Menagerie (Star Trek: TOS zine edited by Paula Smith & Sharon Ferraro)

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For other articles with similar names, see Menagerie.

Zine
Title: Menagerie
Publisher: boojums Press,
in 1986, T'Kuhtian Press had permission to copy and distribute these zines/parts of these zines
Editor(s): Paula Smith & Sharon Ferraro (Smith alone for the last three issues)
Date(s): 1973 - 1981
Series?:
Medium: print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Language: English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.
a 1980 flyer for the zine Menagerie. The ad copy says this fanwork is "one of the Golden Oldies of Star Trek fandom."

Menagerie is a highly-influential gen and het Star Trek: TOS anthology that ran for 17 issues from 1973 to 1981. It has some seminal Star Trek fiction, generated much discussion regarding the topics Mary Sue and the role of explicit adult fiction in fan fiction, and what constituted good fan fiction.

A peer of this zine series was Warped Space, and there was, at least in the beginning, a lot of back and forth comments between the editors printed.

The kerfuffle over editorial standards printed in issue #10, the intense letters of comment printed in #14, comments in February 1977 by Paula Smith in I (and Sharon) have been backed into a corner defending a single position over quality controls. Frankly, I rather resent this., a related essay a month later by Paula Block called So what do you want, good material or good friends??, and what this all represented likely put the kibosh on Smith's decision not to print any more comments in the zine. The editorial was also retired until the last issue, and that statement was a bit of passive-aggressive self-professed "curmudgeonly" farewell.

Regarding the editors: Ferraro faded from media fandom venues. Smith, now involved in Starsky & Hutch fandom, became one of the main, later editors of S & H, a letterzine known for its heated discussion.

Submission Guidelines: Printed in the Tenth Issue

The zine series really began to get some traction and attention as it rounded off its first ten issues, and this was reflected in the editorials by Paula Smith and Sharon Ferraro printed in issue #10:

[Sharon's editorial]:

Zounds! I suppose that one of the measures of a trekzine's popularity is found in the number of stories, poems, etc. that the editors regularly receive for con sideration. The editor never knows where they come from,' they might as well be bird droppings from the sky. We have received too many manuscripts to count, ranging in quality from excellent (see in this issue Jackie Bielowicz' "Seeds of Vision") to unmentionable.

To those eager, hopeful writers out there, waiting to make it big in the trekzine world—a few pointers. These are some things that MENAGERIE'S editors don't like:

1) Mary Sue stories - the adventures of the youngest and smartest ever person to graduate from the academy ever and ever get a commission at such a tender age. Usually characterized by unprecedented skill in everything from art to zoology, including karate and arm-wrestling. This character can also be found burrowing her way into the good graces/heart/mind of one of the Big Three, if not all three at once. She saves the day by her wit and ability, and, if we are lucky, has the good grace to die at the end, being grieved by the entire ship.

2) Birthday silliness/humiliation stories - Captain Kirk's mother beams aboard to surprise him on his birthday ("Truth or Consequences"?) and the bridge crew ends up playing pin-the-tail-on-the-smeerch and spanking Jimmy 35+ times while his mommy watches.

-or-

the alien/Vulcan is introduced to one of our typical wonderful sweet earth-type holidays. Mr. Spock plays Santa Claus. (Actually, you may have noticed that "100 Proof Positive" in MENAGERIE 6 was about Spock finding Santa Claus, but a parody is one thing; a seriously written "It really could happen" is another.)

3) Torment stories - Kirk/Spock/McCoy is suf fering horribly (disease, Klingons, jock itch while Spock/McCoy/Kirk is forced to look on helplessly. Within the context of a real story or adventure it may make sense, but Trek was no medical sufferings show. No rewrites of "The Empath" or "Plato's Step children," please.

4) A lot of Kraith.

5) Kirk/Spock "relationship" stories - unless damned good, they usually aren't stories at all.

6) "After" stories in which Carolyn Palomas/Leila Kalomi/Deela/Kalinda/Zarabeth bears Apollo's/Spock's/ Kirk's/Kirk's/Spock's child. Or dies trying.

7) Drinking stories - Scotty and 3,000 Klingons get drunk together and Scotty wins.

8) Lost princesses/dukes/blood enemies to the Enterprise.

9) Another Harry Mudd story.

There now, isn't that encouraging? Actually, however, we will accept any and all of the above IF THEY ARE WELL WRITTEN. For those of you still considering this as the outlet for your creation, there are five degrees of response possible from Smith and Ferraro:

  1. 5 - Nothing. This is because you forgot the return postage (tho if it fits #2 or #1 on this list, we'd contact you anyway).
  1. 4 - A polite note. "We are sorry, but this piece does not fit our prestent requirements. Thank you for remembering the return postage." (Tf we didn't like it, we won't encourage you to send more.
  1. 3-A longer note. "This is an interesting story but does not fit our present requirements. You might try sending it to as it may fit their format better. Please keep MENAGERIE in mind for anymore work you may do." (We didn't like this one—race horses on the lower decks—but we like your writing style. Try again.)
  1. 2 - "This is very nice. It needs a little work..." On to details, perhaps shoring up a weak plot or bolstering a characterization a bit. (We want it

if you'll rewrite.)

  1. 1 "We want this story. Except for the transposition of 'e' and 'i' in 'piece' on page 14, we can't think of a thing wrong with it. Do you want to suggest an artist?" (We'll take it as it is.)
Don't give up—we wrote the first four issues almost entirely alone and are getting tired of filling it ourselves. Don't forget the return postage!)

[editorial from Paula]:

You may notice that this issue has a rather wider range of contributors than our last. The reason for this is simple: more people have been sending us stuff. Some of it has even been pretty good. MENAGERIE'S policy is, we will consider anything. Anything at all, up to and including papier mache' sculpture, as long as return postage is included (if not, ya don't get it back, turkey). If we reject it, there's nothing to stop the writer/artist from sending it anywhere else, or starting her own zine in order to print it, if she so chooses. A rejection should never be taken as discouragement; sometimes we get some bloody fine stories that we just can't use — Spock goes into pon farr (again) or Kirk gets elected God — but well written. Our emphasis, which should be obvious by now, is on extra-Enterprise stories. If we accept the piece, we don't usually return the original manu script, unless specifically requested. We've had to reprint issues a couple of times and it's a pain to try and get the original art back, especially if it's been sold to someone else.

So much for policy. We got a letter some time ago from sunny Jan Rigby in sunny Tinley Park, Illinois, asking us just what the hell do we consider to be a Good Story, anyway. Well... A Good Story has a logical (or at least consistent) and unified scheme of action, aka a plot. A story cannot get along without at least one believable person in it; preferably, all the characters should be believable, consistent, fully fleshed, three-dimensional--in a word, "human" or possibly "sentient." That's characterization. Those two are the biggies. The story should also have some sort of thematic coherence, so that the various technical elements don't work at loggerheads. The back ground (the story's world system, universe; the author's Created World; the assumptions on which the story is based) ought to be scientific, or have an appreciation of the scientific method (events in the real world are repeatable and measurable, as opposed to magical), be cause Star Trek is also science fiction. It also helps to have a story written with a consistent point of view and a readable style. Last, and most obvious, the story should be written in English, by which I mean the final draft or printed version must be free of misspellings and grammatical errors. Typos are one thing, and generally the editor's fault; but it is not a thrill, while reading aome turgid tale, to have to decode it as well.

That's all.

The Best of Issue

While it was "planned" for at least a year in STW Directory around 1978 and 1979, the "Best of Issue" was never published. One of the editors, Paula Smith, writes that there is no such zine as 'The Best of Menagerie: "Not only is the title a contradiction in terms, but it was a project shelved long ago." [1] Also, "Never in print and never to get that way is anything called "The Best of Menagerie." [2]

An Editor Reviews Her Own Zine

The editorial of the last issue by Paula Smith:

Curmudgeon. That's what this zine was.

I've been looking over the past sixteen issues of MENAGERIE, and to to my wondering eyes what appears but my very own curmudgeonry. A bit startling, you may imagine. But there it is, the grousing and the griping and the Old Virtues. MEN was not an innovative zine-- even way back in '74, we weren't the first to go offset. We were never the most useful or informative zine, nor the most beautiful, nor the most general, nor the most consistent. We were never in the front ranks of Kraith, nor K/Sism pro or anti, nor S.T.A.R., nor the current rearguard action against SWars. And nobody ever called us punctual.

What probably best describes MENAGERIE is "reactionary." Early on when sloppy ditto was the reproductive method of choice, we wanted a cleaner look and went to offset. When every second story in fandom involved the unlikely adventures of a sixteen-year-old lieutenant on the Enterprise, we did "A Trekkie's Tale." When Kraith dominated the earth's surface, we wrote and printed "An Abortive Attempt." When everybody else was writing about the Big Three on the Big E, we tried to explore the rest of the universe. Later, when get'ems were the vouge, we did The Logical Conclusion, billed as "the get em to end all get'ems." Overkill--we "got" Spock five times. We started the first review column ('Notes From Cap'n Dunsel," later "Bored of Review") because we wanted to publish our reactions to the zines we read. Our only positive crusade, good writing, we carried out in part by refusing what we considered poor and critiquing in depth the ones we took on.

In our lettercol and con report began none other than the K/S controversy. And satire, our usual mode of yuks, is the most reactionary idiom there is.

Well, F=ma, folks: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We were occasionally the conscience of fandom; sometimes we even made it think. We were a major force in making ST fanlit aware of itself, and only through self-awareness is there the possibility of self-improvement. We did produce a change in fandom, I truly believe. We made it a little less complacent, a bit more self-critical. Maybe we went overboard. If so, now that we're retiring (in this incarnation, anyway), somebody else can be the reactionary and bring fandom back to center. Some curmudgeon.

Whaddaya want for a buck?

General Reviews and Reactions

1975

This is a hard zine to review, because it doesn't fit neatly into any category. It's a curious mixture of light humor, biting satire, and serious fiction, often on some contemporary theme and having little relation to ST... The format is attractive, the artwork very good, but the print is very small and may be hard to read if small print bothers you. The quality of writing is generally good, but the humor often has a sharp edge, and the serious fiction, a theme that depresses rather than entertains. By all means try it, and see for yourself whether it suites your taste or not. [3]

Well, I finally made it back from Chambanacon to California about 2 weeks ago and have been slowly sifting through my mail and all the reading material I have picked up these last few weeks. Finally I came to that copy of MENAGERIE I bought from you two, sandwiched between a YANDRO and a PREHENSILE. I read about half of it with interest, then bombed out.

I like your style, but I'm bored to death with your subject. I think I reached saturation point last year some time on ST, and I just can't get interested in it any more. Especially at a buck a throw. For that I can order SFCommentary. But...I like your style, I really do. I wish you were more (a lot more) mainstream fannish.

Doggone it, I shouldn't be trying to seduce you away from the very thing that got you into fandom in the first place, but don't you realize how limited the ST format is for a fandom? The repetition occurs so fast that it's silly. I do expect to see you both around in fandom for some time to come.

On to official LoC-style comment -- I like your basic idea for a layout. You have a good feel for arranging open space, illos (Foglio got my LOCUS AWARD vote) and print. My objection is the inconsistency in print size. The credit page was just right, the editorial was a bit small (this is number 4, by the way), and the Legend of Krelix was unreadable. Bubble was interesting, but isn't it kind of a waste of offset something fullsize? Hows Treks were both very nice. But when I saw the print size on Speak Roughly, I quit.

All in all--a well put-together magazine, but oriented in an area that I don't particularly care about. I may pass it on to someone who'll appreciate it.[4]

1976

Menagerie specializes in Star Trek and non-Star Trek humor. Consequently, the serious stuff, The Logical Conclusion, Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy, and Murder, Rape, and Other Unsocial Acts hits doubly hard. Menagerie emphatically does not emphasize the crew or setting of the U.S.S. Enterprise, rather the 'zine focuses on Klingons, convention reports, reviews, etc. Reviews I received on Menagerie gave the 'zine a preponderance of 9's (good-excellent). Favorable comments were made on the nicely folded, bound and stapled appearance of the 'zine and the generally good reproduction, although one reviewer commented that the type 'is a little small and close together for comfortable reading.' Personally, I wish the editors would leave a bit more margin on the sides of the pages. Early issues showed a lack of good editorial lay-out, with pictures seemingly haphazardly scattered across pages, but Menagerie has recently (as of issue 6) looked very much better. Among other things, the 'zine was, I think, the first (if not one of the first) 'zines to capture Phil Foglio and Joni Wagner—two of the best ST artists around. Authors of Menagerie include Paula Smith (who can write both humor and serious stuff interchangeably and very well) Sharon Ferraro, Cara Sherman, Ruth Berman and Juanita Coulson, Eileen Roy, and Anna Mary Hall. Art, besides the two artists mentioned above, include illos by Gordon Carleton, Karen Flanery, Doug Rice (a stunning cover for Menagerie 6 and 9), Cara Sherman, V.M. Wyman ("The Logical Solution"), Connie Faddis, and Anji Valenza. Menagerie is one of the outstanding ST 'zines being published at this time. For the quality and content, it is also one of the bargain-priced 'zines around. Highly recommended, unless strong parodies/satire turn you off. [5]

This zine has lots of satire, and it is very well done. Good art, Phil Foglio cartoons, news about cons. They use small print to put a lot into 20 pages. Issues 7 & 8 are combined for Paula Smith's Spock novel, "The Logical Conclusion." This is possibly the ultimate Spock story — the beginning torture sequence is lovingly descriptive. I couldn't put this down once I started, hated every minute of it, disagreed violently, and it is one fine story. Menagerie plans to reprint Paula's "What Henoch Did" from Interphase II and I hope they do. It is a delightfully obscene little story. You remember Henoch — we saw him wearing Spock's body, lounging in the doorway with that grin on his face. Well, Henoch was without a body for half a million years, and since Spock's was in such good shape — let's just say he put it to good use. Menagerie #5 had the story "Captain Kirk and His Waterbed" and if any of you out there happen to have a copy, I'd dearly love to read it. [6]

1977

Famous, or rather, infamous for the "How's Treks" parodies and for satirical masterpieces which deflate some of the most cherished cliches in fandom, MENAGERIE also prints excellent straight dramatic fiction, and poetry. MEN's serious work emphasizes extra-Enterprise stories featuring other than the 'Big Three. ' This zine will not, therefore, appeal to everyone. But those wishing to expand the horizons of their ST reading should sample the wares purveyed in the pages of MENAGERIE. [7]

1978

Well, what can one say about fandom's finest? If you're not subbing to MENAGERIE already, what are you waiting for? If you've let yours run out, get a check off right away, turkey! Heaven forbid you should miss any of P. Smith's delightfully insane parodies. much less the top-rate fiction, poetry and artwork. Subscriptions run four issues for $6.00. first class; $5.00 third. Single issues: a buck plus 60¢ postage. Not bad. [8]

1980

Menagerie, taken as a whole, deserves the award for being the most consistent zine in fandom [for its] high stands of quality in art, fiction, and repro. [9]

1996

There were many fanzines of that name which appeared through the years, but the most famous and influential Menagerie was the one edited by Sharon Ferraro and Paula Smith. The fanzine's basic philosophy was that there was more to the Star Trek universe to be explored than ust Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. In particular, Menagerie emphasized satire—especially the satires written by Paula Smith, who has never been equaled in the genre. [10]

Getting Ready to Fold Up a Long-Running Tent

from issue #17, Phil Foglio

From the editorial of issue #16:

MENAGERIE is a fanzine that has yet to come out on anything like a regular schedule, besides of which the next ish will be our last... Single issues can be had for $1, plus seventy-five cents postage... Back issues may be requested as part of a sub -- and if we got any, we'll include them. There is little point in looking for submissions at this juncture, but if you've got something really neat and can't stand not sharing it, please be sure to include return postage, for we take no responsibility for non-postpaid work... After your name on the envelope (assuring this begger cam to you thrud the mail) you will find a number. This is not a subversive attempt to kidnap you way to the Village, but is merely the number with which your sub croaks. THEN, we drag you off to the Village.


Issue 1

front cover of issue #1

Menagerie 1 was published in 1973 (second printing July 1974) and contains 50 pages. There were 100 copies in the first printing. The editors thank two people for the "use of the mimeograph at Central High School." Art is by Sara and Chen. The back cover is blank.

The differences between the first and second printing:

This is the reprint of MENAGERIE 01. For those of you who already have the original, you will notice a few differences. For one- we have ALL the answers to the crossword puzzle. And illos-- and type you can read - even if it is small. We gave up on the mimeograph for reasons any fan editor would understand. There are some minor text changes in the satires and the main story, "A Time to Dance" and most of the graffitti is missing. BUT since last October we have acquired a fine general artist, Joni Wagner, and a fine cartoonist, Philip Foglio. All in all, I hope you enjoy this issue- whether this is the first time you've seen it or if you're silly enough to buy it again.

The editors write:

The editors of MENAGERIE warmly welcome any contributions. Manuscripts ought to be typed and have a SASE to return them. Artwork can be on any size paper up to 17' x 22' and must be black and white with no half tones. We are fond of fiction, satire, humot of most sorts, poetry(occasionally) and other odd things those warped little minds out there cook up.

Letters-of-Comment(LoC) are more than welcome. We retain the right to publish portions of the letters in the magazine. All threats, libel suits and dress suits can be sent to our agent on Beta Gamma, Rigel XXXIV's 18th moon. Friendly mail will be received at: boojums Press...

Sharon's editorial, from the second printing:

You'll notice as you aim this issue towards your paper recycling bin (take out the staples first!), that is tends very strongly towards the humorous. (At least WE thought so.) Wait till you see what we have lined up for the next issue. We welcome contributions from anyone. That doesn't mean we'll print it, but we might, if it fits into our Zine-anschauung. Submissions are prefferred [sic] double spaced and typed(or at least clearly legible). Artwork nay be black and white - all our work is offset and we can't afford half toning unless the work is magnificent. No elaborate shading.

If any of you folks have comments on this issue, or any ST related topic, we would enjoy hearing from you. (Letter columns, however, don't appear until #4)

At this point I'd like to put in a plug for boojums Press. We're a happy crew, grinding out all sorts of odd things to make you happy or enraged. There is Menagerie, the maiden issue of which you are reading the reprint. We are up to #4.(Subscription info is on the title/credits page.) We've begun an interest in the Klingons and have works on their History, Philosophy and Ethics, and their legends, boojums Press(small "b") also has the Klingon Empire Appointment Calendar- title page again for price and ordering info. And we also put out the Hole in the Deck Gang Newsletter gofer and convention news.

I'd like to editorialize now, I was lucky enough to be at the world Con in Toronto. Labor Day weekend 1973 and something happened there that I would like to comment on. The first showing anywhere of an animated episode of Star Trek had been promised at 10PM Saturday- just after the costume show. About 500 people were waiting to see it, mainly wearing such things as would indicate their sf preferences, i.e.Star Trek. The projectionist didn't show up.

Long about 10:40 the crowd began clapping hands, stomping feet and such...yelling for the show to begin. The convention chairman came to the microphone and explained that although the projector was sitting in plain sight with the film lying peacefully on the table beside it - if anyone except a UNION projectionist joined the two there was a distinct possibility that the entire hotel staff would walk out. Clear, understandable explanation. Right? Logically the loyal Strekfan sits quietly conversing with assosciates or listening toe the questions and answers going on- questions from the audience- answers from Dorothy Fontana and David Gerrold. BUT some fen felt that stomping yelling and clapping was more fun although logically or any other way clapping and all would not make the projectionist arrive any sooner. [11] Folks I dearly love you all, but as human beings we each owe at least a token anount of courtesy to any of our fellows, right? Keep on Trekkin.'

  • Editorial (1)
  • Graffiti (2)
  • The Mad Poet Speaks by Diedre Mathres (3)
  • 3000% Trivial, a Satire by Paula Smith (4)
  • Notes From Capt. Dunsel by Sharon Ferraro (9)
  • Altairian Historical Survey by sira elea dewi, Ambassador-F.H.C. (10)
  • a short review of The Daneswoman, see that article
  • Esper's Songs by chen (14)
  • Gratitude's Task or Errand of Merci by Paula Smith (15)
  • Bookworm's Reviews by Sharon Ferraro (Yesterday's Children, "When Harlie Was One," "The Man Who Folded Himself," The World of Star Trek, "With a Finger in My I," "The Trouble With Tribbles") (15)
  • A Time to Dance by Sharon Ferraro (21)
  • Sterntrekkenlied, an Allegory by Paula Smith (46)
  • crossword puzzle, inside back cover
  • inside issue #1, "Sterntrekkenlied"

  • inside issue #1

  • inside issue #1

  • inside issue #1 -- stumped in 1973, but I think 74 across might be "gorn"

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

This fanzine is reduced photo-offset, which means that they can squeeze four pages of regular typwritten material onto one page. The printing is, of course, harder to read from its size. The format of the zine is quite neat and the artwork is printed well. Nothing outstanding in art, but it does ad nice touches to the otherwise forbidding pages of type.

There are two ST satires by Chen and a pseudo fact article on the history of Altair. Next is a review of several books by David Gerrold including a couple of his non-ST ones. An even shorter review of Laura Basta's 'The Daneswoman" and some limericks. A fairly long story by Sharon Ferraro "A Time To Dance" about a planet whose sun is going nova with the ENTERPRISE evacuating a few of the colonists to safety.

The unique part of this zine is a crudely, but sincerely, drawn cartoon strip called "Sterntrekkenlied - An Allegory'.' It concerns the fate of the hero "Strek" created by the God, Denberry who is destroyed by the evil Enbecy.

Last of all, there is another one of the ST cross word puzzles for all the crossword puzzle fans.

My opinion is that for a dollar, it's fair though if you aren't a fan of the show to the point of reading a lot of amateurishly written fiction and the cruder satires, or happen to like odd cartoon strips, the zine is not for you. For the more general reader I would rather recommend the 4th issue as better quality. [12]

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2 artist is Sara
back cover of issue #2

Menagerie 2 was published in December 1973 (another printing: October 1974) and contains 22 pages. Art by Joni Wagner, Bjo Trimble, Chen, Steve Young, Sara, James Hastings.

[Paula's editorial]:

It has come to my attention that there are certain types not appreciative of Star Trek fans, who deride the cult for its immaturity, overenthusiasm, and overall scatterbrains. These same ones are intolerant of Trekkies' refusal to face reality, or even rationality, disdainful of their starry-eyed chauvinism, unhappy at the takeovers of conventions and bilious at the thought that today, the public image of "someone interested in science fiction" is equated to "Trekkie".

This is unfortunate, for assosciation [sic] with the "Trekkies" offers so much—the chance of exhorbitant [sic] phone bills, an overburdened national mail system, all the joys attendant knowing maniac 15 year olds, finding one's conversations centered on thoughts of Chairman Gene, meeting David Gerrold, canceling a heavy date to see the 33rd rerun of "Spock's Brain", being ostracized from "normal" society, being outcast by one's straight SF friends, and being disowned by one's mother.

Yes, there's a lot to be said about Trekdom. Too bad I've too genteel a vocabulary.

[Sharon's editorial]:

Recently, as part of a research project for my History classes at Western Michigan University, I have been reading and rereadinq the zines I own and could borrow. Sad to say, despite a few glimmers of originality, I found nothing new. Oh, there were plenty of good satires, some well-thought out scholarly articles on the Vulcan heart and the history of the Altairian System, along with scattered and varied quality of original fiction and poetry. I also read many editorials, some apologetic, some proud, and all hoping the best for their magazine. I will admit that all but one of the 'zines originated on the East Coast or Detroit [13] (The one from Idaho) and perhaps I have become inadvertently biased. However geography does not negate my point.

I think the saddest part of the whole ST 'zine scene is the continued and repetitive use of the same set of characters and the same old starship. Admittedly when the author has no need for rounding out characters or providing background details, the job tends to be easier and more can be produced. But it seems to me that the Federation and the galaxy revolve around the Enterprise and planets spring to life only when the big "E" is in orbit.

Following this line of thinking, we decided that this would not be the way of Menagerie. Of course we will continue to use the Enterprise as an occasional touchstone, but we hope to devote the original fiction and articles to the rest of the ST universe. Witness this issue. We have the History of the Klingon Empire, a Kraith-related story with an entirely different cast of characters. (We will continue the voyages of the "Vootie" in later issues.) and some poetry from the first Terran lunar colonies. In further issues we plan more non-Enterprise stories, so to speak. Some will answer questions - Why did Scotty join Starfleet, was Kodos the Executioner motivated by mercy or megalomania, is there such a thing as a "good" Klingon? etc.. Others will be studies. We intend to explore the myriad colonies, Star Bases, alien cultures, Starships trading ships and to a lesser extent, the history of the Federation itself. There is so much available to work with, was the gangster culture mended, were the Nazis overthrown, did the Federation send a sociologist where Kirk promised and what happened, how did the Rigellian blood experiments go? There is so much and Menagerie is going to explore the galaxy. (Why do the Klingons hate tribbles?")

Of course we will continue satires and humorous pieces that will generally be located on the Enterprise and reviews in the next issue of the animated Star Trek along with book reviews and general information columns. We will also report on conventions we manage to scrape together enough money to attend. (Equi-Con?) The editors and other creatures connected with Menagerie welcome any submissions of poetry, fiction meeting the above rough guidelines, art of any sort (black & white-no elaborate shading.) non-fiction articles, satires and humor (to be published under "How's Treks") and of course critical and laudatory letters.

  • Editorials (1)
  • Friday's Paycheck, How's Treks #3 by "Chen" (2)
  • Dedications by Chen (Fourteen short dedications, a few samples: "To DAVID GERROLD, who by keeping 2,000 miles away, helped beyond telling." -- "to BJO TRIMBLE one of the most dedicated people we know." -- "To MARGARET and LAURA B. who ruined our health, bankrupted us and consigned our souls to Farquar one bright day in October." -- "TO THE NORTH WALL IN THE EAST STAIRWELL IN THE PHYSICS/ASTRONOMY BUILDING AT U OF M, from which we derived so much plot material." -- "This issue is dedicated to H & R BLOCK who better find us a good loophole.") (3)
  • A History of the Klingon Empire by Sharon Ferraro and Paula Smith (article) (4)
  • A Trekkie's Tale [14], How's Treks #5 by Paula Smith (though listed as Anonymous in the toc), the infamous Mary Sue parody (This was also printed in That's Mary Sue?, a 1980 essay.) (6)
  • Notes From Capt. Dunsel by Sharon Ferraro (7)
  • Jesteryear -- an Animated Satire, How's Treks #4 by Chen (8)
  • A Trek and James Primer: A Child's Garden of Space by Chen (9)
  • Star-Con Report by Margaret Basta, see that page (11)
  • Portraits by Jim Hastings-Trew (13)
  • A Cat's-Eye View of the Big E by Sharon Ferraro (article) (14)
  • A Klingon Muses on Brotherhood in the Federation by G. Eiran (15)
  • Drawing and Welcommittee Ad by Stuart Chisholm (16)
  • Connections by Paula Smith (17) (Jacqueline Lichtenberg writes a lengthy letter about this story in the next issue. See below.)
  • The Fundamentals of Star Trek Watching by Chen (20)
  • Cycle of the Moon by Chen (21)
  • "Star Trek Lives" - Scarf Pattern by Paula Smith (22)

  • from issue #2, dedication page

  • from issue #2, detail from the dedication page, illo by Bjo Trimble

  • from issue #2, scarf pattern

  • from issue #2, A Trekkie's Tale

  • from issue #2, art for "A Trekkie's Tale"

  • from issue #2, one page of the con report

  • from issue #2, A History of the Klingon Empire

  • from issue #2, A Cat's-Eye View of the Big E

  • from issue #2, David Gerrold, illoed by Bjo Trimble for the Star-Con con report

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

See reactions and reviews for A Trekkie's Tale.

