Brothers in Arms (Simon and Simon zine)

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Zine
Title: Brothers in Arms
Publisher: Phantom Press
Editor(s): Christine Jeffords
Date(s): 1987-1989
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Simon and Simon
Language: English
External Links:
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Brothers in Arms is a gen Simon and Simon anthology.

The first issue was planned, written, and and advertised as the third issue of Sweet Justice.

The "Sweet Justice" Connection

The editor decided not to create a third Sweet Justice zine and start the "Brothers in Arms" series instead.

From the editorial of the first issue of "Brothers in Arms":

This zine didn't really start out to be an all-Simon & Simon special, but that's the way it turned out. About a month before I was planning to start typing up, I went through my dummy TOC and discovered that, out of a wildly guesstimated 320 pages of projected zine, just about seven-eighths was S&S, and the rest was miscellanea — chiefly one-or-two-items-per-show miscellanea. And to include it seemed to me to be cheating those readers who might buy the zine for something other than S&S. So I decided to return all the non-Simon material to its authors, and make this a special third-anniversary issue devoted entirely to San Diego's favorite sons.

What effect, if any, this will have on future issues I can't imagine. SWEET JUSTICE may well become an all-S&S zine. Or it may not. Of course, if it does, I'll hardly complain about it: by now most of you know that I've become rather well known in S&S fandom for my passionate love of the show and my copious output of stories based on it. And, if it does, there are still any number of good mixed-media zines out there that will accept your orphan non-S&S material: OF DREAMS & SCHEMES, INVESTIGATION FILES, PRIMETIME, SUBJECT: ADVENTURE, OUR FAVORITE THINGS, RERUN, BACK TO BACK, to name a few. (If you don't know about these zines yet, you should subscribe immediately to GENERIC AD ZINE and find out. And if you don't know how to subscribe to GAZ, drop me a SASP or a small SASE and I'll gladly furnish the information.)

Oddly, in that same editorial, the editor also alludes to this zine being un-named, even though the new title of the zine is clearly on the table of contents. Perhaps the editorial was written before the new title was chosen, and the editor forgot to edit her comments?:

What I need to have, as always, is your feedback. Would you object to a format/concentration change? Do you think that if it occurs the zine should be renamed? Do you have any suggestions for a new name? Write and let me know.

To add to the confusion, because of this title limbo, all fans' letter of comments in the second issue of "Brothers in Arms" refer to the first issue as "Sweet Justice" #3.

Issue 1

front cover of issue #1
back cover of issue #1, Desire Gonzales

Brothers in Arms 1 was published in May 1987 and contains 236 pages.

The art is by Kathy Lachenauer, Jean Kluge, Dani Lane, Mary Otten, T.J. Burnside, Vickie Brinkmeier, Shayne McCormack, and Desire Gonzales.

From the editorial:

The material covers a broad timespan: Mysti and Sandra have each set a vignette in 1949, immediately following baby A.J.'s homecoming from the hospital; Glenda's trilogy of "boyhood" stories runs from 1956 to 1961; Jean's "Foreshadowings," a prequel to last issue's "Gray Skies and Deserted Sands" and the series own "Who Killed the '60's?," occurs in 1967; Tracy's "Victims All” and Linda Maclaren's "Savage Circle" are set some time in 1982, between the end of First Season and the beginning of Second; Mary Robertson's "A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family" takes place in December, 1983; Sue Wells's quietly delightful "Tomato Past(e)" shortly before the Simons moved to their Fifth-and-Sixth-Season office; Ann Leonhart's chilling "Image in a Fragmented Mirror" early this past season, and L.A. Carr's "Loose Ends" (the initial story of a planned alternate-Universe series which I hope we see more of—and, yes, baby brother, that is a hint!) in March of this year, two weeks after "Lost Lady." If there is a common theme they all share, it is the exposition of what it means (or should mean) to be brothers, and specifically what It means to be the Simon brothers.

I want to apologize up front for the scarcity of illo's. As previous subscribers already know, I hate to print stories, especially long ones, without art, but S&S fandom seems, at present, to be in the same state that SW fandom was when I first got into that everybody writes, but only a few people draw! We hope that this will change as S&S gains in fannish popularity, as it has been doing — I personally know of a good half-dozen people who have gotten into it this year alone. (We’re trying to convert Wanda Lybarger...) Of course, it doesn’t help that there are some artists out there (naming no names—you know who you are, and I know where you live!) who accept assignments and then never get back to me... Anyway, rest assured that I included as many illo’s as I could possibly manage.

A word about Joan Bass’s "Coincidence," which is aptly titled in more ways than one: any resemblance between it and the televised episode "Tonsillitis" is a coincidence! Seems Joan wrote this story before "Tonsillitis" was aired, so the worst she can be accused of is having psychotic psychic dreams.

And speaking of coincidences, that’s what it is that we ended up with two vignettes ("Inauguration Day" and "The Bonds of Brotherhood") focusing on the naming of A.J., two short stories ("We Regret to Inform You...’" and "Cancelled Flight") describing what might happen if either Simon believed the other to be dead, and two long pieces ("Victims All" and "Journey Into the Past") that concern themselves with the circumstances surrounding Jack Simon’s murder (a popular subject these days—see Rowena Warner’s DAD, I WISH WE COULD HAVE BEEN THERE, Ann Leonhart’s FATE’S FINAL IRONY, Mary Fall’s "LINKED FILES" in PRIMETIME #1, and my own forthcoming INSTRUMENT OF JUSTICE) and how his sons were affected by it. And I hope it’s a coincidence that Llaura Enright’s "A Victimless Crime" has certain resemblances to last season’s episode "Facets" and to my own recently published "The Girl Nobody Knew." It all just goes to prove that, as Nietzsche reminds us, great minds think alike!

