Category: Zine Reviews

Guitarrr (And Bass) Mini Manual
Nina Echozina
https://echopublishing.wordpress.com/

Guitarrr (And Bass) Mini Manual is an A7 full-colour mini about playing guitar and bass.

I swear Nina is the queen of packing a lot of info into mini-zines while still keeping them lovely to look at and easy to read. I don’t even play guitar, and I enjoy this zine. That being said, it’s not just the nice layout that kept me reading.

Guitarrr is a fantastic introduction to learning to play (electric) guitar and bass. Nina is self-taught, has played for several years, and is in the band Lavender Witch. She shares basics, tips, and tricks for learning to play with sections like ‘pick or no pick?’, ‘tuning’, ‘solo techniques’. Each section stands out easily with headers in blue, and illustrations help demonstrate what Nina is writing about.

True to form, Nina even adds a spot with a couple of resources for you to check out.

Even cooler, the entire mini folds out to reveal an illustration to show where notes are on your guitar/bass as well as some examples of chords. Love it!

Guitarrr is an excellent mini to check out – especially if you are learning or thinking about learning guitar/bass.

Emergency
Iestyn
https://www.instagram.com/iesorno/

Emergency is an A6 full-colour zine of photos and text contemplation of the forms of guilt and the power of other people’s perceptions.

This zine hurt my heart but in the ultimately good way that leaves it more open and willing to question first reactions when dealing with other people.

Emergency features colour photos taken in public toilets. While this may seem a strange thing, it has become a soothing measure for a father of a special needs need who needs to be accompanied in the toilet. Being a grown man with a teenage boy in a toilet brings up many feelings for Iestyn – pretty much all of which are negative despite the actual care he is providing for his child.

I feel a bit petty bringing up that this zine has no contact details because I almost feel like the point of this zine is the feelings and the words. To be in the moment of reading those thoughts and feelings and to continue pondering them even after you’re done reading. But with the strength of feeling in this zine, how could I not want to look at what else Iestyn is making?

Emergency is a zine that will be on my mind for a long time after I’ve posted this review. Check it out.

Sometimes I read a zine I really like, but I don’t have enough to say about it to write what I consider a ‘full’ review. Bring in: Mega Mini-Zine Mini Reviews where I review five mini-zines in a mini fashion.

Genderqueer is…
Keira
https://www.instagram.com/k.huolohan/
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/ZinesByKeira

Genderqueer is… is a full-colour one-page mini collection of thoughts on being genderqueer.

This zine is a journey of poetic definitions, each page dedicated to finishing the sentence started by the title. Where I expected a cut-and-dry “101” style of zine, I was pleasantly surprised to find this colourful, thoughtful zine.

Keira’s words inspire many imagines and feelings, and I’ve already gone back to read it repeatedly.

Cobalt/Periwinkle/Indigo Thoughts
Latibule
https://www.instagram.com/latibule_art/

Cobalt/Periwinkle/Indigo Thoughts is a set of three full-colour mini-zines that are a smidge bigger than A7. They are all collections of collages and thoughts.

The colour in these zines is gorgeous. I love the combination of washi, paper, and other elements all together. The written thoughts tie into the title in that they tap into sadness, loneliness, self-questioning, and more. On that note, I’d exercise a little caution if you are in a low mood/mindspace. But if you’re in a solid space, then take a look at these.

Dog. A Zine About Cats
Georgi
?

Dog. A Zine About Cats is a black and white one-page mini about cats – and a little bit about dogs.

This mini ‘had me at hello’ with a title that made me smile and an art style to match. Inside, you’ll find Georgi’s thoughts about cats (and a few about dogs) as well as drawings of Georgi’s cats, Tron and Nancy. The hand drawn page backgrounds are fun, too, with little hearts, flowers, and the like.

I’m sure I’ve seen Georgi’s social stuff somewhere, but with no link on the zine and my brain fog, I can’t find any at the moment. But if you do find this zine, grab it. It’s lovely and a zine any cat enthusiast would enjoy.

Things Things Think About
?
bearsandmonsters@gmail.com

Things Things Think About is a tiny A8 black and white zine about things that things (and animals) think about.

