Though The Lowbrow Reader makes itself out to be a low-quality bathroom reader it is, in reality, a one-of-a-kind zine that holds some of the wisest and oddest essays about bygone pop culture and its fringes.

In this issue: famed cartoonist Drew Friedman writes about his love for Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges. Fast Times at Ridgemont High & Clueless director Amy Heckerling digs up a private diary. Engel Schmidl covers the bizarre and wonderful life of outsider artist Bill Morrison, the Balloon Man. Brian Adams relates Mel Brooks memories. And editor Jay Ruttenberg writes a glorious, sprawling essay that connects the Velvet Underground to Steve Urkel.

Plus illustrations from Jeffrey Lewis, Doreen Kirchner, Alex Eben Meyer, Mike Reddy, former Silver Jews frontman David Berman, and Gilbert Gottfried.

40 pages, half-letter size.