In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin started a literary magazine for psychiatric
patients at a Pennsylvania hospital, which was distributed amongst the patients
and hospital staff. This could be considered the first zine, since it captures the
essence of the philosophy and meaning of zines.
(Wikipedia)
OpenZine is a publishing platform with web browser based tools that provides an easy way for anyone to make their own magazine, for free.
The best way to describe what OpenZine provides is by understanding how magazines
work. Magazines have a staff of writers, photographers, designers, illustrators
and editors that create & contribute. Here at OpenZine you create & contribute
on those same principles but your resources are other OpenZine users!
To preserving the design experience of print we've created amazingly powerful one
click layouts. You can even change them as you go!
Create your magazine cover online with the OhhZee Image Editor.
In just a few clicks, you can add shapes, text and effects the OhhZee way!
OpenZine began as an idea in 1993 to create a publication that was open to ideas
from different perspectives and multiple sources. As it grew, readers would send
in letters, articles & pictures that were often included in issues. OpenZine
would later become one of the most acclaimed Zine’s of it’s time.
Back then, the heart of OpenZine was heavily based on layout
and graphics.
Aside from its initial success, OpenZine hit hard times. Then later Kiki went off
to college. Humby fell into deep depression thinking his life’s passion was dead.
All was lost! OpenZine would never publish another issue, so he thought…
Seven years later, on a drive up to Tallahassee to visit Humby’s daughter, lighting
hit! Print is dead but OpenZine can live again! In 2008 that original idea from
1993 advanced to allow everyone to create their very own version of OpenZine. Giving
users all the possible tools they'll need to make their own magzine.
OpenZine Lives On!