Star Trek Mail Association

From Fanlore
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Zine
Title: Star Trek Mail Association
Publisher: Star Trek Mail Association Press
Editor(s): Lori Paige
Type: newsletter
Date(s): mid 1980s
Frequency:
Medium: print
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Language: English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Star Trek Mail Association is a gen Star Trek: TOS newsletter edited by Lori Paige. As of about 1983, there were roughly 30 issues. It contains zine reviews, convention reports, commentary, time lines, and articles.

Issue 28/29

STMA 28/29 was published in 1981 and contains 28 pages.

Issue 30/31

STMA 30/31 was published in 1981 and contains 26 pages.

Issue 32/33

STMA 32/33 was published in 1981 and contains 20 pages.

Issue 36

STMA 36 was published no later than 1982.

Issue 37/38

STMA 37/38 was published no later than 1982.

Sample Contents

The following are the contents of an undated (possibly 1980) newsletter:

  • Never and Tomorrow by Ginny Thorn (fiction)
  • Consumer Watch by Brent Gossett
  • The Greatest of These by Deborah Bruno
  • Daydream by Esther Lemay (poem)
  • Communications Board (letters of comment)
  • In Revue by Deborah Bruno (fanzine reviews)
  • Playing Around by Sherrie (board game review)
  • Crossword

Reactions and Reviews

I picked up STMA 30-31 at the Atlanta Fantasy Fair for a dollar. It was definintely not worth that. If one assumes that this issue is representative of the STMA's regular publication, than I am deeply mortified that people are paying money for this. The paste-up process is not a difficult one to manage, but it is obviously beyond the talents of the STMA editorial staff. There are paste-up lines, uneven margins, titles set at acute angles, and shoddy typing. The opening editorial is a song we've heard before. Oh, that nasty post office. So what? Most zine eds just lick their wounds and go on with it!. This is followed by "The Communications Board" which has letters compiled by Jo Charest, but there are no addresses. How does one write one of these people? Through the editor's address? I sincerely hope ot! Then comes some zine reviews which are pretty shallow affairs, a 'STMA Commentary' by Deborah Bruno which is a reivew of the old-time Stardate: Unknown #1. The next piece to consider is the convention report. Nice, but I've never particularly cared for such. It's followed by a "Star Trek Timeline" by Scott Taylor. This is just a collection of nothing baase on some of those ridiculous pro books about spaceflight chronologies and the like. A wast of time if there ever was one. Then comes an installemnt of 'Crossed Loyalties' by Diana Benning. To be fair, I won't comment upon it since I've not read the others in the sequence. This is followed by Kate Lach's report on affairs from England. This piece was mildly interesting, the first positive thing I can say about the STMA zine. The next thing which comes up is 'Star Trek Porn 2,' a commentary by Ginny Thorn on soft-porn in Treklit, and how she's against it, and K/S, and anything she can think of to spout off about. I like open forums to debate in, but this obviously isn't one. She condems those who take consideration and warn their readers that contents may be objectionable to some, and then says that this warning is designed to boost zine sales at the expense of ST. Then comes an editorial about flash photography and how it's not polite to use a flash on the stars (or anyone else, I presume) at point-blank range. How true, and unfortunately something many fans need to learn, hence its publication in their letterzine. Then we come to... no, I cannot continue any further. I find this entire publication to be poorly done, not worth the time to review any further. I hope that these people get their act together, because as it stands now, they have pretty shoddy publication. In all honesty, I give this issue a 13-14 out of 100 for its overall quality, one of the lowest marks I've ever given a zine. [1]

The STAR TREK MAIL ASSOCIATION is just what it sounds like: an active group who keep in touch mainly through the mails. Their publications include a monthly newsletter (rather informal, but at 30 pages, who cares!}, a yearbook, a novel (PROPHESY OF THE UNIVERSE), and two zines: IN INFINITE COMBINATIONS, focusing on Leonard Nimoy's career, including material on his non-Trek roles as well; and TOWARDS A STAR, a genzine (general Trek material), both zines currently still accepting submissions. Everyone involved, especially the overseas members, seem to be having a great time. [2]

Gallery

  • cover of issue #28-29

  • cover of issue #30-31

  • cover of issue #32-33

  • cover of issue #36

  • cover of issue #37-38

References

  1. ^ from Datazine #24
  2. ^ from TREKisM #26
Retrieved from "https://fanlore.org/w/index.php?title=Star_Trek_Mail_Association&oldid=856423"