Zine Revue 05

Hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day! I'm currently fighting off a sinus infection that is also making my ear feel weird... This Zine Revue I am highlighting three of my favorite ~subversive~ zines to draw attention to the ridiculous charges being brought against Des Revol for transporting anarchist zines. Read more about the case, and donate or otherwise support if you can here!

Title: The Past, Present and Future of Radical Pamphleteering

Author: Radical History Network of North East London

Category: History

This zine gives a really interesting overview of historically influential pamphlets from the 14th century onwards, then jumps forward to show how self-published print works influenced feminist movements in the 1970s and contemporary activist causes. It is an interesting examination that both considers the supersession of a lot of these functions by the internet/social media, but also makes a special case for why there are still some features of zines and pamphlets the internet doesn't have, and downfalls of the internet that print lacks.

Title: Trashzine

Author: Multiple Authors/Dev Interviews

Category: Gaming

Vaida reminded me of this one this week! I remember some people objecting to the name as some sort of self-inflicted diss, which to be honest as an individual of punk experience kind of amused me. I think openly asserting the fact that you're not trying to be "good" in a games-industry standard way is actually an important element of self-esteem in a small games maker (or any other marginal, hobbyist sort of art, like zines), and this zine is a crazy time capsule of a bunch of perspectives on how and why to do that.

Title: Utopian Affirmations and The Why Cheap Art? Manifesto

Author: York Zine Fair

Category: Art

These are lovely little riso printed pocket sized booklets that I picked up at York Zine Fair last year (which is an amazingly well done event!). The Why Cheap Art? Manifesto is an illustrated reprint of one of my favorite pieces of short art writing ever, and Utopian Affirmations provides a series of phrases and prompts to get you thinking about and towards the better world of the future. I love these, like a little afternoon snack to keep you going, artistically and philosophically.