Wiseblood 64
Fishspit
fuzzybunnyflatbunny@gmail.com

If there is anything I love about reading a perzine series for a while, it’s having my assumptions about a person challenged. This issue of Wiseblood certainly did that for me in regards to Fishspit.

I feel like Wiseblood #64 is a bit nostalgic in ways that other issues aren’t. Past mistakes, childhood memories… I like ‘reflection’ mixed in with the current stuff. Especially when it’s not all sunshine and flowers stuff.

It’s not easy to admit when you’ve wronged someone, even in the quiet of writing your own zine. Fishspit would (will?) likely brush off the statement, but I have to tip my fedora to someone who up and admits it.

“I was never mean to Jessie…I just wasn’t good for her.”

As much as I don’t like needing to hunt down details like websites and such, I do like it when I can look into the actual zine content a bit more (if I want). It might be a song mentioned that I’ve never heard of before, a kind of coffee I’ve never tried… In this case, it happened to be “The Absinthe Drinker”. A bit of bonus content to pursue if I really like a zine.

I think Robert at MoreVerbs said it well when he said of Wiseblood:

Is it good? Definitely. Will you like it? That one is tougher.

I think with Wiseblood, you need to give it a go and see what you think.

Check out my reviews of Wiseblood #62 here and of #37 here.

LP Style
LogPoes
YourFriendLP.wordpress.com
LogPoes.tumblr.com

Okay, I’ll just get this out first: Fashion or style is not my thing. I don’t understand it. I don’t get the ‘rules’. I can’t afford the things I’m supposed to like, and I don’t like much of the stuff I can afford. (Seriously, why do people think fat women just loooove enormous floral prints. FFS.) But if there was someone who could get me to acknowledge fashion like your socially awkward friend barely acknowledges someone you introduce them to, then it’s LogPost.

Now, that out of the way, on to the review!

LP Style was either a trade or an Etsy purchase (I really need to write these things down) from LogPoes. It’s a 24 Hour Zine Thing that turned into something more. (I’m assuming. There’s an implication that it became something other than a 24 Hour Zine Thing but no statement as such.) See those little hearts on the cover? Those are actually cut out hearts that have been stuck on. I’m not sure exactly why, but something about that makes me laugh.

Before you get to thinking what you might be thinking, it’s okay. Rather than some ‘this is the way it is’ sort of zine, it’s actually almost a memoir through clothes. That might be pushing it a little, but I don’t really think so.

This zine includes childhood photos as well as memories from the beginning when her mom was making most of her clothes. She talks about going through times when she tried to conform even though it was quite obvious she knew what she liked and what she didn’t like. She then goes into her actual style with sections for cardigans, shoes, etc, but she still includes memories.

I did have to laugh (again) in the Hoodies section.

Once, my mother asked me: “How many hoodies DO you own?!”

Hahaha. It’s lovely that two people who live in dramatically different parts of the world can face the same question from their mothers.

Plus, I have a soft spot already for people who choose to express themselves through tattoos.

All up, I have to say that I was surprised with this zine. And that’s my own fault for making assumptions based on the title. Yes, it’s about LP’s style, but it’s also about her life. A style perzine. Who’d have thought?

Mild Scribbling #6
Rebecca Sheedy
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/rebeccasaurusrex
http://mildscribblingzine.tumblr.com/

I reviewed Mild Scribblings #5 a while ago and found myself craving something similar to get back into the swing of reviewing zines again. Lo and behold, I was trying to organise my ‘to be read’ zine pile, and I found I had Mild Scribblings #6.

It’s all coming up Nyx.

The fact that this zine series is called Mild Scribblings seems oh, so appropriate when I look through at the lovely art inside. There’s something literally calming about it for me. It reminds me of when I was a kid and things got so overwhelming at times that I just sat down with a book and lost myself in the illustrations for a while.

Rebecca continues to make everyday life into art in a way I find engaging as well as relaxing. I absolutely adore her small but detailed art, the fact that the zine is full-colour, and her tiny, tiny handwriting. (Seriously, do you write that small? Either way, love.)

The new names for Cadbury Roses chocolates is definitely my favourite. Or maybe the product ideas… Or both.

Check out Rebecca’s Tumblr! You, too, can check out this interesting, colourful art. If you like what you see there, then definitely pick up this zine, because you will love it, too.

PS. I have to say that I absolutely adore the idea of the ‘beverage segmentation’ glass. Except maybe segmented vertically like a peace sign so you could have three sections and three straws!

PPS. My cat has a glow in the dark collar. It is a thing! 😀 Seeing a glowing thing silently making its way across the floor in the middle of the night is super creepy.

This Has All Been Too Much For Me Today, I Think I’ll Go Back to Bed
Philip Dearest
PhilipDearest.tumblr.com

I got this zine on Etsy a while back, but I can’t get back to the Etsy shop to provide the link. I have no idea what’s happening there, so I apologise to Philip Dearest.

This Has All Been Too Much is a mini-zine that links words and art to express thoughts from the anxious and/or depressed mind. The phrases easily struck home for me, and it was a sad reminder of the things so many people go through.

