As seller and also buyer, it feels as format of "zine" or "magazine" has been effected by sheer amount of images there are available. I am conscious of it plus critical about it, but also effected. While ago I was ordering some art zines outside Finland, and when you check out couple pre-view images and think.. 32 pages, A5, 10 euro. Ok. I can take it, but could I take multiple copies so I could sell some. To whom? People who may be exposed to hundreds, thousands of images at IG or something, and what is the role of paper zine with couple dozen pages?
Same thing appears with comics. Small DIY underground comics zine format is almost dead here, compared to situation couple decades ago. It is either online or book format that you will find.
My first involvement in "underground" started with self-made comics. Before bands, labels, or such. Just being exposed to 80's finn small-press / comic association anthologies and then self published comics/art zines. Idea of someone putting out tiny zine with handful of drawings, writing or something still remains one of things I remain to be interested in. There is something else in it, than uploading to social media.
Some of latest small print purchases have been like... hmm.. Tiitu Takalo "junassa" (On a train). I suppose it needs to be connected to her work as really talented comic artist, since this small postcard size self published book is "merely" sketches she drew while on long train rides. Small print run, hand stamped, found it in local art gallery couple weeks ago. 2025 release. No story, beyond just drawings and short fin/english texts here and there describing situation. Takalo's graphic novels are usually great. Her ability to depict human facial gestures is way beyond the normal. Which can also get highly annoying for brutes like myself. Feminism and related political leanings combined to expressive emotional female characters are sometimes... both merit and challenge, hah.
Anyways, "Junassa" is indeed one example of art zine (although 100 pages is already pretty thick) that is both object, self financed, partially hand made, but also many can ask: Why? Why I would buy pile of paper with some sketches made during train ride? No story? etc.
https://tiitutakalo.net/junassa-on-a-train/
Recently there has been a lot of talk about shittyfication. One example being that bigger corporations keep making search engines worse and worse with conscious aim to keep people online, searching something they cant find fast.. so that they will see more ads and stay on their apps and search engines. Suddenly it feels vastly better idea to grab a zine or art book with merely handful of things to observe than jump into some of the social media apps where you got millions of images, but... nothing you really want to see?
I also like idea that something gets done. 'Zine that you actually read/watch from cover to cover. Not something that never ends.
Inspiring art zines? New, old, soft & arty, vile & transgressive. I'm interested to hear.
Zines vs. screens!
I assume many here already read Neons zine from Neons Publishing?
Interviews/articles with transgressive topics and vile collages.
Issue #5 was in stock not too long ago.
Website is down when I'm writing this, but check back later? https://neonspublishing.limitedrun.com/
Neons is great, though that latest issue never arrived. Not Raph's fault, it made it to the states, but must be stuck in customs hell. Bummer because I was really looking forward to it.
Some zines that I've been reading lately:
HONK! Magazine Issue 2 -- bizarre porno zine with interviews, reviews, stories, and plenty of filthy artwork [I have drawings in issues 1 and 2]. Definitely a labor of love because each zine is printed and hand bound by the creators. There's a really good interview with them on the Connelly's other podcast, Underground Espionage, that's worth listening to.
https://greasycinema.com/%f0%9f%8e%88-honk-issue-number-two-is-here/
Skum Kulture -- mostly reviews and interviews dealing with anything from UFOs to XXX films. Very DIY and old school approach, and cheap! https://skumkulture.bandcamp.com/merch
I love my Siikala zines (and I hope that the latest one will be out soon?).
Manuel Pereira is very good too. Large zine size and very high quality paper consisting of cool xerox collages. The content should also interest some of the users here...
Check out Sleaze Crescendo: https://www.instagram.com/thesleazecrescendo
I'm a fan of printed zine, them being professionally or amateurishly made. Come to mind the Muerte Violenta zines, by Mexican artist and musician Carlos Davila (Sodomy From Beyond, Hiroshima Dust, etc...), which I jealously and carefully keep away from light and dust. Homeprinted on simple paper, no explanations, only black and white scans, mostly, of some of the best analog collages I've ever seen. Death is everywhere. Same artist, similar vibe, the Sangre! zines, with professionally printed covers and coloured collages. Unique textures, the kind which gets usually looked for with digital means, but which I don't think can be achieved that way. Some things are meant to be done by hand and with more experimental approach than computer tools, which can also be great, of course, but demand a different kind of knowledge.
