Subspace Chatter (Star Trek: TOS zine published by Gerald M. Williams)

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See also Subspace Chatter (disambiguation).

Zine
Title: Subspace Chatter
Publisher: S.T.A.R. Utah (Salt Lake Division) (issues #1-#4), then Star*Trek Interstellar (alternately "Star*Trek Intersteller Trading*Post")
Editor(s): Gerald M. Williams
Type: newsletter
Date(s): 1974-1976
Frequency:
Medium: print
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Subspace Chatter is a Star Trek: TOS club newsletter created by Gerald M. Williams.

The first four issues were published in Salt Lake City, Utah and the local chapter of S.T.A.R.. The fourth issue contains a flounce and includes Williams' stated decision to move to San Diego to continue the zine with a new organization called Star*Trek Interstellar:

The main reason is to get away from 'Cloistered Valley' with its plethora of stifled people and their narrow little minds. Why San Diego? It's clean and green down there; schooling in Cinematography is available, and New York is too cold. It's close enough to the film studios, but far enough away for the air to be breathable.

Issue 1

Sub-Space Chatter 1 was published in February 1974 and contains 6 pages.

from issue #1

The content is club news, information about Star Trek in the news, and Star Trek things to buy.

Issue 2

Subspace Chatter 2 was published in March 1974 and contains 10 pages.

It has general announcements, fiction, con reports and small bits of art. This issue also contains a Trek story by Mark Williamsen called "The Crash."

  • from issue #2

  • from issue #2

  • from issue #2

  • from issue #2

Issue 3

Subspace Chatter 3 was published in August 1974 and contains 18 pages.

It contains much news about Star Trek, club news, meeting minutes, ads, con information, a con report for Equicon #2, things to buy, and a story by Gerry Williams called "Escape."

  • from issue #3

Issue 4

Subspace Chatter 4 was published in spring 1975 and contains 26 pages.

It contains much news, many things, to buy, a story called "Capture" by Altair Ego, a long transcript of a television interview (channel 4, in Utah, US) with Leonard Nimoy called "Leonard Nimoy... The Man!" (has an introduction by Gerald Williams, Chairman of S.T.A.R. Utah), and an article called "Star Trek Animation Debate."

From the editorial by Gerald M. Williams:

Well, this is the last issue of "Subspace Chatter" that will come from Utah, so now I'm going to have my say. I am moving to San Diego around the first of April whether I'll ever come back. Reason for leaving? I have told many people it's because I'll be going to school down there. This is partially correct. The main reason is to get away from 'Cloistered Valley' with its plethora of stifled people and their narrow little minds. Why San Diego? It's clean and green down there; schooling in Cinematography is available, and New York is too cold. It's close enough to the film studios, but far enough away for the air to be breathable.

If "Subspace Chatter" does make it through the move, some of the things we may improve on ore the 'zine's size, depending on the people we meet and if they'd be willing to do an article or two and some typing and layout, and all of the rest of the little goodies involved in 'zining. Some other changes I'm considering are feature length sections similar to "LEONARD NIMOY . .. THE MAN" article in this issue (probably on Equicon/Filmcon and the like), more rotten puns & jokes, a short story or two per issue, and generally taking this 'zine away from the newsletter-ish publication into a more persona! fanzine-ish format. As I said, this all depends on how we survive the move.

Any regrets in leaving? None at all. S.T.A.R. UTAH is in good hands now, and I think it will live long and propser if Scotty can overcome a few 'technical' details; like how to fight Utah Apathy (a disease of plague-like proportions), and some of the 'legalities' of running a club. My only advice to you, Scotty, is to do it your way, but let other people help you. That was my problem. Since I birthed STAR UTAH, it was my organization. My mother-complex stepped in and said, "If you want anything done right. . .do it yourself. n And I did ... as much as I could. Unfortunately I found I had overstepped my limits and things began to fall from my fingers before I could pick them up. It is very difficult to try to get out a monthly publication, run two organizations (plus), and keep going to school and work to finance the whole thing. Anyway, Scotty, delegate authority like you're doing now and keep a tight reign (sic) on it, and you should be OK. Also, it would he wise if you can get a working group of officers. My officers were just there for looks. . . 'cos the constitution said they should be there. And don't get personally involved with your officers. Things can go wrong and they'll stab you in the back first chance they get. As Julius Ccasar said to Brutus after Brutus asked him how many hamburgers he had eaten at lunch — "Et tu, Brutue!"

