Zine Reviews

For beer connoisseurs and plain beer drinkers alike, Stubby Buddy is an essential guide to mostly non-mainstream, imported beers on the market. It gives me an unimaginably unquenchable thirst reading it and an immense shopping list for the next trip to the bottle-o.

Released before last years Federal election, the zine also provides an election drinking guide (e.g Greens- Cascade Green, Liberal- VB), an update on the controversial issue of pubs and clubs closing times, the fading live music venue scene in Melbourne, other news and views and many, many beer reviews. Their is even the opportunity to win FREE BEER in competitions!

I must find out where this zine is distributed or at least contact the creators and ask for a job. It would be my dream occupation to get plastered on imported and local gourmet beers mostly for free and then in a drunken haze somehow manage to type a review.

Stubby Buddy is an AUSTRALIAN zine and is available via the Sticky Institute

I can honestly call myself a zombiephile and this booklet is incredibly charming and very handy if the eventual zombie apocalypse ever occurs. It is A5 and black and white with basic yet funny illustrations accompanying the couplets.

Containing the likes of:

'A useful tool, if time is poor: a made-to-order two-by-four.'

'If in a group, the paths are two, "Let's split up!" - the words of fools.'

'If you chance upon an axe, you'll have an edge the zombie lacks.'

A great accompaniment to the 'Zombie Survival Guide' and 'World War Z' by Max Brooks and the fantastic ongoing comic series, The Walking Dead.

Written and illustrated by Elizabeth Tan.

This AUSTRALIAN zine costs $3. Email zombiecouplets@hotmail.com for more info.

"This zine is not about being a cheapskate, being frugal, living in poverty or scamming people to get stuff for free," reads the opening sentence.

"It's about letting go of the belief that money is essential to get anywhere and being open to the abundance of nature."

You know, I'm open to this new way of thinking. It'd be nice to tread more lightly through the world.
This zine is very idealistic and while some of the tips and ideas are pretty cool (I like the rocket stove made out of cans, terracotta fridge and making vege gardens) some of them actually do involve living in poverty or scamming people.

The "Health" section made me livid.

Pretty sure my journalism degree is flat out qualifying me to be a journalist, let alone to fix my own chronic mental and physical health problems. I tried to fix my own body and you know what? My expensive GP and specialist did a much better job.

YOU is a weekly zine that consists of a letter inside of an envelope. It's called YOU, meaning that the letter is addressed to YOU. It's existed for a fairly long time, and is often spoken highly of in certain circles. It is even considered by some (really pretentious) folks as being kind of an institution. Personally I just don't see it. The art project side of it I appreciate. The fact that each week the housing of the letter is unique and cool looking is impressive. That aspect of the project is kinda awesome. However, I have never come across an issue where the actual contents have ever really been worth reading.