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Masiform D

Title: Masiform D
Publisher: Poison Pen Press
Editor(s): Debbie Langsam & Devra Langsam (first three issues), then just Devra
Date(s): 1971-1998
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Language: English
External Links:
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Contents

Masiform D is a gen Star Trek: TOS anthology of fiction, art, occasional articles and a bit of Star Wars, Star Trek: TNG and Battlestar Galactica content. It is the fourth title that Poison Pen Press issued.

Masiform D is the zine that continued Spockanalia. In the last issue of Spockanalia, the editors wrote: "Spockanalia will be split into two fanzines." Boldly Writing says: "These two zines were to be Masiform D with Devra and Debbie Langsam as editors and Nevertrodden Worlds with Sherna Comerford Burley as editor. Nevertrodden Worlds never got off the ground."

The title of the zine comes from the antitoxin McCoy used on Spock in the episode, "The Apple."

There are a number of supplementary issues:

A Fan Remarks

"What I like about M-D, even on those occasions when its overall contents are not exceptional (as in this issue), is the feeling of being home. Now that fandom has permanently branched out from solely ST fanfic, I've come to treasure and respect the still active and vital remnants of that period when fandom just meant ST. If it were not for ST and those devoted fans that kept it alive, like editor Devra Langsam, there'd be no fandom today to speak of. M-D #15 is a comfortable mixed bag of serious and new attempts at ST fiction, old ideas, and easy humor." [1]

Issue 1

front cover of issue #1
back cover of issue #1

Masiform D 1 was published January 1971. Edited by Debbie Langsam and Devra Langsam. Authors include Jean Lorrah, Eleanor Arnason, Ruth Berman, Rosalind Oberdieck, Miriam Z. Langsam, Mary H. Schaub, Barbara Wenk, and Nancy Giudice.


Issue 2

front cover of issue #2
back cover of issue #2

Masiform D 2 Edited by Debbie Langsam and Devra Langsam.

  • Antsy-Climax by D. Langsam (article)
  • People Who Live in Glass Houses Shouldn't by R. Oberdiek
  • A Glossary of Darkovian Terms by Marion Zimmer Bradley (article)
  • Home Coming by J. Yasner
"MD is a genzine with trekkish overtones; this issue is about half-and-half. There are two or three (depending on how you interpret one of them) very good Spock poems, miscellaneous cartoons and drawings, and a short Spock's-childhood story. The trekkish main course is a couple of dozen pages written and liberally illustrated by Rosalind Oberdieck, entitled 'People Who Live in Glass Houses Shouldn't.' The transporter malfunctions (again); McCoy's brain and/or personality ends in Spock's body, and vice versa -- the stroy is a study of the two men's reactions. Although a few details seem lacking in verisimilitude, the idea is original, the writing is good, handled with a light, humorous touch. An illustration of McCoy/Spock and Spock/McCoy does somehow manage to look like those two bodies with transposed personalities. In the 'other' department, Marion Zimmer Bradley has compiled a glossary of her Darkovan words and phrases (I enjoyed it, though I've read none of the books); there are two Dark Shadows-style parodies of Lewis Carroll by Marian Turner... The back cover, also by MRO, is a portrait of Strider on horseback (of course, he looks like Leonard Nimoy -- but pointed ears and bangs?). And so forth. Oh -- another Austin cover." [2]

Issue 3

front cover of issue #3
back cover of issue #3

Masiform D 3 was published in September 1973. Edited by Debbie Langsam and Devra Langsam.

  • Warning by C. Hillard (article)
  • Training the Teacher by A.F. Trembley
  • Beginning by Joan Verba (SF story, her first submission to a zine, the author says in Boldly Writing: "As with most writers who look back at their first stories, I am somewhat embarrassed by it now, since I could have written it much better today. In retrospect, I wonder why Devra took such an amateur effort. At the time, however, it was a thrill to be published. I was so proud of my efforts that I purchased several copies for relatives, friends, and acquaintances.")
  • The Secret Life of Monica Miller by M. Miller
  • Expanded Outlines for Instructors at the Vulcan Academy by Deb. Langsam (article)
  • Lines We'd Like to Hear by C. Hillard
  • Fan Writing Panel or Don't Make Him Say That!" by Sherna Burley, Debbie Langsam, Devra Langsam, and Joyce Yasner. by S. Burley (advice for fan writers about accurate characterization.)
  • Another Episode by W. Pugmire
  • Lady Lilane and the Green Churl by S. Miesel


Issue 4

Masiform D 4 was published in April 1975 and contains 74 pages. Front cover by Janice Scott; back cover by Claire Mason. Edited by just Devra Langsam.

front cover of issue #4, Janice Scott
back cover of issue #4, Claire Mason

art from issue #4, Mary Rosalind Oberdieck-Ludwig

art from issue #4, Gerry Stout

art from issue #4, Kraith cup by Connie Faddis

art from issue #4, Kevin Walsh

Issue 5

Masiform D 5 was published in December 1976 and contains 98 pages, mimeo. Front cover by Connie Faddis; back cover by Cara Sherman.

From Interphase #4: "It's an absolute steal at one dollar."

front cover of issue #5, Connie Faddis
back cover of issue #5, Cara Sherman
  • Stokaline (editorial), p 5-9
  • Emotional Honesty and Proper Social Behavior Among Vulcans by Lee Burwasser, p 11-19
  • The Free Enterprise by Teri Howard, p 20-26
  • The Collector by Gerry Stout, p 29-37 (not ST, story based on a Larry Niven universe)
  • Vulcan Emotional Suppression by MRO Ludwig, p 39-45
  • Time of a New Beginning by Jean Lorrah, p 48-60 (story)
  • Nightingale Woman, a sonnet sequence by Ruth Berman, p 61-66 (won first prize in 1974 Equicon Phineus Tabolde Contest)
  • The Magic T'Ree by Paula Smith, p 67-69 (a punny poem)
  • Handbook for Case Officers: Cyborgs by Lee Burwasser, p 72-80 (article)
  • One Day at Worldcon by Dee Beetem, 81-98 (story)
"Masiform D is not the usual Trekzine; it's a genzine, which means the content includes Trek and other worlds and fandoms. Variety also comes in the types of material printed; articles, short stories, illos, poetry, brief humorous thingies are fairly evenly sprinkled throughout. There are three main Trek dishes. 'Emotional Honesty and Proper Social Behavior Among Vulcans' by Lee Burwasser discusses telepathic and facial signals which might go unnoticed by non-Vulcans. 'Vulcan Emotional Suppression: The Reasons Why" by Rosalind Oberdieck Ludwig covers a lot of points which have been mentioned before, but not pulled together. 'Time of a New Beginning' by Jean Lorrah tackles the problems of pon farr's irrationality with respect to both Starfleet careers and being a Vulcan female. The short story raises interesting questions, such as: If the female bondmate were the challenger, would a Vulcan male in pon farr spare her life? In the non-Trek sphere, 'The Collector,' by Gerry Stout, is set in Larry Niven's Known Space Universe. It's a little weak in character and plot development, but it's nice to visit with Louis We and the Kzin. Lee Burwasser has an article which will tell you all about cyborg operatives. 'One Day at Worldcon' by Dee Beetem has the Enterprise running in to a planet which seems literally to be an entire world con. This sort of thing has been done before, but this one's a fun, fannish romp anyway. Paula Smith's 'The Magic T'ree' is a punny short short for the Fun and Games Dept. Ruth Berman's short sonnet sequence, 'The Nightingale Woman,' is... beautiful. More poetry and short humor (the ever present Free Enterprise, for example) round out the zine. The artwork is liberally dispersed, of many different styles, and includes Martynn's illos for 'Time of a New Beginning,' Cara Sherman's sketches, another strange female -- this time by Connie Faddis -- for the cover. (Masiform D #1 and #2 also had strange females for covers...), a nightengale woman by M. Rosalind Oberdieck Ludwig, cute illos from Wendy Lindboe, and other pieces too numerous to single out. The layout and mimeoing are tops. The key word here is variety. If not everything in Masiform D appeals to you, at least you're bound to like something." [1]

