zine - n. An inexpensive, self-produced, underground publication

For the past couple of years, I haven't really truly subscribed to any specific magazine. I think the last, and only, one I had a subscription to was Teen People. I never really had an interest in magazines, but then I was introduced to the wonderful world of zines.

In my high school years, I would go to Tower Records and sit in the mega-magazine section reading through all the zines on all different subjects. The raw intensity of most of them really struck me and grabbed my attention. I was hooked.

I've had many failed attempts since then to start one of my own, due to lack of commitment from friends, but I dream of starting my own someday.

I think that the self-publication process is the greatest and worst part about a zine as well. Without the constant need for consent from the public and funding from advertisements, zines can be free to do as they please. But, I believe, that this is also the greatest downfall.

A zine cannot be written by one sole person, and the ones that are, for the most part, are very boring. Therefore, it must depend on the word of others, whom don't take it as seriously as some should- i.e. they don't do the work. But when they do, it is so free-flowing and real that there is nothing in mainstream magazines that can beat it.

All in all, I try to read as many zines as possible, but I still look from cover to cover while waiting in line at the grocery store. But who doesn't do that?