Month: May 2018

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Zine Review: Nice Things That Happened to Me Because of Pokemon Go!

Nice Things That Happened to Me Because of Pokemon Go!
Avery Flinders
https://twitter.com/averyflinders

Nice Things That Happened to Me Because of Pokemon Go! Is an A6 full-colour zine about positive things that happened around and because of playing Pokemon Go.

This zine opens with a silver linings recounting of how Pokemon Go came out a couple of days after a car crash left Avery without a car. A game that involved a lot of walking after losing the car proved to be a big plus. From there, Avery writes about more good times that involved or came from using the game.

As I read, I had to admire Avery’s bravery. Not only were there actual wanderings through unfamiliar places – that ended up leading to fun things like a sculpture garden – but Avery also met with new people through the shared hobby. Reading this put a smile on my face. The centre spread even has pictures of various pokemon in different places.

I have to give kudos to Avery for the cursive writing that is actually readable. There are two little niggles in the forms of the margins cut a little bit here and there (nothing too bad), and Avery didn’t include contact details. But, as always with the latter, it could be intentional.

Nice Things is a lovely zine. (Minus the car accident happening, of course.) Pokemon Go got a lot of flack, as popular things do, but it also provided a lot of good – as evidenced by the stories here. Avery shares the good vibes and the positivity, and the world can always use more of that.

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Done, Doing, Dreaming – Forever Planning

Hello, zine friends! How is it going?

Gosh, it’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these posts. The last time was a ‘moving in’ update of sorts last September, and the one before that was contemplating a title change for this category of posts last May.

I’ve been feeling a bit aimless in recent times, but a bit of sunny weather (autumn/winter weather takes a toll) has me feeling great and determined to start working on the lists that have been growing for so long. After all, it’s just not right if this zine enthusiast isn’t actually making zines, now is it? Haha.

Here’s what I have on the table at the moment:

Zines

*Paper Currency 2 – This one has been put on the back burner way too many times, and I am excited to get it going. I already have the cover art sorted and just need to get some articles for it. There’s still plenty of time to submit!

*Don’t Call Me Cupcake 10 – I took a break from DCMC after #9/9.5 because I was too heartbroken over severed friendships during/after the move to work more on the series. I finally feel ready again and want to do something different to celebrate ten issues.

*Hemp vs Cotton – This is a mini-zine I have had in mind for a long time about how ridiculous it is that we’re still growing cotton when hemp is such a better alternative. All the writing is done – I just have to format it.

*Untitled Anxiety Zine – Time has slipped away very quickly on this one, but I am also glad for it. Some perspective helps, and I’m gathering my notes to get ready to write about my stay in the anxiety clinic.

*Photo Zine(s) – I have a few photo ideas floating around in this head of mine. Right now, I’m trying to find a printer, as I’d like to do ‘to the edge’ printing for at least one of them.

*Workaholic Zine – This idea started as a conversation between me and my friend LP, and I’ve held onto it because I really want to make it. I’m still brainstorming, but if you’d like to get involved, please feel free to get in touch.

Stack on the list as per usual. Haha. There’s so much to do and never enough time for everything, right? There’s also International Zine Month coming up sooner rather than later to get prepped for. I’m also still investigating an alternative to Etsy because the fees are getting me down and having no option for calculating shipping based on weight is a constant annoyance.

That’s me for now. What are you up to? Any fun zine projects? Other projects? Let me know in the comments.

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Happy Mail Monday – Technical Difficulties Edition

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_9k7OUBCfM&w=560&h=315]

Happy Mail Monday, zine friends! Today I have some lovely zine mail to share with you from near and afar.

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Thanks to the wonderful zine friends who sent me mail:

*Latibule – https://www.instagram.com/latibule_art/
*Donna-Marie (Cats Not Kids Zines) – https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/purpledonna
*Keira – https://www.instagram.com/k.huolohan/
*Katie Quan – http://www.facebook.com/thisasianamlife

***

My PO Box:

Jaime Nyx
PO Box 378
Murray Bridge, SA 5253
Australia

***

You Can Find Me At:

Sea Green Zines: https://seagreenzines.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeaGreenZines/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seagreenzines/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zineninja
Etsy: https://www.seagreenzines.etsy.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/seagreenzines
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/seagreenzines

Want to listen to The Zine Collector Podcast? Find me at: https://shows.pippa.io/thezinecollector

Also on:
Spotify: https://www.spotify.com/
Pocket Casts https://play.pocketcasts.com
Cast Box https://castbox.fm
And other podcast apps

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Call for Submissions: Tender Zine Distro

TZD is a zine distro created to erase stigma around chronic illnesses (including mental illness) and to educate people about what living with chronic illness is like.

