Category: Zine Reviews

Bluez
Fafa Jaepelt, Patricia Breccia, Sandro Andrade, Earl Oldman, Adao de Lima Junior, Michel Garcia Sanches, Henry Jaepelt
IG: @catarinacomixfestival
Catarina Comix Festival Page

And now for something a little different! Like with Catzine, I am not at all familiar with Portuguese but was very curious to find out what translated through images and how it lined up when I translated the text.

Bluez is a collection of comics by various artists, all of which centre around a darker, soulful theme of ‘blues’ than you may be thinking of.

I’ll say straight from the start that there is beautiful, detailed art in this zine. I am in such awe of the talent contained within these pages, and I was stuck on the first page for a long time because the image is so gorgeous that I didn’t want to stop looking at it. So lovely. It’s all also very well suited to black and white.

So it’s with a very heartfelt plea that future issues of this zine have contact details, blog pages, instagram accounts… anything so people can check out more work by these artists because they are so talented!

It was very interesting to see what I could ‘get’ from the comics before translating the words. True to the musical genre they were channeling, the art is deep, a little dark at times, and very soulful. Little did I know!

Google Translate has its faults, but I was able to get a fair gist of the meaning. There was already a sort of darkness to the art, but the words added a new layer of intensity. As the reader, it was a strange experience to get these ‘layers’ separately rather than together. Strange in a very good way, though.

I definitely recommend checking this zine out – even if you have to make use of Google Translate. There’s something about the art that has really captured me.

Johnny V and Sober Bob and the Hunt for Gender Affirming State Mandated Identification
Johnny V and Sober Bob
@_johnny.v
@soberbobmonthly

Dedicated to all those fighting to have their genuine and beautiful genders affirmed by the institutions that demand documentation but refuse to provide any.

Johnny V and Sober Bob and the Hunt for Gender Affirming State Mandated Identification is a small zine addressing big problems. Trying to get official government level paperwork sorted is difficult even when it’s ‘easy’, so to be facing discrimination on top of that turns it into an entirely different monster.

Johnny V’s efforts to obtain proper identification made for a quick read but an upsetting one. It’s sad to know that getting something like this sorted is more a matter of getting the right person rather than being able to solidly reply on systems that are meant to be there and work for the people.

I was so swept up in Johnny and Bob’s story that I doubly appreciated one of the notes at the end of the zine. Sober Bob made a zine not only to document personal experiences but also to think about what it must be like for people trying to do the same thing but with fewer resources.

This zine may feel like a quick read, but it touches on a lot of issues as well as can be a great read to help people feel less alone in their struggles with government bodies.

The Cock Thesaurus
Mostly by Jade Walsh
http://tootzines.bigcartel.com/

How could I not pick up a zine that gave me a little giggle with its title alone?

The Cock Thesaurus is more of a ‘related concepts’ thesaurus rather than a list of synonyms as it has similar words with different meanings rather than different words with similar meanings. From ‘the cock’ to ‘cock (possessive noun)’, this zine has all your cocky word definitions taken care of. It reminds me a bit of urban dictionary but with only the single definition per word.

Aesthetically this zine is a little bit different in the binding. The pages are stapled to the back rather than the spine. While it does leave the back cover a little short, it makes the overall cover interesting. With black and white pages containing text only, standard paper and staples to bind it the $6 price tag does niggle, though.

Yes, this zine definitely speaks to my giggly self, but I’m also intrigued by explorations into words – especially words that we give more power to than others. If you’re the same, this may be a zine for you.

Plus, if it is the zine for you, there are more! It’s part of a series with The Fish Thesaurus and The Ass Thesaurus.

Self Help 2
?
selfhelpzine@gmail.com

Self Help 2 is a zine about perfectionism, finding the right self-care, defending your needs, and having hope for the future. It’s also a zine that I found was enhanced by the zine that came before it…

Part of the reason that I decided to put this review up so quickly after my review of the first one is the experience I had in reading them one after the other. They certainly work completely well as standalone zines, but I got some added enjoyment out of reading them together like I did.

The perspective that I liked in Self-Help 1 of looking back on the teenage years with the gaze of someone in their late twenties is echoed in a way in this zine. Instead of the usual jump of a couple months to a year or so in most perzines I’ve read, the jump from the first to the second in this series is a jump from 26/27 years old to 31 years old. Not huge, but certainly significant when it comes to looking back.

One particular topic touched on in this zine that I found interesting is the stigma that exists even within ‘open’ communities when it comes to using ‘traditional’ approaches to mental illness treatment like medication and seeing psychologists/psychiatrists. I like reading about people finding success with those things just as much as I like reading about people who find success in other ways. I think it’s important for people to call out hypocritical behaviour that deters people from finding success in whatever way they can.

This zine still has the ‘scrapbook’ type feel with ‘outside’ pieces included, but this one had a bit more writing and reflection, which I like. There’s also still a focus on perfectionism. As the author writes, “Changing things is a slow, slow, slow process”. Something I feel is reflected in the jump of time between zines but more of a noticeable point when you read the zines one after the other.