  • Victim's All by "Tracy" (originally part of a Christmas gift exchange) (8)
  • Inauguration Day by Mysti Frank (27)
  • Brethren by Mysti Frank (28)
  • We Regret to Inform You... by Regnia Marracino (29)
  • Tomato Past(e) by Sue Wells (33)
  • Thoughts in a Cellar by B.L. Barr (36)
  • Interlude by Glenda Young (49)
  • Some Wars are Never Over by E.M. Batterby (41)
  • A Victimless Crime by Llaura Enright ("What do you do when someone deliberately runs out in front of your car? How do you feel with the guilt and confusion? A.J. had his ways, and so did his brother.") (42)
  • Bad Moon Rising by Judy Darnell (39)
  • Savage Circle by Linda Maclaren (65)
  • Squibs We Might Have Seen (96)
  • Brethren 2 by Mysti Frank (98)
  • Conversations by Glenda Young (99)
  • Image in a Fragmented Mirror by Ann Leonhart (originally part of a Christmas gift exchange) (101)
  • A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family by Mary Robertson ("Visiting relatives in New Jersey, Rick and A.J. are unwittingly drawn into the trouble of an attractive cousin.") (108)
  • Things My Brother Told Me by Jean Enright (126)
  • Trilogy by Glenda Young (127)
  • The Birthday Present by Amanda Brock (133)
  • American Video by L.A. Carr (138)
  • The Day the Summer Ended by Jean Enright (140)
  • Two Poems by Carol Hillman (141)
  • There Goes the Neighborhood by S.C. Hall (143)
  • A Significant Obsession by Carol Hillman (144)
  • Coincident by Jean Bass (145)
  • Cancelled Flight by Brenda A. (176)
  • Twins by Carol Hillman (181)
  • Foreshadowings by Jean Thrower (183)
  • The Last Summer of Their Innocence by Jean Thrower (199)
  • Matchmaker, Matchmaker by B.L. Barr (209)
  • Confessions by Glenda Young (201)
  • Sounds of Brotherhood by Sandra Hasham (201)
  • Slow Down by Glenda Young (204)
  • Journey into the Past by Brenda A. ("Rick and A.J. knew their father had been killed in an auto accident 25 years ago. In fact, A.J. had been with him at the time. But was there more to Jack Simon's death than they had ever guessed?") (243)
  • News from Phantom Press (225)
  • Ads (237)

  • from issue #1, Vickie Brinkmeier

  • from issue #1, Kathy Lachenauer

  • from issue #1, Kathy Lachenauer

  • from issue #1, T.J. Burnside

  • from issue #1, Desire Gonzales

  • from issue #1, T.J. Burnside (Rick Simon and his mom, Cecilia Simon)

  • from issue #1, Mary Otten

  • from issue #1, Mary Otten

  • from issue #1, Shayne McCormack

  • from issue #1, Dani Lane

  • from issue #1, Jean Kluge

  • from issue #1, Jean Kluge

  • from issue #1, Jean Kluge

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

The poetry was all very good. Some of it caught at me more than others did, but then I'm not big on poetry.

"Interlude"--glenda young--short but heart-tugging. This little 'Interlude' brought tears to my eyes.

"Victims All"--Tracy--well, I loved this story the first time I read it, and I still do. [...] Tracy tends to be a bit more 'emotional' with her versions of the fellas, and while I don't write or perceive them thus, I love to read it when she does it -- as she well knows! She has a unique style and once readers become familiar with this lady's work, they'll be able to spot it a mile off. I've read a number of her stories (even had one for WRFR?#2 and have another for #3) and...well, the more she writes, the better she gets. Loved the part about A.J. being a Botticelli! Is he ever!!!!

"Inauguration Day"--Mysti Frank--cute story, Andrew, Jack's son? Is this the ultimate pun, Mysti ((Ed: Or were you wired in to the writers who established Jack's full name as John Andre in "May the Road Rise Up"?)) Anyone who knows this gal can tell you, she's got one warped mind!! Love her "Brethren."

"Tomato Past(e) — Sue Wells — hmmm. Interesting thought. A.J. in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes? Yeah, Rick could blackmail him! Just a question, since I haven't seen AOTKT...yet. ((Ed: I don't care for parodies etc. but I have seen the videotape: it really is out and my vid store files it under ”Cult Classics”.)) Is there a guy who resembles A.J. in it? I've got to see that movie now. See there, Sue? You're probably started something!

"Loose Ends" — L.A. Carr — all right! I loved the way Janet introduced herself as A.J.'s fiancee. She really does belong with him. That fiance of hers leaves a lot to be desired. ((Ed: I’m still waiting to see the next story in this series.))

"Bad Moon Rising" — Judy Darnell—WOW! Gave me the shivers.

"Savage Circle" — Linda Maclaren — Whew! This is SOME story! It's hard to know where to start. It held me from the very first page. Loved the way Stoney played on A.J.'s fears and emotions. And poor Rick, thinking it really had happened. And his guilt. He and A.J. have guilt trips down so well ((ED: at least in fanfic.)) they could go down it blind! The whole story was intense. A job well done! One little thing, though: could a person do all the things Rick did with torn ligaments? Mom tore the ligaments in her leg and was on crutches for eight weeks! Did you talk to a doctor about this? Yeah, I know. Picky, picky. ((Ed: Well, after all. Peg, that was her leg which bears up her weight; in Rick it was his shoulder. And we all know how bullheaded Rick can be. Linda points out that he suffered intense pain, but kept on — no doubt as a means of punishing himself for what he saw as his failure to protect his brother.))

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror"— Ann Leonhart — I read this one some time back, and it's still just as good. I always have loved the 'sorta supernatural' that we get once in a while. Ann did a great job. Loved how A.J. couldn't make Rick (in Nam) realize it was he (A.J.), how A.J. felt he understood a bit how Rick felt and what he'd gone through.

"A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family" — Mary Robertson — thoroughly enjoyable. Loved the way Rick worried about baby brother getting involved with a married — very pregnant — woman. My curiosity runneth over, though. Exactly WHAT did A.J. whisper in Beth's ear? It's like Mary was heading somewhere with this piece and dropped it.