Also
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on December 14, 2025, 10:43:54 AMPeople who may be exposed to hundreds, thousands of images at IG or something, and what is the role of paper zine with couple dozen pages?
It is also true that it's probably easier for people to look for certain types of content on Instagram, even though the moderation rules, censorship and whatsoever make everything way more complicated today. Small, underground artist who wants to reach a certain audience will get flooded in the mass of dumb stuff which is nowadays very common today. I remember this NY based artist who used to make a lot of analog collage art, named TheOtherSideofTheRainbow. I don't know if still active. I think it's a shame that he never put out a fanzine format anthology of his works, which were hallucinating. I used to take screenshots of everything so i wouldn't loose the pleasure at staring them.
Other US based artist, if i remember correctly, disappeared from IG around 2020 or so, incredible stuff. If I remember correctly, there was a fanzine collaboration with collage artist Adam Medford ? I don't know if he made anything within the Noise/Power Electronics scene. Mostly ultra gore medical stuff and collaboration with Death Metal and Grindcore bands. Pharmacist (Japan) comes to mind. Maybe Fluids (US) as well, and a lot of others, of course.
I myself used to be quite active for many years, but only succeeded at putting out a couple zines featuring analog collages I used to make. First one was more like an anthology of stuff made around the same religious theme, called God Hates Fags. Stuff that can't be really shown on IG without censoring a lot, which is annoying. Other one was a split zine collab with another Italian collage artist, run of 50 copies or so named Nothing Will Change Until You Die. Might even think about reprinting my side of the zine one of these days, just for the sake of it.
Quote from: Balor/SS1535 on December 15, 2025, 07:04:51 PMI love my Siikala zines (and I hope that the latest one will be out soon?).
Any news about the (upcoming) Seksnobyl ? I think I had seen somewhere, not sure if here or on his IG account, that there would be a fourth issue? I might be wrong though.
Quote from: Vrenndel on April 07, 2026, 03:01:41 PMOther US based artist, if i remember correctly, disappeared from IG around 2020 or so, incredible stuff. If I remember correctly, there was a fanzine collaboration with collage artist Adam Medford ? I don't know if he made anything within the Noise/Power Electronics scene. Mostly ultra gore medical stuff and collaboration with Death Metal and Grindcore bands. Pharmacist (Japan) comes to mind. Maybe Fluids (US) as well, and a lot of others, of course.
Dude's still on IG - strange_creature_collages. He did those Striations Trauma Code tapes as well. Put out a book too: https://youtu.be/uyNkFi0HjJs
Quote from: Hakaristi on April 07, 2026, 04:03:12 PMQuote from: Vrenndel on April 07, 2026, 03:01:41 PMOther US based artist, if i remember correctly, disappeared from IG around 2020 or so, incredible stuff. If I remember correctly, there was a fanzine collaboration with collage artist Adam Medford ? I don't know if he made anything within the Noise/Power Electronics scene. Mostly ultra gore medical stuff and collaboration with Death Metal and Grindcore bands. Pharmacist (Japan) comes to mind. Maybe Fluids (US) as well, and a lot of others, of course.
Dude's still on IG - strange_creature_collages. He did those Striations Trauma Code tapes as well. Put out a book too: https://youtu.be/uyNkFi0HjJs
Ah yes, Strange Creature Collages! It wasn't him specifically him I was thinking about though. The other artist I was thinking used "Cursed Wheel" as pseudonym/user name. More political/social oriented stuff. I don't know if that rings any bells.. I might still have some screenshots on an old harddisk, his stuff was truly amazing.
Quote from: Vrenndel on April 07, 2026, 03:01:41 PMI remember this NY based artist who used to make a lot of analog collage art, named TheOtherSideofTheRainbow. I don't know if still active. I think it's a shame that he never put out a fanzine format anthology of his works, which were hallucinating. I used to take screenshots of everything so i wouldn't loose the pleasure at staring them.
One of my favorites. Last I knew, his most recent account is @othersideoftherainbow.666
But yeah, I agree, wish he would release some printed collection of works.
I think I remember Siikala saying he's working on two new Seksnobyl issues simultaneously? I believe it was in the interview he did with Safety Propaganda.