See reactions and reviews for Connections.

[zine]: After a lot of searching, and then giving up, this little piece of fanzine history popped up in an eBay listing (in a bulk lot of Star Trek fanzines, no less.) Menagerie #2 is famous for one specific story, “A Trekkie’s Tale” by “Anonymous” (Actually editor Paula Smith.) This tiny little parody piece is a fundamental icon of fanfic history: it’s the story that gave the Mary Sue her name. This little poke at all the self-insert fantasy submissions the editor had to read gave all of us a handy label for the character type, one that is still being used over 40 years later. That’s a pretty good legacy for quick little frustration fic! ... #I've wanted to own this for a loooonng time #And now I do #How cool is that? [15]

Issue 3

front cover of issue #3, Joni Wagner

Menagerie 3 was published in 1974 (second printing: April 1975) and contains 18 pages (reduced print).

The front cover is by Joni Wagner. The back cover is blank. Art by Joni Wagner, Chen, Vaughn, Stuart Chrisholm, and Sara. The editors ask that submitted artwork by "in black and white -- no elaborate shading, please."

In the original printing of the third issue, the editorial makes note of the zine's production:

Actually, this issue may not look like much, but as you can see as you are squinting to read this, it is printed on an offset reduction. We, the editors, estimate, including illustrations and writing there is actually over 75 pages of fanzine here. We would appreciate any comments you might have on this method of printing... Especially if this major reduction (the longer pieces) is too hard to read. Our printers are forced to raise their prices and to remain within our budget we must either go to a greater reduction or cut back in size and number of pages.

ahhhh, paradise....

The two editorials do not specify which editor wrote which. An excerpt from the first one:

Heinlein was right. (Heinlein is always right somewhere if only because he is so prolific. Inconsistent at times, but prolific. Like the Bible, he'll prove anything for you if you look long enough. The stars will belong to the military, at first anyway, because it has the discipline, manpower, and government funds to claim them. Mars will not be opened up for a noble purpose, nor will Luna City be colonized by poets. (Look at the prose/poetry ratio in the Apollo missions. Oh, it's not entirely their fault. It is hard to find a good rhyme for "roger".) And Strekfen will never be beamed up to the starship Enterprise, unless they get a commission; draftees go by freighter.

All this depression means, gang, that we gotta infiltrate the real world and let us and it change each other. I think we're goofy enough to hold up.

The second editorial:

There is something unnerving about an otherwise normal friend who suddenly injects "It's 'Stab a Hemophiliac Week'" into the conversation. Well, maybe it's not to you, but I happened to have written that slogan in the Klingon Empire Appointment Calendar (plug) six months before, and didn't know that the stupid thing had by now gotten around to comparatively straight people. Definitely a strange experience!

What's also weird is to receive very nice letters from very sane people claiming that they enjoyed a story I wrote. I mean, I don't usually get that kind of response on my Electricity and Magnetism homework problem sets, and am not entirely sure how to take it. At this point, either paranoia sets in, or you set up a heuristic program to deal with these data. Mainly, you keep on churning out the stuff at 3 am on the john because you can't sleep. Maybe that's what it means to be a W*R*I*T*E*R. Problem is, up to now I've been strictly a R*E*A*D*E*R.

There is a single LoC in this issue, a passive-aggressive one by Jacqueline Lichtenberg that both praises and puts-down Connections, the "Linger Death story" in the previous issue. The praise is fairly faint, and the criticism addresses several things: Lichtenberg wasn't able to control its content in advance, Lichtenberg would have rather it appeared in her zine series or controlled universe, a veiled poke about its timing, and a jab about using things from the Kraith universe without her permission:

It seems odd to me that a short time after Manual #1 called for a Linger Death story that one should come out in this form. I wish I had seen it before you printed it, though I don't know if you'd have cared to try to fit into Kraith.

At any rate, I am honored that you chose to used two of my terms in your story regardless of which of the Kraithish universes you may be writing in. And I must say that I enjoyed the story even before I got to the first tie-in reference. I enjoyed "Connections" even when I got to the ending which turned out VERY DIFFERENT from anything I would have envisioned -- which is of course the thrill of doing this kind of multi headed series. I must thank you for a most entertaining interlude.

If you are interested, here are some of the nits I would have picked had I seen this ms first.

[many nits snipped]

  • Editorials and Letters (1)
  • With Your Hand in Mind by Paula Smith (2)
  • By an Assumed Name, How's Treks #6, by Chen (4)
  • The Saturday Morning Starship by) Cynthia Gwilym (article) (review of the animated series: episodes "The Lorelei Signal," "Beyond the Farthest Star," and "More Tribbles, More Troubles.") (6)
  • The Star Trek Rosary by Cynthia Gwilym (7)
  • The Gemini Conspiracy by Mary Kay Polan (8)
art for "The Gemini Conspiracy" by Joni Wagner

  • inside issue #3, The Star Trek Rosary

  • inside issue #3, Joni Wagner

  • inside issue #3, Chen, illo of Sharon Ferraro

  • inside issue #3, Chen -- "Now... here's my plan..."

  • inside issue #3, Sara

  • inside issue #3, Sara

  • inside pages from issue #3

  • inside pages from issue #3

  • inside pages from issue #3, includes "The Star Trek Rosary"

  • inside pages from issue #3

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

[zine]: This is an entertaining zine with a relaxed format. The piece that I enjoyed the most was 'With Your Hand in Mine." The story was written in the style of a science fiction novelty, with an intriguing gimmick. There are two other stories in the issue: "Mary Kay Polen's 'Gemini Conspiracy,' and 'Tho It Be Ten Thousand Miles,' by Sharon Ferraro. Of the two, I liked the later the most. It's a Scotty story with some good situations. I did find the story to be a bit predictable, but the theme was well-handled. Also in the issue, there are some opinions on the new animated Star Trek, a nice article and update on Harlan Ellison, two of Chen incomparable 'How's Treks,' and a few other assorted goodies. This zine has a fairly steep price, but is worth the money. [16]

[zine]: Menagerie #3 arrived safely. It was quite enjoyable although I seem to prefer the satire to "Tho' It Be 10,000 Miles..." . Perhaps Scotty's line "Of course" when McCoy said Deborah was going to keep the baby bothered me. Scotty is a chauvinist piglet of the first class! May he find tribbles in his panty hose... Ever run into Harlan Ellison? Did you get him as a guest for KWeST*Con? I've read his book Alone Against Tomorrow, several short stories (Especially "Bleeding Stones" in Vertex #1) and his Dangerous Visions anthology. His work is quite gross, but it appeals to me too. [17]

[zine]:

I saved my comments on Menagerie for last. Best Strekzine I've gotten in ages, although I hope you'll forgive me if I like standard Trekfare too...

Who is Chen? (Or is this one of those mysteries that shall forever remain unsolved?) Is Chen for or against ST fandom? I can't tell from the editorial, although from "How's Treks" I gather Chen is trying to kill us all off and escape the blame by making us laugh ourselves to death. I nearly went into convulsions while reading both editions.

I was sort of hoping that the article on the history of the Klingon Empire would have more on modern history, but I thought it interesting, nonetheless. I think the modern Klingon Empire has more than two or three planets though.

"Notes from Captain Dunsel' is a good idea. "A Child's Garden of Space" was hilarious. The StarCON report was apt.

Connections was great; I could add more synonyms, but I'd only be repeating myself. The scarf pattern makes me wish I could knot.

Some back cover.

Although my comments are short, I hope you can see I enjoyed your zine very much. Keep up the good work. [18]

[zine]:

Also thank you for the-copy of Menagerie #3 with my LoC in it.

Paula's story in #3, "With Your Hand in Mine" shows some improvement in sustaining the light tone. I personnally am a great fan of Lancelot Biggs, and this type of light writing appeals to me greatly. The style here was uniform and very readable. I'd like to see more of this kind of thing.

I liked the Scotty story too, "Though It be 10,000 Miles". But I somehow think that Scotty will be more interested oncehe gets his engine room in order. In fact I expect a sequel to deal with him after the shock wears off and he's told he's to be a father 200 light years away. I wonder if he'd out up a custody battle? Or maybe he'll get visitinq rights and eventually marry into the clan? What's the child going to be like, Dr. Daystrom sane and crossed with a Spock?

I'm not at all sure I like Simra Gordon for not wanting to tell Scotty, and especially for not warning him ahead of time. But on the whole, I hope to see more of these stories and I hope you'll find material to continue with your 'zine full of unusual ideas.[19]

[zine]:

I really enjoyed the book reviews in Menagerie #1. And for Men. #3 I love the story on the twins, Meg and Lynn. It was great and I hope for more on them...

"Species Jokes"- Terrific! Especially the 1st, 2nd and 5th. My favorites are the last (in order) the 3rd and 2nd to last are a tie and the 4th. Perhaps the 4th was partially inspired by Heinlein? The last one expresses sentiments of many ST and sf purists. It sure struck a chord in me.

HARLAN ELLISON! WOW! I've got Ellison-Indelibly-Imprinted- On-The-Brain Syndrome. My friends Diana and Lori are just as crazy about him as I am. At StarCON all three of us listened spellbound to Ellison for two hours on Sunday. Among other things he read his Jewish science fiction story, which lasted one hour, much to the audience's delight. (Mine anyway). [Note: A Boy and His Dog" which got a nebula award, is terrific!) Glad to hear someone else is an Ellison fan.

'Tho It Be 10,000 Miles"- Super. Long, reads easily and deals with a subject ST couldn't think about in 1966. None of this mush where Scott is the hero, and saves the day (Not to mention the universe) at the beginning of every paragraph - which happened to Kirk in the third season. Written in good taste. It left you with a feeling of completeness, even though you might have wished for it to end a different way, it ended the only possible way it could. (The illo of Scott on the last page is good.)

"Sore Leg" all the satires seem to go without saying. Great! Little Arf 'N' Annie? Pink elephant tracks? Fascinating! Believable. Winnegan? Well almost believable.[20]

[zine]: Thank you very much for Menagerie issues #2 & #3. I enjoyed them very much. I especially enjoyed Paula Smith's "Connections" and the comments Jacqueline Lichtenberg made about it in the next issue. Chen's parodies on ST episodes were uproariously hilarious. Also his (?) "Species Jokes" and "The Fundamentals of Star Trek Watching" were most enjoyable. I was greatly interested by your articles on the Klingon Empire and Harlan Ellison. I remember his two episodes of "Outer Limits" as being among the best of a great television series. I fear it was too philosophical and introspective to appeal to a wide enough audience to keep it on the air. The "Notes From Captain Dunsel" was interesting and informative. The "Childs Garden of Space" was amusing and quite apt...Thank you for everything. [21]

Issue 4

Menagerie 4 was published in 1974 and contains 16 pages.

"Blackmail threats and notice of lawsuits can be sent to our agent on Beta Gamma, Rigel XXXIVs 18th moon."

"LETTERS OF COMMENT ARE WARMLY ACCEPTED. We keep them on file for future uses. (Snicker!!)"

"Menagerie wishes to welcome a new member to our staff. Philip Foglio, through no fault of his own, was lassoed into the job of cartoonery. His first contributions adorn the cover of this issue are scattered throughout and appear in even more concentrated form on page 13 in the Foglio Folio. (Foglio is pronounced the same as Folio) The editors wish to extend their heartiest welcome and condolences to him."

The editorial by Sharon Ferraro:

Three things have recently come to my attention that I think are worthy of note and comment. First is the movement of a group in Florida with a bold new plan to get Star Trek back on the air . They proposed to boycott NBC during NBC premiere week in the fall. This is not the way to renewal for the program we all want to see back on the television. GR and the people who will be making the decisions have already asked another boycott group to cease their activities. Force is not the name of the game here -- persuasion is and will continue to be be the more effective tool. Fortunately, this group has since drooped their plans.

Second is the effort of the Screen Artists Health Center or some such to solicit support among Trekfen for their Medical Facility. As their rationale they point out that Bill "Squire of Gothos" Campbell is their Chairman of the project. They appeal to Trekfen on the basis-that "There will always be a place for your favorite actors to retire and know they can get the best of medical care." Sounds good, but to me it was the point of Star Trek that made the show special -- the actors were an important part of that spirit. This fund raising group asks Trek clubs to help raise money for the Home by selling composite posters of old movies. I think that any Trek group would be better off spending its time raising money for UNICEF, or CARE or the Hospital Ship HOPE than paying the way for actors to get medical care. I'm not callous, but somehow a child that is starving or in need of medical care is much more worthy of aid than someone living in the United States with our medical programs.

Thirdly- A group in Texas is conducting a poll of Trekfen to determine their opinion on the subject of pushing for the return of the original cast if Star Trek- either as a theatre release movie or a regular TV show is renewed. They need your cooperation and opinions. Write them at: S.T.S.T.C. P.O. Box 3432. Pasadena, Texas, 77502. They guarantee that Gene Roddenberry will be advised of the results to help him decide if he should hold out for the original cast in negotiations or if the fans would accept new people. I personally, would like to see some new faces, indeed would expect that over five years the crew of the Enterprise would have changed. I would like to see as many of the old actors as possible (snicker- W. Koenig is 38) but feel that if this is a stumbling block of any sort that GR should settle for artistic control even if it means a different cast. Anyway write to these people and voice your opinion.

The editorial by Paula Smith:

Once more, into the breach, dear comrades; Here we go again. This is MENAGERIE #4. By the time we get this to #5, this fall, which looks probable, we'll have been at it one year. Actually, boojums Press is a year old on the 16th of July; our first effort was the Klingon Empire Appointment Calendar. Let's hear it for anniversaries.

I think it fitting and proper at this time to answer a question that has been asked at least a couple of dozen times: to wit, i.e., & who "chen" is. I am doing this as a public service, in the interest of science and posterity and primarily because I can't keep track of what's been signed with that psuedonym [sic] anymore. "Chen" as some mental marvels have deduced is me, PaulA Smith. I realize that his has been the best kept secret since Guinevere and Lancelot, but anyway, "chen" is a nickname derived from the German diminutive of my name and is pronounced with a "sh" and not a "ch" or even the aspirated " 'ch" sound peculiar to German with which it should be pronounced, because I stayed in the Rheinland. Klar?

  • a short bio of Joni Wagner (age 17) (i)
  • Editorial (1)
  • Letters (2)
  • Logic Puzzle (2)
  • The Legend of Krelix the Warrior by Lts. Jl Kerkchock and Paula Smith (3)
  • Operation Constipate, How's Treks #9 by Chen (4)
  • the table of contents of a satiric mini-zine called "Bubble" by Chen, "Margaret Arf Bastion," Laura Trite Bastion," "Mike Krosuntriski," and "Torrid Boston" (satiric, in-jokey) (5)
  • Return to Our Program How's Trek #8 by Chen (6)
  • Notes from Captain Dunsel by Sharon Ferraro (12)
  • The Foglio Folio (13)
  • Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy by Paula Smith (14) (reprinted in Rigel #4/5/6)
  • Star Trek Log One, reviewed by Karen Stroppe (16)

  • front cover of issue #4 by Phil Foglio

  • back cover of issue #4

  • from issue #4

  • from issue #4

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

[zine]: A good deal of this ish is composed of an excellent parody of 'Babel,' including, if it can be imagined, satires on illos by Margaret Basta. There are also a couple of episode satires, both by Chen. Another part of the zine is a story, 'Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy,' about a Romulan foundling. The story is based on emotional impact, but retains an acceptable level of feasibility. Artwork done by a new staff member, Phil Foglio, has a Tim Kirk-like quality. [22]

[zine]: Number 4 proved that Menagerie doesn't just keep going but also continues to get even better. Paula Smith must be an interesting lady; she Is certainly talented. Her parodies follow the original plots quite closely in a perverted sort of way and are devastatIngly funny. Her seri ous stories like the very beautiful and moving "Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy" are quite different from the televised episodes and yet fit perfectly into the concept of the series. Need I add that I plan to re-subscribe? [23]

[zine]:

First off, I want to tell you that Menagerie is a breath of fresh air in Trek fandom writing. Secondly, you must have been told by now how fantastic and HILARIOUS your Trek parodies are, so I'll leave it at that—except for one thing that has turned me off cold.

Lord yes ths parodies are funny! I laughed til my husband couldn't tell if the strange sounds issuing from my throat v/ere guf faws or sobs. And when he read them, neither of us were sure. But several times the laughs were of embarrassment, and a couple of lines stuck, painfully, before they could hit the funnybone.

Remarks lose their hilarity when they become personal, i.e., Kirk's toupee and "2 chins", Scotty's big belly, et al ad infinitum...It suddenly struck me that personal remarks like these are cruel anytime, and the published word doesn't make them acceptable or funny. What is funny, in extremis, is the character joke that deals with the multitudinous character traits and foibles of our beloved crew, not the personal physical traits of the people portraying them.

Rereading lines like "He drew himself to his full 5'8" and stuck out both chins" made me realize that that kind of humor Is only briefly funny, until you realize that it's born of a kind of childish "cruelty" that adult humor should be far beyond. I'm sure you understand what I mean. I'm not sure I'Il read Menagerie anymore--I don't like feeling uncomfortable, especially when I'm looking for a good laugh. [24]

[zine]:

Thank you for the MENAGERIE, Vol 1 no A. I especially enjoyed SPEAK ROUGHLY TO YOUR LITTLE BOY.

I have only two comments. Paula has mastered the art of keeping a narrative moving, which for some beginning writers is the hardest thing to learn. But now that she has, I suggest that next time she take a deep breath, slow down, and consider some of the hows and whys behind the events in her story. I think she can afford the luxury of a little padding....You have a tremendously vital drama here, and I think it would have benefited from more thorough development, (translation: I like long stories, so please write some, there's never enough trek.)

Actually what you've got here Is just the bare bones of an outline. Compare this with MISFIT for example, and ask yourself how Sharon Emily would have treated your material. Now, MISFIT is overdeveloped. A great deal is redundant, and it could be cut to half its length without damaging the story and with incredible improvement—if you know HOW to cut that sort of material. Yours needs to be "overwritten" like that, and then cut back, and you'll find your work enriched beyond your dreams.

You've set the stage for a marvelous series of novels here as this boy grows up. I have this one vision of the Romulans trying to get at him to kill him as his father's honor requires and the Vulcans taking him to some mountain retreat where they can't get at him, A running sniping battle to last 20 years or more. The fugitive ala Questor. Yes, a whole series of fat novels is locked up in this little outline of a short story, aching to be set loose. [25]

[zine]:

Just how much Klingon blood is there in your family? You send me Menagerie #2 which is well done from cover to cover, and #4 which is only slightly less interesting, and contains 5 LoCs telling how great #3 is. Then you hint that the only way I'll get a copy of #3 is if I send you a story. I'll have you know that I am completely unaffected by such subtle tortures. (The story will be in the mail as soon as possible.) I am definitely going to need a full set of this zine.

. . . CONNECTIONS is a very good Kraith story. It is easy to forget that most of the Federation knows very little about the special problems of Vulcans. I'm also very interested in your early Klingon History. I hope you're planning to continue it. BUBBLE from #4 is hilarious. Your Federation and Empire is nearly as confused as the original. [26]

Bob Langley of Langley Assoc, is selling fake reprints of the Equicon Enterprise Booklet of General Plans. The fakes can be identified by mismatched lines running top to bottom in the center of the page and further out. Also the fake reprint sets may have a paper binding on the stapled edge. The real plans are worth about $100.00 as collector items as only 500 were printed. The fakes have no value. If you were cheated, write Lou Mindling, Paramount Television, 5451 Marathon Street, Hollywood, California. Bob Langley lives at [address redacted]. [27]

Well, I finally made it back from Chambanacon to California about 2 weeks ago and have been slowly sifting through my mail and all the reading material I have picked up these last few weeks. Finally I came to that copy of MENAGERIE I bought from you two, sandwiched between a YANDRO and a PREHENSILE. I read about half of it with interest, then bombed out.

I like your style, but I'm bored to death with your subject. I think I reached saturation point last year some time on ST, and I just can't get interested in it any more. Especially at a buck a throw. For that I can order SFCommentary. But...I like your style, I really do. I wish you were more (a lot more) mainstream fannish.

Doggone it, I shouldn't be trying to seduce you away from the very thing that got you into fandom in the first place, but don't you realize how limited the ST format is for a fandom? The repetition occurs so fast that it's silly. I do expect to see you both around in fandom for some time to come.

On to official LoC-style comment -- I like your basic idea for a layout. You have a good feel for arranging open space, illos (Foglio got my LOCUS AWARD vote) and print. My objection is the inconsistency in print size. The credit page was just right, the editorial was a bit small (this is number 4, by the way), and the Legend of Krelix was unreadable. Bubble was interesting, but isn't it kind of a waste of offset something fullsize? Hows Treks were both very nice. But when I saw the print size on Speak Roughly, I quit.

All in all--a well put-together magazine, but oriented in an area that I don't particularly care about. I may pass it on to someone who'll appreciate it.[28]

The reproduction format is essentially the same though the parody of a "BABEL" fanzine is full-size type.

In this issue there is a fictitious history of a prominent or history-making Klingon followed by another one of the rather heavy-handed ST satires. The parody of BABEL (one of the better-known and best present ST fanzines) is good though again there is one of "Chen's" "satires." Last in the issue and deserved of that honor point is a fairly well-written story by Paula Smith about a woman who adopts a young orphaned Romulan.

The editors wrote to say that #2 will be reprinted soon and #3 MIGHT eventually be reprinted also. In this I hope that they will reprint both. It is not that the contents are superlative that I like this fanzine, but I think the editors are handling their duties well and deserve to prosper. For writers and artists, I believe that this fanzine is a good market for displaying your talents. [29]

Issue 5

front cover of issue 5 by Phil Foglio
back cover of issue 5 by Phil Foglio

Menagerie 5 was published in February 1975 and contains 22 pages. Art by Phil Foglio, Joni Wagner, TACS, and Paula Smith.

Letters-of-Comment (LoC) are happily accepted and the editors reserve the right to print portions of such letters. (Generally a free copy of the next issue is sent to any published letter writers.) Complaints, lawsuits and dress suits may sent to our lawyer on Rigel XXXVIII's 12th moon, P.O. Box 127, Code:Destruct.

From the editorial by Paula Smith:

You hold in your grubby hands (or on your lap, If you're on the john) the first anniversary ish if Menagerie. Don't faint yet. This 'zine started out because the editors had almost enough stuff to take over a certain other publication in the Kalamazoo area which shall remain nameless (besides, it's out of print, anyway) by the name of Memory Log. Since that wouldn't have been nice, and we weren't then the young turks we are now, but mainly because this way we get 100% of the profits, such as they are, we decided to push our own cart. Res ipsas loquatur. [30]

Over the year, we've tried to give you consistent quality; we started out lousy and we haven't gotten any better--what more can you ask? We've gotten rather good response to our general slant (approximately 35°), so we intend to keep featuring extra-Enterprise stories. Leave us face it, gang, if the crew of the good ship Big E were really to do all that the various writers have put them thru, they'd either have to spend an average of one half hour per adventure, or have a lifespan of 679 years. Their social calendars must be intriguing. Anywho, the past year has been good to us. I have survived 302 of Sharon's fantastic schemes, and she has recovered From most of my more execrable puns. The KEACs have provided bread money, the Mens have paid for themselves, we're trucking out a collection of primers, and a Species Joke Book (Phillustratftd by "Fingers" Foglio) and we've got a Big Name ST Novel in the works'. Watch this space, gang Secret Masterdom in '76!

There will be no reference to s*x or v**l**c* or r*p* or other such fun subjects in our rag. #nc*st, p*d*rIst*, f*ll*t**, s*d*m, and especially *n*l*ng*s are hereby proclaimed taboo.[31] We will not refer to d*s*mb*w*lm*nt, *mp*l*t**n, d*c*p*t*t**n, sh**t*ng, h*ng*ng, or st*bb*ng ever again. And needless to say, f--k and s--t need be said, less,too. If it's porn you want, fellah, look elsewhere (try page 12 for a start). Just remember, Baha'ulla is our linotypist, and we've got a Holy Ghostwriter, too.

The editorial by Sharon Ferraro:

The price of First Class postage is jumping again!! Ghak! (Also the price of Coke. I'll have to re-evaluate my nutritional intake standards.)

We were very flattered recently to receive a query about this zine from an ST fan "Down Under". Kinda nice to be officially international.

Do you find yourself spending a little more time each week reading fanzines? Are new words creeping into your vocabulary -- like LoC and STW and Strekophilia? Do the letters pile up and threaten to avalanch if you come down with the latest flu virus for a week? Do you find yourself planning ahead for the "next" convention and beyond that golden date is just a grey blur? (Will mom's birthday be before or after the con?) Do you find that you are increasingly unable to converse with a number of relatives and friends? (Strep throat doesn't count!) That they don't understand your enthusiasm for an old TV show - one that you maybe even didn't see in the first run or without that crucial scene with the Tantalus Field from "Mirror, Mirror" replaced by a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial? Do you begin thinking of yourself as "the only woman who can melt that hybrid Vulcan's cold heart" or as the greatest engineer/doctor/ fresh-from-the-Academy-cadet ever to hit the wide open space? Well...you got trouble. Fandom is fun. The Star Trek universe is fabulous. The Enteprise is the most completely designed starship ever to capture the imaginations and hearts of the public. But, there is a whole wonderfully, complex, challenging world right here. Things to learn and discover and maybe even change just a little bit in your own backyard. Everyone needs escape. The people who refuse to believe that fact are the most pathetic people in our society, but escape becomes an entrapment if it is delved into too deeply.

Alright, Ferraro, what the beck do you mean exactly? Keep your eyes on the sky and your feet on the ground? Make sure your escape hatch has both an entrance and an exit? Only on weekends? Ah, well, pass the Coke.

Note: there are some pagination problems; two stories are not listed in the table of contents, and there are two pages numbered #14.

  • art from issue #5, two fans, Paula Smith and Sharon Ferraro, attend the 1974 Kwest Con, art by Joni Wagner

  • art from issue #5, TACS

  • art from issue #5, Joni Wagner

  • art from issue #5, Joni Wagner for "The Story of Kolodth"

  • art from issue #5

  • art from issue #5

  • art from issue #5

  • art from issue #5

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

See reactions and reviews for An Abortive Attempt.

