A Brief Overview of Modern Zine Culture
- 1930s- Science fiction fandoms began creating fanzines as a form of community building among fans of the newly blossoming Science Fiction genre. Sci-fi fanzines continued into the 1960s, finding a new audience alongside the hit show, Star Trek.
- 1950s- 1960s- The beginning of the Underground press boom with the rise of counterculture movements and youth taking a stance on topics such as politics, art, social issues, sexual liberation, and recreational drugs.
- 1970s-1980s- With advances in technology allowed for cheap and accessible reproductions, Punk shaped the "Do It Yourself" philosophy. Anyone who wanted to share the love of a band or their local music scene now had the ability to do so.
- 1990's- The Riot Grrrl Movement gave a voice to all the young girls and women who were sidelined in the male-dominated punk scene. Their zines reflect their attitude with a focus on feminism and female empowerment. The mission was to create a space for women to discuss issues that mainstream society tried mute. Topics include sexuality, patriarchy, rape, and other forms of sexual abuse, eating disorders, domestic abuse, mental illness, and sexism.
- Today- Zines are more accessible now than ever before. It has become a way to share art and writing, as well as discuss topics around the LGTBQ community, social justice, the environment, and body positivity. Zines have made a resurgence with the LGTBQ community and people of color to talk about their experiences and share their messages, and start a dialogue without compromise.
Documentaries
Genres and Movements
Touch and Go by ISBN: 0979616387Publication Date: 2010-06-30Touch and Go Fanzine was the brainchild of Tesco Vee and Dave Stimson and was launched in Michigan in 1979. Major fans of the new punk happenings in the late 1970s, the pair set out to chronicle, lambast, ridicule and heap praise on all they loved and hated about music communities in the US and abroad. Touch and Go features the complete series 1979-1983: 22 issues of the most significant US hardcore punk zine in one loud, fast volume!
Hardcore Zine by ISBN: 0985733799Publication Date: 2019-09-19
Add Toner by ISBN: 0867197536Publication Date: 2011-07-15A collection of the classic, out-of-print issues of Cometbus magazine, the follow-up to Despite Everything (Last Gasp, 2003), the best-of collection from the first two decades of the magazine. Add Toner includes 'Lanky', a novella, 'Back to the Land', an oral history of the children of hippie homesteaders, plus 60 more short stories and interviews. The text is lovingly handwritten, interspersed with bold graphics and illustrations.
The Best of Punk Magazine by ISBN: 0061958352Publication Date: 2012-12-18The very best of Punk--the legendary magazine thatdefined an era--finds new life in this stunning anthology, featuring originalarticles along with behind-the-scenes commentary and the backstory on eachissue as told by editor-in-chief John Holmstrom. Punkwas the Bible of the urban counterculture movement. It not only gave punkmusic its name, but influenced the East Village art scene and steered the punkaesthetic and attitude. The Best of Punk Magazine includes high-qualityreprints of hard-to-find original issues, as well as rare and unseen photos,essays, interviews, and even handwritten contributions from the likes of AndyWarhol, Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, Lester Bangs,Legs McNeil, Lenny Kaye, and many more. For collectors, lifelong punks, andthose just discovering what punk is all about, this is the chance see thehistory of the movement come back to life.
Punk by ISBN: 0964785854Publication Date: 1996-08-01
Fucked up + Photocopied by ISBN: 3943330435Publication Date: 2020-03-31Raw, brazen and totally intense, Fucked Up + Photocopied is a collection of frenetic flyers produced for the American punk scene between 1977 and 1985. Many were created by the musicians themselves and demonstrate the emphasis within the punk scene on individuality and the manic urge of its members to create things new. Images were compiled out of whatever material could be found, often photocopied and, still warm, stapled to the nearest telephone pole to warn the world about next week's gig. One glance and you can sense the fury of live performances by bands such as Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys and The Minutemen, and, through the subtext the reader is exposed to the psyche of a generation of musicians stripped bare: The Germs, J.F.A, NOFX, X, The Circle Jerks, Devo, The Exploited, The Screamers, The Cramps, The Dils, The Avengers and more.