Okay, so the title was self-explanatory and more fun. Haha. This tiny zine dedicates a page to each illustration of a think or animal and what it is thinking about. (Who knew water coolers thought about maths equations? Probably to distract themselves from all the gossip.)

It’s short and sweet – you can finish it in under a minute – and it’s the sort of fun, random creation that makes me love zines all the more.

The Summer of ‘14
Rachael Carlson
https://www.instagram.com/tigerlilyknotwise/

The Summer of ’14 is a full-colour one-page mini collection of collage and haiku.

Colour! With collages full of colour and poems that touch on sunshine, rain, and the ocean, I can’t imagine a better title for this little lovely. I look looking through this zine on rainy days as I wait – mostly impatiently – for the sun to come back again.

Even if haiku isn’t your thing, I think there’s still enjoyment to be found in the feeling and visuals of this zine.

Hello, zine friends! I’m trying something new today. Sometimes I read a zine I really like, but I don’t have enough to say about it to write what I consider a ‘full’ review. Bring in: Mega Mini-Zine Mini Reviews where I review five mini-zines in a mini fashion.

Let me know what you think of this idea. Now onto the reviews!

5 O’Clock Press
Craig Atkinson
https://www.instagram.com/craiganthonyatkinson/

5 O’Clock Press is an A6 black and white handwritten mini about Craig coming back to zines and the wonderful world that zines can open up.

This is a quick read but one with lovely thoughts and feelings about zines. It reminded me of pleasant memories from when I first found zines. Craig didn’t include any contact details in this particular zine, but that could be intentional. All up, I can see myself reading this again.

Tales From Admin Support
Sober Bob
https://www.instagram.com/soberbobmonthly/

Tales From Admin Support is a one-page mini with mini tales from working in admin support.

Five tales will leave you shaking your head and understanding why Sober Bob isn’t eager to go back to that link of work. As someone whose partner has worked in various technical support roles over the years, I had all the empathy for Bob’s frustration.

I think anyone who has had a job they didn’t like (especially if it involved dealing with other people) would enjoy checking this out.

Sweet & Sour Split Mini-Zine
Xyendra
https://www.instagram.com/zippityzinedra/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ZippityZinedraPress

Sweet & Sour is a one-page full-colour mini love ode to lemons and nectarines.

I’m not entirely sure because I’ve been doing this for a while, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen a one-page mini split zine. I love the idea and the extra thought that must have gone into the layout. Even more fun, the pages are numbered with little pictures of lemons on the lemon side and nectarines on the nectarine side.

This mini is just for the love, and some of the descriptions gave me quite a craving for fruit. Haha.

A Few Days in a Year of Ravens 1-3
debbieann@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/debbieannjizo/

A Few Days in a Year of Ravens is a set of three black and white mini-zines about the lives of a raven family.

These zines are like a bird-watching journal with experiments in feeding them different foods and other birds making an appearance in the ‘family’. I enjoyed the personalities that seemed to emerge with them and the whole family dynamic. I even laughed out loud when I read this in the second one:

“Dad came back – didn’t share.”

I think this is a series that anyone who likes birds will enjoy.

Little Things About Hawai’i
Anna G
friendshauna@gmail.com

Little Things About Hawai’I is a one-page black and white mini of, well, things about Hawai’i.

This is primarily a text zine with a wide variety of facts – absolutely none of which I knew. I found it funny how the first fact had me eager to visit but toward the end, Anna mentioned how many tourists die there due to ignoring caution signs.

Good thing I’m not a rule breaker. Mostly. Haha.

The great thing about this mini is that the facts aren’t boring. I like statistics and figures plenty, but I like life and personality a bit more.

Murals of Marin #1
True Zine Marin
https://www.instagram.com/shellbobmv/

Murals of Marin #1 is a full colour one-page mini-zine about the ‘True Colors’ mural in San Rafael, California.

It’s a short and sweet one for you today, zine friends. But like this zine gets right to the heart of what it’s all about, so will this review.

The zine opens with all the who, what, etc details of the mural, and the zine unfolds to reveal a full colour picture of the mural inside. There is so much absolutely gorgeous colour to take in and enjoy with this mini.

I really like this idea – especially as a series. I could see this ending up being a fun sort of zine tour series around Marin county. Everything is clear and easy to read, and I like the idea of other people making series like these for places they love.

