Category: Zine Reviews

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.

Strimp
Simon Mackie
simonmackie22@yahoo.com

I’m still somewhat new to comics as a whole, so keep that in mind…

Strimp is a mini-zine comic printed in black and white on a single glossy piece of paper containing seven one-page comics. In Strimp, you get a glimpse into creator Simon’s mind as well as his sense of humour.

When you look at a mini-zine, it’s almost natural to make assumptions about what you’ll find inside. Strimp is another min-zine that shoves assumptions aside, however, and gives me more variety than I was expecting.

Structurally, there are single comics that fill the page as well as other multi-panel pages. The variety extends to the humour as well. Some have a bit more of the sarcastic humour that I’m used to, one is more on the punny side of things, while yet another is a bit darker.

I didn’t always understand the humour, but that’s not really here nor there.

As far as contact details go (such a recurring theme for me, isn’t it?), Simon makes it halfway there with a name but no other contact details.

I don’t know if it was Simon’s intention or not, but I feel like this zine is like a “sampler” of comic work. The different structural styles, the slightly different humour within the comics… To that effect, it certainly works, because I am curious and want to see more of his work.

The Magic of Mail: A Zine for Lovers & Learners
Mullein King – Monster Ducky Press
themonsterducky.com
themonsterducky@gmail.com

A zine about snail mail? Yes, please!

The Magic of Mail: A Zine for Lovers & Learners is all about the ins and outs of sending mail and how to be a good/better pen pal.

I started reading this zine somewhat expecting that I knew how it would go, so I was pretty impressed that not only was procrastination mentioned, but it was also mentioned in the beginning. I appreciate the dose of reality (we all get behind/lose motivation) and that it was mentioned so early.

I enjoyed the visual side to this zine a lot. The front and back covers are designed to look like envelopes, Mullein’s handwriting is clear, and there are a bunch of drawings inside that are all fun. There’s even a bit of lettering art in the form of various section titles and headers. They’re sort of an inspiration for upping your lettering skills without devoting a section specifically to lettering.

The Magic of Mail is a touch US-centric, but only with little things. A note about checking customs pages when sending internationally would have been a good touch, but at the same time, I’m mainly saying that because you shouldn’t send tea to Australia. Plus there are times when Mullein adds things like: “Addresses are written in this fashion in the USA…” All up, it’s not a hindrance, and it leaves the door open for a part two if Mullein wants to expand it into the international mail realm.

I definitely have to give points in regards to the ‘couldn’t be clearer’ table of contents and contact details right on the front inside cover. What I liked even more, though, is how Mullein has made the zine usable. In the back you will find a fun mail log and place to stick your used stamps.

I always love to see a zine someone has made out of love for that subject. This zine makes it obvious that Mullein really loves mail, and it’s nice to get a refresher on the ins and outs of snail mail even if you think it’s old hat.

Too Pretentious for Melbourne: How to Alienate a Community You’re Desperately Trying to Build
Sober Bob
IG: @soberbobmonthly
soberbobmonthly@gmail.com

I have heard the expression so much, but reading this zine title is the first time I’ve actually said, “Shots fired…”

Too Pretentious for Melbourne is a zine about Sober Bob’s recent journey to Melbourne and Festival of the Photocopier. In it, Bob shares thoughts about Melbourne the city as well as thoughts on FotP.

As much as the title and the first paragraph of this zine prepared me for some toasty hot flaming, I found myself very glad that Sober Bob took it back a bit to the prep for travel and the like rather than launching straight into critique. Not only does it make the whole ‘story’ complete, it reminds the reader that this isn’t some random, faceless rant; this is a real person sharing their experience.

I quite like Melbourne and was gearing myself up to defend it, as I wasn’t sure what to expect with this zine. I love to perve on a good flaming as much as the next person, but Melbourne? Alas, I found myself nodding along. Sober Bob definitely takes a few solid prods at the Victorian capital, but nothing that I think is unwarranted. Reading along, I was reminded of the town I live in: a place considered lovely but ever searching for more, different, shiny and so on ways to identify itself.

But what about FotP? What would Sober Bob say about that?

I felt more geared up to defend FotP than Melbourne itself, which may have been a touch more warranted, as Sober Bob is more direct with criticisms of the event. Again, I found myself nodding along. Some might argue that it’s semantics, but I looked at the things written as weaknesses for FotP rather than blatant ‘this is wrong’. I think Sober Bob made some very good points about tweaks that could be made for a more enjoyable experience for all. As much as there is frustration there, I think it came from a place of experience (as Sober Bob has participated in organising zine events).

Aesthetically, I really love this zine and want to see more like it. There are little notes, drawings, and doodles to go along with everything. While they refer to what is being written about in the main type, they are almost like bonus content within the zines. Director’s commentary, if you will.