Girl Zines by ISBN: 9780814767511Publication Date: 2009-11-18With names like The East Village Inky, Mend My Dress, Dear Stepdad, and I'm So Fucking Beautiful, zines created by girls and women over the past two decades make feminism's third wave visible. These messy, photocopied do-it-yourself documents cover every imaginable subject matter and are loaded with handwriting, collage art, stickers, and glitter. Though they all reflect the personal style of the creators, they are also sites for constructing narratives, identities, and communities. Girl Zines is the first book-length exploration of this exciting movement. Alison Piepmeier argues that these quirky, personalized booklets are tangible examples of the ways that girls and women 'do' feminism today. The idiosyncratic, surprising, and savvy arguments and issues showcased in the forty-six images reproduced in the book provide a complex window into feminism's future, where zinesters persistently and stubbornly carve out new spaces for what it means to be a revolutionary and a girl. Girl Zines takes zines seriously, asking what they can tell us about the inner lives of girls and women over the last twenty years.
The Riot Grrrl Collection by ISBN: 9781558618220Publication Date: 2013-06-11For the past two decades, young women (and men) have found their way to feminism through Riot Grrrl - more than a genre, but a movement in its own right. Against the backdrop of the culture wars and before the rise of the Internet or desktop publishing, the 'zine and music culture of the Riot Grrrl movement empowered young women to speak out against sexism and oppression. The movement created a powerful new force of liberation and unity within and outside of the women's movement. This is a collection of the original material of the Riot Grrrl movement.
From Girls to Grrrlz by ISBN: 9780811821995Publication Date: 1999-04-01Boys aren't the only ones who read comics--girls do too! From Betty and Veronica to Slutburger and Art Babe, Girls to Grrrlz explores the amazing but true history of girl comics. Pop culture fans will delight in author Trina Robbinss chronological commentary (with attitude) on the authors, artists, trends, and sassy, brassy characters featured in comic books for the last half-century. Meet the bubble-headed bombshells of the '40s, the lovelorn ladies of the '50s, the wimmin libbers of the '70s, and the grrrowling grrrlz of today. Her commentary is paired with a ton of rare comic book art pulled from the best girl comics published since World War II. Bridging the gap between Ms. and Sassy, between Miss America and Naomi Wolf, From Girls to Grrrlz reminds us how comic book characters humorously--and critically--reflect our changing culture.
Shotgun Seamstress Zine Collection by ISBN: 9780985013158Publication Date: 2012-09-01Shotgun Seamstress was a zine by, for, and about Black punks, queers, feminists, artists, musicians and activists. This anthology collects all six issues, made from 2006-2011.
Underground by ISBN: 0984284443Publication Date: 2011-06-15Underground: The Animal Liberation Front in the 1990s compiles the rare first 15 issues of "Underground, the magazine of the North American Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group." With over 500 pages of A.L.F. news and action reports, this landmark compilation offers the most comprehensive look available on the Animal Liberation Front at the end of the 20th century. Included in "Underground" *A.L.F. interviews *A.L.F. action reports *Essays by Rod Coronado, Jonathan Paul, and other convicted A.L.F. members *Anonymous "how it was done" accounts of landmark A.L.F. raids *Detailed info on A.L.F. rescue and sabotage tactics *Over 500 pages of Animal Liberation Front history For most of the 1990s, Underground proudly documented the work of the Animal Liberation Front, a clandestine group that carries out illegal raids to rescue animals and sabotage the businesses that profit from their exploitation. A.L.F. activity peaked in the 1990s, and for that decade Underground was the #1 source for A.L.F. news. Compiled from rare copies of the legendary magazine, this massive collection serves as a powerful animal rights movement history lesson and in-depth look at the Animal Liberation Front. Underground: The Animal Liberation Front in the 1990s is a vital read for anyone interested in the animal rights movement, and the misunderstood work of those who risk their freedom to save animals.
Aggro Rag Freestyle Mag! Plywood Hoods Zines '84-'89 by ISBN: 0964233924Publication Date: 2013-04-01
The Book of Zines by ISBN: 0805050833Publication Date: 1997-06-01A scrapbook of artwork, humorous writing, and articles culled from the nation's zines--underground magazines produced by individuals and small publishers--includes off-the-wall tips on dating and reviews of grotesque products.
