Harper College will be closed Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day.
Zine Club is a club dedicated to creating, discussing, and sharing zines!
Our main goal is to share zines, host social meetings where people can discuss and share their own zines, organize zine-related events, and provide spaces to borrow and/or buy zines on the Harper College campus.
Zines are do-it-yourself (DIY), self-published, multi-page magazines. They have a long history in the greater Chicago area that Harper serves, having started in the science fiction fandom of the 1930s. Editor Hugo Gernsback of the Chicago-based magazine Amazing Stories encouraged readers to share their opinions in letter columns, which gave fans the chance to share contact information with each other. Soon enough, science fiction fans were creating their own mimeographed magazines—fanzines—celebrating their favorite authors and speculating on the future of the genre.
Writers including Otto Binder (co-creator of Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog) and Harlan Ellison, and cartoonists like Trina Robbins and Richard “Grass” Green all got their start in fanzines. In the 1970s, the punk movement—first in the US and then in the UK—began producing zines of their own, and the Riot Grrrls of the 1990s continued this DIY movement, which continues and thrives to this day.
Zines are not limited to any specific medium; they can be big or small, analog or digital, mimeographed or photocopied, stapled or sewn or glued together. They can contain stories about anyone, anywhere, anytime. The only rule of making zines and being part of zine culture is to be kind and welcoming to others.
Meeting Days and Frequency: Contact the advisor for meeting information.
Advisor: Brian Cremins
Advisor Email:bcremins@harpercollege.edu
Student club members must be currently enrolled in credit classes. Please email the advisor(s) directly for membership and meeting information. Meetings occur during fall and spring semesters when classes are in session.