Category: Zine Reviews

Weird Fruit
Emily
https://www.instagram.com/emeezines/

Weird Fruit is a 10.9x9cm full colour zine about strange but real fruit.

I don’t know what it is about winter or maybe a lot of rain, but I am all about mandarins. Yummy yummy fruit. Perhaps that’s why I was drawn to reviewing this zine today.

Weird Fruit is one page folded and opens right into a collection of six different kinds of fruit that are weird (and interesting, by my judgement). Each page is dedicated to one with the name, description points about the fruit and a drawing of the fruit itself featured.

I really liked this zine even more than I thought I would. Education is that much better when you’re having fun, and there are even two fruit that I’d never heard of before – rambutan and Buddha’s hand. Each fruit has a few facts about it. Sometimes what type of fruit it is, what it’s also known as, and/or what it smells like. Very helpful, as one of the fruit is said to taste similar to pineapple, and I really don’t like pineapples.

Weird Fruits is exactly what it says on the cover, and I enjoyed it. I like learning new things, and the bite-sized portions (there was no pun intended when I started typing that, but I see it now) of facts is perfect for me.

I’m not exactly sure where, if anywhere, you can grab this zine right now. But if you like fruit and being adventurous, grab it if you see it.

I Have Something to Say #3
Shei
12 Pages
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

I Have Something to Say #3 is a full-colour, A6 sized perzine about growing as an adult, observing yourself, and coming to accept the state of the world and yourself.

I think this is the first time I have read a perzine and simultaneously identified with many things while also thinking, “Yes, I remember thinking and feeling those things when I was their age.” Interesting.

I Have Something to Say #3 opens with Shei’s introduction to Shei – a ‘get to know the author’ that covers everything and doesn’t assume that you have read the previous two zines. From there, Shei writes about collective trauma during the pandemic through the eyes of an anxious introvert in a stream of consciousness style. When it’s not forced ‘write as much as you can in three minutes’, I often find this style of writing quite nice as the reader is almost discovering these thoughts as the writer writes them.

They also write about various topics in the realm of the themes mentioned at the beginning. Recognising cycles in their life as well as their complicated relationship to topics like family and country all come around to learning acceptance.

Shei packs a lot of writing into this zine. It makes for a nice, longer reading session. However Shei’s writing is smaller than usual in this zine and I recommend good lighting for ease of reading.

I love a good perzine, and Shei even writes, “After all, there are never enough wonderful humans sharing their insights, experiences, dreams, and adventures…” If you like an introspective perzine, then this is one to check out.

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2
APac
12/12 pages
https://www.instagram.com/apacdrawings/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/apacdrawings/

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2 are black and white collections of witches in cinema with art and text along with commentary about witches in cinema.

Witches of Cinema Vol 1 & Vol 2 open with quotes about witches being portrayed in media before launching into a series of character drawings of witch characters in popular movies.

Each character drawing is accompanied by a brief description with their name, the movie and year of the movie featured in, and things like powers, objects, and goals. APac’s art style is detailed and realistic with each witch easily recognisable and accompanied by special objects and familiars.

Along with the art and descriptions, there are various quotes about witches and how they are presented. I found all of these to be incredibly interesting as they comment a lot about witches being presented as ‘anti-mother’ and lacking fertility. There’s almost a line of thought in terms of what came first – the infertile woman or the female witch. Much more is touched on in these brief quotes as well.

I also find it interesting that Apac separates the two volumes in order of time – the first being 1922 to 1990 and the second being 1990 to 2020. While time is as good a way of categorising as any in many ways, I think it serves to help further demonstrate the portrayal of witches and how that has been evolving.

Each zine comes with two inserts – Female Filmmakers and Extensive List of Movies. I always get nervous about parts of zines that aren’t in some way attached to the zines. However, with the movie checklists, I do like that I can stick them in my bullet journal.

These zines are a fun idea. They combine art and text, introduce the reader to characters they may haven’t seen in a long time and/or characters they would be interested in seeing. I’m so excited to watch some old favourites as well as check out some new-to-me charters and movies as well.

Definitely pick both of these up.

What Quarantine Taught Me
Shei
8 page mini
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

What Quarantine Taught Me is a full-colour, one-page folded mini-zine about things Shei (as an introverted, childfree, home employed person) learned during quarantine.

Shei opens this zine by writing a bit about their personal situation during quarantine and how it shapes their experience. They also touch on the idea how they hate the idea that everything happens for a reason (something that had me nodding along because I think a lot of people feel the same). From there, we launch into what Shei has learned.

I identified a lot with this because I’m also introverted, childfree, and home emplyed. That said, I think what Shei learned is good for people of other situations as well. What Shei has learned are things that I think everyone could value.

This is a lovely to look at little zine with helpful reminders even outside of a quarantine/pandemic situation.

