Zines In Fiction

[Harley R. Pageot]

Whenever I come across the use of zines in a TV show or movie or book, I beam. Unfortunately they're almost never actually called zines.

This is meant as an ongoing thread for you to bump any time you come across something.


Gilmore Girls (TV series)
Jess starts his own publishing group and starts making what are essentially poetry and litzines but I think they're just referred to as chapbooks.


The Apprentice Of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler (novel)
Duddy's friend Virgil starts a zine about epilepsy but it's simply described as being a publication, never a zine.

[Harley R. Pageot]

In the animated series Mission Hill, there's a store in their neighborhood that sells zines.

[Harley R. Pageot]

I just came across some Calvin And Hobbes strips where Calvin's publishing his own newspaper with articles and cartoons and other things. (Unfortunately I can't scan them because of the binding.)

[Craven Rock]

I love this thread. Here's some stuff I can think of:

Our Noise-a shitty book from the nineties trying to cash in on the generation X/slacker thing. In it a couple of dudes get drunk and make a zine and call it god fuck. They have include a picture in tribute to GG Allin after he died in a goofy stab at street cred.

Itty Bitty Titty Commitee: A ridiculous, laugh-out loud, riot grrl, feministploitation movie (though, at least in favor of them) by the director of "But, I'm A Cheerleader" that gets everything wrong and does for Riot Grrl what that Quincy episode did for punk in the eighties. I believe the revolutionary group in there release their manifesto in a zine, if I remember correctly. Recomended for unintentional laughs.

Decline of the Western Civilization: Not fiction, but I believe the editors of Punk are interviewed in here. Or was that another punk doc?

Threat: This seriously flawed, but beautiful and passionate movie is about hardcore and shows a character reading "Inside Front" and "heartattack". Best thing about this movie is that it was actually made by a former zine writer and his activist friend. And it was made on a shoestring budget, with the same d.i.y ethics. They couldn't afford permits so they hit the streets geurilla style! There's much to be discussed about this neglected film.

[Harley R. Pageot]

The Kids Of Degrassi Street episode "Lisa Makes The Headlines."

Lisa and Casey make their own "newspaper" called The Degrassi Street Journal with news from their neighborhood, jokes, and anecdotes about pets dying. All for only 10 cents (albeit in the early '80s).

[Chelsea]

In Rocket Power the main girl character, Reggie, made a zine. Man I wish that show still came on.

[Harley R. Pageot]

Derek Neuland said:

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen reading a copy of Punk Planet. Season 2 i believe.

not zine related, but in the episode when Jess is at his publishing group's party, he's wearing a Dinosaur Jr. shirt.

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen wearing a Punk Planet t-shirt in the season 2 episode "Lost And Found".

[kit feral]

Ah! I remember one of my first zines only cost .25! Oh, those were the days. Thanks for the reminder. :P

Harley R. Pageot said:

The Kids Of Degrassi Street episode "Lisa Makes The Headlines."

Lisa and Casey make their own "newspaper" called The Degrassi Street Journal with news from their neighborhood, jokes, and anecdotes about pets dying. All for only 10 cents (albeit in the early '80s).

[Becky the Evil Flower]

Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

It's a teen novel about a girl who publishes a blog and zine about vinyl.

[Serah-Marie]

Okay, Jess is like the most awesomest fictional character ever.

Harley R. Pageot said:

Derek Neuland said:

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen reading a copy of Punk Planet. Season 2 i believe.

not zine related, but in the episode when Jess is at his publishing group's party, he's wearing a Dinosaur Jr. shirt.

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen wearing a Punk Planet t-shirt in the season 2 episode "Lost And Found".

[Harley R. Pageot]

Except that he's a jerk to Rory when they're dating.

But he's pretty cool once he goes away and grows up. Miles ahead of Logan and Dean.

But I think we already had this discussion at Canzine last year.


Serah-Marie said:

Okay, Jess is like the most awesomest fictional character ever.

Harley R. Pageot said:

Derek Neuland said:

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen reading a copy of Punk Planet. Season 2 i believe.

not zine related, but in the episode when Jess is at his publishing group's party, he's wearing a Dinosaur Jr. shirt.

Also in Gilmore Girls, Jess is seen wearing a Punk Planet t-shirt in the season 2 episode "Lost And Found".

[Becky the Evil Flower]

I hate to show how obsessed with the show/Jess I am, but he was reading Punk Planet in season 4 and was actually using it to cover up a self help book. Ugh. Sorry. I couldn't resist. But yes, Jess is most awesome.

[Becky the Evil Flower]

Look what I found.