Dispatches from Behind the Wheel by ISBN: 1930935447Publication Date: 2019-11-28Behind the Wheel was created by longtime zine maker Kelly Dessaint to document his experiences driving for hire in San Francisco. The first two issues chronicle driving for Uber and Lyft, before he goes to taxi school and becomes a bonafide taxi driver in the third, which contains the unexpurgated "I Drive SF," based on his weekly column for the San Francisco Examiner. The fourth issues contains five long-form essays about driving a taxi in San Francisco while living in Oakland, writing for a newspaper, dealing with a complicated marriage, hostile encounters with Uber/Lyft drivers and the prospect of bring a child into a world that's completely out of whack. Combined, this collection presents a vivid, almost voyeuristic tapestry of The City, which is a constant backdrop through the stories - essentially the main star - followed closely by the author himself.
History
Notes from Underground by ISBN: 9781934620373Publication Date: 2008-11-01This first comprehensive study of zine publishing uncovers the compelling story of the movement. From their origins in early 20th century science fiction cults, their more proximate roots in 60s counter-culture and their rapid proliferation in the wake of punk rock, Stephen Duncombe pays full due to the political importance of zines as a vital network of popular culture. Packed with extracts and illustrations, this is a useful overview of the contemporary underground in all its splendour.
Adjusted Margin by ISBN: 0262033968Publication Date: 2016-02-19How xerography became a creative medium and political tool, arming artists and activists on the margins with an accessible means of making their messages public. This is the story of how the xerographic copier, or "Xerox machine," became a creative medium for artists and activists during the last few decades of the twentieth century. Paper jams, mangled pages, and even fires made early versions of this clunky office machine a source of fear, rage, dread, and disappointment. But eventually, xerography democratized print culture by making it convenient and affordable for renegade publishers, zinesters, artists, punks, anarchists, queers, feminists, street activists, and others to publish their work and to get their messages out on the street. The xerographic copier adjusted the lived and imagined margins of society, Eichhorn argues, by supporting artistic and political expression and mobilizing subcultural movements. Eichhorn describes early efforts to use xerography to create art and the occasional scapegoating of urban copy shops and xerographic technologies following political panics, using the post-9/11 raid on a Toronto copy shop as her central example. She examines New York's downtown art and punk scenes of the 1970s to 1990s, arguing that xerography--including photocopied posters, mail art, and zines--changed what cities looked like and how we experienced them. And she looks at how a generation of activists and artists deployed the copy machine in AIDS and queer activism while simultaneously introducing the copy machine's gritty, DIY aesthetics into international art markets. Xerographic copy machines are now defunct. Office copiers are digital, and activists rely on social media more than photocopied posters. And yet, Eichhorn argues, even though we now live in a post-xerographic era, the grassroots aesthetics and political legacy of xerography persists.
Zines by ISBN: 1861542240Publication Date: 2001-10-01Zines are the maverick inhabitants of publishing's Wild West, where the obsessional, the idiosyncratic and the wilfully obscure roam free across pages unbounded by the constraints of mainstream agendas. This book offers a highly-visual analysis of this phenomenon, assembled with expert fanaticism by the team of Pop theorists who created Highflyers and Scrawl. It showcases a huge, international range of current zines, put into context by historical examples from the hoardings of die-hard collectors.
Zines! by ISBN: 0965046907Publication Date: 1999-01-01Cultural Studies. Literary Criticsm. In the past two decades a quiet revolution has gained force: over 50,000 zines (independent, not-for-profit self-publications) have emerged and spread, often with little publicity. Flaunting off-beat interests, extreme personal revelations and social activism, zines directly counter the psudo-communication and glossy lies of the mainstream media monopoly. These interviews capture all the excitement associated with uncensored freedom of expression, while offering insight, inspiration, and delight.
Fanzines by ISBN: 0811876926Publication Date: 2010-10-20For more than 60 years, fanzines have been one of the most significant forms of self-expression. Often handmade and disseminated through underground networks, the fanzine is credited as being both the original medium for many of todays mainstream publications and the predecessor to the blogging craze. This highly visual compendium showcases the best, most thought provoking, and downright weirdest fanzines ever produced. With topics ranging from punk to personal politics, Fanzines includes both widely known fanzines as well as rare publications culled from passionate collectors. Spanning the history of the fanzine from the early experimentation with underground presses to contemporary and electronic fanzines, this is a comprehensive and unprecedented look at a fascinating phenomenon.
