Category: Zine Reviews

A Guide to Op Shopping
Jane Cantwell
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/AdventuresinKindness
#luckyjarzines

I got this, A History of Abandoned Hobbies, A Guide to Letter Writing, and A Guide to Being Cool as a lovely little bundle.*

A Guide to Op Shopping is an A7-sized zine in full colour with maps as backgrounds. (Love it.) You definitely get the sense that Jane is a serious op shopper and likes to hunt down a bargain. I’m not much of an op shopper myself, but her zine (and my wallet) make me feel like I should really get into it.

Though I am familiar with op shopping, I did learn something in that I didn’t know a student card could possibly get you discounts. That’s definitely good to know.

The little note on the back (I won’t spoil it) made me smile and wrapped up the whole thing nicely.

*The links will only begin working as the other reviews are posted.

X
Rebecca Sheedy
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/rebeccasaurusrex

The “X” is actually CUT OUT of the cover to reveal the green paper behind. I swear, if I love that any more, I would burst into a pile of confetti and doughnuts. Love it!

There is so much work put into this one small zine – it’s fantastic. Very detailed, full colour art set up in a comicbook style, printed on nice glossy paper, the green paper just on the inside cover, the aforementioned ‘X’, and even a little sticker on the front to say that it’s a “Bonus Unsubmitted & Unfinished Honours Thesis” (with every purchase of its companion zine that you can find on the Etsy shop).

I’ve come to see that I don’t quite have Rebecca’s level of love for the X-Files, but I’m happy to admit defeat to someone like Rebecca. This zine shares her dedication and love for the X-Files through her childhood/teenage years. I enjoyed following along with the various X-dedicated projects she did alone as well as with her friends.

I like that this zine is about the X-Files (<3) on the surface, but it's also a reference back to some things in my childhood. From what I gathered in this zine, Rebecca is only a year older than me. This zine kept me smiling not only about the show but about things like becoming a master at pausing the VHS recording to skip the ad breaks and making my own newsletters in Microsoft Publisher 95.

The only nitpick I have with this is that there aren't any sort of contact details on here. That in combination with a title like 'X' is going to make it hard for people to find the person who made it. I know this is a bonus zine sold with other zines, but things get separated.

Definitely one for the permanent collection, that's for sure.

SAD: Sensitive Adult Daily – A Zine for Sensitive Adults
Darcy L Rock
http://sensitiveadultdaily.tumblr.com/
http://www.sensitiveadultdaily.com/

I traded for this at the Festival of the Photocopier after someone at the Sensitive Adult Daily table handed Wanderer a card that had me giggling.

The mixture of humour and anxiety had me wondering what I was getting into with zine, but I had to check it out.

It’s hard to know where to start with this zine because there are so many good things to talk about. Despite it being 8 pages (not counting front and back) long, every time I thought I knew how to take it, it brought something new. First it started with quotes, then it went to art, and later it got into things like cognitive distortions. There’s even a ‘confessions board’ and classified section (both of which you can submit to).

It’s like an entire community space within a mini-zine. It’s fantastic.

I think the thing that I like the most is that it includes ‘sensitivity’ along with mental illness. I think there are a lot of people who aren’t diagnosed as mentally ill out there who hear ‘you’re just too sensitive’ (or something of the like) too often. That this zine could grab their attention, too, is an excellent thing.

As it turns out, Sensitive Adult Daily is holding a Kickstarter going toward helping the creator distrubute this zine for free. Check it out here.

‘Bots is ‘Bots: Issue Six
Gregg
http://botsisbots.blogspot.com.au/

Check out my reviews of the other ‘Bots Is ‘Bots issues in the Zine Review Index.

Gregg was kind enough to send me issues 1-6 of his zine ‘Bots Is ‘Bots last year(ish?), and now I’m finally reading issue six.

