Month: October 2018

Smoking Dreams
Hannah Williams
http://wemakezines.com/members/hrw7005/profile/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HRWzines

Smoking Dreams is a half-fold black and white perzine about friendship, passing time, and smoking.

While the title of this zine refers to dreams, actual dreams about smoking play a relatively small role in the bigger story. Hannah jumps right into things on the inside front cover. Hannah writes briefly about smoking dreams before writing about a not-so-nice view of cigarette smoking in her childhood.

From there, we read about Hannah dating Patrick and a slow introduction not only to his friends and cousins but to their happy pastime: smoking. Cigars, pipes… it all became a part of Hannah’s life as she found community, friendship, and even new acquaintances thanks to the hobby.

Hannah uses a cut and paste style, but in a minimal way with larger pictures and a few small elements dotted here and there. I think this really works for this zine. Hannah’s writing style reminds me of reading a novel, and putting more visual elements would have been – I feel – more distraction than anything else.

Then again, while reading this zine, I found myself thinking of my own pastimes around smoking. I never smoked myself, but many family members used to. Even decades later, the smell of a familiar brand of cigarettes will send me right back into those memories. No doubt that played into how easily I found myself getting right into this zine.

One small point is that it did take a little bit of hunting to find any of Hannah’s details, but, as I always try to keep in mind, this could be by intention.

Smoking Dreams is one of those zines that you’ll love if you like peeks into other people’s lives. The seemingly small choices that lead us onto new life paths. Check it out if this sounds like your kind of zines.

Claiming Bisexuality
Adelaide Barton
http://www.brusquebabe.com
https://www.instagram.com/brusquebabe/

Claiming Bisexuality is a black and white, about 11cm X 18cm sized zine about confusion around bisexuality and exploring it both as “an umbrella term as well as a distinct sexual identity”. (Quote from the front inside cover.)

Claiming Bisexuality opens with a dedication of sorts in that this zine was written for people who think they don’t count or aren’t ‘queer enough’ for the bisexual label. It’s a lovely strong but gentle start – and exactly what I was hoping for.

From there we learn about the author’s own realisations in regards to sexual and romantic attractions *not* being intrinsically linked. How people can be, for example, ‘heteroromantic and bisexual’. What is offered as a perzine-esque introduction to the zine begins the interesting path of education and appreciation of the subtleties in meaning.

On that note, we them move into a section I greatly appreciated that breaks down the different between sex (biological) and gender (societal). I appreciated it because I’ve seen and heard both terms used when the person using them meant the other but also because the author took the time to make it clear how sex isn’t as binary as many people would like to think. My pedantic editor soul enjoyed this, and the shy ‘I’m not clear about myself’ part of me enjoyed it as establishing this zine to be one of gentle but clear education.

I could really go on and on about this zine section by section. It’s so chock full of information, quotes, definitions, and more. There are even charts, some of which the author uses to show interesting ways to define attraction and sexuality.

There is so much going on in this zine that I even considered taking notes in a few places. I learned so much about labels, definitions, bisexuality in the media, and difficulties people who are bisexual face. There is a lot to love visually, too, with readable handwritten text, drawn pictures, and the aforementioned charts.

One part that means a lot to me and made me feel better about myself in general is this:

“There is no correct age to claim one’s identity, and there’s no correct age to update one’s identity to something that best reflects where someone is currently at.”

Wrapping up with a big ol’ list of cited sources, Claiming Bisexuality is the best ‘bi primer’ I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I would not hesitate to give it to anyone who is questioning and/or wants to know more. (Just not my copy, because I’d be very sad to lose it.) Check it out.

Behind the Scenes with George Rex
George Rex
http://www.georgerexcomics.com
http://www.instagram.com/girlrexdoor

Behind the Scenes is an A5 full-colour comic zine that takes you ‘behind the scenes’ in George’s life as a comic artist and illustrator.

With the front inside cover dedicated to George’s chosen tools of the trade and page one diving into explaining why George uses light blue pencil before inking, Behind the Scenes wastes no time with inviting you into their world as a comic artist.

From there, George takes us through an illustrated world of George quitting her job to become a freelancer, a dream studio day vs an average one, and a whopping seven glorious pages dedicated to the love (and stress) of new sketchbooks. There’s plenty more to enjoy as well!

You may think this comic isn’t for you because you’re not an artist. I’m not an artist by any means, and I found heaps I not only enjoyed but also identified with. I absolutely love the sketchbook section because my love for notebooks will never die. I had all the feelings for George’s comparison between a dream day at the studio and what is more often the reality.

Ah, for a penny for each good intention.

I had a chuckle at one point when George mentioned the time when Officeworks briefly stopped stocking Uni Pin Fineliners because I remember that. I also remember feeling similar disappointment.

I’ve talked about George’s art style before (Oh Brother! (https://www.seagreenzines.com/zine-review-oh-brother-some-stories-about-growing-up-with-a-brother-with-autism/), ADL -> MEL (https://www.seagreenzines.com/zine-review-adl-mel-2/) ), and this comic offers even more. Black and white, full colour, pages coloured by various shades and tints of blue – and that’s just on the colours front.

It’s no secret that I love George Rex’s work, and Behind the Scenes really wins it all. This zine takes George’s amazing and fun style and mixes it with everything my nosy self loves about perzines. Grab a copy.