Myths I Used to Believe
Jackson Stoner
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/StonerZines
https://linktr.ee/stonerzines
Myths I Used to Believe is a full-colour, US quarter-sized zine about things Jackson believed as a kid (and might still believe…)
I loved the idea of this zine from the moment I read the description. Whether they are myths passed on from others to stories we weave ourselves and come to believe, the things our child minds contain can be a very interesting (but sometimes also sad and scary) place.
Jackson opens with a brief, to-the-point introduction before launching in with their collection of myths. Each myth has its own page with big, clear writing and colourful drawings to go with it. (And the truth to go along with the myth as well.) Jackson has an interesting art style that’s both playful and yet delicately detailed at times. It was fun for me to see what was to come on each page.
I was amused to find myths that I’d grown up with as well like that we only use 10% of our brains thing.
Alas, not all the myths are dispelled by fun facts, and there are some darker ones in this zine as well about things like speaking out and body image. As much as I would have liked to have stayed in the land of fun and silly myths, I really like that Jackson took it in this direction. It took a subject that can be light and fun and showed that what is ‘innocent’ to one person can be so harmful to the next.
Myths I Used to Believe puts an emphasis on things and encourages the reader to not only examine what they have been told but also to think about the possible myths they are passing on. I definitely recommend checking out this zine.