This issue is unlike the others in that it has very few words – none of which are actually spoken by the characters. Instead of the usual collection of strips, this is one big comic featuring pictures of ‘a day in the life’ for all the bots. From waking to sleep, we follow them through their lives (as they stand as of this issue). It’s sweet, and the variety of layouts kept it interesting and pleasing to the eye.

But… I’m left wondering if this is it for Glad ‘Bot, Mad ‘Bot, Chad ‘Bot, and Sad ‘Bot. The comic itself is a little sad – nostalgic, even. There isn’t a strip for the invitation to play Words with Friends nor is there a strip for the thanks Gregg usually gives out. There’s nothing but Gregg’s name and the name of the zine to go on for contact details.

I hope it’s not the last one.

I think ‘Bots is ‘Bots Issue 6 is a zine that will be more appreciated by someone who has read the zines that came before this one.

‘Bots is ‘Bots: Issue Five
Gregg
http://botsisbots.blogspot.com.au/

Check out my reviews of the other ‘Bots Is ‘Bots issues in the Zine Review Index.

Full colour! I always get excited about colour zines. What can I say? This is the first full colour comic zine I’ve ever read, so it’s extra cool. It’s interesting to see how the artist would colour their world.

I have to admit that I was ‘cruising’ with this one as far as the humour went, but then Gregg pulled out the meta (I think I’m using that word correctly) style joke, and it was great. A huge thumbs up for making me literally laugh out loud, and another hat tip for keeping it fresh.

Once again, ‘Bots Is ‘Bots keeps expanding – this time with an interview! Even better, it’s a short and sweet interview. I like interviews, but they’re no fun (to me) when they drag on forever. This one fit right into the format of this zine. Keep it coming.

By the Skin of My Teeth Issue Three and Four
Sarah
http://thislunaticexpress.blogspot.com.au/
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/MoosZineCorner

Check out my reviews of all previous issues of By the Skin of My Teeth in the Zine Review Index

I went back and forth on whether I should review two zines in one review. I want to state that I don’t mean any disrespect nor do I want to come off dismissive of either zine by putting them together. I made the decision because the zines were made in rapid succession, and even the zine maker calls issue 4 a part two of sorts.

By the Skin of My Teeth issues three and four follow Sarah’s journey through depression and mania within a private health care facility. I was curious on two fronts with these zines because I’d never used inpatient mental health facilities (I’ve always been too scared to), and I definitely haven’t done so in the private sector. I liked that she talked a bit about the differences between private and public.

I identified a lot with some of the depressive aspects Sarah went through but moreso the mania. The lack of being able to concentrate. I hate that, too! Three and four were like two sides of a coin with three being about moving past depression and four focusing more on managing the mania that followed.

While I did identify a lot with things, these are definitely zines that are more on the diary side of things. She does talk to you, the reader, but there are more rambling thoughts, repetitive mentions, and fewer breaks that can make for slightly jolting reading when the next paragraph happens hours later. That being said, it’s still a slower read than most zines. The fact that both of these are 64 page zines make these things stand out all the more.

If you like ‘stories from the ward’ then it might be right for you. Otherwise, you might find it lacking the variety that would otherwise keep you reading.

‘Bots is ‘Bots: Issue Four
Gregg
http://botsisbots.blogspot.com.au/

Check out my reviews of the other ‘Bots Is ‘Bots issues in the Zine Review Index.

I’m getting a little nervous about the prospect of repeating myself when I review these zines. I suppose that’s the risk when you review a series? Despite that risk, I figure it’s about time to say that I’m still loving the quality of the paper, the bright covers, and, of course, the content!

I feel like this issue is the first one to dig into deeper story (as deep as a sarcastically humorous zine about robots gets) and the characters. While there was nothing wrong with what he has been doing, I like the switch up. Gregg seems to be focused on keeping things fresh.

I was a little sad that the funny ‘sandwich’/beginning and end comic was nixed, but I can’t think of a better way to replace it: with the origin story! Woohoo! Now we find out how the bots all came into being. Not only that, it’s a part one without a conclusion within the zine. Unless I haven’t been paying attention, this is the first time Gregg has made something so clearly continued on in a future issue.