I’ll be the first to say that I can be a little dense when it comes to art, but seeing statements like, “I can’t stop thinking” fleshed out as a potted plant was a lot more interesting than what I imagine it sounds like. I like the combination of words and uncomplicated art to express mental health issues.

The printing of this zine is intriguing as it appears to be white printed on black instead of the other way around. I fully admit that I had my nose pretty close to this zine to get a better look.

My one hesitation with this zine is that, while it may provide a way for people to not feel so alone, the messages might further feed into a dark place. Sometimes it’s a thin line between the two things, and this zine is one of those times.

I found This Has All Been Too Much to be a somewhat bittersweet experience, but the fact it made me feel something is a goal accomplished.

Conspiira/torial #1
Yuri Realman
http://www.moreverbs.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheAmpersandRanch

I received Conspiira/torial #1 as a zine submitted for a review, and I must apologise because the combination of only two reviews a week plus my less than awesome zine organisation meant for a probably-longer-than-necessary wait.

Conspiira/torial #1 the the fictional (or is it?!) tale of Yuri Realman and how he’s being dragged into a conspiracy that he doesn’t want to believe… Though I can’t say for sure, I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve read a fiction zine of any sort. This was a good zine to break the gap.

What you imagined when you read my one-sentence synopsis? That’s what this story is. Or rather, this chapter one. There’s no mistaking this for anything other than a chapter one, but it’s a beginning I thoroughly enjoyed. Even my inner editor had a good time, and she doesn’t like much of anything.

Side note: As someone who likes to write books as well as read them, I know how difficult it can be to find your ‘voice’. I think ‘Yuri’ can rest assured that his voice is spot on and consistent.

Conspiira/torial #1 is a zine that goes to show that a zine doesn’t really have a definition in terms of what it is or isn’t. People know what they like, but preferences do not a standard system make. This zine is five single-sided pages printed and stapled in one corner.

However (you knew that was coming, eh?) even with personal preferences aside, I think there is room here for a lot of fun. Because of the envelope art and the awesome note accompanying the zine – on top of the actual context – I think this zine would be great with a little layout put into it. Half-fold, printing on both sides of the paper (being a zinester has made me a bit grumpy about white space), a cover upon which to stamp and draw…

There is nothing wrong with the way it is, but I can see potential for this to become aesthetic art as well as prose.

Conspiira/torial #1 is definitely worth checking out – especially if you like a bit of mystery.

Hot Pants! Do It Yourself Gynecology and Herbal Remedies
Isabelle Gauthier and Lisa Vinebaum
https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/899

**As stated in the zine: This book is not intended to provide diagnoses or prescriptions.

There seems to be this view of the world in that there are people who are ‘for’ modern medicine and those who are ‘against’. Well I’m here to tell you there are plenty of people who just want options.

Hot Pants! Do It Yourself Gynecology and Herbal Remedies is exactly that. From PMS to yeast infections, this zine lists alternatives for problems you’ve had, problems you’ve heard of, and a few more in the mix. I feel like this is the ‘little book of lady bits’ that I should have been given when I was a teenager.

This zine goes far beyond a list of problems and solutions, though. There are illustrations a’plenty with the female reproductive system, how to check your vaginal mucus, and even an example chart for fertility charting. It gets even better in the back. Want a list of aphrodisiacs? Check. Want to know how to prepare your own herbs? Check. Not sure if you wanted Chickweed or Motherwort? You guessed it – check.

Side not kudos: I love how the table of contents is set up like a periodic table. There are multiple reasons as to why this is funny and clever.

My love for this zine extends beyond what this zine literally is into what it stands for. Beyond ‘this is how you make babies’, my education about my body was distinctly lacking. My access to doctors who could actually explain anything? Distinctly lacking. What this stands for is not just alternative health but communication and shared knowledge for women in a world where it can be difficult for women to learn more about their bodies and their health.

As someone who craves some alternatives that don’t come from the chemist, I think this is a fantastic little guide for better understanding.

Hand It Over #1
WDKING, Ella King, Louie Joyce
http://budzine.weebly.com/

Everything has been going wrong today – internet, computer, printer… even my office chair broke in three ways – so it was nice to give the arvo a one-finger salute and sit down with Hand It Over.

I received this zine in trade at Festival of the Photocopier (this is how ‘fast’ reviewing goes when I only do two reviews a week) from the one and only @budzine (Instagram).

Hand It Over #1 is a zine of variety with a comic – split into two parts – an interview, a shop review, and other things. While one piece did poke at adults with colouring books (who says colouring is just for kids? haha), I love a tongue-in-cheek prod as much as the next person. (If you can’t laugh at yourself…)

I have to say that the comic was my favourite part of the zine. Not only did it have the split (something I enjoy from my newspaper-reading days), but the message was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The pages that followed the ending were funny in a dry, wry way.

The interview was on the short and sweet side in both questions and answers, which I really liked. I’m a big fan of interviews, but most of them drag out too long.

