All Good Things #5 – Phoebe J. Flynn; Artichoke Yink Press
The cover (admittedly difficult to see in detail) was designed by Phoebe J. Flynn, who is now graphic designer Phoebe Flynn Rich.
At first glance, this appears to be a sweet, feel-good zine—a collection of “all good things.” However, a closer reading suggests there may be a more subversive edge beneath the surface. The concept of cataloging “goodness,” especially when it ranges from cats to statements like “George W. Bush can’t run three times,” hints at a more pointed, possibly political undertone.
Artichoke Yink Press is associated with Booklyn, an organization known for distributing and supporting artist books and zines that engage with themes such as social justice, identity, activism, and resistance. Within that context, All Good Things #5 may be less about simple positivity and more about questioning who defines what is “good”—and why.
What reads as light and affirming on the surface may, in fact, be doing something sharper: using humor, repetition, and contrast to quietly comment on cultural and political values. It leaves the reader wondering what a similar list of “all good things” might look like today.
