This magazine is old school, if that still exists in zineland. Zine World, as many of you may already know, was in many ways the alternative to Factsheet Five in the States (though it lived on beyond Factsheet Five’s death). Featuring more than just a super dose of reviews, Zine World is an essential resource for zine enthusiasts who want to show their friends that the Internet hasn’t killed the creation of zines; a perfect guide for those who still do trades by mail and love to go the post office to pick up or send out their wares. Nearly 100 zines are reviewed in these pages, and it features tons of cool zine ads and, not many, but a few zine excerpts.
While the reviews tend to be largely negative (something most review zines and magazine are also accused of), they do at least let you know where you can pick up the zines and how often they come out. Another useful section is the extensive classified pages with dozens of calls for submissions for upcoming zines and chapbooks. In an editorial called “Zinester” Craven Rock dissects the term, how it annoys him and almost keeps him up at night. (Rock: try working for a magazine whose initials are the same as a company who is responsible for the single largest environmental disaster in the history of time!) This full-sized magazine wouldn’t have the same appeal if it were exclusively online. The grit is here, it’s down to earth, and very specifically geared towards those who zine and perpetuate the culture. (Nathaniel G. Moore)
Magazine, issue 29, undergroundpress.org, $5