GRUNTED WARNING #13 (Oct 2011)
12 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 (digest), $2 (US, Can/Mex,World), trades yes
sstratu@gmail.com
Stratu
PO Box 35
Marrickville NSW 2204 AUSTRALIA
"Cut & paste zine featuring newspaper clippings of strange deaths, UFOs, all manner of bizarre and grotesque wonder." Extra copies & back issues available for $1.00, stamps (AUS), trade, friendly letter, or unusual/grotesque clippings." This zine is a delightfully weird find; it's got strange clippings of really weird stories and it's got an old-school zine style with the cut & paste approach. Weird and fun.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
PLAYERIST #1 (Dec 2011)
20 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 (A5 size), trades maybe
1 pound 50, US?, Can/Mex?, World?
Martin Slidel
martinslidel@facebook.com
facebook.com/playerist
Described by the editor as a "multi-media arts edition" this issue "is based on the themes of the dualities within love and loss." Inside, there are a number of works by a variety of artists; some poets, artwork, drawing, photographs -- it's an assortment of many different things. One of the most compelling ones is a series of photographs called "Previous Personality" that documents the artist's mother's descent into dementia. It's worth checking out for this piece alone.
20 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 (A5 size), trades maybe
1 pound 50, US?, Can/Mex?, World?
Martin Slidel
martinslidel@facebook.com
facebook.com/playerist
Described by the editor as a "multi-media arts edition" this issue "is based on the themes of the dualities within love and loss." Inside, there are a number of works by a variety of artists; some poets, artwork, drawing, photographs -- it's an assortment of many different things. One of the most compelling ones is a series of photographs called "Previous Personality" that documents the artist's mother's descent into dementia. It's worth checking out for this piece alone.
OPUNTIA 69.1C (June 2010), 70.5A (July 2011), 70.5B (August 2011), 71 (Sept 2011), 71.1D (Jan 2012), 248 (April 2012), 251 (Stampede 2012), 259 (Feb 2013)
16 pages (all issues), 5.5 x 8.5, $3 "cash for a one-time sample copy, trade for your zine, or letter of comment." (Note: Americans, please don't send checks; bank fees to cash them are high; US banknotes are better.)
Dale Speirs
Box 6830
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 2E7
Okay, so I obviously have some catching up to do. Here's the story: Whole-numbered OPUNTIAs are sercon, x.1 issues are reviewzines, x.2 issues are indexes, x.3 issues are apazines, and x.5 issues are perzines. However, Speirs writes in issue 248 that a lengthy project has shifted his writing, and so future issues will be a mix of articles and reviews, and getting more time-sensitive work published (uh, unlike me, apparently. Sorry, folks.). Issue #71.5 was the 247th issue, so...that's how we got to #248 and part of why that list up there is so initially baffling-looking. Dig? OK.
So, in this span of issues, we've got a good range of material, from earthquakes ("Shaking All Over" in #259), H.P. Lovecraft (#251), work and retirement (#70.5A) along with some really cool photographs and a very funny story about what a factory worker did on his last day of work to his alarm clock, trains, travel, and construction -- along with some intense mountain driving (70.5B). It's a pretty wild mix of different topics, but interesting reading nonetheless. I kind of lean toward the perzine ones, but there's something here for everyone.
16 pages (all issues), 5.5 x 8.5, $3 "cash for a one-time sample copy, trade for your zine, or letter of comment." (Note: Americans, please don't send checks; bank fees to cash them are high; US banknotes are better.)
Dale Speirs
Box 6830
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 2E7
Okay, so I obviously have some catching up to do. Here's the story: Whole-numbered OPUNTIAs are sercon, x.1 issues are reviewzines, x.2 issues are indexes, x.3 issues are apazines, and x.5 issues are perzines. However, Speirs writes in issue 248 that a lengthy project has shifted his writing, and so future issues will be a mix of articles and reviews, and getting more time-sensitive work published (uh, unlike me, apparently. Sorry, folks.). Issue #71.5 was the 247th issue, so...that's how we got to #248 and part of why that list up there is so initially baffling-looking. Dig? OK.
So, in this span of issues, we've got a good range of material, from earthquakes ("Shaking All Over" in #259), H.P. Lovecraft (#251), work and retirement (#70.5A) along with some really cool photographs and a very funny story about what a factory worker did on his last day of work to his alarm clock, trains, travel, and construction -- along with some intense mountain driving (70.5B). It's a pretty wild mix of different topics, but interesting reading nonetheless. I kind of lean toward the perzine ones, but there's something here for everyone.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Review: PILTDOWNLAD #1: GÜERO CHINGÓN #1-5
Piltdownlad #1: Güero Chingón #1-5
These five, short mini-zines squeeze out the rawness of
childhood into something distilled that causes your breath to catch. The first
issue explains how, in an act of self-protection in shop class, the narrator
becomes Güero Chingón. The second reveals how he figured out panhandling. #3
involves more childhood violence and the odd workings of childhood frienemys.
The fourth is tragic and made me want to remove all the matches from my home.
The final volume was about new clothes and the cruel pantomime of boys and
girls. Recommended.
Piltdownlad #1: Güero Chingón #1-5
2011
Kelly Dessaint
PO Box 86714, Los Angeles, CA 90086
Email: piltdownlad@gmail.com
Website: www.piltdownlad.com
price: $3 US/ $ 3.50 Can/Mex / $4 World
trades: possible
size: 2”x3”
page count: 5 mini zines at 16 pages each
BROOKLYN #77
review from Anne: BROOKLYN #78 and #79
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. One of the things I particularly like about BROOKLYN is that the issues are always packed with photos, history (things that long-term residents know; every issue has kind of a small-neighborhood feel to it, which is a great advantage), and fabulous little Brooklyn tidbits. It's one of those reads that if you don't live there, it's kind of amazing -- like a little bit of armchair travel. If you do live there, I imagine it's like this whole other world discovering these bits of history and photos of houses and neighborhoods and such.
The ever-hilarious "Brooklyn Lexicon and Pronounciation Guide" in each issue is a treat to read, and #78 has this Brooklyn reconfiguring of Jack Sprat (as you'd imagine, but in Brooklyn-ese), and #79 includes photos of Shakespeare in Brooklyn (Shakespeare on the Roof, really and truly on the roof of 57 Thames Street in East Williamburg), Totonno's (must-stop on a Brooklyn pizza tour), and The Hole (I'll leave you with some surprises for the issue).
Always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Zine Symposium in Chicago (April 6, 2013) - free to public
OUTSIDERS: Zines, Samizdat, & Alternative Publishing
Saturday, April 6, 2013
This year’s symposium will explore the use of self-produced books and pamphlets to express individualized, unconventional, controversial, or prohibited messages. Topics will range widely in historical and geographical terms, and the speakers will address the current state of self-publishing as well as its history.
Free and open to the public.
The 2013 Caxton Club / Newberry Library
Symposium on the Book
The Newberry Library60 West Walton StreetChicago, Illinois 60610
Read more here: http://www.caxtonclub.org/events/2013-symposium/newberry-chicago-saturday-program-details.html#panel-discussion
Monday, February 4, 2013
Xerography Debt #32 NOW AVAILABLE!
To order a copy of this issue, please send $4 (order online, or send cash, stamps, money order, or check) to Microcosm Publishing
Cover Art by Bojan (Rigor Mortis)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Stuff You Should Know
COLUMNS
THE SOUNDTRACK TO DYSTOPIA By Al Burian
HELLO MISTER POSTMAN By Carlos Palacios
DECLINE OF NORTHERN CIVILIZATION: ON ZINES, DIY, AND ALASKA By Frank Harlan and Josh Medsker
IT MEANS IT'S WANK: DIGITAL IS THE NEW MIDDLE AGED by Jeff Somers
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON ZINES FROM A SEMI-RETIRED SELF PUBLISHER by Kris M.
GLOOMY SUNDAYS: A VISIT TO IRA By Gianni Simone
EXITING THE ECHO CHAMBER By Joe Biel
REVIEWERS
Anne Thalheimer
D. Blake Werts
Carlos Palacios
Davida Gypsy Breier
Donny Smith
Eric Lyden
Fred Argoff
Gavin Grant
Joe Biel
Josh Medsker
Julie Dorn
Liz Mason
Maynard Welstand
Stuart Stratu
Announcements
Index
Monday, November 12, 2012
From A.j. Michel: SP 22: Six Categories -- Call for Entries
From A.j. Michel: SP 22: Six Categories -- Call for Entries
In the beginning of the novel Microserfs*, Douglas Coupland has each of his characters list their dream Jeopardy! categories, fields of expertise such as “Career anxieties”, “Cats”, “Psychotic loser friends”, and “Macintosh products”. I can’t remember much else from this nearly twenty-year old novel, but these character “introductions” remain stuck in a shadowy corner of my memory. I’ve mentally made lists of my ideal Jeopardy! boards, with categories like “The Simpsons, Seasons 1 to 8” and “Postage” and “Job Dissatisfaction”.