"Trilogy" — glenda young — a neat look into the lives of Rick and A.J. as children... their relationship, their 'ESP,' their bond. I liked this.

"The Birthday Present" — Amanda Brock — very nice. Liked the cabbie welcoming Rick back home. Bristled at the doorman’s snideness...and the maitre d'. But where had Rick been for four years? A tour of 'Nam was one year — he did two tours. So, why couldn't he be home during the other time? The glimpse of A.J. through Rick's eyes -- delightful.

"American Video" -- L.A. Carr -- great ideal, though I knew what they were thinking, I'd still like to have read it. Lucy did a good job setting the idea across without actually putting it in print. Left me hungry for more, How about a follow-up, gal?

"There Goes the Neighborhood" -- S.C. Hall -- all right, hand me the hanky. Did you have to kill off Starsky? He was my favorite! Amazing -- the similarities between Hutch and A.J. and Rick and Starsky. Neat little piece.

"Coincidence" — Joan Bass — mmmm. MY kind of story. Lots of hurt and adequate comfort. Poor Dr. Tom Parker (where have I heard that name before?) ((Ed: He is also a major character in "It's the Waiting That Makes You Crazy," written by Joan but erroneously attributed to someone else, which appeared in SUBJECT: ADVENTURE #1 and will be reprinted in THE S&S READER.)) Can you imagine listening to those two for years?! It nearly drove Town nuts, too. Loved the ending. Thoroughly enjoyable story. Loved every bit of it. Do have one question, though (ah, you knew it was too good to be true, didn't you, Joan?). How does an ice pack keep down the risk of infection in Rick's side before surgery?? ((ED: Good question — but Joan has been an ambulance dispatcher in real life for some years, and is well familiar with emergency procedures of all kinds, so I have to suppose she knows what she's talking about.))

"Foreshadowings" — Jean Thrower — really enjoyed this look at the boys' past basically through Anita's eyes. The only flaw I noticed is one a lot of fans make. That of Carlos being an old friend of Rick's. Please watch the beginning of "Shadow of Sam Penny" where A.J. comes downstairs to find Rick on all fours looking for the snake. There's a man lying curled up asleep on the floor (we even get a look at his face) and A.J. asks, "One of ours?" and Rick answers, "Yeah, Carlos.". It is evident A.J. didn't know who he was. ((Ed: On the other hand, go on to "Heels and Toes" in that very same season (third) and listen to Rick as he talks about how he and Carlos "used to cut class, come down here, race our motorcycles through these trees, drink beer till we passed out..." Which argues that they knew each other in high school, since where else would they have cut class from? Either it’s the sole example of Pre-Sixth-Season inconsistency, or A.J. just isn't up to recognizing people before he's had his coffee.))

"Bonds of Brotherhood" — Sandra Basham — cute story; though she has the age all wrong. If Rick's 5½ here, and Ce's not showing much (which puts her at anywhere from 2 to 4's months along), that means Rick'll be close to or will be six by the time A.J.'s born. And in "Simon Without Simon" we learn that when Rick was in the fourth grade, A.J. was in kindergarten...which sets their ages at no more than 4-5 years apart. ((Ed: Not necessarily. Depending on California law and the time of year Rick was born — and whether or not he had to pass any sort of test before entering school — he might not have begun first grade till he was well past his sixth birthday.)) Still, I enjoyed the piece.

"Journey Into the Past" — Brenda Anders — another I'd previously read. Another I delighted in. I have yet to read a thing of Brenda's that wasn't good. And I do mean GOOD!! ((Ed: My opinion precisely. There are a lot of fan writers whose work I especially enjoy — yours, Jean's, Joan Bass's, Michalina Pilcher's, etc. — but Brenda consistently captures a sense of the love and loyalty these guys feel for each other: it literally pours off the page.))

"Squibs We Might Have Seen" — cute, Carlos and amigos. Real cute.

So much for the stories. There were none I didn't enjoy.

Now on to the zine's appearance. While I'm not crazy about the screw bindings as they were a bit too long for the thickness of the zine, they beat nothing at all.... And they do allow for taking the zine apart easily. I'm not crazy about the reduced print, either. Getting too close to 40, I guess, but it gives me a headache—or rather eyeache to read! ((ED: I know. It's a common complaint. But what can I do? It's either RP or an incredibly expensive two-volume zine (Manhattan Yellow Pages, stand aside!). I'm nearer 40 than I like to think about, but I have any trouble — and I haven't even had my eyes checked in at least five years. Anybody out there know a lens grinder or something who would be interested in patenting and marketing a genuine magnifier for zines and such — an 8"x11" glass sheet (as opposed to those silly plastic things you get through the mail-order houses) with which we could read an entire page at once? Like a huge rectangular magnifying glass?)) However, I did enjoy the stories, so it was worth the $$.

What? Oh! The artwork. Well, Jean Kluge's was absolutely stunning — what I could see of it. Of course, I know there's a good reason for the bad printing (and Chris, you should explain this to everyone so they will know it was Fate and not your and Jean's fault!) ((ED: what happened was that the printer didn't work from the masters Jean had sent me — he took copies of them and worked from the copies. I don’t know why he couldn’t have just put the masters in the machine and set it to reduce as it printed, but if I knew things like that I could be a printer, and go into business!)) but if you saw the originals at MediaWest — or even her work in WRF#2 ((ED: which you could afford to screen, I suppose — here in Jersey a job like that runs over a pop, counting tax, so I have to shy away from it for most things)), then you know what those who haven't/didn't are missing. Her work is breathtaking. The rest, well, I don't mean to get tacky or be offensive, but, well, I could've done without it. In fact, I'd have preferred to. Sorry, but that's MY opinion.

On the whole, Chris, I'd say your zine rates **** on the stories, **½ on appearance, and ** on artwork (it would've rated higher if we could've enjoyed Jean's). For the money, I'd recommend it to everyone.

