Kazoo Magazine for girls will run comics by Alison Bechdel

 

 

 

 

Kazoo magazine is a new print mag for girls, with a plan to present material that speaks to girls aspirational goals

A new kind of print magazine for girls—one that inspires them to be smart, strong, fierce, and, above all, true to themselves. 

KAZOO is currently being Kickstarted, and has already gained tons of positive press. It has a ways to go though, but here’s something that may tip a few more people over to Kazoo: it will contain comics. And not just any comics, but ut ones by Alison Bechdel and Lucy Knisley.

 

Lady cartoonists are AWESOME, which is why Kazoo magazine for girls plans to feature their work in every issue. First up: Alison Bechdel and Lucy Knisley. Let’s raise the next generation of comic book readers (and future authors)!

Comics in a magazine for girls may seem like a no brainer, however, even as magazines have dwindled, comics “for boys” have been a natural while comics for girls have been a little bit more of a hard sell. No more, obviously, but  getting creators of the calbire of Bechdel and Knisley should make it even more of a winner.

Cartoonists aren’t the only successful women presented in KAZOO — there are also  artists, explorers, scientists, chefs, athletes, activists, writers and others. Of course, in a world where the default is usually male, seeing role models like this is a powerful tool for all girls. Check out the video and the campaign.

 

 

BTW, if you think putting out a print magazine is nuts in this day and age, I think the RIGHT print product will have no problem finding acceptance among children. Kids (esp. girls) still like print and books. As the campaign puts it:

Given the increased competition from digital media (and the rise in postage fees), the landscape for print magazines may seem a little bleak right now. But there’s one area of exception: kids’ print media. Children’s book sales, for instance, increased 13 percent last year. That’s because kids still enjoy, and indeed crave, turning real pages, and they still get a thrill to see personally addressed mail waiting for them in their mailboxes.

As parents, too, we want our children to spend less time staring at screens and more time reading, thinking and tapping into their imagination. A printed magazine, which your child can actually hold in her hands and leaf through at her own pace, is the perfect antidote to an otherwise frenzied media culture. What may seem like a weakness will, in fact, be one of KAZOO’s greatest strengths.