For something that is a critical piece, I feel like this could be the beginning of a conversation – or comparing notes, at least. It’s a growl and a touch of rant, but I think it’s born of dashed expectations and the knowledge that things can be better. Melbourne… I don’t know what to do about Melbourne. But Festival of the Photocopier is experiencing growing pains. Commentary, even in zine form, can be taken on board to improve things for the future.

All up, this zine made me nervous at first, because any kind of conflict (even simply perceived) gives me anxiety. But I ended up getting right into what Sober Bob has written here and appreciate that making this zine means that at least Bob gives a damn.

*Apologies for using the Happy Mail picture to show the cover of the zine. I can’t seem to find anything today – neither the picture I already took of the zine alone nor the zine itself so I can take another picture. Grrrr.

Catzine
Maria (Fafa) Jaepelt
IG: @catarinacomixfestival
Catarina Comix Festival Page

For today’s review, I have something quite different for you. Henry got in contact on my Sea Green Zines Facebook page and asked if I was interested in comic zines from Brazil (Brasil). My answer was a big, big yes, but the only thing was that they were in Portuguese. I’m afraid that English is the only language I’m fluent in.

However, Henry wasn’t worried about it, so I decided that I shouldn’t be worried either. Plus, cats!

I decided that this would be a fun and interesting opportunity to see how much I could get out of a zine even if I couldn’t understand the language. Would images be enough to enjoy it? Would I be able to understand what was happening in the comics based on what was shown in setting, expressions, and other body language?

I opened the zine up to a flutter of leaves falling out onto my lap, and I must admit that I was a little confused until I took another look at the zine cover. Only then did I really note the leaves blowing around the cat, who had a scarf on and a warm mug of something. Then I must admit that I laughed.

Perhaps not something I would appreciate as much has I opened it on the bus or something, but I do love the touch – especially as it goes so well with the cover (and the fact that it’s autumn here right now).

Because I didn’t understand the words, I knew that the art style would have to carry things for me, and that it absolutely did. The art style of this zine is absolutely engaging and lovely. Both Maria and Henry (Henry had one comic included) have styles that are very detailed while at the same time being very easy on the eyes.

I would love to have a print of this page:

(Posted with permission from the zine creator.)

Not understanding the words didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the zine. It didn’t take words to understand the story of someone intent on getting one cat and then ending up with two, three, five, more… Though perhaps the love I have for cats helped in that understanding.

The one thing I didn’t see was anything resembling contact details or a website/store. Even though zines aren’t something to get into for the money, I feel like zine creators – especially artists – are shutting out some positive possibilities by not including any contact details.

For the curious – yes, I did get the English versions later and still loved everything just the same. As it turned out, I’d guessed the context fairly well for the most part.

Whether you get the Portuguese version or wait for the English version, if you love cats, I think you’ll love this zine.

Brazine!
Lauren
http://laurenhage.com/

Brazine is an ‘introduction to bras’ that you may think you don’t need (if you have breasts), but you probably do.

In a ‘101’ style, Brazine covers band sizes, cup sizes, and other bra basics to get you started. It’s a short zine that gives you a lot of information with a personal story introduction. It also includes a further reading resource list and creator contact details.

What more could you ask for?

This zine is obviously for a specific audience, but it’s an important zine. Wearing the wrong bra – especially when you have bigger breasts – can have serious health implications. As someone who falls into falls into that category, I appreciate this zine!

Queer Indigenous Girl
Se’mana Thompson
https://queerindigenousgirl.wordpress.com/

Queer Indigenous Girl is a full-colour perzine that covers topics like introductions, O’Otham culture, reading recommendations, and Se’mana’s experiences living with ADHD.

I must say that this zine has one of the most interesting introductions I’ve ever read. It’s an introduction that introduces Se’mana while also talking about the complexities of introducing oneself in the various cultures Se’mana is a part of. I was totally fascinated.

Aesthetically, this is quite a nice zine. The combination of full colour along with Se’mana’s cut and paste style makes for pages that are interesting to look at – and look at closely. I love Se’mana’s art collage. I find it hard to explain, but I looked at it and immediately saw a distinct ‘style’ to it.

The only thing that made me fuss a little bit is that the small size of the handwriting made it a little difficult to read by less than ideal light.

While reading this zine, I did get the ‘first zine’ feeling in that I found myself wanting more – to know and read more with everything. That’s a good thing, though. It’s people not being interested and not wanting to know more that means you need to worry.

If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you know how I can nitpick about contact details. Se’mana covers it like a champion.

Beautiful, clear, easy to read, and multiple options. Fantastic.

All up, I really like this zine, and I’m very curious about how this zine series will progress both in content and aesthetic.