The Grid Zine Fest 2024 proved to be a resounding success, brilliantly showcasing a broad spectrum of perspectives and creative voices. This year’s event was a vibrant hub of activity, with numerous tablers engaging enthusiastically with zine fans like myself. The festival offered something for everyone, from anarcho homeless punks to women on passionate missions, making it a rich tapestry of ideas and expressions.
As I meandered through the bustling aisles, it was impossible not to be captivated by the sheer diversity of content on display. Many collectives had set up booths, each championing causes that resonated deeply with them and, as it turned out, with many attendees. These ranged from social justice initiatives to environmental advocacy, each represented through the unique medium of zines.
One of the highlights of my visit was meeting Evan Black, a talented comic artist whose work I had admired from afar. I was thrilled to snag a copy of his latest comic, “The Wasatch Wonders.” Adding a personal touch to the experience, Evan’s young son was at the table, eagerly creating his own mini zine. His entrepreneurial spirit shone brightly as he offered his creations for a dollar, or $2 for a signed copy—an irresistible offer that I couldn’t pass up.
Another standout was Sarah Morton Taggart and her series of four zines dedicated to her Mormon family trees. This collection struck a personal chord with me, as I have been contemplating turning bits of my own family history into smaller zines or chapbooks. Seeing Sarah’s work brought this idea to life in such an engaging and thoughtful manner. It was both inspiring and surprising to witness how she transformed personal history into compelling narratives.
The festival was teeming with comic artists, each bringing their unique styles and stories to the fore. This variety added a dynamic visual element to the fest, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the mind. From intricate illustrations to bold, expressive art, the talent on display was truly impressive.
Grid Zine Fest 2024 wasn’t just about the exchange of zines; it was about the exchange of ideas, stories, and passions. It was a space where creators and enthusiasts could come together, share their work, and find inspiration in one another. Whether through political manifestos, personal memoirs, or imaginative fiction, the festival highlighted the power of zines as a tool for expression and connection.
In conclusion, Grid Zine Fest 2024 was an enriching experience that celebrated the diverse voices within the zine community. It was a reminder of the impact that these small, self-published works can have and the unique ways they can bring people together. I left the festival not only with a bag full of zines but also with a heart full of inspiration and a renewed appreciation for this vibrant form of media.
Watch dabodab for reviews, interviews and more.
Tablers
- Summer of FalkenCraft
They/Them www.falkencraftshop.com
Summer has made zines for over a decade and loves the process of wit-ing and creating. Most zines of theirs are per-zines with a few silly ones worked in there as well. - Eilonwy Kimball
She/Her https://plotbunnystudios.carrd.co/
Eilonwy Kimball is an artist who makes comics, zines, and stickers. Primarily works in watercolor paint and ink. Her zines consist of fun stories. bits of advice, and getting annoying thoughts out of her head and onto
paper. - Elisabeth Rae
She/Her
I love all things mini, ethereal, patterned, poetic, and fun to draw! - Marriott Library Zine Collection
She/They Lib.utah.edu
Established in 2016 - Kes Artemis
They/Them
I am a queer writer, runner, and tattoo artist in Salt Lake City. I write zines of “bad poems” that are basically just journaled experiences. - Nah.
Just a girl out here trying to tell stories. Looking for artists to collab with!
