We’re starting a zine listing page, and you’re invited to submit a blurb about your zine(s) that will be posted on the site if you’re from the following states: Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Please email the following to midwestzines@yahoo.com:
- Name of your zine(s)
- The cost per copy
- A 100-word description of the content of your zine(s)
- The city and state you’re in
- Instructions on how people can order copies (directly from you and/or through a distro)
- A JPEG or GIF image file of your zine’s cover
Zine Listings
Bookstore Thief
Minneapolis, MN
Back in the day, I used to work in a bookstore. One night, we got robbed. It was a very freaky experience that I've tried to write about several times,and this time I finally got all the way through it. It's a strange, entertaining story. Also included in this 20-page zine are thoughts about the terror of non-linear narrative, naughty bookstore customers, and criminals who worked for the bookstore. Rubber stamp images punctuate the action.
Ordering Info: $3 a copy plus $1.50 shipping through cocoanap.etsy.com.
Cereal Boxes and Milk Crates: Zine Libraries and Infoshops Are...NOW!
St. Paul, MN
A zine detailing the ins and outs of zine librarianship, with an extensive bibliography for your own reading, and a loooonnng resource list of zine libraries in North America and Europe. Hand bound with different colored paper for fun fun fun. Want to know how a zine library runs, how things are organized, what an infoshop is, and how people pay for it? I made this zine for a library conference in Croatia. It's a good introduction if you like zines, libraries, or are a librarian. Plus there's a centerfold.
Ordering Info: $3, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
Etiquette
St. Paul, MN
An etiquette book written for the common man, by the common woman, covering a range of topics: babysitting, bedroom etiquette (rated R, or better yet, NC-17), long distance bus riding, road trips, puking, traveling abroad, working together, and weddings. 76 pages, 8.5x5" Hand bound with a purple cardstock cover. For that special rude person you know.
Ordering Info: $4, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
Hot for "Hot for Teacher" and Other Meditations
Janesville, WI
Small mini-comic of ponderings on the mythos, personality, and appeal of the band Van Halen.
Ordering Instructions: $1 at headlockmanufactory.etsy.com
Bookstore Thief
Minneapolis, MN
Back in the day, I used to work in a bookstore. One night, we got robbed. It was a very freaky experience that I've tried to write about several times,and this time I finally got all the way through it. It's a strange, entertaining story. Also included in this 20-page zine are thoughts about the terror of non-linear narrative, naughty bookstore customers, and criminals who worked for the bookstore. Rubber stamp images punctuate the action.
Ordering Info: $3 a copy plus $1.50 shipping through cocoanap.etsy.com.
Cereal Boxes and Milk Crates: Zine Libraries and Infoshops Are...NOW!
St. Paul, MN
A zine detailing the ins and outs of zine librarianship, with an extensive bibliography for your own reading, and a loooonnng resource list of zine libraries in North America and Europe. Hand bound with different colored paper for fun fun fun. Want to know how a zine library runs, how things are organized, what an infoshop is, and how people pay for it? I made this zine for a library conference in Croatia. It's a good introduction if you like zines, libraries, or are a librarian. Plus there's a centerfold.
Ordering Info: $3, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
Etiquette
St. Paul, MN
An etiquette book written for the common man, by the common woman, covering a range of topics: babysitting, bedroom etiquette (rated R, or better yet, NC-17), long distance bus riding, road trips, puking, traveling abroad, working together, and weddings. 76 pages, 8.5x5" Hand bound with a purple cardstock cover. For that special rude person you know.
Ordering Info: $4, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
Hot for "Hot for Teacher" and Other Meditations
Janesville, WI
Small mini-comic of ponderings on the mythos, personality, and appeal of the band Van Halen.
Ordering Instructions: $1 at headlockmanufactory.etsy.com
Junie in Georgia #16
Minneapolis, MN
Junie in Georgia is a perzine about my life, career, neurotic cat, almost-done-with-graduate-school husband, political views, obsessions and ongoing battles with squirrels, bugs and body issues. Issue #16 is a “best of” compilation of all of the issues from spring 2000 to June 2008. Previous issues describe my life in Georgia, Ghana and Minnesota and discussions of sex toys, personal ads, popular culture and culture shock.