One thing that I have learned in my sci-fi club dealings is you've either got to do it yourself, or don't do it at all. I mean, if there's more than one person involved, just sit back and enjoy the show, 'cos first time you try to take the initiative, the others will let you run until it comes to spending ’their' money. That's when they stop you down and tell you it was a no-no. The USSF/STAR UTAH sci-fi bazaar is an example of that. You take control, you spend your money, and when it's time to pay up, the whole thing's pulled out from under your feet and $50 gets kissed goodbye for nothing.

Another comment, this time about writers. How come a person who is a 'published writer' doesn't even hove one copy of his book(s) around? He comes up with a fanzine with his name plastered all over it, but there's nothing in it written by him? This is one of those mysterious people who con talk their way into anything. He says he's got a friend who is a pro writer — suddenly everyone is interested in him. The way he tells it, the pro is actually privileged to know him. Proof? Sorry, not available. Interesting, tho. Methinks it would be best to avoid such a person as much as possible.

  • from issue #4

Issue 5

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

The art was excellent and the picture reproduction very good, the only thing I disliked was the use of heavy dark lines to divide up the pages, otherwise layout design excellent. The zine had a nice wide variety of articles. I particularly liked the one on Magicam. Looking forward to the article on the care of film clips...[1]

Very, very nicely done. Your graphics are promising and the artwork, though unspectacular, is neatly executed. My main complaint is with your tendency towards blocky, unwieldy borders and singularly inappropriate styles of Letra-set. The dual columns are also nice, but would look better—more alive—if it ware left unjustified. Justifications of columns on a fixed-spacing typewriter always look's pretentious and anyway there’s no graphic superiority of justified to non-.

So what if Steve Allen makes dumbass uncomplementary remarks? All you'll do by organizing a letter-writing campaign is amuse him. What if literary sf fandom went into paroxysms every time TIME reviewed Michael Chrichton as "above the run-of-the-mill sf novelist's standards"? (Real quote...) We'd certainly never have the time, let alone the energy for more important pursuits.

Myghawd, Star Trek feghoots. May you be consigned to a hell full of Shaggy Isaac stories. Go away.

I know offset is more expensive in San Diego than in Salt Lake, but then, everything is more expensive anywhere than in Salt Lake, Capital of Economy. Ever consider going mimeo?

Thanx for the comments and criticisms. Permit me to clear up a misconception or two you seem to have: First, Salt Lake City is no "Isle of Easy Living." The only reason that we managed our printing at rates under these here is because we could dangle a student activity card in front of the noses of the school copy shop, where the printing was done for the price of paper and ink. Here we are going through a commercial business instead of a student facility. Mimeograph, although cheaper, doesn’t give us the latitude for "style" and our art. It also takes three times as much time to prepare as an offset master, and we don't have access to a mimeo machine.
As for Steve Allen, we picked up that as a news item out of the STAR TREK Welcommittee publication "A Piece of the Action," as a news article. I haven't written such a letter, mainly because I've been, known to take some nasty cracks at ST and SF fandom, but not on nation-wide TV. —Ed. [2]

Issue 6

Subspace Chatter 6 was published in December 1975 and contains 36 pages.

from issue #6
from issue #6

While the contributors are listed, none of the content is specifically credited.

