Month: December 2020

Electron Libre 1
Izalixe Straightheart
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/IzArt
https://www.youtube.com/user/izalixe

Electron Libre 1 is a black on coloured paper US ½-fold size perzine about a variety of topics as well as various media recommendations.

Full disclosure: My podcast – The Zine Collector – is recommended in this zine. (Thank you!)

Electron Libre 1 opends with a nice inner cover information page (links, socials, etc) before Izalixe shares an introductory piece about the initial shock of – and later, adjustment to – restrictions in a pandemic world. Izalixe’s concepts of home, life, and self took on a new light in a new world.

From there, Izalixe writes about changing the zien series name from ‘The Happy Loner’ to ‘Electron Libre’ as well as the deeper meanings behind both titles. (I love the whole concept behind ‘free electron’.) There are also pieces on getting through the pandemic world a bit better, reviews on various media, how sentiments without action often aren’t enough with the current state of the world, a stack of podcast recommendations, and more.

Toward the beginning of this zine, Izalixe mentions admiring sinemakers who stick to one theme in a zine. There’s even a subtitle to this zine – ‘homecomings’ – that Izalixe ties into the opening pieces. While I admire themed zines as well, I equally enjoy the variety that is in Electron Libre. The zine has serious, thoughtful pieces balanced out by the ‘sharing for the joy of sharing’ reviews and recommendations pieces.

Izalixe has an interesting energy that really comes through in their writing. I quite enjoyed it. Yes, there were a couple of pieces I couldn’t read because I don’t know French. That said, I still felt quite at home and am quite excited to have so many new things to have a look at.

This is definitely a zine to check out.

Alternative Incite No. 1: Follow the Creative Impulse
Joe3 Et al.
https://butter-lamb.com/

Alternative Incite No 1 is a slightly wider than A5 black and white collection of photography and written pieces on a number of subjects.

Alternative Incite opens with a piece about censorship and taboo words: “Introduction: Jesus Christ and Jeepers Creepers”. Talk about an excellent opening for someone like me (cue a The F Word zine reference here haha). The piece is well argues and works back into the title as well as themes of not being mainstream and creativity for creativity’s sake.

From there we have photography and more written pieces primarily created by Joe3. Other pieces include reactions to articles Joe3 has read, a piece on the changing societal views through a generational eye by J. Matthew Smith, an interview with Suvo Sur, and more.

What an intriguing zine! If you want a zine with pieces that will get your mind turning, this is one to check out. I found myself going slower and slower while reading (a good thing) and pausing here and there to contemplate the thoughts and opinions presented as well as my own. The pieces touch on many different topics, but they all have a ‘world view’ kind of feel to some extent.

I found the overall voice of the zine to be intelligent and well-written without getting too ‘heavy’ or ‘dense’. The ‘Dear Butter Lamb’ section with letters from readers even made me smile with the answers using references from different dictionaries. (Have I mentioned that I think it’s cool that Joe3 collects dictionaries?)

All up, I enjoyed this zine quite a lot. Even better? This is the first of a new series. I hope it continues for many more and includes the elements Joe3 mentions wanting to include.

Isolation Resurrect
True Zine Marin
https://www.instagram.com/truezinemarin/
https://www.instagram.com/shellbobmv/

Isolation Resurrect is a full-colour, a bit wider than A5 collage zine.

Collage is a lot like poetry for me: I know what I like, but explaining why I like it is difficult.

Set on maps as backgrounds, Isolation Resurrect features collages made from cut out paper elements, mail-related bits, stickers, and more. There are few words in this colourful collection (those used having impact) but plenty to pour over visually from page to page.

Using the title as the base, I really picked up on the quarantine/isolation feelings from this zine. Using the maps as backgrounds is an excellent choice and visually represents huge part of the change of view in our new world. Travel, going places, road trips… They’re all different. The same goes for the collages on top. The importance of mail, filling up one’s time…

What really makes the tone stick for me is the distinct glimpses of the darker side of these times as well. A few words and a few images make a big impact.

My favourite page is a tough call in this, but I really love this quote:

“Be welcome to and offer help as we are healed by it”

Isolation Resurrect is an interesting collage zine that made me feel and made me thing. All said and done, that’s always the goal with art. Definitely a keeper for me.

My Opinions on the Stardew Valley Bachelors and Bachelorettes
localamity
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/localamity

My Opinions on the Stardew Valley Bachelors and Bachelorettes is a full-colour A7 zine about the marriage candidates in the game ‘Stardew Valley‘.

The top of this zine says “A zine that nobody wanted” but I absolutely wanted it. I just didn’t know I wanted it until I saw it.

If you’re not familiar, Stardew Valley is an incredibly popular farming simulation game that incorporates other elements like combat and dungeons. You also have the option of romancing and marrying a number of characters in the game.

As a zine about a specific game, this is going to be a touch lost on some people. That said, I’m a big fan of the game, and I’m thrilled to see this mini.

Each page features two marriageable characters with a colour picture and Localamity’s thoughts on each candidate.

I found myself chuckling quite a bit because my thoughts line up with Localamity’s a lot. (Harvey is the first character I ever married, Abigail was my first wife, and I also haven’t pursue Leah for absolutely no particular reason.) I love that Localamity included Krobus as a candidate as well even though they technically aren’t. I 100% support the inclusion of shadow babies in a future update. Fingers crossed.

If you like Stardew Valley, then grab this mini. It’s a fun addition to a relaxing game.