It’s your turn to list your six ideal Jeopardy! categories that showcase your unique knowledge, quirks, neuroses, talents, habits, whatever.
Email the following to syndprod@gmail.com with the words Six Categories in the subject line.
1. Your six ideal Jeopardy! categories. These should be single words, short phrases, or very short sentences. Brevity is the soul of wit and all that. (Please nothing racist, sexist, overtly sexual, distasteful, etc. If you want to list off sexual things you’re really good at, go fill out an OK Cupid dating profile.)
2. For the credit line, your name and electronic contact information as you want it to appear. For example: Jane Doe - www.janedoe.com or John Doe - john@johndoe.com.
Deadline is DECEMBER 12, 2012. This is a firm deadline. Entries will be printed in the order they are received. You’ll receive a copy of the finished zine as compensation.
Disclaimer: This zine has absolutely no connection to Douglas Coupland, Microserfs, or the television program Jeopardy!
*A long excerpt of what became the novel Microserfs is available here:www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.01/microserfs.html
Friday, September 14, 2012
AWKWARD POSTURE #9
review from Anne: AWKWARD POSTURE #9
16 pages, 6.5 x 6 inches, $2 (everywhere)
trades yes.
Matt Young
thatmatt@apostrophepress.com
AWKWARD POSTURE is a project of five journal comics a week for a year that ends up getting collected into 12 minicomics. It's book 9 of 12 in the series and details last year's trip to the Small Press Expo. Full disclosure -- I was in on this trip (which is always a blast) and so have a fondness for the book. Basically Matt's a cartoonist who survived comics college in White River Junction and decided to do a series of "weekdaily" journal comics. There's a cat and some comics and, overall, it's an interesting project. I love autobio work and this one's a fun title. Includes irthday cats, papercutter accidents, travel, flippin' the bird with a broken finger, bad birthday hats, and mayhem on the road! Take that, Small Press Expo! See you next year!
16 pages, 6.5 x 6 inches, $2 (everywhere)
trades yes.
Matt Young
thatmatt@apostrophepress.com
AWKWARD POSTURE is a project of five journal comics a week for a year that ends up getting collected into 12 minicomics. It's book 9 of 12 in the series and details last year's trip to the Small Press Expo. Full disclosure -- I was in on this trip (which is always a blast) and so have a fondness for the book. Basically Matt's a cartoonist who survived comics college in White River Junction and decided to do a series of "weekdaily" journal comics. There's a cat and some comics and, overall, it's an interesting project. I love autobio work and this one's a fun title. Includes irthday cats, papercutter accidents, travel, flippin' the bird with a broken finger, bad birthday hats, and mayhem on the road! Take that, Small Press Expo! See you next year!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Canister X Comics
review from Anne: CANISTER X COMIX (No. 1--October 2011, 2--January 2012, and 3--April 2012)
20 pages (#2 is 24 pages), 5.5 x 8.5 $3 US, $3 Can/Mex, $4 world, trades maybeA.P Fuchs
coscomentertainment@gmail.com
www.canisterx.com
Quarterly perzine/comic that's mostly autobio (though issue #3 is fiction and uses words with photographs rather than the drawing we see in #1 and #2). No. 2 is a 24-hour comic (and the back cover copy is pretty funny: "Inside this issue: a sleepless night, a bizarre superhero's origin, kids and bad language, expensive cupcakes,...and more!) with a wild array of various topics (there's a piece on "navel gazing" that's both gross and terribly funny) and it turns out the cupcake's a muffin (I'm not going to ruin the surprise on that one). But of all the issues I really found myself getting into the first one the most -- it's an origin story of how the author came to be where he is (writing and publishing; check out the website), but it's told in this really interesting, straightforward way that just pulls you in. I like autobio work generally, but I really kind of related to someone who was just putting it out there and explaining why he was doing what he was doing. It's worth checking out for sure.
BROOKLYN #77
review from Anne: BROOKLYN #77
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. I honestly kind of love that I always end up with an issue of BROOKLYN in my mailbox; this particular one's theme is Bushwick.
I actually really like the photo on the cover of #77 -- it's a long aerial shot of a typical Brooklyn street, but I really just like the composition of it with the street dissolving off on the horizon. #77's a little different than other issues, because it's themed -- and it's full of interesting photographs and Brooklyn history. What I love about this title is that it always reminds me of the borough's rich and storied history; it's a history tour, but with current photographs; it's a fun, interesting read. Get yourself some Brooklyn already (and be sure to check out the Brooklyn-themed zazzle.com stamps Fred's been using for postage lately).
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Call for submissions for Blackguard #5 from Stratu
I can announce the theme for Blackguard #5 - it's gonna be the SCIENCE issue!
And I want you to be in there, if you can get your pens, inks and test
tubes in order, that is.
Or if you know somebody who would like to be a part of it please go
ahead and forward this to them.
I want one-two page strips only. Blind me with science, baby!
Deadline is October 31, 2012.
Thanks to Shaun Craike for coming up with the theme. Many other good
ones, but Science really hit me in the guts as The One.
Anything else you need to know? Wanna do a colour page strip? Email
me. I'm pretty sure I got the cover sorted, but that means three other
colour pages ... for strips, preferably.
Now, to the laboratory!
Perfect [Lab] Leader Stratu
sstratu@gmail.com
blackguard23.livejournal.com
Blackguard
PO Box 35
Marrickville NSW 2204
Australia
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Fuzz Society #1 and #2 and Average Jill #1
The short version is that Fuzz Society #1 and #2 are collections of a webcomic and Average Jill is a 24-hour comic. The longer version's a little cuter; Fuzz Society basically follows Lyra Ladybug as she flies far from home and makes some new friends, including an interesting cast of other characters (Tex, a turtle, and Phyllis, a lovebird, among a few others). Roxanne writes in the afterword of the first issue that she and her husband developed the concept together and these first two books are a way for her to introduce Lyra and the rest of the cast of characters. It so far looks like it's something that all ages could read, though Lyra's a little bit boy-crazy (well, maybe not boy, exactly -- you'll have to read it to find out, but the cover design for the second issue reads "Love is in the air...").
Average Jill #1 is a 24-hour comic summed up well byt he back cover: "Meet Jill. She may not be the smartest or hottest girl on the block, but she's got charm. And will. Get your laughs on in 24 one-shot panels, created as part of a 24-hour comic, which focus on such topics as dating, relationships, parenting, and work life, and maybe you'll see a part of yourself in her. Just maybe." Her titles for these one-panel comics are pretty funny, and if you're a parent, you'll probably really get a kick out of the ones about parenting--they're among the best in the book.
Fuzz Society #1 and #2 (Oct 2010 and Aug 2011)
Average Jill #1 (2011)
Roxanne Fuchs
coscomentertainment@gmail.com
www.fuzzsociety.com
$3 US / $3 Can/Mex / $4 World
trades: maybe
Half-legal (9 inches tall x 6 inches wide)
20 pages, 28 pages, and 24 pages, full color covers, professionally printed
The short version is that Fuzz Society #1 and #2 are collections of a webcomic and Average Jill is a 24-hour comic. The longer version's a little cuter; Fuzz Society basically follows Lyra Ladybug as she flies far from home and makes some new friends, including an interesting cast of other characters (Tex, a turtle, and Phyllis, a lovebird, among a few others). Roxanne writes in the afterword of the first issue that she and her husband developed the concept together and these first two books are a way for her to introduce Lyra and the rest of the cast of characters. It so far looks like it's something that all ages could read, though Lyra's a little bit boy-crazy (well, maybe not boy, exactly -- you'll have to read it to find out, but the cover design for the second issue reads "Love is in the air...").
Average Jill #1 is a 24-hour comic summed up well byt he back cover: "Meet Jill. She may not be the smartest or hottest girl on the block, but she's got charm. And will. Get your laughs on in 24 one-shot panels, created as part of a 24-hour comic, which focus on such topics as dating, relationships, parenting, and work life, and maybe you'll see a part of yourself in her. Just maybe." Her titles for these one-panel comics are pretty funny, and if you're a parent, you'll probably really get a kick out of the ones about parenting--they're among the best in the book.
