Wild Cards (multimedia zine)

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Zine
Title: Wild Cards
Publisher: Bodacious Press
Editor(s): Tosya Stohn ("Sweetie") and Robyn LaSalle ("Darling")
Date(s): 1992-1997
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: multimedia
Language: English
External Links:
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Wild Cards is a slash multimedia anthology.

Submission Guidelines

The first and foremost thing to remember is that WILD CARDS is for mixed-media slash ("/") only (for those new to it, that means no straight/heterosexual adult fiction, outside of threesomes which include both sexes). With few exceptions (listed below), we are opened to any Media "/" pairings -TV or movies -which take place on Earth.

While we will not accept Star Trek (any flavor), Star Wars, Doctor Who, Galactica, or other fandoms set in the vastness of space, we will accept Alien Nation, V, War of the Worlds, Buckaroo Banzai, Highlander (both movie & TV), and other planet-bound science fiction.

We accept Spies Like Us, Man From U.N.C.L.E. or Mission Impossible; Cop/Adventure shows or movies like Miami Vice (any pairings), Houston Knights, Starsky & Hutch, Thunderheart, Renegades, New Jack City, Year of the Gun, and many, many more.

Westerns! We take Westerns! Silverado, Dances With Wolves, A Man Called Horse, Quigley Down Under (would that be an Eastern?), and/or Young Guns (preferably not with Billy as he was a real person; see "Exceptions" below).

While we're pretty open-minded, there are some exceptions to what we will/will not take. We will absolutely not accept:

Simon/Simon; Indy & his father; other incestuous fiction.
HTV’s Robin of Sherwood (While we know there are some really juicy possibilities in this particular group of Merry Men, the creator of the series -Mr Richard Carpenter -asked specifically that we not publish RoS "/"." Being his friends, we complied.) Note: We will take Prince of Thieves or any other Robin Hood interpretations.
Any real people (ie, no Speake/Burton, Mountains of the Mood)', any genres of a biographical nature.
No Real Ghost Busters (We will consider the movies with the live-action people - but, please, not the cartoons.)

Torture & Gratuitous Violence. We'd like our writers to keep their stories within a temperate range of violence. One understands that in the spy, adventure and enforcement genres one runs into a certain amount of inherent brutality; however, let's keep the skin on the bones. Violence within reason, okay? Let’s not over do it.

Rape. This is a very sensitive subject. We will not allow rape between the partners. As in the aforementioned genres, we realize rape can and will occur in some circumstances. If you want to do a psychological study of a character's reaction to it, that's fine. Again, keep it within reason. But we don't want stories glorifying or pivoting around the act.

Editorial decisions on these matters will be final.

One last and very important point: this publication accepts female pairings with open arms.

Issue 1

cover of issue #1, Angi Towski portrays Starsky & Hutch

Wild Cards 1 was published in November 1992 and contains 217 pages.

The art is by Angi Towski (front cover), Helena Wolff, R.J. Burnett, Jung, KOZ, Seraph, H. Ann Walton, and TACS.

from issue #1, "[This] is a portrait which was done by request for a very dear friend, Rodger Gonder, who died of an AIDS-related fever on September 6, 1992. The characters are of no particular universe or pairing; they were two of Rodger's favorite actors, in a setting beloved to him (Egypt). Because the drawing had not been finished before his death, it is presented here in honor of his memory, for all to see. (The inscription at the top translates to: "Horus guards over two men holding hands in friendship and love.")
This publication is dedicated to Rodger, because he was such a friend and such a total slut. He never failed to encourage us to take chances when it came to our "/" publishing. 20% of all proceeds over expenses will be donated to Open Hand Chicago, a group providing hot meals to AIDS victims in their homes.")

