Holy Titclamps web page: http://www.holytitclamps.com
This list has the zine reviews from Queer Zine Explosion #21, compiled in August 2009. This includes new zines since QZE #20, which was published in August 2003. A "+" sign means it's the first time the zine was reviewed in Queer Zine Explosion. A "*" means it's been reviewed before but there is a new issue.
Since there hasn't been a Queer Zine Explosion since 2003, I thought it would be good to do an upate with currently available queer zines. Some of them I have directly reviewed, others I have information and did listings based on that. Special thanks for zine tips from Chris and Milo of QZAP and Kelly Shortandqueer.
If you are adding a link to Queer Zine Explosion, please link to http://holytitclamps.com/qze which will point users to the most recent file.
Also updated is a list of Non-queer-specific zine resources
Send queer zines for review to
+ And Heart 101 3D Popup Book: Little art book printed on newsprint with art by Sara Thustra, who has done poster art for Gay Shame and also produced calendars. Not a traditional popup book, but has tinsel bound in and there are other visual effects. The O.W. L. House Press, 3288 21st PBM 79, San Francisco, CA 94110. Available as a 2-for-1 deal with A Hole in the Rubber (see below) for $7 from Needles and Pens. http://www.needles-pens.com/newstuff.html
+ Angry Black-White Girl, Borderlands 1, Borderlands 2, The First 7-Inch was Better: How I Became an Ex-Punk, Ungrateful Black-White Girl, Queer Comics to Watch Out For are all zines produced by Nia. Except the last, available from StrangerDangerDistro.com. Also some are downloadable from QZAP.org. email nia.is.king@gmail.com
* Anonymous Boy Collection 8: A selection of drawings of punk rock guys, many in sexual situations, with amusing captions. The artist got his start with drawings in pioneering queer zine JDS. PO Box 1502, Old Chelsea Station, NY NY 10113. anonyarena@yahoo.com
+ A Bear Should Know Better - And I Do #1-#2: New zine by Tim of Noise Queen and Ponyboys zines. His zines have generally focused on music (and back issues are all available), but this he says focuses on his "new, furrier side." $2 Canada/US. Email ponyboys@gmail.com for snail mail address.
+ Bent Comix #1: A full-color sampler of comics by queer male contributors; many of the entries are sexually explicit. Contents include Feral, about a werewolf, by Dave Davenport; a Glamazonia comic, The Invincible Iron Tranny by Justin Hall; Wuvable Oaf and the Troff Pig and Oaf's Worst Dates Ever by Ed Luce; Load: the weekly comic strip and Cock of the Walk Gets Smashed by Sam Saturday; In Space No One Can Hear You Squeal by Mark Padilla and Johnny Nolen; Myth by Sean-Z; In Plain Sight by Steve MacIsaac; panels by Brad Rader; Anti-Heroes 3 by JC Etheredge; and Fiendin' Fo' Th' Foot-Long by Belasco. $5, http://bentcomix.com
+ Black Carrot #12, #13, #14: #12 is the Jewish issue, which starts out with a piece about what it means to editor Dave to be Jewish; there's also a piece about the reasons for a new tradition of having an orange on the Seder plate (it has to do with spitting out seeds representing homophobia); happy Jewish memories. #13 has thoughts about Kadish and parents; a piece about bisexuality; Boners: relationship to the body before and after puberty; an Amtrak love story. #14 tries a new approach: 50 short stories (each a paragraph or so.) See also the zine Fort Mortgage, and Dave is also in the band Bromance. (#12=$1, #13=$2, #14=$3) to Box 830, Chicago, IL 60690. tacolove@gmail.com
+ Bound to Struggle #3: Anthology zine "where kink and radical politics meet" by Simon Strikeback of Chicago-based band Actor Slash Model. $6, simon strikeback, 1433 w. lunt 1N, chicago, il 60626. http://www.myspace.com/boundtostruggle
+ Fag School #1-#3: Zine by Brontez, who's in several bands including Younger Lovers. Don't have #3 in front of me, but #2 includes interview with Allison Wolfe of Bratmobile and Partyline; interview with DJ Bus Station John; interview with Lookout Records founder Larry Livermore; excerpt for the diary of a mad (kool) Detroit Fag; reviews of movies and a restaurant; Job reviews; cruising reviews. (Out of print, but issue 4 will be out soon, email brontez1@gmail.com - Issue 1 is downloadable from qzap.org)
* Fanorama #30: Long-running queer zine, now at issue 30, the 15th. Anniversary Issue, includes interviews with Chadd Beverlin, creator of Left Back zine and founder of The Earthworm, a BDSM photo layout starring working class stiff Joe Nobody, and an interview and radical pornography shoot with anarchist rabbi and two-time Iraq war vet, Sholom. 54 pages, color cover and vellum inserts, $5. Also distributes several zines, many by prisoners. To order zines, email fanorama1@aol.com or mail your request to: Fanorama, 109 Arnold Avenue, Cranston, RI 02905. Or order by paypal to that email address. http://www.freewebs.com/fanorama/
+ Fort Mortgage: Zine by partners Kisha and Dave of Black Carrot zine about their house-buying experience. Box 830, Chicago, IL 60690. todayneverhappened@gmail.com or tacolove@gmail.com
+ GLAG #1: Intro about missing the golden age of sick zines; pornographic Secret Gospel of Jesus Christ; stories of the truly Fucked For Life: Dipendra of Nepal, Gaeton Degas; Bob Flanagan. Interview with Deran Ludd; letter to Michael Alig; letter from a prisoner to his mother in law; Last Words on trans porn star Danielle Foxxx; Filth Distro catalog (various zines, some descriptions of which read like twisted Fluxus instructions); reviews of books and zines. $3, FILTH Distro, PO Box 1174, Tallahassee FL 32302-1174.