Issue 6

Masiform 6 was published in July 1977 and is 94 pages long. Front cover by Carol Walske; back cover by Gerry Stout.

front cover, #6, Carol Walske
back cover of issue #6, Gerry Stout
  • Stokaline ( editorial) (5)
  • An official pome [yes, spelled that way] by Paula Smith (8)
  • Meanwhile, Back on the Bridge by Carol Hansen (9)
  • Berserksgang by Lee Burwasser (14)
  • Nightingale Woman, p 24-32 (portfolio of drawings by MRO Ludwig to go with Ruth Berman's sonnets in previous issue, page 25), A Note on the sonnets by Ruth Berman (page 24)
  • Three Questions by Isabel Real (33)
  • The Fishpacking Plant by Eleanor Arnason (35)
  • Ballad #1 by Maude McEwen (41)
  • A Tale of Two "Citys" by Jean Kluge (42) (review of Harlan's "City")
  • Escape Artist by Elizabeth Carrie (50)
  • Sulu: Having Survived by Ruth Berman (57)
  • ESP-er by Dale Kagan (59) (critique of Scientific American ESP study)
  • A Baker's Dozen of Your Favorites by Miriam Z. Langsam (61)
  • The Enterprise Coincidence, or Things are Seldom What They Seem by Barbara Wenk (62)
  • Lines We'd Like to Hear by Elizabeth Carrie (69)
  • To Know Dishonor by Fern Marder and Carol Walske (72) (Klingon tale of Emperor Kor, his son, and Kang.)
  • Swordplay by Fern Marder (93)
  • Answers to A Baker's Dozen (94)

Art:

  • Carol Walske (front cover), Susan Armstrong, Kathy Bushman, D.L. Collin, Jocelyn Feaster, Alexis Gilliland, Kathi Lynn Higley, Carolyn Sue Hillard, Sue Johnston, Mary Oberdieck-Ludwig, Sandra Miesel, Monica Miller, Pat O'Neill, Janice Scott-Preston, Carolynn Ruth, B. Schlemmer, Stu Shiffman, Gerry Stout (back cover), Gennie Summers, Martynn, and Sally Wyant

inside art from issue #6, Pat O'Neill

inside art from issue #6

inside art from issue #6

"This issue of Masiform D offers a strange selection of ST and non-Trek subjects for the enjoyment of the reader. Take Berserksgang by Lee Burwasser as an example. It is probably best regarded as a medieval story, or maybe sword & sorcery, or some admixture thereof, and a bit hard to explain. Read it. You'll know what I mean. Detailing pithy, symbolic-laden plots ain't the easiest thing to do in the space of one paragraph. Next, there is a beautiful portfolio of artwork drawn after Ruth Berman's sonnet of Nightingale Woman, and Ruth introduces whe portfolio with a short article on the nature of sonnets and the origin of her creation. A short story following this called The Fishpacking Plant" is straight SF but interestingly told. Eleanor Arnason describes for us the invasion of earth by Saurian creatures and the subsequent enslavement of one poor soul who is put to work ina fishpacking plant. The style of writing reminds me something of Thomas Disch (remember him?) or Theodore Sturgeon. "Escape Artist, later on in the zine, is another SF or fantasy story about a young girl who paints to escape, except ... she really can escape into her paintings. Interesting, but it's been used many times before in SF/Fantasy lit and is a somewhat standard plot. The author, Elizabeth Carrie, does tell the story very competently though. A Tale of Two Cities by Jean Kluge is an article about the original version of Harlan Ellison's City on the Edge of Forever which not all fans are familiar with. The fanzine Babel originally carried an account of the script but this is the first description of the original to appear in a fanzine in several years. Interesting reading if you have never heard the full details of Harlan's original. Dale Kagan also has an article on ESP in this issue of M-D. Barbara Henk has an interesting version of what really happened inThe Enterprise Incident in her story The Enterprise Coincidence. Makes you want to think about it. The final piece of fiction wrapping up this issue is To Know Dishonor by Fern Marder & Carol Walske. It leads off with a list of characters. You see there is Kor A1karin, who is the Ormen, the emperor of Nu Orrnenel ... So begins this relatively simple story about Kor (the character from "Errand of Mercy) and his son, but you wou1dn' t know it was a simple story by reading the introduction. The reader is engulfed in words or all sorts made up to describe the Klingons and their culture. I almost expected to find whole pages written entirely in Klingon. It would have been a nice story had it not been SO murderously bogged down in a graduate course in linguistics. Spaced apart as the words are in Kraith it might not be bad, but jammed together in the confines of a short story makes this almost impossible to even finish page 1. The zine as a whole contains better than average art....The only story inside that could have been left out or reworked is a short parody that suffers from too many overused gags. Otherwise the material within is very good. Recommended." [1]
"Ms. Langsam has done it again. Producer a real zinger of a zine. From the beautifully done sketches of Kang the Klingon on the front cover to the Klingonese tale 'To Know Dishonor,' 'Masiform D' is a delight. First, there is a delightful Trek parody called 'Meanwhile, Back on the Bridge' by Carol Hansen that was hilarious. Then there was the more sobering 'Berserksgan' by Lee Burwasser that gave a realistic twist to the more fairy tales and conventional tales of Robin Hood. 'The Fish Packing Plant' by Eleanor Arnason begins on a note of whimsy but quickly and quietly sounds like a cry of pathos that wrings the heart. 'Escape Artist' by Elizabeth Carrie reminded me strongly of the Helen Reddy hit 'Angie Baby.' That story of a neurotic teenager's absorption in the make-believe world of her radio becomes here a story of an equally strange girl whose ability to transport people into the realities of the paintings she does is downright chilling. 'The Enterprise Coincidence...' by Barbara Wenk is the 'Enterprise Incident' as seen through the crafty eyes of that certain lady Romulan Commander has certainly caused me to rethink that episode. Elizabeth Carrie returns again soon after that with 'Lines We'd Like to Hear.' Like the Trek parody done by Hansen, these lines of dialogue are hysterically funny. Then there is Marder and Walske's 'To Know Dishonor.' This distaff view of the ST universe was refreshing to me because heretofore I'd never been exposed to Klingon Empire stories save of course, when said Empire collided with the Federation. I thoroughly enjoyed this view of how 'the other half' lives and have gained a tremendous respect for those 'badies' through reading it. All in all, this is a fantastic zine, and I recommend it." [2]

Issue 7

front cover of issue #7, Carol Walske
back cover of issue #7, Phil Foglio

Masiform D 7 was published in July 1978 and contains 90 pages. It has a front cover by Carol Walske and a back cover by Phil Foglio. It was mimeographed.

  • Stokaline (editorial), p 5-14
  • The Hunting of the Press by Paula Smith, p. 15-24
  • Button, Button by Ruth Berman, p 26-44 (featuring telepathic young dolphin-folk)
  • Lines We'd Like to Hear by Carolyn Hillard, p 45
  • Arena by Isabel Real, p 47-48 (critique of the episode and original Frederic Browne story it was based on)
  • Co-Incidence? by Marcia Eaton, p 49-50 (rebuttal to a Wenk story)
  • The Free Enterprise, p 51-57
  • Once Upon a Time by Nancy Giudice, p 58-60 (Spock goes back for Zarabeth)
  • The Hoplite by Lee Burwasser, p 64-70 (a David and Goliath story)
  • Prerequisite by Devra Michele Langsam, p 73-90 9 (From Boldly Writing: "The beginning of Devra's Kershu series. Devra set the story in the future of the original series when a working peace existed between the Klingons and the Federation. The treaty allowed Terran students to go to Klingon planets to study the Klingon martial art, Kershu. The series ran for several issues and enjoyed a wide audience.")

