Queer Content #4 – An Essay on W.H. Auden’s ‘Another Time’
Wolfram-J VK
Social Media: @QueerContent

I’ve had this zine for a little while now, but I wanted to make sure to save it until I had the proper amount of time (slow reader, here) and space to really take this one in. Plus, I was a little worried that it would all go over my head…

The title really says it in that Queer Content #4 features an essay on W.H. Auden’s ‘Another Time’ along with an introduction from Wolfram in regards to the creation of this essay and why it’s important. I did find it a bit amusing that I was so intimidated by an essay – and one featuring poetry, no less – only to read:

Now I’ve never been great at academia, alright? This isn’t going to be a top-notch essay that will convince you of anything (I certainly didn’t get a good mark for it).

But the important part – and what this zine is all about – is what comes next:

What I’d like you to consider is how denying homosexuality a positive identity within a text – particularly when that text is written by a queer writer and/or intended for queer readers – can have a negative impact on both your interpretation of the text and the visibility of queer folk everywhere.

This is definitely a text-heavy zine with a lot to think about. Honestly, even from the first page, some things went over my head. However, when Wolfram gently but unmistakenly called out the lecturer (dayum!) who glossed over the subject of Auden’s homosexuality at the start, I knew I had to keep going.

As I said, some of it went over my head. Even so, Wolfram’s writing in and of itself is easy to understand and gave me a lot of small nuggets of information to ponder. Things that I simply don’t encounter in my life experience. The poems Wolfram decided to include along with the essay added to the essay very well. They were beautifully sad in such a wistful way.

I really want to share the last paragraph of an essay because it’s sad and beautiful in the same way that the poems included in this zine are, but alas, that would be like giving away spoilers. No one likes spoilers.

I appreciated the bibliography. You might think ‘it’s an essay – of course there’s a bibliography’. However, it would have been easy to leave it out. However, not only is its inclusion a way to find further reading but also says that just because it’s a zine doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of respect and form.

In the end, I think the essay did what it set out to accomplish. I found myself being frustrated along with Wolfram at the denial of such a huge part of one’s identity can be damaging both within a life as well as within historical context. I felt like this essay was, at least in part, Wolfram’s way of ‘taking back’ Auden’s homosexuality and putting it back within the proper context of his poetry and identity.

Imaginary Homework
Theo Ellsworth
www.thoughtcloudfactory.com

This zine is another offering from the Zine O Matic pack that arrived on Aussie shores a couple months back.

Imaginary Homework is a comic zine filled with imaginary homework assignments and actually started out as a real homework assignment for students of a workshop back in 2009. While ‘homework’ would seem to put a damper on anything, this zine goes to show that it can actually be pretty cool and amazing. (At least, when it’s imaginary.)

Each page has an imaginary assignment for you. From imagining interactions with the creatures pictured to contemplating metaphoricals like “Suppose you could have all of the answers right now…”

There’s something about the art in this zine that really draws me in. I think it’s all the complexity and little lines used to create each illustration. (Take a closer look at the cover as well as the picture above.) Each assignment is paired with an illustration that goes with the assigned task but also does even more to encourage the imagination of the reader.

I find myself actually wanting to do some of these ‘assignments’. Far out.

I think this is definitely a zine to keep and one that I will be reading again more than once.

Dress Up Zin – Colour, Cut & Stick
Zin (I’m Guessing)
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I’m in the mood for something fun and cute today, and what’s more cute than this mini-zine?

Dress Up Zin is a mini-zine designed to be cut up and played with like paper dolls! (Did anyone else come across paper dolls as a kid?) On the first page is an adorable Zin, and various clothing items like hats, pants and accessories are scattered across the pages that follow – ready for you to cut out.

What’s even more fun is not only can you cut up the little clothing items and ‘dress up Zin’, you can colour the clothing yourself, too!

It’s interesting for me to see a zine that you’re actually meant to cut up. It’s so distinctly not being precious about one’s work when you tell people to cut it up. The whole aura of the prospect is interesting and different. I’d feel a little weird cutting it up, but at the same time, anything that makes me feel like a kid again is pretty cool.

The only thing that trips me up with this zine is that there is no contact/website/etc info whatsoever. With something so utterly adorable and with such fun art, OF COURSE I want to see where I can find more/get more/find out more!

Never underestimate where your zines will go or who might want to find out more.

It’s still definitely in the forever collection, though.