[Sylvie]: If I don't mention it NOW, I'll forget to. SYLVIE s beautiful. Poetry is not an area in which I feel qualified to comment, but for what it's worth, this one really got to me. Grim and powerful, with a strange beauty all its own. [32]

[An Abortive Attempt]: "An Abortive Attempt"...was delicately written about a sensitive subject and one about which many people have very strong feelings. Working in a medical center I am close to the subject. I worked hard for laws permitting abortion because I thought it was a choice women should have even though I have strong personal feelings against it and believe it should be used only in extreme cases. As a form of population control it is brutal and inhumane, and there are many other safe and reliable methods. (Well, safe compared to the hazards of pregnancy and pretty reliable.) [33]

[zine]: Heighdy! I just got thru with #5 and it has got to be the best one yet. The Romulan Glossary was probably the funniest article in the whole thing, but you left out just one phrase: PEEPEEFLARBROUN-DIERROMPHUKHYUU—to wet one's pants laughing at a ridiculous Terran glossary of Romulan. Capt. Kirk and His Waterbed was great, and probably the first documented evidence that Kirk & Co. are really human. I would never have expected any carryings on like that from anybody but Shamp N. Cork. [34]

[zine]: I've got to tell you this one...I had to go to Headquarters to take some mail out there from our building. I had Menagerie #5 with me and I was reading it on the bus. One lady sat down, must have looked at what I was reading, and promptly got up and sat in another seat!!!! I took it into HQS and carried it around with Phil's back cover hanging out and I got the strangest looks!!! Now you can say Menagerie has been in the CIA HQS. Not even RIGEL has had that distinction. [35]

[zine]: The Articles were great loved them all showed them all around and you should be getting some orders. The Fiction was Fair. (This does not nohow include How's Treks, got it? good.) I did not like An Abortive Attempt. I found it dull, pointless, and downright disgusting near the beginning, (This last is probably just my squeamish nature.) The illos (not mine) were varied. The one on the bottom of the Editorial page was nice. Swoboda shows fantastic promise, a decent sense of humor, (can't draw ST folk, but then, who can?) Wagner remains high mediocre. (Portraits are not my idea of illustrating a story.) [36]

[zine]: All written material is reduced offset... The back cover is very good & I STILL break up whenever I see it! Contained within is a parody on 'The Immunity Syndrome' called 'The Amoeba Glory.' Not only is the title suggestive of another episode but this particular parody does not closely match some of Paula's other take-offs... mildly disappointing. There are also a few pages of con reports that are very informative and descriptive, but then there's nothing new as con reports go.... Following all of this is one of the better parts of the zine... a Romulan glossary. It is very funny. On the following pages is a short piece using the words from the Romulan glossary. Unfortunately, it suffers from having to constantly flip back and forth to the preceding pages... Two more humorous stories are included, one is an interesting story called 'Captain Kirk and His Waterbed and Other Adventures.' and Paula has done, yes, another parody from ST called 'The Crabapple.' The parody is quite good but I seemed to get more reading through it the second or third times. I can't decide if that makes it a mark of a good writer, an oddly constructed plot, or a dense reviewer... a little of all 3? 'The Story of Koldoth' is another piece that Paula has done concerning the history of the Klingons. The pieces are informative and well-thought out but, sorry Paula, they don't do a THING for me. They read like history, and I can't stand history. Taint badly written, mind you, but I can't get into them. 'An Abortive Attempt' also by Paula is a much better piece about a Vulcan woman who gets an abortion by a Terran doctor and the consequences of the doctor. Good examination of morality that doesn't have to apply to the 23rd century obviously. Bringing up the rear in this zine is 'Sylvie' a poem by Paula. It is the best piece or her work in the zine... The issue on the whole is one of their best, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a first good zine. [37]

[response to a letter by Steve Simmons in this issue]:

I'd like to address myself to some basic ideas expressed in Steve Simmon's letter, and in the con reports regarding Trek fiction. That is, I neither think the Trek medium is "limiting" nor that it is, on the whole, somewhat "inferior" to SF fiction. On the former idea, someone used to SF could easily get the idea that Trek fiction is"limiting." Even if one defines, as I do, that anything written within the ST universe (including the "Vootie" stories, and "Speak Roughly to Your Little Boy") if Trek fiction, even if it excludes or ((only)) partially includes the principals, one might still make the argument that the premise of keeping within the Trek universe is a limitation. This I will concede. (I don't think it's THAT much of a limitation, but I will concede the point.) However,IdonotinanywaythinkthislimitsTrek fiction to two or three basic plots that are rehashed over and over again.

Secondly, I think that we do have ST writers that are equal in caliber to those who write in ANALOG, or write SF novels. That fact that SF is written in a Trek format, or the fact that Trek fiction is not commercially published does not in itself make it any less "good." Of course, there is trash around. There is probably more trash in ST fiction than ever before, because a lot of new people in ST fandom get the urge to publish fanzines, and many such people publish any ST story just because it is an ST story. Unfortunately, also, the fact that Blish and Foster are commercially published give them a lot of legitimacy in the eyes of ST enthusiasts who are ignorant of ST fandom...Neither writes good ST fiction (they may write good SF, but they write crummy ST). Hence the illusion that a lot of SF and ST fen have that ST fiction is trash.

Allow me to express mild surprise and great curiosity at reading that one of the editors of a Strekzine with some of the best ST fiction around should complain of a lack of quality ST fiction. ((Who should know better, Joan?))

I am pleased you put the "Creative Worlds" panel in— it was very appropriate, and I enjoyed reading it. I can only remember creating my own worlds after the age of ten, tho. [38]

[zine]:

You people have the best off set repro that I've seen. But the reduction on "Created Worlds" was just too damn SMALL. Really. My vision already goes off the chart, and having to read such small stuff doesn't help any. Paula, I really think your forte is humor and parody. "Amoeba Glory" was pretty good, as was "Romulan Glossary" and "Sherman's"Response". "The Story of Koldoth" was not too good. It was so compressed that it read kind of like a schoolkid's re port on Bolivia—everything glossed over..."An Abortive Attempt" was just that. Over 1/3 of the thing was given to arranging an abortion. The extradition is not fought, the doctor doesn't think about the lack of Vulcan abortifacients until nudged by T'Pau, despite the fact she's got a long lonely voyage when she knows she's been charged with murder. The doctor is a pretty unthinking. Enough of this, I'm not here to skewer your ego. But both of those pieces should have been greatly expanded.

"Captain Kirk and His Waterbed" was the best or second-best piece of fiction I've ever seen in a fanzine. This is beautiful. All of the people were pretty much real, and you can picture just such a thing happening. Marvelous. It's really great to see a sort of "Private Lives of" thing done so well. Andatriplecollaboration,yet. More,more,more. And Foglio is still so gooood...

Created worlds is an interesting thought. I have one, although it's not very thought out yet. It's quite similar to Larry Niven's Known Space series. But all of my planned fiction is set in it, and will at least be in the same universe, although not necessarily interconnected. There is a lot of security in using someone else's vision. You already have a fleshed-out character(s) to work with, and you don't have to supply him with background, motivation, or anything like that. BUT—it also has its limits. The same character can get pretty dull after a few books. The story that I am going to commit to paper Real Soon Now was originally set in Known Space, with one of Niven's ARMs as the lead character. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw I couldn't use his world. And having to break off is kind of scary. Re the blond/brunette ((Cap'n Dunsel, Men #5)) — a rather spectacular example is Elizabeth Montgomery. Compare her character in "Bewitched" to "Mrs. Sundance" and "Lizzie Bordon". Samantha was blonde, Lizzie and Mrs. S. Brunette. [39]

[zine]:

Received Menagerie 5. nice job—Foglio expecially, the humorous material generally. It was pleasant to see the tran. -script of the created worlds. Though I say it as shouldn't, we made some good comments,..Some minor corrections...Other Oz writers after Baum--my tongue must have slipped if I left Ruth Plumly Thompson out of that list; she wrote even more Oz books than Baum himself. Seal should be Neill, John R. Neill...If anyone's interested, the address of the Wizard of Oz club is [street address redacted] Escanaba MI and membership is S3.50 per year.

...Getting material published professionally is irrelevant to getting sf fans to accept ST fans. Sf fans don't publish professionally, for the most part. They will accept precisely as many ST fans as show the ability to talk and write interestingly about sf in general--except that (understandably, given the scarcity of ST fans who have shown any such ability) it takes a trekfan longer to establish credentials as a general sf fan than it does the average neofan. There is no particular reason for sf fans to be interested in ST trekzines in particular, no matter how good, than for the general sf fan to be interested in Amra, Erbdom, Fantasiae, the Baum Bugle, or an? other of the vast number of special interest zines that exist. The people who are interested in those special interests will be accepted by fandom at large to the same extent that they show interest in sf in general. The operative word there is "show." [40]

[zine]:

If you've been poring over KRAITH all day and need a change of pace, read MENAGERIE. Yes, MENAGERIE is to Kraith as caviar is to cotton candy. Ahem. This totally disrespectful excuse for a fanzine is an absolute "Must!" for any frivilous collector of Strek zines. There's no art in the rag (as Paula so aptly refers to the zine), just wildly insane cartoons that have an unfortunate tendency to roll humans around the floor, stomachs clutched in agony. Oh, yea--there is some straight fiction in it, which quite good, at least in the issue staring back at me now (Vol. 2, No. 1). But it's overshadowed by the star of the ish, the Jello Monster in "The Amoeba Glory."

Offset and reduced. I think it could be improved if there were more creatives and less LoCs on earlier issues. ('Cause they tell you what you've missed.) [41]

Issue 6

front cover of issue #6, Phil Foglio and Doug Rice
back cover of issue #6, Jeff Maynard

Menagerie 6 was published in 1975 and is 24 pages long. It was subtitled, "Special Killer Issue." It contains 24 pages. Art by Karen Flanery, Gordon Carleton, Jeff, Maynard, Phil Foglio, Doug Rice, Mike MacGuiness, Cara Sherman, Paula Smith, and Joni Wagner.

From the editors:

The press is repaired, so Menagerie 6 will soon be underway..." And, "Where's Menagerie 4? Printed but awaiting mailing envelopes. Patience, please. Menagerie 5, as most of you know, will be offset printed (at long last!)... Don't forget the Gorn contest (draw a centerfold of a Gorn in the Burt Reynolds pose, winner to be published in Menagerie 6 for Comic-Con in August.) and the letterhead contest (Menagerie really needs a standardized letterhead, folks...) [42]

[editorial by Sharon]:

BEATING A DEAD HORSE... or "KILL ME BEFORE I STOP AGAIN!!!

There is intrinsically in Trekfandom, on the more involved levels (And if you think editing a fanzine isn't involved..?) a built in conflict. On the one hand, here we are idolizing and immortalizing a television show that went off the air six years ago. An above average TV show for that decade, admittedly, but only average as space opera science fiction. I find more and more that I watch Cap'n Cronkite instead of Captain Kirk and on off days, would rather curl up and read Ellison's Deathbird Stories or Mead's Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies than watch even "Trouble with Tribbles". I find it more and more difficult to explain to my friends and family exactly why I want to go to New York or Chicago or San Diego or write letters to empty headed snots who want to know how the transporter works. (I don't know. Ask the Great Bird.) BUT, on the other hand, it's great fun and a bit of ego boo to travel ridiculous distances and find friends waiting there. Or to write letters to people who are as curious about the world as I am and have them write back. Or to slave over this zine until by back has turned into blue-white streaks of pain and see it finished and proud. (Even if my mother and father don't under stand it "It's only a phase she's going thru.") But then again, to be honest, it is building on a trivial and unsteady foundation. Silly, actually. I got enough jibes when I was only reading sf- not enough reality in it, not-GASP!-relevant. Now that I'm continuing this im mature behavior it is some thing to think about. I've thought. I do it because I like it. Because it sometimes reaches other people ...and maybe I won't grow out of it.

A LoC from Bjo Trimble in which she explains why SF fans dislike ST fans), see The main problem is, however, that we suddenly found ourselves, at SF conventions, up to our collective necks in screaming Trekkies. from fan comments to this letter.

I'd like to make some comments on Paula Smith's report of Chambanacon 4...One of the reasons [(that there is discrimination against Trekkies in SF fandom))is that most of us SF fans have forgotten what it was like to find out that there were really Other Nuts out there like us, who liked our subject...we did the exact same things, but there were less of us at each con. One or two or a dozen SF neo fans arrive at a large con and they carry on and show off and try to corner Big Names but that's only a dozen or so people scattered thruout a whole con and nobody much notices. Now take two hundred or more Trekkies hitting their first con at once...yeah, it's a bit more noticeable, and it's a hell of a lot less easy to take! It isn't their fault, individually, of course...

Also, at least the SF fan has some interest in the genre. Trekkies can be subdivided into so many other groups; the people who will eventually become readers of SF, if they aren't, already, and the people who are going to stay visually oriented. And then we have the Spockies, who have NO interest in fandom or NO interest in the genre of SF, either. All they have is a hang-up on the weirdo with the pointy ears... The last thing any SF fan wants to have happen is get cornered by a Trekkie, because he hasn't the time to find out which kind of Trekkie the kid is. OK?

Trash in trekfiction isn't a criterion; fanzines publish perfectly horrible SF trash every year. There is NO WAY to avoid it. Some fanzine editors won't touch fan fiction and some seem to dote on the worst kind. Nobody in fandom has the right to put down ST fandom for that!...Trekfiction, per se, is probably not going to become acceptable to SF fandom, simply because it is still basically a copy of someone else's universe, and copying the scripts and story ideas of someone else. Originality counts, remember. No matter how good the Log One stories get (and they show no signs of it, yet) or the Blish things could have gotten (and they were dreadful), they are still copies of GR's universe, and not original stories.

And fans dote on originality. We had a running joke of a "World-A-Month-From-All-Over" club, where people would send in their fantasy worlds...A silly idea, but one which shows that none of us thought there would be any problem in coming up "with enough fantasy worlds. An interesting experiment: ask a fan if he has a fantasy world. Then ask him if he's thought out the universe around it. Then ask how many other — not in the same universe -- fantasy worlds he's thought out. The results may surprise you, and give you an interesting insight on how imaginative the person is.

The main problem is, however, that we suddenly found ourselves, at SF conventions, up to our collective necks in screaming Trekkies. Now, most SF fans secretly watched and did enjoy ST. However, if you have it shoved down your throat every con, you get a bit tired of the whole thing. Even I get pretty tired of being told something over and over and over. I did start ST fandom, remember; there's not much new I can be told about the show.)

So that is really more of an explanation of why SF fans seem to dislike ST fans so much: not that you haven't made it into mainstream fandom with trekkie material yet. OK?

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Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

See reactions and reviews for Murder, Rape, and Other Unsocial Acts.

See reactions and reviews for Servant of the People.

See reactions and reviews for 100 Proof Positive.

[personal statement]: For some reason, there are people who seem to think that it was Paula Smith and her parody of 'Proof Positive' that influenced me to retreat. NOT SO!! As a matter of fact, Paula and Sharon Ferraro have both expended much time, effort, phone bills, and postage seek to get get me to change my mind about retreating. Let it go on record here that Paula sent a copy of her parody to me BEFORE she sent it for consideration by any editor, promising me that she wouldn't release it if I felt it would harm me in any way. Actually, to have one's work parodied is one of the finest compliments a writer can receive... Paula and Sharon are individuals that I'm honored to call Star Trek fandom friends, and I hope this statement will end the rumors. [43]

[zine]: Menagerie #6 is a small, compact zine... on itsy, bitsy reduced offset... guaranteed to cross your eyes, but it's worth it. This ish has the high class quality of the previous issues, but lacks an outstanding story, as other issues had... Phil Foglio's cartoons are as good as ever; the Doug Rice cover was passing but pointless... 'Dribble on the Deck' (a take-off on 'Dagger of the Mind') is really too silly, but '100 Proof Positive,' and hilarious satire on Sharon Emily's 'Proof Positive' (Showcase #2) is just right. 'Murder, Rape, and Other Unsocial Acts' is a grim story concerning a human/Klingon marriage, a few unsavory events, an elaborate, tongue-in-cheek plan to foil the Klingons, and a nice ending. Ms. Smith has the unique ability among writers to put down exactly what is needed and her stories, as a result, move along, get to the point, and satisfy... I wish Paula would slow down, though, and take the time to write a loooong story so all can appreciate her talent. Sharon Ferraro is no slouch at the typewriter, either... her part of the editorial and Con Report, and the Kelly Freas article all show the same degree of professionalism (and warped sense of humor) as Paula's writing. 'Servant of the People' is a a rebuttal to a Vulcan Linger Death Story in Menagerie #2 called 'Connections.' In it, a dedicated and conscientious civil servant suddenly drops all his dedication and conscientiousness to help a Vulcan underling get back to Vulcan as Linger Death sets in. It was written to prove that not all humans are insensitive to Vulcan needs (though it helps to read 'Connections' which is a better story) but beyond this bare statement, there isn't much else. It is well-written, but there is no solid explanation for the main character's reasons in helping the Vulcan... 'Servant of the People' is a dissatisfying story that gives the 'what' but not the 'why.' ... This zine is what happens when two funny, talented people get together... consistency, high quality, and general hilarity. The price is steep, but the zine is worth the money. [44]

[zine]: There is only one parody in this issue, 'Dribble on the Deck,' a take-off of 'Devil in the Dark.' An okay parody. Immediately following this are a couple of con reports: Ourcon, Minicon and Microcon. One of the better features is herein is the Todd Bake/Phil Foglio artistic debate, you have to see it to believe it... Phil wins this round. 'A Gremlin in Trekland' is a short piece about Kelly Freas, and is a very good biographical sketch. 'Servant of the People' is a story written to counter another story from issue #2. It could have been an SF story written in any one of the national magazines, but for the fact that there isn't enough to it. It describes the results of a Vulcan dying of linger death, and the effects it has on the people involved with the case. It could have been a harder hitting story if more conflicts were included within the story. '100 Proof Positive' is a parody... on 'Proof Positive' in Showcase #2 in which Spock goes back in time through the Guardian of Forever to confirm the existence of Christ. In Paula's version, he goes back to find Santa Claus ... At any rate, Paula makes a much more believable story. 'Murder, Rape, and Other Unsocial Acts' starts out very well. It concerns the problems of a Klingon woman married to a Terran. Problems ensue when she is raped by a group of Klingons on leave from their ship and her husband kills one of the Klingons. The story gets a little too cloak and dagger towards the end. This takes away a lot from the story. It's a good solid story though, with hard-hitting impact. Paula is getting much better with her stories, and this proves it. The remainder of the zine is finished up with a rounded selection of letters of comment. If this isn't the best issue of Menagerie, it's one of the better ones. Recommended. [45]

[zine, specifically the editorial]:

I am reminded of an editorial written by Sharon Ferraro in her 6th issue of Menagerie in which she said her parents could not understand why she went to crowded cons in cities like New York or spent so much time slaving over a zine or writing to other people that like about the same. Her parents say it is a "phase she's going through."

Well, I suffer from about the same thing only I've never been to a Star Trek con yet! It is strange for us to be immortalizing a show cancelled six years ago, one that had plenty of mistakes as well as giving us a new outlook on life. Star Trek touched upon some very controversial issues of the 60's -- I only wish the censors weren't so touchy. It offered many good moments and bad ones, but I still feel the series is one fo the best in television history. Perhaps the movie will lead into a new series, maybe even better than the first. One that will give us more than tribbles, Klingons and planets for the Enterprise to conquer -- and one that will give us a personal insight into the Trek characters, more than just Kirk being a cosmic lover, and Christine having a crush on Spock. [46]

Issue 7/8

front cover of issue ##7/8, cover by V.M. Wyman
a parody of "Menagerie's" cover, printed in Pegasus #1 in 1976, a zine that also includes the parody story "Abrasions & Contusions" by M. Octyme

Menagerie 7/8 was published in October 1975 and is 45 pages long. It contains one highly-controversial Spock get'em story, The Logical Conclusion (see that page) written by Paula Smith and extensively illustrated by V.M. Wyman. The zine's back cover is blank.

There are no letters of comment in this issue.

The zine is dedicated "To Sharon & to Mary, without whom this whole mess would have been a whole lot more contrived than it already is. -- Kalamazoo, 25 Oct 75."

From the zine:

MENAGERIE 7&8 is another luff-packed production of boojums Press edited this time by Paula Smith, who resents it mightily, and Sharon Ferraro. This rag is for sale, as aren't we all, at the rate of one buck per issue (but two clams for this double issue), with subscriptions going $4.20/4 issues (3rd class) and $4.60/4 (1st class). Back issues may be requested as part of the subscription, but unless you want either #3 or #6 you're out of luck.

If anyone out there wants to submit items to us for publication, that's lovely. We guarantee nothing, but we do look with favor on unsolicitations that include return postage. We take no responsibility for non-postpaid work. Art must be black & white with no grey tones. Literary pieces better be typed if you expect us to be able to read them.

The number next to your name on the envelope, if you got this bomb in the mail, is the issue your sub expires. C implies complementary copy, you lucky slob you, T means we want to trade, and CN means you contributed.

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Reactions and Reviews: Issue 7/8

See reactions and reviews for The Logical Conclusion.

Issue 9

front cover of issue #9, Doug Rice
back cover of issue #9, "deathbird" Mark Wright
variation of the back cover for issue #9, Mark Wright

Menagerie 9 was published in March 1976 and is 26 pages long. The art is by Doug Rice, Mark Wright, Phil Foglio, Joni Wagner, Connie Faddis, Gordon Carleton, Wendy Lindboe, Jim Shull, Anji Valenza, Vicky Wyman.

"This issue is dedicated to John S. Pemberton the inventor of Coca-Cola."

From the editorial by Sharon Ferraro:

THE DEAD HORSE REVIVES

To many of us, active in ST fandom for a number of years, it has often seemed we were inhabiting a nether world, only partially perceived by those outside it. It has often been slighted in the press -- "Trekkies Examine Space in Heads" -- as a cult phenomenon, small cliques of dreamers with no contact to reality. Recently, with the publication of Star Trek Lives and the sudden proliferation of conventions, fandom has swollen. Huge numbers of fringe fans or closet fans have expressed an interest in Trek fandom. Mobs of them have been drawn from the chair in front of their sets into the chairs in a packed hotel ballroom at $20 a head. STW has been flooded by mail from the curious and all of us have felt the ripples that have been extending outward from the STL listing alone.

[snipped]

Star Trek stopped production in 1969 and here we are today, 1976, reviving it, bringing it back to life in a slightly new incarnation. We are looking to the future through the past. In the late 60's, ST offered hope to the people who adopted it. Today, at least for many of the fringe fans and armchair fans, it represents a warm look at the past--a stable view in a problem-filled universe.

[snipped]

Star Trek is another world. It is, as most people perceive it, a sane, interesting, challenging world almost totally divorced from reality today. It is already showing in several ways, cons, new publications, etc.; Trek fandom will only continue to grow. The weight of societal need is gathering momentum and re-incarnating that undead spirit. There is no way short of total stupidity that Paramount is going to avoid making at least one Star Trek movie. Or more.

Considering the effect fandom has on many of us, draining our pocketbooks and our will to resist it, perhaps it is best conceived as a vampire. We have lived with the spirit of ST for years now, gorging it on hope and faith, and now it is healthy enough to go to London with its five boxes of native earth. Or Hollywood at least, carrying with it, on its quiet ship, the wishesofallofus. Onto London!...er, Hollywood.

The editorial by Paula Smith:

And so back to business as usual. To all of those who subscribed thinking issue 7/8 was standard fare... surprise! Don't think you can get your money back, either. To the rest of you, our regular readers, all 8 of you, hi dere. Please forgive us our disgusting lapse into Trekkie fic.

With this issue we start our third year of MEN. The mind boggles. It does, however, point up the stay ing power of trash, and for that, there's a customer born every minute.

A recent letter in another publication protested both the proliferation and the tolerance of garbage by way of Trek memorabilia. The point is well taken. If we are so stupid that we will continually drop our sweat-earned cash on ever more expensive conventions which offer nothing we haven't seen 20 times, on mangled photos; on silly-ass goshwow zines which are not only overpriced but illegible, on ST popsicle molds", fer ghodsake, then we deserve whatever we get, and the yo-yos will inherit the earth. Is it just the so-called al-American prelidiction for rubbish at work here?

Or do we accept drek from others, because too often we ourselves produce it?

Too willing are we to smatter down a Mary Sue story and call it high tragedy, or say, "I don't care if it's dumb, if it's about Spock." It's not that we violate objective literary standards; it's that we don't have any. Not half of us can spell her way out of an apiary, and if a quarter know why a plot is a nice thing to have in a story, I should be very glad to hear about it. Sure, this is fandom, not Harvard, but do we have to produce dreary nonsense all the time? Can't we ask more of ourselves before we go to print? Can't we refuse to waste our time (and money) on shit? Can't you out there with the sweaty hands put this down and go do something worthwhile for a change? Arr...

  • LOTS of LoCs about "The Logical Conclusion"


  • art from issue #9, Doug Herring

  • art from issue #9, two fans Carol Lynn and Debbie Goldstein by Joni Wagner

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Reactions and Reviews: Issue 9

See reactions and reviews for What Henoch Did.

[The Secret of Star Hollow]: As I, Genevieve Adelaide Virginia Christina, sit here in the dark study of my step-father's estate, listening to the Irish Wolfhounds baying at at the dark and heavy moon hanging over Brooklyn, I consider "The Secret of Star Hollow." Imagine my surprise, nay, shock, when I, Olivia Desiree Fleur, opened my copy and lo and behold! there are the exploits of my cousin, tho twice-removed and illegitimate, Mary, third in line to the succession of the baronetcy of East Flatbush!

Imagine my heartache as I, Lisa Therese Dominica Sally, read of her love for the saturnine (such a GOOD word), dark, brooding captain and various other personnel on that warped-out estate.

O, how I, Donna Angela Marguerite Catherine Jennifer, sometimes called Hoppy, have longed for my favorite genre of escapism to emerge in ST zines. Paula Smith gave me some of the most delightful moments I could spend with a zine. I, Denise Xaviera (no relation) Tondelayo, have finally found a story that tickled my tongue-in-cheek. (signed) Irene Matina Clothilde [47]

[zine]:

I'm more interested in your serious fiction -- The Logical Conclusion in 7/8 and Evidence of Intelligence in , but Letters from Camp with what it left implied kept me amused without throwing up (I almost threw up on Secret of Star Hollow & Race into Tomorrow & Gotohello Several, but luckily I stopped in time) (("Humor in a jugular vein" -- Paula Smith adds)) And concerning "What Henoch Did," I was laughing uproariously each time I read it--while it had hilarious situations, the characters were accurately reflected in their speaking, thinking, and actions. This is good satire? humor? perversion? Anyway, I liked it.

I was very impressed with Anna Mary Hall's "Evidence of Intelligence"; it seemed very believable and an interesting addition and follow-up on parts and people in the ST Universe that were not main characters on the show, i.e., Thelin and the Excalibur. It also noted the multi-racial crews of the other starships of the Federation.

I liked finding out about Debbie Goldstein and Carol Lynn, as I have KRAITH COLLECTED 1-3, have ordered 4, 5, and the Creators' Manual. By the way, what happened to the Bastas, and where is BABEL? I'd almost sell my soul to get my hands on those zines. Appreciated "Notes from Captain Dunsel" but TOSOP is out of print.

Fascinated by letters;I wish I could write LoCs with that much skill and analysis. And I agree with Jan Rigby that there shouldn't be a stigma attached to being a former mental (or emotional) patient, especially 200-odd years from now. I think someone was deliberately throwing a spanner in the works (Paula, maybe?).

Oh, well, to recap, I like your straight fiction and articles, and I like amusing satire and/or humor when it's played straight--slapstick is okay for WARPED SPACE, but you all have got a bit of class now and then. [48]

[zine]:

Issue #9 of MENAGERIE was the first of the series that I have read, and I have found it exciting and interesting. I think that it was Carol ((Lynn))'s description of "The Secret of Star Hollow" that really induced me to purchase a copy , and I am glad that I did. That story in particular was really great. Paule you have a good sense of humor, shown here in "Letters from Camp" and "What Henoch Did." But I think that the Star Trek Gothic was a hit drawn out. It was good, and funny--a beautiful parody--but a little too long.

I really enjoyed "Letters from Camp" and I hope you write more about Sidne, the little Vulcanboy. I'msure that with your imagination you could think of more adventures for him to undergo while visiting Earth. As for "What Henoch Did," could you finish all the limericks, and maybe write them up as "Limericks from the Stars or something? You've put in some nice lines there; I'd like to read the rest of them.

Anna Mary Hall's "Evidence of Intelligence" was a good story, and I liked it. but something bugged me through the story. I just can't put my finger on it, but I think it deals with the characterization of Mazawana; maybe trying too hard with the characterization, or maybe Ms. Hall was not very comfortable with the third/limited viewpoint of the story (not having read anything else of hers, I really don't know). It could be that she packed too much characterization into such a short piece; if it were expanded, things might even out.