As you once said, Passionately SIMON-ized![1]

I received SJ #3 [2] and began to read it straight away. I had forgotten it was an all Simon & Simon edition, so was really pleased.

"Victims All” by Tracy. I couldn't put this story down. It was very well written and thought out. I liked the way Tracy used the guy's son in the story — showing his grief for what happened to Jack Simon, trying to explain how he felt, that he needed to tell the Simon brothers about how his own father suffered because of the accident.

"Inauguration Day" by Mysti Frank. Very short and very sweet. I loved it. Simple, yet informative.

"'We Regret to Inform You..."' by Regenia Marracino. Poor A.J., thinking it was Rick who was dead. He must have been really upset. Finding out that it wasn't his brother, but a neighbor's son, gave him both pain and relief.

"Tomato Past(e)" by Sue Wells. Great story. A.J. as an extra! I knew he'd be a film star one day.

"Loose Ends" by L.A. Carr. Good story. But, as I haven't seen this episode...A.J. and Janet getting married...I don’t know.

"Interlude" by glenda young. A very sensitive and warm story. To have made it any longer would have spoilt the mood.

"A Victimless Crime" by Llaura Enright. Another story that had to be finished in one go. Such gripping stuff. A.J. was so full of guilt, taking abuse from the boy's family, just as he did in the aired episode "Facets." His concern was so heartfelt. Rick was the perfect big brother, trying to help the younger man through a rough time.

"Savage Circle" by Linda Maclaren. I was so glad when A.J. pulled the trigger and shot Davis, then Stoney. They deserved all they got. Stoney drowning in his own blood was an added extra. He put A.J. through a hell of a beating.

"Images in a Fragmented Mirror" by Ann Leonhart. This was a very different story line, one which I enjoyed very much.

"A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family" by Mary Robertson. I love the way the guys help other people, even at the risk of losing their own lives.

"Trilogy" by glenda young. I enjoyed reading these stories within a story. I love little Rick and A.J. It gives you an insight into their childhood.

"The Birthday Present" by Amanda Brock. I felt a little sorry for Rick, coming home to an empty house. Liked the way A.J. stood up to the maitre d'. Good for him. No one pushes his big brother around. ((ED: Good role reversal considering how many times Rick probably intervened on his behalf when they were kids -- and does to this day.

"American Video" by L.A. Carr. Another story with an interesting twist. I can just imagine the look of horror on A.J.'s face as he watched Jake point that gun at Dave and squeeze the trigger. The sound of the bullet biting into his flesh was so apparent. Knowing that he looked like Dave and Rick looked like Jake must have sent cold shivers down both their spines. But we all know from watching "DPlay" that Rick would never hurt his brother.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" by S.C. Hall. Liked the use of Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in this story. He lived in Venice which is where A.J.'s house is in real life. ((ED: I sometimes wonder how he managed it on a cop's salary. Venice, I understand, is an expensive neighborhood. On the other hand, if that was Town's apartment complex we saw him entering in "Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" - where he ambushed the following Simons in the court). Hutch isn't the only cop with ritzy quarters.)) Was sad to hear about Starsky's death though.

"Coincidence" by Joan Bass. I liked this story very much. It seemed so unlikely to A.J. that someone was trying to kill both of them, not just Rick. The way they caught the guy was really good. I could just see that knife cutting into A.J.'s lovely neck.

"Cancelled Flight" by Brenda Anders. Another very good story by Brenda. I love her work. This story had me on the edge of my seat, until I read where A.J. had caught an earlier flight. Poor Rick. He was really torn apart. Brenda got it right. Rick finds it difficult to tell A.J. exactly how he feels about him. "Special" is a wonderful word that to A.J. says it all. Of course, he knows how Rick feels, he always has. No two brothers so close could miss the love one has for the other.

"Foreshadowings" by Jean Thrower. Poor Anita. She really was jealous of what Rick and A.J. had. ((ED: You think so? I didn't get that impression—at least not from this story.)) But that had been nurtured over seventeen years. The love A.J. had for her was probably built up over just one spring and summer. She should be proud that he offered her his heart. No one else in his life (apart from Rick) has had that privilege... ((ED: Well, there was Janet...and possibly Amanda...))

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker" by B.L. Barr. Definitely a better ending than the aired episode. I never was too happy with that one. Whitaker certainly was a bitch and not worthy of either Simon's admiration. ((ED: Though I would still like to see someone take the hints given about their first encounter with her, and write the story of what exactly happened.))

"Bonds of Brotherhood" by Sandra Basham. I loved this story. I liked the idea of Rick actually picking the whole of A.J.'s name. The link, I believe too, started at that early age with A.J. taking his brother's finger. (See "In Spirit," BROTHERS 'N' BLUES #3).

"Journey Into the Past" by Brenda Anders. By far the best S&S story I have ever read. The artwork was also excellent. Not much more I can say - about this story...except MORE!!!![3]

I really shouldn't be taking the time to write this (I'm supposed to be using this computer time to work on my thesis), but when a zine offers you as many quality stories and provides as many hours of pure enjoyment as SWEET JUSTICE #3 did, it demands the recognition of a loc.

Tracy continues to amaze me. Her work just gets better and better. Her insight into Rick and A.J. and their relationship is deep and thought-provoking and she always manages to wring a few tears from me with her emotionally powerful writing. "Victims All" is one of her best; I've reread it several times already and it's yet to lose its appeal.

I've always enjoyed Mysti Frank's "Brethren" cartoons and was pleased to see her make the jump irnto stories a while back. I found it amusing that we should both choose the same topic to write about but I enjoyed her rendition very much.

"'We Regret to Inform You...'" was up to Regenia's usual high standard. A.J.'s panic at the "news" of his brother's death was so well depicted I could feel it myself. Well done!

"Loose Ends" by L. A. Carr was a real teaser. I like the idea of A.J. and Janet giving it another go--this time with mature outlooks and realistic expectations. I hope this is followed up on (hint, hint!)

