Recently added to the Special Collections Zine Collection are a variety of science fiction fanzines. Zines are typically small and independently published booklets popular in different subcultures, such as the punk rock, riot grrrl and animal rights movements. They have a long history and association with the science fiction community, and some of the first publications that can be considered zines were in fact fanzines written by followers of the genre in the first half of the 20^th century. These publications were often produced using a mimeograph machine, a predecessor to the photocopy machines that would play such a pivotal role in the “zine revolution” of the 1970s-1990s. The small publication runs of certain titles can mark them as exceedingly rare, and the fragile nature of some of the earliest science fiction zines demand special attention for preservation.

Newly added to our Zine Collection are titles such as Fantasy Trader, Science-Fiction Advertiser and Peon. The new items cover a ten year period, from 1944-1954, and represent the emergence of a fan driven subculture during the golden age of science fiction. They join other science fiction titles such as Boing Boing and the Hidden World as part of our growing collection of zines. If you are looking for a space for your own zines, consider donating them to the University of Miami Special Collections, an emerging home for zines and other self-published materials.