DEPARTMENTS
BITS & SNATCHES
Tattooed mountain women, Aaron Bell in harm's way, a tattoo coloring book, a tale of two covers, Juan Puente answers the Big 10, a sad farewell to Bob Montagna and a visit to Bad Bones in Lisbon, Portugal.

HIPSHOTS
She loves to pose for the camera lens. Who wouldn't with a name like Cherry Dollface?

SKIN&INK DOLLS
The Dolls are back, and the new dollmeister is Jeff Davidson. The lovely doll is Sandee Betty, a pretty lady whose favorite role model is the fabulous Marilyn Monroe.

READERS' GALLERY
Lotsa great photos came through the mail, just waiting for your ooohs and ahhhs.

FEATURES
WEST COAST TATTOO CONVENTION WARS-INKSLINGERS VS. THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
By Olivia Miner
Tired of several new promoters trying to steal their thunder, Inkslingers Ball's Gill Montie and Fred Saunders have teamed up with a promoter of their own to challenge the big guys from outside the business.

TATTOOING AMONG JAPAN'S AINU PEOPLE
By Lars Krutak
You won't believe your eyes, as our resident anthropologist looks back at the astonishing tattoo customs of the wonderful and daring Ainu people of ancient Japan.

NOAH LEVINE-TO HELL AND BACK
By Tim Coleman
The mind-boggling adventures of a punk rock guru and his turnaround from space age druggie to world-renowned mystic meditation master.

TONY OLIVAS-SPEAKING HIS MIND
Interview with Bob Baxter
One of tattooing's most respected, old-guard spokesmen talks about being a teenager, making mistakes, sticking with it and becoming a world-class artist, promoter and shop owner in a world full of money-grabbing posers.

COLUMNS
TRAVELIN' MICK
Taking a break from his worldwide explorations of intriguing tattoo cultures, Mick visits his home continent at the Amsterdam Tattoo Convention.

SPOTLIGHT WITH DANIELLE
Dani tells us about another great, young Southern California black-and-gray specialist, Stevie Soto from Orange County, California.

Q&A WITH MATTY JANKOWSKI
Concerned with the dangers of infection and transmitted disease inherent in all tattoo procedures? Matty tells you what to look for, how to recognize danger signals and where to research the necessary facts.

TATTOO ART 101 WITH MADAME LAZONGA
Being creative and staying creative are two different things. Vyvyn talks about keeping fresh in a shop environment.

OUR LIVING HISTORY WITH C.W. ELDRIDGE
Our resident historian talks about the loss and recovery of ancient tattoo artifacts from the natives of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and New Zealand.

EAST COAST INK WITH ERIK DESMOND
Getting into the business, back when New York City had a tattoo ban, tattooing was underground and artists had a silent agreement to set up shop 20 miles apart.