The Malta Issue! June 2010

Welcome to Schlock. We are happy to be back with our second Quarterly Edition. This special Issue is dedicated to MALTA – island home of Schlock’s key contributors in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. This Edition includes our very first selection of submissions in the Maltese language.

The issue’s theme may be local but its appeal is international – many of our writers have transformed the island, and archipelago, into an otherworldly fantasy realm in its own right. And who can blame them? Malta has had an interesting time of it lately, with censorship a big topic on the local scene. The Schlock editorial board suggests you keep your wits about you when reading some of these tales… in Malta, words have a strange way of sneaking up on you.

Enter these imaginary realities created around one of Europe’s most intriguing cultures – enjoy the writing, consider the images and draw your own conclusions. We look forward to more of your comments.

Special thanks to Zvezdan Reljic and Denise Scicluna for contributing to the visuals. Cover art by Lefty LeMur.

You can browse the issue online or you can download the PDF version here!

CONTENTS

Unexpected Visitors by Teodor Reljic
Mutant Limestone by Marco Attard
Mrs. Buhagiar, Queen of Hearts by Bettina Borg Cardona
The Depths of Love by Kelinu Vella
Malta Ħanina by Rachel Agius
Eurovision Weekend by Ġużè Stagno
Malta’s Stand-Up Comedians by Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone
Is-Sinjur by Lara Schembri
Ir-Riħa tal-Ewwel Xita by Clive Piscopo
Il-Milied it-Tajjeb by Danjeli Schembri