The Newsstand: Independently Published Zines, Magazines and Artist Books

In June of 2013, a group of artists living in N.Y.C. opened a pop-up store dedicated to selling independently published artist zines and memorabilia such as posters, pins, and patches. The concept behind the so called Newsstand, located in a kiosk inside a Brooklyn subway station, was that any commuter could drop off merchandise to sell. This book pays homage to this truly original store by showcasing spreads from 300 of the many zines sold in the shop, with interviews and essays by participants on the history of zines, zines and youth culture, the politics of self-publishing, collaborative art and community, and why people publish zines. Highlights of the featured zines include Me with Cops, which consists of photos of the unnamed author posing with cops around the city; Slice Harvester Quarterly, which documents one man's trials at various pizzerias around the city; and Manute Bol (7 Foot 7), a selection of photos of a former NBA basketball player. The result is an energetic and inspiring snapshot of zine publishing as it exists today, at the intersection of the art and publishing world, as well as an archive of a cool community project that is sure to inspire. (Feb.)