DEBORAH ULTAN 187

designed zine research and zine-making assignments with faculty of two
art courses and one communication studies course: How Pictures Persuade
[COMM 3645W}; Digital Drawing {ARTS 3107); and Books, Comics and Zines
{ARTS 3108). Students in each of the classes were introduced to the zines
and were then required to study the collection from a historic lens. They
studied historical moments of visual culture in the United States with
Occupy Wall Street and ACT UP posters, street murals, labor comic books
from World War 11, local comics, zines that embrace punk culture, gay
culture, counterculture and feminist movements, and graphic novels. As
one of the professors, Jenny Schmid, noted, “It is important to engage
students as citizens—rather than as consumers—and zines have a rich
history of anti—consumerism, political engagement, and community ‘
building.”6 Given ample opportunity to mine the zines for publishing
techniques, content, and style, the students selected zines which they then
researched and used as inspiration to create their own.
The students in the three classes were required to write reflections
on their experience with the zines. Their assessments demonstrated how i
the informal and creative format of the zines distinctly captured their
attention:

I intended tojust flip through it, but this happened to be in the
graphic novel form, and I found myself sucked into the story and had
read over half of it before I even realized. This magazine was of interest
to me before I even opened it because I am aware that this country
does not own its own bank, so I wondered where they were going to go
and how the information was to be displayed.

Hopefully zines can become a bigger presence among the younger
generations, especially in this revolutionary time we live in.

Reflecting on the zine FREE, 3 student notes its persuasive presentation of
the controversial issues with the justice system. In describing the content
of the zine, the student reveals how the material engages and inspires
critical thinking. Likewise, the personalized and colorful presentation of
the zine triggers a response that is passionate and embeds the student’s
awareness and comprehension of the topic.

My favorite zine was called FREE. The cover was a bright cherry red
with a dark black crow seated at its base. It sparked my curiosity
because it investigated a man who was wrongfully committed of