Sick: a compilation zine on physical illness

Sick: a compilation zine on physical illness 

Edited by Ben Holtzman

14cm x 21.6cm, 88 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $5-$7

I read every word of every zine that is sent to me for review. Occasionally the focus of a zine is so close to my own experience it can make that reading difficult. For me, Sick is one of those zines. 

I have a lifelong medical condition that results in permanent chronic joint pain. Its invisibility and long-termness brings with it additional social challenges that everyone with a chronic condition has to face: periods of isolation; having to explain or excuse yourself; 'behind the scenes' planning for the most mundane of activities; not knowing from one day to the next.

The pieces in Sick are written by those with physical illness, and by daughters, sisters, and friends. The conditions include cancer, multiple sclerosis, hypoglycemia, hepatitis, Lyme disease, and polycystic kidney disease. What comes across in Sick is not the details of individual conditions or individual suffering, but a collective need for understanding and awareness. Ben states in the introduction:

Too often those of us who are living with illness have felt that our experiences are not welcome in conversation, even within radical/alternative communities. Illness is seen as taboo...this zine collects peoples' experiences with illness to help establish and further a personal and collective voice of those impacted by illness. 

The writing throughout is excellent, and the zine is clearly lovingly produced and designed - with a stylish use of old medical textbook illustrations. I know I'm close to the subject matter, but at times Sick will be an emotional read for anyone. For example, part of Sarah Hughes' piece includes a verbatim letter written by her dad to his "precious dysfunctional family":

If you're talking to me and I sound happy, it means I'm happy. That's all. It doesn't mean that I'm not in a lot of pain, or extremely tired, or that I'm getting better, or any of those things. Please don't say "Oh, you're sounding better!". I am not sounding better. I am sounding happy. 

Sick is essential reading for those with physical illness, as well as family and friends of those with a condition. Topics also include receiving and providing support, as well as how to be an informed patient. And if nothing else, reading Sick will help open a dialogue in relationships where illness is a factor, to not proportion blame, to help erase the guilt of need. 

Buy a copy direct from Microcosm Publishing: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/2764


Review by Nathan Penlington

On Subbing: the first four years

On Subbing: the first four years
by Dave Roche

18cm x 13cm, 128 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $4-$6

Another of Microcosm's excellent zine compilations. On Subbing collects together four years worth of zines by Dave Roche that chronicle his experiences in special education classrooms. 

At 25 Dave felt he needed a change - like many people he'd fallen into a rut of a permanent temporary job which he hated. "I wanted a job where I felt like I was doing something worthwhile", he explains in the introduction. A surprisingly easy job interview later and he was hired as a substitute Education Assistant. 

The range of behaviours of students in special education classes vary from kids from troubled backgrounds, those with autism, and certain children unable to feel or move their body from the neck down. Ages range from pre-kindergarten, to post high-school life skills transition classes with young adults up to twenty-one years old. The varying degrees of educational needs, and age ranges, puts a huge demand on the abilities of the EA, and the nature of subbing means you might not have any clue where you'll be helping out until the phone rings that morning.

Dave had no prior experience before his first day of subbing, so we get an inside view of Dave's progression in the class room over the years, his ability to cope with difficult situations with humility and patience, or at the very least an outer veneer of patience. 

Dave's writing is full of charm, and his honesty is disarming, both for the reader and clearly for even the most difficult of kids. He's funny, willing to play the fool, full of heart and empathy, and completely unafraid to put himself on the ambiguous line morally to act in a way he believes is right. 

This is the 3rd edition of this compilation, and quite rightly, it's truly a great zine. 

You can order a copy direct from Microcosm: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/1010

Review by Nathan Penlington 

Doing It Better

Doing It Better - Conflict Resolution after Abuse in Leftist Communities

Joe Biel / Microcosm Publishing

11cm x 18cm, 40 pages

$4

Doing It Better is a timely proposal of ways allegations of abuse should be handled, in most instances that means differently than they are currently. 

At long last there has been change in public consciousness surrounding the exploitation of others by men in positions of power. There are now seen to be consequences for abuse and exploitation, although, as Joe points out, for those in true positions of power "a person's finances can insulate them sufficiently from true accountability for their actions".

Joe relates cases of perpetrators of abuse within the radical zine and activist communities, and how those perpetrators have been dealt with in the past. Often it has been with a form of vengeance rather then justice. The problem is that ostracism of the abuser from a community doesn't lead to behavioural understanding by the perpetrator, or more importantly change of those behaviours, and they are just likely to be repeated elsewhere. 

