Maaike Scherff
Scherff is new to the world of zines but she found the idea of making slice-of-life comics based on her daily observations appealing. “It’s like a visual diary… sometimes I get a bit lost in my thoughts and drawing things out in a comical way is like a form of therapy!” says the character designer, who’s currently working on Nickelodeon’s The Casagrandes.
Nicolette Wood
Wood has always been a fan of zines and comics and she enjoys using her creativity to design something that’s tangible. It’s also, she says, a safe place to share stories. “The types I tend to make are usually personal funny one-offs,” says Wood, a storyboard artist at Warner Bros. “I like to take moments I’ve observed and bend them at their most absurd point,” she adds. “Mainly poking fun at how awkward and humorous navigating through sex and relationships can be while simultaneously trying to find yourself as a queer, biracial humanoide.”
Joie Foster
“My zines are filled with colorful, cute animals and sarcastic humor,” says Foster, a storyboard revisionist at Fox TV. “I enjoy flipping tropes on their heads!” She’ll be sharing one of her creations called Heavenly Kibble Guardian Corgi #3 at the Zinefest. “I like creating zines because I enjoy creating the jokes and stories I want to see in the world. Then, it’s the cherry on top when someone else connects with and enjoys the content I made!”
Fabien Tong
For Tong, a storyboard artist at Titmouse, zines offer an opportunity to tell stories he wants to read while also allowing him to tap into drawing for fun instead of work. It’s also less daunting than creating a graphic novel— “so many pages!” He calls one of his zines of the “thuggish-ruggish variety.” “It’s cheesy action and cheesy dialog inspired by the martial arts that I love,” says Tong. “The other idea is just a fantasy world that’s inspired by various video games that I’m addicted to.”