Llaura Enright's ability as a writer has grown and matured a great deal since her first appearance and this is wonderfully apparent in "A Victimless Crime." Beautifully written, thought-provoking, and poignant. Her A.J. was sensitive and caring without seeming wimpy.

Maybe I've missed something but I don't recall having read Linda Maclaren before...and I think I would have remembered! ((ED: I have the impression that her [works] as a writer, is disappointingly small; in fact, I think this is the first full-length story seen from her, and of vignettes I've seen only one.)) Her "Savage Circle" was terrific and a definite "three-hanky" story. The" scene of A.J.’s beating was disturbing in its realism although the courage and love for his brother he showed throughout was beautiful. I must admit I didn't get the Editor's Note about a certain Fifth Season episode...Chris? ((ED: It was "Facets," in which A.J. says: "I've killed two other people in my life. I didn't have any choice then, they were trying to kill me...I still dream about it..." And since Davis and Stoney were not, at the time, trying to A.J., and Linda was unwilling to make any changes in the storyline, I decided the note was the only workable explanation.))

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror" was very good. What a horrible, confusing situation for A.J. to wake up to. It was a combination of all his worst nightmares. Great!

I thoroughly enjoyed glenda young’s "Trilogy" although it's a tossup as to whether "Priorities" or "Separation" was my favorite.

I did as Carr suggested and watched American Justice before reading "American Video," and I have nothing but sympathy for Rick and A.J. I was in tears watching one of my two favorite guys cold-bloodedly hunt down and kill the other one. Tying the story to the video was a chilling success. Congrats!

As always, Joan Bass's work was a joy. "Coincidence" had a well thought out, involved plot and was beautifully written. I look forward to Joan's next effort. ((ED: So do we all, but she's writing so many scripts she hardly has time for fandom anymore! Check out her "Flip Side of Brotherhood" and "Suppose You Gave a Kidnapping and Nobody Came?" in SUBJECT: ADVENTURE #2 which is now available.))

"Cancelled Flight" was very good and an interesting counterpoint to '"We Regret...'" although I'd have liked to see the emotions such a tragedy would invoke better developed. Rick's pain at the probable death of his brother is well written but seems just a little too tame for this volatile man.

On the flip side, "Journey Into the Past" lived up to everything I've come to expect from Brenda. Nicely plotted and powerfully written, it depicts an intensity and feeling of history between the two men which immediately sucks you in. The artwork by Jean Kluge was amazing and a definite plus to this fine story.

Although I haven't mentioned every story in SWEET JUSTICE #3, I'd like to point out there wasn't a single disappointment in the whole zine. Top quality from cover to cover. Thanks to Chris, and all the writers and artists as well, for a great zine! I eagerly await SWEET JUSTICE #4![4]

Wow, SWEET JUSTICE #3 is great! For all of us Simon & Simon fans this issue gave us quite a variety, It gave us a chance to grow up with Rick and A.J....(and) to learn about them and experience things with them. So all of us were in our glory.

I especially love Jean Kluge's drawings...The (one) on page 211 is so very much like them, I adore it.

All the stories were excellently done. I enjoyed the opportunity to read two different, but acceptable ways of giving A.J. his name...Mysti Frank's "Inauguration Day" and Sandra Basham's "Bonds of Brotherhood."

"Foreshadowings" by Jean Thrower was a great prelude for "Who Killed the ’60's?"

I am growing very fond of Brenda Anders’s stories. "Cancelled Flight" was a great family-oriented piece. And "Journey Into the Past" was an excellent Rick/A.J. [5] bonding piece.

"American Video” by L. A. Carr was a fabulous idea.

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror" by Ann Leonhart was well thought out, and a great insight to Vietnam, and Rick.

I thank all of you for sharing this with me. Take care.[6]

Many thanks for the copy of SWEET JUSTICE #3 which arrived safely. I am sorry to hear that you've had so many problems with it. It was more than worth the waiting for, made it all worthwhile somehow. At last, what I really wanted all along, a zine containing nothing but S&S. ...There's so much about (it) that I like, I hope you won't mind a late LOC on it. ((ED: Not at all. As long as it gets here by May 1, so I have time to type it into the lettercol.))

"Victims All" wasn't at all what I'd expected it to be. A lot of thought and care obviously went into plot and characterization. And I found the possible explanation of Rick's flight to Mexico believable ("You were hiding out from Margo Kenley's father" (in) "Recipe for Disaster"). ((ED: I wonder whatever became of Margo? We know that Rick later encountered another of his old girlfriends (Ginny Edwards, "Tanks for the Memories") and seemed to start something new with her. Now there's a string for someone to grab: write a story about Rick crossing paths with Margot.))

"Inauguration Day" — nice to see Mysti branching out with such a nice vignette. I've enjoyed her cartoons very much wherever I've found them. Now I can look forward to her fiction, too. Nice observation of the different attitudes Jack Simon seemed to have to his two boys at that time and an understandable reason why.

"'We Regret to Inform You... "' — really pointed up the uncertainty of having a brother at war. And A.J.'s reaction I found true to his character, especially at that age.

"Tomato Past(e)" — must have a quick look at Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

"Thoughts in a Cellar" — loved this, the journey through Rick's head from puzzlement to desperation to resignation, hope and bravado was so like watching a scene from an episode.

"Loose Ends" — I'd like to see this alternate series come to pass, if the teaser is any indication of what might follow. Some very good ideas.

"Interlude" — very special to me. What I would have expected of Rick.

"Some Wars Are Never Over" — oh, yes, this is the Cecelia who had to cling to the wall for support.

"A Victimless Crime" — this one hit very close to home for me, personal experiences made it extremely vivid and painful to read the story. I did like the way that Rick was able to get through to Greg in his sleep, but I did wonder why A.J. hadn't done it. But there — not my story...

"Bad Moon Rising" — creepy. Lovely lllos.