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

[Matchmaker]: "Matchmaker" has a delightful illo, first of all, then a cute story of Ziggy's interference with the guys. [1]

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Koz portraits William Bodie and Ray Doyle

Wild Cards 2 was published in May 1993 and contains 209 pages. The art is by KOZ (front cover), Jean Burnett, Angi Towski, Jung, and Seraph.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

[Reflections in Moonlight]: "Reflections On [sic] Moonlight" is just a romantic slash story ~ as simple as that, but it was a favorite. [2]

Issue 3

Wild Cards 3 was published in March 1995 and has 247 pages.

cover of issue #3, KOZ portrays Athos (Kiefer Sutherland) and D'Artagnan (Chris O'Donnell), characters from The Three Musketeers (1993 film)

The art is by KOZ, Angi Towski, and Jessikah. It also contains plentiful Dover clip art.

The editorial discusses many person challenges: a house foreclosure, trying to find a rental apartment that would take eight cats, the electrical circuitry in the new apartment wouldn't support their home photocopier, a hard drive crash that lost all zine records and correspondence as well as personal records, procuring a new computer from a fan named CAVEBEAR, and the loss of their data entry person named Truly Scrumptious. The editors also state:

On GENIE: we are MOONCAT. If you write to us through the Inet to Genie, you would address your mail to: [email protected] If you are on Genie we have a topic over on SFRT3. Category Fannish Publishing; topic 19, The Presses. There we post updates of what we’re doing and our convention schedule. On AMERICA ON LINE (AOL) we are LUNARCAT, [email protected] for you Inet'ers.

[...]

Finally, a new policy here at the Presses is to add insurance to the cost of shipping. We’ve found that we are having zero loss with this procedure. Of course, they don’t want to pay for what they lose. For those of you who order our zines. I’m sure you can appreciate the need for this and use the order form you received with this through the mail. Anew one will be included with every order.

Writers and artists, we welcome your submissions to our zines. Without you, we wouldn’t have a zine. Tell your friends!

As you can see, we are out to get this lot back on schedule and running smoothly once again. Please bear with the changes we’ve had to make, and know that we made them for all of us.

Thanks again for your continued support of The Presses. Please let us hear from you. How about a list of some of the fandoms you would like to see in future issues of WILD CARDS? We aims to please. <Grin>

  • from issue #3, KOZ (X-Files, Mulder with an original character that is perhaps fan-casted)

  • from issue #3, Angi Towski (Wild Wild West)

  • from issue #3, Angi Towski (Magnum P.I.)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (Hard Target, Pik Van Cleaf/Emil Fouchon)

  • from issue #3, Angi Towski (The Professionals)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (The Equalizer)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (original fantasy? Elfquest?)

  • from issue #3, Angi Towski (Thunderheart)

  • from issue #3, Jessikah (The X-Files)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (Department S)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (The Three Musketeers)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (Miami Vice)

  • from issue #3, KOZ (Stargate SG-1, Daniel Jackson and Ra, the latter appears to be a fan-casted Duncan MacLeod)

Issue 4

Wild Cards 4 was published in 1996 and has 185 pages. Art is by KOZ (cover), Angi Towski, Jung, Seraph, Ramon, Kanji-name, TAM and PeeJ.

cover issue #4, KOZ portrays Walter Skinner and Fox Mulder

(5)

