Category: Blog

This week/end is pretty busy for us at QZAP.  Chris is currently in NYC at the Queers and Comics conference, hobnobbing with queer zine comics bigwigs like Rachael House (Red Hanky Panky),   Anonymous Boy (Anonymous Boy), and Elvis Bakaitis (Homos In Herstory) among others.   The four of them will be on a panel on Friday talking about QZAP and our residency project.  Meanwhile, back in the midwest Milo and Shannon will be in Chicago at the Chicago Zine Fest on  Saturday, selling zines and t-shirts and generally being adorkable.  If you're in or near Chicago stop by and say "Hello"

Because of Chris' participation at Queers and Comics our zine of the day (#QZOTD – let's make this happen) is Milky Boots #9.  It's a sweet and amusing diary comic.  While we've got a number of comics, comix, and illustrated zines in the archive, there's something about a diary comic that's endearing.  See, we're not always punk rawk and safety pins through the nipples.  We have a sensitive side, too…  Anyway, on with the #QZOTD:

Spinderella cut it up one time…

Seriously, though, let's talk about sex.  Here at QZAP we're often talking about it in it's myriad permutations.  While we're about as sex-positive as it comes, there's one thing that we just can't hang with.  That's this whole "abstinence-only" crap that's been pushed on our young folks, both queer and straight.  It's dangerous in that NOT talking about sex leads to higher rates of STIs and HIV infection, unplanned pregnancies and contributes to and exacerbates both shitty patriarchy and rape culture.  So we say, FUCK. THAT. NOISE.

Among the many zines that we have in the archive that talk about sex and safer sex is Queersafe #1.  Queersafe is mainly focused on the prevention of transmission of STIs, but also very simply and concisely answers questions about queer and trans* identies, how to use condoms and dams as barriers, discusses consent, and has a great page and illustration about masturbation. So let's get it on!

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There was a time when gays and lesbians stood up to opression for themselves and others.  When their only goal wasn't to be assimilated into a patriarchal capitalist system that allows them to pass instead of creating real change.  Out Of The Closets and Into The Libraries encapsulates histories of queer social movements where we fought back, not only for queer rights, but for society as a whole.  Note: the zine in the archive is presented as flats, so please feel free to download the PDF and make copies for your friends, family, and church youth group.

In light of the fact that the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival organizers have announced that this will be the last year that the fest is held, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight U.S. Kweer Corps #10, where Hank urges us to look forward, and to make our own inclusive and critical festivals and spaces.

At one time Paris Is Burning was the hottest film around.  A document to ballroom culture, POC communities, drag and community building, and of course Vouging.  At around the same time that came out, so too did P-Form #23.  In fact, this hot zine has a review of the film from when it was first in theaters.  It's also got other reviews, stories, interviews and articles to entertain and educate. 

20 year-old queer zine declares "I'm A Winner!"

Seriously, though, Cupsize #3 has something for everyone.  Bisexuality.  Music Reviews.  Zine reviews.  Odds and ends that exemplify what it was to be a uni student in the mid-1990s.  Heck, it's even got a Mad Lib!

In honor of National Library Workers Day let's all give shout-outs and hugs to all the amazing library workers that we know.  Here at QZAP we're all about Our Library Crushes.

It's challenging for us to choose just one Riot Grrrl zine to showcase in honor of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's proclamation that April 9 is Riot Grrrl day.  SO, we thought err on the side of offending no one and everyone by throwing up the Kill Rock Stars Winter 1995/96 catalog zine.  If you haven't had a listen to some of these bands in a while (or ever) today's a great day to do so.

After disco and Hi-NRG almost killed us and when "Wimmin's Music" didn't speak to us and before there was riot grrrl queer punk kids listened to a short-lived genre called homocore.  Which then got changed to queercore for obvious reasons.  And one of the places that homocore was birthed was in Toronto.  For those who are so inclined, it stands to reason that a publication about such an awesome movement in queer/musical zirstory might be titled Homocore Toronto.  And so it was.

"Highways hard in this modern world | Battered boys and shattered girls"
Not Your Bitch #5 is riot grrrl raucous, smart and angry, and that perfect-for-right-now feminist slice of 1995.  With reviews of zines by Nomy Lamm, an Ani DiFranco album, and stories of graffiti-ing bathroom stalls with menstruel blood, what mor coud you ask for?