Making Zines

I recently went to the library and picked up a book called Make a Zine!: Start Your Own Underground Publishing Revolution by Joe Biel with Bill Brent. The book didn’t just go over how to make a zine but also the history behind zine making and how people have grown by making zines. It got me thinking about when I was a kid and I would make comics all the time. They would be silly werewolf ones with a vision of being bigger than the Twilight Franchise or just the best comic ever. But in regards to zines, I had never thought comics could really be a zine. Like they were in there own category. You never see zines in comic book stores. At least I haven’t. So I never equated the two until I remembered the first time I attended a Zine Fest.

The Houston Zine Fest

I found this event online maybe 3-4 years ago (honestly not completely sure when) on a whim. I really wanted to get out of my shell and explore my city that I had always hidden from in the suburbs. I didn’t have much of any expectations for it. I went with my Dad and my little brother. There was a food truck or two outside and inside, it was a whole new world. A once empty building now full with tables side by side. Each table had a creative person or two behind them. Small booklets, pages, sticker, and more decorated each. Every table had it’s own style and it felt like each creator had a piece of their world sitting in front of them.

This was the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this. I had been to art fairs and festivals growing up but they didn’t compare to what this was. People were chatting about the things in their zines to those who came up. They shared why they made the zine and I could just see the passion on their faces. Some were shy and felt really apprehensive in sharing the ‘why’s of their stories but I could tell that each piece was something they worked very hard on. Some of the zines I saw and even bought were funny, some educational, or even just mundane. I found that I enjoyed a lot of the comic-like ones. They had panels with illustrations, some of which were simple, some complex, but it really struck me as something that I would want to try to do.

What I wanted for my first zine

Like I said before, I had always made comics growing up and I even made a few in and after college but I never thought to disperse them. After reading Make a Zine!, I felt like maybe it was time to spread my work to others.

I decided to start with close friends and family. I just moved to Michigan and most of my family and friends are spread around all over the country. So what better way to stay and touch and even keep them up to date in my life than a zine! So “What’s up with Mack” Was born! I wanted the zine to contain a few stories over some weeks in my life here in Michigan. I then packed it and send it to friends and family. I felt like this was a creative way to keep in touch and also use snail mail more. I have a lot of ideas for this zine! I thought that friends and family could pitch in and add their own pages and maybe I could disperse a family zine . That way, the whole family could keep in touch with one another in a creative and unique way. But that idea is still a work in progress. For now, I want to show you the zine I made.

What’s Up With Mack: Vol 1