Twin Cities Zinefest
Since 2004, the Twin Cities Zinefest has welcomed creatives, rebels, musicians and frustrated intellectuals to connect, create and share ideas. As the area’s premiere self-publishing event, Zinefest often features an art show, live music, guest speakers and panel discussions. Zinefest plays host to some of the Midwest’s best self-made talent. A new Zinefest website is in progress, and our 10th anniversary is being planned! Check here for updates!
Answer:
As soon as the website is finished! I have been on the telephone with the hosting company quite a bit this week, as things are not going as planned. Once all of that is smoothed out and everything is running normally, registration will open.
Zinefest is still happening and it’s changing hands this year, and that transition is trying to occur as effortlessly as possible. However, our former website and e-mail address both expired/no longer exist, and rebuilding and updating/relocating all of this on top of moving forward with planning is what is making everything take longer than usual.
We are alive and building a new website and planning this year’s fest! Don’t forget about us!
LONGER LETTER L8R
ARTIST PROFILE: ROB KIRBY
What inspired you to start making zines?
In 1990 in an Uptown comic book store called the College of Comic Book Knowledge (anyone remember that?) I found a little zine called Holy Titclamps that was not only Free but marked as “File Under Queer.” Color me intrigued! Inside were all these great, hilarious comics and articles and a whole worldview that was decidedly out of the mainstream, on the fringes - which is where I’ve always dwelt. In the back were zine reviews with contact info and I was on my way, sending out cleverly concealed cash to total strangers through the mail (this was in the era we call “pre-internet”).
Inspired by all these cool publications that soon began to appear in my mailbox, I very quickly decided I wanted to do this DIY publishing thing myself. It is very true that zines beget more zines.
My titles to date include Strange Looking Exile (5 issues produced between 1991-1993), Boy Trouble (5 issues produced from 1994-2000, with 2 trade paperbacks published with Green Candy Press in 2006 and 2008, respectively), and currently THREE, a queer comics anthology, of which there have been appropriately enough, 3 issues published. The first issue of THREE was nominated for an Ignatz award last fall for Outstanding Anthology or Collection and I won the Prism Queer Press Grant in October 2011 to aid in publishing the third issue. (2011 was a banner year for me for sure.)
I also have been making solo comic zines again: King for a Day (2011) and Ginger the Wonder Dog (2012). There are more of these to come.
What is your creative process like?
I wish I could say I’m one of those cartoonists who keeps a sketchbook on hand to jot down ideas and draw quick studies in, but that’s never been the case. I generally just bumble along through daily life until lightning strikes. I do find the more I write and draw and stick to a schedule the better things tend to roll. Reading is also a passion and adds fuel to the fire for me. When I occasionally get blocked I find journaling very helpful. Finally, even though I’m old fashioned and still draw on paper with pencils and ink, I think of Photoshop as a very good friend.
Which part of Twin Cities Zinefest are you most excited about?
Being amongst like-minded DIY-minded souls. There are times where I can forget there are lots of other alternatively oriented artists, writers, and readers out there. Drawing and writing and the creative process itself can feel isolating at times.
Who are some of your favorite fellow zine writers?
There are so many, really – I hardly know where to start. Certainly Larry-Bob Roberts of the aforementioned Holy Titclamps was seminal for me; of the folks tabling at Twin Cities Zine Fest this year John Porcellino of King Cat Comics and Spit and a Half has always been inspirational. Of course I’m always open and eager to finding more inspirations. Mini comics rule.
Do you have any plans for your zine-related future? If so, what are they?
The THREE concept will be expanded into a trade paperback book of all new comics with Northwest Press sometime next year; meanwhile I will not be abandoning the zine format and have a number of solo things I would like to publish, including a book of my diary and autobio comics, some of which can be seen on my website and my Tumblr page.
Anything else we should know about you?
I’ve been writing and drawing and self-publishing for 21+ years now and have no plans to stop anytime soon. It’s been a great ride and one that has changed much of my life perspective.
ARTIST PROFILE: TOM JOHNSON
What inspired you to start making zines?
I wish I could remember. For some reason, one day in high school, I started drawing stories, stapling them together, and giving them to a few friends. From there it picked up into what I like to call my “fake” publishing company Crab and Egret which comes out with new stuff a couple of times a month.
I think all zinesters are fetishists on some level. There’s a deep feeling of satisfaction that comes from making a relic of paper and staples out of your own personal thoughts. Whenever I finish a comic it’s like I’ve just made a meaningful statement, even if it’s just a dumb joke. Seeing my comics sitting on people’s coffee tables or imagining that they’ll be found 50 years from now in a box in the attic makes everything worth it.
Usually ideas come to me when I’m going about my daily business. Something will strike me as funny or important and I’ll write it down. I think the goal of most of my comics is to give readers that same feeling of impact I experienced when I had that thought. From there I write a short story around it and draw some characters.
It’s also important to say that almost all of my comics are drawn in one sitting. This is partially because I’m not a skilled enough artist to do anything too complex and I really enjoy it being a medium I can sit down and knock something out very quickly. Allowing myself only one sheet of paper to get something across is as limiting as it is liberating.
Which part of Twin Cities Zinefest are you most excited about?
Interacting with other zinesters. It’d be great to put faces to names and I’m very curious to hear how they handle the technical side of printing and distribution. I create everything with a photocopier and distribute everything via direct mail or leaving them around town, but I’d like to see how everyone else does it. Zinesters, by definition, I think, have to be hustlers. I want to learn from people playing that same game.
Who are some of your favorite fellow zine writers?
I honestly don’t know many other zine writers. Whoever was responsible for the publication “Real Hep” that existed circa 1983 in Minneapolis deserves some kind of medal, though.
Do you have any plans for your zine-related future? If so, what are they?
I’d also like to continue developing Crab and Egret as a business. It’s mostly just a motivation for me to actually sit down and create things and get my friends to do the same, but I’d like to put some serious thought into it in the near future. I’ve always wanted to publish a legitimate book and generate some kind of income to use to support some legitimately good artists in town.
Anything else we should know about you?
I’ll have free things at my table. That’s the plan anyway. Also, I’ll probably be interviewing people for Stubble too, so come on over if you feel like talking.
What inspired you to start making zines?
Well I’ve always been really into comics and it wasn’t until I went to MCAD that I fully discovered mini-comics and zines. It was pretty mind-blowing to discover that I could create this small object all on my own without anyones help and that people would actually read/want it.
What is your creative process like?
I try to work as often as I can but with I work so much so getting to my desk can be tough sometimes. I only work on comics and illustrations when I feel like it, I wont make good work if I try to force it out. I usually start with an idea and let it gestate for awhile before sketching anything out. It usually takes me awhile to finish anything.
Which part of Twin Cities Zinefest are you most excited about?
Meeting all the other zinesters and finding new people and project to collaborate on.
Who are some of your favorite fellow zine writers?
You can always count on Eric Schuster to have something interesting at his table. Also 2D Cloud has such a cool variety of comics, it’s always inspiring to see what they’re putting out. I’m also a fan of Girls Get Busy, Aimee Pijpers, Michael Perez, Monica Anderson, and so many indie cartoonists I can’t even list them.
Do you have any plans for your zine-related future? If so, what are they?
I really want the rest of this year to be about collaboration. I’d like to send in work to other zines and work with others to create our own.
Anything else we should know about you?
