Imagination (1990 original fiction zine)

Zine
Title:	Imagination
Publisher:	Osiris Publications
Editor(s):	Joy Harrison
Date(s):	early 1990s
Series?:
Medium:	print
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	original science fiction, fantasy
Language:	English
External Links:
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Imagination is a fantasy and original science fiction zine.

There were two issues.

From Issue One's Flyer

The zine's flyer has an interesting commentary on zines, history, and content:

In the earliest days of science fiction fandom, fanzines contained original short fiction by some of the finest of aspiring writers. Then, for a long time, as more and more of those writers became professionals, those same fanzines became filled with commentary and news, and fiction
 began to disappear from their pages.

Along came the media fiction zlne, filled with stories derived from television and cinematic sources. Some were good, some were mediocre — and others were downright dreadful. But whatever their quality, the true originality of the first fanzines was gone. Many fans looked askance at the media publications, and feared originality was gone from fanzines for good.

a 1990 flyer

Not so. For OSIRIS Publications has gone back to the beginning, back to the first concept of the fanzine. In the finest tradition of fandom's earliest years, we proudly present IMAGINATION, a new fanzine for today's discerning science fiction fan — a fanzine devoted entirely to original works of fantasy and science fiction.

IMAGINATION #1, our premiere issue, Includes "The Tale-Spinner" by B.H. Caspar, a gripping stcry of nightmares end destiny; "Gnome de Plume" by Linda Wood, complete with sinister bar and flame-lit cavern; "Laurie's Soldier" by aspiring professional Barbara Mater, featuring a visit to the American Civil War and the Wilderness Campaign; and "Coming Home" by Lisa Mudano, In which a notorious rebel leader pays a visit to the world that drove her Into exile. Rounding out the zine are poems by Mary Robertson, and the revelation of the truth about a man named George and a certain dragon…

Illustrations for IMAGINATION #1 are by Dorinda Francis, Toni Hardeman, and Kate Soehnien. The zine also includes a beautiful portfolio of original fantasy and science fiction art by Hugo-winner Joan hanke-woods/Mori; these appear In a format suitable for framing.

All this — more than 100 skillfully written and beautifully Illustrated pages — can be ordered by sending a check or money order for $15.00, payable to Joy Harrison In U.S. dollars only, to: [address redacted].

From Issue Two's Flyer

flyer for issue #2

OSIRIS Publications proudly presents the second Issue of IMAGINATION, a fanzine for today's discerning reader — one devoted entirely to original works of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. None of the material In this publication is derived from any source other than the creator's own mind; there Is no television here — and no comics, or movies, or books by other writers... Experience a medieval fantasy adventure while perusing a mundane alphabet...

Visit a United States where computers know every detail of your life, where a person can cease to exist — or can be made to exist — through the keyboard of a skilled programmer...

See what Chicago will be like after the next Korean War ~ and learn who won that war, and how... «

Meet the alien who inadvertently caused a disaster of wide-reaching proportions just by trying to rejuvenate his spacecraft's engines. He didn't mean it — but he plans to enjoy his punishment just the same.

And find horror beneath the willows In a peaceful countryside, and among the ghosts of small-town America...

Warriors and robots, sorcerers and dragons, police and saboteurs, librarians, neckties, and living goddesses... Science fiction, fantasy, horror... Murder, Intrigue, treachery... Prose, poetry. Imaginative art — and just plain fun. All this — and more — stalk the pages of the new IMAGINATION #2.

Our talented writers include E. Michael Blake and Charles Ott of Moebius Theatre fame; Mary Robertson, Vicci Cook, and Lisa Mudano, all well known to readers of our other publications; and newcomers Cathy Murphy, Hank Grimmick, and Ken Morgan. To say nothing of that famous bard, William Shakespeare...

Art for IMAGINATION §2 is by Holly Bird, Sandra Santara, Kathi Splvey, and delphyne mori (alias delphyne woods, alias joan hanke-woods, alias... Oh, who cares? She won a Hugo for her art, not her name!). Special art sections, all presented In a format suitable for framing. Include beautiful fantasies by Sandra Santara; a selection of lavishly Illustrated and skillfully calligraphed Shakespearean sonnets; and the fantasy lives of cats, depicted with great insight and understanding by Kathi Spivey.

All this — 120 skillfully written and beautifully Illustrated pages — can be ordered by sending a check or money order for $16.00, payable to Joy Harrison...

Some 2017 Comments by the Editor

In 2017, the editor commented on this zine in Media Fandom Oral History Project Interview with Joy Harrison:

I never lacked submissions, let's put it that way. Except for Imagination, which was the non-derivative, non-media um, zine. And we did two issues of Imagination, but it was a struggle because at the time anyway, and we're talking sometime in the mid to late eighties, um, fandom had gotten this reputation. If it's a fanzine, it's gotta be media. So people who were writing original stuff wouldn't submit to it because it's a fanzine and people who were writing fan fiction, the media stuff.

there's always been this split in the sci-fi fantasy community between media, what they term media, and literature. You have the, the book people on one side, the visual arts people on the other, and at least when I was still active in fandom, the two sides would almost never come together. This was why I was trying so hard to make a success of Imagination to prove that a fanzine could be non-derivative, but obviously, it wasn't destined to be a success. Maybe it was before its time.