Quote from: Vrenndel on April 07, 2026, 03:08:46 PMQuote from: Balor/SS1535 on December 15, 2025, 07:04:51 PMI love my Siikala zines (and I hope that the latest one will be out soon?).
Any news about the (upcoming) Seksnobyl ? I think I had seen somewhere, not sure if here or on his IG account, that there would be a fourth issue? I might be wrong though.
He has posted photos with captions suggesting that a fourth issue will be, well, forthcoming. No definite news, as far as I am aware, however.
Quote from: HateSermon on April 07, 2026, 06:01:18 PMQuote from: Vrenndel on April 07, 2026, 03:01:41 PMI remember this NY based artist who used to make a lot of analog collage art, named TheOtherSideofTheRainbow. I don't know if still active. I think it's a shame that he never put out a fanzine format anthology of his works, which were hallucinating. I used to take screenshots of everything so i wouldn't loose the pleasure at staring them.
One of my favorites. Last I knew, his most recent account is @othersideoftherainbow.666
But yeah, I agree, wish he would release some printed collection of works.
I think I remember Siikala saying he's working on two new Seksnobyl issues simultaneously? I believe it was in the interview he did with Safety Propaganda.
I just read again the Siikala interview you mentioned.
"Is all art libidinal?" Makes me think about a fragment of the Cervical Smear interview in the
Neuesachlichkeit book by
Abgrund: "When your cock grow hard, you jerk it or thrust it into some hole. The enthusiasm of death is not meant to be analysed, but grasped." In the
Safety Propaganda interview, Siikala said
"Ballard writes about having sex with ideas, that's what I am doing. With Seksnobyl I am creating an entity, and a platform to grow.. Something to have sex with."
https://www.starcommandblue.com/product-page/marcel-swann-je-cherche-mon-coeur-dans-les-ordures
New book from Marcel Swann & Sondiaze (@sondiaze on instagram)
Maybe not a "zine" technically, but only the second book from traditionally zine publisher/artist Swann, this project could honestly be posted in a few threads on here, but reading this thread made me think of it, and earlier comments specifically mentioned the thousands of images one sees on Instagram every day, their cheapening value, and them not being anything you "want to see"—all things which I think are themes in Sondiaze's work, which is hosted specifically on Instagram. Playing with the different ways fetish content has worked its way into stuff "influencers" post, like clothing hauls/mukbangs/medical vlogs, or videos online sex workers (OnlyFans, Fansly, etc.) post when advertising themselves on "SFW" social media. Playing up all these elements to a fascinating degree, she has even launched a Fansly account, and pictures from it feature in this book.
Shipping to the US is more expensive than the book, but I am quite happy I got a copy. Her Instagram is definitely worth checking out on its own. I have been following her work for a while; Swann I am less familiar with, but checking out the other zines on his website, it seems like he deals with a lot of the same themes, pornography, kinks, etc. Might be some good stuff there too!
Quote from: Dingdop on April 08, 2026, 04:10:45 PMhttps://www.starcommandblue.com/product-page/marcel-swann-je-cherche-mon-coeur-dans-les-ordures
New book from Marcel Swann & Sondiaze (@sondiaze on instagram)
Maybe not a "zine" technically, but only the second book from traditionally zine publisher/artist Swann, this project could honestly be posted in a few threads on here, but reading this thread made me think of it, and earlier comments specifically mentioned the thousands of images one sees on Instagram every day, their cheapening value, and them not being anything you "want to see"—all things which I think are themes in Sondiaze's work, which is hosted specifically on Instagram. Playing with the different ways fetish content has worked its way into stuff "influencers" post, like clothing hauls/mukbangs/medical vlogs, or videos online sex workers (OnlyFans, Fansly, etc.) post when advertising themselves on "SFW" social media. Playing up all these elements to a fascinating degree, she has even launched a Fansly account, and pictures from it feature in this book.
Shipping to the US is more expensive than the book, but I am quite happy I got a copy. Her Instagram is definitely worth checking out on its own. I have been following her work for a while; Swann I am less familiar with, but checking out the other zines on his website, it seems like he deals with a lot of the same themes, pornography, kinks, etc. Might be some good stuff there too!
Sondiaze and Jukka Siikala collaboration needed.