Zine Reviews

zine reviews

For those unfamiliar with the term, a zine is basically a not-for-profit self-published magazine. They come in all shapes and sizes, usually only cost a dollar or two, and are made by all kinds of people. Zines can be informative, obsessive, hilarious, sad, rude, inspirational, hand-scrawled, and neatly typed. They distill the essence of independent writing and publishing. Listed below are a few of my all-time favorites and some of my current recommended titles. If you would like to see an annotated bibliography of zines I prepared for a course on diversity in libraries, click here. If you'd like to see more zine reviews I've written, visit this link.

[Disclaimer: Zine editors sometimes move around a lot and also might be in between issues and have nothing to send. Either expect to sometimes wait awhile for an order to be filled, or write first before sending money. Some reviews include email addresses; this is a good way to confirm mailing addresses and what issues are available. Also, sending well-concealed cash is always a good rule of thumb. Most zinesters don't deal with checks or money orders. Don't say I didn't warn you!]

Autobiographical comics have always been my favorite type of comic book. This one is done by Carrie McNinch, who lives in California. Her drawing style is sharp and clean, with only the necessary details included. Storylines follow the ups and downs of her life, written in an honest voice that doesn't fall victim to overt sentimentality. Highly recommended! $1/trade from: POB 49403, Los Angeles, CA 90049.

The Book of Letters consists of letters written by the Reverend Richard J. Mackin to some of everyone's favorite corporations. He prints any responses he gets. Mostly, the letters address inconsistencies in product labeling or advertising. Occasionally, though, Rich simply passes along random anecdotes or insights regarding products. This self-described "consumer defense corporate poet" makes me laugh out loud almost every time. He's also willing to travel in order to read his letters to an audience. We got to hear him read one, with a response, at UPCON. It was hysterical. If you like to laugh, send Rich a few bucks. You won't regret it. He also does stickers and shirts. Send $3 to: Rich Mackin, POB 890, Allston, MA 02134.

Burn Collector has been around for quite awhile. Al Burian observes life and reports on what he sees using his unique and well-articulated writing style. A high-quality zine. Stories from the first nine issues have been collected in a book (see picture). Buy it here. He also has done some comics that are back in print and available here.

Liz has a great sense of humor, and isn’t afraid to laugh at herself. She also co-publishes the equally funny cul de sac (also $2). $2 to: Liz Saidel, PO Box 476802, Chicago, IL 60647, lizsaidel@prontomail.com.

When I was up in Portland, OR recently for the Portland Zine Symposium, I attended a DIY bike repair workshop led by Shelley, who publishes Chainbreaker zine. I picked up copies of both issues she had, and I’ve really enjoyed reading them. Shelley is enthusiastic about all aspects of bike culture, and she also works as a bike mechanic. Both her workshop and the zine have been helpful to me while working on my own bikes. In addition to that, the zine is also packed with personal stories, advice, and historical information on bikes from Shelley and her contributors. A great read for anyone who is into bikes or wants to learn more about today’s DIY bike culture. $2 or trade to Shelley, 621 North Rendon, New Orleans, LA 70119.

An indispensable new guide to DIY comix. I have found many good comix by scouring the pages of this little index. One stamp from: Comixville, PO Box 697, Portland, OR 97207-0697.

Zines that contain good writing, and I mean really good writing, stand out easily from the rest of the pack. This is one of them. Kate relates stories of her experiences with public transportation in a lively, engaging style that reads both smoothly and easily. Bonus points for well-reproduced graphics and photos. Another winner from Portland! $1/stamps/or trade to: Kate Lopresti, PO Box 6753, Portland, OR 97228.

DB amuses himself by publishing this excellent history zine. See also his other zine, Skunk’s Life. Both are $2 from: DB Pedlar, 25727 Cherry Hill Rd., Cambridge Springs, PA 16043, dbpedlar@toolcity.net.

