Vibrant, contemporary zine culture pairs powerful art with urgent action

Notes from Underground

Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture

by Stephen Duncombe (Author) and Emma Alice Johnson (Foreword)

"A timely new critical study...throws some light on the current state of zines and what's at stake. Duncombe, a professor of American Studies and a zine-maker himself, locates zines within a wider bohemian tradition, and maps out both the potential and the limits of their cultural radicalism." –The Atlantic

"Readers are introduced to a remarkably diverse world of zines and their publishers, whose interests run the gamut: crusading for anarchy in our time, or for the revival of the eight-track tape...but for all of these subjects, silly or serious, Dr. Duncombe argues that zines represent a model of participatory cultural production." –Chronicles of Higher Education

Can zines save the world? Maybe, says Stephen Duncombe in the updated fourth edition of his groundbreaking study of the zine publishing underground, but only if we act on what we learn from them. Duncombe's lovingly critical and thought-provoking book explores the history, theory, and usefulness of zines, from their origin in the early twentieth century sci fi fandom, their spread through 1960s counterculture, and their rise through the 1990s punk and riot grrrl communities. Throughout, zines have critiqued capitalism, broken from mainstream culture, and provided outlets for marginalized people to express themselves and communicate with each other. In an era of book bans and culture wars, we need zines now more than ever.

Featuring a foreword by Emma Alice Johnson, midwestern farmer-zinester and author of such gems as Alternatives to Beekeeping and Midnight Queens: 80s Horror Movies Written and Directed by Women.

SUBJECT: Political / History / About Zines / Microcosm Published / Publishing

PUBLICATION: Aug 5, 2025

PRICE: $21.99

ISBN: 9781648415890

FORMAT: 256 pages, 6x9", paperback

WHOLESALE: $13.19

CARTON QTY: 28

ART:

Marketing Notes

Stephen Duncombe is Professor of Media and Culture at New York University and author and editor of ten books and numerous articles on the intersection of culture and politics. A life-long activist, Duncombe is the co-founder and Research Director of the Center for Artistic Activism, a research and training organization that helps activists create more like artists and artists strategize more like activists.

A small, innovative publishing house, Microcosm Publishing specializes in work designed to make the reader feel good about being alive, take an active role in bettering their life, and impact the world around them. Microcosm has developed a reputation for teaching self-empowerment, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and zines about DIY skills, food, politics, and art. Our books are printed in the USA.