Month: December 2016

Shit Talk
People
5th and B
Double Fur Press

Ah, my final review for 2016. You may be a little surprised at my choice of review, considering the occasion, but there is reason to my actions…

Shit Talk is one of those strange things in my universe in that I cannot for the life of me remember when I first saw it. However, I do remember seeing it and thinking that I really wanted to get a copy. Lo and behold, month after that initial discovery and thanks to the generosity of Zine-O-Matic, I have a copy in my hands.

I have had this little gem for a while, but I have a thing about not opening anything until I am totally ready to immerse myself in what I’m doing. And yes, this is a zine that can be ‘opened’ (beyond the opening the cover). That little strip you see on the cover is actually its own piece of paper wrapped around the zine. I’ve finally slid that baby off and enjoyed Shit Talk.

Because they explain it best:

“Bathroom graffiti is done neither for fame nor for profit and is therefore the purest form of art.” Shit Talk is a collaborative bathroom graffiti zine by 5th and B and Double Fur Press. It was created by leaving a blank zine and a pen in a bathroom, and waiting for artists to fill the page.

There’s something utterly fascinating to me about complete strangers creating something together. Yes, there are a lot of references to poop/shit/shat, plenty of swearing and a lot of drawings of dicks and balls. There are the usual trolls saying mean things, but nearly as much as you’d think. (At least, not nearly as much as I’d thought there would be.)

Yet in amongst the multiple drawings of poo and scribbles that are too difficult to read, there are interesting comments and even words that are akin to poetry. All of these people can count having at least one thing in common. Sure, it’s using a toilet, but we have to start somewhere. Hehe. (Come on, I get one ‘hehe’ in all this.

I feel like Shit Talk is a ‘grittier’ alternative to 1000 Journals and other projects like it. It’s something I’ve wanted to do (and failed on a number of occasions). It’s people just being people, shouting to the world in various ways with various attitudes. It’s something that is both ugly and beautiful, lovely and aggravating all at the same time.

People being people, creating something entirely unique when it’s all said and done.

That’s why this zine is the zine I’ve chosen as my final review in 2016.

Shark Self Help
Sober Bob Monthly
https://www.instagram.com/soberbobmonthly/
http://www.soberbobmonthly.bigcartel.com/

This zine is brought to you by my bedroom – the only place to go when it’s too humid to exist outside.

I’ve been told that a pun is not a ‘good’ pun unless it’s so bad that you scrunch your nose and groan as if someone in the room has farted.

Well done, Shark Self Help.

Alas, I get ahead of myself. Shark Self Help is a super fun, colour mini-zine helping to inspire you to be your best sharky self. Full of pictures as well as words of wisdom, you really can’t go wrong for a smile when reading this little gem.

Now, I’m not 100% sure because my brain is partially melted from the heat, but I do believe this little beauty is printed and then coloured by hand. If I’m right, that means each zine is unique, even if only in the smallest of ways. If I’m wrong, it’s still great colouring, and I love it.

The advice itself isn’t too punny, using its pun powers for good rather than evil. Even though it is quite funny and cute, it’s still life advice that we should all be so lucky to be reminded of every now and again.

Adulting: How to Be an Adultier Adult
Dr Faith G. Harper
http://faithgharper.com/

Is it weird for me to be reading this when I’m 30? I’m going to go with ‘no’ because I liked it so much.

Adulting: How to Be an Adultier Adult may be the title, but this zine is about life and being a decent human being. It’s the ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ zine that I actually read – and I enjoyed it.

Just because ‘adulting’ has a cute-ish name doesn’t mean that adulting isn’t difficult, confusing, confronting, and a whole lot of different things. This zine does a great job of reminding you that, yeah, it’s bloody hard without giving you a bottle and throwing you a pity party.

Because adulting, in the end, is not just what we do. It’s who we are when we are our best and most mature selves in every situation.

Plus, how could a list that starts with ‘don’t be a dick’ be a bad thing?

When it comes to the list, though, I have to say that the ‘mind your language’ section is my favourite. It reminds you how just one word in a sentence can mean the difference between showing yourself or anyone else respect and showing disrespect.

Maybe you’re struggling with the whole adulting concept or maybe you’ve been adulting just fine for a long time. No matter where you are on the scale, I think this zine has a few things that we could all use being reminded of every now and then.