Month: May 2019

Video Games for Good
Editor: Claire Hubbard
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/EmSeeItch
https://www.instagram.com/emseeitch/

Video Games for Good is a full colour A5 collaborative art projects celebrating the positive aspects of games and gaming.

I’ll just say it right up front – I love this zine to bits and pieces. Love it!

Video Games for Good brings together sixteen different artists to share their positive experiences around gaming. Mostly in comic form, there are many stories to enjoy, but there are also artworks as well to slow you down and let you ponder for a while.

Many funny and sweet topics are covered in this zine from age assumptions regarding gamers*, friendships that came about through games and stand the test of time through games, coping through rough times with gaming… There is so much to identify with here from simple de-stressing to building confidence in-game that helped with confidence in real life.

I took a special pleasure in the number of times Zelda games were mentioned, as they played a special part in my childhood as well. The zine isn’t overwhelmingly Zelda by any means, but it’s definitely one of those things in life that reminds me that I have at least one thing in common with a lot of people I don’t know.

My favourite comic of the lot, though, has to be Still Video Game by Steve Ingram. I won’t spoil it, but it takes a look at assumptions around who gamers are.

The aesthetic feel of Video Games for Good is fantastic. The to-the-edge bleed for the cover, full-colour, numbered pages on lovely matte paper (what can I say, I’m matte over gloss every time), and the layout is brilliant. Every element of the zine comes together with amazing little touches that add so much but never feel like too much. From the various game controller handles that ‘hang down’ from the tops of some pages to the to-the-edge bleed for some of the interior art as well. It’s all brilliant and very pleasing to look at.

Not only is this zine well made, its subject matter is important, too. All you need to do is throw a virtual rock and you’ll land on ten different articles about how bad games and gaming is. This zine goes to show just how much of a positive impact games of all kinds can have on our lives.

If you like gaming and/or have someone in your life who thinks gaming is a waste of time, then this zine is one for you. But also, check it out anyway.

*Side note: Does anyone else remember a news clip about a 104 year old woman who credited playing her DS every day for keeping mentally sharp?

Elevation
Niina Aoki
https://www.niinaaoki.com/

Elevation is an A6 black and white zine with full colour cover about a cat’s obsession with maximum altitude.

Sometimes you just need a super cute zine about a cat. This is one of those zines.

From a 4cm fan leg to landmarks around the world (and beyond?), Niina takes us on a fun journey of cat sits. Each page features an item with the cover cat sitting on it along with the elevation of the item itself. As you turn each page, each elevation gets higher and more fantastic. Paired with Niina’s super cute art style, this is absolutely adorable.

A fun additional bonus for Elevation is that it opens with Niina’s recommendation that you listen to a specific song while enjoying the zine. (No spoilers. Hehe.)

I have to mention my ‘no socials’ nitpick, but Niina’s name is clearly on the cover (and their website pops up first in a Google search) so it’s okay.

This supercute idea combined with a supercute art style makes a zine I really love. Cat enthusiasts know that cats like to chill out high up, so this zine is great. Definitely check it out.