The zine is in no way making apologies for criminal and unethical behaviour, and of course Joe isn't suggesting further contact between victim and abuser, but seeks to put forward a strategy for actionable accountability. It's a zine written with unflinching honesty, which is crucial for issue that often provokes knee-jerk reactions. And while those reactions are completely understandable, it's the more radical responses that will perhaps prove to be the most valuable. 

Doing It Better doesn't have all the answers, but it is a set of starting points for discussion and elaboration - a provocation for the open conversations we should all be having. 

Buy a copy direct from Microcosm: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/9119

Review by Nathan Penlington

Notes from Underground - 20th anniversary edition

Notes from Underground - Zines & the Politics of Alternative Culture

Stephen Duncombe

20th anniversary edition, Microcosm Publishing 2017

18cm x 14cm, 256 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $15.95-$23.95 USD

"Although the world of zines operates on the margins of society, its concerns are common to all: how to count as an individual, how to build a supportive community, how to have a meaningful life, how to create something that is yours" 

I first read Notes from Underground while I was completing my Masters Degree (shhhh, don't tell anyone...but this was 18 years ago). I'd set out to write a history of performance poetry in the UK from the 1950's to 2000. At the time spoken word and performance poetry was very much an art form with a diy culture - people running their own gigs, cut & paste designed flyers, and producing their own zines and publications. It was an area of art I was involved in, and loved for its open access, anything goes aesthetic. But most of the artefacts were temporary, produced in very limited numbers, and utterly ephemeral. It was a history that hadn't yet been written, and I wanted to capture its essence.

Notes from Underground had not long been published, and was the only book available that took zines and alternative publications seriously, subjecting them to cultural analysis, and positioning them as political tools. It is fair to say that the book opened my eyes to what zines were, what they mean, and what zines could be. I had dutifully returned the copy I'd read back to the university library many years ago, so it was an immense joy when Microcosm Publishing asked if I'd like to review the 20th anniversary edition of the book. 

The question is, does it still stand up?

The answer is simply - yes. Although there has been an increased academic interest in zines in the intervening years, nothing I've read comes close to the breadth and depth of Notes from Underground. Stephen has a deep understanding of the motivations and aspirations of zine makers, is widely read in zines of varying styles and subject matter, and he also has the ability to piece together the wider cultural significance of zine culture in a lucid way.

"In a society built on consumption - of the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the culture we enjoy - the ideal that one should be "the entertainer of myself" is a defiant one."

It's a book that will end up with post-it notes sticking out of every edge, dog ears, and underlining. It's just so eminently quotable. The chapters are broken down into themes such as Identity, Community, and Consumption, but as zines are unboxable those themes are used more as lenses to view through. The book is also liberally sprinkled with images of pages from, and covers of, the zines referenced in the text. It's not a visual catalogue though, if you want that there are other books out there that specifically do that job

The 20th Anniversary edition includes a new afterword asking "Do zines still matter?". The fact you're reading this review, about a book on zines, via a website, means that the question is probably not addressed to you. Stephen's answer however might help clarify your thinking when answering similar questions by those who have little or no contact with zine culture. 

Fully indexed, with extensive references, it's an invaluable resource as well as a grounding in the political significance of all zine making. It is also a hugely inspiring read - and although many of the zines referenced are hard, or impossible, to find if you have no access to a zine library - it will also inevitably inspire creative thinking for your next project. 

Note from Underground is an essential book for anyone with an interest in zines,  if you don't have it, get it: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/1447

There is also a short piece by Stephen Duncombe in the excellent practical zine primer Make a Zine (also published by Microcosm Publishing, I reviewed it here last year) in which he takes a look at appropriation of zines aesthetics by corporations hoping to co-opt legitimacy. microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/1202



Review by Nathan Penlington

Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy - Sexing Yourself for your own pleasure

Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy - Sexing Yourself for your own pleasure

by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS

Microcosm Publishing

11cm x 14cm, 52 pages, cardboard cover.

$3

I've reviewed a few of Dr Faith's Five Minute Therapy zines in the past - with topics ranging from Dating to Adulting, via Anger and Working. What I think is great about the series is that they are succinct, friendly, low on bullshit, and high on helping you really get to grips with your problem. This issue explores the often taboo topic of self-pleasure - or to put it plainly, masturbation. 