Fuzz Society #1 and #2 (Oct 2010 and Aug 2011)
Average Jill #1 (2011)
Roxanne Fuchs
coscomentertainment@gmail.com
www.fuzzsociety.com
$3 US / $3 Can/Mex / $4 World
trades: maybe
Half-legal (9 inches tall x 6 inches wide)
20 pages, 28 pages, and 24 pages, full color covers, professionally printed
review from Anne: BROOKLYN #76
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. #76 has a little bit of everything--photographs, old advertisements relating to Brooklyn, an interesting history piece ("A Little History Won't Kill You"), a visit to Bergen Beach, as well as the always-appreciated Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #61 (these always make me laugh like crazy.). Lots of photographs; even those of you who are not familiar with Brooklyn are most likely going to enjoy what you read! Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Xerography Debt #31 Coming June 2012
Available from Microcosm in June 2012
To order a copy of this issue, please send $4 (order online, or send cash, stamps, money order, or check) to Microcosm Publishing
Cover Art by Bojan (Rigor Mortis)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Stuff You Should Know
The Pre-natal Death of the E-book by Joe Biel
It Means It's Wank by Jeff Somers
Expatriation Daze by Al Burian
Gloomy Sundays by Gianni Simone
At Home in the World of Zines by Carlos Palacios
Index Zine
Review Form
THE REVIEWS
Anne Thalheimer
Carlos Palacios
D. Blake Werts
Davida Gypsy Breier
Eric Lyden
Fred Argoff
Joe Biel
Julie Dorn
Liz Mason
Maynard Welstand
Stuart Stratu
Monday, April 2, 2012
Posted on behalf of the Salford Zine Library
Hello my name’s Craig and I run the Salford Zine Library.
Many people have different ideas what a zine is. But I will try and sum up what a zine is to me.
A zine is a publication self-made and printed independently by the author. Production methods vary from primitive tools such as photocopiers, pens, paper and the trademark stapler. They can also be professionally printed and made to a very high technical standard and presented as artists’ book.
In the two years since the archive was opened the lively world of zines and our library has continued to flourish and grow. We welcome contributions from everyone. To date we have had nearly 1500 submissions from all over the world. Thank you to those who have donated so far….
Many people who have visited the library and come to past exhibitions have been truly inspired. They have then gone on to make zines of their own and self-publish work they have wanted to share for a long time.
Here at Salford Zine Library there is no curatorship. We do not wish to be the arbiters of taste. The library is completely inclusive and your contribution is important. We tour the UK visiting schools, universities, public art galleries and book fairs.
Since the exhibition came to a close at Salford Museum and Art Gallery the library has been homeless. I have been desperately seeking a new place for it to reside. Looking for a pleasant and safe environment where people can comfortably read and peruse the archive at their own leisure. After much toing and froing looking for the right spaceI have been offered a permanent room at the Nexus Art Café in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
In its new home the archive will be accessible seven days a week from mid May but as you can see the space needs work. With your help and the skills of master craftsman Andy Yates – a man who says he can drill through anything - we can transform the space into the ideal new home we have long since dreamed of.
Our aim is to raise one thousand pounds by the end of April 2012.
The money raised will go towards the building of shelves, comfy seats to sit down and read, lighting and giving the walls a nice lick of paint.
When the space is clean and safe we can deliver workshops as part of our educational programme and you can read you favourite zines in calm creative comfort.
You can donate in these amounts:
- For £5! You get an invite to the opening launch night.
- For £10! You also receive a freshly burnt DVD of the Salford Zine Library film ‘Self-Publishers of the World Take Over.’
- For £20! Add to it a guided tour of the 3 x 5 metres room with head librarian Craig John Barr.
- And for £50 and upwards! You get all of the previously mentioned plus you can pick an original piece of artwork listed from my website portfolio.
Please be generous and give today!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Posted for The Village Learning Place (donate your zines)
The Village Learning Place
Self-published and micro-published works are vital to the library community. They exhibit subject matter often overlooked by larger publishing companies, and provide a platform for local authors to present their works. We are gathering local materials for our catalog including: small-press-issued graphic novels and poetry, self-published cookbooks, zines, memoirs, niche non-fiction, local history, and university press research and literature. It is our goal to use this historic neighborhood venue to showcase the works of local authors and artists.
The Village Learning Place (VLP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit neighborhood lending library, learning center, computer lab, and community garden in the Charles Village neighborhood of Baltimore City
Because we’re a non-profit, community-run library, we have the freedom to pursue the works of authors that many libraries cannot. This is just one way the Village Learning Place Baltimore
If you have any works you would like to donate to the collection, or if you have any information that would be helpful to our cause, please contact:
Library Associate Kendra Eaves at 410-235-2210 or Kendra.eaves@villagelearningplace.orgLibrary Services Coordinator Lesley Noll at 410-235-2210 ext:224 or Lesley.noll@villagelearningplace.org
or
Douglas Mowbray, Poetry in the Community, 410-235-5712 dmowbray@twentythreebooks.com
We are planning an unveiling reception for this project for National Library Week in April. More details to come!
***
Save the Dates!
2012 Cruellest Month Poetry and Performance Festival
Reading of The Star-Spangled Banner as Waverly Main Street
commemorates The War of 1812 Bicentennial: April 1
4 Nights of Readings Village Learning Place
1 Day of Celebration at Waverly Library: April 28
Friday, March 16, 2012
I think I just fell in love a little bit (two reviews from Anne)
Okay, so I was a little giddy to find two zines about biking in my most recent review stack. I have a little Portland bike envy going on, since while I live near some fairly vibrant bike culture, there's less of it in the city where I live. In addition, both of these zines are just beautiful objects; I'm always a fan of something that's both readable and able to be admired -- i.e. it's a pleasure to look at it, the layout is clean and compelling, and they're just really nicely constructed. Both zines fit this description.
Bikenomics is a collection of 10 articles that Elly Blue originally wrote for Grist.org in 2011, but they flow very well together. She's working on "a book exploring the bike economy around the country" that will be released in 2013 and this zine is a particularly good start to thinking about some of those concepts. It's a very eloquent look at things as wide ranging as the simple number crunching that 6 tanks of $4 gas add up pretty quickly so that city bike will pay for itself a lot faster than you think to recognizing that though biking can be easy for most, it isn't for all. It's a realistic, smart consideration of a fascinating topic, and the zine is absolutely worth reading (even if you don't ride; maybe especially if you don't yet ride!).
But I really kind of fell in love with Our Bodies, Our Bikes. I didn't really get into biking as an adult until I had a stretch of time where I didn't have a car and had to get back and forth to work (and here there are a lot of bike trails that run parallel to the major roadways). I'm not yet an all-weather rider (I know some folks in Massachusetts are, but I'm not there yet), but then I got into distance riding. Long story short: I kinda fell in love with my bike and with riding. I loved the idea that I could get myself around without relying on a car, and reading about other women doing awesome stuff on bikes (riding to the birthing center while riding out contractions? Holy crap, that's awesome!) just really made me want to get on my bike and go for a ride. There's a number of different stories in this collection, including one excellent piece about what cycling can do to your body (and how that helped one author learn to love her butt), stretches that incorporate your bike, and a super-smart piece for lady bikers about biking and your lady parts. (Seriously! It's an important subject and people don't talk about it enough!)
It's also got the most adorable back cover photo, of a lady ridin' along on her bike, overjoyed to be out in the sun, wearing socks and shoes and not very much else.
You gotta read this zine. It's really awesome. (You can order it online at takingthelane.com)
Our Bodies, Our Bikes
Taking the Lane Volume 5 (Dec 2011)
by Elly Blue
takingthelane.com
$3 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: not sure, contact & ask
4.25 inches wide x 6.5 inches wide)
42 pages
Bikenomics: How Bicycling Will Save The Economy (If We Let It) (Sept 2011, 2nd printing)
by Elly Blue
takingthelane.com
$5 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: not sure
4.25 wide x 7.25 tall
40 pages
both available from
Elly Blue
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
Bikenomics is a collection of 10 articles that Elly Blue originally wrote for Grist.org in 2011, but they flow very well together. She's working on "a book exploring the bike economy around the country" that will be released in 2013 and this zine is a particularly good start to thinking about some of those concepts. It's a very eloquent look at things as wide ranging as the simple number crunching that 6 tanks of $4 gas add up pretty quickly so that city bike will pay for itself a lot faster than you think to recognizing that though biking can be easy for most, it isn't for all. It's a realistic, smart consideration of a fascinating topic, and the zine is absolutely worth reading (even if you don't ride; maybe especially if you don't yet ride!).
But I really kind of fell in love with Our Bodies, Our Bikes. I didn't really get into biking as an adult until I had a stretch of time where I didn't have a car and had to get back and forth to work (and here there are a lot of bike trails that run parallel to the major roadways). I'm not yet an all-weather rider (I know some folks in Massachusetts are, but I'm not there yet), but then I got into distance riding. Long story short: I kinda fell in love with my bike and with riding. I loved the idea that I could get myself around without relying on a car, and reading about other women doing awesome stuff on bikes (riding to the birthing center while riding out contractions? Holy crap, that's awesome!) just really made me want to get on my bike and go for a ride. There's a number of different stories in this collection, including one excellent piece about what cycling can do to your body (and how that helped one author learn to love her butt), stretches that incorporate your bike, and a super-smart piece for lady bikers about biking and your lady parts. (Seriously! It's an important subject and people don't talk about it enough!)