Todd Bake's piece at the end was priceless. Ican't wait to see what Phil is going to come up with to counter him. Or is Randy Bathurst entering the picture and dumping on both of them? [49]

[zine]: I would have dated this in Klingonese, but I'm still working on it. My mother is very much disconcerted to hear my muttered cries of "See the Enterprise fly by / Hear the Enterprise go 'Whoosh. '" and she's even more taken aback when I warble, "Glory, glory, what's it to ya? / Pretty soon we're gonna screw ya." Best of all are the imaginative stories .in MENAGERIE, especially "What Henoch Did" and (my favorite) "Letters from Camp". Judging from the varied works and talents she displays in these issues, Paula Smith is...er... warped. Creative, humorous, many-sided, arid-definitely warped. I couldn't ask for more. [50]

[zine]:

MEN 9 is the first ish in my sub, quite good. Am still getting over the shivers MEN 7/8 gave me. That got me thinking (no mean task!) about "get" stories in general; why do they have to be so gross, why do we (oops, don't count me in on that "we") write them? Oh, well, enough said on that.

What got me in MEN 9 is your phrase "Mary Sue story." I loved it! It really amused me! Then, I realized why, of course, because I'd read so many in the Mary Sue genre. And this style is so easy to pick out because they all have so much in common! They are all ALIKE! Consider: a yikky little Trekkie-type is taken into the Star Trek Universe, or back in time, or onto a UFO, or something, and finds love with some alien guy (preferably our favorite extraterrestrial). She is nothing without him. Ever notice? He got along just fine before Mary Sue came along! But he is doing all the giving, making Mary Sue happy. She has nothing to offer. She is his shadow, his reflection. She is nothing in herself. IS Mary Sue an extension of ourselves? If so, why do we hold ourselves in such awful contempt? [51]

[zine]: Whut due u meen knot haf uv y'all kin spel huh weigh owt uv en apeiery? Ie haf red "Thuh Secrit uv Stah Hollo", an Ie haf warn owt mie dicktionery trien' too verifie al thuh cliver mispellings an misaplications uv grammer Ie fownd en their. Ie doughn't no iff u wil evar winn uh Hugoe uv eny cind, butt u shud sirtenly bee rekagnised as uh metafor-mixor ov thuh fust watar. An thuh lass.[52]

[zine]:

This is what I thought of MEN #9: First of all, the cover is beautiful. Clear! Sharp! Attention to detail--the candles in the lady's hand have tiny little globes to keep them from blowing out in the vacuum. I appreciate such visual nit-picking. You must've decided to allow the printer who did 7/8 to live, and continue doing the zine. The reduction was clear all the way through.

I wish Paula would someday make a list of Strekfic she considers good. (City on the Edge of Forever doesn't count.) I mean amateur work. We're all amateurs as far as Trek goes, except possibly the NV writers. Other than humor, what is valid? And why in hell are YOU wasting your time on it???

"The Secret of Star Hollow" is just as sidesplitting as the reading--pardon me, the DRAMATIC RENDITION at SeKWester*Con. After reading the typical handful of gothic novels, in my youth, discovering all the plots were the same, and toying with the idea of living in sinful idleness by writing Gothic Romances--I must admit you have the style down pat (with the possible exception of names--how in the name of all that's banal did you overlook "Ariadne Lisette?)

It took me several days to get around to reading "Race Into Tomorrow." Sean has been watching Flash Gordon on Sunday mornings, and I can only take so much of that. It reminded me a bit of how Hazel Stone's space opera must have sounded-- the one she was writing through Heinlein's Rolling Stones, with Captain Jet Trueheart, or whatever his name was...As for"Debbie and Carol," the title was a bit corny, but it's a good way for a poor ignorant neo to find out more about the experienced fen. It wouldi've been helpful if you had indicated somewhere on or near the picture which was which. I assumed each ms was centered on her bio. Correct?

I'm married to an endless source of "Good Old Camp Runamok" stories--but your letters from Camp topped all of them. A terribly funny variation on the "how do we look to the Martians?" theme. It had never occurred to me that the Vulcan masculine name pattern would indeed allow someone named Satan. That could be a little uncomfortable for a-Vulcan dealing with a fundamentalist- type colony.

The Carleton drawings added a lot to "What Henoch Did"--I read it through so fast the first time, I missed the fact that Spocko was wandering around in the buff. The second illo had Parham looking a bit like a black Faulwell...or maybe it was just the expression on her face. (You don't suppose--naw, couldn't be.)

When I saw the "Henoch" story I decided you were making issue 9 a sort of comic relief from 7/8. "Evidence of Intelligence"blew my theory to bits. This was the first I've seen of Anna Mary's writing, and she's obviously been working at it for a quite a while--long enough to get good, at any rate. Conriie's illos were very fine, and I think her uniform on p. 18 is the best idea of a landing party uniform I've ever seen. It is utterly absurd to traipse around on an unexplored planet

in a microskirt. - Cold, if nothing else. Perhaps the uniforms vary with the starship, as well as the insignia, The general female uniform on the Big E is something Kirk would choose. I have only two tiny criticisms of the drawings. The leaping beast on page 19 reminds me of a savage throw rug, and Mazawana's insignia on p.23 looks more like a tear drop than a crescent. The story itself was absorbing. I'm all in favor of tales of anyone besides the three musketeers of the Big E. It was nice to see Thelin again. Andorians are interesting folk to speculate upon--all we really know about them is that they're a warrior race, their voices are slightly reedy, and they wee greed and passion as motives for murder...and their antennae don't break off all that easily. I rather liked Mazawana. Will we see more of her? [53]

[zine]: I read all of MENAGERIE 9 eventually, and showed the "Letters from Camp" to my ten-year-old brother (with all the rest of the pages paper- clipped together) who loved it. It's interesting to watch M*A*S*H with the kid; of course the double-entendres go right by him, but he finds jokes in it that I wouldn't notice. I loved "Gotohello"...pale pongoids! I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Yeti. And I loved the Space Opera; plan to do any more? The Anna Mary Hall story was very nice; it is a bit of a relief to see a story that doesn't t involve redshirts getting torn apart. [54]

[zine]:

First the artwork: excellent all the way through. The cover is particular is fantastic. Nice work. I find it somewhat difficult to be objective about "The Secret of Star Hollow." So this is what I get for advocating that Vulcan-Terran hybrids are possible, eh? I'll never forget all you guys that were responsible for this. Honest.

"Race Into Tomorrow": A little incoherent, but funny just the same. And speaking of funny, when I started "The Gotohello Several," I said to myself between gasps, "Paula has painted herself into a corner this time. She'll never be able to get them back on the ship and make it sound believable." But she did! It was a riot! And followed up by "Letters' from Camp"--great! And then "What Henoch Did" on top of that.

"Evidence of Intelligence" was a nice, tight little story which showed very well that one need not have the Enterprise to have ST-type intrigue. [55]

[zine]: I just received MENAGERIE #9, the last issue of my subscription, and I will not be renewing it. I took exception to some things in #5 and #7/8 was good, but #9 was very disappointing. In her editorial Paula asks why we can't ask more of ourselves literature wise and whv we waste time and money on garbage (she used another word). Why then, did she go on to write trash like What Henoch Did? She probably intended it to be a "fun" story, but this kind of thinking is not only degrading to the basic concept of Star Trek but to anyone who reads it. Why can't Star Trek be fun (Letters from Camp) and clean too? With Paula's talent and ability there shouldn't be a need to resort to this kind of, and I use the word loosly, literature. Come on! Star Trek is great! Fandom is fun! Why not keep it decent too? [56]

[zine]:

Have scanned all the offerings in #9 and AMH's is my favorite. It's about time someone picked up Thelin and gave him an identity in Starfleet after Spock bumped him off the Big E in "Yesteryear." It was also interestins to see how other starships do it.

Your editorial comment set me to wondering. One person's "-----" can be another's "Perfume," and what's the tragedy in that? Granted, if actual "ripoffs" are being made, they should be stopped. On the other hand, isn t there room enough in St/sf fandom for everyone-- no matter how mediocre they happen to be? After reading comments about EVERYTHING that's been written and published during the past few years — professional and fan-written-- I wish I owned the concession that sells "nasty pills." Is it possible that a lot of potentially-fine writers are going to be put off by the fact that CONstructive criticism seems to have been kicked out the door? Sure, if they have what it takes, they'll write anyhow. On the other hand, there are a lot of people who will never dare to set pen to paper or finger on a typewriter because they are afraid to try. They seem to feel that if they aren't able to meet the Asimov/Heinlein level of writing, they'd better not try to write at all. I'm basing this statement upon a number of letters I've gotten from 'younger Trek fans who mention great story ideas but go on to say that they feel it's no use to try to write them because of what they've been reading about other things that have been done. One learns by writing, if he wants to be a writer. Be it "garbage," , or the Great American Novel, somebody somewhere will like it--if the law of averages has any meaning at all. However, writing for ST fandom is a rougher training program than anything the professional schools could dream up. It seems lately that people have forgotten that "courtesy" is much easier to use; either that, or we've all developed a walloping huge negative attitude. It seems to be pick, pick pick on everything and God forbid that anything good should be said about anything! It's enough to make the Great Bird take off for some other planet to find out what happened to IDIC. [57]

[zine]:

I've gotten thru MEN 9. "The Secret of Star Hollow" was read out loud to me...I stood the entire deliberation until that terrible terrible pun "I seem to be T'Verb"...bad bad bad. Bucky will ever forgive you. I'm already developing a terrible inferiority complex. Phil Foglio as always surpasses himself, and I can say the same for Joni Wagner and Gordon Carleton. Our zine is really going to have to be something to match MENAGERIE.

I also wanted to say how much I enjoyed your editorial...Literary Standards. Carol ( (Shuttleworth)) and I both have rather high standards in that respect. Mine officially cover the art department. We are both worried about how to say nicely but firmly to a contributor "we can't use your artwork (or story}." This problem has already caused us to make our zine project independent of the club. So far it has not really been much of a problem, but I'm not a very tactful person and I do not like the prospect of having to tell someone who has put hours and hours of work on an illo that it is not acceptable. I've already had the line, "But it's just a zine, anything is acceptable, no one really cares that much." So you can understand empathize with your editorial.

I don't know if it is possible to put it on the line like that. The rite of passage into fandom never said anything about literary standards--it seems to go something like "We are a fraternity of people in this for a good time, for the love of Star Trek and the philosophy of hope and brotherhood that the TV show made--if only for a few images — into a kind of reality."

Standards are born out of seriousness and conviction, and out of caring. It takes a while, even when you have been involved deeply in fandom, to realise how much you care about it. I still have those flashes--"What the hell am I doing in fandom, I could be doing this artwork and getting paid for it." Then I come out of that cycle of phobia and get straight again. A friend once accused my mania for standards as a way of legitimizing my cop-out. That made me so angry. A demand for quality is not a cop-out. It is simply a demand for people to pull away the triviality that they have dressed up fandom with..."Oh, I'm not really that serious about it, it's just a hobby." I'm tired of hearing that line. I do not know what the future of fandom is, but I do know that I am serious about interest! Writing Treklit...certain forms can be a cop-out, but it does not have to be that wav.

I think this might by why your call for quality infuriates so many people; I think there are many fans who are afraid to confront their own feelings why they like Star Trek. They convince themselves that it is a trivial interest, so they demand trivial zines and trivial stories. There are the people who proliferate and tolerate the trash.

Literary standards are much more than spelling or punctuation, tho that is where it starts. Standards are a concern with issues bigger than your own phobias. We both know that it is impossible to control the creative aspect, tho I know many people, especially sf readers, who see any kind of standardization as a block to their creative impulses. Sf fandom has not resolved this mess either, so I do not see any easy way out for ST. I suppose it will boil down to just about what you said in your editorial. Those who really care, really try to do something worthwhile will do it -- and those who don't will continue to perpetuate the crud. [58]

[zine]: The most noticeable characteristic of Menagerie is that most of the contents are written by Paula Smith, which a good thing because she writes so well! Even the dedication... is a gem. The text of the zine is liberally sprinkled with good and even some great illos... The cover by Doug Rice is superb. The meat of the zine begins with 'Secret of Star Hollow' which I suppose is a SeKWester*Con speical, as it was liberally laced with the names of con members... 'Race into Tomorrow' is a hilarious parody of the space opera form. Then there is the continuing adventures of the crew of the A.S.S. Interfere in 'Gotohell Several,' one of Paula's better attempts attempt at burlesque. Paula also wrote a great farce about a Vulcan youngster attending a Terran summer camp... and 'What Henoch Did,' the ferschluggener 'act five' speculation which made its debut in Interphase 2... Finally, 'The Evidence of Intelligence,' where the experiences of some crew members aboard the rebuilt starship 'Excalibur'; it is a well constructed tale with good characterization but is neither memorable nor brilliant... The zine ends with some fanzine reviews and letters from readers. Menagerie is a must for the dedicated fan. [59]

[zine]: Menagerie' is one of those zines that starts off good and still improves with age. In this issue, Paula Smith and Sharon Ferraro have done it again, bringing out an issue with a variety of features considering its size. Leading off the zine is the ST gothic that the editors have been threatening to put out for about a year now. Not only is it fun to read, but it comes out even better when read aloud with proper emphasis. For, not only do our good old regulars get the once-over, but, if you look closely, you come up in here with the names of well-known Trek femmefen. (also getting the poke is an obscure femmefan living out in the sticks who insists that Vulcan-human hybrids are genetically feasible.) And it gets better as it goes along. Following this, we have a satire of old SF radio plays, a profile of Deborah Goldstein and Carol Lynn, another hilarious satire of a ST episode ('The Galileo Seven') with a surprise twist to it, an even more hilarious account of Vulcan pre-teenager at a Terran summer camp, and ending the non-stop humor with 'What Henoch Did.' On the serious side, we have 'Evidence of Intelligence,' an extremely well-written and convincing non-ST story, with as much interesting and significant goings on among the humans as with the aliens. Plus the usual fannish notes and LoCs, and excellent art throughout... Highest rating, as they say in show biz. [60]

[zine]: This beautiful issue starts with a cover by Doug Rice and a bacover by Mark Wright, both beautiful, well-printed, and hard to describe. The first story is also hard to describe. 'The Secret of Star Hollow'... is a different sort of a parody for Paula. If you can get into the literary classics, this will be a scream for you, but if you've been wallowing in the squalor of the SF/ST ghetto for the entire duration of your life, you might wonder where the appeal is in this story. Either way, it is well-written, and that gives it a few points no matter how you look at it. 'Race Into Tomorrow' is a zany parody on the SF pulps and radio shows of the past. Although it has virtually no elements of ST to it, Vaughn has a nice feel for the pacing an it would sound absolutely dynamite in a dramatic reading. While I'm on parodies, 'The Gotohell Several' is one of the best episode parodies Paula has written in quite a while. One of her best --um, I can hardly say more, can I? 'Letters from Camp' is an undeniably hilarious set of letters sent by a Vulcan to his parents, describing his stay at camp, on Earth. Right on the heels of that however, is 'What Henoch Did,' which is getting a bit old by now. It first was read by a number of people as an underground story and given a dramatic airing by Paula herself at Wondaycon #5 in Detroit. Later, it appeared in Interphase #2 and at least one other zine I know of, but I'll be damned if the story still isn't funny on the 6th or 7th readings. The major incentive to read it again in this issue is the marvelous illos by Gordon Carleton that accompany it. 'Evidence of Intelligence'... the setting for this piece is on the Excalibur and revolves around a character named Mazawana. Despite the title and the action that absorbs most of the first part, this story looks deeply into the character of Mazawana -- why she's on the Excalibur, her past, and current problems. An intriguing and detailed study... Even if this issue many not be as talked about or as profound as issue #7/8 was, it is easily, if not more enjoyable. Highly recommended. [61]

[zine]:Menagerie has consistently been a zine of humor and satire, and Menagerie 9 is no exception. "The Secret of Star Hollow" is so funny, that it's s till funny after you've read it ten times, as is true of "The Gotohello Several" and "What Henoch Did", all three by Paula Smith. But the real gem of this ish is "Letters from Camp", which trace the adventures of Sydne a Vulcan boy at Camp Iskamenapingpong, this is also by Paula. This is not to say that Menagerie 9 has nothing serious to offer, as "Evidence of Intelligence" is evidence of. This story, beautifully illustrated by Anna Mary Hall, utilizes the crew of the Excalibur and makes for enjoyable and intriguing reading. Menagerie 9 is just another pearl for Sharon and Paula's string. [62]

[zine]:

This is one of the very finest fanzines ever printed. In all departments -- content, writing, artwork, layout -- it is an example of the epitome of ex­cellent fan magazine publishing. For example, there isn't a single artist rep­ resented whose work wouldn't be the pride of any other fanzine. I couldn't name individuals without listing everyone, but there are many, many pages of the finest ST fan art I've ever seen.

The art in this issue would be well worth the price and trouble of get­ting this issue, but the written content is doubly worth it. "The Secret of Star Hollow" - a Paula Smith and helpers short story written as a gothic ro­mance set on the Enterprise. Then more humor in a takeoff on the "Galileo 7" episode - called "The Gotohello Several" - which is one of the funniest pieces Paula's done. But "Letters From Camp" by Paula Smith and illustrated by Phil Foglio - a series of letters written by a Vulcan boy being exposed to life at an Earth summer camp - well, it'll make you wonder...

But the outstanding feature in an issue of outstanding features is "What Henoch Did", illustrated by Gordon Carlton and Anji Valenza, and again written by Paula Smith. It seems that we never did find out exactly what, in "Return to Tomorrow", the villain did during after-hours. But as Spock was cleaning up, "the bed giggled", and there were really raunchy, X-rated limericks painted on the walls in lipstick.

This, to me, is the most memorable issue of MENAGERIE that has appeared yet. Highest recommendation.[63]

Issue 10

front cover of issue 10, "The Missionary" by Jim Odbert, first printed on the cover of the Minicon #11 progress report
back cover of issue 10, Susan Armstrong. Title: Fire and Water

Menagerie 10 was published in August 1976 and is 33 pages long. Art by Susan Armstrong, Gordon Carleton, Connie Faddis, C. Lee Healy, Doug Herring, Diane Marchant, Mike McGuinness, Monica Miller, Jim Odbert, Laurraine Tutihasi, Jone Wager, Randy Bathurst, Grant Canfield, Phil Foglio, and Martynn.

"This issue is dedicated to the Pre-Centennial. 100 Years to the Lunarian Revolution."

This issue has a long set of editorials regarding their submission guidelines.

From Sharon Ferraro preceding her zine reviews:

The spring/summer crop of fanzines has not been all that impressive, fellow fen. Outside of the splendors of INTERPHASE, the consistent humor and improving art and graphics of WARPED SPACE and the surprise of STARDATE: UNKNOWN, the field has hit a dry spell. As a possible long-range side effect of "Communication the Hard Way" (the booklet I produced for STW on fan publishing mechanics— 75 cents plus 2 stamps, or $1.00 postpaid) and its emphasis on offset printing, many zines have recently carried the characteristically high pricetag of the media, with little redeeming quality of content. We are seeing zines with 1 1/2 or 2 spaces between lines and mediocre to bad illos, accompanied in many cases by equally mediocre fiction, selling for $2.50 and up simply because they are offset.

True, editorial standards are acquired as good artists and writers are acquired, and the first issue is almost universally bad for every zine (excepting always INTERPHASE and a few others); and allowances must be made. I am trying to enter a plea for mimeo or ditto on a first effort (MEN was mimeod, in the beginning)—it is much less of an invest ment (or loss) for the editors and the readers. OR, if mimeo or ditto are impossble [sic] to locate in your area, you can at least single space—clear, wellprinted single space typing is no trouble even for fen with bottle-bottom eyeglasses. Onwards. What this tendency—high prices/low quality— means is that Captain Dunsel will have 3 ratings or grades per zine reviewed; scale one to five, with five being high.

Graphics 1) barely readable; 2) spottily readable; 3) clear; 4) mostly good with a few bad spots; 5) excellent

Content 1) bad writing, ignorant of punctuation and spelling, not to mention plot, characterization, etc.; 2) not quite as bad as 1; 3) average, nothing outstanding; 4) mixed bag, some good, some mediocre; 5) consistently good writing.

$ Worth 1) if you want to read it, borrow it; 2) okay if you like lay Spock, Mary Sue, Kirk-Spock stories; 3) tossup, up to you; 4) recommended, worth it even counting the postage; 5) must have—worth twice the price—a plague on you if you don't buy it.

[...]

Well, fellow fen, there's my two cents worth. Temper the acid with a little of the 'Stinking Fish' syndrome: 'Well, it's my opinion' holding the fish in two fingers at distance, other fingers pinching nose. Maybe I'm not seeing the good zines. I'd like to see a new zine come out costing $1, $1.50. It can be done. WIth good writing; no stereotypical stories, no more Spock poems or Kirk-Spock stories, whether they are just friends or bedmates, and lotsa art.

  • Editorial (2)
  • TrekWorld by Paula Block (a Mary Sue, Harlan Ellison parody) (3)
  • the Cartoon War Part 3 by Randy Bathurst enters the Phil Foglio-Todd Bake War (8)
  • SeKWesterCon Report, 1976 by Joyce Yasner (article) (10) (see that page)
  • Name That Fan Art (an illo shout-out to: Steve Reubart, Joyce Yasner, Laurraine Tutihasi, Devra Langsam, Randy Ash, Carol Lynn, Connie Faddis, Joe Fleming, "two money-grubbing slobs," Jane Clinkenbeard Dean Calin Phil Foglio Gordon Carleton) (11)
  • Trek Fandom Overseas, three shorts by Inge Roeder, Susan Armstrong, Diane Marchant (about Trek fandom in Germany, Quebec, and Australia) (12)
  • The Day of the Dork by Paula Smith (14)
  • Captain Kirk and His Waterbed, Part Two by Kathie Farnell, Lee Crawford, Barbara Lambert Hancock (15)

  • from issue #10, art from TrekWorld, Martynn is the artist: "Mary Sue's head blew off and her body slumped to the floor; a cloud of smoke rose from her neck, where a few wires dangled forlornly. Even Ellison seemed a bit surprised. "Gosh," he said. "She wasn't real, either." "So it would appear," Spock said, nudging her detached head with the toe of his boot.""

  • from issue #10, art from Trekworld, ""Oh, Christ," said the voice in disgust. And the owner of the voice climbed out of the box. He was a little man, littler than anyone on the ship, including Mary Sue herself. Mary Sue did not think she had seen him before, but the regular cast in the Transporter Room with her cowered in recognition."

  • from issue #10, Connie Faddis

  • from issue #10, Doug Rice. "I Am Not Sherlock" is a reference to Leonard Nimoy's autobiography I Am Not Spock. Nimoy also played Sherlock Holmes on stage -- the play flyer is the photo reference for this illo, see [1]. See Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek.

  • from issue #10, Phil Foglio (pictured: Joyce Yasner, Laurraine Tutihasi, Devra Langsam, Randy Ash, Steve Reubart, Carol Lynn, Connie Faddis, Joe Fleming, Jane Clinkenbeard, Dean Culin, Phil Foglio, Gordon Carleton, and 'two money-grubbing slobs")

  • from issue #10, Monica Miller from "Seeds of Vision"

  • from issue #10, Monica Miller from "Seeds of Vision"

  • from issue #10, from "Captain Kirk and His Waterbed"

  • from issue #10, the ongoing cartoon war escalates

  • from issue #10


Reactions and Reviews: Issue 10

See reactions and reviews for TrekWorld.

[zine]: I really liked Menagerie #10, I think it is a really great fanzine. I liked espicially well the back cover, because it was drawn. It was really great! I liked Treckworld because Mary Sue had the same name as me. That was really neat! I really liked it. I really liked The Seeds of Vision the best! Monica Miller is a really great artist. I think she is the best. I all so liked as well really well the Day of The Dork. It was funny!! Aslo Captain Kirk And his Waterbed was. I think you have a really great fanzine Menagerie! I hope you will print more fanzines. I think your the best editor ever! I really like your fanzine, it is a really good fanzine! [64]

[zine]:

"Try It, You'll Like It" was quite amusing. In fact, I think I enjoyed Part 2 of "Captain Kirk and His Waterbed" more than Part 1. The layout and Faddis illustration added immeasurably to "Carnal Marriage," which in and of itself was a succinct, well-written little poem. "The Seeds of Vision" was a beautifully constructed, tightly knit story with — mirabile dictu —an intelligible plot and characters who are more than cardboard figures.

I am very glad I received #10 — and I am very glad I did not follow my first, now seen to be rather hastily drawn, decision to cancel my subscription after #9. "An Abortive Attempt" left me with a very bad taste in my mouth that "What Henoch Did" did nothing to alleviate ((third time's the charm; see "Honor Bound" thish--ps)). Both were very well written, I grant you. But they were not what I want to read. Even my enjoyment of the other parodies and stories didn't quite make up for the disappointment I felt in these two stories. Nevertheless, the enjoyment I found in "Evidence of Intelligence" (the Hall/Faddis combination is unbeatable) made me delay and delay and delay in writing a cancelation letter until it was too late. Keep up the quality of #10, and you will have a devoted life-long friend —not to mention subscriber.[65]

[zine]: "Trekworld" had a good premise but it tended to meander somewhat. Still, it was well done. So nice to learn "The Truth" about Harlan Ellison "Captain Kirk and his Waterbed Part II" was also funny, but came across a little too much like a TV sitcom. I enjoy the reviews; there're so many zines out and they tend to be expensive enough that I don't like to buy without someone's opinion. [66]

[zine]:

I haven't read I Am Not Spock—I couldn't bring myself to lay out $5 for a thin paperback—but "I Am Not Sherlock" was hilarious anyway. So are "Day of the Dork" and the second installment of "Waterbed." The latter contains my second-most-favoritest pun ever; at least Dixie has no trouble counting. "The Seeds of Vision" could have used a little more edi torial attention to smooth out such rough spots as "...the buildings were built..." and correct the grammar, but it is nevertheless an engaging piece of hagiography: "The Martyrdom of St. Surak" or "The Conversion of St. Suran." Monica Miller's illo even has the wide-eyed rapt-up-in-higher-things expression one sees in holy pictures. Beautiful.

Change gears.

When MEN is good, as in the above stories, it's very good indeed. Unfortunately, when it's bad, it's correspondingly horrid. "Trekworld" is apparently intended to be funny; it isn't only cruel. There's a difference between "humor in a jugular vein" and blood sport. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never met a Trekfan who deserved the kind of contempt Block pours on her "Lt. Mary Sue." As ego-trip, this piece may be successful; as satire, it goes in the same file as "Tunnel Under the World."

"Notes from Captain Dunsel" is also ego-ridden and arrogant. Look, I don't know anyone who is not in favor of high literary standards in Treklit. But subject matter is not a valid critical criterion, nor is a personal quirk of taste. Trek writers, like writers of any other literature, deal with characters and situations which move them. The fact that the reviewer does not like stories based on given figures and circumstances doea not relieve her of the obligation to judge them on the basis of craftsmanship and on no other basis whatsoever. Certainly it does not give her the right to "call for a moratorium" on such work, or to suggest that other zines make them selves over in MEN's image. This is destructive criticism at its worst. There is no justification for it.[67]

[zine]:

At Bi-10 I wrangled a copy of MEN Ten out of a rather bemused "Space Trader." The bacover quickly fell off, which was fine, as the illustration thereon is fit only for diapering Gerrold-lovers. I WISH you had made some note somewhere inside, of what was going on in the picture. I'm sure SOME readers guessed it was a Rom wedding ((ahem...The back cover of our last issue was a beautiful piece expertly done by Susan Armstrong, entitled "Fire and Water: A Romulan Wedding." Sorry--ps)), but the rest are wondering what the shit's happening. Ah well, spilt milk.

