Tags Matching: fanzine

You know what the best part of fanzines is? The idea.
You know what the worst part of fanzines is? The reality.
I love the effort, the passion, and the sheer nerdery of zine creation. The actual product, on the other hand, almost certainly sucks.

My background is in punk music, where 90% of the time, zines come down to some weirdo believing his love-letters to the barista at Starbucks is something he needs to share with the world. The other 10% is typically political literature somehow more embarrassing than barista love, or, very rarely, actually about music and culture.

Comics and science fiction/fantasy literature are largely spared the indignity of association with “personal” zines. Historically, comic zines read like a letters column from an issue of New Mutants. Praise, speculation, borderline hero-worship, and, often, real hate comprise the old-style comic zines. Now, comic zines are legitimate magazines and have to kowtow to advertisers. You’re more likely to get an interview with an actor playing a character he/she’s never read, rather than an interview with your favorite creator.

Let’s relive the glory of weirdos rolling around in their love of the medium with this auction. It’s Anomaly issue #2, supposedly from 1971. Corben and Bode content should generate some interest in this one, so snap it up while you can.

Continue reading »