Contributors were: Penny Durrans, Jill J. Simmons, Joyce Thompson, Allyson Whitfield, Gerry Williams, Altair Ego, Jeff Johnston, Mandi Schultz, and The Mad Punster of Beta Anchovie VI.

These sources were also listed, though this may be because material was gleaned from them, rather than because they specifically sent information: Amani, The American Cinematographer, James Doohan International Fan Club, Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans, Locus, Newsweek Magazine, People Magazine, The San Diego Union, S.T.A.R. Heart of America, S.T.A.R. San Diego, S.T.A.R. Toledo, and Star Trek Welcommittee.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

Reduced format offset carried to the nth degree is what Gerald Williams has done with SUBSPACE CHATTER. Interesting layout, great repro on the photos, and lots of good material: ST news, space news, media news, a reprinted article on the filming process in "The Invisible Man," and the first installment of an article on the care and feeding of your slides and film clips. Though the price seems just a teeny steep, I still think it's worth a try. Gerald's doing a very fine job. [3]

Issue 7

Sub-Space Chatter 7 was published in April 1976 and contains 32 pages.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 7

Subspace Chatter #8, to come out in July, will be the last — and I will be sorry to see it go. SC has a very extensive ST, SF, book, movie, and TV news section with many current, entertaining items. This issue also has a lengthy interview with Susan Sackett, Gene Roddenberry's secretary; the second half of a fine article on the care and feeding of your ST slides and film clippings; a few letters, fanzine reviews, and ado; and the Star Trek Interstellar Trading Post — a sideline which he will continue to persue after SC is gone. [4]

Issue 8

Subspace Chatter 8 was published in October 1976 and contains 36 pages. It has a front cover by Franz Joseph Schnaubelt, the creator of Star Fleet Technical Manual.

cover of issue #8
  • Filmclips, Care and Feeding of (article)
  • Logan's Run (review) by A. Wildur
  • Editorial by G. Williams
  • Home, Home on Deranged by "Anonymous"
  • Star Trek News
  • These Will be a Reality an interview with Franz Joseph Schnaubelt; the interview was conducted by Gerry Williams and Penny Durrans

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 8

Before I go any further, let me tell you that this is the last, absolutely LAST, issue of Subspace Chatter, and if you want it, better get it quick cuz there are only 500 copies.

This newszine is in reduced offset, which means you have to strain your eyes a bit to read it. Compound that with blue paper and you'll really have a headache. Still, it's worth it. There are eight pages of news, some ST related, some not. The news items, which were probably newsworthy at the time it came out, are comprehensive but now outdated. The article on how to take care of filmclips was the third and last installment of the series and may be familiar to those who avidly collect film clips. After this serious article, there was a very good short story in which an obnoxious pun (the highest form of humor) was the clincher. It was a good pun, which is to say it was bad!! Know what I mean?

A review on the book and the movie of Logan's Run was forthcoming sometime, and Subspace Chatter had it (tho' I've seen others, the most illuminating in Cinefantastique). The review was very heavy-handed in dealing cutting critiques, and for the most part, true. Some not-so-clear pictures from the movie accompanied the review.

The highlight of the zine was an eleven page interview with Franz Joseph Schnaubely [sic], who, as we all know, wrote up the bestseller, The Starfleet Technical Manual. In a very interesting and probing interview, we, the fans out here, got to know him a lot better, and if not anything else, the interview itself is worth the price.

The zine ended with another "pun" story and a couple of pages of advertisement. There is something unique about this zine little drawings and reprinted cartoons having to do with ST or space are scattered here and there throughout the zine without really detracting nor adding to the articles. It was as if these pieces of artwork were independent of the zine, but they're not.

Content: 3 Layout & Printing: 5 Overall Rating: 8 [5]

References

  1. ^ from a letter of comment in "Sub-Space Chatter" #6
  2. ^ from a letter of comment in "Sub-Space Chatter" #6
  3. ^ from Stardate #8
  4. ^ from Stardate #9
  5. ^ from The Clipper Trade Ship #15
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