Cockroach Zine: The Nature Issue
Zine, Issue 11, 24 pgs, cockroachzine.com, $5
Cockroach Zine’s 11th issue, with its kicker reading: “For Canadians who give a damn”, stays true to its feminist and environmental roots. Every issue includes artwork, articles, recipes, DIY projects, and much more pertaining to the topic of choice. The nature issue expands on the idea of environmentally-friendly, sustainable living practices, with pieces including a dandelion fritter recipe, DIY menstrual pads, a story about the Bobo Academy clothing company, and a how-to guide on foraging. By far my favourite piece was “Cacti-Kicking Stress” where author Meg Crane (also the magazine’s editor-in-chief) shamelessly discusses her love of indoor plants and her knack of killing them. You are not alone in that skill my friend! The layout of the magazine is very user-friendly, and the small section it dedicates to advertisements and promotion seems modest at most. Cockroach is a queer-friendly magazine, featuring some bad-ass queer folks on the front cover promoting their ‘homo-graphic’ apparel, coming from Bobo Academy. Cockroach is based out of Winnipeg, and feels like a petite true-to-Canada feminist magazine. Some parts of the magazine are more geared towards folk with rural inclinations than others, but all the pieces inspire creativity no matter where you live. And make sure to read the “Sex in the Outdoors” advice page…be wary of sand, thorns, and brambles! (KK Taylor)