that offered a premonition. In number two, Mike - whose innocence I will vouch - get the shit end of the stick when another girl sets her sights on him. The story is clever as the best of the scripts from the original I Love Lucy television series - but what sets it about such imaginatively clever plots is that this one is for real.

Rev. Randall Tin-ear - Angry Thoreauan MagaZine #28

The bulk of this mini (#1) is a story of a nightmare that comes true. Powerful writing and a moving story. Recommended.

Tom - A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press #16

Java Turtle #3 - This issue of Java Turtle is an excellent example of the good writing one can find inside the otherwise rough exterior of a side stapled, full size zine. Yet with a good combination of clip art, comics and illustrations, the size and layout make it very easy to read. Imperfections and typos aside, I was quickly drawn in by Lynne's adventures at the 1999 Alternative Press Expo, braving El Niño and the story of how she met Mike Tolento, whose artwork adorns the cover and is featured throughout the zine; her experiences setting up the Santa Barbara Zine Fest with Ruel Gaviola of Amusing Yourself to Death; an interview with John Marr of Murder Can Be Fun; a zinester's book survey; trivial facts on turtles and coffee, as well as a few rants, memories and even some poetry... all of which make Java Turtle a great collection of interesting and entertaining material that also provides an informative personal history of the zine world. After reading it from beginning to end, the humble appearance and flaws only make it that much more endearing. Well worth the investment of time and petty cash.

Kelly of Phony Lid Books for Angry Thoreauan #27

Java Turtle #4 - "The Comic Issue." For the love of coffee! That's right, a zine containing comic and poetic contributions devoted to that all powerful caffeinated fluid. I found myself giggling and laughing throughout. Many talented artists and writers contributed to this zine. My favorite moment was the comic from Carrie McNinch as she describes her "Roman Holiday" in search of the perfect cappuccino. I raise my coffee cup in salute to this superb zine.

Stefano - A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press #16

Second Opinion: This issue is an comic-packed homage to America's addictive oral laxative of choice, coffee. The comics are incredibly varied in style, as are their creators' feelings about the magic brown elixir. Lotsa shit humor and first-time caffeine high stories - which suits me just fine. The only drawback was the story at the zine's end, which was way too long without any real payoff.

Eric - A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press #16

My comments on Eric's review: The above mention story had a coffee theme and took place in a coffeehouse. It was written by a talented young Australian woman. I thought the story was a prefect way to end the issue. (This is the first time I've responded to a zine review.)

Lynne Lowe is the mastermind behind this irregularly published small press zine, which I did indeed very much enjoy. Yes, Java Turtle focuses on that lovely elixir, coffee. This being "The Comic Issue," it does not disappoint.

Ronald C. Tobin - The Thought (May/June 2002)

Java Turtle normally serves as the personal zine of Lynne Lowe, but with this issue she branches out into comics territory. Apparently, living with cartoonist Mike “Empty Life” Tolento inspired her to try her hand, for one issue, at editing a minicomics anthology. The contributions are constrained to a single theme: coffee. That theme is broad enough to allow for a number of possible approaches: the work here ranges from autobiographical comics, where the various creators discuss their relationship to coffee, to gag comics, which illustrate lame coffee-oriented puns. The end result reminds me fondly of Carrie McNinch’s themed zines, like Beer Zine, or Food Geek. Ms. McNinch has a contribution here, as do a number of the other usual suspects of the minicomic scene: Neil Fitzpatrick of Neil Jam, Delaine Green of My Small Diary and Not My Small Diary, Justin Madson, the aforementioned Mike Tolento, and more. As with many anthology zines, the quality of the material contained here is somewhat uneven, but enough of it stands out to justify taking a look. Coffee-themed fiction and poetry round out the last dozen or so pages of the issue.

JPB - Invisible City Productions (February 2002)