OK, so if you like personal zines, this one will fulfill all your most voyeuristic fantasies. Well, maybe not quite, but it's a great zine, nonetheless. Essentially, Daybook is a collection of accounts recorded by various individuals. Each person describes one day in their life, going into as much detail as they feel is necessary, from the moment they wake up to the moment when they hit the sack at night. The physical layout of both issues is impressive, and thick with content, too. Well worth the $4 each. There's also a website. Write to: Rachel Whang, 3831 Roland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21211. (Oh, and Rachel is one of the new co-owners of Atomic Books in Baltimore, MD - a quality independent bookstore and a good source for zines, too)

The East Village Inky is a delightful quarterly zine mostly about a New York City mother and the adventures she has with her two small children. Hand-printed essays are illustrated with lots of cute diagrams. Ayun's writing is clear, fun to read, and full of keen observations about her life. Subscriptions are 4 issues for $8, or single copies can be ordered for $2 each. Well-concealed cash or checks payable to Ayun Halliday. Online ordering is also available on this page. The East Village Inky, Ayun Halliday, 122 Dean St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, inky@erols.com.

There aren't many people who can pull off the type of rambling writing style Eric uses in his zine. Fish With Legs is full of humor, insight, anecdotes, personal revelations, and so much more. Each issue has made me laugh, and made me think about things I normally wouldn't think about. I can't ask for much more in a zine. Issues are $1 or a trade to: Eric Lyden, 224 Moraine St., Brockton, MA 02301-3664, ericfishlegs@aol.com.

Food Geek is a zine by Carrie McNinch, who also does The Assassin and the Whiner mini-comic. It is submission-based, although Carrie also contributes a few pieces each issue. Inside the pages of this mini-zine, you can find recipes, food-related stories, comix, letters, and reviews of other food-related zines. Food Geek is always full of surprises, and Carrie is also always looking for submissions, so why not order the zine and send her a recipe or a story? Issues are $1 ppd. from: Carrie McNinch, PO Box 49403, Los Angeles, CA 90049, foodgeekmmm@hotmail.com.

This is what I would call a good punk zine. It's written by intelligent people who are more than capable of putting sentences together into a legible paragraph, its pages ring with a true passion for the subject matter that sadly is missing from many punk zines today, and it manages to stay fairly original in its ideas. Email for new address: gogometric@yahoo.com or order through www.vitalmusic.net, www.insound.com, or www.quimbys.com.

Celia's critical examinations of herself and her surroundings are fascinating and never fail to make me think. Full of many universal themes, I Dreamed I Was Assertive is one of those rare lucid and relevant perzines. Trade, some stamps, or $2 to: Celia Perez, 2272 W. Leland, Apt. 3E, Chicago, IL 60625, perezeeb@yahoo.com.

The title of this little gem is i'm Johnny and I don't give a Fuck, but it's written by a guy named Andy. He lives in Canada, moves around a lot, and interacts with all kinds of people. Well-written and highly entertaining. The latest issue is 220 pages and costs $4 from: POB 21533, 1850 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 4A0, Canada.

Ker-bloom! is a beautiful zine hand-set and printed with a letter press. The picture here in no way does it justice. All of the issues of Ker-bloom!, in fact, appear to be works of art in their own right, without even reading a word of text. The stories are well-written and fascinating, although somewhat short. But hand-setting and printing something like this every two months must be time-consuming, so I wouldn't dare complain. I believe they come out 6 times a year, and most appear to cost $2, although I think there are some more limited edition type issues that cost more. At any rate, these are a steal at $2 or even $3. Write to: artnoose. PO Box 3525, Oakland, CA 94609.

John Porcellino draws an autobio comic called King Cat Comics and Stories. It's amazing how expressive John's simple drawing style is. I felt a lot of sadness while reading some of these, but an incredible amount of hope and contentment in others. Malinda likes the fact that John never seems to rush to get to the point of a story. Most of his comics are $2, but I'd recommend sending for the Spit and a Half Catalog, too. You can write John at: John Porcellino, PO Box 300367, Denver, CO 80203.

One of my current favorite perzines, Leeking Ink provides a look into the life of Davida Gypsy Breier. Davida also edits a review zine, available on her website located here. Leeking Ink usually contains journal entries, occasional trip diaries, and a reader mail section. Always neatly laid out, it provides a fine example of the enjoyment that can be gleaned from a good personal zine. Issues are $2 from: POB 963, Havre de Grace, MD 21078.

Librarians are not (all) dull and boring authoritarians! Tommy and Julie shatter all librarian stereotypes with their cover art alone. $2 from: 1315-I N. Tustin Ave. # 259, Orange, CA 92867, fulie_4j@yahoo.com.

