Alpha-Omega (Star Trek: TOS zine)

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For fanworks with similar titles, see Alpha and Omega. For the kink trope, see Alpha/Beta/Omega.

Zine
Title: Alpha-Omega
Publisher: Tina B. Bennett & Angelique R. Bennett, out of Louisville, KY
Editor(s): Tina Bennett & Angel Bennett
Date(s): 1975-?
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre: gen
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS & some science fiction topics
Language: English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Alpha-Omega is a gen Star Trek: TOS, with some science fiction topics, anthology edited by Tina & Angel Bennett. It contains con reports, fanfiction, articles, and fanart. The editors write in issue three that the plan was to publish an issue every two to five months.

Issue 1

Alpha-Omega 1 was published in December 1975 and contains 26 pages. It was printed ditto. It has a single illo by Angelique Bennett, a cartoon commentary on Gene Roddenberry and the movie Jaws, which had just been released in US theaters.

front cover of issue #1

From Bennett:

The main reason I wanted to write a Star Wars story was to prove something to myself. I had read The World of Star Trek and there were many times the author David Gerrold stated which caused me to say "If you have to do something right, do it yourself," and so I began a premise for my story. There are several reasons why I needed to do one. I needed to see if I could place the regular Trek characters other than Kirk and Spock, into a dramatic situation in order to live as human beings, and not as immortal heroes. My main character, Millicent Collins, although she is an Earthling, is capable of mistakes, and hardships -- we all are -- even Gene Roddenberry's characters, and Spock is included.

A second reason is to see if I could write a story without falling into a "formula," as Gerrold put it. I wanted to created a civilization that was not full of straw men for the Starfleet to knock down and change and form into their image. I wanted a love story that was not like many of the ridiculous ones we witnessed in the third season [of the aired show], but one that was in some ways a love, in other ways an involvement which could bring about the destruction of a planet and also cause personal heartbreak for those involved.

I even have Captain Kirk wondering whether General Order One is being violated and no one realizes this. He questions the right of the Federation to meddle with other planets, or as Gerrold calls it - "the Mary Worth stories." And if I accomplish all this in one story, I'm one lucky person.

The main thing I need to say is that life is not a bowl of cherries, but neither is it such a great tragedy -- even in the Star Trek universe, and the American Way, as Gerrold says, is not always right for everyone.

Now that I have been involved in Star Trek for nearly a year, I am not the least bit sorry, for I feel something has come from it all.

[...]

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.

  • Greetings and Salutations (3)
  • Critic's Corner, reviews of the episodes "The Trouble With Tribbles" and "The Doomsday Machine" (4)
  • The Victorian Affair, part 1 by Tina Bennett (9)
  • Concluding Pages (26)
  • from issue #1

    from issue #1

  • from issue #1

    from issue #1

Issue 2

Alpha-Omega 2 was published in summer 1976 was offset, as was the next issue. It contains 8 pages. The cover is by Angel Bennett.

The editor talks about seeing an interview on public television in the Louisville, KY area with Leonard Nimoy. [1]

  • Editorial (1)
  • from issue #2

    from issue #2

  • from issue #2

    from issue #2

Issue 3

Alpha-Omega 3 was published in 1977 and contains 20 pages.

  • cover of issue, #3, Angel M. Bennett

    cover of issue, #3, Angel M. Bennett

  • map and article about the Air and Space Museum, from issue #3

    map and article about the Air and Space Museum, from issue #3

  • inside page sample from issue #3

    inside page sample from issue #3

Issue 4

Alpha-Omega 4 was published in July 1977 and contains 15 pages. It contains no fiction.

cover of issue #4, art by Angel M. Bennett
flyer for William Shatner's two-album set, "William Shatner "Live"."
  • Critic's Corner ("Spectre" gets four stars, "Quark" gets one star, (1)
  • Star Trek Gossip by Marilyn Beck (4)
  • New "Star Trek" Planned (AP clipping) (5)
  • Astronauts Fly Space Shuttle, clipping (5)
  • Was Move on "Star Trek" a Blunder by Jerry Beck, clipping from Associated Press (6)
  • An Opinion on "Star Trek" Movie ("Alpha-Omega believes it is time for another [[letter writing campaign to shake the renowned movie studio and let them know we are sick and tired of these delays and we want some action. Paramount should get off its behind and get something done or leave us with our beloved reruns of the old show.") (6)
  • Paramount TV News: For Immediate Release, official news release about the once-planned new Star Trek television series by Gene Roddenberry (7)
  • "Star Wars"—A Review by Laura O'Brien (8)
  • Special Announcement (9)
  • Answer to Volume #2 Puzzles (10)
  • Space Shuttle Passes First Test Flight by John N. Wilford, clipping (11)
  • Ads, Announcements, etc. (12)

Issue 5

Alpha-Omega 5 was published in December 1977 and contains 24 pages.

front cover of issue #5, Angelique Bennett
  • Space Shuttle Info, clipping (1)
  • The Victorian Affair, part three, fiction by Tina Bennett (2)
  • Sci*Fi Entertainment Notes, clippings (15)
  • Family Tree for "The Victorian Affair" by Tina Bennett ("'Haven't you, at one time or another, simply felt like stopping in the middle of something and screaming, "To hell with it.'" Uhura's eyes widened and she nodded. 'Are you joking. Your Grace? I seem to think that every day and then some. You would not believe how many times I'd just like to...' and she lowered her voice so no one else could hear, 'shove my communications panel up the Captain's nose.' The Princess laughed.") (16)
  • Star Trek Jumble, puzzle (17)
  • Microcomputers and the Games People Play, clipping by John Finley, courtesy of the "Courier-Journal & Times" (19)
  • Shuttles Shuttles Everywhere (19)
  • Omegalaneous (20)
  • Answers to the Star Trek Jumble (20)
  • Did You Know? (21)
  • Ads, Announcement (22)
  • from issue #5

    from issue #5

  • from issue #5

    from issue #5

  • from issue #5

    from issue #5

Issue 6

Alpha-Omega 6 was published in 1978.

  • includes art, a portrait of Joanna McCoy by Shelley Block
  • other unknown content

References

  1. ^ This interview is discussed: Listen To Leonard Nimoy On Reluctance To Do ‘Star Trek’, How Spock Almost Lost His Pointed Ears And More – TrekMovie.com, Archived version here].
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