Friday 23 December 2011

Zine Reviews: December '11


Exploding the Myth #5
Kira Swales, Chester – kiraswales.blogspot.com
The fifth issue of Kira’s feminist perzine is a little different from previous issues – this one is more text-heavy, and comes in quarter-size, my favourite zine size!  Kira explains in the introduction that these changes to the zine reflect the changes she has experienced in her life since writing ETM #4 – such changes include studying at university, living away from home and feeling like a visitor when returning to her home in Hull, growing older, and her changing attitude towards her appearance.  We also read a queer take on The Famous Five character George, diary entries from her visit to Brighton in February, and a list of interesting things Kira has found on her travels.  The layouts are mostly blocks of typewritten text laid over pretty backgrounds, with some handwritten sections, and some illustrations.  Definitely my favourite issue of Exploding the Myth!

Silence, Cupcake
Amelia Jane, Bristol – thathippyameliaATgmail.com
Silence Cupcake is a typical mental health perzine – inside, we read introspective pieces discussing her struggle with depression and social anxiety and attempts to medicate, trying to pass as “normal”, a lack of emotional support, touching reflections on the death of her grandfather, and her future.  The style is unusual, however – Amelia writes on graph paper, which is hard to read in places.  The Spanish comic book imagery used throughout doesn’t quite fit –though perhaps it was used deliberately.  The zine opens with a mouth-watering page on cookery, which is well-written, but feels rather out of place.  Having said that, there are many lovely bits in the zine – a 2-page spread on “the game” of “acting normal” for one (“Smile when you’re not happy – we don’t like sad people, they make us uncomfortable”), and the way Amelia emphasises certain aspects of the text by spelling them out in large letters.  While it was very well-written, the style was a bit too messy and not cohesive enough for my liking.  For only 50p from Marching Stars, it’s definitely worth a flick through.  The author has a great feminist blog called That Fucking Hippy that you should check out too.

Cube: Issue 12 (autumn 2007)
www.cubeweb.org.uk
Love love love this zine!  I picked it up at the freebies table at Sheffield Zine Fest 2011, and I’m so glad I did!  A quarterly Sheffield-based publication written by young people, Cube is somewhere between a zine and a magazine; the (mostly) professional look of a magazine, combined with the content and feel of a zine.  Inside this issue, there’s a nice mixture of articles, most of which carry a young, feel-good feel – among many other things, we read about how to overcome shyness, the development of the movie soundtrack, flash mobs, the silent suffering of clinical depression, the rise of Wiccanism, and women in rock and indie.  Sheffield-specific pieces include a feature on the best parks in the city, and the story of the infamous Henderson’s Relish.  There are also interviews (one interview is with cover stars “Grrrls Next Door”, a three-piece riot grrrl band), reviews, a fashion page, inspiring quotes, and random facts (for example, did you know that Donald Duck is banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants?).  Cube is fun and diverse – it kinda feels like the magazine that most university publications aspire to be.  Highly recommended, even more so if you’re from Sheffield.


A Basic Introduction to Basic Self-Care
No contact information
I picked this zine up on a freebie table at one of autumn’s zine fairs.  It’s a smart idea – an 8-page quarter-sized zine on self-care that opens up into an A3 poster which illustrates what to do when you find an unconscious person.  Written by health care students and anarchists, the zine aims to “break down the hierarchy that exists between health care professionals and patients” by teaching its readers how to self-examine, and which symptoms require urgent medical attention.  The information in this zine is useful, though very thin on the ground – I would’ve liked to have read more about how to recognise what is “normal” for yourself, other places to self-examine (the zine only covers breast and testicle exams), or self-care via a good lifestyle/diet.  Considering it was written by health care students, there are no insights in this zine that I hadn’t already picked up from the internet or from a TV doctor.  A great idea, but not entirely well executed.

This Is Water #2: Seven Days of Trying to Pay Attention
Jean McEwan, Sheffield - jeanmariemcewanATgmailDOTcom
This zine was such a joy to read.  I feel as if recently I’ve been bogged down by too many samey perzines (often focused on a twee/cutesy style), but this restored my faith in that oft-used zine genre.  Inspired by the speech of the same name by writer David Foster Wallace, the zine documents a week of Jean’s life during which she pays attention to the little beautiful moments.  These include receiving a postcard from a good friend, taking a walk through the autumnal park and observing the colours changing in the trees, and working her way through Wallace’s epic posthumous novel, “Infinite Jest”.  The zine is illustrated beautifully with handwriting, doodles, ticket stubs, typewritten pages, postcards, and cut and paste collages.  A particularly nice touch is where she includes a photocopy of 2 pages of Wallace’s novel, which, upon reading, I instantly added to my amazon wish list!  I love the concept, the visual style, and the content.  Can’t recommend enough!