  • Ante Up by Robyn LaSalle (21 Jump Street) (Hansen has sex with everyone, separately, during a poker game. Happens around the episode, "Loc'd Out." (5)
  • "Sonny Crockett Boogie" (a filk, Edward James Olmos' movie, "Zoot Suit" and the song "Marijuana Boogie.") (13)
  • El Dia de Los Muertes by Debbi Rojano (Man From UNCLE) (15)
  • Key West by Robyn LaSalle (Miami Vice) (Sonny and Martin go undercover as lovers at a gay resort.) (35)
  • Fire Eyes by Mirenna (21 Jump Street) (67)
  • One More Time, poem, (Miami Vice, C/C) (79)
  • Confessions by Methos (Brother Cadfael) (81)
  • The Log Dream by Buddy Cole (Twin Peaks) (based on the Pear Dream skit from "The Kids in the Hall") (91)
  • Original Sin by Robyn LaSalle (X-Files) (a very early Mulder/Skinner story, takes place after the episode "Paperclip.") (93)
  • With This Ring by Mirenna (21 Jump Street) (121)
  • Aftermath, poem (Miami Vice, C/C) by Khylara (125)
  • A Change in Pans by Khylara (Man From UNCLE) (127)
  • The Hatred of a Minute by Robyn LaSalle (Starsky & Hutch) (133)
  • Just a Song Before I Go by Mirenna (21 Jump Street) (143)
  • Paradox by Bob (X-Files/Twin Peaks) (Cooper/Denise Bryson) (151)
  • The Memory Lane Affair by Robyn LaSalle (Man From UNCLE) (157)
  • Addendum by Robyn LaSalle (X-Files) (after the episode about Skinner's wife) (161)
  • Different Corner by Robyn LaSalle (Renegades) (reprinted from Interludes #1 a Kiefer/Lou zine) (165)
  • Anchor to the Earth, poem (X-Files) (184)

  • from issue #4, Koz (Starsky & Hutch)

  • from issue #4, cast of 21 Jump Street by Angi Towski

  • from issue #4, Kanji-name (21 Jump Street)

  • from issue #4, Koz (X-Files)

  • from issue #4, Seraph (Miami Vice)

  • from issue #4, PeeJ (Brother Cadfael)

  • from issue #4, Ramon (MUNCLE)

  • from issue #4, Jung

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

When I got this zine in May I decided not to review it because I haven't read all the stories and wasn't likely to. Then I mentioned that it had some Mulder/Skinner stories in it and some people asked for info on it. So consider this half-way between an infomercial and a review.

As always the following comments are my opinions and mine alone. I expect no one to consider them dictations of my admittedly sometimes picky mind. If someone disagrees with any of the following observations, please, please, *please* post your own views. I always like hearing what other people have to say, too. And if you happen to agree with anything I say...are you sure you're feeling okay? :-)

Overall, the zine is okay. That's about all I can say. Most of the zines put out by this press neither impress me, negatively or positively. If you have a craving for anything in a specific fandom, this is probably good for that at least, but if you are looking for great fanfic, it's generally best to move on. With possibly some minor exceptions.

"Ante Up" (21 Jump Street) by Robyn LaSalle--According to the Author's Note this takes place around the time of the episode "Loc'd Out". I'm not sure that makjes any difference at all. This basically just seems to be an excuse for Hansen to have sex with everyone--seperately. During the same poker game.

"Sonny Crockett Boogie" a filk by Le Mad Artiste--This filk gave me a giggle, but I don't think it'll make much sense to anyone who hasn't seen Edward James Olmos' movie ZOOT SUIT and heard the song "Marijuana Boogie".

"El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)" (MUNCLE)by Debbie Rojano--Having experienced MUNCLE as published by this press before and been far from impressed by it, I skipped this one. I'm on a low wussification tolerance mode at the moment.

"Key West" by Robyn LaSalle (MV)--My initial reaction is, "been there, done that". Sonny and Martin go undercover at a gay resort and have to pretend to be lovers. If you want to see this done better, read the S/H novel "Murder on San Carmelitas" and if you insist on reading a MV story along the same lines, I know there was at least one other of these all ready. (Sorry, can't remember where. LIASONS, maybe?)

"Fire Eyes" by Mirenna (21 Jump Street)--Skipped it, so I can't say.

"Confessions" by Methos (Cadfael)--I've never seen the show and have very little referrence to even begin to understand it, so I skipped this one as well.

"The Log Dream" by Buddy Cole (TWIN PEAKS)--This is based on the Pear Dream skit from THE KIDS IN THE HALL. Again, it's kind of cute, but I *know* this will make no sense to anyone who hasn't seen the reference material.