Art:

  • Carol Walske (front cover), Gordon Carleton, Hans Dietrich, Connie R. Faddis, Phil Foglio (back cover), Kathi Higley, Carolyn Hillard, M.R.O. Ludwig, Martynn, Deborah Lleyn Phillips, Janice S. Preston, Sarah Prince, Carrie Rowles, Carolynn Ruth, Gerry Stout, Gennie Summers, and Sally Wyant


Issue 8

front cover of issue #8, Martynn
back cover of issue #8, Randy Bathurst

Masiform D 8 published in February 1979 and is 88 pages long. Front cover by Martynn; back cover by Randy Bathurst. Each issue now began to include "one obligatory Star Wars item." Cover by Martynn; bacover by Randy Bathurst

  • Stokaline (editorial) by Devra Michele Langsam, p 5-10
  • Solstice by Gaylen Reiss, p 11-28
  • Monarch of the Skies by Jane Aumerle, p 29 (filk)
  • The Many Ways To Eden by Elizabeth Carrie, p 31-52 (a story in play form, spoof)
  • Morning Has Broken by Pat Kelly, p 53 (filk)
  • A Question of Superiority by Bawn O'Beirne-Ranelagh, p 54-62 (a Kershu story)
  • The War of the Well by Sandra Wise, p 66-77 (a tale of pre-Reform Vulcan)
  • Obligatory Star Wars Item (Skywalker portrait), p 78
  • The Four Mousekersheers by Barbara Wenk, p 79-86 (a Kershu story, the fighters go to Disney World)

Art:

  • Susan Armstrong, Randy Bethhurst (back cover), Hans Dietrich, Caroline Hedge, Carolyn Sue Hillard, MRO Ludwig, Martynn (front cover), Pat O'Neill, Deborah Lleyn Phillips, Carrie Rowles, Carolynn Ruth, Carol Walske, and V.M. Wyman
"...there really are zines arond which are fun to read -- and are not such a drain on the pocketbook that the reader has to apply for a federal loan to subsidize their purchase. 'Masiform D' grows out of the SF traditions that gave us Spockanalia, the first and one of the most famous of all Trek zines. Masi #8 bears many resemblance to 'Spockanalia'. It has a nice chatty editorial in which the editor lets us see a glimpse of her outside ties and interests, as well as letting us into some of her 'inner workings' of an editor's life -- postal problems, machinery breakdowns, etc. It's enough to make a person want to write a LoC just to say, 'Hey, I understand about the delay!' But even more than the editorial, Masi's variety of contents is reminiscent of 'Spockanalia.' Masi is a genzine. It features stories, poetry, and articles on a variety of subjects. 'Solstice' is a seasonal 'Christmas aboard the Big E' story. Although the tale has been done before, it has seldom done this well. We get a clear picture of the Enterprise as an inter-racial, inter-species vessel. Moreover, the problems encountered by Mr. Spock in relating to and accepting the strange seasonal customs fo the emotional beings he is traveling with are handled realistically and delicately. There is a 'relationship' here, but it doesn't not stand in the way of the story. And this is a story, even down to change and development within the protagonists. 'The Many Ways to Eden' is a satirical retelling of the ST 'Way to Eden' episode. It's a distinct improvement. If this version had been aired, at least we could have laughed at the show. 'The War of the Well' is a secondary universe epic in the tradition established by 'Spockanalia.' Treating the Star Trek universe as real, it purports to be a translation of an ancient Vulcan poem recounting the bloody battle of a pre-Reform clan in desperate need of water rights. The poem is complete with footnotes, references to other works, etc. It has a remarkably authentic and 'real' feel to it. Also, it feels more like poetry than most of the unmusical musings that try to pass off as poetry in most zines. 'A Question of Superiority' and 'The Four Mousekersheers' are both based on Devra Langsam's 'Kershu fighters' universe -- it's a universe in which the peace movement foreseen by the Organians has come into effect and the first cultural exchange programs have been instituted. Among the exchange programs? Students, of course... Devra's kershus stories appeared in earlier issues of 'Masiform D'. Derivative tales by other authors are now appearing. Bawn's story deals with the 'moral superiority of karate.'... It is a well-written, enjoyable tale. No Kirk. No Spock, no Big E. A whole new corner of Star Trek woods. Great literature? No. But damn straight fun to read. As is 'The Mousekersheers,' a tongue-in-cheek tale that pits an unwitting Disney World against Janet and her three Klingon teammates. Barbara writes well, and gives a beautiful delineation of character in a few brief and acerbic conversations. Artwork is, on the whole, quite good. V.M. Wyman has done some excellent pieces, as has Martynn, MRO Ludwig, and Hans Dietrich. Graphics, while not innovative, are neat and clearly throughout." [3]
"'Masiform D' is a quality zine that's well edited and nicely produced in clear mimeo. Contents are almost entirely ST and SW universe. If the literary efforts, 'Solstice' is a Christmas/Holiday story, thoughtfully written wherein Spock discovers the season of brotherhood is for him, too. 'The Many Ways to Eden' treats us to a hilarious example of a 'rejected' script from of of ST' less than inspiring episodes. 'War of the Well -- offers a translation of an original Vulcan Pre-Reform poem about the tribal war that resulted in the founding of the city of ShiKar. This is an imaginative idea that's very well-developed. Also included are two tales about the Klingon kershu fighters. Kershu is a Klingon fighting technique, and these stories are set in the future where the Federation and the Empire have struck an uneasy peach. 'A Question of Superiority' is about a Klingon/Federate student competition in the marital arts that threatens to become other than peaceful; 'The Four Mousekersheer' is a humorous recounting of a visit to Disney World. In addition, the zine includes art, poetry, an 'Obligatory Star Wars Item,' and two pages of 'The Gnu Sound: An Alphabet.' Enjoyable and recommended." [4]

Issue 9

front cover of issue #9, Susan Klasky
back cover of issue #9, Amy Falkowitz

Masiform D 9 was published in August 1979 and is 106 pages long. Front cover by Susan Klasky; back cover by Amy Falkowitz.

In this issue, Devra announced that the annual convention for fanzine readers, editors and contributors would leave Michigan in 1980 and take place instead in New York. It was to be sponsored by Devra, Joyce Yanser and Elyse Rosenstein. This convention was called Mos' Eastly Con.

  • Stokaline (editorial) by Devra Michele Langsam, p 5-11
  • Jedi Nights by Barbara Wenk, p 13 (teaser for a novel) (Star Wars)
  • Sunday Afternoon at the Con by Ruth Bollerud, p 15-31 (a con-goer ends up the the Enterprise)
  • Mayan Calendar by Barbara Wheel, p 32-33 (Spock's birthday as calculated by the Mayan calander)
  • Peoples of Vulcan - the Sea People by Sandra Wise, p 34-36
  • Now You See It - a Survey on Visualization by Devra Langsam, p 38-49 (results of a survey on how writers and artists work)
  • The Bet by Barbara Wenk, p 50-67 (a Kerhsu story)
  • Notes on the Talos Report by Ruth Berman, p 69-71 (article)
  • Mudd In Your Eye by Marian Lois Turner, p 75-105. The first of the "Harry Mudd" stories. It was later expanded and turned into an original novel which goes by the name Force of Habit. Other stories in this series include Hizzoner Mudd (Masiform D #11), Mudd of the Bounding Main (Masiform D #14), Beau Mudd (Masiform D #16), and On the Rocks (Masiform D #18).[5]
  • Cylons Is Golden by Marian Lois Turner & Sandra Wise, p 106 (Battlestar Galactica)

Art:

