What Is a Zine?

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When it comes to any type of media, voices can easily overtake each other. Louder voices—those that promote more popular views and opinions—win over the weaker ones. So where do these other voices go to express themselves?

One medium they go to is the zine (pronounced “zeen”). This is a small publication that is often a labor of love by its creator. Instead of being driven by profit and entertainment, most zines are simply there to explore topics that are at the margins of society.

What Is the Purpose of a Zine?

A zine is a self-published, non-commercial publication that is usually printed in small numbers (typically 1000 copies or fewer). They tend to have niche audiences, and are circulated through specific, and often underground networks.

Zines are a vehicle for marginalized voices without being constrained by the standards of mainstream media. And so they serve as alternate ways of communication for various subcultures. Through zines, people are able to express and discuss topics that are usually ignored or dismissed.

A Brief History of the Zine

The core idea of a zine appeared as early as 1775, with Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. Within were arguments that advocated the independence of the Thirteen Colonies from British rule—a perfect example of zine culture’s emphasis on free spirit.

The 1920s saw a group of Black artists coming together and creating a literary magazine called Fire!! It was meant to give them a way to express themselves more freely without intervention from older people. Only one issue was released, but it lead to other authors creating their own little publications.

The first science fiction fanzine, The Comet, was published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago. By this time, zines were used by science fiction fans as a way to build communities, collaborate, and disseminate information. Think of it as their version of online forums and social media.

Starting from the 1960s, zines began to take on their underground qualities as counterculture movements grew in society. This was the time when zines became an alternate platform outside of mainstream media, often revolving around political and social activism.

This grew into the punk rock scene in the 1980s, helping punk spread throughout the UK and America. In this, they became a symbol of an entire subculture’s rebellion against authoritarianism.

In the 1990s, the riot grrrl movement emerged from the punk scene, signaling the advent of third-wave feminism. It developed its own zine culture, creating an extensive library of feminist documents that ranged from scrapbooks to health manuals.

Today, zines can exist in electronic form thanks to the internet, though they’re no longer as relevant as they were compared to past decades. However, they have had a slight revival thanks to the film Moxie, about a 16-year-old girl starting a feminist zine in her school.

Magazine Vs Zine

A common misconception is that zine is simply a shortcut for the word magazine. But while the two types of publications have something in common, they can also be polar opposites.

The term is actually a shortened form of fanzine, a blend of the words fan and magazine. These are non-professional and non-official publications made by and for enthusiasts of a niche topic. As such, zines are often done with a do-it-yourself attitude. They are handwritten, glued together, photocopied, and have a limited run.

On the other hand, magazines are professionally made, and with a regular release schedule. From design to content, everything is made to appeal to popular voices. Only a few people have creative control—setting the tone, topics, and perspectives that are showcased within each publication.

Another difference is their scale of operations. Magazines are printed in large batches, while zines rarely reach the thousands. Magazines also have a regular set of distribution networks and are able to quickly reach their target audiences. Zines are circulated through trading, word-of-mouth, direct correspondence with the author, and other less stable forms of distribution.

And when it comes to intention, magazines aim to make a profit while still entertaining their readers. They sell ad spaces, publish sponsored content, and enable subscriptions. Zines are more of a passion project, mainly used for self-expression and creativity.

Zine Collections

Zines are recognized as having cultural and academic value, especially when it comes to topics that would otherwise be ignored and undocumented. As such, efforts have been made to preserve them.

With this in mind, a number of public and academic libraries have started building their zine collections, often pairing those with similar topics and intent. You can view some of them online or by request, though most only have physical copies available for now.

Here is a more comprehensive list of zine collections and libraries, including those outside of the USA.

Importance of Zines

Zines are an outlet for all things not part of the mainstream. An integral part of zine culture is to add unheard and unpopular voices into the conversation.

There are no rules. Zine content can be personal, political, social, artistic, environmental, and more. As such, many zines have become the launching pad of cultural movements. Consider how counterculture members were able to congregate through zines and freely express themselves to a crowd of like-minded people.

It appeals to artists and thinkers whose ideas might not be accepted or even ridiculed by wider society. By focusing their attention on a smaller platform, they’re able to find the people who do get or are willing to entertain what they need to say.

Have you ever read a zine? Share your experience in the comments below!

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