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Spill the Zines will be back in the new year.  Happy holidays everyone!

Sunday 11 December 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 11.12.11

image via tumblr



1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Distro News

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1. Zine Releases
- Feminist compzine Pandora Press #2: The Sex Issue is out now!  Get your copy at any Swansea Feminist Network event, view online at issuu.com/pandorapress, or at Marching Stars distro (from next week onwards).
- Angry Violist (author of Angry Violist zine) has a new perzine out – Hedgehog in the Fog #1!  The zine includes writing about feminism, veganism, and debt. To buy or trade, get in touch here.

2. Upcoming Events
- Bristol Radical Zine Fest: 12th February 2012, 12 til 6pm at Kebele Community, Co-Op. Want to apply for a table? Email bristolradicalzinefestATgmail.com with a bit about who you are and what you’ll be selling before 8th January 2012.

3. Submission Calls
- We Make Zines have added a permanent thread on their forum dedicated to submission calls. Take a look!
- Awkward Sex Zine #2 is looking for submissions “that center around physically, emotionally, psychologically or otherwise awkward sexual experiences from people of ALL gender and sexual identities”.  The guidelines can be found here.
- Feminist compzine Pandora Press #3 is looking for submissions on the topic of age/time!  Deadline: 30th January 2012.  More detailed info and ideas can be found at the Swansea Feminist Network website.
- Most of last week’s submission calls are still open too!

4. Distro News
- Caribou, a travelling zine shop currently residing in Hopkinson’s Gallery, Nottingham, is looking to add music zines to its stock!  Get in touch if interested in submitting your zine.


Sunday 27 November 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 27.11.11

photo by Catherine Elms


1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Distro News
5. AOB (Any Other Business)

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1. Zine Releases
- RAGE, a counter-zine for freshers published out of London, is now available to view online for free!  Definitely worth a flick-through. http://rageofmaidens.wordpress.com/rage-zine/
- London art zine “Naked Victorian Babes in Space” was released last week, and according to the author, “it does exactly what it says on the tin”.  Contact the author for your copy here (she also has a free zine out called “Screw Your Zine”, so ask for that one too!).
- “Snow Black’s Dresses: Paper Doll Adventures” is out now!  Each copy comes with 7 paper dolls for you to dress yourself! http://www.etsy.com/shop/SnowBlacksShop
- Rum Lad #5 is out now, featuring stories and drawings detailing the Moloch/Thou tour of the West Coast of USA.  Buy a copy at Steve’s website or at Vampire Sushi distro.
- Welsh zine “Sadwrn” (welsh for both “Saturday” and the planet Saturn) was released this week.  The zine features poetry in Welsh and English, and a Wales-inspired dream.  Read it online here.

2. Upcoming Events
- ShadowPlay’s fanzine evening: 30th November. 7pm til 10pm at Drink, Shop & Do in Kings Cross, London on the 30th November from 7pm-10pm. More information can be found on their blog.
- Charity art groups Egaku and Smile have teamed up to organise a Christmas Charity Art fair on 1st December.  4 til 9.30pm at  Designersblock, London. To donate artwork to be sold, get in touch asap at EgakuSmileATgmailDOTcom.
- Girls Get Busy Zines & Art Exhibition: 3rd – 4th December at The Shaklewell Arms, London.  12 til 5pm. More info here.
- Bristol Radical Zine Fest: 12th February 2012, 12 til 6pm at Kebele Community, Co-Op. Want to apply for a table? Email bristolradicalzinefestATgmail.com with a bit about who you are and what you’ll be selling before 8th January 2012.

3. Submission Calls
- R is collecting submissions for a zine written about and for people who hear voices.  Any kind of submissions are welcome - personal and technical/academic writing is welcome in any format from prose to poetry and beyond.  Artwork is welcome.  Any submissions or questions about the project can be emailed to gadfi_um AT yahoo dot co dot uk.
- Dirty Grrrl zine is looking for personal pieces about exploring one’s sexuality.  Writing, poetry, and artwork welcome.  Questions and submissions can be sent to dirtygrrrlcollectiveATgmail.com.
- Katy B is starting a new project called “Three Days In…”, and is looking for submissions on travels you’ve been on, your home town, or a place you’ve researched that you’ve always wanted to visit.  Photos and mementos can be submitted too. For more info, email katyATgirlindustries.com.
- AK from Princesa Pirata Distro is calling for submissions on the topic of consent.  She is looking for pieces about one’s own experiences, but also welcome are helpful tips, text you might have seen in other zines, useful resources, good books to read etc.  Deadline: end of January 2012. Contact princesapirataATwildmail.com for more info.
- Make It Work is “a  DIY fat radical craft zine, focusing on strategies for resistance, tutorials and craft projects for fellow awesome fats”.  They’re looking for submissions for their next issue.  More info can be found at their tumblr.
- Want to contribute artwork or writing to the tenth issue of the Girls Get Busy zine, a nonprofit feminist collective? Email girlsgetbusyzineATgmail.com by 16th December!