Mild Scribbling #5
Rebecca Sheedy
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/rebeccasaurusrex

I had to get my hands on Rebecca’s X-Files zine, and while in her shop, I saw this zine, too and thought I’d take a peek.

Mild Scribbling #5 is a collection of small, colour art set on nice, slightly glossy paper featuring everyday art. Not that the art is ‘everyday’ but that the art isn’t abstract. There is a hotdog. And a sock. And other wonderful, cute little things. She draws things regarding her Easter 2014, Reasons Why Adam Buxton is Fantastic, and a Hot/Not list.

I don’t want to give away anything as such, but I did want to give a tiny little peek inside (apologies for the less than stellar photo):

Mild Scribbling #5 reminds me a little of The Third Biannual Mildly Informative Booklet Depicting Graphical Representations of General Occurrences and Observations and Every Morning in that it takes something people usually take for granted or don’t think about and turns it into something lovely.

In this case, adorable, colourful art.

It does involve some tiny, tiny writing (which adds to the adorableness of it) that might be a problem for some, but it’s not a good day unless I’m getting up close and personal with a zine at some point.

There’s something so fresh and simple to this zine that it easily earns its way into my permanent collection.

Galactic Regency Vampire Pirates
Leopoldina van Wowser-Ainwright
???

So this exists. Isn’t it fantastic? Tee hee hee!

If you write a ‘How to Write’ book, it would seem only natural that you then produce a book in which you use your own tactics. So, from the person who brought you How to Write a Mills & Boon-esque Bodice Ripper Novel, comes a bosom-heaving, bodice-ripping good time. I’m sad that it took me so long to read this after I had such a good laugh when I reviewed Leopoldina’s How To zine.

I hardly even know where to start with reviewing this zine. Is it with regency heroine wishing for some Easy-Off Bam? Is it how we go from strictly regency to sci-fi regency – though the story sometimes forgets itself? Or perhaps it’s the abundance of quotes that I had to choose from to share with you…

Just to give a little taste, check out this sentence:

Even the fact that this was now their second meeting did nothing to lessen the impact of his flawless pallor or the compelling darkness of his eyes, whirlpooling with a sultriness that stilled the beating of her treacherous heart and send unaccustomed thrills of wanton desire racing through the pristine clam of her chastity.

Chastity clam. *snort*

Obviously, this is a very tongue-in-cheek shot at romance novels that even I, as a romance novel reader, greatly enjoyed and laughed at. It’s so incredibly ridiculous that I think the only people who won’t like this already know they won’t like this simply by my (or other) reviews.

The finishing touch that I love oh, so much are the funny ‘also by Leopoldina’ synopses and excerpts in the back of the book. It rounds everything off nicely.

Wiseblood 62
Fishspit
fuzzybunnyflatbunny@gmail.com

Today’s review is brought to you by an early morning run to the dental hospital for Wanderer’s emergency, followed by a very long day.

How much do you love this cover? I wish I’d had time to take a better photo, because it’s excellent.

Before I get into the content of this zine, I want to mention how cool it is to see a zine that is on issue 62. Last week I reviewed issue 37, and that was impressive in and of itself. But 62? I only just finished Don’t Call Me Cupcake 2.

The Wiseblood website says “A Zine Since 1984”. It’s strange and wonderful to think about how this zine series has been going longer than I have been alive.

Wowza.

Many zines on, and Fishspit still has a stream of consciousness style of writing that picks you up and carries you along (if you’re willing to go along). He still hasn’t lost his knack for being potentially offensive. His first piece is about smoking, and his third piece does start with the sentence “I hate babies”.

His views, his sense of humour… It’s so different from the current youth generation. For better and worse, it’s a wake-up smack in the face sort of thing at times with a dash of seriousness when you don’t expect it.

It might not be quite so black and white as I see it, but I still reckon it’s a love it or hate it sort of zine.