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.
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.
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.
It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve posted a QZOTD. We’ve been quite busy with our QZAP summer residency, reading queer fanzines, and getting ready for the autumn zine fest season. On that note, Chris, one of QZAP’s co-founders, will be in Lexington, KY this weekend at the Kentucky Fried Zine Fest. If you’re in the area you should stop by and see him. He’ll have copies of “From the Punked Out Files of the Queer Zine Archive Project“, among other things.
Now, for today’s QZOTD we’ve got a blast from the past… It’s Anonymous Boy!!! Specifically, Anonymous Boy Collection #2, but really you should check all of them out. Anonymous Boy has been making comics and music and DJing since the late 1980s. His work has appeared in a number of different publications, including JDs and several of the Y.E.L.L. zines from ACT-UP/NY. Most recently he was on a panel with Chris (QZAP), Rachael House (Red Hanky Panky, among others) and Elvis B. (Homos in Herstory) at the Queers and Comics conference that took place this past spring in New York City.
As we quietly slide into September we begin to think about what are, for North Americans, annual end of summer rituals and events. In the U.S. we get a day off from work to honor workers. We get ready to pack up our children, our siblings, and ourselves and head back to school, where ever that may be. In these postmodern times there may be a GSA (gay/straight alliance) in middle and high schools to support LGBTQ+ students. At the Uni there may be an LGBT Resource Center, there may be a Women’s and Gender Studies program, and a way for queer students to socialize and learn without fear of violence interrupting their studies. Many uni’s across the country have even taken on a Safe Zone training series to help faculty and staff who might not be queer themselves help students. But what if the very institution hates you and wants to inflict violence on you for being queer? Who do you turn to? How do you survive? Several years ago a group of anonymous students at Harding University put out a zine telling their stories about being queer at an ultra-conservative Christian university. The State of the Gay at Harding University is an act of bravery in and of itself, and we’re lucky and proud to have such a courageous document in the archive at QZAP.
SO, it’s not totally fair to say that Busy Bea’s Bush #3 is all teen angst. There’s a little bit of that, but really it’s just a great zine of it’s time. Nicole captures 1993 perfectly with rainbow taped backpacks and freedom rings acting as a hanky code for another queer girl in her school. She writes about getting to meet G.B. Jones, has a current play list of stuff she’s listening to, participaing in Pittsburgh’s Riot Grrrl chapter, and getting a painful tattoo.
Hell Yeah!!! Hell Yeah for weekends, Hell Yeah for zines, and double Hell Yeah for consent-based porn zines!!!! The creator calls it porn. Maybe it’s more erotica? There’s some gender fucking. There’s some masturbation. There’s some hand-holding. Either way, this Hell Yeah makes for some delightful reading with ones hands on ones sexy bits on this warm afternoon.