Cost: $3 per issue/$2 for issues 2007 and earlier/some trades
Ordering Info: Write to Julie Dorn / 3455 Blaisdell Avenue S #13 / Minneapolis, MN 55408 or junieingeorgia@hotmail.com
Junk Drawer #1 "Indirect Objects"
Chicago, IL
This zine is about the nature of getting things second hand. Whether you're going to thrift stores, garage sales, or just finding stuff any old place, the experience gives you "indirectness." That is, it's apart from the direct marketing and advertising driving everyone toward typical big box retail stores. It ponders the whole interest in used stuff. Quarter size, black and white photocopied, 50 pages, half text and half original photos.
Cost: $2.50 (delivered)
Ordering Info: Email eobelated@yahoo.com
Junk Drawer #2 "Junk Days"
Chicago, IL
"Junk Days," to one particular community, is an annual spring cleaning time to throw things away. But to anyone who loves finding stuff thrown out, Junk Days is a terrific and fun event. This zine is partly a Junk Days guide to junking, with plenty of junk finding tips. It is also a chronicle of favorite finds, plus some Junk Days history. For anyone who enjoys dumpster diving, this is kind of an upscale, suburban version of it. Half size, black and white, 44 pages full of text and original photos straight from the curbsides of Junk Days.
Cost: $3.00 (delivered)
Ordering Info: Email eobelated@yahoo.com
Likes/Dislikes
St. Paul, MN
Microcosm Publishing describes it best: 24 pages, 1/2 size, copied, typewritten. A great little slice of personality into Lacey's life via her extensive lists of likes and dislikes. Some highlights include: Likes: "The thought that Aliens and Humans might someday become one" and "Talking about conspiracies." Dislikes: "Having to break into a place you have the key to" and "Playing with silly putty after someone with warts."
Ordering Info: $2, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com or microcosmpublishing.com.
Likes/Dislikes 2
St. Paul, MN
Another list zine! This was three years in the making. A whopping 16 pages of my most recent likes and dislikes. Two, two, two zines in one! Likes on one side, turn it upside down and you've got a whole new perspective of Dislikes. Staple-bound, photocopied pages and cardstock cover featuring adorable frogs and vintage typeface. 10" x 4.25."
Ordering Info: $3, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com or microcosmpublishing.com.
Night Light Comics
Milwaukee, WI
Superheros with no powers. They eat food, and listen to music, and drink, and try to fight crime every now and then. Right now there's a bunch of different characters floating around, but eventually they'll all end up forming a team. Cool! 'Annie and her Indestructable Guitar' is about a chick who kicks ass with an indestructable guitar. Homemade hero 'the Trenchcoat' will be getting a new costume soon. 'Charlie' rides around on roller skates and plugs meters so people don't get stupid parking tickets... BUZZPOP! is the latest release and is also a split with DROP DEAD DUMB from Huntsville, AL.
Cost: $3
Ordering Info: nightlightcomics.com or email nightlightcomics@yahoo.com
Minneapolis, MN
Junie in Georgia is a perzine about my life, career, neurotic cat, almost-done-with-graduate-school husband, political views, obsessions and ongoing battles with squirrels, bugs and body issues. Issue #16 is a “best of” compilation of all of the issues from spring 2000 to June 2008. Previous issues describe my life in Georgia, Ghana and Minnesota and discussions of sex toys, personal ads, popular culture and culture shock.
Cost: $3 per issue/$2 for issues 2007 and earlier/some trades
Ordering Info: Write to Julie Dorn / 3455 Blaisdell Avenue S #13 / Minneapolis, MN 55408 or junieingeorgia@hotmail.com
Junk Drawer #1 "Indirect Objects"
Chicago, IL
This zine is about the nature of getting things second hand. Whether you're going to thrift stores, garage sales, or just finding stuff any old place, the experience gives you "indirectness." That is, it's apart from the direct marketing and advertising driving everyone toward typical big box retail stores. It ponders the whole interest in used stuff. Quarter size, black and white photocopied, 50 pages, half text and half original photos.
Cost: $2.50 (delivered)
Ordering Info: Email eobelated@yahoo.com
Junk Drawer #2 "Junk Days"
Chicago, IL
"Junk Days," to one particular community, is an annual spring cleaning time to throw things away. But to anyone who loves finding stuff thrown out, Junk Days is a terrific and fun event. This zine is partly a Junk Days guide to junking, with plenty of junk finding tips. It is also a chronicle of favorite finds, plus some Junk Days history. For anyone who enjoys dumpster diving, this is kind of an upscale, suburban version of it. Half size, black and white, 44 pages full of text and original photos straight from the curbsides of Junk Days.
