Author: QZAP

The Toni Compendium

Advertisement for The Toni Compendium. The cartoon adventures of a transgendered high school student, as originally presented in "Cross-Talk” from 1989 to 1991. Also includes four single-panel cartoons never published in "Cross-Talk and a self-portrait of the artist, Angel.This story is likely part one of what might be several posts, and it goes something like this:

Sometime in the autumn of 2018 during one of our evening work sessions we were making our way through a collection of materials that had been deassessioned from an academic library and came across a couple of copies of Cross-Talk Magazine, “The Gender Community’s News & Information Monthly.”

Amongst ads for other queer publications like Dragazine, Black Sheets, and a note that Cross-Talk can now be reached on FidoNet (started by Tom Jennings, one of folks who made Homocore zine) was an ad for The Toni Compendium. The Toni Compendium is an anthology of Toni comics, written and illustrated by Angel, that appeared in Cross-Talk in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Thus began our 5-year journey of trying to acquire a copy.

After tracking down a copy in a different library (and subsequently being turned down when we asked if they could digitize it so we could check it out) eventually we discovered that Kym, the original publisher, had an online presence. So we contacted her to see if there was any chance that she might possibly still have a copy. This was in April of 2020, just as we were mostly staying at home for the foreseeable future.The Toni Compendium cover

After sending the initial email, we waited a couple of days, and she got back to us to let us know that, in fact, she had had the foresight at some point to take the remaining issues of Cross-Talk and bundle up whole collections – not a complete run, but a lot – including The Toni Compendium, and pack them away. Unfortunately, the bundled collections were in their storage space, and it would be a little bit until she could get to them. So far, so awesome!

And then life happened, the pandemic shifted, time marched forward, etc. etc. We hadn’t forgotten about it, but as is always the case, we at QZAP are usually juggling several projects at once, and we figured we’d get back to this eventually. Also, with COVID being in play, we had no idea how it effected Kym or her folk.
Fast forward to February, 2023. Kym reached out to us to say that she had finally gotten access to where the Cross-Talk bundles were stored, and did we still want a set? We jumped on it, to say the least. After a couple more emails back-and-fort, the PayPaling of postage fees, and a few severe weather incidents, and they were as good as shipped.

Thus concludes the long and maybe-not-that-interesting story of how we came to finally possess a copy of this long-sought comic book about a teenage trans woman.

Cover for Khen-Draa, Transgender Warrior comicAs an added bonus, there also was a copy of Khen-Draa, Transgender Warrior, from 1995 by Kym and Beppi. But that’s another blog post.

As of this publishing, we haven’t had a chance to get to digitizing these comics, but we’ll update when we do.

photo of the zine Violet Tendencies. The cover shows the creator curling their arm with their hand in a fist. Black ink on pink paper.

Violet Tendencies

As 2022 draws to a close, we’re saying “we’ll see you soon!” to our intern Cedar. For their final zine project they made a 24 page perzine called Violet Tendencies #2. A combination of personal narrative, pop-culture influences, and an exaltation of all things butch, it’s a great addition to our archive, and shows a growth of their work in zines as both an artist and writer. While we’re sad to see them go, we’re super excited that this zine is out in the world, and we’re looking forward to collaborating with them in the near future.

One of the fun things that Cedar did with this issue is create a personality quiz. It’s very Autostradle-style, but also hearkens back to older queer zines, and even the long-departed Sassy. Click through to take the quiz and find out…  What Lesbian Earrings Are You?

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Riot Don’t Diet!

Radical Cheerleaders of Santa CruzLiving in this cissexist, patriarchal, queer-hating world can sometimes make a queer want to yell. And, hey, if you’re gonna yell, why not yell in rhythm? For all your queer chanting needs, turn to the Radical Cheerleaders of Santa Cruz Cheerbook. This peppy zine has something for every queer guy, gal, and nonbinary pal, including the rallying “Riot Don’t Diet”, a Coming Out Day cheer, hair, body and sex positivity cheers, radical socioeconomic battle cries, and so much more. Want something to psyche yourself up before you masturbate? It’s in here. Want to say, “fuck you” to the man? You’ll find no more effective phrasing anywhere. Want to affirm your kinky lifestyle? Oh yeah, baby, you better believe there’s a cheer for that. In fact, if you search, you’re bound to find a cheer about almost any social issue a queer could think of. The Radical Cheerleader’s Cheerbook is an essential tool for the budding radical queer. So rah, rah, sis boom bah, read this zine and burn your bra!