Hand It Over combines things I like about newspapers/magazines – the variety of content, the type of content, the ‘find more on page X’ that I like in newspapers – but keeps to the cut and past zine style.

Plus, I’ve always been a fan of all caps and small caps. +1 readability

I hope to see it expand for even more variety – more interviews, comics, etc – and take advantage of the white space on the interior covers and back cover. I can see this easily growing into a thicker and thicker zines with all sorts of content inside.

I feel like this is a great beginning for what could turn into a long-lasting zine series.

Xerography Debt #34
Editor: Davida Gypsy Breier
http://www.leekinginc.com/
https://microcosmpublishing.com/

Is it weird to review a review zine? Am I going to poke a hole in the universe if I post this?

Last year, I was thinking about bundling up all my reviews into a zine review zine. Rather than jump right in, I decided to have a look around and see what, if anything, other people were doing with the idea. Let’s just say that when I came across ‘Xerography Debt’, I thought: Well, they have it covered.

Xerography Debt is amazing. I’ll put it right here toward the beginning of the review because that pretty much sums it up.

Aesthetically, I love this issue. The art is fantastic, the colours, and even the font of the words on the cover drew me in. They use great paper, a clear and readable font, and it’s one of those nice, thick zines that you know you’ll get to spend a lot of time with.

I usually don’t mention layouts, but this one bears mentioning. The inside cover has not only contact details but also lists out the whole Xerography Debt team, the table of contents, and breaks down the reviews into individual reviewer sections. Have I mentioned that they have 15 reviews on the team? Wowza. And an index in the back.

Even more, they have a “Basic stuff you should know” in the back in case this is your first issue of Xerography Debt.

This is where I start doodling ‘Nyx loves XD’ in my zine notebook.

As you would expect to see inside Xerography Debt, there are zine reviews. They tend to be on the shorter and sweeter side of things – at least, compared to my prattling on, they certainly are. Having a team of reviewers makes things even more interesting with the differing tastes and reviewing styles.

What gives the content that ‘frosting on top’ is that there are columns in there as well! There’s a perzine quality inserted into this review zine with columns that range from an interview to PO Box Withdrawal. I absolutely dug right in and loved the columns so much. I learned so much! For instance, I was reading one column that talked about amateur press associations. I lost hours researching APAs.

Backtracking a little to the first piece – the introduction – Davida beautifully states why it can still be a zine even if it has an ISBN:

[Zinesters] all try and stretch the boundaries of what can be done with photocopies and staples, but if what we have to say can’t be stapled, moving to book format makes perfect sense.

Boom. Done. Drop mic. There you go.

I must admit that letting myself loose with a zine that gave me even more zines to try to get my hands on might not have been the best idea, but I’m still glad I did it. Because zines. (Of course, now I have to get my hands on all the copies of this series…)

Do yourself a favour and grab an issue of Xerography Debt.

Bloomurder #1
Laura
www.facebook.com/bloomzine
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BLOOMURDER

My 101st zine review. Wow. I feel like I have a clean slate and greater expectations all at the same time. Haha. To give my anxieties a bit of a relax and my brain box some enjoyment, I figured Bloomurder #1 would be the way to go…

Bloomurder is a collection of bits and pieces of experiences. I say ‘bits and pieces’ with no disrespect. The content is a mix of art and travel, music and television shows from her youth. It bounces around a bit and doesn’t have a theme for the issue as such, but sometimes it’s nice to go along with someone else’s flow to see where it takes you. This style of doing things reinforces the ‘scrapbook’ feel I get with this zine.

I found the pieces funny in a synchronicity sort of way. I’ve never been to France, but Wanderer has, and he had some very similar things to say about the places there. Laura also talks about South Australia and the Adelaide Fringe Festival. I just so happen to be looking at moving to South Australia. So in that strange way, I do have somewhat of a bias toward some of the content.

This zine also combines journal aspects as well with little additions to go along with the writing instead of a cut and paste fiesta distracting from the words. Had I learned after the fact that this zine was a product of ‘converted notebook ramblings’ (instead of at the intro), I wouldn’t have been surprised.

Earlier today someone asked if there were any rules when it comes to making zines. There really aren’t, but Laura provides a good demonstration of the ‘general understanding’ when it comes to handwriting in zines: make sure people can read it! Laura has easy-to-read handwriting (except for one word on occasion 😉 ), as you can see* on the first page here:

One thing I found interesting in this zine is that Laura uses handwriting for some pieces and typing others. If someone had simply suggested this to me, I would have assumed that I wouldn’t like it. As it turns out, I do. The change from piece to piece fits the overall ‘scrapbook’ sort of feel that I get with this zine.

I find it a lot of fun to look at a person’s first zine, especially after they have been making them for a while. I’m very curious to see how Laura’s style has changed or stayed the same in the issues of Bloomurder that follow.

PS. I have to mention that her contact/media details right in the front, clear and easy to find. Yes!

*I’ve decided to revisit my rule about no pictures of the insides of zines. I am looking at doing it more, but for the time being, I am going to be very picky about what I take pictures of.