"Original Sin" by Robyn LaSalle (THE X-FILES)--This is the first of the Mulder/Skinner stories, this one taking place immediately after the episode "Paperclip". I think the main problem with most of the stories like these is that it just doesn't sound like Mulder and Skinner, especially Skinner. This does at least do better at making an attempt at explaining why they are together than others.

"With This Ring" by Mirenna (21 Jump Street)--It's gag me sappy and in a fandom I only have a peripheral interest in--very peripheral.

"A Change of Plans" by Khylara (MUNCLE)--Skipped it.

"The Hatred of a Minute" by Robyn LaSalle (S/H)--My biggest problem, I think, with Robyn LaSalle's writing is that it definitely leans towards the sickeningly sweet and in a fandom like STARSKY & HUTCH which tends to lean towards that direction, it just makes it worse. I also think that most for most of her stories you could interchange the characters from any of her other stories in any other fandom. This is better than most, but it's the best I can do.

"Just a Song Before I Go" by Mirenna (21 Jump Street)--Skipped.

"Paradox" by BOB (TWIN PEAKS/X-FILES)--Okay, it's been a long time coming, it's a Cooper/Denise Brycen story! It's also been a long time coming for a TP/XF cross. But if you're looking for a *good* TP/XF story or a *good* Cooper/Denise story, I'm afraid you have a longer wait coming because this ain't it. Fox Mulder *is* Denise (Denise/Dennis is his 'female' persona)? I don't think so...

"The Memory Lane Affair" by Robyn LaSalle (MUNCLE)--Skipped.

"Addendum" by Robyn LaSalle (X-FILES)--A much shorter (only three pages as compared to the other which was 28pp.) Mulder/Skinner story. Not too bad. This takes place after the episode with Skinner's wife.

"Different Corner" by Robyn LaSalle (RENEGADES-Kiefer/Lou)--This is a reprint from INTERLUDES 1, their own K/L zine. It's one of the so-so stories. Not something bad, but not great either.

Their prices listed are $22 (USA) and $25 (Canada). Sorry, no postage listed for overseas. I will warn people, too, that this press has something of a reputation as being pretty bad when it comes to filling out orders via mail. They take forever and there are people who have waited for a couple of years to get their zines still are waiting. There is a lot of different artwork scattered throughout the zine by different people with different fandoms as the subject--some who aren't even represented in the zine by any stories. (There is at least one regular picture and one cartoon for DEPT. S, for instance, but no stories.) The zine is approximately 185pp and is, for the most part, double-columned. [3]

Issue 5

cover of issue #5, KOZ portrays Hercules and Iolaus from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Wild Cards 5 was published in April 1997 and contains 224 pages. The art is by KOZ (front cover), Angi Towski, Seraph, and Jung.

From the editorial:

1997 is revving up to be a good year, zine-wise. By February, we were juggling four in stages of layout. By our big annual convention, MediaWest*Con, we'll have a total of eight new publications for the table!. This year, we move up from the wonderful Gateway 486 to the Gateway Pentium, again thanks to our dear friend, Cavebear who continues her quest for the Ultimate Computer. This new machine has a CDROM, so we're anticipating trying out new programs that will continue to improve the appearance of our zines. This is the last Boadacious Press zine that will be produced on Jazz Man (the 48). Christopher (the Pentium) takes over from now on. We've had a terrific surge of interest and have been very active in online fannish activities and communication. Cyberspace was absolutely the best invention that could have come along for us, as we are now in contact with fans and subscribers from all over the world on a daily basis.

References

  1. ^ from a Quantum Leap fan in The Handlink #3
  2. ^ from a Quantum Leap fan in The Handlink #3
  3. ^ July 20, 1996, Michelle Christian, posted to Virgule-L, quoted with permission
  4. ^ This was originally submitted to the editors for a Quantum Leap zine in March 1993, illustrating how long it took sometimes for a fan's fic to finally find a home, and audience. -- from private correspondence, March 15, 1993
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