Category: Zine Reviews

Growing to Become Myself 2017
Queer Marshmallow
https://www.facebook.com/merfemmedistro/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MerfemmeDistro

Today when I’m not feeling well on a dreary winter afternoon, I was in the mood to read a zine that would make me feel good. Growing to Become Myself 2017 delivered that.

The first thing that really strikes me when I look at this mini-zine is the colour. With the title in pinks on top of a picture of green grass and purple and white flowers, it’s a very inviting zine. (Especially as I snuggle in my electric blanket and sigh about winter.) I feel like I can’t help but look inside.

This use of colour is carried on inside with photos of flowers used at the backdrop for words and thoughts written on snippets of pastel coloured paper. It is handwritten rather than type, and I thank the zine maker for clear and readable handwriting.

Growing to Become Myself 2017 is like a goals list combined with reminders on how to be more self-caring, gentle, and more positive about your life.

The Focus on Healing page hit home the most with me with words about slow progress still being progress and not pushing oneself into doing more than one can. This is what I struggle with the most in my life (hello, my name is Nyx, and I’m a workaholic).

The one niggle here is no contact details whatsoever. As always, I say this with a grain of salt because you never know if people leave off the details on purpose. However, I’m someone who always wants to know more and thus always notices when they’re not there.

Growing to Become Myself 2017 is a very pretty zine that uses the title and theme of growth along with images of flowers to create a beautiful, gentle mini-zine. I quite enjoyed it and hope you will, too.

The Reverse Cougar Years #3
Maxx
arevolutionofwords@gmail.com

I confess – I picked this up because of the title. Do you blame me? I did a quick look through enough to guess it was a perzine, but “Reverse Cougar”? That’s a name I wish I’d thought of. The funny thing is that I wrote that note << before I read anything, so I laughed out loud when the zine started off with an explanation of the title.

Along with the explanation of the title, Maxx also starts off by writing about, well, not writing.

“I stopped writing zines because I was told it was selfish to want to share my thoughts, for no other reason than the fact I enjoyed telling stories.”

The Reverse Cougar is a zine that hooked me in straight away with emotion. I laughed because of the title, and then I felt so incredibly frustrated reading the quote above. All the time Maxx had lost due to idiots saying idiotic things! But on that same note, I felt happy and celebrated this zine as Maxx’s return to creating.

Plenty of feels to feel here!

The first parts are about Maxx's career as a female sound technician, something I can honestly say I knew absolutely nothing about. That's what made it doubly interesting for me because not only did I not know about the job but I thus didn't know about the difficulties that came with being a female in the world of sound technicians, either.

In the second half, Maxx writes about anxiety, and the feels were strong for me in this one, too. I identify so much with being on the floor crying uncontrollably. I really loved how Maxx handled the 'then' and 'now' views of things. Maxx does a good job of summing up with enough info but not lingering too long. Everything keeps moving along.

Even more, I loved how Maxx’s writing on anxiety expanded out into a sad but beautiful examination of the end of a relationship as well as different responses to mental illness.

The Reverse Cougar took me to a lot of different, interesting places. It ends on such a sad note, but it's a strong note as well. I’m looking forward to reading other issues.

Botanical Photography
Jessica Jane
www.jessicajaneillustration.com
IG: @jessicajane.illustration

For me, photography is like art and poetry: I don’t know a lot about how it works, but I know what I like and what I don’t like. Everything else gets lost in wondering what the creator intended…

Botanical Photography is a photo zine featuring pictures of flora around Victoria, Australia. There are flowers, trees, sunshine, and lovely little things that make this state beautiful. I may be a bit biased, but if you’re going to take pictures of nature, Victoria is a great place to do it.

While I do really love photo zines, I felt like some of the impact of the photos is lost in the production quality. The pictures were a little washed out sometimes or a little too dark. I found myself thinking more than once that a little higher GSM could go a long way, but…

Therein lies the problem for me: intention.

Were the photos meant to be a little blurry or washed out? Is this meant to be the mark of someone still learning? Or perhaps it’s all due to the paper and ink used in printing. The slightly washed out quality of the last photo adds an ethereal quality to it, so it’s harder to guess than you might think.

If this wasn’t the intention, the suggestion of higher quality paper isn’t necessarily a simple one. With the zine already at $7, I don’t know what better printing would do to the price.

I really liked the touch of the sewn binding. With a zine that’s all about nature, I may have not really thought about staples, but the sewing adds to the ‘closer to nature’ feel in a way that metal staples wouldn’t.

I love photography, and I like to see a beginning (I think) photographer’s work. I think Jessica caught some truly beautiful shots, and I’d like to see more. But I must admit I’d also like to see it printed in a way better suited to photos.

The Radical Uprise #005: DIY Culture Cut and Paste
?
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRadicalUprise

On the eve of International Zine Month, I thought it was only right to review a zine that is all about the love of DIY.

