Z I N E G U I D E H O M E P A G E

"When I meet someone who doesn't know what a zine is, I think I could give them this and they would understand. It covers it all. Each manila envelope has a different, completely original piece of artwork from a different artist on it. He puts three different zines inside the envelopes, including his own, selling them for only $10 (an AMAZING deal, when you see what you're getting). Abram came up with the idea of turning his pain into art, and this is, in a word breathtaking-heartbreaking-extraordinary-impressive. Support this idea." - Alicia Dorr

"Every article feels like - 'touch '. The format is clean. It is organized without being rigid at all. There's so many pieces I don't even know where to start except to say, simply, clever." - Alicia Dorr

"He's got some work to do, but this crazy man has a good handle on what is going on in the world, and what he thinks about it. Everything is vaguely political, but not strictly so. He covers changes in music, food, and basically all the things that affect a political, thinking person." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of May 11th - May 18th

"Reviewer finds some way to cover all types of media without ever seeming spread too thin, breaking at the seams, or even becoming apathetic. There is a certain point when some publications seem to get bored with their specialties, giving off a seen-it-all arrogance, but Reviewer keeps it fresh. Something I like a lot is their coverage of photography alongside books and music. I would recommend picking up this issue if you can, as it covers a lot of interesting topics with its scary 13/horror theme." - Alicia Dorr

"H2so4 covers philosophy and how it relates to our times, and uses one of the best mediums - humor. It doesn't take itself too seriously, so that I can." - Alicia Dorr

"Perzines sometimes get a bad wrap for monotonous and self-involved, but when someone like Dave puts his thoughts out there it isn't like that at all. It is fun, depressing, and finally affecting because he has let you in on so many peculiar parts of his life that you feel as if you know him." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of May 4th - 10th

"I honestly think that it is impossible for me to praise (Rev.) Richard Mackin's enough. For those of you who haven't checked it out yet, this is a collection of letters that Mackin sends out to various companies, corporations, and sometimes individual people and their replies (or lack thereof). It is hilarious and eye-opening, because while Mackin pokes fun at these products and people he is actually pointing out things that every consumer needs to know in order to make healthy choices. His satirical pranks make more of an impact than anyone who takes themselves too seriously." - Alicia Dorr

"This is a comprehensive guide and recipe book for vegans. It covers many of the questions that arise for anyone interested in this lifestyle, and there are a lot of really yummy sounding recipes. Good stuff." - Alicia Dorr

"This zine is crazy. It's sort of the Guiness Book of oddities for zinesters. It's the details that make it particularly great, like at the bottom of the page where the page number usually is there are strange facts and just random funny phrases. Very entertaining." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of April 27th - May 3rd

"Pussy is such a marvelous hodge-podge of kickass material. This zine really makes women (and men, for that matter) really take a look at the misconceptions and bullshit doctrines that rule their every days, but it is not extreme about it. Pac Man is the theme of this issue which I think anyone can agree rocks." - Alicia Dorr

"This perzine/comic has that understated, hipster feel that reminds me a little of Ghost World. The monotone way that each story is presented is complemented by interesting illustrations." - Alicia Dorr

"This is a serialized novel, which I think is a good idea for a zine. It's generally entertaining, too. Mostly talk about a band, and all the idiosyncrasies of its members from different points of view. It's interesting when taken as a whole, but each issue can stand alone. Fun." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of April 20th - April 26th

"Brian Bush puts out a completely singular publication. Political, philosophical, idealistic, and, above all else, artistic. Even the advertisements are beautiful. Layers is a solid recommendation for any type of reader. This is also a zine one should consider advertising in." - Alicia Dorr

"Broken Pencil is a great resource for Canadian zines and other independent art. It takes an interesting look at issues that affect all types of artists from a lot of angles. This issue addresses the ever-present dilemma for artists who want their art to be noticed but do not want to sell out." - Alicia Dorr

"This is a pretty new zine and they have a few things to work out, but it has a lot of the right ingredients. A good read." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of April 13th - April 19th

"I like Todd Dills and I like his writing. He calls it fiction but I might call it prose. A collection of suggestions of the senses, anecdotal-type stories, and completely random meanderings into the mind of Anyone Anywhere or Todd himself. No matter what you call it, though, For Weeks Above the Umbrella is truly a work of art." - Alicia Dorr

"Young, chock full of energy, anger, humor and absurdity. From interviews with bands to reasons why Andrew W.K. is and is not the Devil, Foul keeps getting better. Now, if only it could get just a tad longer." - Alicia Dorr