Drop by and give me your card! - Coffee At Midnight
He/Him
I make zines inspired by book arts and themes like things left behind. - Wild Existential Trash
She/Her Coffeeatmidnight.etsy.com
We sell letterpress and risograph broadsides, postcards, and zines. - Torpor House
He/Him torporhouse.com
Torpon House makes and distributes artist books, indie zines, and other alternative publications. - Seedhead Cooperative
Seedhead Cooperative is a budding community of liminal space dwellers, loving spirit tenders, organizers of creative energies, portals so abetween worlds, and moms; currently stewarded by Esther Merono insp. Baro and Luca. Stop by for zines about parenting during an apocalypse, Steven Universe-themed playbooks, regenerative economy proposals, and Huggy Wuggy comics. - Sarahmour Ink
She/They https://www.sarahmour.com/
Sarah is on a zine-making journey of documenting the lives of her Mormon ancestors in a quest to understand the context of their lives and the decisions they made. She also makes zines about beer, ghost towns, and other random crap. - missed connections sic
She/Her/They
Collecting the best of Salt Lake City’s Craigslist Missed Connections and beyond! From longing and loathing, to religion, to falling in love in grocery stores, and everything in between. - Hellskate
She/Her www.hel/skate.com
Hellskate is a supernatural roller derby art•comic-film project. The Hellskate Zines features my favorite derby skaters, athletes and artists. - Super Secret Sequential Storytelling Society
She/Her Website
We’re a group of young artists centred in the Provo/Orem area who create and produce short form comics and zines. - Trashbird Anarchist Collective
He/They
We’re an Anarchist collective based out of Provo and Orem focused on direct action and community building. Our zines are a collection of writing and art from our community members, focused on anticapitalism and the unique challenges and triumphs of building an alternative community in - Foxglove Presents
They/Them www.tumbir.com/foxglove-presents
Foxglove Presents is an anarchist zine that touches on general politics, subculture, and queer liberation! - Rescue Ranchito
‘ito’ – an endearing addition to the end of a word indicating something-smaller in size, and expresses affection and familiarity. Embedded in the suffix is a feeling of endearment and closeness plus it often refers to something just plain cute… in this case, that cute thing is the Ranchitol And while we may be small, that IS intentional. There are so many sto ries to be told, so much deep love to share, and an abundance of important messages coming out of each and every single, adorable Rescue Ranchito resident. Our goal is to keep the Rescue small-scale in terms of overall numbers, but not our reach. We are passionately committed to passing along the stories of our companion creatures because each of them is so significant, so poignant, so eye-opening, and most unfor-tunately, so common. Each of our dwellers has such a big personality, if only their memoirs could be told and heard, shouted from the rooftops, they couldn’t help but change the entire world. We are gunning for nothing short of a paradigm shift in the way we look at animals, treat them, interact with them, value them, and hopefully then desire to save them… each Ranchito resident is a vital emissary, a peek into the truth of how we treat those who walk on four legs. And if we do anything with our time here, it needs to be in their honor, to help them tell their stories. That is our sheer pleasure in this lifetime. So please, join us here, at the Rescue Ranchito. It’s for them, always. - The Mobile Moon Co-op
They/Them www.mobilemooncoop.org
The Mobile Moon Co-op is a femme and queer led collective that aids communities and ecosystems through education, empowerment and botanical stewardship. We make zines that reflect the knowledge and experiences of our community. We have been making zines regularly since 2017. - Oatmeal creates
I have lived in Utah County for over 10 years. I have two jobs that keep me busy. I like to work in mixed media when I have the time. I mostly like to make handmade books, drawing, working in different mediums.
I started getting into zines about over a year now. I enjoy making art collage zines, and poems. I like to see art of any kind in zines, it gives inspiration to make more art for you or for others. - Peachy Keen Press
She/Her peachykeenpress.com
I’m a classic homebody introvert who makes art zines and perzines.
Being socially awkward means / connect and express myself best through zines! - Liberty Gibby
She/Her https//www.instagram com/liberty gibby/
Per Zines, mini zines, screen-printed zines and relief zines! some sad some also sad! - Bri Gawkoski
She/Her Bngawkoski.format.com
Bri Gawkoski is an artist from Colorado She creates collage art zines.
