The theme for Portland’s second Zine Symposium (PZS), the grassroots extravaganza of workshops, zine-selling, kickball, and community-building, is “Where Zines Take You”–an umbrella theme to encompass all of DIY. This year the expected attendance is around 800 people, from all over the United States, further establishing the PZS’ foothold as another staple of Portland DIY culture. In homage, the following are reviews of zines by some of the many PZS Organizers, and other local DIY stalwarts, that make Portland the greatest fucking city in the world.
Brainscan #18–The personal zine is the most common, and Alex Wrekk’s Brainscan is a good example of how to get it right. By being open and strong, questioning her surroundings and defending herself but never afraid to be proven wrong, Alex’ musings on her upcoming marriage (to fellow PZS organizer/Microcosm Distribution’s Joe Biel–congratulations!), the current state of feminism, vegetarianism, and other ephemera are always interesting and insightful. As an aside, Alex is also creating a beautifully painstaking zine called the Stolen Sharpie Project, which will act as a definitive zinester’s resource.
Invincible Summer #4/Clutch #5–A split, narrative comic zine, the awesome Nicole Georges (Invincible Summer) and Greig (Clutch) each documented a week of their lives in early May, and their stories eventually overlap as their lives converge. Grieg’s drawing style–cartoony, bubbly lines with great facial expressions–is a good contrast to Nicole’s elaborate, dark, and strangely true-to-life characters, and the stories are so wonderful you just end up feeling sort of warm at the end. Amusing debate over Nicole’s famously-featured-in-a-Shins-video, barky dog, Beija.
Don’t Be a Jerk #1 and #2, My Life as a Robot–I’ll have whatever Iris Porter’s having, because her energy and dedication to craft are completely admirable (and hopefully, contagious). Aside from running the Tin Can Sound lo-fi record label, playing in The Culottes, and compiling the massive DIYinPDX (a public scrapbook of Portland DIY culture, complete with local music comp), Iris finds time to create excellent zines that are always painstakingly and artfully letterpressed, silkscreened, and imaginatively bound. In Don’t Be a Jerk #1, letterpressed on black paper, Iris very eloquently discusses taking on “Don’t Be a Jerk” as a daily affirmation: “Another reminder, thanks to mom, to help avoid becoming socially inept.” Somehow, it’s inspirational, but not cheesy. DBJ #2 continues on that theme, but more personal: “On tour, I came down with a bad case of insensitivitis. I was surrounded by people with severe cases of sensitivitis. All of which made my condition seem like a life threatening mental illness.” Don’t Be a Jerk zine is a reason to get up in the morning. In My Life as a Robot, Iris sheds light on genetically engineered foods, with the help of very simple art and a sort of kid’s book-style morality tale. Amazing.
Mr. Oliver Weenis–Tim Root’s oh-so-friggin-cute characters are hand-drawn and photocopied in tiny little fifty-cent zines and you’ll love ’em. Mr. Oliver Weenis is this hot-dog shaped dude who wears tighty-whities, rides a moped, and plays a game of chess with an oversized snail. They’re simple drawings with imagination and charm.
The whole zine symposium–at PSU Smith Center Ballroom all weekend–is full of FREE education and fun. For a full schedule, visit
www.pdxzines.com, or just show up at the Symposium–but a good place to start is at the Zine Publishing Basics workshop, at 10:30 am on Saturday, July 13, where you can learn to make your own zine! How cool! JULIANNE SHEPHERD