"Metal Rules does, in fact, rule. It's so funny. This kind of enthusiasm is so contagious, and it covers anyone who is anyone in the metal genre. Seriously. You have to give in." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of April 6th - April 12th

Though the title might suggest that it is not as well-informed or comprehensive as some of its political activist zine counterparts, Rant is very intelligent. It covers so many issues that need to be looked at, and for the most part they are fresh topics every time. This zine has fire in its belly, and it will stir that in its readers as well. Alicia Dorr

I really like this comic. It says a lot about an artists philosophy, and the reality of being torn between obscurity and selling out. The drawings themselves are uncluttered, and the story is relatable. Excellent. - ADorr

This a kind of crazy little mini-zine. It meanders through humorous pieces, poetry, random pictures and photos. Sometimes its nice to put down the more organized zines and just relax with a quirky copied piece of someone s mind. - Alicia Dorr

Picks For The Week Of March 23 - March 29 2003

This zine takes an objective look at Martin Luther King Jr. s death, suggesting his assassination is linked to the CIA and FBI. This zine is very engaging and hard to put down. Rather than just asking questions without any support the writer uses logic, facts and sometimes evidence to support the ideas. When presented with this kind of concrete information it is difficult to marginalize the writer as being a conspiracy theorist. Good title, good zine. - ADorr

#20 (March 2003), $2 ppd, 32 pp, digest The folks at Infiltration are kickass, bringing their readers to interesting places where they could otherwise not go and making it fun and interesting on top of that. This issue takes you underground the Twin Cities, complete with photos. Very cool. - ADorr

Razorcake is like my roommate s poop: It s regular, it s consistent, it brings joy and every once in awhile there s a big blowout... issue, that is. - ADorr

Picks For The Week Of March 30 - April 5 2003

This is an extremely clever publication. Articles like Wash your face! and So you wanna be a punk? will have you laughing. The interviews are interesting and the feature on the war on drugs is very well done. A fabulous balance of serious issues and funny stuff. - ADorr

#2 - You Idiot

This is so hilarious! There are satirical/funny articles on things such as religious video games, Satan in Journey albums, the sad saga of Nick Carter, the rock solid scientific field of cat astrology - to name a few. There s nothing quite like reading someone kick pop culture s ass. It s necessary and enjoyable. - ADorr

#3 - Breakfast

c/o Vincent Voelz 575 12th Ave #3 San Francisco, CA 94118

#3, #3 ppd, 50 pp, digest

An entire zine dedicated to the first meal of the day! The writers tell stories about different breakfast experiences, including a breakfast travel adventure. There s a lot of content on donuts, but that s cool, a lot of people like donuts. Yummy. - ADorr

Picks For The Week Of March 9th - March 15th 2003

#1 - 1544

c/o Larry 1544 W. Grace St. Chicago, IL 60613

#19, $2 ppd, 15 pp, standard

Larry always delivers a funny zine with a myriad of topics. It makes me want to move to the quirky building on 1544 W. Grace." - ADorr

#2 - Get Bent

c/o Ben POB 7273 York, PA 17404

#10, $4.75 ppd and selective trades, 5 mini zines all about 12 pp each

This is a comic based on a Queen song, with each mini-comic dealing with a different character and a different lyric. It s a great concept. Subtly clever, kind of sad, drawn well. Pricey, though." -ADorr

#3 - Emerge and See Unity

c/o Dakota POB 3 Leola, PA 17540

#1, $2 ppd and selective trades, 94 pp, digest

"Dakota writes about his experience of being just another guy in middle class suburbia to being diagnosed with mental illness. He also covers all the area in between, explaining in such detail how things changed that you almost don t notice it yourself. He brings new perspective to both sides because he s been there." - ADorr

picks for the week of March 2 - March 8, 2003

TMO

#1 - TMO - www.geocities.com/tmobsession2003

#1 (Winter 2003), $1.50 ppd

"Incredible photos, engrossing words, brilliant ideas." -ADorr

#2 - Nervy Girl - www.nervygirlzine.com

POB 16601 Portland, OR 97292

Vol. 4, No. 3 (March 2003), $4 ppd

"Nervy Girl is a much clearer voice for feminism than some of it s counterparts. Each month they pick a relevant theme and examine it from objective places, without losing a personal angle." -ADorr

#3 - My Imaginary Boyfriends - myimaginaryboyfriends@yahoo.com

"This is lighthearted and fun. The layout is clean and it s really engaging. Tr cute!" -ADorr

picks for the week of February 23 - March 1, 2003

Mouth Magazine

#1 - Mouth - www.mouthmag.com

POB 558 Topeka, KA 66601-0558 mouthoff@mouthmag.com

#76, $4 ppd, 47 pp

"Mouth reclaims the handicapped space for those that actually are. It's brilliant, and brimming with unexpected dark humor." -Britzel + ADorr