4. Distro News
- Marching Stars was updated last Tuesday with more zines and oodles of new descriptions! www.marchingstars.co.uk
- There are new zines, bookmarks, and crafty bits available at Pushpin Zines!

5. A.O.B.
- Emma Jane Falconer (of Fanzine Ynfytyn) is giving away zine grab bags and Fanzine Ynfytyn mixpacks. Grab yours at her etsy store before she runs out!

Monday 21 November 2011

Zine Reviews: November '11

*trigger warning re: sexual assault and violence against women*

Brash #2
Alana, London - http://alanasartwork.blogspot.com
Brash reminds me exactly of what zines are all about – a messy cut-and-paste zine all about Alana’s passion for skateboarding and art.  Inside, we read about Alana getting involved in a skating competition and meeting other awesome female skateboarders, and reviews of CDs and books she enjoys.  She interviews female skater Georgie Winter, one of the first lady skaters Alana ever met, and illustrator Bunny Bissoux (the lady behind this year’s BZF design).  The zine closes with a list of things Alana recommends to the reader, including Horse Zine and Rogue, the UK’s first girls only skate team.  Throughout there are lots of amazing drawings and skater photo collages by Alana which are probably the highlight of the zine.  While there’s not as much personal text as I’d usually like to read in a zine (e.g. some more writing about Alana’s experiences of being a female skater), it's still a lovely read, with some quirky layouts. I love the messy charm of Brash!


Rape Escape: Handy Pointers for Heavy Situations
No contact information
I picked up this zine from Princesa Pirata Distro at one of the summer’s zinefests.  It’s a fairly short half-sized zine detailing a few self-defence tips for women who find themselves in situations that may result in sexual assault.  Advice includes what to say when confronted with verbal sexual harassment, how to fight if someone grabs you, which parts of the body to protect in an attack (always the jaw), and how to be assertive when creeps invade your personal space.  The general tone of the zine is very much one of self-preservation and looking out for other women, and there are lots of genuinely useful tips, for example, “keep a [physical] barrier between you and the attacker” and “do not smile and try to act friendly when saying no”.  I found the section on the “warning signs” of a person who might be a rapist or abuser particularly interesting.  Some tips, however, hover a little too closely to victim-blaming attitudes so often found in “rape prevention” guides, e.g. the oft-repeated “never leave your drink unattended”. There’s no acknowledgement that some tips just may not work, e.g. “communicate your wants and refusals clearly” - sometimes you just can’t “deter sexual assault”, no matter how well you handle the situation.  I think some sort of disclaimer should’ve been included in this zine, explaining that it’s easy to forget what you’re ‘supposed’ to do when you’re frightened for your life (e.g. if someone threatens you with a weapon), and that it’s never the victim’s fault for doing the wrong thing – the attacker is the only one responsible for the attack.  I’m sure that the writer(s) of this zine agree, but it’s important to reiterate nonetheless.  Recommended with caution.

Girls Who Fight
Various - magazineATtheydid.org.uk
A quarter-sized feminist compzine, Girls Who Fight is quite a mixed bag – we read light-hearted stories, drawings, reviews, and cartoons, all focusing on strong, inspiring women, but in other places the zine reminds me of a teen magazine, with its focus on fashion, advice, and whimsy – though the content is of course far more DIY and female-friendly.  There’s a cool 5-page spread filled with lots of sweet questions and answers, including “What did your mother always tell you?” (“to never walk barefoot on a kitchen floor”) and “What is your most embarrassing moment?” (“being caught stealing from a library”).  The “Rad or Bad” feature is another little gem, where the writers list their likes and dislikes; also included is a fashion page of the writers modelling “clothes we didn’t pay for”.  In true zine style, there are some tasty recipes at the back.  It’s a bit mish-mash – not quite a fashion/pop magazine, and not quite a DIY feminist zine. But for 50p, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Tragic Boffin #2
Donna, Edinburgh – tragicboffinATgmail.com
Another lovely little zine by Donna.  This issue of Tragic Boffin is very similar to the first in terms of themes and visuals (read my review of the first issue here).  We read about what Donna has been up to since the last zine, how she manages her depression with good food and plenty of sleep, and riding her bike Polly.  She also discusses the world overpopulation argument against human reproduction in a lengthy piece, considering how people tend to rush into having children without thinking about the responsibilities involved (something I completely agree with – I’m one of the few women from my class in school who hasn’t had a baby!).  There are also little random thoughts dotted between each longer piece, such as Donna’s wish to be able to talk to animals, or the lack of positive role models for girls.  A thoughtful, whimsical zine, but a little too short!

