Apocalypse Playground
Apocalypse Playground was a photocopied, double-sided, 8x10 zine. Apocalypse Playground was released twice-monthly and featured gothic and morbid poems, stories, imagery, fan fiction, and art work. Its slogan was variously "Good Bathroom Reading from the Great Beyond" and "The Darkness that Enlightens." The zine was published in Shepherdstown, West Virginia from 1996 until 2001.
It was a hell of a lot of fun, while it lasted. Eventually we grew up, grew out of it, and moved away from each other; the thing just ran it course. For a nostalgic taste of 90s goth zine culture, here are some of the zines, digitized.
Rest in Peace
This was the final issue of Apocalypse Playground. It was also the only issue ever to be printed in a size other than 8x10". The issue was 4x5" instead. It featured several short stories.
Natural Process
Shades of Blue
A Fragment
Only a fragment remains of the source file for this issue but it's still a good read. By the tenth issue, the column by Lady Dementia had been renamed "The Mess that Scalpels Make." By this time the zine had a poetry editor and it had a graphic designer.
Darkness that Enlightens
Nails
Ravage
Season's Greetings from the Abyss
Unbelievable Tabloid
Memory of Rain
The third issue of Apocalypse Playground, "Memory of Rain" was published in August of 1996. It featured some cool drawings of skeletons, a story about the king of the beetles, letters to the editor and a columnist.
Dream Toys and Nightmares
The second issue of Apocalypse Playground, "Dream Toys & Nightmares" was published in April of 1996.
Welcome to Apocalypse Playground
The first issue of Apocalypse Playground. It was published in Feb. of 1996.