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Orlando Zine Fest Credit: courtesy image<\/p>\nOrlando Zine Fest Credit: courtesy image<\/p>\n
It\u2019s that time of year again.<\/p>\n
Well, yes, it\u2019s that time of year. But we\u2019re talking about Orlando Zine Fest, the yearly showcase of local DIY devotees and print practitioners. Zines, a slangy truncation of magazine, are self-published pamphlets and booklets that wildly span both format and subject matter. Personal, professional, political, pulpy \u2014 anything goes here, with tiny stapled booklets nestling next to glossy bound tomes next to cassettes next to prints.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The connective tissue, or Scotch tape and glue if you will, is a commitment to their independent voices, production and distribution. Indeed, the very notion of independent publishing, establishing alternative DIY networks to distribute resources, information and art, as well as platforming diverse voices, all takes on an added note of urgency in a time of creeping authoritarianism \u2014 both in Florida and the country at large.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDIY and self-publishing spaces play a critical role in countering authoritarianism through info sharing and resistance to narrative control \u2014 \u2018imagination is resistance,\u2019\u201d Moriah Russo, a steady organizing hand behind Orlando Zine Fest for the better part of the last decade, tells OW. \u201cThe medium is a mode of building collective power, and zine-making builds networks of solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are well over 60 participants set to table this year, a mix of old faces and new forces including Psych Cat, Illuminated Paths, Confessed Lover, Fatal Entries, Pizzeria Press, Space Coast Zine Club, Queering the Dots, Selena, Bellows Rock, Rowdy Zine and 8thHousePress. This is not some creaky nostalgia fest for the pre-internet age; this is a multigenerational gathering of folks entranced by the possibility of print and eager to share ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith anywhere from 40 to 60 participants each year, there\u2019s always turnover, but a handful of zine makers consistently show up and help anchor the fest,\u201d says Russo of this year\u2019s lineup. \u201cBe sure to admire the printed matter by artists and educators Rachel Simmons and Ashley Taylor, two peas in a niche Central Florida risograph printers pod who have helped to make Orlando Zine Fest a reality this year and last. Another cornerstone of the community is David Wallens, who\u2019s dedicated to hosting regular zine meet-ups across Central Florida. Don\u2019t miss his zine 44:16, covering punk, BMX, photography and all things DIY.\u201d<\/p>\n
OZF tabler and DIY true believer Maisie Haney says, \u201cUsing zines as a way to get information about bands and shows, etc., makes you feel encouraged to participate and an almost inherent belonging. Had we been relying on more regulated and expensive publications there would be so much information we wouldn\u2019t know!\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so happy to be participating this year with Matty, who has the vision for a great pop zine, Keep Yer Secrets. We\u2019re honored to be included and excited to see what will be there.\u201d <\/p>\n
Haney will also be repping her Beauty Blitz zine with Viviana Uribe. (This kind of busy collaboration is pro forma in the zine world.)<\/p>\n
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Some local DIY zines<\/p>\n
This Saturday, OZF takes over Blackbird Comics in Maitland<\/a>, a home that makes sense; Blackbird stocks a well-curated selection of independent comics and zines for perusal and purchase year-round. And they\u2019re whipping up a special food and drink menu just for the night.<\/p>\n \u201cLast year was our first year hosting the OZF, and it was fabulous. Forty tables featuring creators proffering zines that they had poured their souls into,\u201d Candice Craig, co-founder of Blackbird, tells Orlando Weekly.\u00a0 \u201cTo be part of an event that allows so many people to share their homegrown publications, it\u2019s very meaningful and inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndependent comic stores represent a vital part of the independent and self-publishing ecosystem, and supporting them strengthens the entire community. Blackbird\u2019s dedicated patron base has been especially enthusiastic and since hosting the fest there, we\u2019ve seen a noticeable uptick in engagement from indie comics creators,\u201d says Russo of the event host. \u201cWhile our past venues like Will\u2019s Pub and The Nook offered their own unique and appreciated atmosphere, holding the fest at a comic shop brings a different tone.\u201d<\/p>\n As long as we\u2019re talking about different tones, there\u2019s an added air of defiance \u2014 even more than usual \u2014 at OZF this year. 2025 was a year marked by rising authoritarianism and corporate consolidation that have both impacted access to information and the very nature of free speech.<\/p>\n \u201cThreats to self-publishing and free expression now extend beyond traditional forms of information control. The rapid rise of AI technologies has intensified concerns about consolidated wealth, corporate power and social control,\u201d warns Russo. \u201cThe authors of the zine AI MUST DIE: Critical Perspectives on the State of Artificial Intelligence, Myke Walton and Cam Smith, describe this moment as a \u2018convergence of AI hype and increasingly fascist governments.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n In Why Self-Publish Under Fascism?, longtime Chicago zine writer and publisher Marc Fischer makes the eloquent and forceful point that it is paramount that people possess the tools and skills to create and disseminate information, their stories and (yes) art and creativity in the physical world \u2014\u00a0 especially with the digital realm walled off and surveilled in billionaire-controlled virtual fiefdoms. <\/p>\n If that sounds heavy, it is. But at Orlando Zine Fest you can watch this theory turned into joyful practice.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me personally, as a former schoolteacher who used comic books and graphic novels in the classroom as a tool for promoting the love of reading and art, I find the Orlando Zine Fest to be a vehicle that promotes true freedom of expression; art with no rules \u2014 which is something that fosters personal and creative growth,\u201d says Blackbird co-founder Craig. \u201cThat\u2019s a positive message, not just for students, but for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n (7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, Blackbird Comics & Coffeehouse, 500 E. Horatio Ave., Maitland, instagram.com\/orlandozinefest<\/a>, free)<\/p>\n Orlando\u2019s daily dose of what matters. Subscribe to The Daily Weekly.<\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe medium is a mode of building collective power, and zine-making builds networks of solidarity.\u201d\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tFellow Southern doomsayers Knoll open\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n This article appears in Dec. 10-16, 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t
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