Dac Cederberg is a summer intern here at QZAP. He’ll be reading and reviewing zines on the blog through August.
Dac recently graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. He’s a cisgender gay man, he/him pronouns, from Missoula Montana. His alter ego is drag-queen bombshell Lady Dee. He doesn’t quite know what he wants to do with his life yet, but he loves reading, writing, TV, pop culture, and all things queer. He’s a Gemini and his favorite color is purple. Feel free to contact Dac through QZAP with any questions or comments.

 

Forever Young

Homobody #6 coverYou feel empowered a lot, as a young person, because pretty much the whole world is reaching out to you saying “Do you like this? Will you buy this? Do we look cool?” Zines, however, are not always so eager to pander – many are very attached to the time period they have been written in, and as such you can feel out-of-touch as a young person without having done some background research first. So, here is a list of great zines for the young newbie looking to get a feel for what queer zines are like:
  1. Homobody #6 (and not just because QZAP is interviewed!) – I felt like this zine is a really accessible look at what I’ve come to know as a “queer zine” – a mix of humor, reflection, and most of all, attitude. And it also has that great interview with QZAP.
  2. Mevis is Feminist – I loved the attitude and personality of this zine, and how it moved discussion past traditional “old people feminism” (AKA white, rich, hetero women). Melvis hip-thrusted his way into my heart, and I think he’ll do the same for yours.
  3. Booty #19 – I mean, who doesn’t like booty? But aside from the title, this zine takes a really introspective look at the creator’s life and highlights how zines are personal as well as public artifacts.
  4. Cosmo Queer – This zine was angry, which was great, and I loved how it made a point of emphasizing that not all “queer people” feel included in mainstream “gay culture” (to the extent that it exists). Like Melvis, Revolution in Pink, the creator of this zine, moves discussions solidly into the 21st century.
Dylan Larson-Harsch is a summer intern here at QZAP. He’ll be reading and reviewing zines on the blog through August.
Dylan is a sophomore at Carleton College in Northfield, MN, the self-described town of cows, colleges, and contentment. He doesn’t have a major yet because Carleton is a hoity-toity liberal arts institution, but when he does, it will probably be English. When he’s not working at QZAP or the equally-thrilling job of relabeling the zones of a shoe warehouse, Dylan likes to run, write, and read all manners of things. Feel free to contact Dylan through QZAP with any comments or questions.

I’m Your Psycho #1 Fan

There’s something deeply endearing about total, over-the-top, unabashed obsession. No matter what it is, getting a look at something through the eyes of someone who really digs it is a deeply satisfying experience. Thus, Psycho #1 Fan.
Gary Coleman is the centerpiece of this striking zine’s front page, and a sizeable chunk of space is devoted to describing the author’s odd obsession with him. From there, P#1F covers the “5 Trashiest Girls in the USA” competition, including a deeply compelling description of how one contestant would handle being trapped on a desert island with JonBenet Ramsey and a bunch of hot dudes, a full two-page Donny Osmond spread (pre-1973 Donny Osmond, not the contemporary Y2K Donny Osmond), heart felt reviews of several other anachronistic male celebrities, a “what kind of fan are you” quiz (on a scale from “sorry excuse” to “psycho #1”), and so much more it’s hard to keep track. The splashy pages and crowded photos make this zine read like a punk parody of Tiger Beat, and it couldn’t be more effective. Because, really, at the end of the day, don’t we all have a little psycho in us?

Dac Cederberg is a summer intern here at QZAP. He’ll be reading and reviewing zines on the blog through August.
Dac recently graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. He’s a cisgender gay man, he/him pronouns, from Missoula Montana. His alter ego is drag-queen bombshell Lady Dee. He doesn’t quite know what he wants to do with his life yet, but he loves reading, writing, TV, pop culture, and all things queer. He’s a Gemini and his favorite color is purple. Feel free to contact Dac through QZAP with any questions or comments.