  • Kathy Carlson, Susan Crites, Hans Dietrich, Amy Falkowitz (back cover), Caroline Hedge, Kathi Higley, Susan Klasky (front cover), Terri Laponovich, Nan Lewis, MRO Ludwig, Steven Miller, Jane Peyton, Deborah Lleyn Phillips, Carrie Rowles, Carolyn Ruth, Janice Scott-Preston, Mike Symes, Barbara Wheel, Allyson Whitfield , Sally Wyant
"This issue is numbered Poison Pen Press #55, which guarantees you are not ordering from a fly-by-night outfit. It may be unacceptable for a zine reviewer to publicly admit to having favorites in fanzinedom, but I will do so anyway. Masiform D has a consistent high level for quality in content and repro, with is relatively rare and wonderful. I approve. This issue includes 'Jedi Nights': two and a half paragraphs of amusing adjectives. 'Sunday Afternoon at the Con': artfully written Fan-on-the-Enterprise story. Enjoyable. 'Now You See It': a survey on visualization, interesting, unusually readable survey report, providing you have a passion for intellectual fannish trivia. 'The Bet': a Kershu story, kershu being the editor's Klingon fight student's universe (university, actually)... Best of Zine Award: When the various written offerings are nearly identical in skill, I have to choose on some other basis. This one offers originality. A GOOD bedroom farce (still suitable for delicate sensibilities) is not often seen in fanfic. 'Mudd in Your Eye': new-character-drives-Kirk-crazy story, nicely done. Small items and Fillers: clever. Overall Contents: good to marvelous. Repro: excellent as always." [6]
"There's quite a bit of variety in this issue, but most fun is its light-hearted fiction. In a diverting story by Ruth Bollerud, a fan finds her flagging spirits raised considerably in 'Sunday Afternoon at the Con.' when she's accidently beamed aboard the Big E, fanzines and all, in the middle of a crisis. 'The Bet' is about Jan, a Terran, who wont be able to get Kintam, a most reluctant Klingon who hates humans, to go to bed with her. It's another Kershu tale, delightfully written, with characters that have real personality. And 'Mudd in Your Eye' is about the adventures or, more correctly, the misadventures of one Yeoman Isobel Schuster who proves to more than a match for Harcourt Fenton Mudd. Well concocted and funny. Of the nonfiction, Ruth Berman's 'Notes on the Talos Report' is an interesting attempt to rationalize the seeming inconsistencies in Starfleet's interdiction against visiting Talos IV. The issue also contains a survey on visualization as a factor in art and creative writing; an introduction to the Sea People of Vulcan; a calculation of Spock/Nimoy's birthdate on the Mayan Calendar, and a touch of poetry. All in all, a good read." [7]

Issue 10

Masiform D 10 was published in 1980 and contains 114 pages. Front cover by Bev Zuk; back cover by Phil Foglio.

front cover of issue #10, Bev Zuk
back cover of issue #10, Phil Foglio
  • Stokaline: Editorial Maunderings by Devra Michele Langsam, p 5-11
  • Mandatory Star Wars Item by Sheryl Adsit, p 8 (Leah cartoon)
  • The Kinderhook Centennial by Lois Welling, p 12-20 (Spock appears to woo a local girl)
  • The Resh-Fish and the Sage by Eleanor Arnason, p 23-33 (Original Fiction)
  • More Lines We'd Like to Hear by Elizabeth Carrie, p 34
  • Mat-zelloff by Vida Hull, p 35-44 (a crewwoman seeking a minyan for Kaddish discovers Vulcan/Hebrew links)
  • Nasty Klingon Sayings by David Lubkin, p 34
  • In the Time of the First Beginnings: the Bronze Age on Vulcan by Sandra Wise, p 45-54
  • The Free Enterprise by Sundry, p 55-61
  • Accident by Anna Mary Hall, p 63-77 (from the Zinedex: "Loner and happy about it, Engineering Technicial Nadine Nallet tries to become a team player to advance in SF, but finds it not in her make-up, with disastrous consequences for Scotty.")
  • Bottle-Casting [poem] by Nancy Giudice, p 79
  • ... And Comfort to the Enemy by Barbara Wenk, p 81-114 (a romance between a Klingon and human. Kershu?)

Reactions and Reviews:

"This zine contains five stories, an issue of THE FREE ENTERPRISE (the tongue-in-cheek paper supposedly put out by the enlisted personnel of the Enterprise) , an article on Vulcan's Bronze Age, some poetry and a great deal of art work. As with all the zines I've seen from Poison Pen Press, this one has a very good selection of material. Everything is well written, and there is no sexually explicit material. The cover is an especially nice one by Bev Zuk on a good grade of paper. The rest of the zine is on colored recycled paper. However, the contents are quite good and the price is lower than fancier zines, so I think it's worth buying.
 Four of the stories deal with the Star Trek universe and one is a general science fiction story. There is a balance of serious and lighthearted
 themes in the stories. I particularly liked Barbara Wenk's story, "... And Comfort to the Enemy." Her characters always seem so real and well developed. Vida Hull's "Matzeloff" is a delightful comedic story on the Jewish members of the Enterprise. The article on Vulcan's Bronze Age by Sandra Wise was really interesting. I think this is the best article I've seen on the "history" of Vulcan. It's really entertaining as well as "scholarly. " The selection of material in THE FREE ENTERPRISE is hilarious, as usual. There is a great deal of art in this zine. It varies from serious, involved line drawings to "cartoon" type artwork. I enjoyed looking at the illos and thought they were quite appropriate. I have not reviewed the poetry. I don't care much for poetry in general, so I don't think I can make a judgment on the work in this zine." [8]

Issue 11

front cover of issue #11, MRO Ludwig
back cover of issue #11, Carrie Rowles

Masiform D 11 was published in February 1981 and is 118 pages long. Front cover: MRO Ludwig; back cover: Carrie Rowles. It was the last issue to be produced on a mimeograph.

  • Editorial Maunderings (5)
  • Mandatory Star Wars Item by Sheryl Adsit (10)
  • Gateway Assault by Bonnie Reitz (11) (A Gorn, a shape-shifting wolf-woman, and a Klingon band together to destroy an automated space station.)
  • Lament for T'Sana by D.L. Booker (36) (pre-Reform literature)
  • A Woman's Place by Joan Marie Verba (38) (A femle Robin Hood-type on a female-oppressing colony assistas a Federation delegation.)
  • Klingon Song by Daphne Anne Hamilton (64)
  • The Endocrinological Basis of Pon Farr by Geraldine Stout (66) (a pharmacist compares it to a 'thyroid storm')
  • Memorandum: Selecting a Pet on Space Station K-7 by Wanda A. (70)
  • Hizzoner Mudd by Marian Lois Turner (71)The story was illustrated by C.J. Peyton and is the second of the "Harry Mudd" stories. The character of Lieutenant Tetra was originally created by Jane Peyton and was used with her permission.[5]
art from issue #11, artist unknown

Art:

  • Susan Crites, DEA, C. Lee Healy, Caroline Hedge, Carolyn Hillard, Sue Johnston, MRO Ludwig (front cover), C. Jany Peyton, Janice Scott Preston, Bonnie Reitz, Carrie Rowles (back cover), Carol Waterman, Sandra Wise


Issue 12

front cover of issue #12
back cover of issue #12

Masiform D 12 was published in February 1982 and is 108 pages long. No longer produced on a mimeograph, this issue was offset and perfect bound.

