The cover of The Comet, May 1930, the Science Correspondence Club bulletin; Commons credits it to its editors, Raymond A. Palmer and Walter Dennis. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Zines
What it took directly
- documentedZines took from The Comet (1930), believed to be the first science-fiction fanzine"1930: "The Comet,” believed to be the first science fiction fanzine, published." Sallie Bingham Center, Duke University Libraries, "A Brief History of Zines" (adapted from a timeline by Doug Blandy)
- statedThe word "fanzine" took from Louis Russell Chauvenet's 1940 protest against the word "fanag""We hereby protest against the un-euphonious word ‘fanag’ [sic] and announce our intention to plug fanzine as the best short form of ‘fan-magazine’." Louis Russell Chauvenet, in his fanzine Detours #5 (October 1940), as cited by the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
- documentedEarly riot grrrl zines (Summer Star, Jig Saw, Girl Germs) took from Bikini Kill, the 1990 zine written by members of the band"1990: Bikini Kill, written by members of the Riot Grrrl band of the same name, inspires other early Riot Grrrl zines Summer Star, Jig Saw, and Girl Germs." Sallie Bingham Center, Duke University Libraries, "A Brief History of Zines"
- documentedThe 1980s–90s zine network took from Factsheet Five, the review zine Mike Gunderloy started"Launched in the early ’80s by editor-publisher Mike Gunderloy to be primarily a science-fiction zine, Factsheet Five grew to become the nerve center of the zine network" Jason Heller, The A.V. Club ("Fear Of A Punk Decade", October 15, 2013)
What it learned to do
- statedDave Kyle's first fanzine learned from a stencil "Multi-Print" he found in his father's law office"My first fanzine, in black ink before my hectograph days, was the result of a peculiar instrument of reproduction called a 'Multi-Print' that I found in my father's law offices." Dave Kyle, "Phamous Phantasy Phan", Mimosa 24 (August 1999)
- stated1930s fanzines learned from the hectograph, printed off a jelly set in a cake pan"You took a pan like you were going to bake a cake, poured in a solution which, when it jelled, you then typed out your text and drew your pictures on a sheet of paper, using a special typing ribbon and ink." Forrest J Ackerman, quoted by Dave Kyle in Mimosa 24 (August 1999)
- documented1980s zines learned from copy machines and Kinko's copy shops"1980s: Copy machines become an increasingly popular way to publish zines, especially as Kinko’s copy shops begin to proliferate." Sallie Bingham Center, Duke University Libraries, "A Brief History of Zines"
The tradition it sits in
- documentedThe Comet comes from a club: the Science Correspondence Club"Often considered to be the first fanzine ever published. The first issue was called "The Comet", and successive issues were titled "Cosmology". This was the Science Correspondence Club Bulletin." FANAC Fan History Project, fanzine archive entry for The Comet
- documentedFanzines comes from science-fiction fandom's club organs"The first fanzines were club organs, published mainly for members and a few non-locals who might be interested." Jack Speer, Fancyclopedia (1944), as cited by the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
- inferredPunk and riot grrrl zines learned from science-fiction fandom's habit of trading and reviewing zines by mail"a place where zinemakers sent their wares, got them reviewed, and in turn read reviews of others’ zines, which allowed them to trade output and connect via the United States Postal Service." inferred — The A.V. Club says Factsheet Five began as "primarily a science-fiction zine" before it became the hub where zinemakers traded and reviewed each other by mail; it does not say punk learned the practice from fandom. The handoff is our reading
Where the whole form comes from
- documentedThe fanzine comes from the amateur magazine, made for fans"Fanzine (Chauvenet), an amateur magazine published for fans." Jack Speer, Fancyclopedia (1944), as cited by the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
- documentedThe word "zine" comes from "fanzine", clipped short by 1962"Zine, magazine, fanzine or prozine." Donald Franson, A Key to the Terminology of Science-Fiction Fandom (1962), as cited by the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Start here