Smoking Dreams
Hannah Williams
http://wemakezines.com/members/hrw7005/profile/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HRWzines

Smoking Dreams is a half-fold black and white perzine about friendship, passing time, and smoking.

While the title of this zine refers to dreams, actual dreams about smoking play a relatively small role in the bigger story. Hannah jumps right into things on the inside front cover. Hannah writes briefly about smoking dreams before writing about a not-so-nice view of cigarette smoking in her childhood.

From there, we read about Hannah dating Patrick and a slow introduction not only to his friends and cousins but to their happy pastime: smoking. Cigars, pipes… it all became a part of Hannah’s life as she found community, friendship, and even new acquaintances thanks to the hobby.

Hannah uses a cut and paste style, but in a minimal way with larger pictures and a few small elements dotted here and there. I think this really works for this zine. Hannah’s writing style reminds me of reading a novel, and putting more visual elements would have been – I feel – more distraction than anything else.

Then again, while reading this zine, I found myself thinking of my own pastimes around smoking. I never smoked myself, but many family members used to. Even decades later, the smell of a familiar brand of cigarettes will send me right back into those memories. No doubt that played into how easily I found myself getting right into this zine.

One small point is that it did take a little bit of hunting to find any of Hannah’s details, but, as I always try to keep in mind, this could be by intention.

Smoking Dreams is one of those zines that you’ll love if you like peeks into other people’s lives. The seemingly small choices that lead us onto new life paths. Check it out if this sounds like your kind of zines.

Claiming Bisexuality
Adelaide Barton
http://www.brusquebabe.com
https://www.instagram.com/brusquebabe/

Claiming Bisexuality is a black and white, about 11cm X 18cm sized zine about confusion around bisexuality and exploring it both as “an umbrella term as well as a distinct sexual identity”. (Quote from the front inside cover.)

Claiming Bisexuality opens with a dedication of sorts in that this zine was written for people who think they don’t count or aren’t ‘queer enough’ for the bisexual label. It’s a lovely strong but gentle start – and exactly what I was hoping for.

From there we learn about the author’s own realisations in regards to sexual and romantic attractions *not* being intrinsically linked. How people can be, for example, ‘heteroromantic and bisexual’. What is offered as a perzine-esque introduction to the zine begins the interesting path of education and appreciation of the subtleties in meaning.

On that note, we them move into a section I greatly appreciated that breaks down the different between sex (biological) and gender (societal). I appreciated it because I’ve seen and heard both terms used when the person using them meant the other but also because the author took the time to make it clear how sex isn’t as binary as many people would like to think. My pedantic editor soul enjoyed this, and the shy ‘I’m not clear about myself’ part of me enjoyed it as establishing this zine to be one of gentle but clear education.

I could really go on and on about this zine section by section. It’s so chock full of information, quotes, definitions, and more. There are even charts, some of which the author uses to show interesting ways to define attraction and sexuality.

There is so much going on in this zine that I even considered taking notes in a few places. I learned so much about labels, definitions, bisexuality in the media, and difficulties people who are bisexual face. There is a lot to love visually, too, with readable handwritten text, drawn pictures, and the aforementioned charts.

One part that means a lot to me and made me feel better about myself in general is this:

“There is no correct age to claim one’s identity, and there’s no correct age to update one’s identity to something that best reflects where someone is currently at.”

Wrapping up with a big ol’ list of cited sources, Claiming Bisexuality is the best ‘bi primer’ I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I would not hesitate to give it to anyone who is questioning and/or wants to know more. (Just not my copy, because I’d be very sad to lose it.) Check it out.

Behind the Scenes with George Rex
George Rex
http://www.georgerexcomics.com
http://www.instagram.com/girlrexdoor

Behind the Scenes is an A5 full-colour comic zine that takes you ‘behind the scenes’ in George’s life as a comic artist and illustrator.

With the front inside cover dedicated to George’s chosen tools of the trade and page one diving into explaining why George uses light blue pencil before inking, Behind the Scenes wastes no time with inviting you into their world as a comic artist.

From there, George takes us through an illustrated world of George quitting her job to become a freelancer, a dream studio day vs an average one, and a whopping seven glorious pages dedicated to the love (and stress) of new sketchbooks. There’s plenty more to enjoy as well!