Adventures in Gender
Shei
8 pages
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

Adventures in Gender is a full-colour A5 zine about a unicorn exploring the magical world of gender identity.

I don’t think it matters how old you are; sometimes you like to approach a new subject gently and kindly. With flowers. Definitely flowers.

Adventures in Gender opens with our lovely unicorn deciding it wanted to know about this thing called gender. From there it encounters some difficulty, but there are also many lovely characters who represent different ways of being like Amber the genderfluid merperson.

Shei’s zines are always fun to look at, and this one especially so. There is so much colour, and Shei uses primarily sketches which are so flowy and fun (even when depicting the onion of cisnormativity).

I can see this as a fun and comfortable way for people to start approaching these topics. Especially for younger people. Even better? There is a page of resources in the back.

If you’d like to introduce yourself to the subject in a very first steps, fun, colourful way, then this zine is for you.

A Book of Rainbows #2
Shei
12 pages
https://www.instagram.com/sheinicorn/
https://linktr.ee/_godsavethequeer__

A Book of Rainbows #2 is an A5, full-colour perzine about witchcraft, magic, and Shei’s personal journey with witchcraft.

I reviewed A Book of Rainbows #1 here (https://seagreenzines.com/zine-review-a-book-of-rainbows-1/) and loved the combination of a perzine with an ‘introduction to witchcraft’ flavour.

Shei launches right into this second zine of the series on the inside front cover. In the introduction, they write about playing with the concept of a Book of Shadows (a witch’s grimoire) and giving it a queer spin with a Book of Rainbows. They also remind the reader that this isn’t a guidebook but rather a telling of a personal journey with witchcraft – which is how they feel people should approach the topic.

From there, Shei touches on the differences between witchcraft, paganism, and wicca. They write about witchcraft and their mental health. A Spell for Chilly Times reminded me a lot of mindfulness techniques I’ve learned, and I love how these things feel connected.

I appreciated the ‘Winter Allies’ piece about comforts during winter and the mention of seasonal affective disorder not only because I deal with SAD but also because we’re going into winter here in Australia. Talk about great timing (not that I need another reason for a comforting warm cup of tea haha).

I also have to mention ‘Witch Block’ in which Shei writes about reminding themself of no needing to do things a certain way to be a witch. This reminds me a lot of the ‘no gatekeepers approach to the zine world in which we need to find our own paths, our own forms of expression, and there isn’t one specific way of making them.

A Book of Rainbows #2 is a great next zine in the Book of Rainbows series. This expands so nicely on how Shei feels about witchcraft as well as how they incorporate it into their world while also keeping the element of introducing the reader to things they may want to look into further on their own.

If you’re at all curious about or interested in the topics, pick this one up along with the first one.

All in Your Head 5: Queer Crip Survival
Collaborative
28 pages
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/GlitterWurst

All in Your Head 5: Queer Crip Survival is a full-colour, US-sized half-fold collab zine of words, comics, and art around the theme of survival through the scope of of sexuality, neurodiversity, and disability.

After reading All in Your Head 4, I was looking forward to what I would find in this issue…

All in Your Head 5 opens with two collages, and I have to say: “No spoons left. Just knives” has been stuck in my head since the first time I read it. I need it on stickers.

From there we go into pieces about survival against mental illness and against other medical odds. A comic about anxiety as a cat made me smile as both someone who loves cats as well as someone who deals with anxiety.

The Privilege of Self Care really spoke to me. While I support people comforting and taking care of themselves, I have often thought that ‘care’ is often the realm of those with a larger disposable income than mine. I like the intentions in self-care, but Sam’s thoughts and the list of no-cost, low-risk ideas for self-care that followed was so much more on my level.

The majority of pieces in this issue are poetry. I have mentioned many times how poetry makes me a little nervous. That said, I could really feel the strong emotions in each in each poem. I picked up on the survival against the odds tones.

Words are set into colourful backgrounds, and other pieces stand as presented on their own. There is even a photo submission for this collab.

When I finished reading this zine, I found myself wanting more thought pieces like The Privilege of Self Care. That said, I once again dove right into this zine and enjoyed the thought-provoking journey it took me on.

All in Your Head 5 is a zine that makes me feel all the stronger that I need issues 1-3 in my life. I’m looking forward to diving into the next one.

The Paruretic 2 & 3
Mark Cunning
24/28 pages
http://the-paruretic.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Paruretic-Young-Mans-Struggle-Bladder-ebook/dp/B07KY39361/

The Paruretic 2 & 3 are black and white, US ¼ sized perzines about living with paruresis: a phobia in which the sufferer is unable to urinate in the real or imaginary presence of others.

