We’re still well ensconsed in Larry-Bob’s collection and making out way through it. We’ve recently added two issues of Pussy Grazer, both from the early 1990s. As was popular at the time there are lots or scene reports, zine reviews, and tons of cut-and-paste delights. Make sure to check out the critiques of Out Magazine, the gay and lesbian glossy made for straigh folks 😉
Archive.qzap.org has 500 zines and bits of ephemera in it. Our 500th record is a zine out of Boston called Rock Against Sexism. This it the 4th issue, from 1992. It’s got a ton of interviews, a discussion about Political Correctness (funny, we’re having similar discussions almost 25 years later), zine reviews, and a report back from an ACT UP/Boston fundraiser
We have been slowly but surely been working on cataloging a collection of zines donated to QZAP by Larry-bob, creator of Holy Titclamps and Queer Zine Explosion. Among the most recent that we’ve processed is a run of Mousie by Anna Rampage. Some of the reoccuring themes that come up in these are about bisexuality and biphobia, discussions of racisim from an Asian POC perspective, and a visiting and revisiting (across several issues) of a book called The Total Woman by Marabel Morgan from the early 1970s. There is also the usual assortment of zine and book reviews, fantastic cut-up art and xerography, and comics from multiple contributors.
Early last week, our sister zine library, the Papercut Zine Library, got flooded and hundreds of zines got water damaged. They’re trying to raise the funds to get them moved to the proper facilities. Needless to say that this is a nightmare, especially for smaller “barefoot” and independant zine libraries like QZAP and Papercut. We hate to ask, and we pretty much suck at doing fundraising for ourselves, but if you can please support Papercut through this YouCaring link.
https://www.youcaring.com/papercut-zine-library-526013
Thanks.
There’s something about zines from the 1990s… they’ve often got common elements that make them instantly recognizeable as being from their time. It’s an aesthetic, and a way of writing. There’s a call to arms, a calling out of cops and governments and the military and anti-gay bigots. There’s a calling in of other queers and zinesters. a “hey, find me, I’m stuck in this shite town and need to connect” vibe… (though this is not at all limited to time – it’s kind of part of zinester DNA.) There are zine reviews, and lists without being listicles, bands listened to, and shows attended. Pop culture drips from the pages, fuelled by cut-and-paste in a pre-WWW, pre-Photoshop world.
Lately we’ve been scanning a bunch of zines from the Emma Center collection which have this vibe. They’re very much of their time, and also rediculously fun and important. Going Homo #2 is a fine example. It’s got all of the above and more.
Recently we added four issues of the Lesbian and Gay Freedom Movement newsletter to the archive. These issues span from 1991-1995 (#5, #6, #8, and #10) and cover a bunch of topics ranging from anarchy to pornography to BDSM and political prisoners. With the AIDS crisis in full swing, and the closing of the baths and policing of sex happening in lots of places both from outside and from within queer communities, it’s very interesting to read about a push for sexual liberation in it’s various forms.
We woke to the news that David Bowie died yesterday. He has been a favorite at QZAP for seemingly forever. We honor him for his gender bending, his bisexuality, and his creativity over the years. He has inspired us in so many ways, and we’re not the only ones. We knew that on this sad day we just had to share Bowierama and reiterate the obvious: Everybody is a bit Bowie-sexual.
Another year, another World AIDS Day. How many deaths and how many people fighting for health care because of racism, homophobia and GREED? The collection of documents from ACT UP isn’t a large one, but it’s one that’s very special to us at QZAP. It’s our queer roots, and we’re very proud of that.
 |
 |
 |
 |
It’s been a hot minute since we’ve been able to catch our breath and post a Queer Zine of The Day. Lots has been going on with us. Chris went to the Lexington Zine Fest in September to do a presentation. Milo is getting geared up for the Olympia Zine Fest next week where ze is participating on a panel. We’ve also been busy with the planning of the Milwaukee Zine Fest, of which we’re part of the organizng committee. That weekend, November 14, we’ll also be hosting our last zinester-in-residence for the season. Last year’s Z-i-R program created the awesome “From the Punked Out Files of the Queer Zine Archive Project,” and we’re super excited to publish the work from this year’s residents. Expect that to come out sometime at the beginning of 2016.
Moving on to the QZOTD, we are happy to present Sina Sparrow’s Boy Crazy Boy #1. Sina has been a long-time QZAP pal and is an amazing and active comic artist. In BCB #1 we can see the beginnings of his sweet style, and are treated to some delicious early 1990s pop humor.
Hanna from QFemZine in Finnland is looking for some assistance with some zine research. Please see their note below and contact them if you can help. Thanks!
Dear zinester!
My name is Hanna Storm and I'm from Finland. I'm intersectional queerfeminist activist, free researcher and also a zinester myself. Currently I'm researching on queer zines, especially queer-femme zines. I've read many queer-zines in Queer Zine Archive Project and been impressed. The research project is about researching on zines themselves, zinesters and their zine-activism and how together with zinesters and me as a researcher-zinester we could do some activism. In my research I'm interested in questions such as zinesters' age ncy ;and its goals, intersectionality, definitions of queer and femme, using social media beside paper zines and organizing some activities around paper-zines. Now I'd like to ask if you and other zinesters on your zine would be interested in participating in my research project. I'd like to do some interviews and discuss with you online by writing (e.g. using riseup.pad.) It would be great to hear from you soon! Please forward this message! Best wishes, Hanna Storm. Ph. D. halkeilla@riseup.net *QFemZine - Queeriä ja Feminismiä/QFemZine - Queer and Feminism* qfemzine@gmail.com facebook.com/qfemzine qfemzine.blogspot.fi