Bri attempts a lighthearted approach to heavy topics such as failed relationships, mental illness, women’s rights, and more. - T.H Gramr
She/Her htips/Ahgram.substack com/
Multimedia artist and writer, mostly focussing on portraying story through sculpture and collage. - LONG ARM STAPLER
They/Them Http://ongarmstapler.neocities.org
Nonbinary zinester making art about being neurodivergent and sad, with an emphasis on karaoke, king of the hill, livejournal, and dogs 🙂 - Rad Breath
Perzines and merch from a queer trans first generation salvi artist centering the experience of being shackled by mental illness but still trying destined to find fun and the point of the party - Sexter’s Laboratory
They/Them https://www.instagram.com/sexters_/aboratoryPh/=en
My work is focused on exploring grief of the self by way of repurposed pop culture iconography and sardonic visual commentary. - Neurogeist/Risogeist risogeist com
Hi! We are Riso Geist, Utah’s first risograph studio. We believe in the power of print to create joy and effect change, and champion the process of printmaking in a digital world. - Brap Studios
He/Him jaredmatterfis.com
I make zines about my interests in Music and Photography often combining the two. - Whitney Matterfis
She/Her Bebance.net/mattewhi
Full-time graphig designer, SUU alumni, vinyl collector, pokemon enthusiast
SUANG CA - Clown Dog Collective
She/They https://stevebuscemifan1999.tumblr.com/
We make zines about our dog, photography, the local music scene, and things we love. Clown Dog Collective is compromised of Alondra, Miguel, and Deuce. - Baxter
Bryanbilm@gmail.com https:/juanapple12345.wixsite.com/baxtorbryan/america
I go by Baxter and me and my zine are a showcase of what I shoot with all my weird cameras and colors. I love photography and community and I try my best to show and not say as much. Some good photos some wild ones but yea to skateboarding to basketball to non living things and things that breathe air. To each their own interpretation on this little stories in my zine! - Corner Riso + Big Shed comerriso.com / bigbigshed.com
Corner Riso is a publisher of risograph printed zines that also offers riso printing services to artists. Big Shed is a creative group creating projects with artists and musicians. - Mykle Blue
My name is Mykle Blue. I’m a queer poet and artist that believes deeply in the power of raw emotion, unapologetic self expression, individuality and challenging social norms. - Madisyn WitchPrincess
She/her WitchPrincess.ink
I’m more of a princess than most people would care for me to be. I can be an attention whore. I love helping people. I’ve got the mentals. I take meds. I like things that are decomposing or falling apart. I like to write comics, and I love music, storytelling, and dancing. - Kit Cactus
They/Them Kitcactusart.com
Comics! - Books As Meals
She/Her instagram.com/booksasmeals
A horror writer and artist who interprets books as uniquely horrifying meals through illustrations and short stories. - GAR!
He/Him www.instagram.com/garcomics
I make black and white comics and comic book inspired art.
ES CHAU
5u - Dick Dragon presents Bandages
He/Him bandages.website
This will be the debut of ‘Bandages’ comic. I started writing this comic book a few years ago. I taught myself how to draw by doing this project.
I’ve kept this hidden and only a couple friends have seen pieces of it. It’s been a fun obsession for me, but now it is printed and ready to show off. - Charlie Beck
They/He https://www.instagram.com/trabers_art/
I’m a queer zine maker that’s been making zines for almost 4 years now!
My zine range from essay style rants about random topics, to interviews, - Maddie Beck
She/Her
Hi! I’m Maddie, a university student with a deep love for zines. I make zines about music artists, mental health, collections, and many other things I’m interested in. They’re typically light hearted and easy to read! - Teen Zine Team & Salt Lake City Public Library
https://services.s/cpl.org/
Teen Zine Team is a fun hangout session where you can meet new people, and spark your own creativity and self-expression! No experience necessary and materials are provided. Local zine artists, along with our Teen Services Librarians, will introduce you to this underground art form and guide you on your zine-making journey. Teens with any level of artistic experience are welcome in this inclusive, casual group. Work on collaborative or solo projects and add your masterpieces to the Teen Zine Collection! Teen Zine Team meets every Thursday, from 4-5pm, in the Teen Lounge at the Main Library. - Gothic Vampyre Press
He/Him
Taliesin and Theo (Gothic Vampyre Press) have spent the past 3 years creating zines and fabric goods! Their biggest inspirations are their queer identities, a love of animals, and a love of all things nerdy! - SpyHop
https://spyhop.org/
Spy Hop is a nonprofit digital media arts center offering free classes in film, music, audio, and design for students ages 12-19. - eatingtoothpaste
She/He eatingtoothpaste.bigcartel.com
My name is Amora Romero and I am an 18 year old trans and queer artist with a passion for punk, DIY, and social justice. Eatingtoothpaste is an art magazine focused on the lives and experiences of queer people in - Leah Bluette
She/her Leahbluette.com
Sam a Design student at the University of Utah! I love photography and writing and design. Many of my zines focus on my feminist design worky and others are personal poems I have written about love and life. - Lincpoetry
She/They Lincpoetry.com
Lin Flores @lincpoetry is your typical Latinx emo boi. Next year they will finish their MFA in poetry at UNO. In 2023, Lin was awarded a college and university prize from the Academy of American Poetry. When Lin isn’t driving Ubey for money, they are teaching poetry at McGillis Middle School, creating zines, printing linocuts, and drinking too much coffee.