+ Gone to the Moon #2: Haven't yet seen this zine from Chicago-based John Thompson, a queer white/latino/mixed musician, writer, and activist who participated in the Summer 2009 Queer Zinester Road Show. email dictatortots@hotmail.com
* Grey Rage (Dyed): Collection of poetry by Michael Layne Heath, who edited the early Washington DC zine Vintage Violence and is a past contributor to Holy Titclamps. Kentra Steiner Editions, 14080 Nacogdoches Rd. #350, San Antonio, TX 78247. django5722@yahoo.com http://kendrasteinereditions.wordpress.com
+ Hard to Swallow #1-4: Gay comics with sex leavened with humor by Justin Hall and Dave Davenport, plus other guest artists like Bil Sherman, Steve MacIsaac, DRUB and Brad Rader. $7-$10, order on website: http://marginalizedpublications.com http://allthumbspress.com
+ Heavy Mayo: New zine about mayonnaise with recipes and more by Milo of the zine Mutate and QZAP.org. Other zines by Milo: Gendercide #1-5 (some are available on QZAP), Peulah Shaveh Chaiym (Action=Life), a zine about and by radical queer jews, SoyBoi, Queer Adventures in My Vegetarian Kitchen - a cookzine, QZAP:meta #1 - a zine about queer zines (#2 will be done before Chris of QZAP goes to Halifax for his residency at Anchor Zine Library and Archive) Contact: milo@qzap.org
+ A Hole in the Rubber: The Tall Tales of Stiff Spange by Orson Wagon. A little book with the story of the life of Stuff, who's an outlaw in terms of gender and everything else. Book is designed by Sara Thustra. The O.W. L. House Press, 3288 21st PBM 79, San Francisco, CA 94110. Available from Last Gasp, http://www.lastgasp.com/d/34885/ and also available from Needles and Pens. http://www.needles-pens.com/newstuff.html
Holy Titclamps: No new issues since 2003, but back issues available at http://www.holytitclamps.com or PO Box 590488, SF, CA 94159
+ Homo: Queer zine based in Denver with multiple contributors. Includes an article about falling in love with a musician; "Exploring the Bigger Man," about appreciating fat guys; thoughts about being HIV+ and how that changed the writer's views on sex - for one thing, he serosorts, only having sex with other HIV+ men; a chat session; getting over the Big Gay Lie of mainstream gay looksism. Use contact page at website to request a copy. http://homo-zine.com
* Homobody #1-#4: drawings with text by Rio Safari about homosexuals who would rather stay home instead of going out in the mainstream gay nightlife. $1/issue. www.movedancecreate.com Rio Safari, 2934 SE Alder St. #5, Portland, OR 97214. rmsafari@gmail.com
* Homopunk World #6 (Winter 2008): Zine by Anonymous Boy. This issue includes Anomymous Boy's thoughts on Equal Marriage Rights; an interview with filmmaker and queer zine pioneer G.B. Jones focusing on her film "The Lollipop Generation"; a comic about The Sad Tale of Dennis Down-n-Out; interview with Jackie O. of the band Girlcrush; music review of Three Dollar Bill and Limp Wrist; book review of The Book of Boy Trouble 2; an answer to the question "What is the most homophobic punk record." Also ask about his other zines, The Zine Sin?, Filth Comix, and Punk-Rock Freakazoid comics. C/o Tony Arena, PO Box 1502, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113
+ il pleut de gouines / it's raining dykes: zine by Lolagouine. See also "Queer Zine Tale" http://ilpleutdesgouines.blogspot.com/
* "JUVENILIA: Collected Comics by Sina, 1993-1997": Collection of early comics by Sina of the UK zines Concerned Muthers and Boy Crazy Boy. Email sinasham@gmail.com http://www.boycrazyboy.com
* Liliane, Bi-Dyke: Latest issue of this comic by Leanne from Montreal is #41! Order via paypal at http://liliane.comicgenesis.com inkspots@videotron.ca
+ Mad Love: A look at mental health from a radical queer perspective. Creator Max also did The Rainbow Connection (see below) $3 from Microcosm.com
+ Meatus #1, #2: "A Pornzine for Queers Outside the Box." Issue 1 has piece on trans on trans mansex; first up is a tranny sex glossary; the pieces in the zine include Men's Room; Film Buffs; Top to Bottom; Beer, Bikes & B.O.; Bad Boundaries. The subject of volume 2 is Bio Mansex. The first story, Hard Luck Fuck, is about an encounter between a yuppie asshole and the bike punk whose bike he runs over; Nebraska is about a motorcycle cop; Lover's Quarrel is about picking up a guy who just had a fight with his girlfriend; also included are several more pieces. Orders: punkpigsf@yahoo.com