Dr Faith begins by taking us through a short historical overview of the organised movement that labelled masturbation the Heinous Sin of self-Pollution, rather than the 'healthy, normal and valuable part of human development' it is now understood to be. Don't worry, the important stuff is covered in more detail with topics broken down into headings like: why masturbation is important; the history of sex aids; what to do and what to buy.

Everything is discussed in a friendly, open, fun manner, dispelling myths along the way. Importantly, the information is not cis-focused, and acknowledges pleasurable possibilities and potential issues for those at different stages of confirmation treatments or surgeries. 

There are also additional sections on how to discuss masturbation with your kids, and a resource list for further reading - although you should note that Dr Faith is aware nearly all books about masturbation are geared toward cis-women, so please send any other recommendations her way because as she points out:

 

"Everyone should have access to affirming, appropriate information".

Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy helps fill that gap, and will definitely put the power back in your hands.
  

Buy a copy direct from Microcosm Publishing: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/7455

Don't forget to check out other issues in the series too.

Review by Nathan Penlington

Don't Be Retarded #1

Don't Be Retarded #1: Autistic Pride in a Neurophobic World 

Edited by Joe Biel / Microcosm Publishing

11cm x 18cm, 64 pages

$5 USD

"Autism advocacy has focused on the rights and struggles of parents over the past 30 years, resulting in an invisible population of disordered adults who have little voice and less support for what they are going though."

Don't Be Retarded is a new zine started by Joe Biel, the founder and manager of Microcosm Publishing, as a way to help counteract that trend and to foster "a social movement for the neurodiverse". It's an important aim. Those with invisible disabilities suffer the double ignominy of the burden of explanation followed by the resultant disability stigma. 

Joe explains the inspiration for the zine's title: 

"I began polling my Autistic mentees and peers. Just like me, everyone has suffered under the word 'retarded'. But taking the word away without taking away the stigma, bias, and attitude does nothing to take away the hurt and only insults our intelligence further". 

The contributors to Don't Be Retarded have largely been diagnosed as Autistic in adulthood, and although every individual has unique experiences, there are common themes of alienation, despair, and seeking acceptance, that run throughout the pieces.  

'Things I no longer have' by Eliot Daughtry is an insightful look at the sound equipment crucial to surviving 50 years prior to a diagnosis, and how the function of behaviours can be manifold; Partly Robot relates their experiences of working the perfect job for the detail orientated; Aaron Poliwoda's comic Autism-Man V's the evil Neurotypical discusses the difficulties surrounding a lack of Autism awareness; Tammy Porter contributes a moving reflection on a life lived undiagnosed; Ricki Bransen examines the lenses our lives are viewed through; Temple Grandin looks at how to reduce stigma by getting good at something; and Joe Biel's pieces offer a thought provoking look at attitude, perception, and discrimination.

Don't Be Retarded is an essential read both for anyone who has struggled, or is struggling, as a disordered adult, and for those open to understanding.

Buy a copy direct from Microcosm: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/9412


Review by Nathan Penlington

Railroad Semantics #1

Railroad Semantics #1: Eugene, Portland, Pocatello, and Back! 
By Aaron Dactyl / Microcosm Publishing

14cm x 18cm, 64 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $5.95-$9.95

Semantics is a branch of linguistics concerned with changes in meaning. Railroad Semantics - apart from being just a great sounding and looking zine name - is concerned ultimately with American railroads, and their place and meaning, both within a subculture and the wider cultural expanse. 

As Aaron explains in the introduction the zine is:

"a compliment to the off the grid lifestyle train hopping represents". 

Railroad Semantics is mostly comprised of first hand accounts documenting Aaron's journeys across the vast landscapes of America riding cars of huge freight trains - complete with near misses, and close calls - accompanied by his black and white photographs of landscapes, graffiti, and fellow riders. Interspersed are newspaper clippings of related interest - train disasters, train fanatics, and a fascinating piece about a town called Bill. And of more cryptic origin, handwritten letters from a fellow rail traveller. 

The content overlaps and shifts the ground, almost like sifting the mythology of the great American railroad through a fine grid. Earlier this year I reviewed Adam Void's zine about riding the American railroad, this zine has obvious parallels, and if you like that zine, you'll love this one too.

The production and design quality of Railroad Semantics is fantastic too, right down to a soft matt finish to the cover. 

Even if the closest you'll get to jumping the rails is being crushed while standing on a late running daily commute, Railroad Semantics will help pull focus on the cultural landscape of the train. I can't wait to read other issues. 