It's also got the most adorable back cover photo, of a lady ridin' along on her bike, overjoyed to be out in the sun, wearing socks and shoes and not very much else.
You gotta read this zine. It's really awesome. (You can order it online at takingthelane.com)
Our Bodies, Our Bikes
Taking the Lane Volume 5 (Dec 2011)
by Elly Blue
takingthelane.com
$3 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: not sure, contact & ask
4.25 inches wide x 6.5 inches wide)
42 pages
Bikenomics: How Bicycling Will Save The Economy (If We Let It) (Sept 2011, 2nd printing)
by Elly Blue
takingthelane.com
$5 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: not sure
4.25 wide x 7.25 tall
40 pages
both available from
Elly Blue
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
Monday, March 5, 2012
Three #2
I raved about the last issue of THREE in a previous post, so I was really pleased to see that THREE #2 is continuing solid, compelling work by queer creators. That's a tall order, considering the amount of praise the title has received as well as Ignatz nominations for one of the previous issue's pieces.) Again, the concept: THREE is an anthology by queer comic artists edited by Rob Kirby (you know him from BOY TROUBLE, CURBSIDE, and the particularly excellent STRANGE-LOOKING EXILE) in which each issue contains 3 new stories by three different creators or groups of creators.
It's an excellent production and one of my current favorite titles. This issue features three really different stories. The first, "Dragon" (written by Sina Evil with art by Jon Macy) is beautiful, sexy, playful, complicated, and a little heartbreaking: it's the story of two comics artists who meet for dinner and something a bit more beyond that. It's a story about sex and desire, but also about self-discovery. Evil's storytelling pace is superb (it's his first time writing a comic and not drawing it himself) and Macy's art is by turns smouldering and playful. It's a standout piece and a beautifully done collaboration.
The next piece is a playful cartoon jam by Jennifer Camper and Michael Fahy called "Help Wanted" that's a lot of fun. I can't tell you too much abnout the story without giving away plot twists, but it's about Raoul, his boyfriend and boss Leo Rinaldi, Lana (sister of Leo and swanky airplane pilot), the secrets of the samba, and ... well, you've have to read it to find out what happens next. It's a delight that I don't want to ruin for you, but it's one of the most fun cartoon jams I've read in a long time.
The final piece in this issue is "Nothin' But Trouble" by Craig Bostick and David Kelly, which employs very evocative color work. The story initially follows Jimmy, a guitarist and singer, who picks up a fella named Butch, in a love 'em & leave 'em story with a twist. Midway through the story shifts from Jimmy's perspective to Butch's, and the different color backgrounds of the story begin to make sense -- red for Jimmy and aqua for Butch. It's a love story with a couple of twists, but make sure you pay attention to what's playing on the radio in the background on the story's final page.
Overall, THREE is well worth reading for a lot of reasons; the artwork is always excellent, the stories consistently compelling, the series production is one of the most professional I've seen, and the content is diverse, beautiful, and inspiring. I can't wait for THREE #3, which will have work by one of my favorite folks in comics (Carrie McNinch), work from Ed Luce (which looks adorable and full of bear fellows), and a cartoon jam with folks like Diane DiMassa, Howard Cruse, Ellen Forney, and more -- including Rob Kirby himself.
Just order the collection. You're gonna fall in love with it too.
THREE
#2 (June 2011)
Rob Kirby
curbside2@earthlink.net
www.robkirbycomics.com (orders via paypal)
$6.25 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: maybe "for appropriate/similar stuff"
Half-legal (8.5 inches tall x 7 inches wide)
32 all-color pages
It's an excellent production and one of my current favorite titles. This issue features three really different stories. The first, "Dragon" (written by Sina Evil with art by Jon Macy) is beautiful, sexy, playful, complicated, and a little heartbreaking: it's the story of two comics artists who meet for dinner and something a bit more beyond that. It's a story about sex and desire, but also about self-discovery. Evil's storytelling pace is superb (it's his first time writing a comic and not drawing it himself) and Macy's art is by turns smouldering and playful. It's a standout piece and a beautifully done collaboration.
The next piece is a playful cartoon jam by Jennifer Camper and Michael Fahy called "Help Wanted" that's a lot of fun. I can't tell you too much abnout the story without giving away plot twists, but it's about Raoul, his boyfriend and boss Leo Rinaldi, Lana (sister of Leo and swanky airplane pilot), the secrets of the samba, and ... well, you've have to read it to find out what happens next. It's a delight that I don't want to ruin for you, but it's one of the most fun cartoon jams I've read in a long time.
The final piece in this issue is "Nothin' But Trouble" by Craig Bostick and David Kelly, which employs very evocative color work. The story initially follows Jimmy, a guitarist and singer, who picks up a fella named Butch, in a love 'em & leave 'em story with a twist. Midway through the story shifts from Jimmy's perspective to Butch's, and the different color backgrounds of the story begin to make sense -- red for Jimmy and aqua for Butch. It's a love story with a couple of twists, but make sure you pay attention to what's playing on the radio in the background on the story's final page.
Overall, THREE is well worth reading for a lot of reasons; the artwork is always excellent, the stories consistently compelling, the series production is one of the most professional I've seen, and the content is diverse, beautiful, and inspiring. I can't wait for THREE #3, which will have work by one of my favorite folks in comics (Carrie McNinch), work from Ed Luce (which looks adorable and full of bear fellows), and a cartoon jam with folks like Diane DiMassa, Howard Cruse, Ellen Forney, and more -- including Rob Kirby himself.
Just order the collection. You're gonna fall in love with it too.
THREE
#2 (June 2011)
Rob Kirby
curbside2@earthlink.net
www.robkirbycomics.com (orders via paypal)
$6.25 US / ? Can/Mex / ? World
trades: maybe "for appropriate/similar stuff"
Half-legal (8.5 inches tall x 7 inches wide)
32 all-color pages
Christian* New Age Quarterly: A Bridge Supporting Dialogue
This zine's title is descriptive and accurate. From the statement of purpose on the masthead: "Our intent is to foster communication between Christians and New Agers. To this end, a diversity of viewpoints is featured. Publication does not imply the publisher concurs with the content." These issues feature a letters column with perspectives and comments from readers, articles on such things as shamanism and spirituality, and includes reference materials, advertisements, and other reading including book reviews. Informative and speculative. If you're interested in these subjects, this zine is a good resource for you and will be thought-provoking. Professionally laid-out, cleanly organized, includes color pages on the inside.
Christian* New Age Quarterly: A Bridge Supporting Dialogue
Vol. 20, #1 (Summer 2011), Vol. 20, #1+ (Autumn 2011), and Vol 20, #2 (Winter 2011)
PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07015-0276
info@christiannewage.com
www.christiannewage.com
website: price: $3.50US/ $ 5 Can/Mex / $5 World for sample issue. Subscriptions (4 issues plus supplements) $12.50 US/$18.50 everywhere else.
trades: ? (contact and ask, I guess?)
size: 8.5 tall x 7 wide
page count: 24, 16, 24
Christian* New Age Quarterly: A Bridge Supporting Dialogue
Vol. 20, #1 (Summer 2011), Vol. 20, #1+ (Autumn 2011), and Vol 20, #2 (Winter 2011)
PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07015-0276
info@christiannewage.com
www.christiannewage.com
website: price: $3.50US/ $ 5 Can/Mex / $5 World for sample issue. Subscriptions (4 issues plus supplements) $12.50 US/$18.50 everywhere else.
trades: ? (contact and ask, I guess?)
size: 8.5 tall x 7 wide
page count: 24, 16, 24
BROOKLYN #75
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough.
#75 is a "special issue" -- to mark the 75th issue, Fred sorted through his "collection of zine stuff" that was planned for (but didn't make it into) earlier issues and put together kind of a "hodgepodge" with all the usual suspects (and of course all about Brooklyn): photographs, the Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide (including "ida know" and "yizzl" -- don't know these? Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!), the Brooklyn version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a neighborhood tour -- all in all, always an interesting read!
PS: The cover is very funny and probably not something you want to read at your desk at work: it's six middle fingers held high and proud by four people...and one primate.
BROOKLYN #75
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
#75 is a "special issue" -- to mark the 75th issue, Fred sorted through his "collection of zine stuff" that was planned for (but didn't make it into) earlier issues and put together kind of a "hodgepodge" with all the usual suspects (and of course all about Brooklyn): photographs, the Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide (including "ida know" and "yizzl" -- don't know these? Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!), the Brooklyn version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a neighborhood tour -- all in all, always an interesting read!