Moments of Struggle: An Illustrated Introduction to some Anarchist History
Isy Morgan, Brighton  - www.morgenmuffel.co.uk
This is a short quarter-sized zine written by Isy (of Morgenmuffel zine), all about anarchism through the ages.  She takes us through a number of key moments in history, including the anarchist-esque human origins, the heretics of the Middle Age church, the French Revolution, 17th century Piracy, and the Russian Revolution.  At the back, Isy includes some further reading.  The zine is presented as a comic strip, all drawn in Isy’s signature style, with a little humour thrown in.  Very well-designed and informative, you can tell that Isy has done some good research on this.  And it’s only 50p!  Brilliant!

Sunday 13 November 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 13.11.11

image by Catherine Elms


1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Distro News
5. AOB (Any Other Business)

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1. Zine Releases
- Snow Black's first zine has just been released, called Paper Doll Adventures Chapter One. It includes 6 stories from paper doll hoarder, Snow Black, and also includes one exclusive paper doll drawn for the zine. Each zine is signed and stitched by Snow Black, and can be found at her Etsy shop.

2. Upcoming Events
- ShadowPlay’s fanzine evening: 30th November. 7pm til 10pm at Drink, Shop & Do in Kings Cross, London on the 30th November from 7pm-10pm. More information can be found on their blog.
- Girls Get Busy zine will be having their first ever exhibition next month, including lots of amazing live music as well as some great artists and zines. It takes place at the Shacklewell Arms in London from the 3rd to the 4th of December. RSVP on Facebook

3. Submission Calls
 - Creature Mag are calling for people to create a Movember Moustache character for a project in aid of Movember. The best ones will receive prizes!  Deadline: 30th November. Lots more info can be found on their website.

4. Distro News
- Marching Stars distro is off hiatus! The distro has also added 12 new zines to the site, as well as having lots of zines come back into stock. www.marchingstars.co.uk

5. A.O.B.
 - The Brighton Zine Fest Collective have disbanded, which means there will be no more Brighton Zinefests in the near future. This is very sad news, as BZF is one of the biggest annual UK zine events.  If anyone would like to offer words of support, or offer to hold their own zine event in Brighton, you can join the conversation on BZF's facebook page.


Written by Caitlin and Cath

Sunday 30 October 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 30.10.11

photo via http://waronxmas.tumblr.com

1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Zine Reviews
5. Distro News
6. AOB (Any Other Business)

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1. Zine Releases
 - Welsh feminist zine “Pandora Press #1: Our Feminist Heroes” is now available to view online for free on issuu.com!
- “Kerb Crawled: Reacting to Street Harassment” was published on Northern Indymedia this week.
- The September issue of LHOOQ (pronounced “Look”), an art and culture zine, is now available to view online on the LHOOQ website.
- Vampire Sushi #2 will be released tomorrow, and Miss Tukru will be doing a special giveaway with it. All will be revealed on Vampire Sushi’s tumblr and Tukru’s blog tomorrow!
- Financially Hard Times #6, a monthly pop culture zine, is out now!  Buy the zine, or buy a year’s subscription for £10, here.
- A new perzine, Each and Every Day, has just been released. Buy or trade your copy here.

2. Upcoming Events
 - South East London Zine Fest: 12th November at Amersham Arms, New Cross.  More info here: http://selondonzines.wordpress.com/
 - LaDIYfest Sheffield: 12th – 13th November. An inclusive, DIY, anti-capitalist, community-based feminist festival. http://ladiyfestsheff.noblogs.org/
- ShadowPlay’s fanzine evening: 30th November. 7pm til 10pm at Drink, Shop & Do in Kings Cross, London on the 30th November from 7pm-10pm. More information can be found on their blog.

3. Submission Calls
- A zine dedicated to Lisa Simpson and feminism is looking for submissions before the 6th November.  Both writing and artwork are welcome. Send your submissions to bsiveyerATgmail.com.
- Issue 2 of horror zine Black Sunday is looking for fiction and poetry submissions.  More info can be found at http://www.dirgepress.co.uk/.

