Chris Kohler papers
The Chris Kohler papers contain materials from 1993 through 2000, with the bulk of the papers dated between 1994 and 1998. This collection contains materials related to original fanzines created and collected by Chris Kohler. These include digital and audio materials, correspondence, reviews, clippings, stories, fanzines, fliers, administrative materials (labels, business cards, receipt), and drawings (original and copied).
The Chris Kohler papers have been arranged into three series, one of which has been divided into subseries. This collection is housed in two archival document boxes.
Dates
- 1993 - 2000
- Majority of material found within 1994 - 1998
Creator
- Kohler, Chris (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Extent
1 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Overview
Biographical Note
Chris Kohler is an American author and video game journalist.
While in sixth grade, Chris Kohler worked on his first video game “magazine” that included tips, reviews, and artwork. In 1993 at age 13, Kohler produced the first six-page issue of his fanzine Video Zone (titled after the final level of the television show Nick Arcade) using Microsoft Publisher 1.0. Kohler continued publishing Video Zone throughout the 1990s. (Though fanzine creators rarely profited from their homemade publications, the primary method of compensation was sending someone a copy of your own ‘zine in return.) Kohler received his first paid assignment at 16 years old to write for Game On! USA. He later became Editor of the Game|Life section of WIRED from 2005 to 2016.
As of 2017, he is Features Editor at the video game website Kotaku. Kohler is the author of Power Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, Retro Gaming Hacks: Tips & Tools for Playing the Classics, and Final Fantasy V. He is also a co-host of the long-running trivia podcast “Good Job, Brain!”
For additional information on Chris Kohler and his fanzine history, see his
System of Arrangement
Series I: Fanzines, 1993-1999
Subseries A: Video Zone fanzine, 1994-1999
Subseries B: Fanzines with contributions from Chris Kohler, 1994-1998
Subseries C: Fanzines collected by Chris Kohler, 1993-1995
Series II: Correspondence, 1993-2000
Series III: Miscellaneous, c. 1996-1998
Custodial History
Processed by
Creator
- Kohler, Chris (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Chris Kohler Paper, 1993-2000
- Status
- completed
- Author
- Nicole Pease
- Date
- October 2017
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Repository
The Strong
One Manhattan Square
Rochester NY 14607 USA
585.263.2700
585.423.1886 (Fax)
library@museumofplay.org