PS: The cover is very funny and probably not something you want to read at your desk at work: it's six middle fingers held high and proud by four people...and one primate.
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
Thursday, February 9, 2012
2012: THE REVENGE OF REVENGE OF PRINT
Because revenge is a dish best served as seconds.
Last year, after getting tired of hearing folks glibly forecasting the death of print, a number of people in the self-publishing/small press/zines/comics world teamed up to declare 2011 The Revenge Of Print.
Organizers/sponsors included:Stores: Atomic Books (Baltimore), Quimby's (Chicago), Reading Frenzy (Portland), Xerography Debt, and Zine World, Razorcake, Maximum Rocknroll, Broken Pencil, and a number of zine libraries and distros around the world.
The challenge was issued - everyone who has ever made a zine, a comic, a mini-comic, handmade booklet, pamphlet or publication - or anyone who still was making one - or even anyone who as ever thought of making one - do it. Make at least one more publication in 2011.
And the results are in. Quimby's and Atomic Books tallied up nearly 2000 titles published as part of, in response to, or in the spirit of Revenge of Print. How's that for revenge?"Books are over." "Magazines are over." "Comix are over." "Zines are over." "Newspapers are over." Bah! Don't think so. We're over things being over.
And that includes revenge.
So Revenge of Print organizers and members are declaring 2012 The Revenge of Revenge of Print.
Once again we are encouraging/challenging/asking - everyone who ever made (or wants to make) a zine, a mini-comic, a journal, a chapbook, a magazine or any kind of self-made publication of any kind vow that in 2012, they'll make another issue/title/publication.
Yes, we're still making a point. And we're using the very tools credited with the demise of print to do so - the internet!
Join the Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/revengeofprint/
And who is this "we" that's issued this challenge to self-publishers past, present, and future?
"We" are, to date,
Reading Frenzy - www.readingfrenzy.com
Xerography Debt - www.xerographydebt.blogspot.com
and more TBA.
We'll be using the Facebook group as an organizing resource to provide addresses to publications where participants can send copies of their projects for review, and we'll also be listing addresses to real stores who will consign those very same titles so people can actually get copies the old fashioned way, by walking into a store.
Our list of participants has been growing rapidly. The Facebook group already has nearly 1,100 self-publishers. We're hoping you will team-up with us by helping to spread the word!
"Print lives if you want it."
Logos above are available for use and should be credited to Bojan.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Xerography Debt #30 now available!
Now Available from Microcosm
To order a copy of this issue, please send $4 (order online, or send cash, stamps, money order, or check + s/h) to Microcosm Publishing
Cover Art by Bojan (Rigor Mortis)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Basic Stuff You Should Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Why I Publish by DJ Frederick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Death of the Weblog by Joe Biel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Expatriation Daze by Al Burian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
It Means It's Wank by Jeff Somers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Gloomy Sundays by Gianni Simone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Revenge of Print Honor Roll . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 62
Zine Review Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Artist's Statement About The Cover by Bojan . . . . . . 63
THE REVIEWS
Anne Thalheimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-17
D. Blake Werts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17-23
Davida Gypsy Breier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23-26
Eric Lyden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-28
Fred Argoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28-30
Gavin J. Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30-32
Joe Biel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-37
Julie Dorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37-39
Kathy Moseley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39-41
Liz Mason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41-46
Matt Fagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46-48
Maynard Welstand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48-49
Stuart Stratu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49-61
Anne Thalheimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-17
D. Blake Werts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17-23
Davida Gypsy Breier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23-26
Eric Lyden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-28
Fred Argoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28-30
Gavin J. Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30-32
Joe Biel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-37
Julie Dorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37-39
Kathy Moseley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39-41
Liz Mason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41-46
Matt Fagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46-48
Maynard Welstand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48-49
Stuart Stratu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49-61
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
review by Anne: Another Whit Taylor two-fer!
Grab Bag (2011) 5 x 6, 20 pages, B&W
$2 US, $? Can/Mex, $? world, contact to trade
Whit Taylor
WhitLTaylor@gmail.com
http://whimsicalnobodycomics.blogspot.com
Watermelon…and other things that make me uncomfortable as a black person (2011)
8 x 10, 44 pages, B&W with full color cover
$4 US, $ Can/Mex, $? world, contact to trade
(same info as above)
I was at this year’s Small Press Expo in Bethesda recently and discovered that Whit Taylor was tabling in the same group of tables that I was! How awesome and unexpected! She’s got new work (all of which I think is available through her website) and it’s worth reading. GRAB BAG is this fun mix of random pieces – a trip to the Jerry Springer show, Bad Inventions (they’re really funny), some riffing on Britney Spears (yeah, you know you love it), and some interesting business ideas. WATERMELON has that same sense of fun to it, even as Whit herself says in the introduction that “this comic is my attempt to deal with these issues” – the things that make her uncomfortable. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a really well-done personal comic about some very important issues. You get Whit’s perspective, and she’s clear that she’s just speaking for herself, but it’s very well done and tackles some heavy stuff in a way that’s both heartbreaking in places (be sure to read her story about Africa) and at the same time very funny in places. Highly recommended.
$2 US, $? Can/Mex, $? world, contact to trade
Whit Taylor
WhitLTaylor@gmail.com
http://whimsicalnobodycomics.blogspot.com
Watermelon…and other things that make me uncomfortable as a black person (2011)
8 x 10, 44 pages, B&W with full color cover
$4 US, $ Can/Mex, $? world, contact to trade
(same info as above)
I was at this year’s Small Press Expo in Bethesda recently and discovered that Whit Taylor was tabling in the same group of tables that I was! How awesome and unexpected! She’s got new work (all of which I think is available through her website) and it’s worth reading. GRAB BAG is this fun mix of random pieces – a trip to the Jerry Springer show, Bad Inventions (they’re really funny), some riffing on Britney Spears (yeah, you know you love it), and some interesting business ideas. WATERMELON has that same sense of fun to it, even as Whit herself says in the introduction that “this comic is my attempt to deal with these issues” – the things that make her uncomfortable. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a really well-done personal comic about some very important issues. You get Whit’s perspective, and she’s clear that she’s just speaking for herself, but it’s very well done and tackles some heavy stuff in a way that’s both heartbreaking in places (be sure to read her story about Africa) and at the same time very funny in places. Highly recommended.
review from Anne: BROOKLYN #72 and BROOKLYN! #73 Special Issue: Abandonment 3
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. #72 is mostly to do with baseball and baseball history in Brooklyn, though there are some non-baseball components, including Highland View Avenue and Bath Beach, as well as the always-appreciated Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #57. #58 is in BROOKLYN #73, which is all about abandonment – buildings, bridges, subway stations, and even ideas and streets. It’s a really interesting issue and very evocative; it’s sort of the hidden Brooklyn, off the beaten path. Lots of photographs; even those of you who are not familiar with Brooklyn are most likely going to enjoy what you read! Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230
More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. #72 is mostly to do with baseball and baseball history in Brooklyn, though there are some non-baseball components, including Highland View Avenue and Bath Beach, as well as the always-appreciated Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #57. #58 is in BROOKLYN #73, which is all about abandonment – buildings, bridges, subway stations, and even ideas and streets. It’s a really interesting issue and very evocative; it’s sort of the hidden Brooklyn, off the beaten path. Lots of photographs; even those of you who are not familiar with Brooklyn are most likely going to enjoy what you read! Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Xerography Debt #29 - Available from Microcosm August 15, 2011
 |
| Cover Art by Bojan (Rigor Mortis) |
To order a copy of this issue, please send $3 +s/h (order online, or send cash, stamps, money order, or check) to Microcosm Publishing
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Stuff You Should Know
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, It Is Being Published by Davida Gypsy Breier
Defining Ourselves To Death by Dread Sockett
It Means It's Wank by Jeff Somers
Gloomy Sundays by Gianni Simone
THE REVIEWERS
Anne Thalheimer
D. Blake Wert
Davida Gypsy Breier
Eric Lyden
Fred Argoff
Gavin J. Grant
Joe Biel
Julie Dorn
Kris Mininger
Liz Mason
Maynard Welstand
Stuart Stratu
Basic Stuff You Should Know
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, It Is Being Published by Davida Gypsy Breier
Defining Ourselves To Death by Dread Sockett
It Means It's Wank by Jeff Somers
Gloomy Sundays by Gianni Simone
THE REVIEWERS
Anne Thalheimer
D. Blake Wert
Davida Gypsy Breier
Eric Lyden
Fred Argoff
Gavin J. Grant
Joe Biel
Julie Dorn
Kris Mininger
Liz Mason
Maynard Welstand
Stuart Stratu
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, It Is Being Published
This column appears in the forthcoming issue of Xerography Debt (#29). Order now!
