For zinenthusiasts looking to build their collection, let me present Anna Jo Beck‘s terrific Zine-a-Month project over on Patreon. For less than the cost of a Hulu or Netflix subscription, ZAM patrons get a brand-new zine delivered straight to their snail mailbox once a month.

What started in early 2021 as a solo-venture by Anna — a way to share “micro-print-runs (of her) zines for a small, devoted audience” — ZAM has blossomed into a thriving zinecosystem. Although the zines change from month-to-month, the one constant I’ve found is that they’re always quality and reading them almost always makes me smile. Some months you’ll get an Anna original, like January’s “Echándole Bolas”, a zine that collects a smattering of fun facts and tidbits about Hispanic culture, inspired by a recent trip to Mexico City. You’ll learn some basic dance steps, how to make a knock-off of Café Avellaneda’s Juanito espresso drink, and more. There is even a mini-zine insert about movies shot in Mexico City to cut-out and fold!

Other months, you might receive a comix (like September 2022’s “Suburban Myths” by Andy Hood), or a fanzine (see Februray’s ode to Lady Gaga’s Artpop “Love Me Love Me Please Retweet” by Megan Kirby), or even a foray into emoji poetry (July 2022’s “Same Shitty Life, New Positive Attitude” by Francis). One of my most recent favorites was March 2023’s wonderful “Trash and Bag on Bikes” by @trash_and_bag, a simple collection of comix about 2 bike riding characters. As a bike commuter, these comix felt very #relatable, and I hope we see more from the cartoon duo soon. And I would be mistaken if I didn’t mention the most recent ZAM release, Msss‘s “Rows and Rows”, a truly top-notch tale, featuring gorgeous, bold illustrations and cryptid cottagecore vibes. It even came with a bonus bookplate sticker!

But all that being said, what I’m here to do today is review the service, not the zines, because once a ZAM zine is released into the world, good luck on finding back issues. For the most part, these ZAM drops are limited edition, and the only way to get a copy is to become a subscriber. So, to paraphrase the words of the incomparable Dale Cooper, once a month, every month, give yourself a present: subscribe to Anna’s Zine-a-Month patreon today, you won’t regret it.