"Savage Circle" — arghh...a real shocker, this. Poor A.J. suffers again, but no less than his brother. And as ever they helped each other through it. Thank goodness.

"Squibs We Might Have Seen" — Sis and I laughed aloud at some of these. I can imagine some of them happening, too...

"Conversations" — I recently saw "Quint is Out" for the first time. I can well imagine something like these conversations of glenda’s occurring somewhere in the episode.

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror" - Somewhere, sometime, there's a universe where this happened. I’m glad it only happened to A.J. in a dream. Or did it? It was so sad that Rick didn't have a brother, had no one at all. And to die on top of all that. Sad beyond words. Had he not 'died' in this story, I wouldn't have minded finding out more about this Rick Simon, seeing him home from the war, finding out what he did with his life — and if he ever met Wade Ferguson again. Thought-provoking story. Thanks, Ann.

"A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family" — again, a story that hit very close to home for me, on the emotional level. Apart from that, a very nice mystery story with some well-drawn characters.

"Things My Brother Taught Me” — I must put "Just Because I'm Paranoid..." on my list of "must see" episodes...I’m intrigued.

"Trilogy" — I loved these pieces. I’m fascinated by stories on their younger days and these are particularly good. Rick’s realization of what it really meant for A.J. for him to be away from home was so touching. He couldn't leave his brother behind in quite the way that he thought, and that was lovely to find out. The echoes of the future in "Treasures" were chilling in the midst of the warmth. Layers and layers to these stories.

"The Birthday Present" — yet another story which I loved, yet it made me sad that a homecoming veteran could be treated so, in a public place. I know it happened because I read about it; this story made it personal. I found myself being very glad that Rick had his family to come home to. Lovely to glimpse the temper that A.J. possesses, too, on his brother's behalf. And the dance at the end was just perfect.

"American Video" — I didn’t read because I haven't seen American Justice yet, although it's on its way to me.

"The Day Summer Ended" —— the bond between the Simons is a two-way thing, as Joan’s poem illustrates beautifully. Half a world apart and they still manage to communicate.

Carol Hillman's two poems say much the same thing, gently. I'd read "Just You" before, but they belong in tandem like this.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" — I suppose that parallels with Starsky & Hutch are tempting, but there haven't been many. Only two that I've read, and this is one of them. I really got the feeling of Hutch only being half of two and lonely. Scary for A.J. to think of.

"A Significant Obsession" — another episode I haven't seen yet. Sounds like a killer.

"Coincidence" — it certainly is, isn't it? Nicely done, though. A real "get-'em." And interesting to see them separated, it makes for some very different points of reference. ((ED: Is that how you got inspired to that "let's give'em amnesia and split 'em up and see what happens" story you told me your were working on?)) The more I see of Mary Otten's artwork, the more I like it. I'm sorry you can't use it more. ((ED: So am I, but art is THE Major Hassle of putting out a zine.))

That's a very sweet drawing of A.J. from — is it Shayne McCormack? Looks a bit young to be him now, at eighteen perhaps? ((Right. Shayne sent me "this young A.J. who just leaped off her drawing board,and I had a blank page, so I put it in.))

"Cancelled Flight" — I enjoy Brenda's work very much, and this is no exception. Expert storytelling, beautiful characterization, it's all here. And it gives me a lump in my throat, too.

Followed by Carol’s "Twins," which again I've read before. Very, very nice.

"Foreshadowings" — I wish they could do more of this on the aired series. Failing that, I'm glad that Jean is doing it. It has the 'feel' that I remember the '60's having, a lightness of touch with gentle irony and that undercurrent always there of things to come. And Jean's beautiful "The Last Summer of Their Innocence" brought tears to my eyes for much the same reasons, because they were innocent. A very special tandem of writing.

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker" — one of the perils of being a neo-fan is that I've yet to see a lot of the episodes. I hate to think of what I missed here.

"Confessions" — poor Rick, sounds almost surprised by how his love for A.J. sneaked up on him!

"Bonds of Brotherhood" — I remember this happening to me when they brought my sister home. Everyone seems agreed on what happened to the Simons, don't they?

"Slow Down"—ah, such a sweet shaggy-dog poem.

"Journey into the Past" — I understand that there are and have been quite a lot of stories featuring what happened to A J. and Rick on the day their father died. I try to read each one on its own merits. I've said before that I like Brenda's work very much. This is a lovely piece of writing and a splendid mystery. I like a mystery. And Brenda's use of Simon history is natural and unforced, underpinning what she's written herself. I love it. And such lovely, lovely artwork by Jean Kluge.

Thank you so much for sending me this little treasure, Christine. I'm proud to have it in my collection.[7]

Just wanted to let you know that I got SJ #3 safe and sound (love the cover — A.J. looks soooo young!)...I read it all in one sitting — I just can't resist, what can I say? Boy, lots of A.J.- in-anguish stories here, huh? The lot of us are sadists, methinks. I'm included in that group. I enjoy "A.J.-bashing" as much as the next person! Doesn't that sound awful? But he's so darned cute when he's in pain — very vulnerable and in need of comforting. *sigh* I guess that's why I do it.

"Victims All" — the scene with A.J. getting sick made even me cringe! But I loved how Rick rested his hand on A.J.'s stomach to settle it — that touched me for some reason. A.J.'s dream(s) were neat though — he sounded like a 10-year-old, begging big brother to stay close by. I flinched when A.J. was talking to Kelmar and his voice was so full of hatred and cold anger. He scares me when he gets like that. I felt bad for both when A.J. was explaining what happened to him when Kelmar's father came to apologize and Rick was plunged into guilt for leaving A.J. alone. Loved all the hugs at the end though—can never get enough of those!

"Interlude" — this one was really nice for being so short. Rick holding the little girl as she died was so like him — and so sad!

"Savage Circle" — ooooh, talk about torturing the boys! I never saw the episode with Stoney but if he's that big of a slimeball, I don't think I want to! My blood ran cold when (he) was threatening A.J. with rape — let me at 'im!! *snarl* And my teeth were gritted when A.J. was getting beat up. That is the most effective way to hurt the pair — hurt A.J. physically and make Rick watch. Gripping, but painful to read.

