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Zines

This guide is meant to be an introduction to zines by giving a brief overview of the history of the medium, some tips for creating your own zines, and listing different local zine resources.

History of Zines in the US

Origins of Zines

The history of zines in the United States dates back to May 1930 with the publication of The Comet by the Science Correspondence Club. The letter section of The Comet was a popular portion of the print wherein science and science fiction fans discussed and debated. Photocopiers had not yet been invented so mimeographs (stencil duplicators) were used to print these community-created publications. Although fanzines are often credited as the originators of zines in the US, the first queer zine was printed in June 1947. It was called Vice Versa and was created by Edythe Eyde--known as Lisa Ben (an anagram of lesbian). Vice Versa was both hand-delivered and mailed by Eyde. The counterculture movements of the 1950s and 1960s also saw a growth of the underground press, using zines to connect people through ideology across the country. Zines, in their infancy, were important pieces of communication for underrepresented communities (Book Riot, "History of Zines"; UNC, "A Brief History of Zines").