A Sense of Occasion
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Sense of Occasion |
| Publisher: | Sherri Fillingham |
| Editor(s): | Pat Nussman |
| Type: | apazine, letterzine |
| Date(s): | 1990-1992 |
| Frequency: | |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | The Sandbaggers |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A Sense of Occasion was a Sandbaggers APA (six issues in this form, tri-folded), then in 1991 as a newsletter (three issues in this form). [1]
Some content was later reprinted in Sandbagger Briefing Document.
Pat Nussman's trib was called "Kill a Commie for Neil." [2] Barbara Tennison's trib was called "Strange Bags of Sand."
Topics in this publication were very much about canon, and not much about fans and fanworks.
APA, Then Letterzine
From a 1991 ad in The Neutral Arbiter #1:
A SENSE OF OCCASION: Are you familiar with the Burnside Glare, the Caine Mumble, the Ross Slouch? If so, it's time you're tasked for an in-depth briefing on The Sandbaggers. Join the Director of Operations (Pat Nussman) and Sandbagger One (Sherri Fillingham) for this new quarterly letterzine (background: ASOO was formerly an APA). We're scheduled to be on our bikes August, 1991 and early recruits will get a special $8.00 subscription until July 1 ... just think, you can eat at Charing Cross McDonalds and get a coffee or a Coke! Letters for the first briefing due July 1. Checks and letters to Sherri Fillingham, P.O. Box 686, Washington Grove, MD.
From a 1992 ad in Zine Scene: "A quarterly letterzine dedicated to the discussion of the Burnside glare, the Caine mumble and the Ross slouch, plus many other matters of vital importance to the Western World. Join in the discussion, or just enjoy reading this lively zine."
Issue 1
A Sense of Occasion 1 was published as an apa.
Issue 2
A Sense of Occasion 2 was published as an apa.
Issue 3
A Sense of Occasion 3 was published as an apa.
Issue 4
A Sense of Occasion 4 was published as an apa. Tribs by Michael Macomber, Barbara Tennison, Caroline Dunker, Micky Dupree, Myra Morales, Pat Nussman, Caryn.
Issue 5
A Sense of Occasion 5 was published as an apa in January 1991 and contains 25 pages. Tribs by Jacqueline Taero, Michael Macomber, Caroline Dunker, Barbara Tennison, Myra Morales, Micky Dupree, Pat Nussman, W.A. Weller.
Some sample comments:
Why are so few people out there writing Sandbaggers fan fiction? The status of contributions to our SB zine "First Principles" has remained the same since we first joined this APA — we have one story that is actually finished, one story "in the works," and that’s it. The reason for this that people usually come up with is "Sandbaggers if difficult to write for. You have to know so much about the political climate, etc., to properly set the scene, etc." Well, this undoubtedly has some validity, but it seems a little unlikely that such complexity would daunt nearly every fan fiction writer out there.
Although there are a number of zines that have listed in their flyers that they would accept SB material, I have yet to see a flyer for more than one besides our own that actually professes to have such material and that particular story was written by the contributing team that is working on a story for us: Pat Nussman and Jackie Taero. So, where are all the writers?
What is it about Sandbaggers that both inspires extensive discussion and commentary, but discourages fictional expansion on the series? Surely there must be writers out there who are so fascinated by the characters that they would proceed without extensive political knowledge, and just crash forward in their enthusiasm. After all, this can be seen in the fiction from neither every other fandom— stories where the writer did not entirely grasp the background and tone of the series, but where the characters were drawn beautifully.
Is it the fact that so many fans keep reminding us that "Sandbaggers is difficult to write" that keeps people from trying? Is it one of those terrible "self-fulfilling prophecies"? If you say it enough times, it becomes the truth, because people start to believe it, and it frightens them away?
...now that the APA has been opened up to comparisons with other shows. I'd like to bring up Chris Boucher's Star Cops. Although many people will likely disagree with me on this, I think Star Cops has a lot of elements that make it similar to Sandbaggers. To begin with, the hero is also a rather hard-edged, sarcastic fellow, and at the same time he is very idealistic. He doesn't deal with underlings — or superiors — with very much tact, and he often goes his own way without telling anyone else, sure that his judgement is the best.
[...]
The similarities between Star Cops and Sandbaggers can often be seen in the plotting. There's alot of cloak and dagger and political rivalry going on in Star Cops, and none of it is seen romantically. In the second episode, Nathan's "best friend" is killed by the British Secret Service, as part of a complex plot to gain access to a closely guarded and highly secret American space station. This plot echoed so much in Sandbaggers that I wouldn't be surprised to discover that Chris Boucher was a fan of the show. He certainly manages to pick up the atmosphere and attitude nicely.
Issue 6
A Sense of Occasion 6 was published March 1991 as an apa.
Issue 7
A Sense of Occasion 7
Issue 8
A Sense of Occasion 8
Issue 9
A Sense of Occasion 9
References
- ^ "SB FAQ -- Rough draft!". Archived from the original on 2008-08-19.
- ^ "Sandbaggers". Archived from the original on 2020-02-25.