  • Editorial p. 3
  • To Spock...After All These Years, by Judith Brownlee p. 9
  • The Plot Sickens, by Sharon Foster p. 10 (2 pages) (blurbs for episodes we never saw)
  • A Matter Of Tradition, by Geraldine E. Stout p. 12 (20 pages) (a hal-Vulcan woman upsets Spock with her display of emotion but saves the day anyway.)
  • The Life of a Captain is a Lonely Life, by Phyllis Johnpoll p. 32
  • Spock's Women, by Sandra Wise p. 33 (5 pages) (essay about how Spock goes for a woman like Mom.)
  • The Affair of The Xixobrax Jewelworm, a tragicomedy, by Sandra Wise p. 38 (27 pages) (Kirk and Koloth square off.)
  • Masiform D Contest Results p. 65
  • Koon-Ut-Kal-I-Far, by Kathleen Gaitely p. 68 (4 pages) (The outcome of Amok Time: T'Pring has miscalulated.)
  • The Horse Is Lovely, by Nancy Guidice p. 72
  • Portfolio Of Mythological Beings p. 73 (6 pages)
  • Random, by Jocelyn Feaster p. 78
  • Thoughts, by Cathy E. Phillips p. 79
  • Domestic Arrangements, by Lois Welling p. 80 (28 pages) (Spock marries T'Ayrian and they start their life together on the Enterprise.)
  • Mandatory Star Wars Item (a cartoon on the last page)
"I must admit that I've never not enjoyed an issue of MD and #12 is no exception. After Devra's usual rambling editorial, I found the contents of this issue to be quite good. The printing process is superior, and this is always nice. The binding is absolutely perfect! 'A Matter of Tradition' is a nice little story about a new crewman. She's Vulcan and Sulu's quite a bit interested in her. Spock can't stand the fact that she, too, is only half Vulcan, yet she lets her human half show through all the time. Her problem with Spock isn't resolved, even though she manages to save Kirk and company. All in all, it's a good little piece, somewhat forgettable, but not a disappointment by any means. 'The Affiar of the Xixobrax Jewelworm' lives up to its subtitle; it is a tragi-comedy. Undoubtedly based on a line from Blish's adaptation of 'The Trouble with Tribbles,' Wise does an excellent job in coming up with turns here and there to keep the reader guessing. The surprise ending was quite delightful, and I was pleased with the piece. 'Koon-Ut-Kal-i-far' is an excellently chilling vignette of a Mirror, Mirror universe alternate ending to Amok Time. Thoroughly enjoyable. 'Domestic Arrangements' is a nice story about Spock and his new brid and how they adapt to living on the Enterprise, especially if she were an officer under his... division. There's some mild erotica, but this is always refreshing when not gratuitous. It added to the story, and I was glad to see it included. The artwork in this zine is quite mixed, from Gordon Carleton's humorous artwork, to Bonnie Reitz' excellent work, from Eluki bes Shahar to martynn, but the work isn't as fantastic as some art I've seen. A few extra pieces here and there as well as a fantasy art portfolio make for a well-rounded zine. My quality level rating is 88-89." [9]

Issue 13

cover of issue #13, Barbara Wheel. Description from the editor from issue #15: She writes that her first name means "honeybee" in Hebrew, that her last name means "slowly" in German, "hence the bees and the turtle. The poison/ink bottle on top comes from the logo of my press name adn the motto 'Masiform D et mais amis' I hope is fairly obvious."

Masiform D 13 was published in September 1983 and is 120 pages long. Front cover: Barbara Wheel; back cover: Miriam Harvey. In the editorial, Devra Langsam writes, "I am abandoning the fannish haven of mimeo forever."

back cover of issue #13, Miriam Harvey
  • Stokaline - editorial, p. 3-5
  • Prelude by Lynda Carraher, p. 6-13 (Ruth bids farewell to Kirk on his first command.)
  • Preliminary Report on the Inscription on the Kh'Marr Bowl by D. Booker , p. 16-20 (pre-Reform archeology)
  • Connect by Linda Slusher , p. 22-23 (Spock helps Kirk with a splinter)
  • Reach Out by Phyllis Johnpoll, p. 24-31 (A young Vulcan at the Star Fleet Academy is encouraged by his roommate to contact his betrothed.)
  • The Other Man by Dee Beetem, p. 32-37 (Amok Time from T'Pring's point of view)
  • Speculation on 'Mudd's Women' by Sandra Wise, p. 38-39 (non-fiction, discussion of pheromones and the Venus drug)
  • ST II: The Kahn Job by Leah Rosenthal & Co., p. 42-60 (spoof)
  • Decision Point by Vivian Gates, p. 61-70 (Trapped in a cave, Spock and Christine overhear a Vulcan/Human pair in mind meld.)
  • The Heir is Missing by Joyce Yasner, p. 73-79 (Star Wars)
  • The-Girl-Who-Wanted-To-Be-A-Fighter, a Kershu Bedtime Story by Devra Michelle Langsam, p. 81-84 (Jan & Korbas are now married with children)
  • Do Not Grieve by Elaine M. Batterby, p. 87
  • Remember by Anne Batterby, p. 88-90 (From Boldly Writing: "centers on the speculation of what Spock meant in the 'Remember' scene in Star Trek II. In Anne's story, Spock had used the mind meld to explain to Dr. McCoy his reasons for going into the radiation chamber. I thought this was an ideal scenario, and I hoped it would see such an interpretation in Star Trek III, which we were all eagerly anticipating in the upcoming year. Harve Bennett saw it differently.")
  • A Bitter God to Follow, a Beautiful God to Behold by Sue Crites, p. 91-120 (a counselor aboard the Enterprise makes it her task to honor the religious practices of a wounded Klingon who has been picked up by the ship.)

Filks:

  • Hotel Federation by Teresa Sarick
  • The Last Battle by Leslie Fish and Roberta Rogow - Star Wars in song
  • Poetry: The Book Card Bandits / Ruth Berman

Reactions and Reviews:

"I must admit that this is the first issue of MASIFORM D I've ever read from cover to cover. As a die hard K/Ser, I rarely venture into the genzine realm (except to read R&R and VAULT OF TOMORROW) anymore, but this zine made me want to buy the next issue and buy this one, since a friend loaned it to me. The zine, technically, is very well done. It is clearly printed, the art is well reproduced (as a fan of your work, Pat, I think they did a nice job) and the typos are few and far between. Almost every piece is illoed. There is a mix of Trek and Wars stories and poems as well as a filk and an "article". The quality of work contained in the zine is generally high and I suspect the few pieces I did not care for touched on topics I dont care for; the writing itself in those pieces was good. "Prelude," by Lynda Carraher, presents an intriguing aspect'interpretation of the Ruth/JTK relationship and focuses on the sad premise that love often means sacrifice. "Connect," by Linda Slusher, is a parody of the classic series of hurt/comfort stories that have appeared in CONTACT over the years. It pokes gentle fun at the genre and should bring a smile to those who enjoy hurt/comfort. Phyllis Johnpoll offers "Reach Out," a good story in terms of its premise that ancient Vulcan customs must be brought into the 23rd century. The lead characters, S'memon (the Vulcan) and Tim, however, seem like clone shadows of another Vulcan/human team as they might have been if they'd been together during their schooling and, in fact, as they are in adulthood. "The Other Man," by Dee Beetem, is excellent. (I do not know if this was intended as a K/S story - I suspect that it was not - but it does focus on the obvious love Kirk and Spock have for another.) The story explains, quite well, why TPring acted as she did, and once again, the theme of love and its sacrifices comes up. Leah Rosenthal and Bad Company provide readers with "Star Trek II: The Khan Job." It is a superbly written parody of the film; the delightful Carleton illos augment and complement the humor that pervades the piece. In "Decision Point," Christine is given the opportunity by author Vivian Gates to tell Spock off while making him face a part of himself that he tends to run from. Unfortunately, the circumstances that allow this to happen "feel" too contrived. Gates does create, as a catalyst, two interesting characters -one Vulcan and one human - who would be good subject material for a story of their own. (I want to know what happens to them!) "The Heir is Missing," by Joyce Yasner is apparently part of a series and is a very well done turn around of the Wars universe in which the Alliance appears to be the villain and Han Solo is Leia's fan boy/consort. The editor's contribution, "The-Girl-who-Wanted-to-be-a-Fighter," is a Klingon moral tale that is entertaining even to someone not familiar with her version of the Klingon universe. "Do Not Grieve," by Elaine Batterby, and "Remember," by Anne Batterby, are a pair of vignettes that focus on the sad circumstances of ST:WK's ending. "Do Not Grieve" is particularly effective in illustrating the optimism associated with Kirk's character. "A Bitter God to Follow, A Beautiful God to Behold," by Susan Crites, is an excellent story of the breaching of the immense cultural void that separates the Klingon peoples from those of the Federation. Religion provides a common ground for communication and a tentative understanding that could ease mutual fear. The ending is a lovely thought, especially in a day and age when the threat of nuclear destruction hovers all too close. The poetry selections are highlighted by "Blue Rose," written by Cheryl Ann Hendricks. It is a poignant, well-crafted poem about Spock's bittersweet memories of love. Ruth Berman's "The Book-Card Bandits" is a vivid reminder of the censorship some would impose on others. "Mudd's Song," by Becky Bockover, is a clever piece that captures the essence of Harry Mudd. "(Finnegan)," by L. Giovanni, "Apology to a Hard Rock," by Nancy Giudice, and "Lost Warrior," by Patricia Demetri, offer different perspectives on their respective themes. For filksingers there is an offering by two of the best -Fish and Rogow. Teresa Sarick's "Hotel Federation" brings new meaning to an Eagles tune. In addition to the foregoing, there is an "article" by D. Booker, "Preliminary Report on the Inscriptions on the Kh'marr Bowl". In this piece, the author cleverly reconstructs Pre-reform Vulcan by using a scientific article format to analyze and interpret the meanings of inscriptions on a recovered pottery vessel. The art in this zine is excellent. Gordon Carleton contributes his wonderful versions of the characters. Hedge, Summers, Rowles, and White are among the other well-known, terrific artists who lend their unique insights to the pieces their work accompanies. The best material in the zine, however, (and if you will buy a zine just for art, then . . .) is Pat Kilner's work. Her portrait of Christine highlighted by a shadowy, Spock background profile is lovely both in terms of theme and execution. Her interpretation of T'Pring, especially in the portrait on the broken shield, gives T'Pring a haughty beauty and strength of character that accentuates the theme of TPring's dilemma in Beetem's well-written prose portrait. Beetem's story, Kilner's art, Crites' story, the parodies by Slusher and Rosenthal et al., and Hendricks' poem stand out in this zine that is well worth buying." [10]