4. Zine Reviews
- More zine recommendations have been posted on Oh My Clumsy Heart this month – read them all here.

5. Distro News
- Bettie Walker (author of “Anatomical Heart” and “Buy Her Candy”) is starting up a new distro called “Backpack Distro”.  It’s a small distro based out of her backpack and used primarily for tabling at events. If you want to send something for consideration, email bettieriotATgmail.com.
- We’ve added lots of UK distros to our sidebar!  Have we missed any distros?  Let us know!

6. A.O.B.
- Someone’s thinking of setting up a Norfolk zine fest.  Are you from that area, or would travel to a zine fest there?  Join the conversation on We Make Zines.
- Chella Quint turned her latest comedy zine (“It’s Not You, I Just Need Space”) into a podcast which you can listen to here: http://bit.ly/p1ut0
- Ingrid (Mythologising Me zine) has written a review of the Salford Zine Library exhibition at Salford Art Gallery – check it out!

Sunday 23 October 2011

Review: Turnstile Comix #1 (Comic Book/7'')



When I finished university and was faced with the possibility of having to move abroad to get a job, I lost interest in buying and owning physical albums. After all, what’s the point in investing in a large collection of music that will be such a hassle to take with you, or alternatively, to sell at short notice? Due to this, my interest in vinyl has taken a bit of a nosedive. It really takes something special to convince me to indulge.

When I heard about the release of Turnstile Comix #1, a 40-page 7’’ black and white comic book and marble blue 7’’ record package, I pre-ordered it instantly. I was curious why this hadn’t really been attempted before. When I finally received the package, held together by a simple resealable plastic sleeve, I wasn’t too sure which part I wanted to check out first.

The Slow Death are a relatively new punk band made up of members of bands like Pretty Boy Thorson, Rest of Us and The Ergs! From the opening riff of “Poor Little Fool” that really reminded me of the song “Rosa” by Dear Landlord, the band establish the sound for the whole record. Simply put, it’s palm-muted, power-chord pop punk. Musically, it’s not rocket science, but the throaty lead vocals help to give it a bit of an edge, and the well-placed backing vocals inject what would be best described as a ‘drunken singalong vibe’, particularly on the track “Punchlines”. It’s a great 7'', and fans of bands like Iron Chic, Rumspringer and Latterman will really feel at home here. Thankfully, a free download code is included. Now, onto the comic book!

The comic is lovingly drawn by punk rock cartoonist to the stars Mitch Clem, the creator of Nothing Nice To Say. The book starts with a story related to how Mitch first discovered the band. It’s typically self-deprecating and very funny, although, much like his long-running comic strip, the humour may be restricted somewhat to the fans of the genre. What makes the package worth buying for fans of the band though, is that the members of The Slow Death have told two of their best stories from the road that Mitch has drawn as two separate comic strips. This is the ultimate substitute for liner notes. Without spoiling the stories for you, I guess I can say that the first story is a great depiction of life on the road for a band of that level, and the second is an extremely funny story about one of their members, Dave Strait, being drunk. Also included is a bonus comic on the very last page by the fantastic Liz Prince, the writer of Alone Forever.

With my initial excitement over the concept alone, I easily set myself up to be disappointed by the finished product. I’m happy to say that I was wrong on this occasion, and the split comic book and coloured 7’’ package has, in my eyes, been a huge success! It really got me thinking on how physical music should be presented, and of the effort that little known bands go to in order to convince people to buy their products. One of the really positive developments in an increasingly digital-orientated world is that artists in every sense of the word are being pushed to create something special. It really goes to show that in the sale of any physical product, going over and above the expectations of buyers and trying to offer something made out of love is always likely to win people over, even those that swore to stop buying these things. If there was ever a message I'd like to convey to the writers of zines, it would be to follow this logic religiously.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 16.10.11

Just a short one today, as there doesn't seem to be much going on right now! Don't forget, if you have any zine news you'd like us to include in our fortnightly news round ups, email us at spillthezinesukATgmailDOTcom.