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,
What is a zine? No, seriously. I’m not trying to sound like an MTV reporter in 1996 trying to hype a “youth fad,” I’m genuinely questioning how the combined loss of generational history and the massive rise in independent publishing over the last five years has blurred lines and broken down walls. When I got into zines it was a culture of barter, freedom of expression, and rebellion against established media. We published zines because we wanted to communicate and because what we had to say and how we wanted to say it was of no interest to commercial publishers. That was fine, they had their world and we had ours. Zines that got big enough to carry ISSNs or barcodes of any kind were scorned. And anything with an ISBN might as well have carried the mark of the beast. We were in a culture war of sorts, defying the commodification of art and ideas. Many of the people I knew and traded with at that time were in their teens and twenties. We were figuring ourselves out and zines were how we did it.
In many cases zines actually lead (or even helped) us into careers as librarians or in publishing. I fall into the latter camp. I started out working for a non-profit that supported itself through publishing. From there I went to work for a distributor that specialized in small presses. In some cases, the small book publishers I worked with were like zine publishers – only they were older and had the capital to fund their projects. They had something to say, wanted to connect with readers, and commercial publishers weren’t interested. It has often been said that zines are defined by a lack of financial gain. Well, if that is the case, most book publishers I know are actually zine publishers.
I watched the struggles these small publishers were experiencing and they mirrored some of what we faced in zineland. Up until 1998 we had Factsheet 5 to help readers and publishers find each other. Small book publishers had no such vehicle. Other zine review zines sprang up, but none of us ever had the distribution into the retail market that F5 had. Speaking of distribution, it is very hard for small presses to get distributed and when they do it can be expensive. Again, this is a similar barrier in zines. How many of us remember zines that just disappeared – how many of you realize that some disappeared because their distributor (anyone remember Desert Moon? Fine Print?) went under owing them money, which meant that print and postage bills went unpaid and the publication was compromised or ultimately folded. How many of us had to scale back after Tower went under?
I was working with these small presses as POD (print-on-demand) technologies started really developing. At that time stores didn’t want to touch anything they thought was POD because they felt the supply was limited and the quality was poor – sound familiar zine people?
Let’s flash forward a few years. In 1995, 113,589 ISBN’s were registered with Bowker; in 2010 there were 316,480. What happened? Fucking independent publishers happened! We all talk about the death of print (both zines and books), but look at those numbers. More books are being published than ever before. We act like blogs are killing zines. What if books are killing zines? What if the people, faced with all the barriers we faced in 1995, wanted to publish and couldn’t. Chances are some of them would be making zines. Instead, in 2011 the barriers between the worlds of book publishing and zine publishing are disintegrating. If I wanted to create a book today there are companies that will help me do everything from registering an ISBN (I don’t have to buy an expensive block of 10 or 100 now), do the layout in an automated template, and set my file up with a POD printer. Imagine something like that existing in 1995! Is what you have created a zine? A chapbook? A book? What the hell is it? And does that matter?
Within the book publishing world there is a lot of identity crisis going on right now. Digitization and the easy access to the industry have broken down so many walls that used to exist. I mean, even the term book is being challenged by the larger notion of content. Here’s a question to exemplify how things are changing: What is your favorite recording artist or song? Did you hear the music or picture a band or person? Or did you picture a CD, LP, or MP3 file? If you pictured the recording artist you are interested in the content. If you pictured the CD you are interested in the format or media. The term book or zine defines how you will read, not what you will read. It is the media, not the content. What matters more to you?
These days I wear several hats in the land of publishing (and a few in zineland) and some of my focus is digital content. I have read on an e-reader and on a laptop, and I can see the potential value of this media, but as you can see by this zine in your hands I have not given up traditionally printed zines or books. One thing I see ebooks doing is something we all were doing in 1995 – independently produced ebooks are challenging the establishment. They are providing readers with alternatives. They are often cheaply produced or free and filled with typos and poorly rendered design. But are they zines? No, of course not. But they sound a hell of a lot like a zine, don’t they?
So this brings me back to my original question? What is a zine? Is a definition created to try and explain the “fad” to the uninitiated in 1995 still accurate? I don’t think so. I think that zines, like publishing, have undergone a few changes and that we should keep our community open instead of trying to hold onto established labels because we are fearful of change. Does that mean I think a blog is a zine? No, I don’t. But maybe you do. Does that mean I think a paper zine created by cutting and pasting directly from a blog is a zine? Well, yes, technically, but I also think it is hella lazy.
If we are going to have the label talk, let’s step back in time a moment and discuss how we got here. Current nomenclature stems from the term “fanzine.” When I was a wee geek I actually subscribed to a few SF fanzines, but didn’t really think about their relationship to zines until I was firmly entrenched in zine culture. “Fan magazines” are another thing entirely. An example would be Sports Illustrated – this is created as a for-profit venture and caters to the interest of fans. So back to fanzines – these were everything from DIY to semi-professional publications that originated in science fiction circles. In many cases they were modeled after existing professional publications. These were generally genre specific to a largely homogenized audience. Existing publications provided a blueprint. Not a lot of boundaries being pushed here.
People like to write about their obsessions, so early SF fanzine culture lent itself to other fan-based genres, such as horror, music, and sports (note that these were traditionally “male fan” genres – we’ll get back to that in a minute). Music will become an important one as independent music gains a foothold, but commercial music magazines and radio stations refuse to cover and play these underground bands. Sub-cultures form around these marginalized arts.
For early fanzines, there was an attempt at aesthetic – again emulating professional magazines. Remember, we are talking about the ’30s-’50s here, so these were being printed on mimeographs and ditto machines. These took time to set up and were labor intensive. So what happens to bring modern zines to the fore? Two things: 1) technology – photocopies become cheap and accessible and 2) the cultural revolution of the ’60s leaves people realizing that mainstream media is not addressing their interests or culture. That thread of individuality flourishes in the ‘70s and people start documenting their own lives and cultures. This is passed onto the next generation and participation in zine culture peaks in the mid-‘90s. So to get back to the idea of fanzines covering “male dominated” genres – the rise of the women’s movement allowed for societal changes to begin in the ‘70s and one interpretation of those changes led to the rise in Riot Grrrl zines in the ‘90s. Unlike with fanzines, zines as we know them today were very inclusive of people and sub-cultures that had little power in mainstream society. If you were LGBTQ, dealing with mental health issues, or just the class weirdo, zines were a relatively safe place to call home.
Zines were filled with raw emotions and gritty personalities. Again, a huge difference from fanzines. People were learning to talk and write and it felt anonymous because often the only interaction writers had occurred months after they finished a zine and dropped it in the mail. People talked about obsessions, traveling, bands they liked, abuse, politics, and their personal experiences. Aesthetics were often not a high priority and legibility seldom taken into consideration (margins, what are margins?). Cut & paste was done because it was all we had in the old days. And it can be done in a way that is legible. Sloppy is just sloppy.
When I got into zines there were a few basic criteria used to define what a zine was (and none of them really worked). 1) it was created without intent of monetary gain and was bartered for other zines; 2) fewer than 500 (or 5000 – depends on who you ask) copies were printed; 3) zines allowed voices who had no other outlet to be heard; 4) no ISSN or ISBN (ironically, this means that zinedom’s sacred cow, Factsheet 5, was, in fact, not a zine). So did zines that started out small and grew get grandfathered in? For some people, yes. For others, ridiculous indy creed was more important. And truthfully, a lot of us were just in it for mail and could care less about debating Bust’s standing as a zine.
The boom period in the ‘90s saw a lot of zines born and die. Much like the early ‘00s saw a ton of blogs born and die. Many of the same reasons that drove people to create zines drove them to create blogs, only blogs were faster, easier, cheaper, and allowed for immediate gratification. Now, headed into the 10’s, some of us see where a blog can in fact be useful and compliment a paper zine without cannibalizing it. Technology has, in many respects, helped push forward the agenda of book and zine publishers and to not use tools that are within our reach to help us complete our ultimate missions seems self-defeating. How many people reading this learned about the Revenge of Print project online?
