Forever stamp inspires ‘subversive mailer’ from Comic News founder

April 19, 2007

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“Forever Stamp” Unveiled
Revolutionary Design Ushers In New Era

WASHINGTON, DC — History was made this week as the US Postal Service released its inaugural “Forever Stamp” — a stamp that can always be used to mail a standard letter no matter what first class postage may cost in the future. Also released was the “Forever Vigilant” 9/11 Mailer, designed to be adorned with the “Forever Stamp” (see graphic at left). The resulting effect gives the impression that the USPS has issued a stamp that claims “911 Was an Inside Job.” Created by The Santa Cruz Comic News, the mailer features a 9/11 quiz and a cartoon (pictured below).

Take the 9/11 Quiz.

This is not the first time The Comic News has ventured into the postal products arena. back in 1995, when the Postal Service issued a Richard Nixon stamp, The Comic News released “The Nixon Envelope” which placed the former president behind bars. Over 400,000 were sold.

Purchase “Forever Vigilant”

From ComicNews.com: “The print edition of The Santa Cruz Comic News is a monthly journal of progressive editorial cartoons. Each issue features well over 100 cartoons from the nation’s leading political cartoonists. The Comic News is the granddaddy of all cartoon newspapers — established 1984. Publishers: Thom Zajac and John Govsky. Our online edition features daily and weekly updates of the best progressive editorial cartoons in the nation.”

Forever stamp inspires ‘subversive mailer’ from Comic News founder
By Jennifer Squires
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz Comic News founder Thom Zajac is at it again.

The lefty publisher of the syndicated cartoon newspaper is known for creating envelopes that make presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, when you apply their commemerative stamp, look like they’re behind bars. His latest political statement stationary is a “subversive flier” to commemorate the U.S. Postal Service’s release of the “forever” stamp.

The 41-cent forever stamp, which will always be valid despite future hikes in postal rates, went on sale Thursday.

Zajac’s flier is a politically charged mailer intended for the new stamp. When the stamp is applied to its outside, the mailer looks like it contains official Postal Service postage that reads “911 was an inside job” The inside of the mailer promotes Zajac’s theory that the U.S. government knew in advance of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

He is sending out the mailer in hopes of drawing attention to his political view.

“I had the concept for quite a while — like years — and hadn’t moved on it,” Zajac said.

Called “Forever Vigilant,” Zajac’s glossy, light-blue mailer opens to the “Inside Job? — A 9/11 Quiz” that asks 10 questions about the 2001 terrorist attack that killed more than 3,000 people.

“It’s such a weighty issue, I thought having a stamp wouldn’t be enough,” Zajac said.

He has reached the conclusion that the government was not blind-sided by the 9/11 terrorists attacks and is unconvinced the 9/11 Commission did an adequate investigation. He hopes the mailer will promote more discussion about the terrorist attacks and maybe a more thorough investigation.

“It’s a dark subject,” Zajac said. “It’s a really scary thing to think about, but nevertheless, it’s a terrible thing to ignore”

He designed the flier in less than two weeks — Zajac had to wait until the Postal Service released the image of the forever stamp — and then printed 2,500 fliers. Zajac will send out almost half of those to Comic News subscribers, politicians, the press and left-leaning politicians and commentators.

The rest are available on the Comic News Web site for $2.50, including postage.

“And you can mail them forever because of the stamp,” Zajac said.

He doesn’t expect his latest political statement stationary to be as popular as the Nixon envelopes he released in June 1995. Zajac sold almost a half-million envelopes and got attention from national press when the Santa Cruz post office had to buy Nixon stamps back from Zajac so people could mail the envelopes.

But Zajac might again be the post office’s best customer. About 400 forever stamps, which picture the Liberty Bell, were sold in Santa Cruz on Thursday, according to Augustine Ruiz, spokesman for the postal service district that includes Santa Cruz.

“I’m being told that customers are coming in and buying anywhere from five to 10 booklets,” Ruiz said. “They seem to be popular at this point”

The stamps, sold at 41 cents each, won’t be necessary until the postage rate hike takes effect May 14.

Contact Jennifer Squires at jsquires@santacruzsentinel.com.

Thom Zajac’s stationary

* June 1995: the Nixon envelope to go with the Richard Nixon commemorative stamp released that May.
* 2005: Ronald Reagan behind bars in the same fashion when the Reagan commemorative stamp came out.
* April 2007: Created the “Forever Vigilant” flier that makes the Forever stamp look like a “911 was an inside job” stamp and includes a 9/11 quiz.