Emma x

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1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Distro News
5. AOB (Any Other Business)

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1. Zine Releases
- Rum Lad #5 has just been released, featuring Steve's account of when his band flew to America for a month long tour and their adventures there. Available on Steve's website, and at Vampire Sushi.
- The new issue of Coldspot is out now. Coldspot #2 is an Irish photography zine featuring photos from many different contributors. Available at Coldspot's BigCartel store, and also available for trades.
- Tragic Boffin #2 has been released this week!  For a copy, contact Donna at tragicboffinATgmailDOTcom.
- A new compzine called "An Unguide to Leeds city Centre" is out now - buy a copy from the Exposure Leeds website: http://exposureleeds.org/?p=3142
- Issue #5 of Angry Violist, the zine for disgruntled classical musicians, has just been released (http://angryviolist.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/issue-five-out-now/). This issue has articles about different kinds of noise and sports psychology for musicians, amongst other things.

2. Upcoming Events
- Girls Get Busy (or Ghouls Get Busy) are holding their very own Halloween themed club night at The Alibi, Dalston. They'll projecting spooky film The Craft, giving out spooky treat bags and Halloween themed zines. Visit the Facebook event for more information.

 - South East London Zine Fest: 12th November. Applications for tables are still open! More info here: http://selondonzines.wordpress.com/
 - LaDIYfest Sheffield: 12th – 13th November. an inclusive, DIY, anti-capitalist, community-based feminist festival. http://ladiyfestsheff.noblogs.org/
- ShadowPlay is going to be hosting a fanzine evening at Drink, Shop & Do in Kings Cross, London on the 30th November from 7pm-10pm. During the evening you can read their favourite zines, and contribute to a compilation zine, with zine making materials provided. More information can be found on their blog.

3. Submission Calls
- Jon Glanville is currently looking for submissions for a zine titled Why We Love Pop Music, a zine about what makes pop music so great. He's looking for articles, artwork, mini essays, graphic pieces - basically anything on the subject of pop. Email pepstreebeckAThotmailDOTcoDOTuk for more details and to submit work. Deadline is November 18th.
 - Vampire Sushi is still looking for submissions for its second issue! The main theme is vampires but other monsters & horror themes are welcome too. The deadline has been extended to 23rd October - detailed info can be found here.

4. Distro News
- Vampire Sushi distro now have badges available to order! You can buy their awesome zinester-themed badges on their website here.

4. AOB 
- If you create zines but don't own a typewriter (and wish you did), you can now download replicas of amazing typwriter fonts for your computer at http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-fonts.html!


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(originally written by Emma, edited a teeny bit by Cath)

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Zine Reviews: October '11

Dancing Barefoot #2
Hayley, Essex – moonlight.phoenixATgmailDOTcom
The second issue of Hayley’s perzine, this one focuses on the loose theme of independence and a DIY attitude.  We read about Hayley’s experiences of making friends from her childhood to present-day, her difficulties with holding onto her local friends when they’ve moved away, started families, or drifted apart, undertaking projects and making things happen despite not having anyone to help her, and whether it’s necessarily a bad thing to be a “loner”.  As somewhat of a loner myself, I really identified with this piece, and was inspired to read about how she has taken charge of her life despite her bad luck with friends.  The second half of the zine details Hayley’s experience organising the first Ladyfest Essex all by herself this year – the difficulties she faced (and unfortunately there were many difficulties!), the excellent bands that she got to play, and some advice for others thinking of putting on a similar event themselves.  The text is black on a plain white background, with some photos illustrating the articles.  This zine is full-sized A4, so it’s pretty unwieldy, but Hayley explains in the introduction that this was the cheapest and easiest way she could get her zine printed in her area, so that’s fair enough.

Anatomical Heart #10 & Buy Her Candy #1
Bettie Walker, Carlisle  - bettieriotATgmailDOTcom
Anatomical Heart #10 is the final issue of this mental health zine series, published in late 2010.  Bettie explains in Buy Her Candy #1 that she decided to stop writing Anatomical Heart because she didn’t want or need to write about mental health anymore – Bettie is currently training to be a mental health nurse, and so “my life still revolves around mental illness, just not mine”.  Anatomical Heart #10 feels like a nice transition from mental health to perzine, a kind of preparation for Buy Her Candy, as there is more perzine content in here than in previous issues - we read about what Bettie has been up to and what she’d like to get up to instead, her visit to Birmingham Zine Festival 2010, the regret she feels after giving away most of her zine collection, and an open letter to a mental health nurse that changed her life.  Bettie also briefly discusses making progress with her mental health and being able to reason her way through mental breakdowns, something she could never have done in the past. Buy Her Candy #1 is about half the size of Anatomical Heart #10, and has more eye-catching layouts.  After explaining why she has started a new series, Bettie writes about being diagnosed with PCOS, and how she feels alienated by feminists who argue that women should grow out their natural hair, as these feminists tend to have light, sparse hair (this issue has also been discussed in zines Femme a Barbe and Cooking Hearts Up At The Stove).  Bettie also writes about same sex marriage and civil partnerships, and the politics of both, and moving in with her girlfriend.  Also included are things she likes doing, and a playlist.  Both zines are very sweet, very personal, and lovely to read, with lovely cut and paste layouts, and colour covers. 

