Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Pics by Dean Gojobori [nggallery id=LA-Zine-Fest-2013]
Continue reading
I guess I said this years ago. The best part, I don’t quite recall most of it, but most still make sense. Any new advice? Think of a fun topic and go from there, but “here’s my random thoughts” zines don’t really work out. Thanks Ryan and Evan. It appeared in Electric Ant which you can buy here. What a post! (Samehat.tumblr.com) Zine wisdom from ERIC NAKAMURA Don’t expect anyone to care about your zine, read your zine or even remember it. You most likely won’t get free shit from your crappy zine. Zines might make you a friend, but that’s about it. Even though zines are thin & sparse, they take a long time to make. Why? Because you don’t know what you’re doing. Your page 4 will end up upside down on another page. The photos will look like shit too. Zines look junky & cheap, but they actually cost a lot to print. The idea is to get copies free. If not, expect to pay. Copies aren’t cheap. Chapbooks are almost like zines, but they’re called chapbooks. You can charge more for a chapbook. But you also have to tell people that you made a chapbook. Chapbooks are like rollerblades, zines are like skateboards. You pick. Zines are not art. I don’t care what people say, zines don’t go up in price and shouldn’t ever be on walls. A zine is cheap unless you’re famous or phony. Zines can be as crappy as you want it to be. They can also be great. But they are most often not both. Most likely, your zine will be crappy. It’s the law of averages. At some point you’ll deny participation in your own zine. Or you’ll say it sucks. You will be embarrassed of yourself. You’ll say, “I did that , and it was bad.” Selling your zine is nearly impossible. Don’t expect anyone to want to buy it or stores to want to sell it. If someone does buy it from you direct, they’re feeling sorry for you. Take their money. Most zines die after Issue 1. Why? Because it’s hard to make a zine that someone aside from you cares about.
Continue reading
A Zine from back in the day. Psycho Moto. Ethan Minsker sent me this video. It’s a cool, short one that talks about zines, then it explains his involvement in zines and then he shows you his own work. I told Ethan that I remember his zine, and he was pleasantly surprised. This title was reviewed in Giant Robot perhaps a few times. Take a look at his video and if you want, peruse his zine digitally. (Antagonism – Psycho Moto) Fanzine from Ethan H. Minsker on Vimeo.
Continue reading
Sometimes going to schools to do a talk turns out better than expected. Here’s a reason. Daphne Taranto asks about making a zine. I suggest, do it fast. She does it and puts in an interview with me, nearly faster than I could reply to the questions. It’s a collab zine between two schools. Sweet and fun, it’s a great start. Don’t burn out!
Continue reading