You may think this comic isn’t for you because you’re not an artist. I’m not an artist by any means, and I found heaps I not only enjoyed but also identified with. I absolutely love the sketchbook section because my love for notebooks will never die. I had all the feelings for George’s comparison between a dream day at the studio and what is more often the reality.

Ah, for a penny for each good intention.

I had a chuckle at one point when George mentioned the time when Officeworks briefly stopped stocking Uni Pin Fineliners because I remember that. I also remember feeling similar disappointment.

I’ve talked about George’s art style before (Oh Brother! (https://www.seagreenzines.com/zine-review-oh-brother-some-stories-about-growing-up-with-a-brother-with-autism/), ADL -> MEL (https://www.seagreenzines.com/zine-review-adl-mel-2/) ), and this comic offers even more. Black and white, full colour, pages coloured by various shades and tints of blue – and that’s just on the colours front.

It’s no secret that I love George Rex’s work, and Behind the Scenes really wins it all. This zine takes George’s amazing and fun style and mixes it with everything my nosy self loves about perzines. Grab a copy.

A Beginner’s Guide to Bizarro Fiction
Ben Fitts
https://www.instagram.com/doom_goat_666/
doomgoat666@gmail.com

A Beginner’s Guide to Bizarro Fiction is a black and white half-fold zine introduction to bizarre fiction, authors in the genre, and recommended reads.

Well, zine friends, Ben found the right audience in me because I am, in fact, a beginner when it comes to this genre.

Beginner’s Guide opens with a short overview of bizarro fiction – what defines the genre and influences within it (from Kafka to Philip K Dick). I must admit that I felt a little lost at the start, but if you use ‘Kafka’ to illustrate what you’re trying to tell me, I will understand pretty quickly. (Some school required reads just stick with you.)

The bulk of the zine is made up of profiles for authors Ben recommends. Each page is dedicated to an author with their name, photo, and a brief introduction. Each profile also has ‘recommended reading’ as well. I quite liked that little addition because they can help you to narrow down where to start. A few even have, “If nothing else, try reading…” recommendations.

If you hadn’t picked up that I like recommendations, you will with the fact that I really liked how Ben wrapped up the zine with a couple lists of more books. I like that along with more bizarre titles, Ben also recommends books outside the genre that bizarro fans will enjoy.

If you like reading and want to broaden (or expand, if you already read these kind of books), check out this zine.

Fishy Encounters
Gina Ulgen
https://www.instagram.com/paper_draper/

Fishy Encounters is an A6 full-colour zine of collage style art with a distinctly fishy theme.

I will do my best not to make any fishy puns in the course of this review.

Fishy Encounters takes you right into the content of the zine and carries you all the way through to the end with a collage occupying every page – even the front inside cover. Inside, you will find a mostly wordless (save for words that are on/a part of the collages) zine with strange and, I found, often amusing combinations of images.

I’m not sure if I’m supposed to find the images amusing or something else, but I appreciate the smiles nonetheless. I’m not particularly attracted to fish or the ocean on a larger scale, but I count that as a plus that I still found enjoyment in this.

In fact, it reminds me of my friend Fishspit, who is the king of collage envelope art in my eyes.

The two collages I enjoyed the most were black and white photos with ‘Fig. 2’ and ‘Fig. 4’ beneath them as well as descriptions for what is happening in the pictures. Fish pictures are put in just the right spots to make it funny, but the real special touch is that Gina found the word ‘fish’ in similar small fonts to cover certain words. For instance, Fig. 2 has been made into ‘Fig. 2 – Bathing a Fish’ thanks to that tiny word ‘fish’ being put over the original text.

I hope I’m making sense with that. Bottom line, I found the collage with a man who has a fish on the lead with ‘Fig. 4 – Training a Fish. Teaching him to come to heel when called’ quite funny.

I do have one small nitpick in the lack of contact details. ‘Gina Ulgen’ is printed on the back, so you’re not left completely in the dark, but I have become a bit spoiled and like direct links to things.

Fishy Encounters is a short zine that made me smile a lot. If you like collage art, fish, or something a bit different, check out this zine.