They created Dear Lin, their first zine, in 2023. Lin’s zines largely focused on ekphrastic poems with accompanying original photography as well as the traditional pocket zines which contain musings on queerness, race, - Esoteric Tree
She/They
Thrive Check! Is a hi-vibe ‘zine with affirmations, mini poems, thoughts & vibes. Dive in, are you survivin’ or are you thrivin’? - Razorcake (Donna Ramonel
She/They razorcake.org
Razorcake/Gorsky Press, Inc. (RC/GP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit multidisciplinary arts organization. Its core mission is publishing Razorcake, a magazine dedicated to DIY punk, independent culture, and amplifying unheard voices. We feel when we work together, life is a little more bear-able. On one side is a terrifying culture of manipulation, and on the other side are all of us. YR NOT ALONE - Ricky Vigil
He/Him rickyvigil.com
Ricky Vigil makes comics mostly about himself that he thinks are funny and/or important and has been doing so for almost a decade - Robyn Braegger
She/Her
Robyn is a word game loving, picture book collecting, fiber artist, thrifter sister, preschool teacher from northern Utah. She loves big ideas and roping her friends and family into making them a reality. - Bonnie Cooper
She/Her https://www.instagram.com/bonniekayevargacooper
Bonnie Cooper has been creating zines, and collaborating with kids and teens through zine workshops and summer camps, in Salt Lake City since 2011. She’s been involved with organizing Grid Zine Fest since. Bonnie’s roles as mother, gardener, artist, community member, youth mentor and queer woman inform her creative expression through zines as well as her community involvement. She loves big ideas and roping her friends and family into making them a reality. - Bunnokid Zines
Bunnee Cooper is a kindergarten zine maker who loves fantasy creatures and all things cute, fluffy and video game related. - Spencer Holt
He/They www.DungeonCrawlersComic.com
I’m just a guy who makes comics for fun. - D. Bradford Gambles
He/Him bradymakecomic.com
I make mini comics and zines. - Drew Keller
He/Him Blaquesmiith (@Blaquesmiith) X (twitter.com)
Comic book artist that also streams. My books are mainly fantasy - Angie Sandberg
She/Her https://www.instagram.com/merkleydeep/
Angie Sandberg is an illustrator that lives and creates in Utah. She writes all-ages comics about cats, Halloween, dreams and day to day life. She creates under the name Merkleydeep, but she’d be hard pressed to explain why. - Mitch Parker?
He/Him https://www.instagram.com/merkleydeep/
Extreme Doodling - Robotatertot
He/Him Robotatertot.bigcartel.com
I like discovering abandoned cars deep in the woods and also I draw stuff - delane doolittle
She/Her https://www.instagram.com/delane_doolittle/
my zines are my safe space, I make them to process my thoughts, feel-ings, and memories in an artistic and relatable way. - Kades Arevalo
They/Them or XeXem
I am a queer, third-generation peruvian immigrant, with setter and Andina roots living in the diaspora. My family upon immigrating to UT for many reasons, including racism, assimilation, the lie that is the “American Dream”, intentionally erased and disappeared parts of ourselves in order to assimilate into this country. These zines are my way of documenting what I’m learning and building upon the knowledge passed down to me and is my attempt to heal parts of myself that feel disconnected, broken, and to deepen my relations with my own ancestral traditions and plants. :0 - Adrian Fox-Staley
They/Them lakewords com
Adrian is a soft-spoken queer rabblerouser, poet, and ritual holder who makes zines about grief, love, queerness, and women’s soccer. - Lake Words
He/They lakewords.com
Lake words is a queer, abolitionist love letter for the great salt lake. we seek to cultivate a love so robust it refuses to look away. Volume 2 now available! - Lewis Figun Westbrook
He/They http://westbrook.com/
Lewis Figun Westbrook (he/they) will always prefer their bio be a joke but apparently that isn’t professional. They are a queer writer of too many genres and artist of too many things. He is currently published in Love Gone Wrong and multiple self published zines. Find them on most social media @lewisrilw - Bounous Productions
She/Her thebopo com
I self-published my first graphic novel in 2021. It is an allegorical fairytale centered around the agency of youth and the fae. I love fantasy and plan to publish a lot more fantasy based content. I’m actively working on my next graphic novel hoping to have it published later this year. - SLCC Publication Center
