Chainsaw Bunny Hates Everyone is a full-colour one-page mini about Chainsaw Bunny’s feelings about people! Which may not apply to you…
Sometimes, I just ‘get’ Chainsaw Bunny. And sometimes, Chainsaw Bunny just ‘gets’ me.
This super fun mini features Chainsaw Bunny expressing their frustrations about people! But not all people. Not you. You can share carrots. Each page features CB in Nina’s fun art style in full colour. I’m struggling to find the words somewhat, but I loved how this hit the spot for me. Though not directly, it was a reminder to me to appreciate my wonderful friends all the more because they are awesome. Especially when other people are less so.
Like with many of Nina’s zines, I was delighted to find a little something something on the inside when I unfolded this zine. I won’t give it away, but it’s so much fun and made me a very happy bunny.
Truly, I recommend everything from Echo Publishing, but Chainsaw Bunny definitely has a special place in my heart.
Things That Are Not Face Masks is an A7 black-on-green-paper mini art zine about, well, things that are not face masks.
Oh, dear zine friends. I wanted a short and sweet zine that would make me smile after a very long week, and this mini really hit the spot.
Each page features two different drawings of people wearing things that are definitely not face masks along with a description of what said ‘not a mask’ is. These made me smile so much not only because I’ve seen the memes of people wearing things like thongs as masks but so much more so because of Zappix’s sense of humour. Things I would never think of – including “This zine” – gave me a chuckle when one is very much needed and appreciated.
There’s even a rather, ahem, adult item that made me laugh out loud because it’s definitely not a face mask! I’ll leave that one for you to discover, though, and just grin cheekily when I think about it.
Things That Are Not Face Masks is a mini to pick up. Things are incredibly rough, and we need all the smiles and laughs we can get. This is definitely a zine for that.
State of Mind is a full colour, US-sized half-fold zine with art and collage exploring five different emotions.
In State of Mind, Mary takes us on a journey of hand drawn art and cut out words and phrases exploring five different states of mind: mania, anxiety, dissociation, psychosis, and hyperfocus. Each state is given its own full page filled with (but not cluttered) colour and different expressions for that state.
Collage can be a little bit like poetry for me – I know what I like, but I don’t always know how to explain why I like it. However, in State of Mind, I found it quite easy. Each page features a hand drawn person who is Mary’s physical representation central to all the words around it. I quite liked that element not just visually but almost as a visual metaphor as well in that we can often be surrounded by labels, questions, and so forth when it comes to being in certain states.
I was also struck by what a great way this is for helping people who might otherwise feel overwhelmed at the prospect of trying to express how they feel about being in certain states. I love the idea of sitting at a table with markers, pens, and a bunch of magazines to cut up for the pure enjoyment of not only making art but exploring things in an artistic way.
One little nitpick is that this came with no socials whatsoever. There is always the part of this nitpick of mine in that some people prefer it that way – to be anonymous in their zine creations. But, as it’s on Etsy, and there are no notes about keeping it out of reviews/sharing, I think it’s okay to mention.
I quite enjoyed this zine and am glad to have it as part of my collection. I think it’s a good one to check out to not only help you in exploring your own emotions/states of mind but perhaps in also inspiring you to find creative ways to help others explore theirs. I very much hope to see Mary make more of these zines exploring other states as well.
Hearts. is a full-colour A5 zine of short poetry in combination with collage based around the suit of hearts in a deck of cards.
“Love. The season of spring… Home… The hearts suit of a deck of cards has been said to represent all those things & more…”
I’ve been reviewing zines for quite a while now, and while I love zines through and through, I still can’t help but have a little extra smile when I see someone do something that I haven’t seen before. In the case of Hearts. I quite like how Shivani has paired short poems to one suit of a deck of cards. It seems like a perfect match with both poetry and cards having a lot more meaning below the surface if you care to look.
Each two-page spread features a single playing card (in order from ace to king) on alternating backgrounds on the left and a poem on a minimalistic background on the right. The colour is vibrant but not overwhelming, never taking away from the card and the poem.
Shivani’s style of poetry is what I’m seeing more and more of – no rhyme or structure as such but plenty of meaning depending on how far you want to dig and how long you’d like to contemplate it. As I’ve mentioned here plenty of times, poetry is definitely not my strong suit. Some of the poems in here went a bit over my head. That said, what I enjoyed touched me with the intensity and heartbreak that surrounds love.
As a side note, I’m also not all that familiar with card meanings, but I wouldn’t be surprised (and am actually curious to find out) if there is an even deeper connection between the words and the card they have been paired with.
Hearts. is a poetry zine that left me feeling contemplative and curious about what the next three zines (with the next three card suits) will bring. If you like the more ‘modern’ style of poetry, then this is a zine to check out.
Oh Shit I’m Gay is a full-colour, A7 one-page zine full of art that made Zappix Art realise they were queer.
So much COLOUR! I love it!
Oh Shit I’m Gay’s subtitle on the cover really covers it all, so Zappix launches right into things on the first page. Each page features a gorgeous full colour page with a character, the show/movie they are from, the year of that show/movie, and the character’s name. Zappix’s art style is so lovely, and suits every character included so very well.
I must admit that I felt a certain amount of satisfaction to see Shego from Kim Possible included in here because I thought Shego was so cool. Plus Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire!
I really love this mini. Gorgeous art, familiar-to-me characters, nostalgia, and so much colour… I’m so glad I picked it up.
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.
Some of the Spookiest Things is an A6 riso-printed pink, black and white zine about spooky things in life.
With a cute art style and interesting title, this zine caught my eye as soon as I saw it, and I’ve been looking forward to sitting down with it since.
