Zines I read in 2022 (December)

Hi, this is the final edition of “zines I read in 2022” but of course I will keep reading in 2023! This time we’ve got witchy, poetry, activist, and comic zines, and a bunch of feminist mini-zines that were made during National Women’s Day…

Let’s start with the biggest size zine: Wat is Hekserij? (Dutch for “What is witchery?”). This booklet is published by Lunadea who has written a series of zines/booklets on witchy topics as well as two books about green witchcraft. This introductionary guide explains what contemporary witches practice and believe. It delves into witchcraft as lifestyle, the force of nature, the elements, divination, rituals, the wheel of the year, and much more. Throughout the zine there are beautiful illustrations that make this an even greater pleasure to read. And yes, that’s a mini pentagram bookmark you can see on the photos!

Onderweg (“En route” in Dutch) is a small full-colour square-shaped comic zine with bright drawings of a walk with a dead plant. The vibrant colours contrast its tragicomic message and make me curious for more art and zines from this illustrator.

I recently did a zine trade with KD Hume who writes the zine series Gramarye (see next month’s zine reviews!). Included in the trade was a A6/quarter-size zine called The Tiny Book of Tiny Adventures in Witchcraft. It contains inventive ideas for simple magick and spells without having to buy any materials as spell books usually do. I love it when witches combine their magick zines with political views and protests so I’m very happy to add this to my zine collection and would love to find more of such zines. Talking about collecting, the author has started the Museum of Contemporary Witchcraft!

The Pointy Hat #1 is a free mini-zine about Yule or Winter Solstice. I really dig the look of this zine, with lots of stamps and painted backgrounds. Inside you can find ideas to celebrate with recipes and decorations. I’m also happy to see that it’s numbered so that gives me hope for follow-up issues!

Pot Pourri #0 is another free mini-zine with amazing artwork, a feminist vibe, and witchy aesthetic. It’s written in French, interviews 3 visual artists, and includes an illustrated “like list” and a poster on the inside. I’m equally curious to read follow-up issues! As this is #0 it feels like a kind of prequel or try-out.

Doing zine swaps in person with Meeni Levi is always a pleasure. I recently received Leftover Sundays which features zir’s brilliant and funny short poems. On the inside there’s a black & white collage with a list of things that can be found in the author’s bedroom. If poetry chapbook meets DIY mini-zine is your thing, check this out! And while you’re at it, check Meeni Levi’s other zines as well.

Resistance is Not a Grapefruit Diet is righteously angry feminist mini-zine by one of the Girls Go BOOM members. I picked it up at the Pardon Zine birthday party. It talks about anger, change, and different ways and ideas for how to achieve it. It’s a punky cut & paste style booklet with hand-written text and collage work that fits the message well. Great publication for any activist out there (to give us extra fuel and ideas) or for those just beginning to question patriarchy and the capitalist system.

Finally, I read the mini-zines that were made and printed during a workshop I taught at national women’s day (Vrouwendag) on November 11th in Brussels. Not all participants could stay until the end of the workshop so I didn’t get to see all of their creations in print but I’m very happy to have received 8 beautiful and super powerful mini-zines! I’m so proud of what everyone made, all first-time zinesters! It’s so cool to see their passionate feminist collages and writing and I hope they will keep on making zines!

PS. I would love to read a zine about Star Trek Deep Space 9 and a possible trans reading of the Trills! Anyone know of a zine like that?