Indie Publishers Unite

Expozine Offers Zines, Comics, Accessories and More

Fringe ArtsElysha del Giusto-Enos — Published November 17, 2012

Sometimes pronounced “zeen,” or “zine”— the tiny books representing the height of DIY publishing are out en masse this weekend, brought together for Expozine 2012.

Housed inside the indie-friendly Église Saint-Enfant-Jesus—previously the premier late-night POP Montreal venue—Expozine is bringing 270 exhibitors to the massive underground space, for its 11th edition.

“Expozine is actually North America’s biggest small print and comic book press—at least that’s what they claim,” said exhibitor Sheena Swirlz. “[…] I find that almost more people will come [to Montreal] because there is more of a culture for it.”

Swirlz is a native Ontarian who’s been in Montreal for three years and runs the blog Radical Montreal. At her table she’s selling her city and winter survival guides, bike craft zine, some queer zines and her up-cycled bike tube jewelry.

She says it’s sometimes hard to find a spot to sell zines in Montreal. Concordia’s Co-op bookstore, the Anarchist Bookstore on St. Laurent blvd. and Dépanneur le Pick Up do sell zines, but Swirlz said “otherwise you’re making them available for free.”

The appeal of Expozine extends beyond the opportunity to sell zines to an eager public, it is also noted for being extremely accessible to exhibitors. Renting space at the event costs $25 per table, per day, or $40 for the weekend. The event’s affordability keeps exhibitors coming back each year, and also attracts them from outside the province.

Expozine is this weekend only—so, try to get there early.

“After one o’clock it starts to fill up, so it’s getting to that point where it’s hard to push past people,” Swirlz said.

Expozine at Église Saint-Enfant Jésus (5035 St-Dominique) / Nov. 17 to 18 / 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. / free

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