Some of the Spookiest Things opens right into the spooky things in life. From creepy creatures to unnerving nightmares, this zine covers specific things that are oh, so relatable. Each page features one spooky thing along with art. Everything is riso printed in black and pink.
I love zines like this that give us little snippets that can remind us that we’re not so different after all. I might not have disturbing dreams about gluten, but I have disturbing dreams about other specific things. I’ve never used a dating app, but the prospect is incredibly intimidating and more than enough for me to feel for that particular spooky aspect in life.
I love the level of detail with the art in this zine. From the fine lines of the teeth on the combs in one spooky thing illustration to the little touches on a phone screen involving a spooky thing regarding dating apps, the details make it fun to slow down and really take it all in.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but the very last spooky thing felt like an oh, so perfect spooky thing in life to wrap up the zine. Loved it.
Some of the Spookiest Things is a both cute and thoughtful-as-you-want-it-to-be zine. It’s definitely worth picking up for the fun combination of art and relatable spooky things.
goodbye 2019, hello 2020 is an A5 black-on-lilac zine about saying goodbye to 2019 and what Bree is (/was at the time of making) looking forward to in 2020.
Amongst hand-drawn swirls, shapes, and other fun art goodbye 2019, hello 2020 launches right into things on the front inside cover with an introduction to the zine. Bree writes about reflecting and focusing on the important reflections rather than comparisons on the achievements of others (that can often lead to feeling bad). From there, Bree launches to a 2019 year in review that includes fun/cool things they did in 2019, favourite songs, and more. The second half is about 2020: what Bree was/is looking forward to for the year as well as goals for the year.
Each page has text in an easy-to-read font accompanied by art that adds that adds to the fun feel given by the font. The aesthetic mixes a zine feel with a scrapbook/diary feel that makes me wish I’d thought to make a zine like this at the start of the year.
I really like that Bree kept to the thoughts they expressed in the introduction, filling the 2019 reflections with great experiences and memories. I was so excited to see that Bree made their first zine in 2019. (A belated welcome to the zineverse!) And favourite songs! Music is a great way to express yourself, of course, but it’s also like a YouTube music hunt when I see a play list in a zine. Bree also lists out projects they worked on (mostly zines) so that is also a fun way to get to know their interests and creations.
Given we’re already more than halfway through 2020 and the way this year has gone, I was very curious about how it would feel. Would Bree’s goals and things they were/are looking forward to have changed dramatically because of what’s happened in the world? There are things that must have changed, certainly, but there were a lot of things I’m sure Bree was able to still do. One fun note is that Bree was looking forward to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and it turned out to be such an incredible hit.
I enjoyed this zine for the aesthetic as well as the feelings of optimism that came from it. I’d really love to see a ‘goodbye 2020, hello 2021’ zine from Bree next year about how they adjusted things and accomplished things given the unique challenges of the year.
Plus, I really like lists.
I think this is a nice, pleasant zine that you’ll enjoy if the things I’ve mentioned appeal to you. I’m also very curious about Bree’s other zines now, so even better!
Message in a bottle, memory on a cloud is a full-colour A5 zine featuring a gorgeous thought exploration of communication, memory, and relationships in digital and physical forms.
My heart, zine friends. My heart.
Message in a bottle, memory on a cloud opens with an acknowledgement of the traditional peoples of the land the zine was made on before gently guiding the reader into a journey of communication, distance, and the strange existence between the worlds of the physical and digital. Each page features a thought snippet, one to a few sentences, along these themes. Each snippet is accompanied by a sketch, both places on lovely and colourful hand-drawn backgrounds. For me, these really added to the almost ethereal feel of the journey of this zine.
This zine is… beautiful. It really is to me. I’m not sure if it’s a matter of having grown up as the internet and computers were becoming more standard in schools. (To the point I can remember when I was a child wondering why I would want to look something up on a computer when the encyclopaedias were right there in the library as well.) Or it could be the mix of memories as well as gentle wondering about letters, messages in bottles, and more.
I feel like I’m not explaining things well at all, but perhaps that’s because I’m still in such a contemplative space after reading it. Perhaps, my favourite quote… As someone who has had and has many online and long-distance relationships of different kinds, I do want to share this:
“I have lived, and I have loved on a piece of paper.”
I must admit I had to sit with that one for a while because it brought me back to so many different memories.
I think what really got to me about this zine is that there wasn’t any pure right or wrong in it. No pure condemnation of the digital or loathing of the physical. Things are as they are, and these contemplations are simply that – contemplations that you can take into your own mind and use as a means by which to start exploring your own feelings about life.
Message in a bottle, memory on a cloud was a truly unexpected zine that has left me with so many more thoughts and feelings than I could have expected to encounter. I feel like Kassi’s gentle wanderings are something everyone should consider reading.
Weird Sh** Out of Context is a black and white, primarily text A7 mini-zine full of out-of-context quotes.
I was in the mood for something fun, and this zine really hit the spot. Full of plenty of strange – even in any context I can imagine – statements, each in their own speech bubbles, you can spend as much or as little time as you like pondering the strangeness. Latibule makes full use of the space, too, so there’s plenty to ponder.
Usually with a mini, I wouldn’t share any quotes because there’d be so few, but Latibule has filled this mini right up with strange and wonderful quotes. So I think it’s okay to share the quote that made me wonder the most and chuckle the most:
“Gooey, gooey children.”
Hilarious or horrifying – which way did your mind go?
My one nit pick is that Latibule didn’t include any socials or the like anywhere in the zine. Not a huge thing, but, in Latibule’s case, a lot of things that aren’t her come up when you google “Latibule” so I thought I’d mention.
Pick up this mini and other minis like it. It’s a fun reminder of what strange creatures we humans are.