There was a certain lack of order about the very diverse contents, giving the whole a sort of hodge-podgy flavor, but the contents them selves were quite satisfying—with a single interlude of boredom in'the form of "I Am Not Sherlock," which somehow failed to grab me. "Carnal Marriage" had a strong effect on me—not just the poem, which was quite good, but the extremely striking layout and illo. Quite haunting—it even made its way into a dream. I was interested to. learn that Montreal is "overseas." C'mon guys, get with the French, I wrote "Nouveaux mondes etranges" and I meant it, not "stranges." The lecture on MENAGERIE policy was definitely appreciated. "Trekworld" had a familiar ring—I think I just stepped out of it at Bi-Centannial-10: Kirk shirts, McCoy dolls, Spock ears, "Space Traders," "Cadets"—not to mention the Real Live Genuine Bridge Set, which was absolutely jammed with thrills, I can tell you. The one item lacking, and desperately needed, was a touch of Ellison.[68]

[zine]: As I was going through the letters re quality vs. trash, I suddenly realized what my definition of a really good ST story is; the ones that say between the lines, "I can't help myself, I had to write it! It's a compulsion, God help me!" It is the story that gives me the feeling that it was written specifically for an audience that bores me. Plot, characterization, scientific jargon, consistency—you name it, they've got it hands down—don't mean a thing to me if I can't reach inside a story and see the writer devouring roasted soynuts and iced tea long into the night to keep up her strength to finish the damn thing. It seems to me to be the difference between the raw early Beatles and the Monkees (shudder). Those first Beatles albums were almost primitive in terms of production (George Martin notwithstanding), but they were alive and still are. The Monkees were fully produced, technically correct, nice instrumentalization, sold a zillion records—and dull, dull, dull. The ST story may be a little raw or it may be absolutely beautiful, but if it doesn't have that spark, for me personally it's a waste of time.[69]

[zine]:

Now, you've gone and done it!

As the former Incredible eight-year-old Unpublished Author, I thought there were two kinds of people in this racket. The editors (drones) and the writers (workers). Writers write stories, editors reject them. Why did you have to go and prove me right?

I refer to your editorial of MEN 9. So, there are degrees of rejection? And "No such thing as a discouraging rejection?" Oh, come now!..A rejection is a rejection. (Your examples 4 & 5 are rejections, your 1, 2 and 3 are something else.) A rejection is a negative message. There is no way it can be sweetened up. A rejection always is a poor reflection on one's abilities. A rejection is a failure.

How do I know this? Do I write? Yes, or I'd go insane! For publication? Not any morel I was never taught to write. As a child, I was taught to write to please The Nuns. Later I learned that one must write to please The Editors. Where does One's Self come in? Not at all, apparently.

And, there's something very bad about having to be grateful if the Big Important Editor takes time out of his Busy Schedule to send a sugary rejection to Little Insignificant Me. If (Gosh!) I ever were to Get Into Print, I am obliged to Kiss the Editor's you-know-what, before Dying of Sheer Joy. There comes a point where you stop writing. Or, if you're like me, you can't stop. You begin to think too highly of you own work and you no longer submit it to drones who are going to wipe their noses on it before bouncing it back.

If this sounds vitriolic, it's because I've been at the bottom of too many slush piles too long. But Editors, please. Don't put butter and jelly on your rejections. That won't blot out the taste. And the editor who gets rejection-happy, for whatever reason, will soon end up doing his entire publication himself. [70]

[zine]:

Sad to say, I didn't find anything particularly outstanding this ish; even the parodies did not seem quite up to par, especially Paula Block's Nimoy one. Paula is a damn good writer ( as witness the "Mind Rape" scene in WS, and "The Tinman" in INTERPHASE II), and I was very disappointed to see this..."Captain Kirk's Waterbed" had me somewhat puzzled...What struck me most, as a matter of fact, was the discussion about literary standards and Trek fiction. I have rather mixed feelings on the subject. On the one hand, badly written fiction drives me up the wall, and almost embarrasses me...However in the case of simple construction errors, such as...grammar and spelling, the editor is as much at fault as the writer; it is the editor's job to correct such minor faults. Poor plotting, bad characterization, or other structural faults within the story are basically the fault of the author, as a result of inexperience, or sheer lack of talent, but they are faults that can be explained; few stories are so dreadful that there is nothing good about them, even if it's only the idea, and most authors can learn to correct their errors in time, at least enough to become competent writers.

Saying a story stinks, and returning it without comment doesn't help accomplish this purpose. Of course, editors receive more submissions than they can ade quately comment upon, but surely there's time for a brief note of encouragement—"Nice idea; perhaps you should look at so-and-so's book on plotting." I can sympathize with authors who are easily discouraged by criticism, especially harsh criticism; I am one myself, and I can tell you that it's even more devastating to receive a story back with absolutely no comment...We aren't professionals, and we shouldn't be expected to be. And we don't all write as well as Paula Smith or Connie Faddis from the beginning, yet your standards might prevent anyone but writers of that caliber from ever being published. One thing that this could result in is an incestuous look to some of the more "prestigious" fanzines; it's already apparent in them. The same writers and artists appear in most of the "better" fanzines, and some zines are becoming invitational, and of course only the best people are invited to contribute. I object to this practice...

I disagree with Mary Ann Emerson's implied statement that lack of quality equals lack of caring; very often it only equals lack of experience. Couldn't caring on the part of an editor be expressed by helping the inexperienced, pointing out errors, or at least recommending someone who might have more time to do so? Perhaps a sort of general manuscript reading and commenting group could be set up within fandom, similar to the round-robin criticisms within KRAITH...

Your own policy for MENAGERIE is fine, as far as your own zine is concerned and certainly results in a generally high quality zine. But there are hints in 10 and in Paula's editorial in 9, that you would like to extend your standards to other zines. Perhaps you are tired of Mary Sue Stories (so am I), or Kirk/Spock relationship stories, or navel-diving stories, but not everyone is. Many people enjoy one or the other or all types; many people are new to fandom and these types of stories, or any other type, and obviously aren't going to be oversaturated with them... Sorry if this sounds a little angry; I guess I am a little angry, too, and I recognize that my opinions are valid only as my opinions. I'm just a little bothered by an elitist tendency that seems to be creeping into fandom; I mean, SF fanB have never struck me as being particularly kind, and it bothers me to see some of the same things in ST fandom...Perhaps we should...judge the book by the reader, and not vice versa. [71]

[zine]:

"Trekworld" was concurrently funny and irritating. Funny, because if we don't have a sense of humor about ourselves, then I think we'd better start worrying about little things like schizophrenia and the ever-popular paranoia. And irritating, because some of its underlying premises (ST versus "real" SF, Harlan E. as shafted genius) are persistently lamented in MEN in one guise or another.

...Star Trek effectively employed many traditional, well-respected SF devices and concepts. It also produced its share of turkeys; may I also point out that not all SF is in the enduring lit. category?...Comparing Star Trek with written SF is like comparing one individual's personal version of "reality" to another's and trying to put a value judgment on which is better... (ST and written SF)) are on two different planes of experience or reality. There are things in Trek I can't get from written SF and vice versa. For instance, SF is not noted for its characterizations...I like the Trek characters and their interrelationships, and I like what is commonly known as the "heroic figure" in fiction. On the other hand, the ideas and concepts one finds in written SF are more mind-expanding than Trek presented and that limitation on Trek's part was inherent in the medium in which it existed.

...I hardly think it's very object of you to expect beginning writers to produce works comparable to pro SF writers...Why, I'd like to know, do you and Sharon seem to posture such a defensive animosity in MEN re the relative merits of Trek vs. written SF, with Trek always coming out on the minus scale? Sorry, I like 'em both and don't feel that I have to make a choice between them.. Do you feel they're mutually exclusive or what?

...Re "Notes from Captain Dunsel," not to mention the editorials in 9&10: a less pedantic and censorious tone would be very welcome in the future. Your editorial preferences are naturally your prerogative, but when you carry your openly-stated prejudices into your review column, I think that's rather narrow. A bit more objectivity is warranted there. No one ever said reviewing was an easy task, but has it occurred to you that just because you don't like a particular story theme that doesn't necessarily make it worthless, unentertaining, or invalid?...Can you separate the theme from the other factors in a story and give an objective review when you dislike the theme intensely? I think you try to be objective, but sometimes I question your...ah...modesty. Oh, well, being a critic isn't a good life. At least until some disgruntled faned puts a contract out on you two! [72]

[zine]:

I think it is just dreadful the way you criticize all those well-meaning people out here who want to write wish-fulfillment Star Trek stories. Nasty, nasty! After all, if some of us can write stories and get people to pay us for mediocre fantasies, what's to stop anyone from publishing, whether they have any writing skill or not? It's a well-established fact that mediocre Trek is better than no Trek at all, or Trek that makes you think Why should we have to think, anyway?

Look at the market today. Think of all the Nurse Romances sold! Think of all the Gothics! Think of all the Western Novels and Poorly Punctuated Sex Books! If a Trekkie can learn to Write to Sell, be it mediocre, simply horrible, or even mildly entertaining, why not use fandom as a collective guinea pig? I for one refuse to read your mean, nasty, unfriendly critical zine, because your standards revolt me! I_ have no critical sense whatever, and I'm proud of it!! Speaking of standards, MEN 10 is up to your usual. Your layout in general can scarce be improved, although the placing of "Carnal Marriage" next to the Surak story was a little confusing; at first I thought the poem had a direct relationship to the story.

It wasn't quite fair, though—saying in one breath you didn't accept MarySue stories and then printing Trekworld on the next page—but Poblocki's MarySue was far outside the norm. Regarding I Am Not Sherlock—it is not kind to make fun of a person who's having an identity crisis. Even if it is funny.

Seriously, about your criticism—or criticism in general: true, it should be gentle if one is criticizing a youngster, maybe fourteen or under. When I was about twelve I wrote a truly awful U.N.C.L.E. Marysue and showed it half-finished mess to an author who lived down the street. Very kindly, she pointed out the spelling errors, the language errors, and explained that the Boer War had not been fought in Ireland—well, I'd only had American history at that point. How she managed to refrain from hysterics at the rest of the tale is beyond me—I found it a couple of months ago and it was worse than the scroungiest Marysues ever written—but if she had laughed out loud I'd never have even looked at another typewriter for another twenty years. A kid will find out soon enough about rejection slips and if she/he really wants to write, will start looking for people to criticize, even if the toughening process takes several years. Cirticism is the only way one learns to write so that someone will take the time to read what one has written. It only takes a little longer to write something decent than it does to write crap (ok, sometimes it takes a lot longer; sometimes it's impossible) but any writing at all takes a lot of time and thought and should be the B*E*S*T that that writer can do at that time. Anyhow, my thanks to Mary Ann Emerson for putting it so very well.[73]

[zine]:

Sharon Emily sounds rather bitter in her remarks about ST critics and their evaluations of fan fiction. No doubt she has her reasons, but I haven't seen much evidence of the "wallopingly huge negative attitude" she speaks of, and I buy quite a few zines. Perhaps as an author she is overly sensitive to criticism.

She has a valid point about the tender feelings of amateur writers, and I think any reviewer owes it to the author to be as kind as possible. But I, as a buyer and reader, appreciate an honest evaluation of the literary worth of a zine before I spend my hard-earned cash. Zines are getting outrageously expensive, and I very seldom buy one anymore unless I see a favorable review of it by someone whose judgment I respect. So, I appreciate your review column and the honesty you use in evalu ating a zine. If someone's feelings are hurt, this is unfortunate, but anyone who is asking $3 to $5 for a zine is sticking his neck out and has to expect some adverse criticism if it isn't worth the money. Keep up the good work! [74]

[zine]:

The stories, articles, parodies, etc. in #10 are individually up to your usual high standards, but I think saving one of the humorous pieces for a future issue and substituting another serious story might have provided a better balance. Aside from reports on fan activity, the editorials, book reviews and loc's, there are only two serious pieces; one of which is a poem...

My first reaction to Jane Aumerle's poem, "Carnal Marriage," is hallelujah! Someone doing real poetry instead of thoughts cut up into lines. I try to comment on Trek poetry as little possible, and somehow people feel it's not fair for a Trek critic not to expose himself to similar criticism from others. The fact is, I know I'm not a poet, and I'm not going to write drivel just so someone else can.tear it apart! However, I have had rigorous training in poetic interpretation, and thus, having a good poem to comment upon here, I.'m going to break my rule. It is, first of all a delight to find someone using a classic form—such an attempt indicates that the writer is aware that in real poetry the form has a direct relationship to the content. Aumerle has chosen the classic form of the sonnet, and introduced her poem with a classic Latin quotation, perfectly related to the poem. The poem builds to that crackling final line—and to point it out, Aumerle not only chooses the appropriate form of the sonnet, Petrar chan rather than Shakespearean (which requires a sparkling couplet rather than a final perfect line), but dares to call attention to that line by making it an alexandrine. A poet working within the form to that degree must know precisely how to use it. The thought fits the structure in perfect Petrarchan form: the octave is the action of Amok Time; the sestet is Stonn's reflection upon the results of that action some years later. The rhyme scheme is perfect—not a single forced rhyme distracts the reader. But ah, the poem has one deep flaw for the reader with a good sense of rhythm—its iambic pentameter does not flow. Almost every line either has to be forced, or cannot be read in the proper meter at all. Please, don't tell me every line does not have to be perfect—I know that; I've got a Ph.D. in English. I teach this stuff...A very, very good try, Jane Aumerle. Keep at it. When you've got all but one element of a genre licked, keep at it until you get it perfect!

Jacqueline Bielowicz's story, "The Seeds of Vision" is fine indeed. While all of us who have been around as long as fandom has have the tendency to sigh with delight over any story not about life aboard the Enterprise, thia story is on excellent embodiment of an ideal within a believable plot and likable characters. While the ending is archetypal, Bielowicz makes that human habit of turning to an ideal preached by a charismatic individual through an emotional response to his martyrdom somehow logical! It is not Surak's death that causes Suran to make his decision; it is recognition that Surak's philosophy is feasible because good men react as Sopt reacts to Sarn's rash act of murder. Eminently logical! But emotionally appealing to us humans in the audience.

Now, Sharon and Paula, let me take you to task for not allowing either Aumerle's poem or Bialowicz's story to be as good it could have been. You owe the poet more as editors, for a single flaw in fourteen lines stands out much more than a single flaw in eight reduced pages. Also, the reader will be more forgiving of an awkwardness in prose than of one in verse. The fact is, by the time a writer sends you a story he has a very good idea of what he intends to say—and do, in the case of a poem. He has come close to saying and doing it, or you would not accept his work, but here and there he has slipped up. Your job as editor is to help him see where something that just slightly misses the mark can be adjusted so that everything works perfectly together.

...There are four or five such places in ( (Bielowicz story ((in which)) the tense, which had been past, suddenly switches annoying to past perfect; you should have encouraged the author to loave it in simple past tense. ...You should have asked the author what she meant, and then helped her make the passage say exactly that.

I speak as an author who has frequently been helped by good editors. A good editor makes no attempt to change what an author is trying to say, but helps the author find the best way to say it. We are all still learning—we'd better be, for anyone who has stopped learning is dead!

...There is room in Trekfandom for everyone—but not necessarily as a writer of fiction or poetry. Fact: anyone who can write a decent LoC can write a dedent article if he puts his mind to it. Some people simply can't write short stories, novels or poems. I can't write poetry. All right...So I write articles, short stories, and novels—and my most successful work shows the tension (compression of theme and thought) that r learned in my unsuccessful attempts to write poetry. But what about the new writers? There have to be zines where they can publish their first attempts, or they will never get either the editorial help or the reader comment that will polish their work up to MENAGERIE'S level. Perhaps along with all their other woes, zine editors might take it upon themselves to know which zines will take virtually anything, and try always to suggest such an alternative in any rejection, unless there is not ever the slightest potential hope to be seen. ...And of course there is the sadly flawed story that is still fascinating. Often there is no way that particular work can be corrected, but there is so much good in it that it deserves to be read—especially so the author has exposure to the many people who will write to say what they found in the story.

If I had tried to rewrite The Night of the Twin Moons before publishing it, how would I have known what people would like and what they would object to in it? I'm not going to rewrite it, for I haven't been convinced that the most popular objection is truly a flaw, and changing it would change the entire novel into something else—but I have learned two areas in which I will never be so subtle again, because nine out of ten readers missed what I thought was right under their noses.

...Perhaps some of you experienced writers out there who are not faced with amateur efforts every day might be willing to work with new writers. Instead of broadcasting the names, though, so that the Good Samaritans would not be deluged with impossible junk, how about each one who is willing letting hia favorite zine editors (who have published his wrok, of course] know that he will work with new writers? Then when an editor sees work with potential he would introduce new writer and old via mail. ((A very good idea; some workshopping! does go on, but it is rather limited. Volunteers? - - ps)} [75]

[zine]: I love/hate MENAGERIE. That is just fine; at least you're not mediocre. [76]

Issue 11

front cover of issue #11, C. Lee Healy
back cover of issue #11, Joan Thornbottom

Menagerie 11 was published in February 1977 and is 35 pages long. Printed offset, stapled, 40 pages. Art by Susan Armstrong, Terry Austin, Gordon Carleton, Mike Chicchelly, Liz Dulac, Phil Foglio, C. Lee Healy, Doug Herring, Monica Miller, Peggy Pomposini, and Joan Thornbottom.

The letters of comment topics are mainly focused on perceived elitism in fandom, highhandedness in standards and critique, Mary Sues, and power. Oddly, not one fan commented on the review of Alternative: Epilogue to Orion. Read them in the reactions and reviews for issue #10.

There are two editorial in this issue. One is a short one from Sharon who explained the issue is late, partly due to her wedding. The other editorial is an essay by Paula addressing fan's criticism of Paula and Sharon's criticisms. See I (and Sharon) have been backed into a corner defending a single position over quality controls. Frankly, I rather resent this.. An excerpt:

Somehow, in the past year or so, [we] have been backed into a corner defending a single position over quality controls. . . . We stand in the dock accused of wanting every zine to look like MENAGERIE. Untrue. We want every zine to look like INTERPHASE. We also want every zine to look like WARPED SPACE, like STARDATE: UNKNOWN, like MASIFORM D and SPOCKANALIA, like ERIDANI TRIAD and BABEL, like METAMORPHOSIS, KRAITH COLLECTED and HALKAN COUNCIL. They ought also look like PEGASUS, or failing that, like SEHLAT'S ROAR. They should look like CONTACT and IDIC at those two's best, or ENERGIZE at its worst. . . . Basically, [we] are mean, rotten, nasty, vile, stubborn, pigheaded, horrible snots who, for a lark, vivisect baby kitties. You must understand this in your approach to our zine. If, in taking up a copy of MENAGERIE to read, scan, or wipe with, you expect sweetness and light, you're not going to get it. If you expect welcome mats and kissiepoos, you may get bare courtesy. If you expect the best goddamn job we can do, *that* we will deliver. We'll strive to hone our stuff, erase pencilmarks, align columns and correct typos, hound our contributors and printer for *their* best work, take our lumps when we do something stupid, and apologize when we're wrong, which is often. Then we'll try to do better. Not that you should ever expect anything less.

Contents:

  • from issue #11, Monica Miller

  • from issue #11,Gordon Carleton

  • from issue #11,Susan Armstrong

  • from issue #11, portrait of Gordon Carleton and Lori Chapek-Carleton by Gordon Carleton

  • from issue #11, one of the "Tablecloth Drawings" by Phil Foglio, a fabulous line-up of BNFs

  • from issue #11, one of the "Tablecloth Drawings" by Phil Foglio, a fabulous line-up of BNFs

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 11

See relations and reviews from Return from the Glass Isle: The Romantic Structure of Star Trek.

[zine]: This issue features a story by Paula Block & Paula Smith, Wedding Party 6. This is obviously the story of Lori Chapek and Gordon Carleton's wedding and it is necessarily halarious, with art to accompany. This Side, a Pair 'o Dice is one of Paula's wonderful paradies, and is also halarious. This issues serious touch (it seems they all have one) is Honor Bound by Paula Smith. It tells of Sonseh, a Vulcan, and his adventures with the Romulans. Very good reading. Also included is an article on the Romantic structure of Star Trek by Jane Aumerle, poetry corner, Dragons (a cartoon portfolio) and ST and the Beverley Hillbillies... Another gem. [77]

[zine]: The artwork in this issue, as in all Menageries, is superlative, from the 'Sword in the Stone' styled cover by C.L. Healy, to Monical Miller's romantic illustrations for Jane Aumerle's Trekkish ode to Northrop Frye, to Carolynn Roth's whimsical dragons. Miller's in particular, give the surrounding prose a veneer of quality, elevating the status of Aumerle's essay on the romantic structure of Star Trek from term paper to top class. I never expected to see Northrop Frye contributing his two bits to the essence of Trek. If you follow his rules of the road to literature, you can write a scholarly paper on the romantic structure of anything, even The Beverly Hillbillies. Speaking of which, there's a comparison of the aforementioned sit-com to Star Trek, appropriately illustrated by Gordon Carleton... And Warped Space's infamous Landing Party 6 invades this issue with a 'Featured Fen' article on the Chapek-Carletons and a collaboration by Smith and Block (who are two separate entities), entitled 'Wedding Party 6.' The Phil Folio/Gordon Carleton cartoons are a highlight. 'Honor Bound' by P. Smith starts out in a satirical veind but ends up on a satisfying dramatic note. The story is dedicated to Cara Sherman's lovable klutzy Vulcan, Peter Sunn, whose influence on Paula's Vulcan Sonseh is obvious. But Sonseh is not Peter, Paula is not Cara, and this story is completely autonomous of the Sunn series. [78]

[zine]: After reading Menagerie from issue #1 on, I have decided that this zine is hazardous to my health. Usually, the satires (Paula Smith is a major offender in this area) send me into spasms of laughter. And the serious stuff is so engrossing that I can't put it down, even if I'm expected someplace in ten minutes. This has caused me, on occasion, to walk into walls, miss my bus stop, or try to cross the street before the light has changed... And they did it again with this issue, too. While reading 'Wedding Party 6' by Paula Block and Smith, about Girc 'N and Kimeya Maya's marriage in a cow pasture on the planet Mundane, I laughed so hysterically that my brother threatened to wrap me in a rubber suit and call the nice men in white coats. 'Featured Fen' a profile of Lori and Gordon Carleton, whose wedding was satirized in the previously mentioned tale, calmed me down a bit but 'This Side, a Pair O'Dice,' a satire by that incurable mischief-maker Paula Smith brought back the laughing fit. Next, capitalizing on my weakness for dragons, there were two whole page of dragons with the Enterprise (done expertly-handled article with the premise that ST follows the romantic tradition of literature. And speaking of literature, after that was a Paula Smith spectacular called 'Honor Bound,' which I fortunately put down before tripping going downstairs for a mid-morning snack. 'Honor Bound,' somehow manages to take a misfit Vulcan in the throes of pon farr, a smart-aleck captain, and the ruler of a planet of cut-throats, pirates and rip-off artists who thinks he's the Wizard of Oz -- throws them all together and comes out with a good, serious and altogether convincing story. Winding up the issue, we find something called 'Star Trek and the Beverly Hillbillies,' a totally preposterous paper pointing at the similarities between the two series, which is surprisingly convincing. Then there is the usual, which for Menagerie is the unusually good artwork... particularly apt fanzine reviews, and an LoC section in which the editors strike a blow for fanzine quality. On the issue of fanzine quality, no one can accuse Sharon and Paula of not practicing what they preach. [79]

[zine]: 'Wedding Party Six' leads thish off. I would assume that this is the LP6 version of the for-really-and-truly wedding of Lori Chapek and Gordon Carleton. It's not without a few good jokes here and there with some great illos by Carlteon/Foglio. Needless to say, if was more than appropriate to find that the featured fans of this issue are Gordon and Lori. 'This Side, Pair o' DIce' is a take off on an episode, and if I have to tell you which one you might as well forget even reading it. Paula has done better episodes parodies, and this one falls short of notability because of its particularly weak ending, but, like the LP6 story before it, this too has its share of zingers aside. 'Dragons' is just that, a series of pictorial fantasies involving the Big E and some fo the most adorable dragons I've ever seen. There is one shot of a dragon reclining comfortable on its back blowing smoke rings that is truly captivating. 'Return from the Glass Isle' is one of the most tedious, pithy intellectual study of Star Trek I have ever seen. The author presupposes the audience is familiar with all the classic works of romance she refers to, like 'Song of Roland,' 'Morte D'Arthur,' and others. It is far too academic, and doesn't give the reader enough background to even know what the author is referring to. I tried to force myself to read through the whole thing but I just could not. It was intolerable... about as stirring as a report on igneous rock formations from the Oligocene epoch. Yawn! The article is superbly illustrated by Monica Miller, but it seems such a waste. Not even a pretty wrapper helps this turkey out. 'Honor Bound' is really a strange tale... even strange for Paula Smith. The story involves a sort of life history of an oddball Vulcan and his seemingly jinxed life. And we all thought Spock had problems... compared to Sonseh (the Vulcan in question), Spock is Mr. Lucky. Sonseh finds himself in all sorts of troubles throughout the story until he meets up with a Romulan woman. Magically, the story changes here, in tone, in style... it's as though someone else wrote the last third of the story. It turns from tongue-in-cheek farce to serious drama. Very confusing. 'Star Trek and the Beverly Hillbillies' is a somewhat forced comparison between the two television shows. It stretches a few details here and there but only for comedic effect, which it accomplishes pretty well... Almost all of the art inside is well above average in quality. There is a good cover by C. Lee Healey and gorgeous illo inside by Susan Armstrong of a lion and a unicorn snuggling up to each other that I just loved. I doubt, however, that few people would have shed tears if the Aumerle article had been deleted. There have been better issues of 'Menagerie', but it's still a good zine all around. [80]

[zine]:
  • Wedding Party 6 / The dour T'Kutian Girc'n accidentally asks his sweetie Kimeya Maya to marry him; she instantly accepts, leading to a farce of wedding plans and the nuptials themselves on her dull and cow-filled home planet. A pretty funny little farce with great Gordon Carleton drawings.
  • This Side, a Pair o' Dice / Spoof of the episode. Funny if you're in the right mood, otherwise tedious.
  • Dragons, or, Saurian About That / Some pretty cute space-dragon cartoons
  • Return from the Glass Isle: the Romantic Structure of Star Trek / Comparison of Star Trek with Arthurian romances.
  • Honor Bound / Paula's work is always a delight, no matter what genre or approach she is taking. I don't know how she does it, but she can , as she does here, write a story with tongue firmly in cheek and still make it evocative, compelling and tender. This one involves a klutz of a Vulcan in Starfleet doomed to die of pon farr, a Romulan officer captured for the slave trade, and their salvation of one another.
  • Star Trek and the Beverly Hillbillies / Silly piece - the title says it all. It was someone's paper for a class taught by Paula Block.
  • Poetry of note: Peter / Paula Smith nice irony of a space-suited Peter Pan oblivious to his danger [81]

Issue 12

front cover of issue #12, Susan Armstrong
back cover of issue #12, Robin Wood

Menagerie 12 was published in May or July 1977 and is 31 pages long. Cover: Susan Armstrong; back cover: Robin Wood. Other art by Leslie Fish, Robert Abiera, Gordon Carleton, Connie Faddis, Phil Foglio, Vaugh Guild, Amy Harlib, Doug Herring, Taral MacDonald, Carolyn Roth, Joni Wager, Bill Warren.

Issues #12 and #13 were sent out at the same time.