Cost: $3.00 (delivered)
Ordering Info: Email eobelated@yahoo.com
Likes/Dislikes
St. Paul, MN
Microcosm Publishing describes it best: 24 pages, 1/2 size, copied, typewritten. A great little slice of personality into Lacey's life via her extensive lists of likes and dislikes. Some highlights include: Likes: "The thought that Aliens and Humans might someday become one" and "Talking about conspiracies." Dislikes: "Having to break into a place you have the key to" and "Playing with silly putty after someone with warts."
Ordering Info: $2, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com or microcosmpublishing.com.
Likes/Dislikes 2
St. Paul, MN
Another list zine! This was three years in the making. A whopping 16 pages of my most recent likes and dislikes. Two, two, two zines in one! Likes on one side, turn it upside down and you've got a whole new perspective of Dislikes. Staple-bound, photocopied pages and cardstock cover featuring adorable frogs and vintage typeface. 10" x 4.25."
Ordering Info: $3, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com or microcosmpublishing.com.
Night Light Comics
Milwaukee, WI
Superheros with no powers. They eat food, and listen to music, and drink, and try to fight crime every now and then. Right now there's a bunch of different characters floating around, but eventually they'll all end up forming a team. Cool! 'Annie and her Indestructable Guitar' is about a chick who kicks ass with an indestructable guitar. Homemade hero 'the Trenchcoat' will be getting a new costume soon. 'Charlie' rides around on roller skates and plugs meters so people don't get stupid parking tickets... BUZZPOP! is the latest release and is also a split with DROP DEAD DUMB from Huntsville, AL.
Cost: $3
Ordering Info: nightlightcomics.com or email nightlightcomics@yahoo.com
Ontrack Graffiti
Minneapolis, MN
Ontrack Graffiti is a full color zine featuring graffiti photos, mostly freight trains and a few walls. Each issue is 22 pages and feature over 200 photos.
Cost: $4
Ordering Info: myspace.com/ontrackgraffiti or gorillamart.com
Phone Phrantic
Chicago, IL
This zine is an account of what happens when somebody in an office is put in charge of the phones, when they have not been properly trained on how to answer the phones. All of the somewhat ridiculous quotations here were actually uttered by a certain former coworker (who wishes to remain anonymous) to rather befuddled customers. It's befuddlement all around, really. People who have worked a front desk, and answered phones for stores, have said they relate to this zine. Quarter size, black and white, 34 pages, half single quotes, and half photos.
Cost:$2.00 (delivered)
Ordering Info:Email eobelated@yahoo.com
The Source
Ames, IA
4 1/4" X 2 3/4" full color, eight-page zine with one collaged image (plus explanatory statements) per page. Produced on a color copy machine. Signed by the artist. A nice item for one's purse or jacket pocket to be used as needed.
Ordering Info: Send $2.00 and mailing address to: Zeebee A-B / 1315 Big Bluestem Court Unit A2 / Ames, IA 50014
Stream of Consciousness
Chicago, IL
It's a perzine. 99% hand-written! If you like perzines, then you might like this one.
Ordering Info: $1, order through Loop Distro, loopdistro.com, or personally at bobby180@aol.com or P.O. Box 268003, Chicago, IL 60626
Thought Bombs
Homewood, IL
Thought Bombs began in 1997 and deals with political reality with a strong focus on U.S. prisons.
Cost: Varies, free to prisoners
Ordering Info: Write to Anthony Rayson c/o South Chicago ABC Zine Distro / P.O. Box 721 / Homewood, IL 60430
Toxic
St. Paul, MN
Britney, Britney, Britney. Fiften hand drawn Britney portraits with collaged headlines ripped from the tabloids. You know you love/hate Britney, get this piece of pop culture now while she's still hot. A collaboration with the ubiquitous art genius Scott Seekins. Gold Gocco hand-screenprinted cover. Staple-bound. Photocopied. 4" x 5"-ish, 16 pgs.
Ordering Info: $3, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
Very True
St. Paul, MN
Hand bound, typewritten City-Lights-sized poetry chapbook of poetry that will knock your socks off! Not cheesy, but racy sassy poems about love, life and losing. Hand block-printed cover of an ostrich.
Ordering Info: $5, Available through polkaostrich.etsy.com
The Zine
Chicago, IL
This zine is the creation of the late Brendan Scanlon, the Madison-raised, Chicago-based street artist known as SOLVE. His first endeavor in the zine community is truly unique and eclectic, containing everything from screenprints, color-by-numbers, and his thoughts on graphic design. Published posthumously, in loving memory.
Ordering Info: $4, order through Loop Distro, loopdistro.com, or personally at bobby180@aol.com or P.O. Box 268003, Chicago, IL 60626