Author: Nyx

Sometimes People Don’t Suck 1, 2, 3
Hannah Williams
http://wemakezines.com/members/hrw7005/profile/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HRWzines

Sometimes People Don’t Suck 1, 2, 3 are a set of black and white one-page mini-zines, each one featuring a brief and pleasant interaction with a stranger.

It’s easy to go on about how bad people are, so it’s nice to see reminders that people are good, too.

As someone who has social anxiety, these zines with both confronting and comforting. The moment Hannah was approached by a stranger, I felt myself tense up and get nervous despite well and truly knowing the title of the zines. I still had a bit of tension in me by the time I finished reading all three stories, but the logical part of me recognised how reassuring it is to read about people being nice when they had nothing to gain.

Save for ‘HRW’ on the back of each zine, there aren’t any contact details. A Google search brings up the Human Rights Watch, so it might be worth putting an email or social on them.

As much as they made me a little tense, I enjoyed the reminders that there are sweet, generous, nice people out there – including Hannah.

A Review of Festival of the Photocopier 2019
JEM Hast
https://www.jemhast.com/

A Review of Festival of the Photocopier 2019 is an A5 black and white zine about Festival of the Photocopier 2019 – JEM’s first FotP!

Review opens with a summary of JEM’s day one of Festival of the Photocopier. JEM started the day folding zines on the train while on the way to the festival and ended it with a backpack full of zines. (Score!) JEM writes about meeting various zinesters – including yours truly. I must admit that it was strange in a truly lovely way to read about our meeting in person from JEM’s perspective.

The rest of the zine is a fun collection of bits and bobs. At one point they show the signs from their table (they tabled on day two), and I smiled when I say the ‘trades welcome’ sign. I really love JEM and tablemate Cassie’s idea of bringing a notebook along that people could add to it for inclusion in the zine. I absolutely adore the idea. Sketches from various people fill other pages.

JEM’s zine haul list is on the back inside cover and is quite impressive. Haha.

This zine is event-specific and happens to be an event I went to, so I am a bit biased in that way. That being said, I think this zine is a fun, fairly quick read that will serve as a fun reminder of the event.