This issue contains an infamous letter, one that sparked much debate on explicit adult material and fanzines. See excerpt below the art gallery.

  • art from issue #12, from "Spock's Inflammation" by Gordon Carleton

  • art from issue #12, from "Planting a Child" by Joni Wagner

  • art from issue #12, self-portrait by Connie Faddis

  • art from issue #12, Leslie Fish

  • art from issue #12, Leslie Fish

  • art from issue #12

Reactions and Reviews: Fiction and Art in Issue 12

[zine]: MEN 12 is boojums' best effort so far, a very even and well-balanced zine. All the humor is genuinely funny on its own merits, none is ego-trip. "Spock's Inflammation" is reprinted here, and is, if anything, funnier the second time around. It does suffer a bit in unnecessary translation: "an ordinary serving officer" is not the same as "an ordinary busboy". Paula's "The Tommy Tourist Handy-Dandy Galactic Phrase Book" doesn't lose a thing, though. Anyone who has ever suffered through a beginning language course will feel right at home. "Selvage Curtain" starts off with an atrocious pun and gets worse--'s marvellous. Frankie Jemison's "Iron Pyrites and Coal Dust" and Brenda Shaffer's "The Creation (Genesis II)" are excellent take-offs on D & R and The Making of STAR TREK, respectively. The one serious piece thish is Phyllis Karr's "Planting a Child." It has a pleasant Pangbornish flavor that comes not just from its technologically primitive setting but from Karr's deep sympathy for her characters. The culture is well-thought-out and consistent, as is the native idiom, which has a kind of naive gracefulness. This is an extremely well-done story, impossible to fault. There are also four con reports on Se*KwesterCon, Too: Lori's amusing and informative, Gerry's mature and thought- ful, M.L. Dodge's strident and bitter, and Dixie Owen's simply hilarious. The editorials and LoC's thish are almost all better-tempered than they have been recently, a welcome change. The art, as usual, is gorgeous. [82]

[zine]:
  • Spock's Inflammation / A lovely, punny send-up of Kraith wherein Spock ends up with a Klingon, surgically altered to impersonate a hedgehoggy Herrison ambassador, embedded in his tush, and the day is saved by Lt. Marisoo sacrificing herself in forming a christmas-tree-like "nexus."
  • The Creation (Genesis II) / "In the beginning, Roddenberry..." Clever, actually.
  • Selvage Curtain / Punderful "Savage Curtain" parody in which Nixon (and Colonel Mustard) are on the side of the baddies.
  • The Visionary / Essay. Connie summarizes her life in Trekdom and the beginnings of her zine Interphase.
  • SekWestercon TooCon Reports / Positive reports by Lori Chapek-Carleton (art by Gordon Carleton) & Gerry Downes; angry report by Mary Louise Dodge who felt it was a pornfest.
  • Planting a Child / A rather sweet little cautionary tale of cross-cultural misunderstanding. A landing party is checking out a planet with a pre-industrial civilization (subject to Prime Directive constraints). Lieutenant Tarbon unwittingly ruins a young man's life by indulging in a sexual encounter without understanding the ramifications in his culture. Nice development of a culture. [83]

[zine]:

MEN12 was up to your usual standards. "Planting a Child" I liked very much, as it showed the viewpoint of another culture; but the ending bothered me. I don't really understand what the author was trying to say. Abortion is bad for everyone? Different ethics for different cultures? The ending wasn't strong enough on the point of the story to really define it well.

...One of the things I hate most is someone trying to "force" high standards on me (or low standards). I choose what I want to read, in books or zines, I choose what I watch on TV or at the movies. Most of the time it is (so-called) escapist nonsense. But I also appreciate the opportunity of having the choice between "high' and "low" culture.

Kathy Haan's letter: I feel that way, too. I've found out that I can write but I still want to contribute to fandom somehow. I've worked at cons, I've helped collate a fanzine, I contribute to STW, I buy fanzines. But what else can anon-author, non-artist do? Sometimes a fan can't really feel part of fandom unless they have materially added something to fandom. What does a person with no talent (and knows he has no talent) do? For one thing, the no-name fan is the backbone of fandom. There are more of us. By sheer weight of number, we buy most of the zines, we go to cons, we spend money. We are the consumers of what the BNF produces" We are necessary to fandom. ...All that doesn't help Kathy much. You just have to do what you can. Join a ST club. Volunteer to help at cons. Collate. Write letters. Volunteer as secre tary to a BNF. Do ST needlepoint, tie-dying, embroidery, knitting. Use your imagination. Coolie labor is always welcome. Accept your limitations but find them first. That's the way of the world. [84]

[zine]:

Yes, I did enjoy ((MENAGERIE 12)). The back cover was especially good--there's a poem or story in there someplace. Frankie Jemison's poetry is almost always outstanding, and "Iron Pyrites and Coal Dust" struck my fancy, perhaps because I don't like Chantal/Chanticleer at all.

As a newcomer to ST fandom, the reviews are a BIG help. And I love LoCs; they get my brain to spinning even more than "Good Stories." For example, what is all this furor over editorial requirements? Those have always been part of "the writing game. When you submit to the pros, and your stuff comes back covered with comments and criticisms, WOW! That's great! It means you're edging closer, close enough to be WORTH an editor's time and trouble...There 's certainly nothing personal in it--they scrutinize the WRITING, not the person...It is hard, especially at first (Before you get used to it!) to have your work rejected. It is a little piece of yourself that you're putting on the line. But that's part of the process, part of learning to BE a writer, and must be accepted as such. Otherwise you end up with a drawerful of unsubmitted mss, and eventually you lose even the desire to write. Frankly, THAT frightens me more than criticism or rejection slips. THAT is the real failure. Judging from LoCs I've read in WARPED SPACE and now MEN, Trekfans seem to be a volatile bunch! So much anger, so much defensiveness--and so much talent! [85]

Fan Comments in Issue 12 Regarding Mary Lou Dodge's Letter

[zine]:

A friend of mine received her copy of MENAGERIE 12 today and read me bits and pieces over the phone.

Said friend has a flair for dramatics and therefore saved the most interesting (?!) bit for last. I must admit, it was the most stimulating piece I've heard in the last few months. In fact, it stimulated me so well that my blood pressure is sky-high and I'm unable to sleep without venting my anger by setting pen to paper.

"Somebody owes a big apology to real Star Trek fans..." and that somebody is Mary Louise Dodge. One of the philosophies that draws fen together, and the philosophy that made ST unique, is the concept of IDIC--that we should rejoice in our differences in stead of striving to become part of the unknown mass. MLD obviously feels that we should all share her values...well, dammit! we don't!

Her "con report" (if it can be labeled as such) was not only naive, narrow-minded and blind, it was ignorant of the artistic conception. (Dare I use the word "conception"--? I might offend her puritan mores!)

Part of what made Trek work was that it was about real people, and real people love and hate, have intercourse. Women become pregnant. Husbands leave their wives--the list goes on and on. Who wants to read sterile stories in which "android" characters, one male, one female, crash a shuttlecraft on a planet and do nothing for 70 odd pages? That, my friend, is BORING. The good stories are, in my opinion, the ones that contain a measure of reality, a "slice of life." And may I re- mind Miss Dodge that, at the end of The Castaways, that pseudo-novel that I took special delight in throwing across the room, a bond was formed between Spock and Whatsername (a completely forgettable character) and it was intimated that, should Spock ever mate with an other, she'd know it. Now, if that's not prurient, what is!!

Miss Dodge's comments were a calculated insult to many of fandom's best writers. I take particular exception to the slap given Dr. Jean Lorrah for The Night of the Twin Moons. NTM is hardly a "prissy-porn novel." It is, in fact, one of the best written novels dealing with a very sensitive subject: love. And where there's love between a man and a woman, there is going to be sex--or does MLD subscribe to the theory that Spock was created in a test tube. He looks like his father...how does she suppose he got that way?

Now, I personally do not agree with the Kirk/Spock homosexual relationship theory. That is my opinion--however I will defend to the death the right for anyone to write about such a relationship. I may choose not to read it--that is my prerogative. But I have read many. And if all of them were as well written as Leslie Fish's "Poses" and "Shelter," I'd probably read them all. Why must good, creative talent be aborted because of one Mary Louise Dodge?

I was at SeKWester*Con, Too--even did a panel. There certainly was nothing "prurient" about it, nor was there anything even resembling porn or erotica. Did MLD go to the same con as I did? I found nothing offensive there. Me thinks MLD protesteth too much.

"This year homosexuality...next year is scheduled for incest, particularly with your pre-teen children." Low blow! There are only two writers in fandom who really deal with pre-teen children--myself and Eileen Roy. I have no idea what ER plans for Jim/Jai, but I can assure you, that I have no intention of doing a Spock/Sahaj "get-together"...however, I damn well have the right to do it, if I so desire. There is no reason why I cannot explore that aspect of relationship if I so choose. It is not up to MLD to censure what I write. No one is forced to buy a zine...It strikes me that Miss Dodge has several large problems. Somebody get her a man, quick. Maybe then she'd learn the joys of life...she might even learn to incorporate them into her writing.

Having expounded myself to death...I want to make it clear that the above nonsense is an expression of my opinion. I speak only for myself. But it does occur to me that Mary Louise Dodge would benefit from a gift...The Joy of Sex. Maybe I'll sent it to her for Christmas...along with the key to her solid neutronium chastity belt.

[86]

[zine]:

And the DELTA TRIAD parody made a nice follow-up to the report on SeKWester*Con, Too by Dodge in #12.

On that subject, I did not attend the convention, so am not qualified to judge how many of her accusations are true. However, of course, no one expects her to answer Welcommittee's letters in the fashion she describes.

But, on reading her comments, I was reminded of a review I read about Ellison's Again, Dangerous Visions. It said, "Read until you find a story that offends you, and have your prejudices defined." I think Dodge has defined hers for us. Apparently, judging by DELTA TRIAD supplement, hetero-sex is O.K., as long as you insist on the age statement from your readers. I have no bias for the gay community and no activity in that direction, but I object to her term "simpering gay." In a rather wide readership of zines. I haven't run into any stories that portrayed the K/S relationship in that light (except for a couple of obviously not-to-be-taken-seriously parodies). Rather, it has been shown as a natural culmination of a developing love, and an exclusive relationship, not extended to anyone else. Hardly a "simpering gay" image. And her comments on incest seem based on one hearsay report.

I think more emphasis should be placed on correcting the disservice she did Leslie Fish by incorrectly identifying the writing for which she received her award. "The Weight" is a carefully-plotted, thoroughly researched story with reasonably developed characters from Star Trek and outstanding characterization of her new characters. Of course, it is not written for a pre-teen audience, but demands thoughtful, mature consideration.

Surely there is room in fandom for quality writing on all levels. I feel that writers should not be criticized for incorporating some of the more controversial issues of the day. After all, our newspapers this summer have been filled with discussions pro and con about abortion, homosexuality, and civil rights of all groups Gene Roddenberry took on controversial topics in the series. Why shouldn't we? [87]

[zine]:

So nice to get two MENAGERIES at once. I usually don't pay much attention to the artwork in a zine, but Robin Wood's bacover was beautiful. The winged man looks to be reaching up to the stars even more than he is looking at them. Margaret Draper's "Spock's Inflam mation" was wonderful. The writer must have immersed . herself in Kraith before writing it, she has the style down unmistakably. She could start a whole new series.

A few suggestions for Kathy Haan about fanac for her and others who can' t write, draw, etc. You could try editing a fanzine, It probably helps a great deal in editing if you can write well in that you can give more, definite advice on rewrites and so forth, but it's really not that necessary. Some very good editors in the sf field are not particularly good writers. Also, if you're the editor, you need never worry about having your stuff rejected! By the way, if you keep on writing and working at it, your writing should improve. If editing takes up too much time, you could try reviewing zines for another zine. Or write lots of Iocs to lots of zines. [88]

[zine]:

I was going to say I'd never been disappointed with an issue, but I think I'll waive that for a chance to do a little constructive bitching. The humor, as always, was excellent and quick, although for one of the few times the visual overshadowed the written (par ticularly in the first story). The written was just a touch off-base.

But the serious story was an example of what had been bitched about all issue: porn substituting for story. The local characters and color were excellent. The rest was implausible. Don't you think Kirk and Co. would have done a little research before dropping in with full accoutrements? The obvious disregard for local customs, the you-poor-slobs attitude, above all the snotty female; bletch. Well, you say, conducted properly, there would have been no story. Precisely. There is no justification for that story. The only good point was the proper portrayal of Spock for the first time in fanfiction. The mediator, the calm one, the fair one, that's what Spock should be. Granted that there was little of him; well, in a short story the amount of character focus is necessarily limited. But that female should be kept on board cleaning labs. No sensitivity, no sense: a casual seduction, on an unknown planet? Bullshit. I'm surprised she didn't charge him. And my respect for the crew regulars was destroyed by their actions: McCoy, especially, taking the part of the whining female who destroys a man's life and then bursts into tears upon being slapped. Gag. No, trying to portray such a character sympathe tically is like trying to drown Mark Harris.

As for the porno debate (pardon, erotica): cool it. I admit to a fascination for the Kryptonite Syndrome myself, but such writing should be done in private until mastered and even then taken in moderation. That was the trouble with The Price of the Phoenix: except for the oddly poetic title, it reeked. Erotica,torture, porno, you tag it: unless handled properly, it offends more than entices. (One good example I can think of is The Logical Conclusion.) ((of what??--ps)) [89]

[zine]:

I didn't sit down intending to write a LoC, but that's how it goes. MENAGERIE 13 is awful. 12 is terrific. Win some, lose some. All I really want to do is make two things "perfectly clear" with regard to the SeKWester*Con reports:

1) I don't consider Leslie's winning the FanQ award a slap in the face--I didn't vote for "The Weight," thought "A Lesson in Perspective" and "The Tinman" a helluva lot better. Mary Lou's entitled to her opinion, but was taking my name in vain; and

2) I did not play the part of the red Torino. I was the LTD. Faddis was the Torino.

Such is life.

"Planting a Child" was very good, no entendre intended. When is Starfleet going to issue an order forbidding sex with natives before the local attitudes on sex are determined. (PoorJTK) The native's-eye- view was confusing for a page or two, but added a lot to the feel of the story. Joni's illos of the "toys" were exquisite. The funny stuff really was, which was nice. I'd heard about Spock's Inflammation, but had no idea of the *ahem* nature of the complaint...It's a good thing you put "Selvage" after that, though., because it was funnier. My favorite of the issue was the Galactic Phrase Book. When are you opening a Berlitz school? (Total Immersion to learn Schillian, right?)

Regarding those cancer patients, Laurie Haldeman, who's a surgical assistant, says she only knows one cancer patient who's into Trek--and said patient really enjoys K/S get-togethers. [90]

[zine]: The highlight of #12 was, of course, "Planting a Child." This is the first I've seen of Phyllis Karr's work, but I hope to see more. She has produced a well- constructed, well-written, gently handled story--as good a treatment of an alien viewpoint as "For Sale, Must Sacrifice." I have only two criticisms. One--I don't believe that Kirk & Co. would be so amazed to find a monogamous society with no extra-or pre-marital sexual relations permitted. It's simply not that uncommon a system, It used to be, at one time, the only system permitted in certain parts of the Earth. Even if it's not the most common system (which it sure isn't and won't ever be), still, I'll bet it's encountered pretty frequently especially in more primitive societies. Two--there were a few characterization flaws, especially in McCoy's vehement reaction. As a person who's usually pretty insightful and sensitive, not to mention old-fashioned, I think he would be more likely to understand the alien's point of view, maybe be the first to realize it. And it was pretty careless of Tarbon to accept a gift and have sex with someone whose customs are totally unknown, without first making sure exactly what is implied/expected from the gift and the sex. Gifts and sex are always loaded with customs and meaning. This is covered in your cadets' basic Exosociology 101. Right after "A polite and non-critical attitude should be extended to all aliens upon first contact" (or, "Make nice with the natives") comes the rule, in big letters: DO NOT ACCEPT GIFTS, HAVE SEX, OR ENGAGE IN ANY CEREMONY WITHOUT FIRST MAKING SURE WHAT IS INVOLVED. Other than that, a wonderful story. And Joni , Wagner's illos are simply beautiful, as always. The child planting charm and the birth bed charm were exquisite. [91]

[zine]: "Selvage Curtain" was a literary masterpiece of heavy handed-ness and probably your best parody yet, hitting every cherished institution mentioned or alluded to squarely on the nose...."Planting a Child" is a good example of how not to make a First Contact. Though the premise is very interesting, the writing was very unbalancing, somehow it didn't ring true. Nice try, with a little rewriting... (Which is something like saying, "You're a nice boy and I'm sure someday you'll meet the right girl, but I don't want to go out with you." I was sincere and so was Phyllis Karr but it wasn't enough. Dammit.). [92]

[zine]:

You do realize you've done it now--and a lot of us are tickled mauve over it. I'm referring, of course, to your parody of DELTA TRIAD. A certain "Mary Sou" has been on my back for the last few months and I told her she was making a fool of herself. Your contribution made sure everyone realized it. You even managed the difficult task of being devastating without being malicious. Never thought I'd laugh at a mention of cancer patients--but that satire did me in.

...One thing does bother me a bit tho...would an editor who publically proclaims her high literary standards accept a poem that uses "Chanticleer" as a female name when since Chaucer and before it has stood for male stupidity and sense of false superiority? On a lower level--would such an editor accept a poem with such a lame title? ((yes. --ps)) Now we would be glad to see a really good parody--since there hasn't been one yet. But the way things are going Mandi and I may be forced to write it ourselves. (Diapers & Lust is the title I favour.) 'Course this still leaves the problem of why this unfortunate poem was accepted -- I mean she rhymes "cold" with "soul." I know--she was holding Nimoy as hostage. Right? [93]

[zine]: I just received #12 and was disturbed by the apparent fragmentation taking place in fandom. Is it really that bad? The con reports indicated some disruntled fen (Mary Louise Dodge). I hope such unhappiness isn't fatal. [94]

[zine]:

In reply to Mary Louise Dodge, my first question must be "What convention did you attend?" It sure doesn't sound like the same convention I attended. SeKWester*Con was not a pornography convention. It was a convention that allowed free expression for all its members on any topic they wished to discuss--and I applaud Paula and Sharon for it. In a word, that is called Freedom from Censorship, and isn't that what we all strive for?

To get specific for a moment, Ms Dodge complains rather bitterly about the panel discussions. My only comment on this item is if she were so upset and against the subject matter, where was she when the committee was looking for people to take the "con" side of the discussion? The opportunity was made available to her to state her opinions. She did not choose to avail herself of the opportunity. Therefore,herunhappiness is no one's fault but her own, and she has absolutely no reason to complain so adamantly.

On the other hand, if the subject matter of the panels disturbed her so much, Ms Dodge was under no obligation to attend them at all. There were plenty of other activities occurring at the same time to keep her occupied without having her sensitivities bruised. The "explicit" art did not constitute the entire art show; it was but a small fraction of what was exhibited.

As for her being ashamed of being in fandom, I can only say that it is her loss, not fandom's. Apparently, Ms Dodge wishes to be fandom's judge of morality and to that, I protest. There is no one, save G-d, whom I will permit to dictate to me what my value judgments should be. That is G-d's right, and His alone. If I take a wrong turn along the way, that is my problem-- not Ms Dodge's, so long as I do not infringe on her rights.

What Ms Dodge fails to realize is that pornography, homosexuality, and all the other vices that the human flesh and/or mind is heir to, is a part of life; granted, it is the seamier part but nevertheless, it is a part. In order for society to be capable of dealing and coping with these aspects, it first must be exposed to it. Ms Dodge wishes to enwrap us all in cotton batting as though we were all still babes in order to protect us from un-pleasantness. That is doing us a grave injustice. Life is not Mary Poppins, and closing one's 'eyes, ears, and mind to it will not make it disappear.

The trend in fanfic towards these particular types of stories and art is, I feel, nothing more than fandom reaching out to explore every aspect of its universe. Not to allow us the right to do so is two-fold: first, it does not allow us to grow, to enable us to decide for ourselves our own moral and value judgments; and second, it is, to come down to the nitty-gritty, censorship. If censorship is imposed by the voice of one person, society is being led down the road to a dictatorship. It only takes that first small step. Our society was founded on the principle of freedom and justice for all, and Ms Dodge's wishes to eliminate these types of stories and art do not allow us that freedom. Ms Dodge does not have,to buy or read those zines which contain this material--that is her freedom. But, please, do not impose someone else's beliefs on those who do not wish to follow them.

It is my firm belief that, although I personally do not care for the plethora of homosexual and poorly written "pornography" stories and art, I will, to borrow a phrase from Voltaire, defend to the death the authors' and artists' right to say it!

Ms. Dodge, you are correct. An apology is necessary; however, you are the one who owes it us. I am proud of fandom that it is able to explore and develop its members into adults who are capable of coping with whatever life hands them. To do less is criminal. To do more is devoutly to be wished. [95]

[zine]: It's no surprise to me that Mary Lou Dodge was dismayed with certain facets of the recent SeKWester* Con--just look at our decaying moral attitudes in society today; one would expect it to creep into fandom writing as well. Where do these fan writers get off thinking it justifiable because the material may be well-written? I don't care how good the writing may be--it is still hard porn. Yes, I said hard porn. Although I have never considered myself to be a "goodie-two-shoes" by not ordering these so-called "adult" zines, it happened one day while visiting a Trek friend, I paged through an issue of GRUP and was appalled at some of the artwork it contained. And of course, I mustn't forget the controversial thrills of Kirk & Spock--the homosexual twosome--that some fan writers have become obsessed with. That kind of relationship is total illogical and completely out of context as to how Star Trek presented their devoted friendship! Now, let us not be so naive to think these well-written and well-illustrated stories are NOT reaching the young fan--because they are. And I can only begin to imagine the kind of artwork represented at the SeKWester*Con--representing we the fan. Mary Lou, you're not alone when you ask, "What ever happened to good o' Star Trek?" [96]

[zine]:

MENAGERIE 12 & 13 arrived recently. Susan Armstrong's cover is striking, but I don't believe her Kzinti Queen. It took a while to decide what was wrong, but I finally remembered that Kzinti females are not intelligent. I can't imagine one being called a Queen.

...The SeKWester*Con, Too reports were interesting. It is always strange to see a report of an event you took part in and match your impressions of it with

the writer's. Dixie and I were definitely at the same con. Lori and I shared some experiences, but I got to eat Chinese food. Gerry's report reminds me strongly of my first con, which is rather strange since my first con was one of the New York February Cons. While not getting as emotional as Mary Louise does, I share many of her opinions. I don't like the porn, so I don't buy the zines that specialize in it, but I have no strong urge to rush around "protecting" anyone else from it. Sex, and sexuality, can be a very vital, enjoyable part of a story, as long as it is PART of the story, and not just stuck in for effect. (Hmmm, somehow this is beginning to sound like one of those dirty bubblegum cards that were sold at the auction on Saturday.) [97]

[zine]: The Star Trek Welcommittee has no intention of censoring fanzines. ALL zines will be listed in the Directory, unless we have complaints about the honesty of the editor/publisher--that is, "Money sent, no zine delivered" (within a reasonable time, of course). Since the Directory does NOT print the price of any zine, it is up to the buyer to write and ask. Then it is the responsibility of the ed/pub to decide whether or not the buyer is of age. It seems to us that it is also the responsibility of the ed/pub to describe the contents of their zine--honestlyl The Directory will include "Adult" if the ed/pub requests such a listing. Remember, even the professional book clubs include the words, "Some of the material in this book may be offensive to some readers," or, "This book con tains explicit sexual material." This can easily be included in zine flyers, and would then protect the ed/pub from complaints. [98]

[zine]:

I have been reading MENAGERIE since the first issue but have never written before. My philosophy on life seems to differ so much from the editors, that I felt my letter would never be published. And quite frankly, I have not really had the time, nor felt like getting involved in any heavy debates through the mail. I do my best' talking in person, rather than long distance. But I feel it is time that I speak up. Mary Lou Dodge's con report deserves support in many areas. I have a feeling all the pro people are going to write and condemn her for speaking out, and it's time for the rest of us to speak up.

I would not want the freedom of speech or the written word taken from any person. Nor do I intend to set myself up as the Anita Bryant of fandom. The issue of whether homosexuality is right or wrong is a judgment that God, and God alone will decide. What I do object to is this, people who are purchasing these zines do not know what they are buying, because the ads do not clearly state the contents. Labeling something "adult" means nothing! I think a person new to fanzines would purchase an adult magazine because they might be afraid that some of the zines were too "kiddy" for their taste, but certainly did not intend to read such blatant perverted material. And, too many children are buying adult fanzines. I have a friend who has been reading GRUP for two years, since the age of fifteen, but even he has become so shocked at the material, and will no longer subscribe. How many other children are purchasing ST zines without their parents knowing about it?? I hope that Welcommittee will take some kind of stand in regard to the ads they are running for fanzines.

My second issue has to do with so-called Star Trek Porn. For the most part, it's truly sad. There have been only a few cases where the author has conveyed the true spiritual beauty of two people sharing love thru the joining of their bodies; they are "making love," not having sex. Unfortunately, most writers have become so concerned with the mechanics of having sex, that the story suffers and the characters come across as .a bunch of animals with little regard for the feelings of their partner. GRUP is a very sad example of sex getting in the way of good writing. Compare the first three issues with. the last few and you will see what I mean. I have reached the point where I no longer purchase so-called adult zines, because it isn't adult, and it makes me feel creepy to read such trash.

My third issue has to do with the fact you feel BERENGARIA is somewhat over-priced. The list price is $4.50 in person and $1.50 for First Class Mailing. This is not true. Each person's zine varies with the area they live. I project a price of a future issue, hoping that the post awful will not raise their prices and printing costs will not rise above that price... I object very strongly to zines that adver tize putting $1.50 or $2.00 down and they will tell you the price later. This smacks too much of gouging one's subscribers, besides making more work for oneself. [99]

[zine]:

Mary Louise Dodge's letter to you is certainly a prize example of something. What, I can't quite define. I don't understand her grounds for attacking you. It seems Ms Dodge is upset at two things. A) you write stories on themes she doesn't care for. B) a con you ran (and very well too) provided a forum for subjects she doesn't care for. Well, A) doesn't need comment. As Gerry Downes indicated in her ((con report)), if it makes a good story, it's a good theme. Most of us, including Ms Dodge, write "get" stories and "lay" stories, using our different degrees of explicitness. You write them better than many of us, but I hardly think you should be attacked for that. B) also seems very strange to me. The proper medium for such a protest is not an attack on the con committee, but rather a boycott of the con and/or panel, or presenting an argument at the panel, from the podium or the floor. In other words, if Ms Dodge chose to present a panel on "True Womanliness," I'd attend that panel and present my opinion of that mawkishness. I wouldn't attack the con committee for scheduling a panel on a theme that is repugnant to me.

