Alrighty zine fiends, it is about to get gloomy as heck, especially for us in Chicago and the Midwest. Maybe it would help to plan a trip? Could be just a little getaway—maybe even in your imagination. So, I’ve gathered together a collection of zines to help you prepare to escape the dreary months to come. Introducing…

Tessa’s Guide to Zines That Aren’t Necessarily Travel Guides but Make Me Think About Escaping! 

Elephant Buildings by Dave Hankins

The obvious place to start is Elephant Buildings by Dave Hankins. Now, you’ll have to time travel to visit some of the fascinating elephant-shaped buildings in this zine, but you’ll find plenty of interesting details in Dave’s thoroughly researched zine to accurately set your time travel devices or to travel in your imagination. Before picking this little booklet up, I never thought to wonder about elephant buildings, but after reading it I feel like such a fool. I will now be forever curious about the history of any roadside attraction I encounter.

Controlled Burn: an Oak Opening Story by Lee Fearnside

Try out imaginary ecotourism by visiting an interesting local ecosystem in Controlled Burn: an Oak Opening Story by Lee Fearnside. In this little zine, you’ll meet the plants and animals of Oak Openings, a region crossing Ohio and Michigan and learn about the impact of human intervention on this unique habitat and the importance of controlled burns in ecosystems. I love learning about the environments I visit. If you do too, try out Controlled Burn!

Indianapolis: a Visitor’s Guide by Jone Greaves

Maybe you’re staying nearby – a little road trip to MidBest mecca, Indianapolis! 😉 Make sure to pick up Jone Greaves’ very helpful, Indianapolis: a Visitor’s Guide before you hit the road! Inside you’ll find secrets, tips and mysterious warnings about the city, like the resting place of the “harbinger of the growing goblin scourge of the Midwest,” a warning about cursed regions, seasonal rituals, and a reminder not to mention The Catacombs (oops!).

Cavern Zines #4 by Ari Ganahl

Maybe you’re staying even nearer-by—Try out Ari Ganahl’s Cavern Zine #4 for an adventure right from your favorite armchair. Everything you need for a spelunking adventure is in this little book. Join the included (great value!) cave guide on a unique journey through paper landscape. Best of all, you can visit this destination again and again with no additional cost!

Pocket Road Atlas by Mel Watkin and Maps by Chris Auman

For more armchair adventures, check out Mel Watkin’s Pocket Road Atlas to plan out an imaginary road trip through beautiful imagined regions illustrated right over real road maps. I also recommend Chris Auman’s Maps, which will provide you with plenty of imaginary landscapes, cityscapes, mostly-waterscapes, and other scapes, to escape into. 

Anxious Planet by Jone Greaves

Finally, if you happen to be reading this blog from your spaceship, contemplating a visit to Earth, make Quimby’s your first stop planet-side to pick up Jone Greaves’ Anxious Planet for a general overview of what’s going on here with this weird rock we’re living on.

Happy trails, Zine Travellers! I hope to see you in-store to wish you well on your zine journeys!

See ya soon!

-Tessa <3