I. Introduction: From Copy Machines to Code Editors
Link the tactile rebellion of zines to handmade websites/indieweb ethos
hand-coded sites are the modern continuation of zine culture: DIY, intimate, expressive, rooted in creative autonomy
Compare cultural roles of zines and hand-coded sites through lenses of access, community, aesthetics, and resistance
II. Bite-Sized History of Zine Culture
Discuss the legacy of zines as personal, rebellious media
1930s sci-fi fanzines
’70s/’80s punk movement
’90s riot grrl and indie scenes
DIY production and distribution (photocopiers, mail trades, record stores) - political and subcultural expression outside of mainstream publishing
III. Early Internet Webspace
Connect early web culture to the same handmade ethos
’90s to early ’00s: Personal websites and webrings as digital equivalents of zine networks
Instead of a ‘copy machine’ - online web space via HTML
Website as self-expression, not a product
Personal designs, blinking things, GIFs, personal essays, link lists, art
digital punk DIY
IV. Digital Zine Renaissance
Contrast the handmade web with the rise of centralized, commercial platforms
Shift from personal pages to social media profiles, then to algorithmic feeds
Standardized aesthetics
Monetized attention
Expression turned into content; creativity is optimized for engagement
Hand-coded sites revive zine values in a digital medium
Creators reclaim the web through:
Personally designed sites, digital gardens, personal blogs
Micro projects, browser game development, shrines
Like zines, websites:
Built with love, not scalability
personal, imperfect, ever-evolving to the creator’s desires
shared in small circles (though websites can be globally accessible in a way zines aren’t always)
cultural and creative autonomy - making by hand resists the industrialization of expression
personal sites restore ownership, intimacy, and narrative control - there is value in authenticity and connection
V. Conclusion: Keep the Web Weird and Expressive
Hand-coded websites are digital zines: small, expressive acts of resistance in a homogenized digital landscape
Call to action: Build your weird corner of the web, if that’s what you want to do. Even without “fans” or “followers” there is value in sharing.
This note originally began as a Daily Note (10/11/25).