Cometbus

The genre of "zine" can't be described without mentioning Cometbus and its creator, Aaron Elliott. Ask many people what a zine is, and their first response will be "like Cometbus?" Its influence - thematic, graphic, stylistic - is so widely-felt that it's hard to imagine post-80s zines without it.

Just the sight of Aaron's distinctive handwriting evokes his personal writing, often about living on the edge: couch surfing, train hopping, doing whatever he can to avoid settling down into anything resembling stability or normalcy. At the core of Cometbus - which also showcases his unique photocopier art - is stellar writing that emotes empathy for the human condition. 

Early issues came in various forms and sizes, changing names with every issue. It's a bibliographer's nightmare - still not sure if I've ever seen an accurate listing of all issues published. I believe Aaron was influenced by Marzy Quazar's "Poke-A-Dot", which was published just before his start in 1981 as a precocious kid, interviewing bands and dishing scene updates.

All issues here are very good condition or better. Some might have price tags.