Category: Zine Reviews

Pieces #5 On Change
Nichole
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Nichole
https://www.etsy.com/shop/fictionandnot

I’ve reviewed Pieces 1-4, so if you’d like to check them out, you can find the links in my recently updated *cough*it’sabouttime*cough* Zine Review Index.

When I first get a zine, I have a quick scan to get a sense of the layout and what kind of zine I’m about to get into. The Pieces series never fails to be a pleasurable scan. I am a huge fan of the A5/regular page half-fold zine, but there’s something about the A6(ish for US friend paper) size that makes it feel a tiny bit more like a zine. A fun little treasure just for me. Pieces #5 is a smidge smaller than A6, and I love it.

Plus, I love how she continues to use white text on black for the change to more stream-of-consciousness type writing. The visual change to go along with the writing style change is a nice touch.

Now enough about paper, Nyx. Not everyone has teh lurve for the stationery like you do.

Pieces 5 is all about, you guessed it: Change. Looking to go back into regular work, contemplating a move and facing fears are topics that we can all identify with. As with previous issues, Nichole does so with that hint of vulnerability that makes you feel like you’re having a conversation with a close friend.

It’s strange to read something that was written in the past (2011) and yet have it apply so well to things I’m dealing with now. This zine is all about change, and Nichole’s writer-ly background along with a keen craving for the creative sits her well with what 2015 Nyx is sorting through. Maybe I have a severe case of narcissism, but even when the situations are different, her questions and thoughts ring true.

The beautiful thing about a perzine is that it’s like getting to know a person. You can read all sorts of things, but they can still surprise you. Nichole’s foray into S&M was a surprise but a pleasant one. I admire her bravery in a number of ways: admitting her wants and needs to herself, pursuing them with another person, and writing about the whole lot. As I contemplate what to write in my second perzine, I read what Nichole has shared and think deeply about what I could share with the world.

Another win for Nichole in the Pieces series. I’m very happy to see that she is continuing on with Pieces and is on Pieces #12. Looks like I’ll have to catch up.

Under the Influence: The Girly Review
Alexandra B Duguid
https://www.facebook.com/undertheinfluencezines/

Here’s a zine that (I think) came as part of a multi-zine trade. I’ve seen some current calls for submissions for this one, so I was eager to have a peek.

Music might not be one of the big things in my life, but I think that just served to give me a different kind of appreciation for this zine. I didn’t know anyone mentioned inside, but I look at it as a way to check out new bands and singers. I always love an excuse to look things up on YouTube.

I liked how Under the Influence managed to surprise me. The intro and first section set up expectations for the whole zine as far as layout and content. Then they broke out with illustrations (that reminded me of Gemma Flack’s work (compliment)) I really enjoyed and lyrics breakdowns. I enjoyed the change of pace in along with the more text-heavy pieces.

Check it out. Even if music isn’t your area, you could still find something you like.

Earth Kinnection Zine Vol. 1
?
http://errthkinnection.tumblr.com/

Get your guerrilla gardening on and follow up with a sweet spot of tea…

I am a self-described black thumb. I’m probably one of the few people on the planet who actually tried to grow ivy and ended up killing it. So you can imagine that I wasn’t quite sure how much I would be into this zine. Turns out that it’s not all about the gardening.

Earth Kinnection Zine gets off to a great start. There is a table of contents, enough cut and past to make it aesthetically pleasing, and some of the articles are portrait while others are landscape. I don’t know if that bothers other people, but I love it. It makes the whole zine reading experience.

The content covers all kinds of ‘natural living’ stuff. Guerrilla gardening, what a tincture is and how to make it, and even the 7 Principles of Alchemy. I was impressed with the variety of stuff in here. Though it seems kind of wildly different, it still all fits together in a way that makes the zine itself feel organic and ‘wild’ grown. The subject areas aren’t in my active interest areas, but I did enjoy reading along and learning about things. Some parts reminded me of high school biology (which I adored), and some of it struck the ‘call to arms’ green movement.

Unfortunately, I found a bit of the content to be hard to read. I could mostly see it outdoors, but there was no way I was reading it indoors without a lamp. (Full disclosure: my indoor natural lighting sucks a bit.) Here’s a bit of what I’m talking about:

It is absolutely possible that it’s only my copy. Photocopiers do as they please when they please. However, I did think it was worth the mention. I can’t exactly hop down to Sticky to see if other copies are the same.

The other ‘stick out’ thing for me stuck out because I’m an author. Intentionally misspelled words. I certainly try not to call anyone on mistakes because I make plenty of them myself. However, I’m 99% convinced that these spelling mistakes were not typos or, in fact, mistakes. Maybe there is some sort of cultural-type stuff happening with ‘iz’ and ‘humyn’ that I’m just not aware of.

One thing I need to point out (not just because of my growing fondness for tea) is the tea of the month! I love this. Tea is delicious (albeit I add milk, which could get me shot in some places), but it also has some pretty cool properties when you get up into drinking that stuff. But I look at this from a zine-maker standpoint, too. An ‘of the month’ thing says there will definitely be more volumes (moreso than ‘volume 1’, I think, but that could be just me). It’s a fun little tick of approval to put in your brain to let you know to check back for more if you like this zine.