I reviewed The Paruretic 1 here: https://seagreenzines.com/zine-review-the-paruretic-1/

Where The Paruretic 1 introduced us to paruresis, what triggered it for Mark, and how it effects Mark’s life, 2 and 3 take us into stories about having paruresis in certain situations. Issue 2 centres around college life and issue 3 centres around being on vacation.

All zines in this series are primarily text, but there’s a difference with these two as they use smaller type and more is packed into them. Like the first one, they both open with a definition of paruresis – the third one expanding to include some resources as well.

In The Paruretic 2, Mark writes about how college was when they discovered that paruresis was not just a matter of shyness and their view of bathrooms (and which were safe and unsafe) had truly changed. The transition to constantly thinking about these things while trying to navigate friendships and perhaps find romance.

While I don’t have paruresis, I identified so much with knowing university is ‘supposed to be’ the time when you really break out of your shell… and not doing anything of the sort because of personal problems. I also know all too well the use of the fake phone call to escape certain situations.

I started reading The Paruretic 3 with some tension, as the subtitle ‘Vacation’ made me think that it must be quite the nightmare scenario. I wasn’t that far off given the experiences Mark shares. I was absolutely glued to his words, no distraction enough to tear me away from the intensity of some of the situations in this zine.

The second half of this issue is a pee diary in which Mark shares their thoughts and anxieties around a vacation that would have me stressed with all the stops and travel involved. While the previous two issues give clear looks into Mark’s life, I feel like the diary gives the most closely personal account of things.

I was impressed with the first zine in this series, but I’m so glad I was able to read these two as well. I feel like a whole new world of understanding has been opened up for me, and I want to share these with everyone. Especially if they have paruresis so they don’t feel alone.

Pick these up. And, if you want to, Mark has a book as well.

It’s Just Another Day: Lil’ Boy Jake
BluRaven C. Houvener
8 pages
https://www.instagram.com/jake_sayz/
https://bchcomix.com/

It’s Just Another Day: Lil’ Boy Jake is a black and white, US-sized ½ fold comic zine “…tale of the power fear can have over you, how strong an overactive imagination can be, and the unexplained mysteries that still exist in life! Take the lesson to heart yourself to overcome fear in your life…”

Sign me up!

It’s Just Another Day: Lil’ Boy Jake opens with an introduction from BluRaven, from which I snagged the quote above. It’s a great opener that made me feel both inspired and all the more curious about the comic I was about to read.

And may I just mention that BluRaven’s self-drawing is both so cool and so adorable all that the same time.

From there we get into the comic. Jake is a young person who grew up with an obsession with aliens (like many of us?). No creepy sounds in the night or lack of sleep stops Jake from reading all the books and watching all the television specials. This all adds up to one intense night when…

Well, I won’t spoil it.

BluRaven’s art style is fun and relaxed, which suits the story quite nicely. The story lives up to being a tale of fear and overactive imagination without being preachy or negating the wonder of the unknown in the world. It was a fairly quick read that made me smile, and I reread it a few times. (Plus extra smiles for the story behind the dog’s name Cluck.)

This is the first comic by BluRaven that I have read, and it’s a great introduction. I’m looking forward to reading more by BluRaven.

It Never Happened
Kathryn Hemmann
28 pages
https://www.instagram.com/kathrynthehuman/
https://linktr.ee/khemmann

Guest Comic by Frankiesbugs
https://www.instagram.com/frankiesbugs/ Cover by Bree Paulsen
https://www.instagram.com/breebird33/

It Never Happened is US-sized half fold, black and white zine collection of stories – and a guest comic – of strange and surreal stories.

Talk about a cover that really catches the eye! The art made me eager to dive into the stories inside.

It Never Happened opens up to a nice title page before going into the first of fifteen stories. While the description says ‘short stories,’ these fall more under the label of flash fiction with most being no more than a page long with big, readable type.

The stories were a bit of a mixed bag for me. Some were like poetry for me in that the images and feelings were interesting, but I wondered if there were some themes or symbols I was missing. Others I loved as tight, twist at the end, surreal flash fiction that made me smile. ‘Fourth-Floor Bathroom’ is a great example of that while ‘Community Pool’ gave me a chuckle with the play on words.

The overarching themes throughout the zine are death, decay, and seeing the world with a gaze for the surreal. Even with the ebb and flow of my personal enjoyment of each individual story, I enjoyed the overall dark, grim feel this collection has. (And it has me curious if Kathryn or Frankiesbugs have created or will create longer pieces.)

There’s no way I could review this zine without mentioning the physical qualities of the zine. I’m not sure what kind of printing and/or paper creates the effect, but the cover feels so smooth and soft! Talk about being happy to pet a zine. In combination with the amazing cover art and font chosen, it creates such a gorgeous effect.

I feel like it’s been a long time since I have read fiction, and this was a nice step back into things. If you like surreal, weird, slightly horror-esque flash fiction, pick this one up. (And pet it. Lovely cover paper.)