Zines! Zines! Zines!
Why, yes, I had a lovely time at the 2024 LA Zine Fest!
It feels odd to brag that the weather in Los Angeles is merely hot and not so freaking sweltering it threatens one’s life and health, but I guess that’s where we are now. So, given we were in the balmy but manageable mid-90s, why not go to our city’s annual Zinefest?
Located in the Arts District, AKA Southeast Los Angeles, AKA one of our city’s mostly industrial pockets that hasn’t been gentrified yet (nary a Starbucks to be seen!). Our first shock was an actual line to get in! Yeah, waiting is never fun, but encouraging to know the underground can still attract a crowd.
Inside was wonderfully crowded and so! many! zines! I loved the range I saw, from Xerox’ed manifestoes to comix to semi-bespoke collections of original art. Oh, with a very cool library everyone was free to peruse (and forget to photograph 😅).
And of course, spent way too much money. Hey, it’s for the arts, and I got quite the haul, including...
This intro to a longer story by Tiffany Lac. Not sure I can find future chapters of this queer enemies-to-lovers high school tale. Maybe webtoons? It has a webtoons vibe.
Then two wonderful zines from Luke Geddes of TV Grime, both wonderfully clever formats. First a Jack Chick style comic essay arguing Doug Yule’s place as an equal partner in and contributor to The Velvet Underground. I found it very persuasive, even if I’m not quite ready to give Squeeze another chance.
And I bought TV Grime’s very last copy of 5 mini-zines ingeniously package to look like a pack of Topps Trading Cards, sticker and gum included. You hear that, all you obsessive TV Grime collectors. I got the last one. Me! ME!!!!
Also got to talk to E. Caroline Walters and buy her comic from Hourly Comics Day. I am a confessed sucker for all these online contests/events meant to “trick” artists into abandoning perfectionism and create something in a limited time frame. It’s how I made my illustrated fantasy novel with Don Nguyen.
Bought two zines from writer, artist, mother and excellent conversationalist Rachael Tyrell.
And lastly ART BLOCK, a magazine of local prose and poetry put together by nonprofit art mentorship program DSTL arts.
Oh, and P.S. also snagged two stickers. Woo-hoo!