One thing I truly love about zines is when someone is able to put things I feel so strongly about into word better than I could have ever hoped to. On the very first page of this zine, there is a section about creating things and being in artist that expresses my own feelings so, so well.

Talk about a good start to a zine.

The Radical Uprise #005 is DIY from self to self-sustainable with pieces about making things to supporting creators. There’s plenty to check out above and beyond the zine with interviews with interesting people who have shops and distros.

This zine is a bit Etsy-centric in that it’s the only platform really talked about. I would have liked to hear success stories using other platforms. But I also fully admit that I’m probably only mentioning it because Etsy’s money-grabbing (especially of late) makes me angry.

The Radical Uprise #005: DIY Culture Cut and Paste is not simply an excited yell out into the night about how wonderful it is to DIY in your life. This zine covers why it’s good for you, good for the people who do it, and even why it’s good for the planet. It’s a great way to look at DIY from multiple ways.

Check it out.

My Thoughts Will Kill Me
Miss Muffcake
www.missmuffcake.com
@missmuffcake

For today’s review, we have a sad but strong mini zine about living with mental illness.

My heart hurt reading this zine because I’ve been there so much. Buzzing thoughts that more often multiply than go away… It’s strangely easy to forget that you’re not alone, so my heart breaks every time I read about someone else’s experiences.

The thing that I found so interesting with this zine is that MissMuffcake never mentions a specific mental illness. I actually went back to read through again and check because I’d automatically started applying her words to my own mental health struggles. It blew me away when I looked back and realised that, even though there are so many different labels, we still have so much in common.

I am just one in many who have a mental illness. I am not alone.

While it was sad, it was also comforting to read the quote above and know that Miss Muffcake knows she’s not alone.

Even better? That through it all, she still finds humour. (Cake is a wonderful motivator.)

Definitely check this little zine out whether you are dealing with mental health issues or want to better understand friends who are.

Ground
Lee Taylor
@thescreeverzine
www.facebook.com/thescreeverzine

Ground is the first zine in a sweet comic series about love, life, and working in a coffee shop. (Spoilers: I love it.)

I couldn’t help but be taken in by the physical qualities of this zine straight away. The cover is made of what looks like recycled paper (I’m pretty sure it is…) and is bound by string wound through triangular-shaped holes in the spine. The square you see on the cover in the picture above isn’t something stuck onto the cover but is actually a square cut into the cover.

I could get into the possible thematic implications of cutting the square into the cover to reveal some of the first page, but then I begin to wonder if I’m getting a little deep into it right from the get to.

With such pleasant expectations set up by the physical side of the zine, I began to wonder what I would find inside…

The humour in Ground is a ‘softer’ humour that I enjoyed. There were little things that made me smile and care about the characters as well as things that felt like ‘inside’ jokes for working in a coffee shop but that I still understood. (‘Can I just have a normal coffee?’ made me smile.)

The art in Ground is lovely with attention to detail and a lot of soft lines involved. You are introduced to the characters involved by getting a peek into the work lockers. I’m a bit of a nosey nelly, and I really liked that choice for introductions. I also enjoyed how Lee used both single panels as well as single pictures over multiple panels.

(Just looking at that pour makes me want a coffee.)

While it’s definitely a beginning – a chapter one, if you will – I like that it didn’t just cut off in the middle of things. There’s certainly more story implied, but this first zine has a beginning, middle and end. I definitely want to read more, but I’m not left feeling rudely interrupted. At the same time, everything is set up for a series ahead.

All up, this is a lovely zine, and I already know that I want the whole series from start to finish. I recommend checking it out.

PS. I try to regard a zine in and of itself. That being said, this zine did come with a loyalty card on which you can stick letters that you collect by buying the Ground series zines. I really love this idea in and of itself, but the fact that it ties into the coffee shop theme makes it even more fun.

Side Project #5
Samantha EE, Teresa Watts, Sabrina Wong, Sophie Raynor, Evelyn Paolino
www.sideprojectmag.com
@sideproject_mag (Twitter/IG/FB/Pinterest)

Side Project is a series about DIY and living creatively. In this issue, there are artist interviews, how-to instructions for a couple crafty projects, and various articles. This zine is the magazine that I always wanted to read growing up.

At $10, Side Project is definitely in the higher price range for a zine. However, for the price, you are getting a full colour, 46 page zine printed on nice paper. Aesthetically, it’s a very pretty zine. Everything is very neat, colourful, nicely laid out, and readable. It’s chock full of information and is a zine you can sit and pour over for hours.

In layout and feel, it’s very much a magazine. Those can be fighting words in the zine arena, but with ‘a zine for creatives’ on the cover but ‘mag’ in the URL, I don’t think the Side Project team is going to take it badly. I think they understand that they walk an interesting line.