She/Her https://siccpublicationcenter.com/
The Salt Lake City Community College Publication Center supports learning in the production, distribution, and circulation of print and digital texts. We host open workshops on publication topics for students, faculty, and community members. We’d love to collaborate with your organization on zine and other book-making workshops. - BEWONDER COMICS
Ho/Him https://inktree/doylomelville2
I enjoy drawing cartoons, and writing silly plots. - Wasatch Wonders
He/Him www. wasatchwonders.com
The Wasatch Wonders face off against giant mutated brine shrimp, fearmongering fiends, and other local monsters, all to keep the good people of Utah safe! Evan Black is a husband, father, former teacher, and 2-year cancer survivor, and enjoys seeing his homeland through the eyes of his superheroes. - Mike Lovins
He/Him www.wix com/mlovins/wegoanywheret
Mike Lovins is a commercial illustrator with a background in concept design and storyboards. Born, raised in Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Graduated from Utah State University with an emphasis in the arts Projects have included television, software development, advertising and comic books. Mike has also moderated numerous panels for Fanx, LTUE and Wasatch Comic Con. Mike’s creator owned comic book WE GO ANYWHERE, can be read online at: WEBTOONS - Dungeon Maven
She/Her dungeonmavengames.com
Dwelling in the foothills of the unfathomably ancient Appalachian Mountains, the Dungeon Maven has been playing D&D for over a decade. A maven is a guide and the Dungeon Maven, or Samantha as she’s also known, writes zines to guide new players into the world of table top role playing games. Her day job is working as an artificer, Strength is her dump stat. - Zuzu Cartoons
They/She https//zuzucartoons.com
ZuZu_Cartoons (they/she) is a zinester who publishes out of Tempe, AZ
(O’Odham & Piipaash land). Their serious zines include work on securing an ADHD diagnosis, queer love, activist resources, and having mental health conversations with partners. Her much sillier ongoing comic series, “Playlists for Possessed Dolls and Depressed Smokers,” relies on humor and narrative to tackle heavier themes such as isolation, nihilism, interpersonal relationships, neurodivergence and mental health. - Jessi Blackham
She/Her jessicablackham.com
I’m a designer, illustrator and cofounder of Mother of Chaos, a writing collective that seeks to create and promote literature that normalizes neurodivergence. - Soft Star Magazine
https://softstarmagazine.substack.com/
Soft Star Magazine features stories of science fiction, futurism, and speculative fiction with a healthy dose of optimism. No dystopias here Sot Star stands for curiosity, openness, and the inherent magic of the unknown. Soft Star publishes both online and in periodic print issues. - Bee & Fish
They/Them & He/Him https://plotbunnystudios.carrd.co/
We are first time zine makers focusing on queer experiences, surreal imagery, and collaborative works. - Melbin’s Broken Hearts Club
She/her https://www.instagram.com/melbin.zine/
Melbin and the Broken Hearts Club started as an artistic outlet and shout into the void; a way to share my art and feelings anonymously.
Over the past few years it has brought in a community of likeminded poets, feminists, artists and outcasts. - March and Lyco
They/Them https://www.instagram.com/mirthfulmarch
We’re two friends who like to make art and comix about queer wizards and anime and whatever - Rooftop Friendo Zines
She/Her natquaylenelson.com
My zines feature award-winning original writing, outrageous queer smut that’s so bad it’s good, personal narratives of Ex-Mormon trauma, & more! - Juli Jump Rope
She/Her spaghettimonday.com
Juli Jump Rope, editor-in-chief of the Homebody Herald and feral cat wrangler. - Emily Moroz / Sound Grounds Wreckin’ Crew
She/Her/They
Emily “Moreohs” is an artist and cartoonist living in Portland Oregon. She makes personal and nature-inspired comics about the day-to-day wonder of being a human, the land with people, wild animals and plants, and friendship. She creates a monthly snail mail newsletter called EM’s M and is a long-time zine fest organizer (Portland Zine Symposium). - Arin Doyle
They/he https://www.instagram.com/rainwoodcreations/
Arin Doyle is a Queer, Trans-Masculine, Disabled, and Neurodivergent individual. Their Zines focus on lived experience and voice the challenges of navigating the world as someone with several intersectional and marginalized identities.