Exploding the Myth #4
Kira Swales, Chester –
www.kiraswales.co.uk
Exploding the Myth is a packed half-sized perzine; this issue covers tattoos, having a widespread family, her trans partner’s journey through transitioning, ways of coping with bouts of depression, gardening, Marmalade Atkins, her relationship with feminism, reasons why feminism is still needed, and the idea of “preaching to the converted” when writing about feminism in zines.  I loved this piece in particular, as it’s something I’ve struggled with in my zines – Kira argues that it’s closed-minded to assume that all readers will be well acquainted with feminism, and that not everyone is lucky enough to have liberal or open-minded people around them.  That really made me think, and helped me relax about whether my zine writing is too “feminism 101” – so what?  As Kira notes, one can always pass on a zine to someone who may appreciate it more if they’re already fully aware of the issues raised inside.   There are also some lovely little things scattered about, including a mix tape tracklist, an eulogy for her DR Martens boots, how to make a pleated apron, and a rocky road recipe.  It’s a fun and friendly zine, packed with hand drawings, cool cut-and-paste layouts, stencilled lettering, handwriting, and typewritten bits.  Just lovely.

Gardener’s Delight #1
Fliss, London - flisscATgmailDOTcom
A very cool zine by Fliss, the lady behind “Mix Zine”!  It’s a “personal but practical guide” to growing your own food for the first time.  It opens with a lovely piece on why gardening is so important – to get back to the true nature of things, to connect with the earth, and to watch something you’ve planted grow and develop is one of the most satisfying expeiences one can have, according to Fliss.  She also argues that home-grown food tastes so much better than mass-produced supermarket foods.  Then, Fliss gives us some handy tips on allotment gardening, indoor growing, outdoor growing (either in your own garden, or a green space in your local community), and how to do all of this on the cheap.  These guides include what equipment you need, how to weed and prepare the soil, where to find cheap or free seeds, and what time of the year to start planting.  Fliss lists some common plants that are easy to grow with tips on how to take care of them (e.g. chives, courgettes, onions); she also recommends a number of books and websites for more info on home growing.  It’s 4” by 11.5”, with lots of hand-written sections, drawings of vegetables and gardening tools, and cut-and-paste typed text.  Unusual, and very informative.

Thursday 6 October 2011

Review: Sheffield Zine Fair '11

photo by Bettie Walker (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettieriot)
This is a guest post by Louise Viner, who writes "Tempest in a Tea Cup" zine.

On Sunday 25th September, the first ever Sheffield Zine Fair was held at Brezza’s Cafe on Wellington Street in the city and I was lucky enough to go along. Having been to only two other fests before, I was a little nervous but extremely excited.

I was staying in Sheffield with Jess from "Rough Draft" zine so finding the venue was pretty easy; a small, dark and cosy coffee house with ridiculously comfy sofas that ate you up when you sat down, hidden behind a department store, that was not much of a walk from the train station. We were welcomed by a busy and bustling venue, with people all over. There were tables full of all different types of zines and we were welcomed in by smiley people as we came through the door (which in my other two zine fest experiences, isn’t the norm!) which made both Jess and I much less anxious.

image by Spin Lix

Jess and I wandered around Brezza which was a small but not cramped space, picking up zines and having a browse. The first thing that caught my eye, after the overflowing freebies table, was that most people were selling zines for only £1-£2, with maybe a pound or two more for ‘art zines’, which made me very happy; previously, I have come across hand sewn booklets of 4 or 5 pages with wonderful drawings for up to £10, which is a price I don’t associate with zines!

After having a little look around in the first room, we went into the next and headed to see Bettie ("Anatomical Heart"/"Buy Her Candy") and get her newest issue. While in the 2nd, much larger room, I found plenty of lovely people to talk to, again a welcome change, including the Sugar Paper gang, Chella Quint ("Adventures in Menstruating"), Cath ("Here. In My Head.") and other awesome people whose names I didn’t catch.

The fest was on from 11am til 6pm, but we arrived just after 12 and stayed till 5. The venue was buzzing with people the whole time. There was an array of different people there, from the typical arty alternative types, to punks, families with children and older people having a nose at what was going on. Throughout the day there were workshops on topics such as kerb crawling, crafts, and zine readings, featuring Cath, Chella, and other brave zinesters.