Low Hug is a neatly organized and thoughtfully produced zine, and I have grown to truly appreciate these characteristics in a zine. A.j. and her contributors have assembled a fine issue here, with incisive commentary on such diverse examples of popular culture as Ghost World, Ozzfest 2002, and clothes dryers. The “Media Junkies” column this time around includes A.j.’s well-written reviews of a diverse assortment of zines and comix. A.j. also provides a report on this summer’s 4^th Annual Underground Publishing Conference, where I got a chance to meet her for the first time. Always involved in a variety of zine-related projects, A.j. also frequently puts out one-shot compilation zines. If you’d like to contribute, drop her a line and see what she has in the works. $3 to: A.j. Michel, PO Box 2574, Champaign, IL 61825, lowhug@yahoo.com.

Meniscus always includes a well-rounded mixture of personal essays, comix, and fiction. Matt is a talented writer and artist, who writes passionately about his life and his interests. From reading his zine, readers should take away a healthy dose of insight into his personality. $3 to Matt Fagan, 1573 N. Milwaukee Ave., PMB 464, Chicago, IL 60622, www.geocities.com/depotdevoid/meniscus/inside, hadmatter@hotmail.com.

I trade regularly with Kate, and I always find reading her zines to be a great pleasure. She's an excellent writer, and her zines provide thought-provoking articles and essays based on personal experiences. Since Kate has become a mom, she's included regular colorful updates on her adventures in motherhood. Issues usually also include book reviews, recipes, and a regular feature called "Motel of Lost Companions," in which she pays tribute to various people who have been important to her in the past. Miranda always contains a good balance of humor and reflection. Send $2 to: Miranda, 3510 SE Alder St., Portland, OR 97214, bruceandkate@juno.com, www.mirandazine.com.

Delaine’s diary-style comic is a dizzying array of tales from her life. She also publishes other people’s diary comix in Not My Small Diary. Both are a bargain! Prices vary for each from $1-2: Delaine, 1204 Cresthill Road, Birmingham, AL 35213, mysmallwebpage.cjb.net.

I brought this zine to work, and couldn't stop laughing as I read it during lunch. I gave an issue to a co-worker, and soon he was cracking up, too, much to the probable consternation of the others at our table. David is a substitute Education Assistant for Special Education classes. Each issue is a journal of one semester's worth of days working at a variety of schools, ranging from preschools to colleges. As you can imagine, there's a lot to tell, and David manages to make it hilarious and sad, without being disrespectful. He's also a vegan, and so I could appreciate some of his observations related to that. This is by far one of the funniest zines I've ever read. There's no price listed, and I traded for it, so you could either send him a buck or two, or email him at poodrow@hotmail.com. David Roche, 1036 N. Shaver, Portland, OR 97227.

Articulate, humorous, and insightful personal essays by husband and wife team, Dan and Erin. One of my new favorites. Bargain price of 2 stamps or trade to: One Fine Mess c/o Dan & Erin Q., 71 Storm St., Apt. 2C, Tarrytown, NY 10591, dananderinq@aol.com.

Malinda and I met Rosa-Maria (and her sweet daughter Eva) at a Zine Swap in Austin recently, where we traded zines and talked for a while. This is the first issue of her new punk parenting zine, and it rocks! Oh, if only all first issues could be as cohesive and well written as this one. Rosa-Maria and her husband David each contribute their own personal accounts of Eva’s homebirth, Eva meets Mike Patton (of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle fame), Rosa-Maria shares her early breastfeeding tales, and contributors offer up their punk parenting stories. Also included are vegan recipes and a “Punk Parent Resource Page.” Bonus points are awarded for the table of contents! I think Rosa-Maria is trying to put this out quarterly or so, and she’s looking for submissions. Definitely a zine to watch for in the future! $3 ppd. (or $2 + 60 cents in stamps) to: Placenta Zine, c/o Rosa-Maria DiDonato, 4412 Avenue A #204, Austin, TX 78751, placentazine@yahoo.com.

Another excellent source for zine information, and particularly quality reviews, is A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press (also known as Zine World). Of course, I'm slightly biased because Malinda and I are staff reviewers. ARG not only provides some of the most honest reviews in the zine community, but they also cover many issues related to the underground press throughout the feature articles, columns, and news commentary. ARG has a new enthusiastic editor who, with the help of the rest of the volunteer staff, continues to maintain the established presence of the zine. Order a single issue today for $4 or save two bucks on a subscription and get four issues for $14. Send cash or money orders (with "pay to the order of" left blank) to: PO Box 330156, Murfreesboro, TN 37133-0156.