* Mirage #4/Period(ical) #157: Yes, there have been over 150 issues of Kevin Killian and Dodie Bellamy's monthly publication of virtuosic writing. Cover image on this issue from an autograph book entry by Terence Koh. Contributors are Cody Carvel with four poems, Jesse Hudson with a piece about a game of truth or dare with a hustler, and Jennifer Manzano, whose piece reads like automatic writing. $3 to Killian/Bellamy, 1020 Minna St, SF CA 94103
* My Comrade: Publishing since 1987, this New York-based chronicle of the world of underground drag has produced a couple of issues in recent years and some are still available. The Fall 2004 issue includes a photo-comic with Murray Hill; an appreciation of Grace Jones; Linda Simpson interview Lady Bunny; interview with Mother Flawless Sabrina who produced drag pageants from the 1950s onward, including the one in the 1968 documentary "The Queen"; Lucky Day by Joe Westmoreland; the Dazzle Dancers; Vaginal Davis interviews herself; bois infiltrate NAMBLO; the origins of the Scissor Sisters by Jake Shears; Oh, Bitch-uary: memories of now-passed comrades; fats and fems personals; how to be obnoxious at a wedding, and more. There is also a 2006 issue. To order, contact editor@mycomrade.com. There is a gallery of past issues at http://www.mycomrademagazine.com
+ Pinups #8: Revisiting the 1950s tradition of the physique magazine, but rather than with bodybuiders, with bear cubs. Each issue features photos of one model (or sometimes of a couple) in various states of undress. If you take out the staples, you can assemble the reverse sides into a giant photo-poster. http://pinupsmag.com
+ Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide to Comics 2009-2010: A sort of yearbook to get you up to date on the state of all sorts of queer comics. Includes excerpts of comics by various artists and articles. They also distribute a lot of comics by queer creators. $4, order from http://prismcomics.org
+ Queer Zine Tale: comic zine about the history of the queercore scene by Lolagouine from Montreal, creator of il pleut de gouines. Available for download from QZAP.org
* The Rainbow Connection - Richard Hunt, Gay Muppeteer by the creator of the zine Mad Love. Available from Microcosm or email gaymuppeteer@gmail.com.
* Red Hanky Panky #8: After a long break, there's a new issue of this zine with a bi perspective with drawings by London-based artist Rachael House. Email rachaelhouse@btinternet.com
* RFD #138 Summer 2009: Since the 1970s this independent publication has been documenting the life of rural queers and radical faeries. This is the Left Coast Life issue with articles on Gay Liberation in the Castro; radical faerie Saturn Return; Comfort & Joy camp at Burning Man; thoughts on barebacking; a faerie story about challenges to gender separatism by genderqueers; Toward a More Colorful Faery Future, thoughts on diversity among the radical faeries; faery coloring book; photos by Daniel Nicoletta; the relation of the founding of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to the first gathering of Radical Faeries; Suki Divine speaks as a female radical faerie; The House of the Golden Bull: a brief history of 14th Street House in San Francisco; a welcome to a baby and notice of the passing of four adults; Brothers Behind section of writing by prisoners; $7.75/$25-$75 subscription. PO Box 302, Hadley, MA 01035-0302 or subscribe online at www.rfdmag.org
+ Runx Tales #1: Comix zine by Matt Runkle. Includes If it aint' Gay, it's ain't a Marriage; My Zany Resume; illustrated text about Coeur d' Alene Idaho; My Life as a Crust-Puff; Obsessions with various guys like the country boy, the pretty boy, the librarian, and the D.P.; comic about summer vacation in Portland, Oregon. 24 pages, standard. (another issue has since come out.) Runkle.matt@gmail.com