All up, pretty cool. Not really my usual dance, but I was interested nonetheless.

How to Be Alone 2
Bastian Fox Phelan
?
bastian.fox.phelan@gmail.com

I bought this zine when I was last at Sticky Institute – and that was a long while ago. So I can’t help but find it amusing that the content of this zine covers subjects that have been on my mind very recently.

As you may have sorted out, this zine is the second installment in a series about being alone. There is no mistaking this as anything other than a perzine. Bastian talks about things like codependency, life after issue one (hinted at being about getting off Facebook, taking a break from dating, etc), and more. There’s also a side of the mystical with talking about past lives and ‘the north node’ (a new concept for me).

This zine doesn’t start out with an introduction but with a story about a bike accident. Like most people around an accident, I couldn’t help but pay attention. It’s like the start of the book. “This zine is the first I have made using just one arm” as a first line is an excellent hook that keeps me reading.

Even better, as you read, he refers to things written about in the first zine in a way that doesn’t confuse you but does make you want to get a copy of the first zine.

I find myself hoping that Bastian is doing writing in other ways as well. He definitely has a way with words and a writing style that I enjoy. I’ll be hunting down the first zine (and hoping for more).

Check it out.

Labor of Love
Amanda Joy
www.RiotgrrrlK97.etsy.com
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/RiotgrrrlK97

Sometimes with a zine, the cover pretty much says what it’s all about. 🙂

Pregnancy and motherhood are two subjects that I know very little about, so I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this zine. Lo and behold, even though it was outside my sphere of experience, I found it quite interesting. A labour story, thoughts on motherhood… This is obviously not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.

It is what it is – and, for what it is, it’s good.

Amanda did lose me toward the end with the ‘Teen Mom’ reality show thoughts. (I don’t watch reality TV.) But disinterest in one section didn’t stop me from finishing the lot.

This is the first zine I’ve read in a while that really gets into the ‘cut and paste’. I try to keep a ‘you do you’ attitude toward aesthetics, but I have a growing fondness for all those bits and pieces. There are pictures, stickers, pretty papers… Very nice.

There’s also page numbers, a table of contents, and a clear contact page. There’s also a resource page with Amanda’s favourite links in the back. Talk about hitting all the right boxes on the Nyx list.

If you’re interested in the subject, then you’ll like the zine. Check it out.

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

I love all sorts of zines, but perzines are definitely my favourite category. I have a fascination with people and how they live their lives.

This perzine focuses on mental health – living with various disorders, experiences in the psych ward, and more. Sarah starts with talking about her great love – her cat, Sabby (Sabastian). I loved reading about him not only because I have a kitty I love in my life but also because it goes to show how much animal companions can mean as to people with mental health issues.

The zine does feel a little less cut and past and a little more typed pages on the computer. But she does get into a bit of drawing, photos, and handwriting, so it starts to get a bit of personality in an aesthetic sense.

While this is a perzine, it’s not strictly bits of memories. There is a book review as well as an interview with herself. I’ve only seen self-interviews a couple times, but I really like them. I think it’s a fun way to get a glimpse into someone’s head. Plus, I appreciate the variety. Heavy stuff needs to be broken up.

All up, this zine felt more like a blog on paper than a zine (I hope that’s a distinction that’s clear), but I enjoyed reading it and will be checking out the next editions.

Sex Industry Apologist
By… Sex Industry Apologist?
nine@jinxremoving.org (I have no idea if this email still works)

I was very excited when I saw this zine (and part two). The sex industry is something that I find fascinating (well, sex in general, really), but I don’t think I know enough about any of it to form an opinion just yet. So to see a zine taking the subject on was very exciting.

The first thing I feel I need to say is that this is a zine where I had to remember that I couldn’t judge it entirely on my expectations of it. While it’s certainly fine to mention when expectations aren’t met, I think it’s still important to review a zine (and anything else) for what it is. If we all judged things and people entirely on what we think they should be, then we’d be even more miserable.

I got right into this zine expecting – I’ll be frank – a bit of humour and memoir-style ramblings about the sex industry. What is actually in this zine are pieces about what it is like to work as support for sex industry workers and the kinds of prejudices that can be found there. After brief introduction, there is an article about the sex industry. But after that, there are pieces – some shorter, some longer – about events, people, and the industry itself. While it does get a little annoyed at times with the blatant ‘believe any figure quoted without checking’ culture that seems to be around with people who are dead set against the industry, it more tries to look at what’s really going on – both for the sex workers and for the people who think they know it all.

It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing zine, but the zine maker even admits that. The large texts blocks could overwhelm the casual browser, but it’s nothing an interested reader wouldn’t move past easily enough. The content is thought-provoking in ways I could have never expected. And yet, the zine-maker’s voice doesn’t shove anything down your throat. No preaching is a definite plus to something with this subject matter.

