As simple as a folded piece of paper, yet enough to cause a stir on campus: zines.
Typically made from a singular piece of paper, zines appear as a small booklet that shares information and art. The first ever zine, “The Comet,” was created in 1930 and primarily discussed science and science fiction. For the next four decades, science fiction “fanzines” skyrocketed in popularity, influencing cultural and media trends. In fact, it was these very same zines that helped convince studios to keep “Star Trek” going.
Today, in an even more digitally-accessible world, zines have become all the more prevalent, including on campus.
Alain McAlister, a Webster alum of illustration, encourages people to take this creativity to heart. Their own zines feature a range of creations, including a fun collection of “people my partner looks like” to showcasing their own life experiences as a trans person.
“Zines were a way to get around publishing restrictions and censorship,” McAlister said. “[The zine community] is a very affirming space for many marginalized identities.”
McAlister has found success for their zines at the St. Louis Independent Comics Expo (SLICE), where they received the Mr. SLICE award for Local Best in Show. But their work as a “zinester” goes even farther than this. Betty’s Books, for example, has its own community zine that McAlister helps with. The shop, located just a couple blocks away from campus, allows for individuals to fill out an application to put up and share their own zines.
But it was Webster where McAlister got their first taste for zines.
The university’s Book Arts and Letterpress course, offered by Tate Fooley, assigned students to create their own zine to test their skills with different formats. It was here where McAlister produced their first zine, “My Name Is…,” outlining their own difficulties and experiences coming into their transgender identity.
Not unlike McAlister, Webster Arts Coalition (WAC) president Marian Vordtriede also began her journey with zines on campus with “Party at Disco Daves,” in which viewers follow bugs at a party.
Each year, WAC creates two community zines based around Halloween (“Hallowzine”) and Valentine’s Day (“Valenzine”). The group encourages students to submit their own art related to the themes, cultivating in a project with a variety of works and artists. The latest Valenzine featured around 25 students, more than the publication had previously.
“It’s like an incentive to do art, that’s what I see zines as,” Vordtriede said. “I also really enjoy doing poster designs, cover and back cover designs … They’re just so fun to do.”
However, zines aren’t known for their uniformity. McAlister explains zines provide a “space and container,” but that the exact dimensions and content of this can vastly differ. Any way that you can fold paper, you can create a design. The possibilities, though sometimes overwhelming, are endless.
The Webster Philosophy Coalition took this challenge to heart, not only hosting its own zine-making events, but encouraging students to submit for the Webster Philosophy Conference’s zine gallery.
This annual conference, which is now in its 19th year, gives students a chance to submit and share their own philosophical work with others. In an attempt to encourage further student involvement and broaden what a philosophy presentation can look like, coalition co-president Cecelia Anderson is further advertising this option.
“I do think the ability for them to be philosophical ideas as zines is what makes it a really cool idea,” Anderson said. “It just makes philosophical concepts or philosophers so much easier to understand because of how visual and interpretive they are.”
Anderson created her own philosophical zine last semester featuring books about feminist thinking. Currently, there are a few copies still lying around Webster Hall and Pearson House, but they will likely make another appearance at this year’s philosophy conference on March 28.
So far, three students have submitted their work to be shown in the gallery. These zines will be shared during breaks in the day, being presented in a more casual manner to attendees. The coalition hopes to receive somewhere from six to 10 submissions, though more are always welcome.
It’s recommended that students pick a main theme or topic that they enjoy, then summarize its impact and meaning. But, as with the nature of zines, there are numerous options available.
“It can really be about whatever people want and that’s what’s cool, but I think starting with something they liked in a class or some authors they like can help with ideas for what to put,” Anderson said.
For those wishing to experiment and share their own zines, there is a zine library located near the entryway and student lounge of the Visual Arts Studio (VAS) building. Most students “borrow” the zines, reading over them before setting them back for others to see.
But sometimes, it’s just a matter of getting started.
“Make the messiest [zine] you possibly can! It’s about trying your best, even if you mess it up,” McAlister said. “It’s about trying to remember at the end of the day that it’s cool to make art with them.”
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