Buy Railroad Semantics #1 here: microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3620

The first four issues are even available as a box set (there is something I find deeply satisfying about that): microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/6478


Review by Nathan Penlington

Simple History Series #1

Simple History Series #1: Christopher Columbus & his expeditions to America

J. Gerlach

Microcosm Publishing

10.7cm x 14cm, 36 pages

$4

This is #1 of a series of short, pocket sized guides to the events and personalities that dominate history. First published in 2006, these have been reprinted with updated illustrations by Microcosm. While I am a huge fan of Microcosm's zine compilations I think the benefit of this series being in cheap individual editions is in allowing students of history a focused look at individual topics. 

J. Gerlach states in the introduction:

"We are taught that we, as humans, are always moving forward - that the mistakes and prejudices of the past have been overcome. The embarrassing details about our heroes are glossed over or completely omitted from the story. Because of these tendencies, the history we are taught doesn't make sense with the world we see around us."

As Columbus is taught as a kind of hero figure in the USA (only one of two individuals to have a national holiday named in his honour), it's fitting that the series begins by taking a look at the reality of his four voyages 'west to go east'. The text also gives an overview of his ambition, goals, and motivations, which add up to traits that merely reflect a desire for fame and fortune. 

The text is well written, concise and to the point, and also includes a bibliography of source material and further reading. While the illustrations help enliven the zine, the maps help clarify the voyages in a straightforward manner. 

If you're looking for a critical overview of a historical figure prone to being eulogised - for $4 it's a no-brainer. And if you want a zine to fit in your pocket that helps expand your world view, this series is a good place to start. As J. Gerlach says:

"We have to ask ourselves, what kind of heroes do we really want?"

Buy a copy here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/1920



Review by Nathan Penlington

A guide to picking locks - #1

A guide to picking locks - #1

Nick Adams & CrimethInc /  Microcosm Publishing

21.5cm x 18cm, 80 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $6.95-$10.95

Confession time: as a kid I was really into magic, and like pretty much every young boy who is into magic I developed a fascination with the most famous magician in history - Harry Houdini. Houdini, of course, most famous for his infamous escapes - some of which form part of his legend, some very much still in the popular imagination (scenes in films like Mission: Impossible, and Ocean's Eleven, owe a huge debt to Houdini). My obsession with Houdini meant I read all the locking picking books I could find, persuaded the postman to donate any sacks they were throwing out so I could be tied inside to try and escape, and my mum even knitted me a straitjacket. If only this zine existed back then, perhaps my interested would have developed in a more practical way.

A guide to picking locks - #1 is another compilation zine lovingly produced by Microcosm Publishing, essentially a revised and updated compendium of PLT (How to make your own Professional Lock Tools 1-4). 

Don't get me wrong, this is not a zine for wannabe Houdinis, it's a meticulous and serious guide to making and using your own lock picks. It takes you step-by-step through the principles of lock pick design; the types of metal and tools you need to make various picks; layout, grinding, filing and finishing; the most common types of door locks, as well as car doors, and office equipment. 

If you have access to a moderately equipped workshop you could easily follow this guide - the illustrations and text are crystal clear - and with a steady hand and practice you could  have a solid sideline as a locksmith. Nowhere in this zine does it encourage breaking the law - if you are mindless enough to break and enter you are unlikely to want to put the time and effort in to mastering these techniques. With this skill set comes responsibility, but it might just save someones life. 

As for how I escaped from that knitted straitjacket? I'm afraid that's a trade secret. 

Buy a copy of A guide to picking locks - #1 direct from Microcosm: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/2883

Review by Nathan Penlington

The CIA makes Science Fiction Unexciting

The CIA makes Science Fiction Unexciting

Series edited by Joe Biel

Microcosm Publishing

18cm x 11cm, 160 pages

Cost: offered as part of Microcosm Publishing sliding scale pricing $7.95-$11.95 USD

Microcosm Publishing excels in producing a diverse array of zines, and perhaps more importantly also produces compilation publications that collate together and reprint series of zines that would otherwise be unobtainable. 

The CIA makes Science Fiction Unexciting is an updated compilation of the first 5 zines in the series, which were originally written ten years ago. Subtitled 'Dark Deeds & Derring Do from 1950 to Today', it examines the secret history of the CIA and the shadowy world of American politics. Looking at the USA today, its a publication that has never been more relevant. 

Broken down into chapters that concentrate on separate events or topics: The assassination on Martin Luther King Jr; AIDS & biological weapons; how the PATRIOT act infringed upon basic American rights; the assassination of Puerto Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios; and the reality behind Iran-Contra. 

