Zines and Minicomics Collection, 1985- | Special Collections & University Archives

By Anna Culbertson and Adam Burkhart

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Collection Overview

Title: Zines and Minicomics Collection, 1985-

Predominant Dates:1995-

Extent: 42.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 00/00/2002. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: American poetry--20th century, Anarchism, Comic books, strips, etc., Feminism, Gender, Music, Politics, Popular culture, Riot grrrl movement, Riot grrrl movement--Periodicals, Self-care, Health, Transgender people, Women, Young women

Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Zines and Minicomics Collection combines materials from two former collections known as the West Coast Zines Collection and the Comics Collection. The collection ranges from 1985 to the present and includes zines and minicomics on a variety of topics. Concentrations include identity politics (especially riot grrrl, people of color and LGBTQ topics), sexuality and reproductive rights, punk rock, anarchism, activism, alternative lifestyles, creative writing, and popular culture. Notable feminist titles in the collection that began as zines and went on to become major "glossies" include BUST, Bitch, Venus, and Hip Mama.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by publication title, and then chronologically within each title from earliest to latest. A brief description of each publication's content is provided, and links to web versions are available in some instances. Publications are tagged according to the Zine Thesaurus of Subject Terms developed by the Anchor Archive at the Roberts Street Social Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Use the following link to see this list: http://www.robertsstreet.org/thesaurus/out.htm

Also included are supplemental materials, including related correspondence, promotional ephemera, exhibit materials, and a small archive of materials generated by SDSU's Zine & DIY Culture Club, formed and officialy recognized as a student organization in 2016.

Subject/Index Terms

American poetry--20th century
Anarchism
Comic books, strips, etc.
Feminism
Gender
Music
Politics
Popular culture
Riot grrrl movement
Riot grrrl movement--Periodicals
Self-care, Health
Transgender people
Women
Young women

Administrative Information

Repository: Special Collections & University Archives

Accruals: 2002-present

Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions: The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Acquisition Source: Multiple donors

Related Materials: For more information please see http://www.robertsstreet.org/thesaurus/out.htm.

Finding Aid Revision History: Revised 5/2014; collection rearranged to combine formerly-titled West Coast Zines Collection (MS-0278) and selected titles from the Comics Collection (MS-0091).