The people at the Sheffield Zine Fair were much more welcoming and warm than those at other fests I have attended. There also seemed to be much less elitism going on, with people chatting away from both behind and in front of the tables. There was an eclectic mix of music playing and the atmosphere was great.  While table sitting for Cath, people spoke to me much more, even mistaking me for her, while talking about Here. In My Head (sorry Cath!). I also found that people were less pushy and uptight about their zines as I have experienced at other fests, which made the whole experience much better for me, personally.

I personally picked up some amazing and interesting zines; "Buy her Candy", "Kerb Crawled", "Get Back", "Pandora Press", and "Be Honourable", as well an awesome zine about feminist child rearing called "Raise Some Hell". I was a little disappointed about the lack of distros at this event, as many couldn't make it on the day.  It was a shame because I personally prefer looking through what a distro has to offer rather than an individual stall, as it can be less awkward. I didn’t let this spoil the event however, as talking to individuals about their own zines was a welcome challenge and change for me and everyone I spoke to was more than happy to talk about their wares.

Overall, the zine fair was a great, comfortable experience, which for a first time event, is amazing! I look forward to next year's fair and who knows, maybe I’ll have my own table this time! It was a wonderful experience to meet zinesters who I could only discover through fests as well as finally getting to meet Cath, in all her purple haired glory (her Mum was sweet too!) (aw shucks - ed.).  I am full of praise for the organisers of the first Sheffield Zine Fair and can only hope they continue to put on the event every year.

photo by Bettie Walker

Sunday 2 October 2011

Zine News Round-Up: 02.10.11



1. Zine Releases
2. Upcoming Events
3. Submission Calls
4. Zine Reviews
5. Distro News
6. AOB (Any Other Business)

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1. Zine Releases
 - Another cool art zine by Sky Nash has been released this week: SICK.  Available on etsy.
 - Girls Get Busy #8 is out now!  Buy a copy of the zine, or a GGB totebag and t-shirt, on their Big Cartel store.

2. Upcoming Events
  - Camden Zine Fest: 8th October.  1pm til 6pm at The Pirate Castle. Includes workshops and zine readings alongside the stalls.  More info at http://camdenzinefest.blogspot.com/.
- Craftivism Manchester: 9th October, 11pm til 4pm; 15th October, 10am til 4pm.  Held at the People’s History Museum. www.phm.org.uk
 - South East London Zine Fest: 12th November. Applications for tables are still open! More info here: http://selondonzines.wordpress.com/
 - LaDIYfest Sheffield: 12th – 13th November. an inclusive, DIY, anti-capitalist, community-based feminist festival. http://ladiyfestsheff.noblogs.org/

3. Submission Calls
 - The Anarchist Blog are looking for submissions for Uncivilisation Zine #1!  They’re looking for articles on anarchism, vegetarianism, anti-fascism, environmentalism, and feminism.  Email them at theanarchistblogATgmailDOTcom for more info.
 - Penpal Adventures: A Curated Zine on the Experiences of Girls as Penpals.  Helena and Sarah are looking for personal essays, nonfiction prose, comics, letters/excerpts, photos and ephemera from your days of pre-internet correspondence. Deadline: February 1st 2012.  Please send submissions to: penpal.zineATgmailDOTcom.
 - Tukru is looking for submissions for Vampire Sushi zine #2!  The main theme is vampires but other monsters & horror themes are welcome too. The deadline has been extended to 23rd October! Detailed info can be found here.
 - The Pandora Press zine deadline has been extended by a week!  The theme is sex; the new deadline is 9th October.  Submissions must be from the South Wales area. More info here.

4. Zine Reviews
 - Sophie at Oh My Clumsy Heart has posted some zine recommendations – take a look.
 - Laura-Marie (author of US zine Functionally Ill) has started a new zine review blog up.  While it’s not UK-centered, she has reviewed lots of UK zines there recently, including Buy Her Candy #1, Here. In My Head#9, and Three Days Of My Life I Will Never Get Back. Take a look!

5. Distro News
 - Marching Stars is on hiatus for a week or so.  Keep up to date on MS distro's tumblr.
 - Princesa Pirata has added some cool new stuff to her catalogue, including handmade postcards and calendars by A-K herself! http://princesapiratadistro.wordpress.com/
 - Vampire Sushi has been updated, with new zines in stock! http://vampiresushi.co.uk/

6. A.O.B.
 - Salford Zine Library have made a film all about zines, which will be screened at Salford Art Gallery this winter. Here’s a preview, featuring a guide on how to make your own zine!  Awesome stuff: