Fizbin (Star Trek: TOS zine by Mary Ann Sibley)

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Zine
Title: Fizbin
Publisher:
Editor(s): Mary Ann Sibley, co-editor Marie Crout
Date(s): November 1975
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Language: English
External Links:
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Fizbin (PDF available for download here) is a gen 80-page Star Trek: TOS anthology edited by Mary Ann Sibley with co-editor Marie Crout.

The art is by Judith King, Marie Crout, Mary Ann Sibley, Barbara Malmsten, and Gail Burtion.

One of the running jokes in the zine was the many creative ways of spelling 'Fizbin.' Another was the constant use of humorous footnotes.

cover by Judith King
back cover

From the editorial: "This fanzine began one night on the way to Star Base Denver. 'I'm tired of talking Star Trek,' we remarked. 'Let's publish all the stuff we've written and make a fanzine."

Contents

  • Disintertata ("Thoughts for living, found scratched on the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy, translated from the Klingonese.") (1)
  • We the Editor ("Your obligatory who, what, and why, with comments on spelling, Andorian culture, and footnotes.") (2)
  • Tomi-An. by Mary Ann Sibley ("Read this one deadly serious or deathly funny, but don't miss Spock with yet another half-breed, down-trodden, telepath liason [sic], not to mention several underdeveloped rape scenes." The editors also add "noble and stupid mistresses of Spock.") (6)
  • Muddle With Minions by Doris Beetem, Rose Beetem, Paul Angel ("This is your average hysterically funny satire, complete with the OFF-icial Prime Directive and drifts of confetti-colored transporter snow.") (17)
  • Crawford's Fancy by Marie Crout ("Thrills, chills, adventure, lots of blood -- both green and red -- flows when the Enterprise meets Francis Crawford of Lymond.") (20)
  • Divergent Cultures by Carla Batchler and Mary Ann Sibley ("Those Vulcans sure diverged from some odd directions. Complete with scads of totally tautological evidence and pure research into minutiae.") (32)
  • For the World is Sand and I Have Seen the Stars by Barbara Holder ("Pretty young yeoman invades the Enterprise, causing havoc and saving practically everyone's lives -- don't they always?") (34)
Fizbinart5.jpg
  • Porno Corner: Sulu Enslaved by M.A. Sibley ("Pornography is in the eye of the reader. Multiple choice: write you own porn. Sulu always brings out the worst (spelled l-u-s-t) in us") (43) (reprinted in Grup #6)
  • So Long, Jimmy by Carla Batcher, Mary Ann Sibley, Marie Crout ("Song and dance and parody of, not only the show, but even other stories here in 'Fizzbin' [sic]. You'll go around whistling, 'If I were a Captain...'") (46)
  • a poem by Scot Simpson ("You've got to have a pome, right? But I hate poetry, so we looked for a pome. We found this pome, but our Art Editor wouldn't spell it that way, even though we threatened her, so read a poem instead.") (62)
  • The World Beyond or Summer Camp Enterprise by Kathi Windell, Ellen Evans ("More adolescent females disrupt the Klingons, the Enterprise, and even Mr. Spock, but one of these is Scotty's niece... I think.") (67)
  • Menkalinian Calling (Part 1) by M.A. Sibley and Louise Stefan ("Another female (but older) disturbs the equilibrium of -- Kirk this time -- and strikes a blow or two at Captain Chauvinist, but look out! She may be another relative of Spock... I think.") (67)
  • Security Report by Marie Crout ("No more relatives here (Security people don't even have a next of kin.) Official vs. unofficial adventures in the high-life insurance category.") (82)
  • Inner Circle by Mary Ann Sibley and Marie Crout ("Miscellaneous obscure observations, whichness of why musings, stuff we almost left out of this issue, but not quite. And -- a contest!") (82)
  • What People Say About Fizbin (back cover)

Gallery

Reviews and Reactions

From Fanzine Review 'Zine:

The first issue [the review notes a forthcoming issue could be had for $2.50] of Fizbin proves that the resident writers/artists/whatever are possessed of a high degree of humor; consequently, Fizbin could safely be called a humor 'zine. Issue one is the editors' writings and easily available random quality miscellany. The 'zine pokes fun at itself and is highly reminiscent of 3 a.m. collating-party humor. Aside from a tendency towards Lt. Mary Sue stories, the 'zine contains plentiful filksongs and miscellaneous cartoons. The reviewers' average of 7-8 (fair to good) is, I feel, a point or two too high. Fizbin contains copious footnotes poking wisecracks at Star Trek, the stories and articles, and other footnotes. While entertaining (at times) themselves, they seriously distract the reader from the body of the 'zine itself and the practice is to be discouraged. For a first effort, however, Fizbin isn't at all bad, and the price is quite reasonable.