Below Critical Radar by ISBN: 1899866477Publication Date: 2002-03-01As the first ever study to deal collectively with zines and alternative comics, it seeks to map a unique period from the end of the hippie-era underground press to the start of the Internet publishing boom.
From A to Zine by ISBN: 0838908861Publication Date: 2004-08-02Libraries eager to serve the underserved teen-to-twenty-year-old market can make the library a cool place to hang out. All it takes are zines, according to the author, young adult librarian Julie Bartel. Zines and alternative press materials provide a unique bridge to appeal to disenfranchised youth, alienated by current collections. For librarians unfamiliar with the territory, or anxious to broaden their collection, veteran zinester Bartel establishes the context, history, and philosophy of zines, then ushers readers through an easy, do-it-yourself guide to creating a zine collection, including both print and electronic zines. While zines have their unique culture, they are also important within broader discussions of intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights. Teen and young adult librarians, high school media specialists, and academic, reference, and adult services librarians will uncover answers to questions aboutthis new and growing literary genre: What is a zine and how does a library zine collection work? What are the pros and cons of having a zine collection in the library? When promoting zines, what appeals to patrons and non-library users alike? What is the best way to catalog and display? Where can libraries get zines and how much do they cost? Bartel shares these lessons and more from a major urban library zine collection, as well as a comprehensive directory of zine resources in this one-stop, one-of-a-kind guide.
Richmond Independent Press by ISBN: 1540232646Publication Date: 2013-07-30During the political and cultural upheaval of the 1960s, even the sleepy southern town of Richmond was not immune to the emergence of radical counterculturalism. A change in the traditional ideas of objective journalism spurred an underground movement in the press. The" "Sunflower," Richmond's first underground newspaper, appeared in 1967 and set the stage for a host of alternative Richmond media lasting into the 1990s and beyond. Publications such as the" Richmond Chronicle," the "Richmond Mercury" and the "Commonwealth Times," as well as those covering the African American community, such as "Afro," have served the citizens of Richmond searching for a change in the status quo. Join author and former "ThroTTle" editor Dale Brumfield as he explores a forgotten history of a cultural revolution in the River City."
References
(N.A.). (2020, August 10). The Riot Grrrl Collection at New York University: Collection Overview. NYU Libraries. https://guides.nyu.edu/riot-grrrl/overview
[Belinda Cai]. (2015, May 7). Zines: The Power of DIY Print (short documentary) [video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiqQrVrW9XY
[Salford Zine Library]. (2013, November 12). Self-Publishers of the World Take Over FULL MOVIE [video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qfev2293Ic
[Truly CA]. (2019, April 4). But I Love The Zine | KQED Truly CA. [video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMOGGY4tqXE
[ナインペジャポ氏]. 2018, July 2. $100 and a T-Shirt: A Documentary About Zines in the Northwest (2004) [video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f5879dm4Yw
Bromwich, K. (2017, September, 23). Covering the counterculture: the 60s underground press – in pictures. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2017/sep/23/covering-the-counterculture-the-60s-underground-press-in-pictures
Hall, J. (2016, August 16). The seminal zine that charted LA’s 70s punk scene. Dazed. https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/32358/1/the-seminal-zine-that-charted-la-s-70s-punk-scene
Jose, M., Tenuto, J. (2014, October 20). Spockanalia -- The First Star Trek Fanzine. Star Trek. https://www.startrek.com/article/spockanalia-the-first-star-trek-fanzine
Keller, Y. (2017, May 24). These 8 Zines by People of Color Show Why the Medium Has Remained Relevant. Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-8-zines-people-color-medium-remained-relevant
Martin, G. (2016, May 25). Fanzine culture. British Library. https://www.bl.uk/20th-century-literature/articles/fanzine-culture
Miles, B. (2016, May 25). The Underground Press. British Library. https://www.bl.uk/20th-century-literature/articles/the-underground-press#
Smith, N. (2018, April 13). Early Fandom in Science Fiction. Pasadena Museum of History. https://pasadenahistory.org/science-fiction-in-southern-california/early-fandom/
Smith, R. (2011, September 22). Revolution Girl Style, 20 Years Later. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2011/09/20/140640502/revolution-girl-style-20-years-later
Wortham, J. (2017, February 28). Why the Internet Didn’t Kill Zines. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/28/magazine/why-the-internet-didnt-kill-zines.html