Loserdom #20 (2010)
Loserdom is a zine created and published in Dublin by the "Loser brothers", Anto and Eugene Dillon. 22 issues have been published since 1996. It covers punk and independent music, DIY, political activism and cycling, and includes comic strips, mostly by Eugene.
Loserdom began as a freesheet in June 1996 , handed out at gigs and available in record shops in Dublin. The second issue was a 20 page A5 fanzine, split between Loserdom and another freesheet, Why Me?. The third issue was a comic freesheet. It began to take shape with issue four, as a zine containing articles, interviews, reviews, and comic strips by Eugene.
Around 100 copies of each of the frst four issues were printed and distributed in Dublin. The print run doubled with issue 5, thanks to Carlow zinester Stephen Doyle (Scream) having access to a photocopier, and then increased to 300 thanks to another contributor also having access to a photocopier. However, with issue 9, Loserdom lost access to free photocopying and had to charge a cover price.
Issue 10 saw the beginning of the focus on cycling, and was the first issue to be printed on recycled paper. The zine also began covering grassroots political activism in Ireland and abroad.
After issue 10, Anto and Eugene created separate zines for a few years. Eugene made five zines: Wake up Baby yeh! It hits you right between the eyes (1999), And they are saying (1999), Open shirts and raised collars (2000), I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me to see me looking back from you (2001) and The way of DIY Rocking (2002 ). Anto produced three issues of Promise Me Skies (1999-2001).
Loserdom returned with issue 11 in April 2003 , and reflected the widespread opposition to the war in Iraq. It also featured a comic strip, "The Bicycle Thieves who wore Bike Punx Badges", telling the true story of some Dublin punks who did a cycle tour of Denmark and Germany on stolen bikes. Issue 12 (September 2004) covered Palestine and George Bush's visit to Ireland, and contained a comic strip by Eugene called "Le Tour de Punk", a fictional story of a punk bike race in the east of Ireland featuring real Dublin punk musicians and zinesters.
Issue 13 (October 2005 ) featured the first in a series of articles on early Irish fanzines. This continued in issue 14 (spring 2006 ), which was produced almost entirely by Anto as Eugene was busy at college and could only contribute a few illustrations. In the summer of 2006 Anto and Ciarán Walsh organised an exhibition of zine covers called "Zine Show – A celebration of Zines and Do-It-Yourself publishing in the form of an exhibition of zines/zine art (both Irish and international)" in a Dublin bookshop.
Issue 15, published in December 2006 , marked the ten year anniversary of Loserdom with a special 68-page issue. Issue 16 (June 2007 ) featured linocut illustrations by Eugene, printed on pages from old books in Dutch and German, on the front and back covers. It was 76 pages long and focused on interviews with musicians and zinesters. It included a comic strip, "Loserdom Punk Food Consumption Survey", in which the Loser brothers assess how healthy Dublin punks' diets are.
Issue 17 (February 2008 ) was 112 pages long, and interviewed an Irish peace activist working with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Comic strips included "Le Tour de Punk 2", "Back to the Cycleworks" and "Token Feminist Hero" by Laura. Issue 18 (July 2008) had a long article on the Iraq war, another "Token Feminist Hero" strip, and other articles and comics. Issue 19 (March 2009 ) had linocut covers and an interview with a representative of the Irish Refugee Council. Issue 20 (March 2010 ) had a screen printed cover, and interviewed Cécile of La Fanzinothèque, a French zine library as well as the comic strip "The French Punk Paradox" where the Loser brothers want to investigate how consumption of wine may protect punks from heart disease.
Issue 22 (October 2011) features the twenty-eight page strip, "The Punk Connection". Split over two parts, it charts the brothers' bike rides through Dublin, and the surveillance of a fascist from Fianna Toss. There is also a three page illustrated article on the Dublin Comic Jam, and Part 5 of a feature on "Early Irish Fanzines". The piece contains interviews with punk band The Wizards of Firetop Mountain, and political commentator and educator, Joe Glynn.
The contents of Loserdom issues 1-14 are archived on the website since 2006.
External Links[]
- Official Site
- Myspace page
- Eoin Butler, "Freedom of the personal press", Irish Times, 11 October 2008