+ Shirtlifter: Comic by Steve MacIsaac. #2 has 10 autobiographical stories, #3 has the first three chapters of a graphic novel, Unpacking, plus stories by Justin Hall and Fuzzbelly. $20 for both issues plus a card, order at http://stevemacisaac.com
+ shortandqueer: Zine by Kelly Shortandqueer: 1: friends are important ($1), 2: things i like/don't like ($1), 3: the best thing that happened today was... ($1), 4: the coming out issue ($1), 5: the best thing that happened today was (part 2) ($1), 6: now that i'm a dude ($1), 7: hello world! ($1), 8: i am not unreasonable ($2), 9: the best thing that happened today was... january-april 2008 ($1), 10: the reawakening of my baseball fandom ($2), 11: the best thing that happened today was...may-december 2008 ($1) or $11 for the whole set. shortandqueer@yahoo.com, Kelly Shortandqueer, PO Box 13559, Denver CO 80201 or order online http://www.shortandqueer.com
* Speed Demon #14 (2007/2008): Long-running Italian zine with a focus on interviews with people in queer music. It is in Italian, but they will provide English translations on request. Art by G.B. Jones in tribute to decadent artist Felicien Rops; LA Spanish-language rapper Salvimex; Butchin' L.A.; Ex-boyfriends; Traeh; bear musician Kendall; Lisa Ganser of Homocore Minneapolis and Flaming Film Fest; Black Fag (not the Vaginal Davis one, the other one); Nicky Click; zinester Joe Pop (before his involvement with Pisszine); Everything is Fine; Dik Fagazine from Poland; Triple Creme; interview with the editor of the zine Fanorama; Jos from the Netherlands band Seein Red. Comes with a CD featuring the interviewed bands. Myspace.com/speeddemonzine speeddemonqueerzine@hotmail.com Mail: c/o Magnani F., Via Ponte Seveso 44, I-20125 Milano Italy
* Straight to Hell #66: Edited by Billy Miller, carrying on in the tradition of this publication founded by Boyd McDonald. True tales of man-to-man sex with explicit black and white photos. $6. S.T.H., Box 20424, NYC 10023. http://www.straight-to-hell.net
+ They Shoot Homos Don't They? #5 (Positive Issue): Wilfred Brandt interviews Dennis Cooper; interview with Peter Savieri about the film he made with Ben Hackworth, Corroboree; interview with photographer Richard Sawdon Smith; Adam Murray Kolberg interiew Ted Gott about the late HIV+ artist David McDiarmid; piece on musician Ofra Haza, the first Israeli celebrity to die of AIDS; portfolios of art by Timothy Kendall Edser, Michael Janiszewski, David McDiarmid, Christian Holstad, Young San Han, Anton Stoianov, Robert Flack, AVAF, Brendan Fowler, MAthu Anderson, Ivo Dimchev, Amir NIkravan, Bronson Vs. Koh, and JAlleh vs. LaBruce; piece on supermodel Gia; young South African AIDS activist Nkosi Johnson. Glossy paper, perfect-bound, includes CD. $11.50 in the U.S. http://www.theyshoothomosdontthey.com/
+ Trans(in)formation: A resource of zines written by transgender/genderqueer zinesters and/or with transgender/genderqueer content, compiled by Kelly Shortandqueer, with the 2nd edition having over 200 titles. $2. http://www.shortandqueer.com Kelly Shortandqueer, PO Box 13559, Denver CO 80201.
* The Urban Hermit #21-#22: #21 includes stuff about being a Radical Queer
Jock; a visit to a lesbian Daddy on the way to the queer hip-hop show in
Oakland; the Fake-Burlesque Dancer-Orgy; a tale of drunken frat boys and
sorority girls. #22 (with a cover drawing with a person in a sweatshirt
reading "Get off the Internet and read a zine") has an article about
visiting a muscular Jesus church which turns out to be homophobic; jogging
and fearing turning into a yuppie; thoughts from going on a run in
Portland; health food crush. $3 cash by mail to The Urban Hermitt, POB
20201, Seattle, WA 98102 or order from
+ Wicked Wipeout: zine by Chris of QZAP about his bike accident on Market
Street in San Francisco. Available at
http://qzap.org
+ Wuvable Oaf #0-#1: Comic book about a big burly guy who loves kitty-cats
and Morrissey, and the Wuvable Oaf's friends. The universe of the comics
also includes the band Ejaculoid. Art by Ed Luce, written by him sometimes
with contributions from Matt Wobensmith. $4.
http://www.wuvableoaf.com
Also available at
Goteblud: Vintage zine store, featuring Wuvable Oaf, run by Matt
Wobensmith of Outpunk.
766 Valencia, San Francisco, CA, 94110.
http://goteblud.com