As to what Ms Dodge should tell her cancer victims who have discovered STAR TREK, how about "welcome"? These people will find, just like the rest of us, that there are aspects of fandom they like, and aspects they can do without. And they will make their own choices in the time they have. Just like the rest of us. Fandom is a kind of a microcosm of life, and all the aspects of life of interest to this human race can be, and are increasingly being, expressed through fan lit and art. Some of us don't like the. themes othersofusexplore. Butthat'sbecauseweallchoose, and have chosen for us, the facets of humanity we will polish and display in ourselves, and those we will turn away from the light. All together, though, mightn't we have something truly shining? Let us rejoice in our differences, for Pete's sake. Otherwise, what's the point? [100]

[zine]:

I've heard a lot about the bickering that goes on in fandom, and it's always been something I've preferred to stay clear of. I'd really rather sit up here and write the stories I want to write for the people who want to read them, and let that be the end of it. But it begins to look as if I'd better get invol ved and SAY SOMETHING or I won't be able to do even that. Reading over the con reports for SeKWester*Con, it's hard to believe we were all at the same convenion. We were all grownups at the con, and many of us had gone specifically for the purpose of meeting each other and discussing subjects of mutual interest. I'm really sorry MLDodge felt so put upon, but this was a con for serious, creative ST fen, not the typical fan-in-the-street, and we didn't have to worry about little kids hearing our conversations. It seemed that we were all safe enough to have the kinds of conversation that bothered her so much, but I guess not. It's a shame that this spirit of camaraderie is being mistaken for a search for cheap thrills. Maybe our mistake was that we had a sense of humor, I mean, here we were, discussing the sexuality of fictional characters as though it was real and important, and at the same time, we were able to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. I remember a couple of panels where words were seen as tools of communication, and there was a lot of struggling for understandable definitions. Humor is a tool of communication also, it defuses strong emotion, puts us on common ground, lets us open up in a way that's not too threatening in a room full of strangers.

The Trek universes in our heads have to be comfortable places, for us to live in our imaginations. I can understand that you might not want some of the stuff I keep in mine. Just like I'm not crazy about a lot of the things iny ours. Sexuality is part of life; any serious character study is deficient if it does not touch on this area. Kirk in bed with his first officer has a lot more dignity than the Kirk of the typical Mary Sue epic, that has him all doe-eyed and weak-kneed over some marvelous new female--but a lot of people like Mary Sue stories, that's the way they like to have it, fine. Go ahead and write 'em, go ahead and read 'em. Some readers like stories without any sexual aspects at all -- again, fine. Enjoy. If it's got a good plot, I'll probably like it too.

And whether a story pleases me personally or not, if it's well-done I'll recommend it to other people, because I know some of them will like it. You see, that's the difference between us. I'm willing to give you space for what you want, but you don't want me to have any room at all. Dropping "adult" rated zines from the directory would be a mistake. Having a little bit of censorship is like being a little bit pregnant, there's no such thing. How are you going to decide which zines to drop--those with any sex at all, even just implication? Those wifh amateurish writing, poor print? A story that maybe hurt like hell to read, but left you feeling glad you did? Just who's going to decide what's, best for all of us, anyway?

Paramount has been suggested as a candidate for the guardian of our morals. I've seen a lot of involve ment over the years since Trek went off network TV. People spare time and sometimes not-so spare cash to put on conventions, publish zines, write letter after letter, telephoning and talking to any bookstore or TV station that would listen in an effort to keep Trek alive and available. Paramount has not exactly been in the front lines of this battle, in fact, they've even been counted among the enemy from time to time. ...Paramount has strung the fans along for years; inviting them to witch hunt their way through fanzines now that they've finally seen the light, that's a real slap in the face. (Incidentally, I did see Shirley crying at the con. It was when someone brought out a birthday cake and 200 people sang Happy Birthday and tried to say how much they loved her.)

Fanzines are all small circulation efforts. And only a few thousand read them on any sort of regular basis. The morals of young America will not be corrupted because someone attempts a difficult or controversial theme in a fanzine story. There are novels in every bookstore and grocery store that hit these themes much harder than any zine writer ever dreamed, and there's no restrictions on who buys them.

The readers ultimately decide what gets written, and that's as it should be. If something is worthless, it will be left in the corner and ignored, and die a quiet death of neglect. If it's valid, enough support will be found to keep it going. It may be more disturbing to find something you don't like in..a fanzine story, because we all have such personal reactions to what happens to our heroes, but it's even easier to do something about it, because personal stories are very vulnerable. Just write a story that shows the premise you don't like for the ridiculous thing it it--if you're right, the audience will laugh the offender in question right out of the room. (If they don't, that should also tell you something.)

Or, if satire isn't your thing, then write some thing serious, something magnificent, a story that carries the characters to something so much better

than what's been done before that readers have to love and admire it. But be careful--if you've slammed the door on trekfiction, you may be stopped from publishing it. And that's not just my loss, it's yours too. Maybe you're willing to live with it, but I think it's a damn shame.[101]

[zine]:

The three accounts of SeKWester*Con, Too were fascinating for variety alone. You two must have really had fun sifting through all the accounts to get such gorgeously different viewpoints: cheerful, thoughtful, and hysterical. Amazing! My own view of the con would fall somewhere between the first two--with added adjectives "delightful" and "frenetic," since I doubt if I got 4 hours sleep during the whole weekend.

M.L. Dodge's account, however, leaves me baffled. Are you sure the lady is talking about the same SeKWester*Con??? First off, there were only two panels at the whole con that were about sex in Treklit, and 10% hardly constitutes a takeover. Second, the final progress report did warn people in advance that these two panels were on the program, and anyone who didn't want to attend them certainly weren't marched in at gunpoint. For that matter, even if Ms. Dodge stumbled into the panels by mistake, if she found the discussions that offensive, why didn't she just walk out? As for myself being asked up out of the audience to sit in on the Porn-in-Trek-Lit panel, that wasn't my idea; the other panelists asked me up there after I commented, from the audience, that as a one-time professional pornography writer I had some "professional testimony" (or whatever the legal term is) about the striking differences between pornography and erotic realism. I was as surprised as anyone else when the other panelists invited me up to the table, and I certainly wasn't trying to get myself onto the panel.

I was even more surprised (I think the fitting term is "pole-axed") at learning that I'd won the Literary Merit Award; I'd been expecting Connie Faddis to take it. I did ask just what I'd won the award for, and learned--right there on the podium, in front of the whole banquet crowd--that I'd won it for "The Weight," not "Shelter" or "Poses." How did Ms Dodge miss that discussion?

I'd like to know where Ms Dodge has seen stories wherein "Kirk and Spock are a couple of simpering gays and McCoy's a child molester." As I pointed out on the K/S panel, our heroes are obviously not fairyish, obviously are attracted to the female-of-the-species, and could conceivably be lovers only due to their special friendship—which hardly fits into the "simpering gay" category. I have yet to see any story that portrays the Enterprise's favorite doctor as a child molester; and as for the "incest" that Ms Dodge hints darkly about, all I can recall on that score is one story in which McCoy, discovers, much to his horror, that the willing (and quite adult) bar-girl he took to bed the night before turns out to be his daughter in disguise--and even that story was presented as a tragedy, with nothing remotely pornographic about it. I have yet to see anything in Trek-lit about child-molesting, and honestly can't see why Ms Dodge brought it up. For that matter, I don't know why she insists that porn is automatically connected with "drug pushing and prostitution," two occupations which I have yet to find practiced among Trek-fans. Even outside Trekdom, porn has about the same connection with prostitution and drug-pushing as Star Trek itself has to the Great Western Railroad, and has no particular relationship at all with "the mentally ill, the desperate, and children." Where does Ms Dodge get all these unreal ideas? I know nothing about Jean Lorrah's book being rejected by Bantam, much less why: I do know that there's nothing pornographic, much less prissy, about even the most sexually-explicit of Ms Lorrah's writing.

What particularly puzzles me about this letter is that it's so unexpected. I encountered Ms Dodge several times at SeKWester*Con Too, and about all she had to say to me then was to thank me for my enthusiastic comments about her zine, DELTA TRIAD. If Ms Dodge was that "shocked and annoyed" by anything I was doing-- whether winning the award, or having written "Shelter" and "Poses," or appearing on the two panels that discussed sex--then why didn't she say so, right then and there, while I was standing right in front of her? If Ms Dodge considers herself among "people of breeding," then why didn't she voice her complaints about me to my face, instead of waiting to publish them in a zine appearing three months later? Much as I like Ms Dodge's zine, I suspect that if anyone at SeKWester*Con, Too was guilty of "juvenile bad taste and bad manners" it's a certain DELTA TRIAD editor herself. I'm not asking for any apologies, but I don't think I owe any, either. [102]

What do you mean you had to draft someone for the con side of the K/S panel? I volunteered. If you'd had to draft someone, you certainly wouldn't have picked me. While I don't condone Mary Lou's wilder statements, I agree with her anger and disgust over S-Con.

As for being--or not being--the most stalwart defender of my position on the panel, I would agree with you that I didn't do too well. There are several reasons. First, Leslie Fish is a very intimidating person. Sitting next to her did not help my courage in the slightest. Second, hearing Amy Harlib declare herself neutral rather than con, perceived at the time as something of a cop-out, didn't help much either. Third, prior to the panel, I had discussed the matter with quite a few people who indicated basic agreement with me, but who all refused to show up, primarily because they were afraid to get emotionally involved--their words. This lack of support also did not help. Finally, I am very poor at public speaking; unless I know I'm among friends, I get extremely nervous. If I may say so, you are extremely fortunate to have had any con side at all. In the end, I think Connie's exerpt and her subsequent embarrassment at discovering all the wrong people had been effectively forced to hear it probably said reams more in my favor than I could ever have said myself. I'm only sorry such a mistake had to happen to Connie, for whom I have the greatest respect as a person and an artist.

Disgusted? You must be referring to the incredibly bad placement of all the erotic art. I mean, was it nenecessary to allow it to be hung where the so-called mundanes, who are human beings too, couldn't possibly avoid seeing it--even if they'd wanted to? And what about the under-sixteen crowd? ((There was no under- sixteen crowd.--ps)) Send them off to the art room-- where they can't avoid seeing Gordon Carleton's graphic illos. Tell me, why bother to exclude them from hearing Connie's exerpt when they can see it all anyway? After all, aren't pictures worth a thousand words apiece? Be assured I will suggest to Lori that she might consider the possibility of placing the erotic art in a separate area or room so that those who don't choose to look at it don't have to, and so the sensibilities of the mundanes don't have to be offended. Note, I have nothing against erotica per-se. What other people like to draw and look at really isn't any of my business. On tho other hand those of us who, for whatever reasons, don't care to look at erotic art have rights too. We shouldn't be forced to look at it everywhere we go. 'Nuff said?

...I was concerned that those who chose to write X-rated material might think the opposition less powerful than it is--I want no one to think I had to be drafted to stand up and be counted. Perhaps I didn't present my case well; the important think is that I was willing to present it at all, especially in the face of what felt at the time like almost insurmountable obstacles.

...I was thoroughly disappointed, and I mean thoroughly. That was a good part of the reason we left early. I got the distinct impression (whether correct or not I don't know) that I was being told subliminally that there was no place for me in fandom unless I went along with the garbage being turned out by some of the big names. I accept the fact that we will always have garbage with us, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, or that I'm enjoined from pointing it out as garbage. I have been thinking seriously for several months about gafiating as a result, but I will probably stay and fight the only way I know how, through stories that aren't garbage.[103]

[zine]:

The first think I turned to when MENAGERIE arrived was the con reports, and I'd like to make some comments concerning Mary Lou Dodge's letter. She isn't the only one who is angry, because I was, too, after finishing it. Her letter is full of misconceptions and prejudices. I resent, for in stance, the implication that The Logical Conclusion was written with the primary purpose of turning people on with the sadistic scenes. That was a calculated insult directed to both yourself and the intelligence of the readers. It completely over looks the necessity of these scenes for the plot of the novel, of the obviously clinical style that was used.

Ms Dodge gave the impression that SeKWester*Con was unnaturally obsessed with porn, and I think it is important to present the true facts for the benefit of any one who wasn't there. If we accept for a moment her definition of porn, then there were two panels involved with it, out of a total of how many? Nine or ten? ((13.-- ps)) Certainly the majority of the art work was not what one would normally call porn. And it might interest Ms Dodge to know that the K/S relationship was not the main topic of conversation in Carol Frisbie's room either, at least what I heard of it. The important thing to remember is that none of these events had a compulsory attendance, so nobody had porn shoved down their throats.

The accusation that everyone was at the con just to hot-crotch it after their favorite stars hardly merits discussion. This was, after all, one of the few ST cons that doesn't have the stars in attendance... Ms Dodge's comments got more outrageous as she went along. It is a move of the lowest sort to criticize an author's work because of past activities...Leslie Fish simply accepts the fact that in the 22nd century individuals will probably be free to label themselves as simply sexual beings, without being constrained by illogical fears and prejudice and hatred. It is unfortunate that such attitudes have blinded Ms Dodge to the excellent stories around now that do not carry a "G" rating.

...How does Ms Dodge answer the letters from some one dying of cancer? Very simply. She explains to them the nature of "get" stories and leaves them to decide whether or not to purchase them. Certainly that person will never just be "sent" fanzines the way it is implied they will; that takes money, which should discourage anyone from buying a zine they don't want to read. Furthermore, the implication is made that a story with a K/S homosexual premise automatically negates any of the higher character traits such as integrity, love, nobility, or gallantry. That is simply prejudice, and as such can be readily dismissed. More serious is the attack made on Mandi Schultz and Cheryl Rice for their two D & R episodes in ALPHA CONTINUUM #2...The fact is that Kirk and Spock have never been portrayed as "simpering gays" mostly because that WOULD be out of character. Similarly, I, too, would be disgusted if I ever read a story where McCoy willingly engaged in child-molesting or incest, and I am sure Schultz and Rice would too. That would indeed be a degradation of Star Trek. [104]

[zine]:

I suppose I ought to start with Mary Lou's "Con Report." I don't want to comment on her attitude in general, because I know that other people have done a good job with that aspect. What I wanted to focus on is one particular aspect of her report that really bothered me: the fact that one of the stories she singles out for special attack is one that she hasn't even read--"someone told me that one had already appeared" (her words). Now I am willing to accept her dislike of Kirk/Spock stories on any grounds she likes --she is certainly welcome to disapprove of the stories on literary or moral grounds if she so chooses. But please, Mary Lou, don't misrepresent the stories you're attacking! In the Kirk/Spock stories, Kirk and Spock are not presented as "simpering gays," as Mary Lou would know if she had read any. But I am most bothered by her misrepresentation of the McCoy and Joanna story, which is nothing at all like the story she dislikes. And the ironic thing is that if she had read the story in question, she would know that far from presenting incest as an acceptable thing, the story deplores it, and in fact is as conventional in its judgment of the act as it could get: Joanna kills herself and McCoy goes insane. I won't comment on the other factual fallacies in Mary Lou's description of the story--I'm leaving it to her to read it herself and correct her misapprehensions. If nothing else, she owes it to the author to get the facts straight before attacking either the story or the author's supposed ignorance of and distaste for integrity and civilized behavior. I might add that in some of her comments Mary Lou shows the same ignorance of integrity and civilized behavior --is it civilized to impugn the morality of a person simply because you don't like the story he/she writes? Especially when you haven't raad the story?

As for dropping the "offending" zines from the STW director, in library school we had a name for that sort of action. It's called "censorship." What gives Mary Lou the right to make decisions about the appropriate reading material for anyone other than herself and her own minor children (if she has any)? I had not heard that STW was in the business of making value judgments about the materials in fandom (except possibly in distinguishing the rip-off artists), and certainly not about the worth of the fiction.

Perhaps Mary Lou has also not considered the kind of dangerous precedent she would be establishing by censoring one particular kind of zine or story. Once it's begun, it's very difficult to stop. She might want to delete from the directory all mention of "adult" zines: then someone else might come along and decide that poorly written zines are also offensive and dangerous in that they make acceptable sloppy writing, and therefore that all zines that do not meet a certain standard of literary merit should be deleted from the directory also. You could establish all sorts of criteria for removing zines; the point is that once censorship is started, then anyone has the right to censor any material she finds objectionable, since the precedent is already established. Shortly you are left with nothing at all.

...Maybe there is something rotten in fandom, that all these high feelings on every side of an issue are being aroused. It's getting depressing. I don't want to oppose people; I don't want to risk hurting people's feelings, even Mary Lou's--and I know that her feelings may be hurt by some of the opposition to her views. It seems to be increasingly hard in fandom to separate opposition to or criticism of a story/theme/zine/ action from opposition to the person responsible. Everything seems to be taken more personally these days, and I find it rather sad. There's an old fundamentalist (I think) saying that goes, "Hate the sin, but love the sinner." Maybe we all take heed of the sentiment contained in that, though it should be obvious that criticism of a person's actions (in the largest sense) is not the same thing as dislike of the person qua person. [105]

[zine]:

...Now for the unpleasantness, M. L. Dodge's "con report." You are to be commended both for giving the author of this piece of infantile spitefulness a forum for her opinions, and for your restraint in replying to her. It's a pity that the lady can't seem to countenance the same freedom of expression for others that she claims for herself. I have never read a Kirk/Spock love story that came as close to being porno, i.e., a story without plot or characterization, dealing only with sexual encounter, as does "The Ambassadress." And I should think that someone who objects to violence in literature on principle would avoid the use of torture, surgery without anesthesia, and the threat of imminent gang-rape in her own work. As for s*x and v**l*nc* being "forced" on the fans--sorry, it just doesn't wash.

Faneds are extremely careful about selling controversial material to minors or those who might be offended, probably more careful than they need to be, certainly more careful than any commercial bookseller. After all, any ten-year-old leukemia victim can walk right into his neighborhood convience store and buy a copy of The Front Runner or The Fancy Dancer or How to Be Your Own Sex Therapist, not to mention raunchy political novels and "s." Dodge is right about one thing, though. She definitely owes the rest of us an apology.[106]

[zine]:

Oh, man. Oh, Vulcan. Where to start? First I'll get the little bits out of the way. I noticed the editorial is mucho-mucho sweetness-and-light, very uncharacteristic of you. I had to flip back to the cover to make sure I wasn't reading WARPED SPACE instead. I'm not use to you guys being nice. Just when I was getting used to you folks being ogres, too... Lori's report I loved, but then I always love her stuff. She's so nice. Is she always that way, or is she just half of fandom's Enemy Within? And I wonder who's the other half? You guessed it. (You need more makeup, the scratches are still showing. There. You got it. Watch it, though, Lori's sneaking up behind ya. And she looks so sad...)

Okay, Now to Gerry Downes. I'm sorry to say I agree with her completely. She's right about some of us running away. I would too, except I haven't got anywhere to go. The only place you can "Rent-a-Body" is-in Star Trek, and what I wouldn't give for the Famous Janice Lester Way to End Your Troubles. Farrah Fawcett-Majors, look out!) I'm sorry to agree because I was hoping most of trekfen wouldn't be like this poor little schmuck me, since I am new at this and I haven't had an opportunity to meet you folks yet. I am disillusioned. There's no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The Yellow Brick Road ended in a ditch. You mean you guys are human, too? Like me? Ah, gee.

Seriously, though...I wish you folks could find something better to write about than homosexuality. I know, I know, to each her own and all that, but I agree with Mary Louise Dodge's own. And please, please, don't lynch he ryetl (At least wait until you get up a good crowd.) I mean, I was only just now getting used to the regular porn, and then you got to ruin it for me. I mean, really, impossible as it sounds, couldn't two male personages care for each other, love each other, without it being sexual? I love some of my friends, but I sure don't want to go to bed with them. I don't even want to think about it. And listen, this is unfair to you, the writer, too. Because no matter how well a story is constructed, no matter how well the plot lines up, no matter how well the characterization, otherwise, is handled, if it has homosexuality in it I just can't believe in it. I just can't suspend my disbelief. And that is not fair to you, the author, who spent many lonely hours toiling over that typewriter to get this work, eventually, to me. You have a right to expect a fair shake from the reader, but I just can't give you one. Homosexuality turns me off. I'm sorry, but that's the way I was raised and that's the way I believe. And it saddens me, because to me, I see some very good talent being wasted.

And look, folks, there's so much left to write about! I think some of you are getting bored with the 86th version of how Amanda met Sarek or Spock's 13th Pon Farr (now don't get me wrong, there are some very good pieces along this way, and I single out no one, I just use that topic as an example), and that's why you have turned your talents this way. But you don't have to. There's so much left! There are so many unanswered questions about the ST universe! The surface is barely scratched!...What is Earth like in the twenty-second century, especially Chekhov's Russia? Why are Orions still allowed slaves? Just how many underhanded tricks has Starfleet resorted to anyway? How important is money in the future? What do "civilians" do for a living? Do they resent the Fed's involvement with their planet's culture? What about the neutral planets? Just how hard is it for them to stay that way? And what about the worlds on the edge of the Milky Way? What do they do when danger strikes" and the E isn't there?...What about the bad guys within the good guys? Somebody had to order Kirk to steal the cloaking device. So tell me who. Tell me all of it. [107]

[zine]: The con reports were one of the very best things about this issue. Dixie's was especially good, and Gordon's illos were the perfect touch. *Sigh* To be frank, I think Mary Lou Dodge made an absolute fool out of herself with her con report. However, since I'm certain enough's been said on that subject to fill an entire volume of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, I will say no more. ((Please say no more--ps)) [108]

Issue 13

front cover of issue 13, Doug Rice
back cover of issue #13

Menagerie 13 was published in July 1977 and contains 20 pages. It includes parodies of other ST fanzines: Babel, The Hole in the Deck Gang Newsletter, T-Negative, Interphase, Delta Triad and Warped Space. This issue contains art and a cover by Doug Rice. This issue compiles satires of other zines. "Written and drawn by Paula Smith." Issues #12 and #13 were sent out at the same time.

This issue does not include any letters of comment.


  • art from issue #13, parody of The Weight from Wasted Space

  • art from issue #13, a parody of art in Delta Triad, the first supplement, the inscription reads: "Met, how could you? What about the cancer victims? What about the children under 21? What about the horses?, Met? Some of them are only 2 years old! This is disgusting! Dirty! Why, if God meant for us to have sex, we'd have been born naked! I bet Lestwe Fizz is behind this... Mary Sou."

  • art from issue #13, "The Miscegenator" from Wasted Space

  • art from issue #13, from Wasted Space

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 13

[zine]: MEN 13 consists entirely of parodies of other well-known zines. We are treated to excerpts from BUBBLE, INTERPHUTZ, SIGMA CHIAD, T-MINUS, WASTED SPACE, and THE HOLE IN THE HEAD GANG NEWSLETTER. All by Paula, and most very gentle, only slightly back-handed compliments to the editors of the zines parodied. The material ranges from mildly am using to hilarious, my own favorite items being "Elizabeth Sheriff's" chicken-stealing sehlat and The Wait. Both issues highly recommended. [109]

[zine]:

Read MEN #13 first. Big shock on looking at it.

The print is so bigI You can actually read it in normal daylight. SIGMA CHIAD had me in hysterics (I hadn't read MEN 12 but Carol Frisbie gave a dramatic reading of Dodge's letter at a ST club meeting the week before ST America). My own feeling about porn in zine stories is based on whether the story is good and I like it. Some porn stories I like and some I don't. Fish's "Shelter" and "Poses" were two of the funniest stories I have ever read. They were interesting, well-written, and hysterical. Not in a put-down, making-fun kind of way, but as a good comedy story. None of my friends understand why I find them funny. I don't really understand it myself. [110]

[zine]: I didn't sit down intending to write a LoC, but that's how it goes. MENAGERIE 13 is awful. 12 is terrific. Win some, lose some. [111]

[zine]: MEN 12 § 13 arrived. If I didn't know better, I'd think MLD was in on the joke--MARY SOU DRUDGE'S hand writing is exactly like MLD's--God knows, I've seen enough of it! I have to admit I was all but rolling on the floor reading the parody--and I never thought any- think referring to cancer victims would be funny, but this is hysterical. It ought to show them just how seriously MLD's little crusade should be taken.[112]

[zine]: Good thinking, sending out #12 and #13 together. If #12 hadn't been so extra good, I'd have been disappointed by #13. One of the parodies appeared only last month elsewhere and two were of zines I've never read (not your.fault, I know). INTERPHUTZ only made it clear how very little there is to poke fun at in INTERPHASE. And the DELTA TRIAD parody made a nice follow-up to the report on SeKWester*Con, Too by Dodge in #12. [113]

[zine]:

For those of you who have gotten Menagerie, T-Negative and Warped Space in the past, the parodies within this issue of Menagerie will be familiar to you already. So what in the hell are you reading this review for? Skip down to the next one.

For those of you who have perhaps missed out on the aforementioned zines, the parodies in this collected issue of Menagerie will be a delightful new treat. Included in this one zine are parodies of six major fanzines, gathered from the pages of Menagerie and other publications.

Starting off the set is a parody on the zine "Babel," called "Bubble." This parody is perhaps the most questionable since Babel hasn't been in print for years and I doubt that any newer fans will appreciate the parody much. For the fans who can remember back that far it's not too bad of a spoof. And for those fen who received the Hole in the Deck Gang Newsletter, there is a parody called "The Hole in the Head Gang Newsletter."

Parodies of two of the better-known zines include spoofs on T-Negative and Interphase, the latter contains what I consider the best attack I have yet seen upon the peculiar type of free verse poetry that seems to infiltrate just about every zine. The "Creatures of The Vulcan Slum," is also a nice take-off on "Creatures of the Vulcan Forge."

The two best parodies inside are take offs on Warped Space and Delta Triad, the last of which is printed for the first time in this issue of Menagerie. I know several people who consider the Delta Triad parody the best for the entire year. I laughed until I was sore. The Warped Space take-off is almost equally devastating. If you haven't seen these parodies printed before, then by all means get them. They are sure to be a cure for any mid-winter blues you may be feeling.

If you have seen most of these in print before, then it's still worth the buck-sixty to see the Delta Triad spoof. [114]

[zine]:

This issue is filled with nothing but shit. It has two or three parodies that look like kindergarten cartoons. The rest are worse. I don't expect editors to print only what I like, or even half of what I like, but I do expect them to put out something that is worth the buck-sixty I paid. What can we soon-to-be-poor subscribers to do keep from getting ripped off like this?

One person's shit is — uh, that is to say, one man's meat is another man's poison, one man's diamonds are another man's rust, etc. In general. Menagerie 13 was very popular (I liked it) but if you truly feel cheated, write the editor, explain the problem and see if she will return your $ if you return the zine. [115]

Issue 14

front cover of issue 14, Nan Lewis
back cover of issue 14, Phil Foglio. Art likely inspired by Wizards, the Ralph Bakshi film made the previous year.

Menagerie 14 was published in March 1978 and is 33 pages long. This fanzine contains 6 stories, poems, and non-fiction. Printed offset, stapled, 34 pages. Cover illo of "Kor" by Nan Lewis. Art by Jean DeMott, Connie Faddis, Phil Foglio, Melanie Frame, Vaughn Guild, C. Lee Healy, Doug Herring, Nan Lewis, Pat O'Neill, Brian Pavlac, Doug Rice, Carolynn Ruth, Joni Wagner, and V. M. Wyman.

There were 28 LoCs, almost all of which commented on a fan's "anti-porn" letter in issue #12. There were about three letters in support, the rest were vehemently against her views. Many were very lengthy and eloquent. For more, see The SekWester*Con Porn Debate.

These intense letters of comment and what they represented quite likely had a lot to do with the fact that this was the last issue that contains letters of comment. The next three issues were solely edited by Paula Smith, and only the last of these contained an editorial.

The editors announced in this issue that #17 would be the last in the series:

Like Ruth Berman and Connie Faddis, Sharon and I will be leaving off with the publication of this zine in the middle future. MENAGERIE's last issue will be #17. At the rate we're going, we won't hit that t ill late 1979, but we thought it'd be nice to let people know. boojums Press itself will not be shelved--it's likely to bury us --and we will still be printing the weird schlock folks've come to expect of us. Also, I gotta sell off enough back stock to be able to get into the spare bedroom again.

So we won't be accepting subscription renewals that extend beyond issue 17. Excess money will be returned, credited, or kept, according to the justice of the situation.

