Wrapped in Plastic was a bi-monthly magazine devoted to analysis and critique of the works of David Lynch and other artists associated with the television series, Twin Peaks. WIP regularly featured in-depth analyses of films (and other projects) by Lynch, interviews with Twin Peaks actors, writers, and producers, news on projects by Lynch and other TP alum, a letters column, and news on the television series The X-Files.
WIP had garnered considerable attention over the years. In 1994 Entertainment Weekly listed Wrapped in Plastic as a “cool cult favorite”–one of 58 “cool” items from that year. Wrapped in Plastic is also mentioned in at least four volumes of television/film commentary, Full of Secrets: Critical Approaches to Twin Peaks by David Lavery (Wayne State University Press), Deny All Knowledge: Reading The X-Files edited by David Lavery, Angela Hague, and Marla Cartwright (Syracuse University Press), Television’s Second Golden Age by Robert J. Thompson (continuum), and The Passion of David Lynch by Martha Nochimson (University of Texas Press).
ABOUT THE EDITORS:
CRAIG MILLER was a writer, artist, and publisher since 1986. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Arlington (where he studied under filmmaker Andy Anderson), his early work ranged from the satirical Renegade Rabbit and philosophical/adventure Windsor comic books to the humor magazine Wake Up! Sadly for all of us who knew him, Craig passed away in 2012.
JOHN THORNE has a Bachelor of Science in Technical Communications and worked as a technical writer for Texas Instruments for nine years. He holds a master’s degree in television production from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he wrote his thesis on narrative theory and the TV series Homicide.
JOHN MITCHELL was a writer, photographer, and Contributing Editor for Wrapped In Plastic for the latter half of the magazines run. Mitchell has also worked in the film industry since the mid-90’s in various roles, and is the Writer-Director-Producer of the humorous travel documentary “Cheeseheads” in which fellow Wisconsin born Twin Peaks actor Chris Mulkey (Hank Jennings) appears. Mitchell took on the complicated role of getting WIP to digital eBook form to honor the memory of his dear friend Craig.
Quotes about Wrapped In Plastic (from back in the day):
“Cool cult favorites: Agent Cooper lives on in a die-hard mag even Killer Bob would love.”
–Benjamin Svetkey, Entertainment Weekly #228 (June 24, 1994)
“A cult infatuation with Twin Peaks has developed…manifesting itself in such efforts as a hardy ‘zine called Wrapped in Plastic.”
–Jonathan Rosenbaum, The Chicago Reader, November 24, 1995
“If you’re wanting serious discussion of some of TV’s most intelligent fare…you’d be hard pressed to find better insight than is found in Wrapped in Plastic and Spectrum.”
–Michael Price, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 30, 1996
“[Wrapped in Plastic] obsesses about plot twists that might have been, analyzes scripts with an academic’s eye, and offers sober interviews with cast members. It’s what Special Agent Dale Cooper would have called damn fine.”
–Evan Smith, Texas Monthly, September 1996
“Co-Editors Craig Miller and John Thorne have really done their homework here….WIP has done an incredible job in covering all aspects of [The X-Files].”
–Christina Donahue, Sci-Fi Universe #4, December 1994
“For Video Watchdog readers interested in delving deeper into [Twin Peaks], I recommend [the] TP-zine Wrapped in Plastic.”
–Tim Lucas, Video Watchdog #18, July 1993
“Editor’s Choice. [Wrapped in Plastic] never ceases to amaze me. It’s so professionally done and filled with so much information that it’s always on the top of my list….An amazing zine about some amazing TV shows….Excitingly written.”
–R. Seth Friedman, Factsheet Five #51 (1994) & #54 (January 1995) & #59 (February 1996)
“From the creators of the wonderful Wrapped in Plastic comes this new magazine [Spectrum] that probes deep into the creation of TV shows….An impressive first issue, sure to develop an avid following.”
–R. Seth Friedman, Factsheet Five #54 (January 1995)
Wrapped In Plastic Magazine 