vanzine

A digital adaptation of fanzines, while still maintaining a D I.Y. ethos integral to independent press. No longer limited to photocopied pages in limited press runs, readers no longer have to search record stores, anarchist collectives, independent bookstores, or direct mailings for the next issue of their favorite publishers. Vanzines now expand on the original concept but with the addition of video, and immediate access to the once-hidden web of independent press.

Me: The other day I was reminiscing about the early days of the Internet, before influencers clogged up my socials with fairytale lifestyles. When life was ugly but reality. When a stay-at-home mom could write a daily Blog and we religiously followed them and loved their diaries. But then it all changed with easy-to-use software and those Blogs became Vlogs and led to Influencers. Kids recorded themselves playing videogames and cashed in. Elementary school children wanted to be YouTube stars when they grew up. A person sold their style for big business or the next pyramid scheme. Every photo was manipulated, challenges gone viral, and followers were no longer friends. Pranks pulled on innocent people. Clowning people was fun. Every horrible human behavior or embarrassing moment got you added to a compilation reaching a million-plus views. There was good that came out of it too, and those should also be mentioned....
Friend: You should write a blog about it, ha ha ha.
Me: Though I hate how it sounds, I've coined my new project a Vanzine and I've got decades of ideas and hope to make some money along the way.
Friend: Maybe you'll become a vanzfluencer!
Me: Stop.