I hope anyone who reads this zine can get Self Help 1 at the same time and read them both. I found it inspirational to see someone learning and growing so much in the space of two zines.

A PS for readers outside Australia: This zine comes with seeds, so you may need to request that they are removed before it’s sent.

Self Help #1
?
selfhelpzine@gmail.com

This zine is an exercise in self-therapy. It’s not about wallowing in self-pity, or blaming anyone, or trying to dwell unnecessarily on the past… it is necessary. I want to write this zine to help me figure out where I am now.

With a first page like that, you know where you’re going with a zine.

Self Help #1 is not only an exercise in self-therapy but also self-examination. The author examines their teenage years through their adult eyes. You might read that and think that it sounds cliche, but I found it really engaging. I think there’s something validations about looking back and realiseing that it’s not always “just teenage angst”. It’s ‘what we’ve learned’ without the sticky sweet high-horsing morals of an after-school special. These are real things learned by a real person.

I say ‘the author’ because I don’t think a name is mentioned at any point. It’s entirely possible that I missed it, but it also didn’t distract me as much as I thought it would.

I was surprised to see the articles that were included in the zine, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I feel like it might be a ‘meh’ point for people who read perzines purely for the personal stories. On the other hand, it could be the best of both worlds for other people with most of the articles credited so you could check out more info if you wanted.

The author touches a lot on the subject of perfectionism and how it can drive anxiety. While I’m very familiar with anxiety and perfectionist thinking, perfectionism as its own entity to deal with was new to me and interesting to read about.

The combination of subjects makes it into a zine that I think would hit the mark well with teens as well as those struggling with perfectionism.

Getting Over It… When Other People Are Total Assholes or You’re Just Tired of Your Own Bullshit
Dr Faith G Harper
theintimacydr@gmail.com
microcosmpublishing.com

Getting Over Is a zine about ways to get past the things that are holding you back – whether it’s from other people or from within yourself.

When I picked this up, I did so for the ‘or you’re just tired of your own bullshit’ portion of things, but I like that there is an acknowledgement of both internal and external things we have to get past in our lives.

The zine starts off with the difference between an emotion and a mood. I think this is an important distinction to make for general knowledge but especially for identifying the problems that this zine can possibly help with.

It’s been a while since I’ve read one of Dr Harper’s zines, so I’d forgotten the occasional swearing and the ‘no bubble wrap here’ approach to things. The advice is the right mix of steel and understanding for me, but if you prefer a softer approach (nothing wrong with that), this zine might be a bit full on for you.

There were a few things that were difficult to read, but it’s not always easy admitting how much power we really have in our lives. Much easier to focus on what is out of our hands.

Did I find this zine helpful? Yes. The very first ‘tip’ – What story are you telling yourself about the situation? – was the most helpful in an ‘it’s not about you’ way.

I can see this zine pissing some people off. I felt my anger rise in reaction before I caught myself and realised that I was reacting defensively to what I was thinking rather than to what I was actually reading. If you think this zine will be of use to you, I think it will.

PS. So many things for not saying that blasted phrase I hate so much: “Someone else has it worse”

Keith Conlon’s Unauthorised Guide to North Adelaide Establishments
Rebecca Sheedy
Facebook.com/mildscribbling
IG: @rebeccasheeeedy @mildscribbling

Keith Conlon’s Unauthorised Guide to North Adelaide Establishments is an illustrated review zine highlighting the pros and cons of some of North Adelaide’s eating establishments.

I must admit to a bit of fangirl glee when I saw this zine because not only do I love Rebecca Sheedy’s art but because (knock on wood) I’ll be moving not too far from Adealide later this year and am quite eager to collect recommendations.

I’ve already mentioned a few times how much I love Rebecca’s art style, so let’s just say when I love something, I really love something.

This zine is everything I want in a review – it lists the good, the neutral, and the bad concisely, and it’s illustrated. (I would absolutely love to see more illustrated review zines. It adds a whole new level to the whole thing.) Rebecca’s use of detail suits this so well – even down to the pro/neutral/con circles being coloured in with green/orange/red.

I literally (and yes, I know how to use that word properly) laughed out loud when I realised that the overall ‘out of five’ rating for each establishment was made up of Keith Conlon heads. I found myself hoping that Keith had or would soon come across this zine and be as delighted with it as I am.

I am also now tempted to rate things ‘out of five zine ninjas’.

The thing I wasn’t expecting and thus appreciated all the more was the humour in the review of the Royal Oak Hotel. I really don’t want to spoil it, though, so I’ll merely say thanks for the smile.

Alas, baked goods are my siren’s call, so I will be trying Bakery on O’Connell when I’m in the area.

If you’re dismissing this zine because you’re not and will likely never be in Adelaide, then definitely check out Rebecca’s other zines.

Heard Presents: The Colouring Fun Zine
Heard
www.facebook.com/call.me.han.please
tumblr.com/ChaseHotAirBalloons

Today I have a short and sweet zine to review for you – a colouring zine!