 

But I’m A…

A few nights ago we were sitting around the table with some of the zinesters-in-residence, finishing dinner and talking about lesbian movies of the 90s.  But I'm A Cheerleader came up, and we wondered collectively why we had never seen a Clea Duvall fanzine… so Dianne and Milo have decided to make one:

Call for Submissions:

But I'm A…Clea Duvall fanzine

We're looking for essays, non-fiction stories, and artwork about Clea Duvall.  It could be the first time you saw her on screen, or a movie of hers that rocked you, or that time you said "hi" in a barely audible whisper when she was working the merch table at a Need show…

• Articles should be 300-1000 words
• artwork/images should be scanned @300dpi

• zine will be released with a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license
• please include the name that you want attributed to your piece 😉

DEADLINE: September 30, 2016
Please email your submissions to cdfanzine[at]qzap.org

Call for submissions flyer

Melvis is feminist, and you can too

We hold these truths to be self evident: Everybody looks good in an Elvis wig, and even better in a Freddy Mercury mustache, and nobody isn’t fucking hot in glitter underwear. Well, Melvis the drag king wears them all, and he wants you to join him in undermining the patriarchy through explosive, performative masculinity.
Melvis is Feminist is a one-off experiential zine about the origin and exploits of its titular character. It includes a D.I.Y guide to male-drag on a budget, which covers everything from chest binding to bulge packing to hair-attachment. The central message of Melvis is how empowering it can be for women, especially queer women, to adopt the male role and experience some of the privilege men live with every day. “All the misogynist, sexist rhetoric, fried in my brain… all the fucking bullshit you’re supposed to eat with a smile. I become that sleazy sexist pig and barf it all back!” Take a look through this raunchy, no-hold-barred exposé on the masculine mystique, and who knows… maybe you’ll find yourself up on a stage somewhere making all the ladies cream, just like Melvis.
Dac Cederberg is a summer intern here at QZAP. He’ll be reading and reviewing zines on the blog through August.
Dac recently graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. He’s a cisgender gay man, he/him pronouns, from Missoula Montana. His alter ego is drag-queen bombshell Lady Dee. He doesn’t quite know what he wants to do with his life yet, but he loves reading, writing, TV, pop culture, and all things queer. He’s a Gemini and his favorite color is purple. Feel free to contact Dac through QZAP with any questions or comments.

 

Pure Evil!

What better way to start your summer than with a little Evil? This punchy drag zine catches the eye with a well composed photo of Lipsinka on the cover. The issue is dedicated to wigs, “the art of illusion through the power of fake hair.”

The first section includes reviews, of film, theatre, literature, and food, which are so conversational and frank they feel more like chatting with a friend. Next is an interview with Bobcat Goldthwait, stand up comedian and “Police Academy 2” star, promoting his film Shakes.

Centrally this zine is an ecstatic homage to the wig, with interviews from Charles Busch, Lady Bunny (creator of Wigstock, the original drag convention), Julie Halston, and Lypsinka, each explaining how fake hair has made a difference in their lives. This zine also includes a comic hand drawn by Hedda Lettuce, entitled “How to Pick Up Straight Boyz” which really speaks for itself. If you’re looking for a snapshot of the drag scene in New York in 1992, (and who isn’t?) look no further.

Dac Cederberg is a summer intern here at QZAP. He’ll be reading and reviewing zines on the blog through August.
Dac recently graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. He’s a cisgender gay man, he/him pronouns, from Missoula Montana. His alter ego is drag-queen bombshell Lady Dee. He doesn’t quite know what he wants to do with his life yet, but he loves reading, writing, TV, pop culture, and all things queer. He’s a Gemini and his favorite color is purple. Feel free to contact Dac through QZAP with any questions or comments.

 

Erotica

Erotica.  Sometimes that word feels super loaded.  Like it thinks it’s BETTER than pornography.  But it’s not, really.  And it doesn’t think that.  It’s just different.  Maybe a little more ‘arty.’  Possibly less visual, though not necessarily.  Here at QZAP we’ve got a good mix of both porn zines and erotica zines.  While it’s sometimes hard to know the difference, we think that these two zines lean more toward erotica.

First, there’s IQ: The Sex-zine for Girls who like Girls who wear Glasses.  It’s more of a traditional zine of it’s era in that aesthetically it’s of a cut-and-paste / clip art / rando shit visual style.  The content is sexy and funny and as the title suggests, aimed at a certain demographic.

The next zine that we added this week is Inciting Desire #2.  This is further along on the artsy-fartsy erotica spectrum. The production values are much higher with some slick 1992-era desktop publishing layouts, deliberate typography, and artful black and white photos.

Finally, we also added Gawk #6 from the good folks who brought us Diseased Pariah News.  This is NOT erotica, but it is the comics issue.  There’s a delightful multi-page spread of Gay World: 3025, the continuing adventures of Captain Condom, and as with the other two, a page of zine reviews amongst other great comics panels.

On a completely different topic, we’ve been playing around with Instagram, so if that’s your jam you can follow us at @queerzines.  We’ve got it set up to post to our Facebook page and Twitter feed, too.  Isn’t technology neat?

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