So how do the early definitions of “zine” and “fanzine” hold up in 2011? Well, email has pretty much killed my neurotic compulsion to stop by the PO Box regularly. Instead, I neurotically check my email. The Internet now allows for a din of individual voices to be heard and finding likeminded souls is not the same weird crap shoot of putting your zine in an envelope and sending it off to a PO Box wondering if you are about to meet someone who will become a part of your life. (A brief tangent – remember how it used to be weird when people said they met online? Now try explaining to people that you met your best friend through the mail and you have never actually met in person. )
I think the original ideas behind the labels “fanzine” and “zine” are dated. I think fanzines could learn from zines by opening up to more diverse, personal, and critical content. Similarly, I think that zines could learn from fanzines and start making publications that are easier to read and dare I say it – actually interesting to look at. Do we hold to the old definitions and try and work within those boxes? Do we create new terms to explain what is going on now? I don’t have any answers. Here is a good example why – someone uses a library computer to create a publication. She cannot afford a computer, internet access, or copies, so she creates a PDF and emails that to people or posts it to a site like Scribd. She is giving it away and soliciting people to send her their zines (via email or mail). Her motivation and content are very much in line with old-school zine ethos, but her method of delivery is new-school. Has she created a zine?
Personally, I would love to read more international zines, but postage is often a barrier. Is a PDF of a zine created and printed in New Zealand, but emailed to the rest of the world any less of a zine? These are the questions I am asking myself as a zine writer, zine editor, zine reviewer, book publisher, and book distributor as I continue to move forward as a creator and merchant of words and content.
As I see it, what matters is intent. The how and the why are more important to me than the what. I view myself as an independent publisher, who enjoys zines as a culture and medium. I edit and manage Xerography Debt for the community and co-edit Rigor Mortis to fulfill my creative needs. My monetary goal is sustainability, which pretty much means attempting to break even based on content. I don’t sell ad space, nor do I sell my mailing list (again, F5 is held aloft, but there were a lot of rumors about Seth Friedman bartering and selling the F5 mailing list. Our culture wasn’t what held value, but what we could be sold.). I define XD and RM as zines to those who understand the term and to those who don’t they are “small press publications.” Many reviews have defined RM as a fanzine (which makes my co-editor apoplectic). None of these labels change the content.
So these are my truths. Your truths may vary or settle during shipping. And the truths of today may not be the truths of yesterday or tomorrow. If you must have a label and can’t find one that suits you, make one up. The important thing is that we each examine the what, how, and why and make sure they are in line with our intent.
In the words of The Dude, “Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man,” so I say to you, dear readers, what is your truth? What is your opinion on the state of zines? Why do you or did you publish? Do you publish looking forward or backward? Is it about revolution or nostalgia? Or both? Please send me your thoughts – roughly 250-500 words – with a deadline of October 15, 2011. This will become a new series called, “The Voices of Zinedom.” In this instance, I embrace modern technology as a time-saver and would prefer to receive responses by email (Davida@leekinginc.com).
Just keep reading – no matter what, no matter how.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,
It Is Being Published
by Davida Gypsy Breier
What is a zine? No, seriously. I’m not trying to sound like an MTV reporter in 1996 trying to hype a “youth fad,” I’m genuinely questioning how the combined loss of generational history and the massive rise in independent publishing over the last five years has blurred lines and broken down walls. When I got into zines it was a culture of barter, freedom of expression, and rebellion against established media. We published zines because we wanted to communicate and because what we had to say and how we wanted to say it was of no interest to commercial publishers. That was fine, they had their world and we had ours. Zines that got big enough to carry ISSNs or barcodes of any kind were scorned. And anything with an ISBN might as well have carried the mark of the beast. We were in a culture war of sorts, defying the commodification of art and ideas. Many of the people I knew and traded with at that time were in their teens and twenties. We were figuring ourselves out and zines were how we did it. In many cases zines actually lead (or even helped) us into careers as librarians or in publishing. I fall into the latter camp. I started out working for a non-profit that supported itself through publishing. From there I went to work for a distributor that specialized in small presses. In some cases, the small book publishers I worked with were like zine publishers – only they were older and had the capital to fund their projects. They had something to say, wanted to connect with readers, and commercial publishers weren’t interested. It has often been said that zines are defined by a lack of financial gain. Well, if that is the case, most book publishers I know are actually zine publishers.
I watched the struggles these small publishers were experiencing and they mirrored some of what we faced in zineland. Up until 1998 we had Factsheet 5 to help readers and publishers find each other. Small book publishers had no such vehicle. Other zine review zines sprang up, but none of us ever had the distribution into the retail market that F5 had. Speaking of distribution, it is very hard for small presses to get distributed and when they do it can be expensive. Again, this is a similar barrier in zines. How many of us remember zines that just disappeared – how many of you realize that some disappeared because their distributor (anyone remember Desert Moon? Fine Print?) went under owing them money, which meant that print and postage bills went unpaid and the publication was compromised or ultimately folded. How many of us had to scale back after Tower went under?
I was working with these small presses as POD (print-on-demand) technologies started really developing. At that time stores didn’t want to touch anything they thought was POD because they felt the supply was limited and the quality was poor – sound familiar zine people?
Let’s flash forward a few years. In 1995, 113,589 ISBN’s were registered with Bowker; in 2010 there were 316,480. What happened? Fucking independent publishers happened! We all talk about the death of print (both zines and books), but look at those numbers. More books are being published than ever before. We act like blogs are killing zines. What if books are killing zines? What if the people, faced with all the barriers we faced in 1995, wanted to publish and couldn’t. Chances are some of them would be making zines. Instead, in 2011 the barriers between the worlds of book publishing and zine publishing are disintegrating. If I wanted to create a book today there are companies that will help me do everything from registering an ISBN (I don’t have to buy an expensive block of 10 or 100 now), do the layout in an automated template, and set my file up with a POD printer. Imagine something like that existing in 1995! Is what you have created a zine? A chapbook? A book? What the hell is it? And does that matter?
Within the book publishing world there is a lot of identity crisis going on right now. Digitization and the easy access to the industry have broken down so many walls that used to exist. I mean, even the term book is being challenged by the larger notion of content. Here’s a question to exemplify how things are changing: What is your favorite recording artist or song? Did you hear the music or picture a band or person? Or did you picture a CD, LP, or MP3 file? If you pictured the recording artist you are interested in the content. If you pictured the CD you are interested in the format or media. The term book or zine defines how you will read, not what you will read. It is the media, not the content. What matters more to you?
These days I wear several hats in the land of publishing (and a few in zineland) and some of my focus is digital content. I have read on an e-reader and on a laptop, and I can see the potential value of this media, but as you can see by this zine in your hands I have not given up traditionally printed zines or books. One thing I see ebooks doing is something we all were doing in 1995 – independently produced ebooks are challenging the establishment. They are providing readers with alternatives. They are often cheaply produced or free and filled with typos and poorly rendered design. But are they zines? No, of course not. But they sound a hell of a lot like a zine, don’t they?
So this brings me back to my original question? What is a zine? Is a definition created to try and explain the “fad” to the uninitiated in 1995 still accurate? I don’t think so. I think that zines, like publishing, have undergone a few changes and that we should keep our community open instead of trying to hold onto established labels because we are fearful of change. Does that mean I think a blog is a zine? No, I don’t. But maybe you do. Does that mean I think a paper zine created by cutting and pasting directly from a blog is a zine? Well, yes, technically, but I also think it is hella lazy.
If we are going to have the label talk, let’s step back in time a moment and discuss how we got here. Current nomenclature stems from the term “fanzine.” When I was a wee geek I actually subscribed to a few SF fanzines, but didn’t really think about their relationship to zines until I was firmly entrenched in zine culture. “Fan magazines” are another thing entirely. An example would be Sports Illustrated – this is created as a for-profit venture and caters to the interest of fans. So back to fanzines – these were everything from DIY to semi-professional publications that originated in science fiction circles. In many cases they were modeled after existing professional publications. These were generally genre specific to a largely homogenized audience. Existing publications provided a blueprint. Not a lot of boundaries being pushed here.
People like to write about their obsessions, so early SF fanzine culture lent itself to other fan-based genres, such as horror, music, and sports (note that these were traditionally “male fan” genres – we’ll get back to that in a minute). Music will become an important one as independent music gains a foothold, but commercial music magazines and radio stations refuse to cover and play these underground bands. Sub-cultures form around these marginalized arts.
For early fanzines, there was an attempt at aesthetic – again emulating professional magazines. Remember, we are talking about the ’30s-’50s here, so these were being printed on mimeographs and ditto machines. These took time to set up and were labor intensive. So what happens to bring modern zines to the fore? Two things: 1) technology – photocopies become cheap and accessible and 2) the cultural revolution of the ’60s leaves people realizing that mainstream media is not addressing their interests or culture. That thread of individuality flourishes in the ‘70s and people start documenting their own lives and cultures. This is passed onto the next generation and participation in zine culture peaks in the mid-‘90s. So to get back to the idea of fanzines covering “male dominated” genres – the rise of the women’s movement allowed for societal changes to begin in the ‘70s and one interpretation of those changes led to the rise in Riot Grrrl zines in the ‘90s. Unlike with fanzines, zines as we know them today were very inclusive of people and sub-cultures that had little power in mainstream society. If you were LGBTQ, dealing with mental health issues, or just the class weirdo, zines were a relatively safe place to call home.