The use of references in this zine does make it feel like it leans more towards essays, but I think that’s a good thing. I feel like there is a whole ‘sub-point’ of the zine that quietly and calmly reminds you to check your facts before

Even better, there is a reference section in the back for further reading! Love.

All up, I think you really do need to be interested in the sex industry at more of a ‘passing interest’ level to enjoy this zine. This zine isn’t out to entertain, it’s there to inform. This is quite different to a lot of other media out there, so it can take a bit of adjustment. It’s still definitely worth looking into.

Work in Progress
Gemma Flack
http://www.gemmaflack.com/

In the intro, Gemma says that this is not something she usually does (make perzines, talk about herself and her insecurities, etc). Well, for someone who doesn’t usually do this sort of thing, it’s an excellent read. Hell, for someone who does do this sort of thing, it’s an excellent read. I would have assumed she’d been doing perzine stuff for years if she hadn’t stated in the beginning that she didn’t.

Anyway. I really like this zine. I know I say that a lot, but it comes with the territory when you don’t put up reviews of zines you really don’t like. Gemma has a very refreshing voice that ‘clear’ and doesn’t beat you over the head with anything. She states what her world is like and invites you in, but that is where it stays. You go in if you like, take what you will. She doesn’t force anything on you.

I really love how she ties something as complex as space travel and life on other planets with something as (relatively) simple as Star Trek and South Park. The connections aren’t forced or anything; it reads so simply and smoothly that I wonder at the fact that Gemma says she doesn’t consider herself to be a writer.

I think the thing that I appreciated most in this zine is this line in the smack dab middle piece:

I grew up not really knowing anything about feminism.

For someone who didn’t grow up with feminism, hadn’t really heard much of anything about it until university, and someone who still feels out of place when others are talking about it, it was really nice to read this. To be reminded that we all had to start somewhere – even the strongest voices.

And, as much as it means this review getting even longer, I can’t finish this review before I talk about the positivity piece she wrote. It was a ‘wow’ moment for me. I forget that we are rarely alone in our experiences, and many of mine were similar to Gemma’s. How she talked about the amount of time and re-education it took to get to a place of acceptance was a beautiful reminder that you can’t go from A to B instantly. I’m far from where she is, but I’m glad she shared her story so I know that I can get there eventually.

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

Woo! This zine came as an awesome zine trade on Zines A Go Go on Facebook. Gregg was awesomely generous and sent me six issues of ”Bots is ‘Bots’.

‘Bots is ‘Bots is a set of short comics featuring Glad’Bot, Sad’Bot, Mad’Bot, and Chad’Bot. They’re ‘slices of life’ comics that aren’t really impacted by the main characters being robots. Their being robots, however, is a pretty fun quirk to throw into the mix.

It is a quick read. Not only is it a comic, but it’s a fairly uncomplicated one. I quite liked it just for that, though. Sometimes it’s really, really nice to have something that you don’t have to think about – that you can just enjoy.

What I really liked about this zine comes from my novelist side in terms of structure. The very first comic kind of stands out as not quite fitting. It jarred a tiny bit. In a structural way, I loved how Gregg brought is all back – full circle, you could say – with the final comic. I’m not sure how much that’ll make sense if you haven’t checked it out, so you should definitely check it out.

Ker-Bloom! 106 – January – February 2014
artnoose
https://www.etsy.com/shop/artnoose

“Ker-bloom! is a life history letterpress printed in installments.”

The zine world is huge and not mainstream, so it’s simply not possible to read all of the zines out there. Or even hear of all of the zines out there. So when I saw this in Sticky and realised that I’d heard of it somewhere before, I had to grab it.

The quality of the zine itself is undeniable. Textured cardstock cover, letterpress, words indented into the cover, a 300-zine print run (holy guacamole!) with the copy number, the lovely interior paper… It’s a ‘simple’ zine in its simplicity, but the materials and tools used to create it make it gorgeous.

The content inside is a snippet of live. Tales of owning real estate. I don’t know how I do it with picking zines, but I just so happen to have a tiny obsession with real estate. I don’t actually own any, but people have been known to save the real estate sections of the paper for me.

Hey. Love is love.

Anyway, that’s all there is to it. A snippet of life. A tale of heating systems. I liked it and was sad that it was over so soon.

In the end, though, Ker-Bloom is one of those zines that has the quality and reputation that leaves me feeling like I’m back in university wondering if there’s something that I’m missing that everyone understands. That could be my feelings of inadequacy, or I could really be missing something. Ker-Bloom 106 was a pleasant experience, no doubt, but it’s not going into my permanent collection. Am I missing something? Do I need to read more of them? Is it about the duration that this zine has survived?

While Ker-Bloom does have a post address on the back along with ‘artnoose’ as the name, there are no other details as to the creator of the zine or how to contact him or her. While I would usually rave on about this (I’m a lazy lurker), I get the feeling that the lack of URLs and such is actually on purpose. I could guess that it has something to do with keeping to the roots of the zine (it’s been running for a long time), or that it wants to keep with the otherwise ‘classic book’ feel of the zine. I really don’t know. So I won’t rave about it, I’ll merely mention it.

And wonder if I’m not quite understanding something.