“Don’t have a cow, man.”
Bart Simpson’s catchphrase could’ve been the motto for Anthony Solorzano’s latest project.
Downtown Pomona’s The Shop buzzed with excitement and energy on Sept. 20 as community members and friends gathered eagerly for the launch of Worst Zine Ever: Pomona Through the Lens of Springfield.
The zine, written by former SAC Media Opinions Editor Anthony Solorzano, blends essays, humor, and satire to explore his hometown through the metaphors of Springfield.
“This is a project I’ve been working on for a long time,” Solorzano said. “It’s about The Simpsons and what they say about Pomona, my hometown. The idea actually started with a column I wrote for SAC Media called Pseudo Pop. One of the first pieces was imagining who in Pomona would be Mr. Burns. That spurred me to write more essays about what the show reveals about the city.”
The zine features illustrations by Kid Pomona, photos by Andrea Gutierrez and jokes contributed by fellow writers. But at its core is Solorzano’s essays, which dissect small-town politics, culture, and identity.
Journalism, Facts and Satire oh my!
Solorzano, who now works at the Los Angeles Times, his zine represents more than just a quirky pop culture project. It’s about truth-telling and local storytelling.
“Journalism is all about facts,” he said. “If you lie, they’ll sue you. You’ve got to tell the truth, and right now, in a time when the truth is being attacked, it’s even more important than ever.”
Choosing The Simpsons as his medium was a no brainer. “It’s true satire,” Solorzano explained. “There are so many jokes about small-town living and city politics in the show. It’s lasted so long that it’s covered everything.”
From SAC Media to the LA Times
Solorzano’s road to professional journalism was far from straightforward. After studying theater at Cal Poly Pomona and running a theater company, the pandemic forced him to pivot. He became a substitute teacher, but eventually returned to Mt. SAC to take journalism classes with SAC Media.
“That’s really where I found my voice as a writer again,” he said. “From there, I applied for a fellowship, and now I work at the LA Times.”
Roots in the 909
Solorzano’s relationship with Pomona is complicated but deeply personal.
“At first, I saw it as a place filled with gang violence and fear,” he recalled. “There were moments when my mom would tell me to duck because there was a drive-by happening. But the older I got and the more involved I became. I fell in love with the city. Even though I moved out, I still come back. My family is here. It’s home.”
Bringing the Zine to Life Visually
The zine isn’t just words on paper. Local illustrator Kid Garcia, a longtime Pomona artist, helped bring the project’s cartoony edge to life.
“My inspiration comes mainly from the stuff I love, cartoons and music,” Garcia said. “One of my favorite artists is Mitch Clem, a punk illustrator who made a lot of iconic flyers. I’ve always loved his cartoony DIY style and I try to inject that into my work. Something that feels simple but tells a story, has humor, and makes people think, ‘I want to try that too.’”
Garcia and Solorzano first connected years ago through music. Garcia performed with the band Rainbow in Technicolor, where Solorzano became a fan. Later, Solorzano tapped in with him for illustrations in a past project, Insomnia Veritas.
“He was actually one of the first people to ever commission me,” Garcia recalls. “So when he asked me to collaborate on this zine, it felt full circle. I was flattered he still thought of me after all these years.”
Advice to Writers
For aspiring writers, Solorzano emphasizes boldness and persistence in storytelling.
“Don’t be afraid to write your story,” he said. “Write that shit. Put it on paper. Self-publish. Find anywhere to put it out. And you have to be your biggest fan. I kept promoting this zine as the most important thing I’ve ever written, and it is… until I write something new.”
Support Local Voices
Solorzano closed with a friendly reminder of why events like his launch matter.
“Support local reporting,” he stated. “Whether it’s SAC Media or independent writers like myself. The Daily Bulletin isn’t going to cover safety issues or the things happening right here. It’s up to us to tell those stories.”
As attendees looked through the pages of Worst Zine Ever and mingled to the beats of WRTHSMTH, the event embodied the same blend of humor, satire, and sincerity that defines Solorzano’s work.
A memento that Pomona’s stories, like Springfield’s, are best told by those who live them.