Issue 14

front cover of issue 14, Gennie Summers
back cover of issue #14, Carrie Rowles

Masiform D 14 was published in May 1984 and is 128 pages long. Front cover: Gennie Summers; back cover: Carrie Rowles.

  • Editorial Maunderings (3)
  • It's the Way We All Feel, Mr. Spock by Teresa Sarick (5)
  • Officer Material by Pat Foley (6) (Pike in conflict with Star Fleet in sending cadet Spock to command training)
  • Memory Touch by Teresa Sarick - McCoy trying to "Remember" (19) (filk)
  • Errand of Mary Sue by Linda Slusher (20)
  • Saavik's Song by Roberta Rogow (26) (filk)
  • A Question of Kol-in-Ahr by Christie Wood (28) (non-fiction timeline)
  • The Free Enterprise (News and Notes by Phyllis Johnpoll and Geraldine Stout (33), Some Letters Home by Christine Matson (37), Pon Farr Perjury Panned by Christine Matson (40))
  • Footprints in the Sand by Joan Marie Verba (43) (Kirk and McCoy are lost in the desert and cared for by a race of the un-dead and their robots.)
  • the Tribble Songa, Complaint for Two Voices by Josepha Sherman (67) (filk)
  • Mandatory Star Wars Item (68) a cartoon of "Han Sulu"
  • Preliminary Model for New Subspace Radio by Dale Kagan (69)
  • Mudd of the Bounding Main, or The Tour that Went Wrong by Marian L. Allen, p. 77-128. The story was illustrated by C.J. Peyton and is part of the "Harry Mudd" series. The character Bel returns to Llannonn to lead a VIP tour group, where she and the group are kidnapped by pirates.[5]

Art:

  • Gennie Summers (front cover), Kathy Carlson, DEA, eluki bes shahar, Caro Hedge, Nan Lewis, MRO Ludwig, Roni Markowitz, Patrick Daniel O'Neill, C. Jane Peyton, Carrie Rowles (back cover), Carolyn Ruth, Geraldine Stout, Mel White, Christie Wood, Sally Wyant
"Someone oughtta give Devra Langsam a medal. For so long she kept her zine at an unheard of price of $4.75, consistently churning out a quality product. It was only very recently that she raised the price by a mere $.25. As a person living on the official government-calculated poverty threshold since I was born, I thank her deeply for making at least one zine accessible to me. This issue greets you with a stunning Gennie Summiers cover of Khan and goes right into Devra's "EditorIal Meanderings," always a fun, long, interesting section, and a nice change from most dull editorials. After that is a lovely little poem by Teresa Sarick called 'It's The Way We All Feel, Mr. Spock," a touchingly brief presentation of Uhura's feelings when Spock arrives in TMP. "Officer Material" by Pat Foley is easily the best offering this Issue, set on the Big E under Captain Pike's command and, as the CaptaIn announces: "Once again, Starfleet has selected the Enterprise as a host ship for approximately twenty senior Academy cadets. They'll be with us for about two weeks, and I expect you senior officers to insure that your departments provide your respective cadets with the best orientation Starfleet can offer.· One of those cadets is a young, brilliant Vulcan whom we all know. The story tells of Pike's growing interest in the Vulcan boy because of his genius and his encounters of discrimination at the Academy. Starfleet considers Spock a troublemaker (because his family doesn't want him in the Fleet) and views him in a very prejudIced light. Pike, looking for a replacement science officer, becomes a champion for Spock, and challenges the Fleet's evaluation of him. The writing is crisp and clear, as is the plot development. Pike, Spock, and Pike's science officer, Matt Nelson, are all drawn sensitively and three-dimensionally. Their characterizations are quite poignant. Nan Lewis' illos, while mainly portraits rather than full illustrations, project strong, detailed emotions. "Errand of "Mary Sue" by Linda Slusher is an insane parody of ·Errand of Mercy with Captain Mary Sue Magnificent of the starship Underdeveloped and "her inscrutable Vulcan science officer T'Marisu" on a mission to Catatonia where they meet the Klingfrees... you get the idea. Mel White's illos to this are hilarious and add to the general lunacy. Roberta Rogow has a nicely rhythmical and lyrical filksong called "Saavik's Song" sung to the tune of Janis lan's "At Seventeen." It's one of the few filks "sung to the tune of ... " that I was able to play and sing with no meter trouble. "A Question of Kolinahr" by Christie Wood examines Spock's activities immediately after the five-year mission and calculates how much time he must have spent studying/meditating/whatever to achieve Kolinahr. It also explains how Spock could have known the new Enterprise in TMP so well. Well-written and convincing, the article is coherent and concise. Wood should write more. I also like her one ilIo of Spock and Saavik for the article. Her style has neat lines and attractive black and white contrasts. "The Free Enterprise" is another entry (group compiled) into the Big E's newsletter. Enjoyable, but I've seen funnier ones in past issues. "Some Letters Home" by Christine Matson has a bunch of letters from TWOK's cadets, Uhura and Spock, all saying 'Don't worry about me, this is only a simple training mission.' Matson also offers us "Pon Farr Perjury Panned," and "Excerpt from The Federation Enquirer, The Federation's Largest Distributed Magazine and Scandal Sheet." A Mr. Still, Special Information Officer of the Vulcan Mission to the Federation Council, sharply repudiates all this Pon Farr nonsense at a press conference, attributing it to "Mr. Spock's sick and twisted mind." Ya know, when I read these crazy things, I really get to worry about our future. "Footprints in the Sand" by Joan Verba is a fascinating adventure on a desert planet with ghosts. As usual, one of Verba's favorite themes - Spock's development of his self-awareness and emotions - plays a part in the proceedings and her subtle characterization scenes are the best moments. Kirk and McCoy's ordeal in the sandstorm also gives us some fine glimpses into the Doctor's personality. M.R.O. Ludwig's illos for this are interesting as they show us the Big Three in turbans and robes. I'm a student of the Middle East and I loved the thought of Spock looking like Lawrence of Arabia. "Mudd of the Bounding Main or The Tour That Went Wrong" by Marion Allen is a rather bizarre, overlong, occasionally funny piece with pirates, Harry Mudd as their king, a radical teenaged girl with a stiletto, the spoiled daughter of an industrialist, Klingons, and the Heroine Lieutenant Isobel (Bel) Shuster. This would have been funnier had it been shorter. Comedy is best when it's brief. This is the longest issue of MD, a point of surpise noted by the editor. In a fandom where zines have grown to mammoth proportions (thus driving up their price), I find this quite refreshing. Cartoons, poems and filk round out the issue." [11]

Issue 15

front cover of issue #15, Signe Landon
back cover of issue #15, Signe Landon

Masiform D 15 was published in 1986 and contains 120 pages. Cover by Signe Landon.