Unlike some other colouring books that are touted as being relaxing, this one is more of my idea of what’s relaxing with plenty of different shapes and things to colour – none of which are too intricate or complicated.

It’s printed on nice, thicker paper for colouring. You might think that’s a given for a colouring zine, but I’ve seen the thought neglected before.

I have to give kudos where kudos are due when it comes to the contact page being clear, easy to read, and giving multiple ways to get in touch. However, I have to give a bigger hat tip to this zine acknowledging the original owners of the land on which the zine was created. It’s a lovely way to recognise indigenous Australians.

All up, I liked this zine. It’s a positive, relaxed zine for a time when I greatly appreciate it.

If the one with puzzles in it is as good as this one, I know I’m going to love it.

Chronic Illhouse
Timothy Andrew, Ayla Brett, Lydia Mcilhone, Nik Ranger
https://www.facebook.com/chronicillhouse/

Chronic Illhouse is a collection of stories, art, and poetry from young people dealing with chronic illnesss. It’s one of those zines that I knew I had to get a copy of as soon as I heard of it. I was so happy to grab a copy at the Melbourne Art Book Fair earlier this year.

I feel multiple levels of appreciation for this zine. First, because it includes both physical and mental chronic illnesses. I don’t know why I assumed that it would be only physical, but I love that it’s not. That small thing reminded me that, as open-minded as I want to be, I still have these inbuilt thoughts when phrases like ‘chronic illness’ come up.

Inside, you will find Timothy Andrew’s creations about Crohn’s Disease, Ayla Brett’s creations about Chronic Kidney Disease, Lydia Mcilhone’s creations about Endometriosis, Nik Ranger’s creations about chronic pain and more. I love that I need to write ‘creations’ instead of ‘stories’ because the people in this zine have expressed themselves not only in words but in images as well. Art therapy is important for a number of reasons, and it was good to see it included here.

I think a table of contents would have been a good addition for this zine if only for the sake of someone who didn’t read it but might have if they had seen their (or someone they loved) condition listed amongst the pages.

I also appreciate what this zine does and represents in a world where sharing your story is so important, and conversations are how we can remove stigmas surrounding so many things.

To be honest, I thought all of the work I found in this zine would be heartbreaking. That the entire experience of this zine would be difficult emotionally. Yet, it wasn’t. I mean no disrespect to those sharing their stories; these are harrowing conditions and the fact that they are a life sentence makes it all the more weighty to deal with. What I mean is that I feel like this zine hit its mark; I wasn’t feeling upset or pity for these people. All the pieces were like conversations in which I could get to know more about their experiences. It helped me to understand more from the safety and comfort of my home as well as helped me to feel like I could share my own stories in the future.

I do hope that their Facebook page, or any other spaces they create, is included in the next edition, because I can see this zine being a great space for people dealing with chronic illness now and in the future. I look forward to reading all the future editions.

How To Be Alone 6.1
Bastian Fox Phelan
bastianfoxphelan.com

I was not at all prepared for this zine.

How To Be Alone 6.1 is a zine by Bastian Fox Phelan about Bastian’s life. This edition follows Bastian’s thoughts about the world, writing in different environments, the importance of a writing routine, and finding one’s voice – in more ways than one.

Before I’d even read the zine, I’d jotted down the note that I enjoyed the visual pun on the cover – whether it was intended or not. How to “bee” alone, eh? Clever. Now that I’ve read it, I realise there is so much more depth and thoughtfulness in the choice and how much meaning it has to the content inside. Do I know if Bastian thought that much about it? No, but the depth of meaning in things is often left to be found by the reader rather than intentionally created by the author.

Reading this zine was, for me, like listening to a song I’d never heard before. It lured me in with soft, beautiful melodies and made me feel comfortable. With that comfort, I let my guard down. When the crescendo of conflict of hurt and pain came later in the song, I was completely unprepared and swimming with different feelings that, even days later, I’m still sorting out. But, like a truly good song, and like a truly good tale reads, it all came back to the melodies it started with but now with a different view.

Even when I am berating myself for not doing it, I do like to read about writers and their writing. I liked reading about how Bastian discovered the personal importance of creating and sticking to a writing routine (even as something deep within me rebelled at the thought of applying one to my own life).

I love how easily writing about writing transitioned to finding one’s voice – an important aspect for writers that took on a new meaning when Bastian found the courage and the voice to confront those who are rude and mean just because Bastian doesn’t follow their ideas of what “should” be. It hurt to read about what other people thought was okay but was absolutely not. But those feelings were soothed by my admiration of Bastian for standing up in the face of others’ ignorance and cruelty.

Though small in the grand scheme of things, it was also lovely to read that I am not alone in my occasional rescue of tiny creatures. It was also a lovely image to start with and come back to at the end.

How To Be Alone 6.1 is, for me, a zine that requires more reading and further contemplation. Bastian’s writing voice is beautiful, and I will definitely be tracking down other zines in this series.