Issue 8 – Mental Health – is out now!

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We’re thrilled to announce that our mental health issue is out now!

We’re so proud of this one – not only is it our biggest issue yet, but our contributors from all over North America have created such heart-felt pieces. With writing and illustrations, we’ve got pieces on medication, herbal remedies, bi-polar disorder, traumas, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, overdoses, suicidal thoughts, drugs, OCD and more. It just goes to show how everyone has something that they’re dealing with in every day life. It’s an inspiring collection (if I do say so myself) that strives to be shared, to get the word out there on dealing with mental health.

We’re currently in the process of distro’ing around Toronto, but if you would like to order one to be mailed to you, we’ll get on it right away. A $2 cost is considered as donation towards printing issue 9.

Thank you to all of the contributors and everyone who helped out with this issue – including our amazing launch party at Encore Studios with Programm, Most People and Fresh Snow! It was a blast. <3

Celebrate the release of Issue #7: The Future at Park Jamz ’13!

static zine park jamz poster

Poster by Aimee Laurel

 

Join us as we celebrate the release of Issue #7: The Future at Christie Pits Park on June 16!

Kicking off at 2:30, there will be cupcakes, music and readings. Zines are free!

Bring yr blankets and picnic foods; get cozy! We’ll likely take up a spot near the top of the hill by Bloor and Christie, but we’ll update our Facebook event / Twitter if anything changes.

Set times:

Music by Pat LePoidevin @ 3
Reading by Sarah Pinder  @ 3:30
Music by Patti Cake @ 3:45
Reading by Jessica Westhead @ 4:15
Reading by Misha Bower @ 4:30
Music by Eons @ 4:45

We’re so excited to share our issue all about what the future will be like with you.

PS: This is our two year issue anniversary — Issue #1 kicked off right in the same spot two Junes ago!

Announcement & call for pitches for ISSUE 7: THE FUTURE

THE FUTURE - Static Zine

Static Zine wants to know what you think the future will be like. Will we all be wearing Google Glass? Will we only completely speak in acronyms like YOLO? Will the desktop computer be extinct? Will every city be run by Rob Fords (ohgodohgod)? What will feminism and politics be like? Will we finally be able to speak to animals? Will everybody be making zines? Join Issue 7 and make a page on what futuristic worries and wonders keep you up at night.

What we’re looking for:

  • Interesting, hilarious and thought-provoking pieces about what you think an aspect of the future will be like. Just pick one! (Example: money, politics, activism, literature, cities, crime, technology, education, athletics, food, any kind of entertainment, war, kids, houses, medication, happiness, sadness, utensils, the list goes on and is obviously very open!) We encourage you to pitch us a few of your favourites though, as that will help us to make sure there won’t be any overlap.
  • We want you to tell your stories through a unique way that fits to what kind of story it is. For example: if you think kids will somehow learn to communicate telepathically, write out their thought bubbles. Or you could write a short piece on who could rule Canada someday. Maybe draw what it would look like if we’re all lemmings wearing the same things. Or create a game that we would play.
  • We love the written word in its many styles, drawings, illustrations, comics, photography, lists, games and more. Check out our previous issues to get an idea of our style before you submit.

Criteria to keep in mind:

  • A “Static Zine page” is a half of an 8.5×11 sheet of paper (folded vertically). Our zines look like booklets. Again, check out our previous issues to see how much space you’d have. Sometimes we decide to split a zine page in half as well (thus a quarter of 8.5×11), depending on how many pitches we get and if we think it’d work to that size.
  • We print in black and white.
  • If your pitch is accepted, you can either complete it on your own and send it to us or come make it with us at our HQ. We employ a border of white space around the zine pages as well to make sure your piece doesn’t get cut off in photocopying.
  • Please also know that if you want your page to look the best in its photocopied form, it should not be too light or too dark. Keeping things close to even toned seems to work out the best and we want you to be happy with how it comes out.

Here’s what to do now:

  • Interested? GREAT! Email a short pitch of your idea and how you would want to do it to info @ staticzine . com.
  • You must email us by WEDNESDAY, MAY 8. We’ll get back to you shortly after.

Other important dates to keep of note if accepted:

  • Your submission (if doing it on your own) is to be due no later than MONDAY, MAY 27.
  • If you would like to do your page with us, then you would have to work out a day with us to come by during our production schedule between TUESDAY, MAY 28 and TUESDAY, JUNE 4. We intend to print in time for NXNE, which starts on June 10.
  • Stay tuned for launch party information!

We’re looking forward to hearing your pitches! Get those futuristic thinking caps on!

Where to find #6, the Elsewhere issue

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IT’S HERE!!! Now you can go out into the city and grab yourself a copy of ELSEWHERE.

This list will be continually updated!

As of morning of Wednesday, March 20th:

BLOOR STREET — THE ANNEX AREA
Queen Video
Victory Cafe
The Central
The Beguiling
Green Beanery
Big Fat Burrito
Sky Blue Sky
Sonic Boom

COLLEGE STREET — KENSINGTON/LITTLE ITALY AREA
Big Fat Burrito
Ideal Coffee
Cafe Pamenar
Wanda’s Pie in the Sky
Sonic Boom
She Said Boom
Manic Coffee
Soundscapes
The Green Grind
Queen Video
Of a Kind

DUNDAS STREET
Ideal Coffee
Grasshopper Records
The Lakeview

QUEEN STREET
The Horseshoe
Kops
Type Books
Rotate This
Poutini’s
The Drake Hotel
The Gladstone Hotel

If you can’t get to a location to grab a copy, now you can order us to mail it to you.
It’s $2 to cover mailing.

Team Static Did Chicago: Melody’s ‘thank you’ notes to the windy city

Static Zine was recently in Chicago for the Chicago Zine Fest to table the 6th issue, Elsewhere, which is all about other places. Managing Editor Melody Lamb recaps the experience below.

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In Jimmy Fallon-fashion, I will now take some time and write some thank you notes to the people, places and things of Chicago.

  • Thank you, The Bean, for being a giant outdoor mirror. I was able to check my make-up AND take a photo of myself without looking weird.
  • Thank you, Big Star, for filling our bellies with beer and tacos, all for under $20. You know those commercials where people look at their receipt, think that the cashier forgot to ring in half of their items, and run out before they get caught? That’s exactly how I felt. Except I was too full to run.
  • Thank you, Uncle Frank, for showing us around the city. I will always look at those bridges and think, “that’s where that Transformers scene takes place.”
  • Thank you, Chicago Zine Fair, for being a giant pile of talent.
  • Thank you, cute zine boy, for being the first person to pay for my solo zine, Hello Goodbye. I hope you enjoy my witty stories and don’t judge me too harshly. Also, my Twitter account is on the back on the zine, follow me and be my friend, please.
  • Thank you, Quimby’s, for stealing all our money. I mean, in return for all of the books and zines, but still.
  • Thank you, CTA, for tying your subway lines in a knot and calling it a loop.
  • Thank you, Rock ‘n Roll McDonald’s, for fulfilling all of my wildest fast food dreams. No thank you to the creepy guy working there who stared at me the whole time as I dropped ice cream on my dress.
  • Thank you, Chicago, for being as wonderful as I (don’t) remember. Four-year-old me might not remember much, but 22-year-old me will never forget the wonderful times we had on this trip. See you again in a few months for Pitchfork Fest!