The editor has bought a computer! "Having gotten 'The Golem' in December, I've had to spend an awful lot of time learning his little ways and entering my business records into his guts... The Golem, by the way, is a Leading Edge, IBM-compatible computer Model M, with 640K ram and a 20meg hard disk, a Motorola amber monitor, and a C.Itoh A-10 printer... I can now accept stories on 5-1/4 disks." As reported in the next issue, this computer was stolen in a home robbery, and its replacement was named "Prometheus."

  • Editorial Maunderings, p. 3-5
  • More Than a Starsong by Lynda Carraher, p. 6-20 (Scotty brings a dead crewman's belongings to the man's family.)
  • News Flash by Sandra Wise, p. 23
  • Variation by Mikki Reynard, p. 25-33 (a variation on 'This Side of Paradise')
  • The Truth About Number One by Sandra Wise, p. 34
  • Meeting in a Bar by Cheree Cargill, p. 35-40
  • Addendum to Spock's Women by Sandra Wise, p. 41-42
  • Aftermath by Sue Wilson, p. 43-45 (a post-Genesis Saavik soliloquy)
  • Survive and Succeed by Julie Cesari, p. 49-52 (Kor undergoes surgery to look more like a human)
  • Day of the Turkey by Linda Slusher, p. 53-60 (a spoof of 'Day of the Dove')
  • To Change the Present by Renita K. Lane, p. 62-64 (Alternate-Spock logics his Kirk into saving the Halkans)
  • Fighting Women of Star Trek by Sandra Wise, p. 67 (essay)
  • Traditions by Susan Crites, p. 68-92 (a Kershu story)
  • Mandatory Star Wars Item by Devra Langsam, p. 94
  • The Infamous Enterprise by Christine Matson, p. 96-99 (Star Fleet Command training entrance interview questions)
  • The Runes of T'Lusanna by Delores Booker, p. 101 (Pre-Reform Vulcan)
  • For the Good of the Service by Pat Foley, p. 102-119 (Pike forces Spock to remain on the Enterprise)

Poetry:

  • For the Love of God, Montresor, or, Which Way to the Egress / Ruth Berman
  • McCoy's Lament: I'm a Doctor, Not a Brain Depository by Teresa Sarick
  • A Lack of Alternatives by Teresa Sarick
  • Silence by Deborah Leis
  • Irae by Cathy Thomas
  • The First Time by Pat Kelly

Art:

  • Kathy Carlson, Julie Cesari, Connie Faddis, Caro Hedge, Vel Jaeger, Pat Kilner, Signe Landon (front cover), Mary Rosalind Oberdieck, Roni Markowitz, Jim Mueller, Patrick Daniel O'Neill, Deborah L. Phillips, Bonie Reitz, Leah Rosenthal, Carolynn Ruth, Nancy Stasulis, Gennie Summers, Sherry Veltkamp, Barbara Wheel, Mel White, Sue Wilson, Christie Wood, Sally Wyant

art from issue #15, Julie Cesari

art from issue #15, Vel Jaeger

art from issue #15, Christie Wood

art from issue #15, Sherry Veltkamp

art from issue #15, Connie Faddis

art from issue #15, Leah Rosenthal

art from issue #15, Sue Wilson

art from issue #15, Bonnie Reitz

"Of the long stories, Pat Foley's "For the Good of the Service" is the most interesting, because of its serious and successful attempt at characterization of Christopher Pike (Number One and Spock also get some character focus). Yet another entry into her Pike series, Foley's principal theme is Pike and his style of captaincy. In this piece, Pike has been transferred to command of the REPUBLIC, and the occasion offers a chance for reappraisal of his tendency to hold onto his officers--11 years with Spock, e.g.--and not recommend them for transfer, thus hold back their careers. This examination is done with the help of Dr. Boyce, who, as usual, comes off almost as a clone of McCoy. Pike' s principal concern is Numer One, who be believes deserves a Starship captaincy of her own, while Starfleet limits her to command of a light cruiser. The scene with Number One (who apparently does not want command) contains a common problem with most fan attempts at portraying her. She is far too flat, much more so than in 'The Cage.' But there are hints of humanity in Foley's characterization of her, as in Number One's keen understanding and compassion of Pike's frustration at the Fleet's prejudices against her, and of his desire to understand why she does not wish to pursue command. Foley does imbue her with realism and practicality, and a fine awareness of her own limitations to take on command. Spock, with whom Pike has a father-son relationship is Pike's second problem. Pike realizes he must let Spock free of his command, instead of taking the young Vulcan on the REPUBLIC with him. But Spock is strongly attached to Pike. Foley handles this forced separation with intelligence and sensitivity, showing us why Spock's behavior changed so much from what we saw in "The Cage" to his life on the ENTERPRISE under Kirk. It's unfortunate that not enough fan writers delve into Spock's years under Pike, especially since most of his Starfleet career was spent under the latter's command, not Kirk's. Leah Rosenthal has an adequate rendition of the young Spock, though her profile of Pike is weak. Pat O'Neill's portrait of Pike and another officer who I don't recognize (the story gives no clues) are genuinely good, stylish pieces with distinctive features. One piece by Gennie Summers is a mystery to me. It's a BEM (bug-eyed monster for the uninitiated), and Foley's story makes no mention of such an alien. Lynda Carraher's "More Than a Starsong" is a good Scotty piece. Forced to bring the possessions of a dead friend to the latter's wife, Scotty find the woman embittered against the Fleet and all that represents the modern world, which she holds responsible for her husband's death. Her elder son, however, does not agree, and Scotty finds himself in the middle of a bitter family conflict. While sensitive to the needs of the children and the necessity of living with the world and not away from it, Carraher crosses the line from belief in modern in technology into hi-tech chauvinism and blind faith in "progress". In this story, only modern technology offers aid to humanity, a rather naive presumption considering technology is always a two-edged sword. Carraher essentially loads the dice in placing the woman in such an extreme position, the point that she refuses the aid of a doctor for her injured young son. It would be interesting to read a similar story with someone not so irrational, someone who rejects modern civilization and can defend him or herself in a coherent, reasonable way. Sherry Veltkamp's illos add to the story, and place the characters in a firm setting by actually illustrating essential scenes. Cheree Cargill's "Meeting in a Bar" has an elderly Sulu and Chekov doing just what the title says and talking about their past and present. I admit that I have a prejudice against stories that have our beloved characters in their later years, where death seems to be the main theme. Such stories usually wind up being rather depressing, and unfortunately Cargill's is no exception. Susan Crites' "Traditions" is only half a story. Focusing on the young competitors at a kershu (Klingon martial arts) tournament, the main conflict stems from the daughter of a Klingon male and a human female, and the hostility directed at them by the Klingon competitors. I like Crites' desire to celebrate the diversity of cultures, and the show Klingons and humans interacting harmoniously, but to show this, Crites has the Klingons act and speak exactly like humans. The scenes with the young class of teenagers, humans and Klingons, strike me as identical to any situation with a bunch of rowdy American teenagers. Still, Crites' does make the reader interested in the coming tournament, especially in how the Klingons will accept the "defector" as a judge. Yet that's just when the story ends, so we never find out. The best short piece is Sue Wilson' s "Aftermath", an all-too-short introspective view of Saavik thinking back on the experience she had with Spock on Genesis, and of her past feelings for him. I personally do not accept, as Wilson does, the possibility that Saavik ever had strong feelings for Spock, other than as a daughter. This does not, however, detract from my enjoyment of her vignette, which has powerful, intelligent and strong language (which, regrettably, descends into occasional triteness)... The other two serious vignettes ('Survive and Succeed' by Julie Cesari and 'To Change the Present' by Renita K. Lane) could have been improved with some editing; the former has Kor thinking back on the experiment in which he participated that surgically altered his and other Klingons' appearance to look like humans. Now he has his crest and claws back, feeling much more like a Klingon. Clever idea, but sketchily written. The second is yet another immediate sequel to "Mirror, Mirror" that suffers from run-on sentences and sudden switches in point of view (a common mistake throughout this issue). Sandra Wise has two very short articles, called 'Fighting Women of ST' and 'Addendum to Spock's Women', which follows from her previous article on the subject. The second is a discussion on why Spock is not interested in Christine Chapel. The first posits that, while ST can certainly be accused of sexist portrayals of women, oftentimes in the series women were shown to be superior or as good as men in hand-to-hand combat. Wise's paltry examples of this claim are Uhura's successful struggle with Lars in 'Gamesters of Triskelion' and Yeoman Tamura's confidence (and Spock's. confidence in her) in 'A Taste of Armageddon'. Unfortunately, these examples are problematical and too few. Uhura "won" against Lars because he stopped his attack. Tamura was guarding another female (Mea 3) which the men of ST would of course assume any trained woman can do. I see no proof of women being shown as superior to men in hand-to-hand combat at all in the series. As for the poetry, the best poem is easily "Irae" by Cathy Thomas. Told from Khan's point of view, Thomas captures his joy in revenge at Spock's death with powerful and evocative language... Christine Matson's amusing "The Infamous Enterprise" has a Klingon spy lecturing about Kirk and Co. to an unnamed audience, to which he discusses the Empire's view of the Federation. Matson includes a great mix of truth and interpretation to come up with a tangle of propaganda, not all of which is entirely baseless... And Devra Langsam's "Mandatory STAR WARS Item" is a delicious take- off on Carol Hines-Stroede's SW universe. M-D # 15 sports a beautiful Signe Landon wraparound cover of three Spocks, one from the series, the others from the films. There's nothing really exceptional here, but a good easy read with some fine art for a very reasonable price should not be taken for granted by anyone." [1]