#2 - Semination - www.stinkzone.com/semination

5723 N. Omaha Portland, OR 97217 semination@stinkzone.com

#1, $5 ppd, 44 pp

"I think I'll let this zine speak for itself in an excerpt from 'Dumb Anarchists Unite!': "Are you tired of being told how to think by our non-leaders? Are you tired of having to explain to people the paradox of an anarchist system?I have the answer. We must overthrow the anarchist movement!" Semination is saying what needs to be said, but never without a little tongue-in-cheek humor. Finally, a breath of non-polluted air." -ADorr

#3 - Resident Alien

c/o AJC 1810 Sealy Galveston, TX 77550 minkeyking@aol.com

#1, 50 cents/trade, approximately 12 tiny pages

"Ajc points out some things that most people never would think of, about things like 'hyphenated Americans' and people not wanting what they think they want. This is some damn good writing, I only wish there was more." -ADorr

picks for the week of February 16 - February 22, 2003

Impact Press

#1 - Impact Press - impactpress.com

#43 (February/March 2003)

"This is such a great political zine. It brings up the kind of topics that need to be brought up." -ADorr

#2 - What Comes Around Goes Around

c/o Melanie 6270 St. Rt. 113 Bellevue, OH 44811 rebelgirl89@hotmail.com

#1, $1 or trade, 32pp

"I don t know if it s the format or the mini-size, but this zine seems a lot more diverse in content than Melanie s other zine, Rebel in Magenta. What Goes Around is well-written. There are so many good thoughts in these pages. Good drawings." -ADorr

#3 - Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned

c/o Jacob David POB 3050 Eureka, CA 95502

#2, 16 pp

"Jacob s writing style is sharp, the kind of sharp that pokes you in the ass on some random Tuesday when you re being lazy and makes you get up and DO something." -ADorr

picks for the week of February 9 - February 15, 2003

The Hungover Gourmet

#1 The Hungover Gourmet - www.hungovergourmet.com

POB 553 Lutherville, MD 21094-5531 Phone: 410.828.9212 Fax: 410.828.0502

#6 (fall/winter 2002), $4 ppd, 46 pp

A professor told me once that when you don't know what to write about, you should write about food. When you don't know what to read, reach for the Hungover Gourmet - a medley of delicious food, humor, travel and fun. 5 stars (and you are right in the assumption that it is out of 5). -Alicia Dorr

#2 Rock Out - www.angelfire.com/hi5/riveter

POB 5027 Chicago, IL 60680-5027

#1, $2 ppd, 52 pp

This is an impressive zine and an amazing resource for anyone remotely interested in the world of DIY shows. It is clear, thorough and extremely well-organized. It's nice to hear from the females on this. -Alicia Dorr

Cinema Sewer

#3 Cinema Sewer - mindseyecomics@telus.net

#12, $4 ppd, 40 pp

Robin's ability to present the filthy with style knows no bounds. -Alicia Dorr

picks for the week of February 2 - February 8, 2003

Read Magazine

#1. Read Magazine

#21 (Summer/Fall 2002), $3 ppd, 99

Adam has that gift of making the most mundane occurance into one spectacular, comical event. The interviews are notable, the articles are amusing, and the reviews aren't all carbon copies of the next. Good stuff. - Alicia Dorr

#2. Gunmoll

c/o Terra 7009 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626

#3 (December 2002), $2 ppd, 36 pp

Gunmoll is diverse in all the best ways possible. The varied topics of the articles and experiments are well-researched, applicable and very entertaining. Visually interesting. - Alicia Dorr

#3. Slouch

1700 Golden Gate #24 San Francisco, CA 94115 Phone: 510.208.1709

#3, $2.50 ppd, 34 pp

Slouch is vaguely political, subtle and intriguing. Sharp. -Alicia Dorr

picks for the week of January 26 - Febuary 1 2003

East Village Inky

#1. East Village Inky - www.ayunhalliday.com

#18, $2 ppd, 38 pp

"The East Village Inky has proven itself to be witty, fun, and charming each time it is published. The creativity of Ayun and her family knows nobounds, making for an amazing, unique zine every time." - Alicia Dorr

#2. The Neo-Comintern - http://www.bmc@neo-comintern.com

c/o Joel Katelnikoff 97 Maxwell Crescent Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada S7L 3Y4

