This Is Hardcore—The Huge Impact of a Niche Movement on Graphic Designers Today by Emily Gosling (AIGA Eye on Design, November 20, 2019)

This 2019 article, originally published by AIGA Eye on Design, explores hardcore, a punk subgenre known for its political undertones, gender equality advocacy, veganism, and "straight edge" lifestyle (abstinence from alcohol, drugs, and sometimes sex). It focuses on the book Hardcore Fanzine: Good and Plenty, 1989-1992 (Draw Down Books, 2019), which documents and analyzes Good and Plenty, a zine from Zion, Illinois, which was produced in seven issues between 1989 and 1992. 

Hardcore Fanzine examines the Good and Plenty zine's graphic design and typographic evolution in the pre-internet era, using the publication as a case study of technological changes during the period. 

Written and designed by Christopher and Kathleen Sleboda, the book highlights zines' role in creating alternative social spaces and influencing designers and includes contributions from  Kristian Henson, Briar Levit, Ian Lynam, Gabriel Melcher, Anthony Pappalardo, Nat Pyper, Ali Qadeer, musician Walter Schreifels, and Gabe Rodriguez. 

The article includes personal anecdotes from Christopher and Kathleen, who were deeply involved in the hardcore scene, illustrating how zine-making nurtured their design skills. Reproductions of original paste-ups for Good and Plenty offer insights into its production evolution from cut-and-paste to offset printing. 

The article, written by Emily Gosling, emphasizes the impact of zines on hardcore history and the enduring social relevance of printed matter. It contrasts hardcore zine aesthetics with traditional punk, noting typography choices like City and Princetown fonts. The article concludes by tracing the influence of hardcore zine aesthetics on later design trends and cultural movements.