Month: May 2020

A Problem With Your Background: Real life problems of youth offenders
Richard Larios
https://www.instagram.com/feralpublication/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqkHGWfc44M5znpDg5adSog

A Problem With Your Background: Real life problems of youth offenders is a black and white US half-fold zine about how adults can be unfairly haunted by youth offences even decades later…

In A Problem With Your Background, Richard launches right into his story. This primarily text zine feels like it has one purpose: highlight how ridiculous the system is that can punish you so many years later (even though it’s not supposed to be able to do that with youth offences). Richard writes about difficult financial times that led to a job interview that would remind him that, unfortunately, with some companies he will never have to stop proving himself despite what he did as a teen.

I feel like this zine is a zine that exists to say “Hey, world! This happens, and it’s not right!” It’s an experience – a hard one to face and yet one so many people won’t realise even exists – printed out on a couple pieces of paper to speak to the world. I feel such a strong urge to pass this zine on so more people know. So more people can read about this and realise that, as horrible as this treatment is, this and worse happens every day.

As you may have noticed, this zine has me fired up. I’m angry and annoyed. I’ve always believed a writer’s job was to make the reader feel something, so in that, Richard has succeeded and then some. It’s a perzine with a punch, if you’ll allow the alliteration. And yet, I was impressed that this zine didn’t feel like the huge rant that it could have turned into with plenty more expletives and a lot more anger. But Richard writes effectively to the point.

This is one to pick up.

Creative Breakdown Insurance: How to Survive Your Worst Days of Creative Freelancing
Imogen Dall
https://www.imogendall.com/
https://twitter.com/ImogenDall

Creative Breakdown Insurance is an A5 full-colour zine about approaching problems that can come when you’re a creative freelancer.

Given the state of the world these days, I thought this zine would be a most appropriate read. Especially for all of the people who aren’t used to working from home.

Creative Breakdown Insurance opens with a minimalist first page that lets you know that it’s okay to hate the guide; that doesn’t mean you can’t use it. I had a smile at that, given that is how anything helpful can often go. Most of us don’t like being told what to do, but what works, works.

From there Imogen introduces us to the changing world of freelancing and how it can often come along with unexpected problems. Those problems (at least some of them) are laid out on the next page in the table of contents. I quite liked this page, as Imogen broke the contents into sections: Emergency Problems, Short-Term Problems, and Long-Term Problems. Each section is accompanied by an appropriately coloured alarm light.

Imogen covers many things from mental health matters to creative blocks to money matters. Every section is beautifully designed with readable fonts, bolded headers, colours, and even some lovely drawings to go with some. My graphic communications professor would have adored this. (And, of course, I adore it.) The quality of this zine is wonderful.

Each problem is also met with a number of different things you can do about it. I especially liked the checklist for “I Feel Miserable And I Don’t Know Why” checklist. I’m currently finding my way through a particularly harsh depression, and I was reminded of how easily it can be to forget the basics like even drinking some water.

All up, I found this to be a great zine that I will be referring to plenty. I highly recommend you check it out.

Sticky Stories
Saff Miro
https://www.instagram.com/saffmiro/

Sticky Stories is a full-colour A7 mini zine of short stories based around stickers and washi tape used in the zine. Each mini is handmade and slightly different.

I love this idea. I adore it! Talk about taking prompted writing from a different direction. I only have one copy (edition? version?) of this zine (hand delivered by Saff at Festival of the Photocopier! <3 ) so I don't know how much each zine varies. However, that simply makes me all the more curious and wanting to get my hands on another copy, so all the more wins to Saff in that regard.

As well as the idea itself, I enjoyed Saff's stories and sense of humour. The subtle tactile element that comes with it being the actual washi and stickers – as well as pretty sticky gems on the front cover – made is all the more fun. A unique zine for me to enjoy. (Hat tip to Ryan of Pocket Thoughts whose one-of-a-kind zine still makes me tear up in a good way.)

I think this is a lot of fun and a zine to check out for enjoyment as well as inspiration.