Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? [Paperback]

Esther Watson (Author), Mark Todd (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2006

A zine is a handmade magazine or mini-comic about anything you can imagine: favorite bands, personal stories, subcultures, or collections. They contain diary entries, rants, interviews, and stories. They can be by one person or many, found in stores, traded at comic conventions, exchanged with friends, or given away for free. Zines are not a new idea: they’ve been around for years under various names (chapbooks, flyers, pamphlets). People with independent ideas have been getting their word out since before there were printing presses.

This book is for anyone who wants to create their own zine. It’s for learning tips and tricks from contributors who have been at the fore front of the zine movement. It’s for getting inspired to put thoughts and ideas down on paper. It’s for learning how to design and print your own zine so you can put it in others’ hands. Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? is for anyone who has something to say.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6 Up–Some of the biggest names in zine publishing have united to create a fun, informative introduction to the art form in the format of a zine itself. True to its title, it begins by defining terms: a zine is a mini-magazine or homemade comic about any topic of the creator's choice, designed for maximum creativity and expression. The authors present a history of self-publishing and a treatise on Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and William Blake as the first pre-zinesters. Other topics include ideas for zine subjects; copying, binding, and printing tips, including easy-to-understand silk-screening and gocco instruction; and even a review of staplers, all while maintaining a fresh and inspirational tone. Other useful sections are an interview with BUST magazine founder Laurie Henzel, an original zinester, and guidelines on beating writer's block and disciplining oneself to work on a zine. The book presents a convincing argument for zines over blogs as a better outlet for personal creativity. The authors include tips for a cooperative zine among friends and fellow artists, how to distribute a publication and create contacts, advice on pricing supplies, mail, and invoices. The book also includes a brief list of resources, zine libraries, and a glossary. Throughout, technical terms are deftly used and advice is dispensed in an accessible, rousing format that includes comics, drawings, and cut-and-paste zine techniques. This well-designed and entertaining resource is sure to find an audience among hip, artistic, and do-it-yourself enthusiasts.–Jane Cronkhite, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. Magazine self-publishing seems a bit old-fashioned in the era of the blog, but teen DIY-ers with a subversive streak may well come away from this paean to zining fired up about a "world where the weird, absurd, and unique is appreciated." Watson and Todd, the cocreators of the YA poetry anthology The Pain Tree (2000), have sewn together entries from 21 zinesters, many in graphic-novel format, that touch upon the personal reasons they do what they do and offer practical advice on topics such as brainstorming content and marketing a finished product. Some of the book's more obsessive elements (a double-page analysis of staplers) may represent more information than newcomers want or need, and the smudged, often difficult-to-read pages--with text either handwritten or banged out on an old typewriter--is faithful to zines' low-budget trappings to a fault. But the zinesters' giddy enthusiasm is infectious, and many YAs (as well as college art students) will respond to the subculture's irrepressible indie spirit. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Graphia; None edition (June 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618563156
• ISBN-13: 978-0618563159
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > Reference
  • #90 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > Social Science

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect!! July 11, 2006

By Brooke Young

Format:Paperback

I have spent the past ten years working with zines in various capacities and when I heard about this book, I had to admit I was skeptical. It is notoriously hard to capture the spirit of zines in book form, but this book is pretty awesome all around. The layout of the book is done exactly like it would have been done if it was a zine, which rocks. The information provided by the book includes clear and insightful guides on how to physically make a zine, as well as heartwarming personal stories about the personal connections that can be made through zines. This is a super helpful book that I'm glad is around.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Handmade is good. July 12, 2006

By Martha E. Rich

Format:Paperback

I am so tired of all things slick and polished and perfect and manufactured and sanitized. Making a 'zine is a great way to be imperfect, original, dirty and raw. This book shows you how. It is quirky and fun and inspiring. Love it!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Zine Book EVER! August 14, 2006

By Debbie Escalante

Format:Paperback

This is a BEAUTIFULLY put together manual for making a zine or mini-comic. It is clearly made with the love and care of true zine-makers. I have been making zines for over 10 years and still found tons of information within the pages of this wee treasure that I had not before known. I would recommend this for all. It is just a magnificently inspiring and helpful document for self-publication.