La scène du zine de Montréal
La scène du zine de Montréal is the first major research project on zines in Quebec. Published in 2022 by L’Atelier universel (AURA)—a small publisher with strong ties to Montreal’s zine scene—it was first carried out as part of a master’s degree in literary studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), under the supervision of Michel Lacroix (2017–2020). A reissue under the title Fanzines. Une histoire québécoise is scheduled for 2024, by the French publisher Strandflat, specializing in zine research and zine-related art books.
My approach in La scène du zine is based on the sociological and historical work carried out by the Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la littérature et la culture au Québec (CRILCQ). Its main contribution is undoubtedly the concept of “zine scene,” which I define as the social and cultural space within which zine creators evolve, structured by the production, distribution, and reception of zines. The scene, anchored in local places and organizations, has a history of its own, and is characterized by its transversal position within Quebec’s cultural field, at the crossing point of comics, literature, and the visual arts.
This work has led to further research on zine culture in Quebec, notably as part of the Regards sur les scenes du zine et de l’édition alternative symposium, hosted by the CRILCQ in 2022.