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

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Box E2

Item 1: Escape Winter: A skateboard guide detailing places in Latin America.; Author / Publisher: Rhianon Bader (self-published); Category: travel; skateboarding; tourism; Date / Volume: (2004); Publication Place: unkown
Item 2: The Espresso: "San Diego's Coffehouse and Care Newspaper since 1992"; Author / Publisher: John A. Rippo, ed. (self-published); Category: censorship; coffee; coffee shops; comics; law; legal rights; movie reviews; police; politics; terrorism; Date / Volume: v.10 #5 (July 2002), 6 (Sept. 2002); Publication Place: San Diego, CA
Item 3: Essence: Personal zine with diaristic writings.; Author / Publisher: Erin Skunk (self-published); Category: assimiliation; break-ups; cooking; dreams; heartbreak; loneliness; mixed race; personal stories; photography; poetry; privilege; recipes; zine distros; zine reviews; zines; Date / Volume: #11,12 (1995), 14 (1996), 15 (1997); Publication Place: Vancouver, Canada
Item 4: The Ethics of Care: Personal zine revolving around the author's observations of her father, who is hospitalized after suffering a stroke, and the care he receives because of white privilege. The author also discusses queer relationships, polyamory and her thoughts on family as a queer person.; Author / Publisher: Rachel (self-published); Category: dependency; friends; friendship; health care; lesbian; patriarchy; polyamory; privilege; queer; relationships; sexual relationships; white privilege; Date / Volume: (2013); Publication Place: unknown
Item 5: Euphoria: Personal zine. The author describes her negative emotions, relationships and desire to be alone.; Author / Publisher: Cody Stroh (self-published); Category: break-ups; personal stories; relationships; Date / Volume: (n.d.); Publication Place: Hollansburg, OH
Item 6: The Ever-Changing Palace: Fanzine based on Vicky Wyman's Xanadu comic, with stories and art from numerous contributors.; Author / Publisher: Lex Nakashima, ed. (LX Ltd.); Category: comics; Date / Volume: #3 (1991); Publication Place: Granada Hills, CA
Item 7: Everyday Failures: Personal zine. Issue 1 titled "A Punk Stuck in Suburbia."; Acquisition Information: Gift of Jesica Brubaker, 2016; Author / Publisher: Sarah B. (Punch Drunk Press); Category: personal stories; punk; poverty; suburbs; Date / Volume: #1 (n.d.); Publication Place: unknown
Item 8: Everything Has Been Recorded: Pamphlet made to look like a bible tract, a Christian proselytizing tool, filled with the artist's reflections on his creative block and struggle to do work that is meaningful and fulfilling.; Author / Publisher: Mungo Thomson (Margo Leavin Gallery); Category: art; comics; creativity; Date / Volume: (2000); Publication Place: Los Angeles, CA
Item 9: Evident Truths + Day & Night For It: A minicomic surrounding themes of politics, the most recent election, and current events in the United States.; Acquisition Information: Gift of Donna Barr, 2017; Author / Publisher: Tyler Cohen (self-published); Category: parenting; politics; gender; feminism; Date / Volume: (2017); Publication Place: unknown
Item 10: Evil Queen: Collection of poems about an evil queen.; Author / Publisher: Aaron Wiegert (Budget Press); Category: poetry; Date / Volume: (2013); Publication Place: San Diego, CA
Item 11: Evolution of a Race Riot: Collaborative zine detailing the "homogenizing" whiteness of riot grrrl and mainstream feminism. Nguyen and the other authors are mostly women of color, and talk about their experiences with race, the patriarchy, feminism, and punk. Back page also features a list of 74 zines made by and/or for people of color. Unidentified reprint with editorial insert dated May 2010.; Acquisition Information: Gift of Barnard Library, 2017; Author / Publisher: Mimi Nguyen, ed. (self-published); Category: comics; cultural criticism; illustration; immigration; personal stories; poetry; power relations; punk; race; racial identity; racism; riot grrrl; white privilege; Date / Volume: (August 1997, original printing); Publication Place: Berkeley, CA
Item 12: Exceedingly Beans: Minicomic with nonsensical stories.; Author / Publisher: Ivan Ehlers (self-published); Category: comics; Date / Volume: #2 (n.d.); Publication Place: San Diego, CA
Item 13: Exedra: Personal zine with diaristic writings and other various articles.; Author / Publisher: Kim (self-published); Category: abortion; abuse; feminism; friends; friendship; personal stories; physical abuse; rape; riot grrrl; sexual abuse; violence; women; work; Date / Volume: #4 (spring 1993); Publication Place: Santa Barbara, CA
Item 14: Exile from Kiirs: A Prequel to Reman Mythology: Minicomic with manga style artwork. From the creator's website: "Rema: a distant world of magic and beauty where the gods are slowly dying. The City of Water is held hostage as greed becomes the standard, and a race of elemental demigods are suppressed for their destructive powers."; Author / Publisher: Amy Kim Ganter (self-published); Category: comics; Date / Volume: (2004); Publication Place: unknown
Item 15: Exit Polls: A collaborative zine responding to the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election with letters, personal writings, collages, poetry, and illustrations condemning Donald Trump. Contributors include various SDSU students and faculty, as well as students from NYU and Colby College.; Author / Publisher: Riley Wilson, ed. (SDSU Zine and DIY Culture Club: self-published); Category: activism; alienation; anger; anti-fascism; anxiety; comics; confusion; cultural criticism; depression; disabilities; diversity; fear; gender equality; health care; identity politics; immigration; illustration; letters; misogyny; patriarchy; people of color; personal stories; poetry; politics; power relation; protests; queer identity; racial identity; racism; rape; resistance; riot grrrl; safety; sexism; stereotypes; violence; white privilege; women; xenophobia; Date / Volume: (Nov. 2016); Publication Place: San Diego, CA
Item 16: e.x.p.: Music zine with reviews and interviews.; Author / Publisher: t.S.o.G. (e.x.p.); Category: bands; interviews; music; music reviews; musicians; Date / Volume: Issue A (1998); Publication Place: San Luis Obispo, CA
Item 17: Exponential Love Letter: A poem about missing someone, contained within a mini-zine. Second in "Love Letters to No One" series.; Author / Publisher: Riley Wilson (self-published: SDSU Zine and DIY Culture Club); Category: poetry; Date: (2016); Publication Place: San Diego, CA
Item 18: Express: Weekly East Bay newspaper.; Author / Publisher: Marie Abbondanza (Craftyass); Category: cultural criticism; media critique; movies; music; personal ads; television; theater; Date / Volume: v.18 #13 (Jan. 1996); Publication Place: Berkeley, CA
Item 19: External Text: A personal zine that addresses issues including immigrant rights, labor laws, and gender identity.; Author / Publisher: Yumi (self-published); Category: Cambridge, MA; Date / Volume: #6 (2001); Publication Place: Cambridge, MA