Issue 16

front cover of issue #16, Christie Wood
back cover of issue #16, Sue Wilson

Masiform D 16 was published in September 1988 and contains 106 pages. Front cover: Christie Wood; back cover: Sue Wilson.

  • Editorial Maunderings by Devra Langsam, p. 3-7
  • Summation by Pat Foley, p. 9-19 (post-Menagerie, Kirk questions Spock's loyalty)
  • How To Win at Fizzbin by Jean Lamb, p. 22-23
  • About Malzt by Sandra Wise, p. 24-25 (an essay)
  • Fair in Love and War by Susan Crites, p. 26-32 (Star Trek: TNG) (Data tries to find a mate for Worf, but Yar beats him to it)
  • Addendum by Gretchen Cupp, p. 33-34 (post-Genesis, Kirk makes a new will)
  • Beau Mudd by Marian Allen, p. 36-62. Part of the "Harry Mudd" series. Harry Mudd turns up on a planet that worships — literally — The Almighty Dollar.[2]
  • Five Princesses by Linda Slusher, p. 68-84 (A Klingon escorts his feisty relative to be married against her will and ends up losing her in a card game.)
  • Fathers and Sons by Sandra Wise, p. 87 (a vignette of Skon and Sarek)
  • Close Encounter by Sandra Wise, p. 90-93 (Battlestar Galactica crossover)
  • Let It Be Remembered by Ann Schwader, p. 95-105

Poetry:

  • The Ships of Starfleet by Sue Isle Change / Patt Demetri
  • George's Song by Christie Wood
  • Before the Funeral by Deborah Leis - Saavik soliloquy at Spock's coffin
  • Castaway by Gene Delapenia
  • Colours in the Night by Sue Isle
  • Games: Anacrostic

Art:

  • Kathy Carlson, Caro Hedge, Pat Kilner, Claire Mason, C. Jane Peyton, Bonnie Reitz, Melody Rondeau, Carrie Rowles, Carolynn Ruth, Nancy Stasulis, Gennie Summers, Sue Wilson (back cover), Christie Wood (front cover)

art from issue #16, Melody Rondeau

art from issue #16, C. Wood

art from issue #16, Gennie Summers

art from issue #16, Bonnie Reitz

art from issue #16, Nancy Stasulis, a fan and her prize

art from issue #16, C. Wood

art from issue #16, C. Wood

art from issue #16, Carrie Rowles


Issue 17

front cover of issue #17, MRO Ludwig
back cover of issue #17, Lois Morrison-Flack

Masiform D 17 was published in 1990 and is 100 pages long. Front cover: MRO Ludwig; back cover: Lois Morrison-Flack.

  • Editorial Maunderings by Devra Langsam, p. 3-6
  • Good Time on Wrigley's by Joan Marie Verba, p. 7-30 (The crew is in pursuit of a fugitive gambler and end up in some Wrigley pleasure houses.)
  • Spock's Women II by Sandra Wise, p. 31 (Did Christine take Spock's body while Henoch was in it?)
  • Genesis Planet Epilog by Dale Kagan, p. 32-33
  • A Gift From an Enemy by Julie Cesari, p. 36 (A prisoner passes Surak's work to his executioner.)
  • Trade Agreements by Lynda Cohn, p. 39 (a logic puzzle)
  • Bred In the Bone by Sandra Wise, p. 40-41
  • The Sand Trap by Christie Wood, p. 43-55 (spoof of 'Man Trap')
  • When Duty Calls by Michelle A. Perry, p. 56-57
  • Full Function by Sandra Wise, p. 59 (Star Trek: TNG)
  • The Nature of the Beast by Bonnie Reitz, p. 61-99 (a Uhura/Pakari story, Pakari is of a werewolfish race)

Poetry:

  • Amok Time, or, How To Live With Death by Ruth Berman
  • Pavel's Sylvia by Ruth Berman
  • Arrival by Patt Demetri
  • Requiem by Teegar

Art:

  • Kathy Carlson, Diane Christensen, Gene Delapenia, Lilianne Forbin, Susie Leinbach, MRO Ludwig (front cover), Kevin Martin, Patrick Daniel O'Neill, Lois Morrison-Flack (back cover), Bonnie Reitz, Carolynn Ruth, Nancy Stasulis, Gennie Summers, Teegar, Barbara Wheel, Christie Wood

inside art from issue #17, Susie Leinbach, from "Good Time on Wrigley's"

inside art from issue #17, Diane Christensen

inside art from issue #17, Pat O'Neill

inside art from issue #17, Bonnie Reitz




Issue 18

front cover of issue #18, portrait of Gene Roddenberry, by Bev Zuk
back cover of issue #18 by Christie Wood

Masiform D 18 was published in May 1998 and contains 88 pages. The material is all Star Trek: TOS.

flyer for issue #18

Artwork:

inside art from issue #18 by D.L. Collin

inside art from issue #18, Nancy Stasulis

inside art from issue #18, Nancy Stasulis

inside art from issue #18, L. Morrison Flack

References

Retrieved from "http://fanlore.org/wiki/Masiform_D"