Zines were filled with raw emotions and gritty personalities. Again, a huge difference from fanzines. People were learning to talk and write and it felt anonymous because often the only interaction writers had occurred months after they finished a zine and dropped it in the mail. People talked about obsessions, traveling, bands they liked, abuse, politics, and their personal experiences. Aesthetics were often not a high priority and legibility seldom taken into consideration (margins, what are margins?). Cut & paste was done because it was all we had in the old days. And it can be done in a way that is legible. Sloppy is just sloppy.
When I got into zines there were a few basic criteria used to define what a zine was (and none of them really worked). 1) it was created without intent of monetary gain and was bartered for other zines; 2) fewer than 500 (or 5000 – depends on who you ask) copies were printed; 3) zines allowed voices who had no other outlet to be heard; 4) no ISSN or ISBN (ironically, this means that zinedom’s sacred cow, Factsheet 5, was, in fact, not a zine). So did zines that started out small and grew get grandfathered in? For some people, yes. For others, ridiculous indy creed was more important. And truthfully, a lot of us were just in it for mail and could care less about debating Bust’s standing as a zine.
The boom period in the ‘90s saw a lot of zines born and die. Much like the early ‘00s saw a ton of blogs born and die. Many of the same reasons that drove people to create zines drove them to create blogs, only blogs were faster, easier, cheaper, and allowed for immediate gratification. Now, headed into the 10’s, some of us see where a blog can in fact be useful and compliment a paper zine without cannibalizing it. Technology has, in many respects, helped push forward the agenda of book and zine publishers and to not use tools that are within our reach to help us complete our ultimate missions seems self-defeating. How many people reading this learned about the Revenge of Print project online?
So how do the early definitions of “zine” and “fanzine” hold up in 2011? Well, email has pretty much killed my neurotic compulsion to stop by the PO Box regularly. Instead, I neurotically check my email. The Internet now allows for a din of individual voices to be heard and finding likeminded souls is not the same weird crap shoot of putting your zine in an envelope and sending it off to a PO Box wondering if you are about to meet someone who will become a part of your life. (A brief tangent – remember how it used to be weird when people said they met online? Now try explaining to people that you met your best friend through the mail and you have never actually met in person. )
I think the original ideas behind the labels “fanzine” and “zine” are dated. I think fanzines could learn from zines by opening up to more diverse, personal, and critical content. Similarly, I think that zines could learn from fanzines and start making publications that are easier to read and dare I say it – actually interesting to look at. Do we hold to the old definitions and try and work within those boxes? Do we create new terms to explain what is going on now? I don’t have any answers. Here is a good example why – someone uses a library computer to create a publication. She cannot afford a computer, internet access, or copies, so she creates a PDF and emails that to people or posts it to a site like Scribd. She is giving it away and soliciting people to send her their zines (via email or mail). Her motivation and content are very much in line with old-school zine ethos, but her method of delivery is new-school. Has she created a zine?
Personally, I would love to read more international zines, but postage is often a barrier. Is a PDF of a zine created and printed in New Zealand, but emailed to the rest of the world any less of a zine? These are the questions I am asking myself as a zine writer, zine editor, zine reviewer, book publisher, and book distributor as I continue to move forward as a creator and merchant of words and content.
As I see it, what matters is intent. The how and the why are more important to me than the what. I view myself as an independent publisher, who enjoys zines as a culture and medium. I edit and manage Xerography Debt for the community and co-edit Rigor Mortis to fulfill my creative needs. My monetary goal is sustainability, which pretty much means attempting to break even based on content. I don’t sell ad space, nor do I sell my mailing list (again, F5 is held aloft, but there were a lot of rumors about Seth Friedman bartering and selling the F5 mailing list. Our culture wasn’t what held value, but what we could be sold.). I define XD and RM as zines to those who understand the term and to those who don’t they are “small press publications.” Many reviews have defined RM as a fanzine (which makes my co-editor apoplectic). None of these labels change the content.
So these are my truths. Your truths may vary or settle during shipping. And the truths of today may not be the truths of yesterday or tomorrow. If you must have a label and can’t find one that suits you, make one up. The important thing is that we each examine the what, how, and why and make sure they are in line with our intent.
In the words of The Dude, “Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man,” so I say to you, dear readers, what is your truth? What is your opinion on the state of zines? Why do you or did you publish? Do you publish looking forward or backward? Is it about revolution or nostalgia? Or both? Please send me your thoughts – roughly 250-500 words – with a deadline of October 15, 2011. This will become a new series called, “The Voices of Zinedom.” In this instance, I embrace modern technology as a time-saver and would prefer to receive responses by email (Davida@leekinginc.com).
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Borderlands #2: It's a Family Affair (2008)
Borderlands #2: It's a Family Affair (2008)
edited by Nia King
$2 USD, no trades, 1/2 size, 36 pgs, FTP.
Described as "a collection of stories about growing up in multiracial
families from mixed folks + transracial adoptees," Borderlands is one
zine I'm always excited to see in my mailbox; everyone's writing is
crisp, smart, and true in a way which feels really immediate. It's a
well-built anthology (clean layout, easy to read) with a range of
perspectives and is an ongoing project. This issue also
includes "Recommended Race Blogs" which I thought was a particularly
good choice, both to include and in the range of different blogs,
people, perspectives, and experiences. Just get this zine already.
It's worth your time.
available through STRANGER DANGER DISTRO:
http://strangerdangerdistro.wordpress.com/catalog/
edited by Nia King
$2 USD, no trades, 1/2 size, 36 pgs, FTP.
Described as "a collection of stories about growing up in multiracial
families from mixed folks + transracial adoptees," Borderlands is one
zine I'm always excited to see in my mailbox; everyone's writing is
crisp, smart, and true in a way which feels really immediate. It's a
well-built anthology (clean layout, easy to read) with a range of
perspectives and is an ongoing project. This issue also
includes "Recommended Race Blogs" which I thought was a particularly
good choice, both to include and in the range of different blogs,
people, perspectives, and experiences. Just get this zine already.
It's worth your time.
available through STRANGER DANGER DISTRO:
http://strangerdangerdistro.wordpress.com/catalog/
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
CALL for ENTRIES Meta Comics Issue! Deadline: 6/30/2011
ABSOLUTE DEADLINE: JUNE 30, 2011!!
CALL for ENTRIES
Syndicate Product:
THE META-COMICS ISSUE
The META-COMICS ISSUE will include comics and essays ABOUT comics and sequential art. You certainly DO NOT have to be an artist to contribute – essays are very much welcome and encouraged!
Some potential ideas:
- The creative process of drawing comics: Where do your ideas come from? Why do you draw comics?
- Comics-related disasters: From the cat knocking over the ink bottle to basement floods that resulted in floating longboxes.
- __ broke my heart: As a comics reader, the most soul-crushing, genre-destroying, why-the-hell-am-I-still-reading this storylines you’ve endured in mainstream comics. Why did you stop reading some titles?
- Creative space: Where do you draw? What rituals do you perform? (E.g., Lynda Barry always begins a drawing session by writing out the alphabet a few times with a brush and ink.)
- Reading comics: Are there comics that left you so emotionally wrecked that you’re scared to read them again? Flipside: are there books you have to re-read every year?
- Collecting comics: Are you a Wednesday regular? Did your mom throw out your collection when you went to college? Have you ever sold off parts of your collection for rent, food, or more comics?
- Comics and relationships: Friendships and romances found or lost over comics.
- Memories of stores past and present: Good and bad stories from the comic shop. Did/do you work in a comic shop?
- Inspirations: Artists, teachers, storytellers?
- Tangentially related ideas: Terrible, little-seen comic book movie/TV adaptations. Tales from actual comic book conventions.
- Previously self-published comics (either print or web) are welcome if they relate to the topic.
SPECIFICATIONS
Comic artists: Final art size should reduce to around 4.5 x 7.5 inches. Four pages maximum (but if it’s really good, this can be negotiated). B&W only. Send art as 300dpi TIF files if grayscale scans, 600dpi TIF if bitmap scans. Also, once entries are in, I may be looking for small illustrations to accompany some of the essays.
Writers: Between 400-1200 words is acceptable. If you need to go longer, please do. If the writing is good enough, people will want to read it to the end. I'll let you know if a piece is simply too huge, rambling, unwieldy, or needs editing. Send essays as OpenOffice, MS Word, or plain text files, or paste the text into an e-mail.
Contributors will receive a copy of the final project.
Due date and where to submit: Deadline is JUNE 30, 2011. Submit your entries to syndprod@gmail.com. If you want to mail them, send them to: A.j. Michel, PO Box 877, Lansdowne, PA 19050.
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