Author: Nyx

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2
APac
12/12 pages
https://www.instagram.com/apacdrawings/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/apacdrawings/

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2 are black and white collections of witches in cinema with art and text along with commentary about witches in cinema.

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2 open with quotes about witches being portrayed in media before launching into a series of character drawings of witch characters in popular movies.

Each character drawing is accompanied by a brief description with their name, the movie and year of the movie featured in, and things like powers, objects, and goals. APac’s art style is detailed and realistic with each witch easily recognisable and accompanied by special objects and familiars.

Along with the art and descriptions, there are various quotes about witches and how they are presented. I found all of these to be incredibly interesting as they comment a lot about witches being presented as ‘anti-mother’ and lacking fertility. There’s almost a line of thought in terms of what came first – the infertile woman or the female witch. Much more is touched on in these brief quotes as well.

I also find it interesting that Apac separates the two volumes in order of time – the first being 1922 to 1990 and the second being 1990 to 2020. While time is as good a way of categorising as any in many ways, I think it serves to help further demonstrate the portrayal of witches and how that has been evolving.

Each zine comes with two inserts – Female Filmmakers and Extensive List of Movies. I always get nervous about parts of zines that aren’t in some way attached to the zines. However, with the movie checklists, I do like that I can stick them in my bullet journal.

These zines are a fun idea. They combine art and text, introduce the reader to characters they may haven’t seen in a long time and/or characters they would be interested in seeing. I’m so excited to watch some old favourites as well as check out some new-to-me charters and movies as well.

Definitely pick both of these up.

What Quarantine Taught Me
Shei
8 page mini
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

What Quarantine Taught Me is a full-colour, one-page folded mini-zine about things Shei (as an introverted, childfree, home employed person) learned during quarantine.

Shei opens this zine by writing a bit about their personal situation during quarantine and how it shapes their experience. They also touch on the idea how they hate the idea that everything happens for a reason (something that had me nodding along because I think a lot of people feel the same). From there, we launch into what Shei has learned.

I identified a lot with this because I’m also introverted, childfree, and home emplyed. That said, I think what Shei learned is good for people of other situations as well. What Shei has learned are things that I think everyone could value.

This is a lovely to look at little zine with helpful reminders even outside of a quarantine/pandemic situation.

Adventures in Gender
Shei
8 pages
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

Adventures in Gender is a full-colour A5 zine about a unicorn exploring the magical world of gender identity.

I don’t think it matters how old you are; sometimes you like to approach a new subject gently and kindly. With flowers. Definitely flowers.

Adventures in Gender opens with our lovely unicorn deciding it wanted to know about this thing called gender. From there it encounters some difficulty, but there are also many lovely characters who represent different ways of being like Amber the genderfluid merperson.

Shei’s zines are always fun to look at, and this one especially so. There is so much colour, and Shei uses primarily sketches which are so flowy and fun (even when depicting the onion of cisnormativity).

I can see this as a fun and comfortable way for people to start approaching these topics. Especially for younger people. Even better? There is a page of resources in the back.

If you’d like to introduce yourself to the subject in a very first steps, fun, colourful way, then this zine is for you.

A Book of Rainbows #2
Shei
12 pages
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

A Book of Rainbows #2 is an A5, full-colour perzine about witchcraft, magic, and Shei’s personal journey with witchcraft.

I reviewed A Book of Rainbows #1 here (https://seagreenzines.com/zine-review-a-book-of-rainbows-1/) and loved the combination of a perzine with an ‘introduction to witchcraft’ flavour.

Shei launches right into this second zine of the series on the inside front cover. In the introduction, they write about playing with the concept of a Book of Shadows (a witch’s grimoire) and giving it a queer spin with a Book of Rainbows. They also remind the reader that this isn’t a guidebook but rather a telling of a personal journey with witchcraft – which is how they feel people should approach the topic.

From there, Shei touches on the differences between witchcraft, paganism, and wicca. They write about witchcraft and their mental health. A Spell for Chilly Times reminded me a lot of mindfulness techniques I’ve learned, and I love how these things feel connected.

I appreciated the ‘Winter Allies’ piece about comforts during winter and the mention of seasonal affective disorder not only because I deal with SAD but also because we’re going into winter here in Australia. Talk about great timing (not that I need another reason for a comforting warm cup of tea haha).

I also have to mention ‘Witch Block’ in which Shei writes about reminding themself of no needing to do things a certain way to be a witch. This reminds me a lot of the ‘no gatekeepers approach to the zine world in which we need to find our own paths, our own forms of expression, and there isn’t one specific way of making them.

A Book of Rainbows #2 is a great next zine in the Book of Rainbows series. This expands so nicely on how Shei feels about witchcraft as well as how they incorporate it into their world while also keeping the element of introducing the reader to things they may want to look into further on their own.

If you’re at all curious about or interested in the topics, pick this one up along with the first one.