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror" — I loved the picture on the title page — that about sums it up. Pretty spooky story though — the thought of A.J. without Rick and vice versa is terrible.

"Trilogy" — I always love stories about little Rick and A.J. Poor A.J. — I felt so sorry for him, thinking Rick was leaving him because he didn't care about him any more. Awww.

"Coincidence" — here we go with A.J. really dying again! The poor guy has more lives than Morris the Cat. I enjoyed this one too, especially the argument at the end — typical Simon bantering!

"Cancelled Flight" — another creepy story. I think I woulda strangled A.J. for taking a different flight and not calling — jeez! Rick's anguish as he contemplated life without A.J. was heartbreaking.

"Tomato Past(e)" and "Slow Down" both made me giggle. No wonder A.J. didn't want Rick to watch Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! In "Slow Down," I didn't realize Rick was talking about Marlowe till the second to the last line.

"Journey Into the Past" — this was probably my favorite story. ((ED: I'm surprised it didn't make it to the Fan-Q Finals on its own merits, as well as in the zine.)) And Jean Kluge's art was fabulous! I recognized the sketch on page 211 from Double Play -- Jean captured A.J.s fury and Rich's helpless pain wonderfully. The ending, with the accompanying illo of A.J. crying in Rick's arms, nearly made me cry. But that's always a good sign.[8]

Now to do something new to me! I loved SWEET JUSTICE #3.

"Victims All” was gripping. I can identify with Rick at the first — I can't throw anything away either. Tracy is becoming one of my all-time favorite writers.

I've always liked Llaura Enright's stories and "A Victimless Crime" was no exception.

"Coincidence" by Joan Bass — poor Rick. Hospitals are dangerous places. He just can't stay out of trouble.

"Journey into the Past" is another favorite. You ladies sure know how to grab a person.

Jean Kluge is the best artist I’ve seen. Most people seem to get Rick all right, but she has the best A.J. I've seen. The gals at work think so too. (ED: What, closet Simonfen? Well, as Mary Otten once said to me, "The trouble with trying to draw A.J. is that he doesn't have any lines!")) There, my first fan letter to a magazine ((ED: Better brief than nonexistent. As I've said before, any feedback helps!))[9]

First let me say that Chris changed the time of "Foreshadowings" from summer to spring ((ED: Well, only the beginning of it.)) because of something said in "Down Home Country Blues"...By the time she told me it was too late to tell her that I'd ignore it and just go with what I’d written, so please consider the story set in summer, not spring. "Blues" had indicated Rick's on-the-road experience was only two months! Well, from "Who Killed the '60's?" and other references throughout the show, Rick was way more on the road than that. ((ED: True, though in "Blues" A.J. does locate the particular experience he’s referring to in 1967...Sorry, Jean, though I doubt my editing marred anyone's pleasure in the story, to judge by the comments above! And, you can't say I don't print even the complaints in this lettercol, can you?))

Hey, SWEET JUSTICE #3 was superb! The artwork was truly fine, especially Kathy Lachenauer's, Dani Lane's, T.J. Burnside's, and Jean Kluge's pieces.

All the poetry was good, especially Elaine's "Some Wars Are Never Over" and "The Day Summer Ended" by Joan Enright. I liked Cecelia focusing on Rick in Elaine's poem, tracing him through different stages to (his) stay in the VA hospital. In Joan's poem, we see A.J.'s heartbreak as his world dissolved around him with Rick in Vietnam.

I was impressed with the baby-A.J.-coming-home-from-the-hospital stories. I liked "Bonds of Brotherhood" better than "Inauguration Day" because there was less tension and more of a bond forming between Rick and A.J. However, "Day" gave reasonable speculations on why Jack and Rick had a hard time getting along sometimes.

"Trilogy" was delightful, especially "Separation"...Some people might object and say that a kid Rick's age wouldn't care that deeply about a kid brother to the point of giving up a weekend because of a "feeling." Ah, but we know our Rick! Telling A.J. stories would be more fun to him than a weekend with Billy. I noticed he talked about Mad Pirate Jack. Guessed there was a pirate in the family history named Jack, huh? I liked the psychic overtones in this one, too.

"Tomato Past(e)" was a riot. I may have to rent that classic just to see the last scene! ((ED: If anyone ever does, and if there is an A.J. lookalike in there, let me know. As I said above, broad humor is not my cup of tea.))

"American Video" was a chilling little piece.

"Things My Brother Taught Me" was pleasing because of A.J.'s praise of his big brother.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" was good because it reminded A.J. of how precious Rick was to him. Nice to see Hutch in a good appearance.

"Victims All" was excellent. I loved A.J.'s vulnerability and didn't think it "wimpy" at all as I’m sure some people will. ((ED: Well, if they did, they haven't said so in their LOCs.)) Such loving and caring between Rick and A.J.! Of course I loved the way Rick took care of A.J., the little touches like the hand on the stomach for one.

'"We Regret to Inform You...'" and "Cancelled Flight" were excellent stories concerning each brother’s apparent death. The reactions were realistic and heart-rending, and I’d dread to see the day if it happened for real.

"Thoughts in a Cellar" was pure Rick.

"Loose Ends" is the first in a series? Interesting!

"Interlude" was sad, a really emotional vignette.

"A Victimless Crime" — I’m sure there'll be a hue and cry over A.J.'s admission of contemplating suicide, but I don't see it as out of character. A.J. is a high-strung person, and with all the pressures on him when he was 16, it's conceivable he could have thought of so drastic a solution. And it’s entirely conceivable that the thought of Rick would stop him.

"Rad Moon Rising" was a moody piece, dark and chilling like a rainstorm.

"Savage Circle" was, well, savage. A definite hurt/comfort piece. Rick’s guilt manifested in his extreme cleanliness around the house and cars was a sweet and slightly amusing touch.

