Cyberspace, Y2K:
Giant Robots, Asian Punks
The author mainly talks about a new version of Asian American medias, zines and the potential influence that zines might bring to Asian American, such as new choices for life, new identifications for Asian youth and diverse cultural of aesthetic. Zines are only a kind of typical product that generated by diverse, crushed and new Asian cultural entering the American society. And as the development of internet, the form of zines is transferring into cyber version, which can produce more information and has wider influence than paper version. (pp.24) Zines have become a representative Asian American media to show a strong individual awareness as well as a rebellion spirit.
One specific example of where zines come from is that in 1960s zines also developed a new form with underground comix (most famously represented by cartoonist R.Crumb) and music fanzines to the mix. And in the late 1970s and 1980s as the birth of punk, zines began to add these components to show a rebellion spirit against the traditional cultural, to break the stubborn expression of Asian American. And as Greil Marcus firstly did this, with the introduction of punk, very quickly, pop music changed its form—and so did public discourse. (pp.12)
Two main key words is zine and fanzine. A zine (short for magazine or fanzine) is a self-published work with some original or appropriated texts and images, and usually reproduced by photocopier. Zines are not only the product of a single person, but also of a very small group and are always photocopied into some physical prints for circulation. A fanzine (blend of fan and magazine) is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share their interest. (According to Wikipedia “zine”)
In These ‘AZN’ Zines Are Here To Tell The Asian American Story written by Jasmine Ting, she collects numerous Asian American’s products of zines. Interestingly, she finds that one magazine called BANANA have changed the word “Banana” which refers to Asians who are “white inside.” Into a new self-identification for Asian Americans, which shows their fashion and aesthetic taste. This is highly agreed by Rachel Rubin, because he also mentioned that the grassroots nature of zine production and distribution also struggle with the stubborn original frame of medias. The new medias for Asian American and the reasons for them to chase after zines are to show their equality and differences from both Asians as well Americans.
Reference:
- “These ‘AZN’ Zines Are Here To Tell The Asian American Story”, Jasmine Ting, 05 May 2012
- “Cyberspace, Y2K: Giant Robots, Asian Punks”, RACHEL RUBIN, March 2003