One zine/print a month will be featured and all money raised from each work will go to a different charity.

Facebook: facebook.com/tenderzine

The first work featured is by me (Amber is Blue) and it focuses on my battle with major depression. All money raised goes to Lifeline Australia.

We’re looking for submitters: email amberisblueart@gmail.com for further information.

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Call for Submissions: if you’d like to hear it // i can sing it for you

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS #003

We are accepting writing/art submissions for issue #003 of “if you’d like to hear it // i can sing it for you.”

We are accepting writings centered around the theme:

“These places that are not mine.”

Our theme for this issue centers around the spaces and places we design in our minds and our world to make us feel like they are our own; when in fact, they may be anything but. This issue explores amorphous understandings of autonomy, and how our cognitive and built environments contribute to our sense of ownership of our own identities – nursing homes, prisons, illness narratives, sick roles, accessibility.

We are interested in sharing the stories and experiences of QTPOC elders, those experiencing housing instability or homelessness, those living with addiction, those living with disabilities and navigating an unaccommodating world.

First-call deadline is June 1, 2018. Can’t wait to see and include your work.

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Zine Review: Push: A Cure Fanzine Issue 1 – Sugar Girl

A Cure Fanzine Issue 1 – Sugar Girl
RuRu Productions

Homepage 2023

Push is a slightly smaller than A5 full-colour glossy zine about The Cure.

“My zine & documentary project, PUSH, is a love letter to the fans who have surrounded and supported The Cure. And to The Cure, of course!”

Full Disclosure: I’m not all that knowledgeable when it comes to music, but I do love a good YouTube ‘scavenger hunt’. I’m playing a The Cure playlist while reviewing this.

Push starts us off with a gorgeous opening about the writer’s first Cure live show, and how it changed their life. While I haven’t listened to much by The Cure, I felt that nostalgia for those moments of music in my life that meant so much. The intro sets a lovely tone for the entire zine.

What follows is a collection of quotes, pictures, lyrics, recipes, fan art, stories, and more. So much fun! When I think of band fanzines, recipes don’t really come to mind, so I thought it was a lot of fun to find song-inspired sweet creations. (The red velvet cupcakes sound divine.) There’s even food ideas for a Cure-themed dinner party!

Now this is a fanzine in a way I haven’t seen before.

The aesthetic of Push really supports and emphasis the overall feel with all the colour and the cut and paste style.

Not being all that familiar with The Cure, I expected a lot of this zine to be lost on me. To my pleasant surprise, most of it wasn’t. I enjoyed the positive vibe and the enthusiasm of the zine. I felt curious enough to track down the songs referenced – which, I imagine, is the second best thing after connecting with fans. I’m also curious about the documentary project the goes along with it, so win there, too.

I’m undecided as to whether this zine could have benefitted from some ‘newbie’ information. On one hand, any info is helpful to people like me, but, on the other hand, I didn’t feel particularly left out. Only curious.

Push is a great example of an unexpected fanzine, reviewed in the eyes of someone outside their usual/intended audience. I’m glad I had the chance to check this zine out. If you like The Cure, then I think you’re going to love this.

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Zine Review: G.P.S. Ghostly Paranormal Séance

G.P.S. Ghostly Paranormal Séance
Veek
https://www.instagram.com/veek1313/

GPS is a ½ fold full-colour horror comic about a car GPS that is either possessed or straight from hell.

GPS opens with a couple out driving and the doom that befalls them when they decide to trust their GPS more than their instincts.

But the GPS isn’t done yet, and that couple isn’t the last…

Fun fact: I grew up on horror movies. I like horror, and I don’t mind a bit of gore – both of which you will get in this zine.

That being said, I actually chuckled a bit with this (which probably says something bad about me). It reminded me of those GPS stories you’d hear of years back. People were driving into fields and lakes because they trusted their GPS so much.

The hand drawing coloured with crayons and markers (I believe) works in juxtaposition to the horror content. I enjoyed it, but I’m also someone who sometimes laughs inappropriately laughs during horror movies.

If you like comics, if you like horror, then check this out.

And never trust your GPS.