"Squibs We Might Have Seen" — great! I got some good chuckles out of these little gems.

Mysti's "Brethren" cartoons are always jewels.

"Conversations" — good poems based on "Quint is Out," clearly laying out each brother's reactions to those events.

"Image in a Fragmented Mirror" was a definite Twilight Zone piece with some Simonized truths and intriguing What-Ifs? coming out. Without A.J., undoubtedly Rick's life would have been far different. He needs little brother. He loves Cecelia, but as we saw in "Who Killed the "'60's?," if A.J. had not been there, Rick probably would not have come home so frequently. It was good for A.J. to get an idea of what it was like for the men in Vietnam.

"A Matter of Face, A Matter of Family" — interesting story with chilling overtones. It was pretty easy to guess that Beth's aversion to drugs was because of a '60's past, even if it was more of her brother's past. ((ED: Plus we got that unique Simon slant on the situation. One of the nicest things about media fanfic is that however predictable the "mystery" may seem to us, we can always enjoy seeing how the characters we know so well react to the events as they develop. Very few pro mystery writers concentrate on that aspect of the story.))

"The Birthday Present" was heartwarming, with Rick’s reception by A.J. and Cecelia, and overtones of anger (by me) because of the treatment he got from that prejudicial maitre d’, prejudicial against soldiers, that is, especially Vietnam veterans.

The "Two Poems," "Just You" and "Brothers," sure capture the Simon spirit and love.

"A Significant Obsession" is a good commentary on the episode of the same name.

"Coincidence" was definitely better than the series' "Tonsillitis." For one thing, A.J. was far more attentive to an ill Rick, instead of lusting after Miss What's-Her-Name. I liked the way A.J.'s allergy to penicillin was brought in, Rick's concern, A.J.'s fake injury, everything! Great job, Joan!

"Twins" is another little (and true) gem by Carol.

"Slow Down"—great little twist there.

"Journey into the Past"— probably will be far better than what we see on the series. Brenda has all the elements: the memories, the present-day case, the little touches like the cards found in the box, made by childish hands. Well-done.

Modesty (ahem) forbids me from commenting on "Foreshadowings" and "The Last Summer of Their Innocence." I hope to see other people make their comments on them.

Good job on this issue. All-Simon zines are fine by me! [10]

Issue 2

cover of issue #2, Jocelyn Munro

Brothers in Arms 2 was published in May 1988 and contains 148 pages.

It contains no interior art.

From the editorial:

BiA#2 is perhaps a bit smaller than I would have liked it to be, and that's probably the result of the long delay in reprinting #1, which I understand caused some damage to my reputation. Those of you who got the reprint, with the explanatory press release tucked inside, know why the delay occurred; those who didn't probably aren't interested, so I'm not going to repeat it all here. Suffice to say that this time we're getting it out on schedule, due in large part to my regretted but necessary decision to dispense with interior art, and we hope that this will start re-establlshing PP's rep and inspire more of you to send 'tribs for the next issue.

In case you're unfamiliar with my requirements; everything should be typed, though double-spacing is unnecessary; Xerox copies are safer all around--I have an intermittent feud with the Post Office, and things sometimes get lost; always include a SASE for notification. Remember we are a P-13 zine: no slash, and no death stories. Otherwise, let your imagination soar.

A word about one of the two "Jack Simon stories with a difference" that open and close this issue. Julie Vaughan, author of "Dreams of Reality," is a British subject, sister of Ann Wigmore, who has been a faithful purchaser of PP's Simon stuff ever since we started printing it, and with this number moves up to contributor. Julie recently got into fan writing when [personal info redacted] and Ann urged her to send her first efforts to me for criticism and consideration. We're very proud to continue PP's tradition of discovering promising new writers by offering them in these pages.

Of course, in England, as in Australia, Germany, and other non-North-American countries where S&S is known, the viewers are always at least a year behind us 'original' viewers because the series is an import -- supposing that you happen to live in an area served by a station that has bought a block of episodes for broadcast! And that's why Julie has never seen "May the Road Rise Up" and was inspired to write "Dreams of Reality" instead. After having read it and seen "The Road," I think you'll agree that the two share some pretty uncanny similarities. ("Dreams" also shares a couple of points of similarity with my own "Simon & Son," but that's just an example of Great Minds Thinking Alike.) As always, I look forward (as does Julie) to your feedback.

In addition to Julie's two offerings (one long, one short), we have another of Brenda Anders's excellently crafted 'relationship" mysteries, a couple of much-needed Missing Scenes (one from "Just Because I'm Paranoid...," which speculates on how and by whom A. J, was found after the ambush in the kitchen and what happened next, and one from 'Nuevo Salvador" which ties up the emotional loose ends of that episode), a boyhood tale from Joan Enright, a humorous short from Jean Thrower and another from Mary Robertson, and another Llaura Enright mystery. And we have "Simon & Son," which was originally written for WHO RIDES FOR JUSTICE? #3 but came here by default after the editors decided to retire from editing.

0ur covers are by Australian artist Jocelyn Munro, who may also own her country's largest collection of S&S-on-videotape and is planning to visit the U. S. this winter, when she will be spending some time as a guest at my home.

On the whole, though limited in size, BiA#2 is, I think, a respectable sort of S&S zine, which I hope you will enjoy. Once again, do write and give us your comments: unlike Rick and A.J., we aren't even limited telepaths, and we don't know what you think unless you tell us.

Issue 3

cover of issue #3

Brothers in Arms 3 was published in May 1989 and contains 172 pages.

References

  1. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  2. ^ This zine was referred to as Sweet Justice #3 for a while, and was changed to "Brothers in Arms" #1.
  3. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  4. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  5. ^ Rick/A.J. doesn't mean Rick/A.J. in this zine, but refers to an intense emotional, rather than physical, bond.
  6. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  7. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  8. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  9. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
  10. ^ from a letter of comment in "Brothers in Arms" #2
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