Scout Finnegan puts out this zine that is a remarkable bargain at the low cost of one dollar. Scout's eye for design makes this zine a pleasure to read. She has a group of regular contributors that she relies on, but there's plenty from her in here, too. Her comic "Scout's Life," and the reflective essays about her life are definite highlights. Send $1 to: Scout, PO Box 48522, Sarasota, FL 34230-0522, scout@liquidbutter.com.

Blessed with a wonderful gift for storytelling, Moe waxes poetic about the varied experiences she’s had over the years of fishing for Kodiak salmon. Second Set Out is a compilation of stories she’s written for other publications, whether they actually made it into print or not. It’s a collection that, despite not being written as a whole, flows seamlessly, perhaps because of the common thread of fishing that runs through most of it, even in the stories where the fishing itself doesn’t take center stage. Highly recommended! $2 (cash only) to Moe Bowstern, PO Box 6834, Portland, OR 97228.

Maria Goodman and Androo Robinson are a couple living in Portland, each of them with a distinctive voice of their own that comes through strongly in their zine, Secret Mystery Love Shoes. In fact, much of the zine plays off of their differences, while at the same time celebrating them. Issues usually feature a combination of pieces by each of them, with others written together. With just the right amount of personality, combined with a continuing series of practical household hints, SMLS is in a class by itself. One of my new favorites! $2 or trade to 2000 NE 42nd Ave. #303, Portland, OR 97213.

The prolific Ben White continues to convert his days into 3- panel comix. So far, he's compiled 2 anthologies, each of which is $3. I think he’s moved to Portland, so you’ll have to email him to get his new address: threeinverted9s@hotmail.com.

First of all, one issue of The Ten Page News features a picture of the Library of Congress Reading Room on its cover. Owen Thomas loves libraries, and anyone who loves libraries is OK in my book. This zine, and Owen's review zine Indy Unleashed are both good resources for anyone interested in zines, comix, and other underground press publications. Usually featuring an eclectic mix of articles, essays, and reviews, The Ten Page News never fails to deliver a good read. Owen's website is also a good online zine resource. $1, 3 stamps, or a trade to: Owen Thomas, POB 9651, Columbus, OH 43209, vlorbik@aol.com.

Billy McKay draws really cool comix. His figures range from alien creatures to his version of regular human beings. Tile is an outer-space adventure comic, and he's also published a timed comix series called Invisible Robot Fish. His comix always end up with creative story lines featuring panels chock-full of Billy's intriguing creations. Not only are they great, but they're pretty cheap, too. He is currently working on a series called Shot by a Ray Gun. Send a couple of bucks, a trade, or some stamps, and you'll get a hearty helping of Billy's comix in return! Write to: Billy McKay, PO Box 542, N. Olmsted, OH 44070.

I have been waiting somewhat patiently for this to arrive in my mailbox. Well, it was worth the wait, because Jackie has outdone herself this time! Those of you who are curious about the zinester-librarian phenomenon are advised to order this promptly. Some, but probably not all, of your questions will be answered. Jackie examines 16 library myths, critiques library-related movies, profiles a zine library, and reviews books about libraries. We also get to read the results of her library user survey, and find out about more zines published by librarians. At a time where curiosity about the zinester-librarian connection is apparently reaching a fever pitch, this issue couldn’t be more relevant. Order today! $1 (a mind-boggling bargain) to: Jackie Campbell, PO Box 77716, Seattle, WA 98177.

This hybrid of perzine and review zine is a solid, reliable publication. Davida also publishes the journal-based perzine, Leeking Ink. Both are highly recommended. $3 to: Davida Gypsy Breier, PO Box 963, Havre de Grace, MD 21078, www.leekinginc.com.

Hey, don't take my opinion on all this! Decide for yourself what zines you want to read! Zine Guide lists contact info and descriptions for thousands of zines from all over the world (although the majority come from North America). I can't say enough good things about this resource, so if you think you might want to find out more about zines and the zine community, order this now! Single issues are $6 US, $8 Can./Mex., $10 World (it's worth it!) from: POB 5467, Evanston, IL 60204 ; zineguide@attbi.com, www.zineguide.net..

The Zine Yearbook is an annual collection of some of the best writing from zines published during the previous year. This project was started by Jen Angel and Jason Kucsma, who also publish Clamor Magazine and organize the Allied Media Conference in Bowling Green, OH. Personally, I think this is a great idea, and certainly helps obscure zine editors get the exposure that they deserve. To get the latest volume, visit this site.

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