Zine: Swank Zine
Issue: unknown
Created by: Tod Swank
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Solana Beach, CA
When: 1987?
Swank Zine is legendary in the medium of stapled and xeroxed paper. I don't own any from back in the day, but picked up this one on eBay because they were selling an original Swank Zine sticker I wanted, and the zine happened to come with it. The inside cover says Swank Skate Zine 1, but I'm betting this is some sort of bootleg reprint. The condition is too good to be 30-plus years old and I got the zine and sticker for five bucks. Who knows? If you can shed any light on the matter, let me hear about it in the comments.
Notes: The Neil Blender art and squirrel comics are fantastic.
Zine: Gus
Issue: 2
Created by: Duncan Scott Davidson
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Fremont, CA
When: 1989
When Gus showed up in my mailbox, it blew my mind. Any preconceived notion about what a zine was supposed to be, or how it was supposed to look, or how THICK it could be, was blown away. With a heavy pink cover? Damn. Davidson must have had some dough to put this thing out. Letters in this issue from Jenkins and Swank confirm, the Swami's stapled and xeroxed paper was on fire. Plenty of subversive content, a good amount of art and prose, a lot of skateboarding and freestyle. Be patient with the PDF on this one. Clocking in at 66 pages, It's going to take a few moments to load.
Notes: Yes, Swami, we were all in love with Krys Dauchy too.
Zine: Gut Feel'n
Issue: 3
Created by: Phread Conrad, Jawhn Dettman
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: San Bernardino, California
Date: 1987
Gut Feel'n was one of the first handful of zines I received in the mail. I probably wrote Phread with 50 cents and a stamp after seeing a "Zine Scene" feature in Thrasher Magazine. Heavy, two-color cover, with a Mike Taylor interview and photos by Tod Swank, Jawhn Dettman, Bryce Kanights, Kevin Thatcher.
Notes: Excellent art. Two instances with toilets, which somehow seemed to be a recurring artistic theme with skateboarder/artists at that time, myself included.