#9, $1 ppd, 18 pp

"It's easy to get lost in this zine, with it's off-the-wall topics and comic stories. A very clever zine. - Alicia Dorr

East Village Inky

#3. The Birthday Diary - edacherry@aol.com

c/o Cherry Thomas POB 931333 Los Angeles, CA 90093

#1, $2 ppd, 18 pp

"This zine is simple, nothing more than diary entries from birthday's past. But in the end, though it certainly not as complicated as others of it's kind, this zine is revealing - for the writer and the reader." - Alicia Dorr

picks for the week of January 19 - January 24, 2003

Modest Proposal

#1. Modest Proposal - www.modestproposalmag.com

POB 3211 Tempe, AZ 85280 480.540.4049

#1, $2 ppd, 30 pp

"Modest Proposal is hilarious. From the front cover to the back it is literally packed with hilarious interviews, articles, lists, and more. There are a few things that need refining, such as the printing which makes some sections hard to read. But with the content and quality of the first issue being so fantastic it is certain that Modest Proposal is on it's way to being a truly superior publication. You don't really know what you're doing with your money - put it in these people's hands where it belongs." - Alicia Dorr

#2. Lime

4541 Xerxes Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55410

#9, $1 ppd, 18 pp

"Ariana's personal style is so simple and fun that it honestly gives me hope about becoming an adult without having to worry about becoming fossilized. When reading this zine I find myself wishing her friends were mine too, and the same goes for her life perspective. This zine reminds me why I want to do almost everything that I want to do." - Alicia Dorr

#3. Psychlone - marlsj@yahoo.com

#9, $1 ppd, 28

"This zine is engaging and witty. It has a good balance of politics and fun, without ever giving up originality. Impressive." - Alicia Dorr

picks for the week of January 12 - January 18, 2003

#1. Glass Houses

c/o Arriel 19 Grove St. #3 Arlington, MA 02476

#2, $1 ppd or trade, 14 pp

"I could not put this zine down, even when the font was so tiny that I had to hold it an inch from my eyes. The emotions coming through in these words makes Glass Houses comfortable and easy to relate to, even when the stories themselves are at their most personal. At times sickeningly depressing and surprisingly hopeful, Glass Houses is a remarkable zine." - Alicia Dorr

#2. Polar Bear Vixen - polarbearvixen@hotmail.com

c/o Flying Fish Publishing and Distributing Co. 549 N. Jarrett St. Portland, Oregon 97217

#34, 2 ppd, 34 pp

"I do not know how or why, but I cannot get this zine off my mind. It is often crass, it is entirely devoted to pro-wrestling, it has chauvenistic tendencies and, despite everything, it is one of my new favorite zines. PBV is brimming with humor and delightfully glossy color pictures. Maybe you're not a fan of pro-wrestling or titty pictures, but if you are a fan of zines then I guarentee you will enjoy PBV."

#3. Cineaste - cineaste.com

Vol. 28, No. 1 (Winter 2002), $6 ppd, 61 pp+

"Cineaste never fails to impress me. The articles and interviews are interesting whether or not you are a film buff. The content and look of Cineaste are both stellar content - pleasing, uncluttered, extra-ordinary. This is a quality zine any way you look at it."

picks for the week of January. 5 - January.11, 2003

Crimewave USA

#1. Crimewave USA - crimewaveusa@mindspring.com

issue 14, $3 ppd, 50 pp

"This zine stands out above the rest, no question. From start to finish it keeps you laughing and interested. Mark, Linette, and all of their friends are the kind of people who can present anything in such a way that you would devour every word with delight. I would follow these people to hell if that's where they were going. At least I would have funny commentary on how hot it is." - Alicia Dorr

#2. Clamor - clamormagazine.org

issue 18 (January/February 2003), $4.50 ppd, 66 pp

"This is an amazing zine. The content is interesting and the layout is aesthetically pleasing. In issue 18, an issue dedicated to questions concerning technology, there is a page that gives a list of 78 reasonable questions to ask about anything, put under headings such as 'moral' and 'political.' That is just one example of how insightful, interesting and even entertaining this zine is." - Alicia Dorr

#3. Counterpoise - civicmediacenter.org/counterpoise

Vol. 6, No.1/2 (January/April 2002), $18 ppd, 98 pp

"This is an amazing publication. The cover price may be a little high, but it has information on every alternative written resource out there. I love the alternative reviews - they are in depth without giving unnecessary information. I like to imagine my high school librarian buying this, distributing it, and following it like a bible. At least it's a comfort to know that those librarians exist." - Alicia Dorr

Picks for the Week of May 19th - 25th