Side Project puts me in a very strange space that I’ve never been in before. On one hand, it’s a zine. On the other hand, it’s almost not. It’s so perfectly well put together and perfectly created that it almost throws me a bit. There is often a sort of grit – a misprint here or a wonky staple there – and handmade feel to zines that Side Project doesn’t have because of its production.

That’s by no means at all a bad thing – please don’t take me wrong in that. And I certainly don’t mean to say that all zines have misprints or wonky staples. I only mean to say that Side Project is certainly different to my usual zine read.

In many ways the magazine-like qualities work very much in its favour. The combination of the aesthetic with pieces about creatives who live in Australia and sell on Etsy was really inspiring. It made me feel like homegrown creators can get the real recognition they deserve. I loved reading about talented people I could identify with as a creator and enjoyed articles on subjects I give a damn about.

On that note, my favourite piece of the entire zine was definitely the piece on Imposter Syndrome. I didn’t know that the feelings I hold all the time actually had a name and that other people feel them, too. I like that they didn’t just write about it but also added on some tips for making your imposter feelings work in your favour.

All up, this zine is gorgeous to look at and enjoyable to read. I can think of a few DIY friends I’d like to get copies for. DIY, Etsy sellers, and other creatives will enjoy it.

Proof I Exist 22: International Zine Month
Billy McCall
iknowbilly@gmail.com

International Zine Month is July, which means it’s coming up fast!

Proof I Exist 22 is about International Zine Month 2015 and the love of all things zine. If you’re not familiar, IZM has an ‘activity a day’ list created by Alex Wrekk (http://www.stolensharpierevolution.org/international-zine-month/) to go along with it, and Billy made a zine to document his progress.

You all know I’m always going to read a zine about zines, and adding in the perzine side of things is like hitting the zine jackpot for me. Talk about enjoyable and inspiring. As Billy himself says, this is a zine nerd’s zine, and I am all over that.

As much as I like that Billy made an IZM zine, I like that he didn’t make a zine of the prompts alone. He includes things like the zines he writes, the story of his first zine, and other things mixed in with the prompts. It makes the zine-y goodness that much better – plus I really enjoyed reading Billy’s story about his very first zine.

Aesthetically this zine is a bit different with the half-fold running vertically instead of horizontally. I found it interesting how one small choice could make it seem to different.

A fun sneaky little surprise in this zine is the mini-zine you find tucked inside. Have I mentioned that Billy called this a zine nerd’s zine? Because he’s not only embraced that but takes it to all kinds of fun levels.

As you may have guessed at this point, I love this zine and would love to see many more people celebrate International Zine Month in the same way.

Thought For The Day: The Body Image Issue
Chloe Henderson
www.chloehenderson.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/chloehenderson9/

Thought For The Day: The Body Image Issue is a series of black and white photos featuring short thoughts on beauty and body written on various body parts (save for the last page, which is a drawing).

By their nature, mini zines are often quick reads. While this one is no exception, it’s a quick read that I have enjoyed several times over.

There’s something about this zine that really captured me and had me going back over the pages. Body image can be a sensitive and complicated issue, and this zine approached it with both vulnerability and humour. (Knees are weird.)

I love that the body thoughts are actually written on skin. What may have been a simple decision at the start had made all the images somehow more intimate. The words have more of an impact on me than they would have typed or written out on paper.

I really enjoyed this zine and hope that there are more ‘thought for the day’ zines in this series. Though honestly, a series of more of the same would be most welcome, too.

The Screever Issue Eleven Spring ’17
Lee and Nat
https://www.facebook.com/thescreeverzine
http://thescreever.blogspot.com
IG: @thescreeverzine

I was a little bit nervous when The Screever got in contact about their punk zine because music isn’t my strong point. But they were willing to give me a chance, and I’m so glad they did.

The Screever is a little punk zine chock full of all kinds of fun stuff.

There’s something really satisfying about a chunky little zine. You know it’s going to be chock full, and it’s all waiting there for you to read it. The Screever certainly doesn’t disappoint, with ‘variety’ being the special word of the evening. There’s plenty to enjoy.

The Screever includes interviews, reviews, and even recipes! There’s even variety within those categories as well. With the interviews, Screever chats with a musician, film maker, zine makers, and a record label. The reviews include reviewing books, music and zines.

I may not have been able to finish my degree in graphic communications, but I do remember a few things. Layout-wise, this is a very visually appealing zine. Interviews in three-column pages, articles in one column and so forth… Visual consistency in combination with the variety of contents is a pleasing thing – even if we don’t consciously realise it.

Credit where credit is due – and The Screever is good at giving credit. The photo credits, contributor links, and the like are all oh so readable.

On a side note, I love the little things, and you can bet that I was thrilled to see puzzles included in there. Sudoku!

Even better yet, lovely readers, they’re open for contributions!

Check out this zine. You may end up agreeing with me, you may end up disagreeing, but check it out anyway.

PS. I read introductions! I also like reading project updates, so keep them coming.