The editors wrote that they allowed Mary Louise Dodge to read the letters of comment in #13 before they were printed. "Last time, you remember--in issue #12, actually -- we printed by permission a letter from Mary Louise Dodge about SeKWester*Con, Too. That letter netted us more comment than the rest of the issue totaled; see the LoC column at the other end of this ish. We allowed Ms Dodge to see an advance copy of the column, and this was her reply."

Mary Lou Dodge's response:

Thanks for the sample of letters; they are, both pro and con, about what I'd expect. You didn't make it clear that my original letter was not a Con report, but a personal letter, which you printed; and I didn't make clear that I didn't wander into the panel--I was asked to attend, by Melinda Shreve, my editor, who was supposed to be chairman, but who had to leave Sunday morning. The subject was originally entitled "Sex and Star Trek" and I went prepared for a discussion on the difficulties of writing about love and sex, that explicitness kills tenderness and renders your characters devoid of humanity; of the harmful effects on both writer and reader of the stultifying properties of pornography --nothing in the line was discussed at all, and no one had a chance to get a word in As for volunteering for a panel--I wasn't asked and I don't volunteer! My God, if they knew the number of committees and causes I have been asked to take care of, when the family is trained never to say no if asked--they'd never raise a hand to volunteer either!

The censorship issue is just so much adolescent sloganing! Of course there is censorship--there always will be, and if, instead of "art" dealing with genitalia, it had instead been deliberately insulting to some race or religion, the people who shout about "censorship" would have been the first to demand the offensive material be taken down. I have no particular dislike of homosexuals, and the "fen" (I do dislike that word, as I dislike all made- up high-school sorority affectations) are welcome to write about it all they want — providing their material is marked for what it is (so no fan will get a nasty surprise)--but Kirk and Spock are out of bounds. I was under the impression (which appears to be mistaken) that writers have an ethic which forbids them to take another writer's characters and damage them. And they have been damaged--

George Lucas makes that quite clear when he has forbidden any use of "Star Wars" characters in zines [116] so his characters will not be harmed as Roddenberry's have. And the last I heard Paramount, in response to license renewal requests, has sent letters stating that they are not licensing fanzines and that they are forbidding any story which has recognizable "Star Trek" characters in it. It looks like the explicit and Kirk-Spock people have pulled the rug out from under all of us. I wonder if they will really think they gained enough to make it worth it.

I think fandom is in the case of many marriages which succeed well through adversity, but fall apart when success comes. For years we were bound by a single cause--to bring back "Star Trek" and in the famine of material, we were willing to buy almost anything with a "Star Trek" name on it to fill the void. Now we're getting it back (if the "No ST without Nimoy" people don't discourage Paramount entirely), now the market is full of shabby Star Trek items, and we are beginning, each one, to fight for his own preferences.

  • art from issue #14, V.M. Wyman

  • art from issue #14, Pat O'Neill, portrait of Devra Langsam

  • art from issue #14, Pat O'Neill, portrait of Joyce Yasner

  • art from issue #14, Connie Faddis

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 14

See reactions and reviews for The Girl Who Controlled Gene Kelly's Feet.

[zine]: Another in a long line of fine quality zines we have come to expect from boojums Press. Paula Smith's 'Race Into Tomorrow' and "Conscience of the Kink' are up to to usual standards of craziness. There are two short autobiographies by Joyce Yasner and Devra Langsam. But the unquestionable highlight of this zine is Block's 'The Girl Who Controlled Gene Kelley's Feet." It's the single best ST story I've read in a LONG time -- and it's not about the Big Three or even the Small Five. A beautiful character study of two Enterprise female crewmembers. Lastly, but not leastly, the Great Porno Debate rages on in the LoC section. Layout and illos are first class, with Faddis' and Wyman's artwork outstanding. This one's a must. Buy it! [117]

[zine]: Thish opens with bad news; the zine will be retired with #17. While MEN isn't to everyone's taste, its tang--a bit of salt, bit of sour--provides a counter to some of the overly sweet and the bitter evident elsewhere in fandom. It will be sorely missed. Meantime, the dear one is still with us, perhaps a bit too much so. I found "Race Into Tomorrow, Part 2" totally incomprehensible on first reading, and not much clearer on the second. The situation is not helped by the suspicion that one is not supposed to understand it. It's followed by "Conscience of the Kink", another of Paula's hilarious episode parodies. Ignore the title, the rest is good. The major piece of fiction is Paula Block's beautifully written and characterized "The Girl Who Controlled Gene Kelly's Feet". Its theme, the necessity of living in the present, in the frequently messy, more frequently boring, real world, makes it particularly apropos just now. In fact, I strongly recommend reading it out of order, as a chaser to the lettercol. With feelings running high over the K/S issue among others, we occasionally need to be reminded that Trek is a fantasy, and that there is such a thing as becoming too deeply involved in it. Kudos for Poblocki. Featured Fen this time around are Joyce Yasner and Devra Langsam; "Bored of Review" maintains the standard and tone set in #12. Show-stealers among the art are Nan Lewis' cover illo of Kor and Faddis' wonderful "Anna". Highly recommended. [118]

Featured on the cover is a beautiful illustration of Kor by Nan Lewis. Inside can be found a fanzine review column, a report on Brooklyn fandom, a poem, two short stories, a longer tale, and an excellent shaggy-dog fable. The artwork is superb.

"Race Into Tomorrow" (Paula Smith) — a fine play done in the grand tradition of yesteryear's radio corniness. Captain Ray Darr and his half-Vegan sidekick, Minolta, are in pursuit of the parturoid Kyben fleet making many bad jokes and puns along the way. "Conscious Of The Kink" (Paula Smith) — a shaggy-dog fable in the form of a satire of Star Trek's "Conscience of the King." The Interfere becomes the transporter of Bozos the Ezecrationer! With the aid of Mr. Spit, Shamp N. Kork saves the day and gives us one of the most moanful morals of the year. "The Girl Who Controlled Gene Kelly's Feet" (Paula Block) — Minnie Moskowitz has always dreamed of dancing like Melly. She gets her chance on the Shore Leave Planet and a double replaces her on the Enterprise for a year. A doctor finds out and is offered a chance to get away for a year, too. A clever story, it must be read to truly enjoy it. "Interlude! a. Forgotten Planet" (Dian Hardison) — A short story about Pike and Vina in the Talosian's minds.

Gray cover with white pages, 34 pp. Nice zine! Too bad it's ending with Issue 17. Rating: A [119]

Issue 15

front cover of issue 15 by Phil Foglio
back cover of issue 15 by Kevin Siembieda

Menagerie 15 was published in May 1979 and is 31 pages long. This fanzine contains a single story and one vignette. The editor is now just Paula Smith.

The art is by Kevin Seimbeida, P.S. Nim, Melody Frame, Phil Foglio, and Jeanine Goodson.


  • art from issue #15, P.S. Nim

  • art from issue #15, Jeanine Goodson

  • art from issue #15, P.S. Nim

  • art from issue #15, P.S. Nim

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 15

[zine]:

This issue features one long absorbing Rose Marie Jakubjansky story about Scotty called "Occupational Hazard." It rests on a slightly flimsy premise, but does serve to place the engineer in another setting and round out his character considerably. Anyone with an interest in psychology could assume from the small bits we learned about the Montgomery Scott of the episodes that he might be headed for trouble. Just think: he preferred reading technical manuals to taking shore leave, we were shown his drinking to excess on many occasions (and presumably the rest of the time, too), he regarded the engines of the Enterprise as his children (and had no real ones as far as we know), had no lasting relationships with women, and no hobbies other than his work. To say nothing of his unwillingness to fight for anything but insults to the big E. Symptoms of possible stress in the future, eh? Yep, that's what the psychological profiles done by the Chief Medical Examiner of Federation Outpost 24 showed, too, and she was able to force McCoy to go along with a temporary transfer for the engineer — either groundside or to a smaller vessel, while his psychological reactions are observed. So he tries both in that order. Spit and polish Scott on an ore freighter has to be experienced to be believed — the story has both humor and good sense, clearly demonstrates character development, and is a Trek-reader's delight. Highly recommended for both Scotty and gen-fen. [120]

[zine]: A very good zine is trying hard to be even better. Although #15 consists of only one long story and a poem, the story is excellent (Scotty's found mentally unfit for his job) and the artwork beats anything I've seen in earlier issues, and those were pretty good. [121]

[zine, though mainly Occupational Hazard]: This issue of MENAGERIE is devoted entirely —no reviews, no lettered, no shooting gallery, no Black Museum horrors—to Rose Marie Jakubjansky's Scott novella, "Occupational Hazard", Dr. Adele Seton, a medical examiner from the Surgeon General's office, is in hot pursuit of a pet theory that starship Engineers' constant proximity to, work with and responsibility for, matter/antimatter generators places unbearable mental and emotional strains on them.

Scotty is duly tested and duly registers 'unacceptable' stress scores. To relieve the pressure and give him a chance to repeat the tests under supposedly more favorable conditions, Scotty is rotated dirtside to the offices of a boy-wonder space-installation designer, where his duties are largely bureaucratic and entirely frustrating. This, to put it mildly, does not work out. At Kirk's and McCoy's insistence, the doctor then allows Scott to transfer to a freighter as Second Engineer, again on probationary status. So far, so good, and at least moderately fresh. Unfortunately, Scotty's tour aboard the Nisaba-Zami is allowed to degenerate into a series of cliches. The ship is a scrap- surplus rustbucket. Her skipper is a mercantile hooker with a heart of pergium. The crew can't stand Navy men, and won't respond to anything Scott recognizes as efficient discipline, (Not surprising, perhaps, given their resemblance to another crew of shaggy Anarchists; not to men tion the fact that none of them seems to have gotten beyond sixth-grade science—all that's necessary to refrigerate a hold in deep space is to refrain from heating it, Scotty goes to the bottom of the class on this score, too.) These circumstances produce the inevitable crisis; the inevitable attempt to scratch Scotty; his daring rescue of one of his antagonists; the redesign of the Nisba-Zami under the Fleeter's benevolent and brilliant supervision. Cheers, shocked come-to-realizations, and Scotty's vindication. He returns to the Enterprise; the Nisaba-Zami pursues its newly-efficient if reg-stretching occasions; and the lady doctor prescribes a less stressful assignment for herself. Exuent omnes. (including Scotty, in an obscure years-later tag by Jane Clary, which I didn't and still don't, understand.)

Now, all this gritching isn't to say that "Occupational Hazard" is a poor story. It isn't. The prose is lucid and fluent, the pace carries one along willingly. And the characterization, as far as it goes, is well-handled; Jakubjansky's treatment of McCoy and Kirk is skillful, and her Dr. Seton is an independent, intelligent person, free of malice if not preconceptions, and capable of growth. The trouble is that not enough of this care has been expended on the central character. At the end of thirty pages of Smith's microminiature type, I don't know any more about Scotty than I did at the beginning. I don't know what he drinks—except Scotch; what he reads— except technical journals; whom or what he loves— except his ship. He is neither changed nor revealed by his experiences. Given fanfic's general neglect of the Chief Engineer, I submit that this is a wasted opportunity and a bloody shame. Any one looking for the depth of perception evident in MEN's [Menagerie] usual offerings won't find it here. Indeed, it occurs that had a more generalized zine printed this story, it would be less of a disappointment. The art, all by P.S. Nim, is well-executed and expressive. Unconditionally recommended for the action/adventure fan; under caveat for the rest. [122]

[zine]:

Issue 15 is a novella by Rose Marie Jakubjansky, "Occupational Hazard". The main character is Scotty, but all the other characters are handled very well. The premise is that engineers on Starships undergo too much stress and may develop personality problems. Scotty is transferred to a freighter temporarily, to see to what extent love of warp engines can be cleared from his system. This story is highly recommended far all those who like action/adventure Trekfic.

The conflicts aboard the freighter read like a fluent sf-based space adventure, there is a bit of psychology thrown in, characterization especially of McCoy and the psychologist (whose fault it all is) is very good and the conflict be tween these two very credible. Altogether the story is realistic and competently written; Some brief glimpses of interesting and very ingenious alien specimens are introduced as well. The art by P.S. Nim is delicate and highly professional. Definitely worth the money—best use you could put you $2.50 to. [123]

Issue 16

front cover of issue #16 by V.M. Wyman
back cover of issue #16, Jeanine Goodson

Menagerie 16 was published in January 1980 and is 33 pages long. This fanzine contains 6 stories, poems, and non-fiction. Sharon Ferraro Short was listed as editor emeritus. This issue featured a profile of fan Paula Block.

This issue contains no editorial nor letters of comment.

  • "The Explorer" by Eileen Roy (2)
  • a collection of poems by Caroline Carrock, Rose Marie Jakubjansky, Stephen Mendanhall, Carolynn Ruth and Paula Smith (17) ("And the Unicorn Said It to Me" by Ruth, "Suzannice" by Smith, "A Beach to Walk On" by Jakubjansky, "Joytime" and "concatenation" by Mendenhall, and "Cryogenics" by Carrock)
  • Pon Far Rock, story by Sandy Hall (20)
  • "To Gather Stones Together" by Ellen M. Kozak (27) (reprinted in Indian Summer and Other Seasons)
  • Gumby Trek, a play by Paula Block (32)
  • a fan feature on Paula Block (Poblocki), see Featured Fen -- My Life and Times: Paula Block (33)
  • art by T.J. Burnside, Melody Frame, Joni Wagner, Eileen Roy, Mike Chicchele, Gordon Carleton, Phil Foglio, Steven Fox, Jeanine Goodson (back cover), Carollynn Ruth, Robin Wood, V.M. Wyman

  • art from issue #16, Steven Fox

  • art from issue #16, portrait of Paula Block (and her "faithful pioneer dog, Berkey"), by Joni Wagner

  • art from issue #16, T.J. Burnside

  • art from issue #16, Mike Chicchele

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 16

See reactions and reviews for The Explorer

[zine]: On the table of contents, Paula Smith states the next issue will be the last one of the series to be published. On that day, I shall mourn; or at least shred a stack of crudzines in pique. In my opinion, Menagerie, taken as a whole, deserves the award for being the most consistent zine in fandom in it's [sic] high standards of quality art, fiction, and repro. In this issue: 'The Explorer": what would have been a very good story (Uhura wants to know why there are no women captains in Starfleet), was technically damaged by the author's attacking strawpersons and stereotypes instead of grappling with the real emotions behind the issues. It is saved by a strong, tight ending and a reasonable explanation of Starfleet's sexism. 'Suzannice' starts out as a stunningly powerful piece that starts slowly, like a wave, then overwhelms the reader with both the perfection of her melding technique and the emotional chord sounded by the entwined verses. Best of zine award. The other poems vary in quality. 'Pon Farr Rock': amusing story of Spock in pon farr (of course, stranded on a barren planet, where else?) With four strong women there, you wouldn't think he'd be in trouble. But you'd be wrong. 'To Gather Stones Together': well put together story of one of the offspring of the Scalosian women, now the only survivor of her race. Too well-written perhaps, as the young woman's sense of sorrow and drifting aimlessness makes the circumstances of the story seem as alien and uninspiring to the reader as they are to the main character. 'Gumby Trek': since I don't think I've ever seen Gumby, I must disqualify myself from this one. I suspect this playette, performed at a con, would be hysterical, nevertheless. 'My Life and Times - Paula Block': Menagerie's regular write-up up a well-known fan is a feature that would be wonderful to have transplanted somewhere else, after the last Menagerie. The temporary illusion of meeting a very nice person is gratifying. Overall content: Good. Art: Very good to excellent. Repro: Up to the usual standards. Value: At $1.75, a very good buy. [124]


Issue 17

Menagerie 17 was published in 1981 and is 40 pages long. This fanzine contains 10 stories, poems, and non-fiction.

The art is by Gordon Carleton, Connie Faddis, Phil Foglio, Steven Fox, Melody Frame, Cheryl Frashure, Paulie Gilmore, Jeanine Goodsom, Joan Hanke-Woods, Nan Lewis, Elizabeth Marshall, Doug Rice, Carolyn Ruth, Mike Glicksohn, and Robin Wood.

front cover of issue #17, Phil Foglio
back cover of issue #17, Joan Hanke-Woods, Mike Glicksohn and Phil Foglio

The editorial by Paula Smith:

Curmudgeon. That's what this zine was.

I've been looking over the past sixteen issues of MENAGERIE, and to to my wondering eyes what appears but my very own curmudgeonry. A bit startling, you may imagine. But there it is, the grousing and the griping and the Old Virtues. MEN was not an innovative zine-- even way back in '74, we weren't the first to go offset. We were never the most useful or informative zine, nor the most beautiful, nor the most general, nor the most consistent. We were never in the front ranks of Kraith, nor K/Sism pro or anti, nor S.T.A.R., nor the current rearguard action against SWars. And nobody ever called us punctual.

What probably best describes MENAGERIE is "reactionary." Early on when sloppy ditto was the reproductive method of choice, we wanted a cleaner look and went to offset. When every second story in fandom involved the unlikely adventures of a sixteen-year-old lieutenant on the Enterprise, we did "A Trekkie's Tale." When Kraith dominated the earth's surface, we wrote and printed "An Abortive Attempt." When everybody else was writing about the Big Three on the Big E, we tried to explore the rest of the universe. Later, when get'ems were the vogue, we did The Logical Conclusion, billed as "the get em to end all get'ems." Overkill--we "got" Spock five times. We started the first review column ('Notes From Cap'n Dunsel," later "Bored of Review") because we wanted to publish our reactions to the zines we read. Our only positive crusade, good writing, we carried out in part by refusing what we considered poor and critiquing in depth the ones we took on.

In our lettercol and con report began none other than the K/S controversy. And satire, our usual mode of yuks, is the most reactionary idiom there is.

Well, F=ma, folks: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We were occasionally the conscience of fandom; sometimes we even made it think. We were a major force in making ST fanlit aware of itself, and only through self-awareness is there the possibility of self-improvement. We did produce a change in fandom, I truly believe. We made it a little less complacent, a bit more self-critical. Maybe we went overboard. If so, now that we're retiring (in this incarnation, anyway), somebody else can be the reactionary and bring fandom back to center. Some curmudgeon.

Whaddaya want for a buck?

  • Editiorial (2)
  • The City On The Edge Of All Our Yesterdays by Paula Smith (Humor) (3)
  • Alone by Jocelyn Feaster (4)
  • Five O’Clock In The Shade by Jane Aumerle (Alternate Universe) (5)
  • Menagerie and I by Phil Foglio (Cartoon) (14)
  • Short Story, a bio/interview of Sharon Ferraro Short, see Short Story: Sharon Ferraro Short (16)
  • The Fan Song of P. Therese Smith by Paula Smith (17)
  • Kalamenagerie by Paula Smith (cartoons by Phil Foglio; it had been completed in 1976 and was mentioned in The 1977 S.T.A.R. Open Letter by Sharon) (22)
  • FIAWOL by Barb Greenwood (Fan Fantasy story) (30)
  • poems/filks by Rose Marie Jakubjansky and Paula Smith (40)
  • Morte de MENAGERIE by Doug Rice (41)

  • from issue #17, Phil Foglio

  • from issue #17, two filks, including "The Ballad of Mary Sue" by Paula Smith, art by Steven Fox

  • from issue #17, "The Ballad of Mary Sue by Paula Smith

  • from issue #17, portrait of Sharon Ferraro Short and "Storyteller," art by Paulie Gilmore

  • from issue #17, Connie Faddis

  • inside back cover art from issue #17, Doug Rice

  • from issue #17, Nan Lewis

  • from issue #17, Phil Foglio

  • from issue #17

  • from issue #17, Phil Foglio

References

  1. ^ from Datazine #1
  2. ^ from Universal Translator #1
  3. ^ from The Halkan Council #11 (October 1975)
  4. ^ an LoC by Steve Simmons in "Menagerie" #5
  5. ^ from Fanzine Review 'Zine
  6. ^ from Gerry Downes in Stardate Unknown #1
  7. ^ from Time Warp #1
  8. ^ from Fantasia #2
  9. ^ from Datazine #5
  10. ^ from Boldly Writing
  11. ^ Read David Gerrold's description of this event at Science Fiction Fandom vs. Media Fandom#Culture Clash: Star Trek and SF Fandom.
  12. ^ from Pentathlon #3
  13. ^ The Detroit one is perhaps a reference to Babel.
  14. ^ A Trekkie’s Tale, Archived version
  15. ^ bruinhilda.tumblr, December 2016
  16. ^ from The Halkan Council #8 (July 1975)
  17. ^ comment by Becca Oroukin in "Menagerie" #4
  18. ^ comment by Joan Verba in "Menagerie" #4
  19. ^ comment by Jacqueline Lichtenberg in "Menagerie" #4
  20. ^ comment by Joni Wagner in "Menagerie" #4
  21. ^ comment by Paula Casey in "Menagerie" #4
  22. ^ from The Halkan Council #2
  23. ^ an LoC by Paula Casey in "Menagerie" #5
  24. ^ a letter of comment in "Menagerie" #5 written by "Disappointeu" who is likely Paula Smith poking fun at criticism from fans
  25. ^ an LoC by Jacqueline Lichtenberg in "Menagerie" #5
  26. ^ an LoC by Anna Mary Hall in "Menagerie" #5
  27. ^ an LoC by Jeff Maynard in "Menagerie" #5
  28. ^ an LoC by Steve Simmons in "Menagerie" #5
  29. ^ from Pentathlon #3
  30. ^ Translation of "Res ipsas loquatur" -- "In the common law of torts, res ipsa loquitur is a doctrine that infers negligence from the very nature of an accident or injury in the absence of direct evidence on how any defendant behaved." -- Wikipedia
  31. ^ ♫ Father, why do these words sound so nasty? ♫
  32. ^ a LoC by Frank Kelly Freas in "Menagerie" #6
  33. ^ a LoC by Paula Casey in "Menagerie" #6
  34. ^ a LoC by Chris Heiny in "Menagerie" #6
  35. ^ a LoC by Vickie James in "Menagerie" #6
  36. ^ a LoC by Phil Foglio in "Menagerie" #6
  37. ^ from Spectrum #19
  38. ^ from Joan Verba in an LoC is "Menagerie" #5
  39. ^ from Steve Simmons in an LoC is "Menagerie" #5
  40. ^ from Ruth Berman in an LoC is "Menagerie" #5
  41. ^ from Independent Entity #2 (1975)
  42. ^ from the newsletter Interphase
  43. ^ regarding a story this issue: In 1977, Sharon Emily sent the following personal statement to Scuttlebutt
  44. ^ from the zine Interphase #2
  45. ^ from Spectrum #20
  46. ^ from Alpha-Omega #1
  47. ^ from a letter of comment in "Menagerie " #10
  48. ^ from a letter of comment by Lucy Hitzfolder in "Menagerie " #10
  49. ^ from a letter of comment by George J. Laskowski in "Menagerie " #10
  50. ^ from a letter of comment by Jane Leavell in "Menagerie " #10
  51. ^ from a letter of comment by Mary M. Schmidt in "Menagerie " #10
  52. ^ from a letter of comment by Debra Lynn Etheridge in "Menagerie " #10
  53. ^ from a letter of comment by Jan Rigby in "Menagerie " #10
  54. ^ from a letter of comment by Amy Hartman in "Menagerie " #10
  55. ^ from a letter of comment by Joan Verba in "Menagerie " #10
  56. ^ from a letter of comment by Karen Gobel in "Menagerie " #10
  57. ^ from a letter of comment by Sharon Emily in "Menagerie " #10
  58. ^ from a letter of comment by Mary Ann Emerson in "Menagerie " #10
  59. ^ from Interphase #3
  60. ^ from The Halkan Council #19
  61. ^ from Spectrum #25
  62. ^ by Randy Ash from Sehlat's Roar #3
  63. ^ from Stardate #10 (August 1976)
  64. ^ a fake letter (complete with poor spelling) by "Mary Sue Parker" in "Menagerie" #11, likely written by the editors with the clumsy intention to poke fun at poorly written letters of comment and the average fan's low standards and education.
  65. ^ a letter of comment by Anne Elizabeth Zeek in "Menagerie" #11
  66. ^ a letter of comment by Sheila Strickland in "Menagerie" #11
  67. ^ a letter of comment by Penny Warren in "Menagerie" #11
  68. ^ a letter of comment by Susan Armstrong in "Menagerie" #11
  69. ^ a letter of comment by Melanie R in "Menagerie" #11
  70. ^ a letter of comment by Mary M. Schmidt in "Menagerie" #11
  71. ^ a letter of comment by Bev Clark in "Menagerie" #11
  72. ^ a letter of comment by Diane Steiner in "Menagerie" #11
  73. ^ a letter of comment by Jan Rigby in "Menagerie" #11
  74. ^ a letter of comment by Pat Gildersleeve in "Menagerie" #11
  75. ^ a letter of comment by Jean Lorrah in "Menagerie" #11
  76. ^ a letter of comment by Nancy Duncan in "Menagerie" #11
  77. ^ from The Sehlat's Roar #4, as is, with typos
  78. ^ from a review in Scuttlebutt #1
  79. ^ from The Halkan Council #26/27
  80. ^ from Spectrum #32
  81. ^ Halliday’s Star Trek Zinedex (TOS) - Title Index, Archived version
  82. ^ by Jane Aumerle from Mahko Root #1
  83. ^ Halliday’s Star Trek Zinedex (TOS) - Title Index, Archived version
  84. ^ from Sandy Hall in Menagerie #14
  85. ^ from Dayle Palko in Menagerie #14
  86. ^ from Leslie Lilker in Menagerie #14
  87. ^ from Joan Bachman in Menagerie #14
  88. ^ from Sheila Strickland in Menagerie #14
  89. ^ from Dian Hardison in Menagerie #14
  90. ^ from Jan Lindner in Menagerie #14
  91. ^ from Beth Madison in Menagerie #14
  92. ^ from Damon Hill in Menagerie #14
  93. ^ from Cheryl Rice in Menagerie #14
  94. ^ from Paula Steinker in Menagerie #14
  95. ^ from Cynthia Levine in Menagerie #14
  96. ^ from Teri Meyer , editor of Interstat, in Menagerie #14
  97. ^ from Anna Mary Hall in Menagerie #14
  98. ^ from Shirley Maiewski in Menagerie #14
  99. ^ from Vicki Kirlin in Menagerie #14
  100. ^ from Johanna Cantor in Menagerie #14
  101. ^ from Gerry Downes in Menagerie #14
  102. ^ from Leslie Fish in Menagerie #14
  103. ^ from Theresa Holmes in Menagerie #14
  104. ^ from Rob McCann in Menagerie #14
  105. ^ from Beverly Clark in Menagerie #14
  106. ^ from Penny Warren in Menagerie #14
  107. ^ from Lila Hankins in Menagerie #14
  108. ^ from Jean Kluge in Menagerie #14
  109. ^ from Jane Aumerle in Mahko Root #1
  110. ^ from Sandy Hall in Menagerie #14
  111. ^ from Jan Lindner in Menagerie #14
  112. ^ from Mandi Schultz in Menagerie #14
  113. ^ from Joan Bachman in Menagerie #14
  114. ^ from Spectrum #35 (1978)
  115. ^ an exchange between a fan, and Jeff Johnston (publisher of the alluded to Diamonds and Rust), in Spectrum #38
  116. ^ Dodge may have been referring to The Star Wars Letters which was a controversy regarding explicit Star Wars fanworks, but her statement about Lucas' statement regarding to all fanworks.
  117. ^ from Scuttlebutt #7
  118. ^ from Jane Aumerle in Mahko Root #2
  119. ^ from The Alpha Centura Communicator v.4 n.5
  120. ^ from Dixie G. Owen in The Clipper Trade Ship #27 (1980)
  121. ^ from Captain's Log #2 (1979?)
  122. ^ by Jane Aumerle in Star Canticle #2
  123. ^ from Spock #18
  124. ^ from Datazine #5
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