The Zine Scene

Broken Pencil

Edited by Lindsay Gibb

Produced by the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Foundation for the Arts 

Issued 3 times per year since 1995

Genre: Magazine (Arts/Indie)

Read if: You're interested in zines, indie art culture and DIY

Best for: This magazine is very detailed and text-heavy, and assumes the readers knowledge of the indie art scene, so it is probably best suited to older teens (16+).

Rating: 4/5

zine (noun): a non-commercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter  (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Broken Pencil is a tri-annual print magazine devoted to "zine culture and the independent arts" (as its tagline states). This Canadian publication is full of interesting articles including:

•  profiles of zine and other underground artists (one issue profiled Sarah Evans, who started the Anchor Archive in Halifax)
  
• Tons of reviews of zines, books, and music
• Samples from current zines
• Reader submitted fiction
• How to's and DIY instructions for a variety of projects (ex. how to make your own vampire blood, how to throw your own covert film screening)

Each issue revolves around a theme - zombies, multiculturalism, games, food to name a few - and content reflects each theme. Articles in this publication are well written, substantial and very detailed. Although it is shelved in the Young Adult section of my local library, it isn't aimed specifically at a teen audience (although teens are often mentioned). Rather, its value as a YA resource is that many teens will find the subject matter really involving. Unlike most magazines that focus on consumerism, Broken Pencil focuses on creation.

Broken Pencil is a great magazine about an underwritten topic. It is the only Canadian magazine devoted to zine culture. Every article demonstrates the grass roots, do-it-yourself aesthetic of the indie art scene. The biggest strength of this magazine is its value as a resource: readers are informed about what is going on all over Canada in the independent arts, and are exposed to a huge number of zine titles  and artists. Teens who want to feel connected to the indie art scene will find this magazine invaluable.

The only criticism I have of this magazine is about the layout. This is a publication payed for by Canadian arts grants, so by necessity it is not flashy. Nor should it be - clearly the agenda of a magazine like this is different than Bop or YM. However, the magazine is entirely in black and white. Visually, there is not a lot to grab the reader, which is unfortunate for an art magazine. Teens may not be immediately attracted to this magazine, which has to compete with flashier publications on the shelf. This aside, this is a really well done magazine that obviously has a lot of devoted people behind it.

Broken Pencil is a great source for information about the zine scene. 

YA Reads Special Bonus Features: Broken Pencil's website is almost as good as getting your hands on a print copy