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1. Fanzine Research
Cameron Whapples

2. Front cover Double Page Spread
https://issuu.com/135zine/docs/135_zine__issu1

3. This edition of 135 is a showcase of multiple photographs of a city. Judging by the architecture it appears to
be in a European country.
The design of the front cover uses photographs instead of a traditional format that would include things
such as a masthead and cover title. The photographs sit above and below a white bar. On the right of this
bar is the title of the fanzine. No other text is present on the cover.
A particular aspect of the cover that I enjoy is the use of the image below the bar. This is because the sky
shown in this image matches with colour of the bar so that they blend together.
The pages of the fanzine are purely a collection of photographs, apart from the page stating the issue
number and a list of camera equipment. It would appear that this magazine is intended for a very small
audience of photographers. The page arrangement does not differ much from the cover. Each page has
either two or four images laid out in the same way, with the occasional double spread of a single
photograph. The page numbers sit at either end of the centre bar, resting perpendicular to the angle so
that they flow with the edges of the page.
The photographs themselves are taken in an interesting way as their content varies so much. Many of the
photographs show shots of people from behind as they walk away. Some show other things such as a scarf
trapped in a door of an ambulance which leads me to believe that the photographer is a tourist. This is
supported by the content and the way in which they are presented. They are sorted as though in
chronological order as the photographer moves through the city, noticing unusual things about the
different culture.

4. Front cover Double Page Spread
https://issuu.com/fishcustardfanzine/docs/fishcustardissue9

5. Fish Fingers and Custard is a fanzine based on the Doctor Who television series. It contains reviews and
discussions of episodes and articles based on fan-made items.
The front cover has an obscure design style. The most noticeable is the masthead which employs the font
Comic Sans. This is a font not used often as it is difficult to make look appropriate. The colour of the font
makes it difficult it to read. The combination of the orange and yellow relates to the content of the
masthead but it makes the characters hard to distinguish from the white background. The three colours
also do not coordinate with it each and would not be something that should be used together if it were not
for the title’s meaning.
The caption underneath this also uses Comic Sans which reduces its overall look. Its placement is not a bad
choice but the font size is not appropriate it makes it difficult to read. Comic Sans is not used again on any
parts of the cover which makes it an odd choice to begin with.
The main feature on the cover is a still-image from an episode. It is bordered on the top and on the right by
a header and a content list. This is slightly set into the page so the white background is shown around it.
This somewhat spreads out the page but a negative of this is that the masthead is surrounded by a blank
void of any colour.
The header uses a different font which looks far better than the previous. The white text is clearly visible
against the blue of the banner. This blue is a negative however, as it is brilliant and very distracting. The
colour is so bright that it takes away from the rest of the image.
The blue theme is continued with the content list to the right of the image. This uses a saturated blue which
is much easier to look at. A background has been incorporated which appears to be a reel of film. This is has
not been utilised to the full as the text has not been aligned to it. Despite this the font choice is much better
though it could do with some variation between the different lines or different words.

6. The still image features two additions. One is a stamp-like watermark that sports a message ‘Fish Custard –
it’s not a magazine’. This is a message unique to the fanzine, much like a slogan. The other text is a quote
that matches the image.
The double page has a much more concise structure. It uses the same font throughout and does not vary as
it does on the cover. The pages are titled with the name of the fanzine. This is done in Comic Sans which
although it detracts from the overall aesthetic it continues the font style as seen previously. The article is
one seen in the content list, ‘Cyber-Moan’. The most part of it is text however a single image has been
implemented. This may be the style that this fanzine goes for, however if this were the case the article may
have been worked into an aesthetically pleasing way. Instead it is just placed onto the page without any
detail in the paragraphing.
The article concludes with an advertisement relating to the article, giving information on how readers can
write in themselves. This uses yet another still image from an episode with a title and caption placed upon
it.

