Denver Zine Scene 2025
Our First Annual Review of Small Indie Pubs in the Mile High
[Quick Note: Before we get to this month’s feature, we wanted to let you know that we’ll be sending out our RSVP emails for the winter issue release party tomorrow. The party will feature a special performance by Nelo, comedy by Taylor Soderborg, free drinks, and more. As always, this event is free for subscribers (and their +1s). If you’re not already subscribed, now’s the time! It’s only $19.95 for a year. Click here to get started.]
Denver Zine Scene 2025
If you’ve spent some time in local bookshops and art galleries, you know that Denver’s zine scene is thriving. Counters and shelves throughout the 303 are chock-full of spunky offerings from local creators, and we would be remiss if we didn’t honor this underground tradition of bootstrap publishing.
So, in what will hopefully turn out to be the first in a series of annual wrap-ups, we’ve selected 10 zines that caught our eye this year. Special thanks to the folks at Mutiny Info Cafe, Kilgore Books, and the Denver Zine Library for their recommendations.
1. Joy by The Denver Zine Library/Denver Zine Club
Let’s start where we should, with an offering by the Denver Zine Library, a 100% volunteer-run organization with a charming space inside of the Bob Ragland branch of the Denver Public Library. If you’re at all interested in creating zines, this is a great way to get involved. This particular issue, themed as “Joy” and published by the library’s zine club, includes collages and original illustrations from various Denver zinesters, along with a helpful event calendar.
2. Pictures of my Dad by John Kuebler
We found a copy of this zine at Kilgore Books and were instantly enamored by it. With minimalist pictures and captions, author John Kuebler is able to immerse the reader in the narrative of a child whose relationship with his father is defined exclusively by his awareness of his dad as a model for Camel cigarettes. It’s one of the most original concepts for a zine we’ve ever encountered. Definitely check this one out.
3. The Denver Tiki Times by Squeaky Tiki
The Denver Tiki Times is the embodiment of the magic of zinecraft. You have no idea what to expect (after all, the author is “Squeaky Tiki”; it could be pure lunacy), but soon enough you’re pulled into a polished, well-written account of a fascinating subculture. As the name implies, this zine is all about local tiki culture, with art, cocktail recipes, and historical articles. We’re getting thirsty just writing about it!
4. Bizarre Used Car Capers by “The Pied Piper,” Gary Piper
We’ve never met this author, but we have a feeling he’s quite a character. In this entry, retired used car salesman and “The King of Karaoke” (according to the jacket copy) Gary Piper regales the reader with stories from his 44 years on the lot dealing with hapless salesmen and their clientele. Complete with historical photos and “Five Original Heartfelt Poems,” this book is sure to get your friends talking if you leave it on your coffee table.
5. Bokeh Obscura by Bokeh Obscura
This short zine manages to be straightforward and mysterious at the same time. As its titular author explains in the preface, this zine is a collection of intimate photos of a sex worker, who agreed to be featured in the work. Obscura explains that they have a photo collection composed of “strippers, content creators, alternative models, and past romantic partners (all consenting adults)” and that this is just a sample. The book is plastic-wrapped so the kiddos can’t take peek inside and comes with a Polaroid keepsake. Neato.
6. Recession Funnies by Nicolas Sequeira
The works of this spirited and opinionated zinester/musician can be found all over Denver. In this particular publication, Sequeira interrogates and lampoons various belief groups, providing some insight into his own unique worldview. Whether you agree with Sequeira’s ideas or not, his zeal for zinecraft is undeniable. He’ll even mail you a copy of a particular publication if you write to him with a few bucks.
7. The Magpie
This striking zine (love that cover) is a collection of prose and poetry from local Denver writers. It resembles more of a traditional literary magazine in its contents than what you’d find from other offerings on this list. However, the indie DIY spirit is strong with this one, and its ragtag group of writers and artists leave a strong impression. It might just be the most tasteful item on this list.
8. Walk Off Hot by Charly Fasano
Local artist Charly Fasano’s works can be seen all over the Denver metro. You can tell a lot of care went into the printing and general presentation of this collection, which in this case is titled “Stages of Crushed” and includes various intriguing (even provocative) sketches of soda cans. There’s a palpable tenderness available to anyone who encounters this series. And Fasano caps it off with a short film (accessible through a QR code on the last page).
9. Tales From Qyleoth by Yaxam
This author approached us in-person at the Bluebird Bodega event and handed us a zine. Normally, when someone does that, we expect the work to be terrible, but not this time! The art of this trippy fantasy series–what could be described as Robert Crumb tripping on space acid–steals the show. Every panel is so creative and fun. Definitely worth a look!
10. Hi-Fi Anxiety
We’re all about analog at Denverse, so this zine celebrating old-fashioned records, tapes, and VHS’s caught our eye. It’s clear the author here revels in trivia, and the result is an interesting mix of reviews of old media (anime, in this particular edition). It’s great seeing something like this in print. Hell, it’s great seeing anything in print, which is sort of the point here.