While some of these topics are certainly in the area of conspiracy theory, we are living in a time where political conspiracy is revealed on a daily basis. Nothing in this publication is beyond the scope of a government with global power and the wealth of the 1% as its key motivators. 

The content is extremely well written, leading the reader through the relevant terms and key players, building compelling arguments with thorough research, incontrovertible facts and data, examining and eliminating secondary sources where necessary. If you want to dig deeper each chapter has its own list of further reading and references. 

While incidental to the text, it's stylishly designed and illustrated, and just goes to prove Microcosm's attention to detail.

The CIA makes Science Fiction Unexciting is a book that will fit in your pocket. Buy it, carry it with you - and if you ever disbelieve the way the US is heading, have a look at where it's been.

Buy your copy here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3903

Review by Nathan Penlington

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Coping Skills

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Coping Skills

by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS

10.5cm x 14cm, 24 pages, cardboard cover.

$3

Because Sometimes Life Is Some Serious Bullshit

We life in a society that is always on, always demanding attention - we're always thinking or doing. And because we rarely get chance to switch off, to be calm, to reflect, our brains and bodies are over-stimulated and over-stressed. 

So how do we turn this situation around? Dr Faith once again steps up with some seriously practical advice on how you can actively regain some calm, some focus, and some energy. In her trademark style - you know - funny, friendly, compassionate, non-judgemental - Dr Faith lays out ten key ways to help you cope with what life throws at you. 

Like others zines in the Five Minute Therapy series, Coping Skills is published by Microcosm in a no-nonsense style. Small enough to fit in your pocket for those moments when you just need a helping hand. 

Buy Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy on coping skills direct from Microcosm Publishing: 
microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/7178

Check out Microcosmpublishing.org for other zines in Dr Faith's series. 


Review by Nathan Penlington

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Dating

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Dating

by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS

14cm x 2.5cm, 12 pages, cardboard cover.

$4

Dating - It's Not Relationshipping (And That's A Good Thing)

We're all been there: single and looking. But in the last few years the revolution in dating apps has made it so much easier to be 'single and not really looking', 'single and in it for the hook ups', or 'single and staying the hell out of it'. Dating has become stressful and emotionally bruising, and that's even before you get to the actual meeting someone face to face. 

This is where Dr Faith steps in to help once again - offering no nonsense, zero bullshit, friendly, funny, and practical advice. Reclaiming dating as a fun activity, but avoiding the traps of being addicted to attention, or annoying the F*@k out of your friends and family, is easy when it's broken down into ten steps of things to consider, remember, or act on. 

I've become a big fan of Dr Faith's zines, I think they succeed in ways self-help books don't. Whether you need a shot of life coaching, or you have a friend that needs a jolt of common-sense therapy, her zines are a cheap way to help deal with a specific area of need. 

So - stop swiping, start reading. 

Buy Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy on Dating direct from Microcosm Publishing: 
microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/7181

Check out Microcosmpublishing.org for other zines in Dr Faith's series. 


Review by Nathan Penlington

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Anger

Dr Faith's 5 minute therapy - Anger

by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS

14cm x 2.5cm, 28 pages, cardboard cover.

$4

This is your brain on ANGER - what it is, how to deal 

We're living in a society that is getting angrier. A few minutes on Twitter, or the comments section of YouTube will prove that. But away from social media anger is a destructive emotion that can seriously harm your health, your sleep, and your relationships, if you let it rule your life. 

In order to tackle a big topic this is a more in-depth zine than some of the other zines in Dr Faith's series. The reader is guided through the neuroscience of anger, helping you get to grips with what is actually going on in your brain is fundamental to helping you retrain your responses. In essence this zine with help you to "let anger work for you, not against you", taking you step by step through strategies to analyse your anger, and discover just what are underlying causes to your feelings. 

What makes Dr Faith's Five Minute Therapy series so great is that each zine is succinct, friendly, low on bullshit, and high on helping you really get to grips with your problem. This issue is no exception. 

If anger is an issue you recognise in the mirror, you owe it to yourself to put your brain in a better frame of mind before you cause serious harm to yourself or others. And if you know someone with anger issues, giving them this zine might be the first step to working towards a healthier outlook. 

Buy Dr Faith's 5 Minute Therapy on ANGER direct from Microcosm Publishing: 
microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/3794

Check out Microcosmpublishing.org for other zines in Dr Faith's series. 


Review by Nathan Penlington