7. Front cover Double Page Spread
https://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/brickjournal23preview

8. A Profound Waste of Time is a video game fanzine that explores video games and discusses certain areas
around them.
Normally a video game would be expected to include stills or screenshots from games but this does not. In
fact the fanzine features its own artwork of the games that it includes. The cover shows an image of a
person playing on a handheld device. This appears from the right and reaches to the centre of the page.
Above the device is the masthead and title of the fanzine. This is the only text on the cover as its design is
very minimalist. For this reason it is aesthetically pleasing. It does not need large amounts of text to draw in
the reader as the red theme and large image ensures that it is eye-catching.
I particularly like the black line that runs down the page towards the left side. This leads onto the issue
number, located in the bottom left. The design is very minimalist which is something that I find very
appealing. It is clear to see that the content of the fanzine will be very design oriented.
The double page focuses on a specific upcoming game. The majority of the logo takes up an entire side of
the spread and stretches into the area of the text. The text wraps around this belt as it flows around the
pages. It seems to become slightly transparent, even grainy, as it nears the text and then reverts to its
original state. This choice may have been made as without this detailing the colours may have been two
heavy next to one another; the red more visible than the black.
The text is minimal on this page, with the article only being two paragraphs long, but this appears to be the
style of the fanzine: less writing and more images.
The title of the article is presented in a very appealing way. Bold characters in red contrasts well against the
white and it shows the divide between the two pages despite their being no other indication.

9. From looking at these fanzines and scrutinising their design styles and themes I have discovered that their
subjects are for a very small and specific audience. This influences many of the choices made regarding
stylisation as they cater to their readers. They differ from normal magazines which will need to write to
include new readers as part of a business model whereas most fanzines are non-profit.

10. Initial Ideas

11. My first idea is to create a fanzine based around the film franchise Mission: Impossible. This is a major series
of films which would give me plenty of material to work with. The fanzine could focus on character profiles,
the stunts, the locations, synopses of films, an overview of the gadgets. Due to the lifespan of the franchise
there will be more than enough to incorporate into the fanzine.
The style of the fanzine could be presented in many ways but that has captivated me is to design the
fanzine as though a mission file. Printed on the front could be a phrase such as ‘TOP SECRET’. The authentic
look will be in true fanzine style: targeting a smaller group of the more dedicated fans of the films. Inside
the individual pages could be separate files (if appropriate) or images relating to the article. If I were to do a
breakdown of one of the stunts I could include blueprints of vehicles involved or architectural plans of
buildings.
Interviews could revolve around opinions of certain films or even certain aspects such as the score.
Being a work of fiction I could also look into the way in which each movie is produced and how certain
scenes were accomplished. This behind the scenes look would give me opportunities to explore even more
avenues relating to the franchise.
The fanzine could avoid having to use licensed photographs as I would create my own artwork and
drawings to add in. This could be done by scanning sketches or drawing with programs such as Photoshop.

12. My second idea is to create a fanzine that explores the supposed destruction of the world and the many
ways that people could survive it. This is a subject that has many theories though some are more believable
than others. I would like to explore most of the major ones, even those that stray into fiction such as
zombies.
This would give me lots of options to explore. Contents of the fanzine could include possible theories of
destruction, survival tips such as bush craft, best places to hide, bunker layouts. This is a theme that has
inspired many films and books, such as World War Z, which fictionally documents the rise of a zombie virus
and the fall of civilization.
I could a cover a variety of different scenarios, ranging from Shaun of the Dead to Mad Max, and the best
possible ways of surviving in them.
The fanzine would benefit from the use of images, especially artwork as the work would be fictional in a
non-fiction format. The perceived destruction would require lots of imaginative thought which I would
happily transfer to a visual format in sketches and drawings. The fanzine would be very visually based
rather than factual and informative.
Although I do not believe that the world will end I do like the focus on survival so this will be a large part of
it. It will also make those areas of the fanzine easier to write.
There are many different ways I could create the fanzine. One that would be time consuming but worth it is
to print or hand draw onto paper that I have created myself. The creation of paper would be vital in a post-
apocalyptic scenario in order to restore any civilization. This would be topical, especially if the articles were
inked by hand.

13. My third idea is to create a fanzine based around the BBC television series, Doctor Who. This would a good
topic to base the fanzine around because of its long history and the amount of content in each episode. As
the show also has had a number of different leads over the years there is almost a limitless amount of
content to discuss in the articles.
I also have an opportunity to discuss the arrival of the new doctor as the television show will begin a new
series in the next weeks. I could also include reviews of specific episodes and opinions relating to the show.
I would also be able to create my own images if needed as Doctor Who is a very visually striking program
with countless costumes and props in each episode.
As each series differs from the last there is a huge variety of themes and plotlines that are told. This alone
would give me enough content to create most of the fanzine. In addition to this the interviews could be
held with fans of the program.

14. Bibliography

15. 1. Interviewees, Name.
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2. Interviewees, Name.
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3. Publisher. Year of Release Magazine Name