Category: Zine Reviews

Title: ???
Author: Georgios
Type: ~A6 (~A5 half fold)
Author Site(s): http://www.fanzines.gr/

Review: This is the first time I have ever read/reviewed a zine in a different language. It’s in Greek (I think), so I don’t even recognise the letters. It’s probably not really fair that I review this given those facts, but I’m going to have a go anyway.

This is probably the ‘neatest’ zine I’ve ever looked at with a stapled binding, perfectly cut and folded pages, precise printing on good quality paper… This is obviously someone who takes a great deal of care on presentation. The art is simple but cute. I don’t quite understand what’s going on from the pictures, but I like looking at them anyway. Even though I don’t understand a word of it, I’d like to see more from this person.

STATUS: For Trade

Title: Side by Side & Spring is Here
Author: Sassy Spinster
Type: A6 Accordion Fold Double-Zine
Author Site(s): http://theduskofdawn.blogspot.com

Review: When it comes to the zines I make, I am a bit of a traditionalist. But I really love when people go for more creative ways to present their zines. An accordion fold might not seem all that great or creative, but it gave Sassy Spinster a way to present two zines – two stories – in one neat package. Love it.

You may recall my previous review (probably below this post if you’re looking at the blog) of an art zine that didn’t really jive with me. This is another artistic zine with ‘Side by Side’ featuring full-colour, detailed art while ‘Spring is Here’ tells a much simpler black and white tale. I love how Sassy uses juxtaposition with this zine. Two stories, two sides of the picture, one story is complex, deep, and complicated while the other is light-hearted and darkly humourous. She has taken a way of structuring a zine and turned it into a play on the structure.

She probably just made it for fun and didn’t think about these things, but reading into deeper meanings is the joy of the reviewer…

STATUS: For Keeps

Title: in the headlights
Author: Dennis Pomales
Type: A6
Author Site(s): http://minotaurelab.com/

Review: This little zine came, I believe, in the mail through a zine trade. in the headlights is a zine full of almost surrealist art. It’s a full colour zine, which is good because I don’t think it would have worked as well as a black and white. The colour is part of what makes the art. The art is not really my zone/area when it comes to art, but I do like the colour. As an author, I’m all about words, however, and find myself a little so-so on a zine with no words and the art doesn’t appear to tell a story either. (It could be that I’m just not seeing it.)

STATUS: For Trade

Title: stolen sharpie revolution 2
Author: Alex Wrekk
Type: 10.6×13.8cm book
Author Site(s): http://alexwrekk.wordpress.com/

Review: I bought this little lovely on Etsy, and I am glad I did. This zine is a book to the point of having an actual ISBN. It’s full of pretty much anything and everything you might want to know about not only making a zine but spreading it around, running a distro, and more. I’m the kind of person who worries about doing things ‘right’ (which, I know, is not exactly singing to the zine-making tune), so this little book gave me some reassurance as well as ideas.

It’s not a ‘must have’ because, I think, zines are about freedom and innovation. But, it is a good resource if you want one.

STATUS: For Keeps

Title: Brainscan 25.5
Author: Alex Wrekk
Type: A6
Author Site(s): http://alexwrekk.wordpress.com/

Review: I bought this little lovely on Etsy and have enjoyed reading it a few times. Though it was created in a 24 hour zine challenge, it shows no lack of quality or content. In fact, it is the content that keeps me coming back. In this edition of Brainscan, Alex talks about life and mail. I love mail, and I like reading about other people’s lives, so this was always going to be a winner for me.

She goes through the various post boxes she has had over the years and the stories associated with them. I easily identified with her, as she used mail as a sort of SOS to the world. The same goes for the zines she makes. I quite like this zine and recommend it.

STATUS: For keeps

Title: Spring in Headville
Author: Colin Tedford
Type: 1/4 page
Author Site(s): http://colintedford.com/

Review: I think I got this zine as a mail trade.

A text-less zine, I quite like this. The drawings are small but detailed, and they tell easy-to-follow stories. These kind of zines make me wish I had some sort of artistic abilities. It’s a very cute zine, but not ‘cutesy’ – if you understand the distinction. I’m interested in checking out more from this guy.

STATUS: For trade

Title: Let’s Go to Space!
Author: ?
Type: 1/4 page
Author Site(s): ?

Review: The thing about not having any sort of contact details whatsoever – or even an author name – is that you have people like me who often forget where they got their zines… So it goes.

So, I have no idea who made this, when it was made, or even when I received it. I can say pretty firmly that I didn’t buy this one, given the lack of price sticker and the fact that space isn’t really my theme. At least, not in this context. It’s a bit silly and fun as the author examines what it takes to go into space. But the text is a little light on and, while zines are often smashed together, this one is almost a little too smashed together.

Basically, it looks like it was put together in five minutes, and that doesn’t help.

STATUS: For Trade

Title: Instructions for surviving the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE: In rhyming couplets
Author: Elizabeth Tan
Type: A3
Author Site(s): ? zombiecouplets@hotmail.com

Review: Bought from Sticky Institute

Sometimes there is elegance in simplicity… and sometimes there is a lot of humour in it, too.

I love this scene. It’s simple, there isn’t a lot of text, and the drawings are neat and cute. Pairing something like the zombie apocalypse and rhyming couplets was pure genius. I smile every time I read it – and I’ve read it plenty of times. If you see it, grab it.

STATUS: For keeps

Title: KILLHOPE #1
Author: Rieka
Type: 1/4 page
Author Site(s): ?

Review: This one came from a mail swap. Because I am reviewing this and fill out the ‘metadata’ first, the first thing I’ve noticed is that the website in the back of the zine is cut off. zouksingapore is listed as the Twitter handle, but that led me to a nightclub in Singapore… So I’m not sure. Moving right along.

More text than art, the style suits this journalistic type of zine. Rieka’s wandering thoughts on herself and life – with a bit of Singapore thrown in – are easy to read. She has a writing voice that brings you in gently. I like memoirs, so this sort of writing suits my tastes. While she seems a little nervous in her intro and conclusion, that doesn’t come through in the writing.

Overall, I quite like it, and I like her style. I’m curious to see how she grows as a zine writer.

STATUS: Not for trade

Title: Delusion #2
Author: Nichole
Type: 1/3 page strips, 1/2 fold
Author Site(s): not the one on the back – that’s for sure http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Nichole

Review: This little lovely came with a trade with the author/creator. It’s dated 2010, so it’s not all that recent. Nor is the website on the back related to zines whatsoever. But you can’t fault people from moving on from a domain.

Filled with art and text, this zine feels more like a piece of visual poetry than a story. The text is almost abstract in its own way, though it tells a dark little story about life and growing up. And the demons we carry. I quite like it because it makes me think of all the little layers involved in what I’m seeing/reading.

STATUS: For Trade