Alpha Chronicle
You may be looking for the slash Quantum Leap zine The Alpha Chronicles.
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Alpha Chronicle |
| Publisher: | out of Louisiana, US |
| Editor(s): | Matt Butts |
| Date(s): | 1977-1979 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Genre: | gen |
| Fandom: | multimedia |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | Alpha Chronicle Online, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Alpha Chronicle is a anthology of fiction, essays, art, and articles.
The editor, Mike Butts, was a high school student, as were his contributors.
It started out as Space:1999, but then branched into other shows such as The Prisoner, Hawk, and Battlestar Galactica (1978).
Alpha Chronicle Online: Artwork, Archived version
From the Creator
In the mid seventies, a British science fiction TV show took the American market by storm. It was called Space: 1999, and it told the story of the men and women of Moonbase Alpha, struggling to survive in a hostile universe after a freak nuclear accident blasts the moon out of orbit and propels it into deep space. It was a difficult premise to swallow at first, but the sheer artistry of the production won me over and allowed me to suspend my disbelief enough to learn to love this show.Inspired by my love of the show, and the efforts of a fellow fan from Mobile, Alabama who I met at my first science fiction convention, I created a “fanzine” dedicated to all things Space: 1999. I called it Alpha Chronicle. It included fan fiction, artwork and items of interest from the world of television science fiction at a time when it was just coming into its renaissance, largely as a result of the success of 1999 and other contemporary ventures such as Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica.
By issue #6, I had recruited a couple of accomplices to help me with the production. My “associate editors” were Stan Hjartberg and Sally Armstrong, two friends of mine from my days at Benjamin Franklin High School. That’s us in the picture on the left, which was taken on opening night of the school play “Visit to a Small Planet,” in which I played a visitor from space. (My costume is actually a replica of Martin Landau’s costume from Space: 1999.) Others who contributed regularly included Kathi Higley, an artist from Connecticut; Michael Gaines, a cartoonist from my school newspaper, and an occasional guest artist such as Robert Edralin, an old school chum. [1]
Issue 1
Alpha Chronicle 1 was published in 1977.
Issue 2
Alpha Chronicle 2 was published in 1977.
Issue 3
Alpha Chronicle 3 was published in November 1977.
The editor looks back at this issue -- Alpha Chronicle: Then and Now, Archived version
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
I have quite a few comments on your article from ALPHA CHRONICLE (("Looking Back," AC #3)) that you sent me.First, your comments on the sets. How could a supposedly "Intelligent" person like yourself even begin to compare the sets of Space; 1999 with the cardboard & plaster sets of (Arrghh!) Star Trek? Of course, you didn't make clear whether you were saying Star Trek's sets were good, or that Space: 1999's seta were bad. I am not going to make the narrow-minded assumption that all Space:1999 fans hate Star Trek (as I do), or vice- versa. I think Space: 1999's sets are fantastic both years! However, I feel that Command Center is a much more realistic and logical control area than Main Mission, being underground and all. And has much more detail, like the computer and the console's TV screens that I really like. I also think the Year 2 Medical Center is great especially the operating bed/chair, the large standing computer, and the Alpha Log Recorder. As to re-using sets, I can't say I necessarily approve of it, but it was done to save time and money. They would have re-used sets in Year 1, too, if they had any notion of what the next episode would be, but as was stated in The Making of Space; 1999, that most of the scripts were late, therefore they had to scrap an expensive set like in "The Infernal Machine" after only being used once. Year 1 was very tasteful in that respect. The sets in "The Taybor," "Devil's Planet," "Journey to Where," "Dorzak," and "Bringers of Wonder" were very good, and had little re-used components from previous episodes. I think the Vegan Garden from "One Moment of Humanity" was perhaps the best set Keith Wilson designed for Year 2. I don't give a damn about it being similar to "The Metamorph," which outwardly, it isn't.
Matt, why do people like yourself insist on criticizing and taking pot shots at Fred Freiberger every chance you get? As a producer, just what did he do that was so terrible to Space: 1999? He is not a writer. If an episode is great, or if it's poor, it's because of a group effort of the producer, the executive producer, the writer, the director, and everyone else, involved in the production. [2]
Issue 4
Alpha Chronicle 4 was published in 1978.
Issue 5
Alpha Chronicle 5 was published in April 1978 and contains 20 pages.
From the editorial:
Hello, readers... I have here what was once ALPHA CHRONICLE. Unfortunately, it still is.
This Zine was in dire need of improvements, and therefore I have been diligently working on them.
ALPHA CHRONICLE #4 was bad,' and there is a reason for that. It was the result of one night spent pounding away at a typewriter that didn't work right... and still doesn't. This issue, however, I have spent several weeks on the layout and content, so that I feel I am putting out a higher quality product.
- The Testament of Arkadia, part one, fiction by Johnny Byrne, adapted by Matt Butts (2)
- Daybreak, fiction by Carl Lamb (9)
- Letter of Comment by Steve Daily (11)
- Gone But Not Forgotten by Matt Butts (the cancellation of the show, and the formation of The National SAVE 1999 Alliance, includes a boost for zines: "Another element in the salvation of 1999 is that of the fanzine. These cute little publications are the same thing that kept STAR TREK alive all these long years...and they can do the same for SPACE: 1999, And when was the last time a fanzine was preempted by a sports show?) (13)
- short descriptions of Interstat and The Power Masters, a comic zine (The table of contents calls these reviews, but there is no opinion stated.) (15)
- Alliance Publicity Shot ("The following is a transcript of an interview I had with New Orleans radio personality Eric Tracy. The interview was broadcast live over WWL Radio 87 on Thursday 16 March 1978 at about 4:15 pm") (16)
- Letter of Comment by Art Flores (about comments in Starlog by David Huston) (18)
- Advertisements (20)
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5
Not a bad little zine-cum-newsletter. This issue contains editor Matt Butts' script adaptation, "The Testament of Arcadia, Part 1" (and a very nicely done adaptation it is; especially if, like me, you've never seen the original episode); Carl Lamb's short-short story, "Daybreak" (an after-"Operation Exodus" story); an editorial by the editor about saving Space:1999 ("Gone But Not Forgotten"); a transcript of an actual radio interview between Matt and a local DJ about Space: two LoC's; two zine reviews; and some excellent ads. This zine is very promising (at least in my humble opinion that is) and I think it could really go places if only the editor could get some contributions -- artistic or otherwise -- to supplement his own endeavors. It's also a lot for a little, the average price being 25-25 cents. Recommended. [3]
Issue 6
Alpha Chronicle 6 was published in July 1978 and contains 7 pages.
Mark Willis is the new assistant editor.
The cover is by Arthur Flores.
- The Testament of Arkadia, part two, fiction by Johnny Byrne, adapted by Matt Butts (1)
- From the people who brought you FARCE 1999... Silent Punning! (original title: Silent Walking") by Brian Anderson and David White (2)
- Status Reports by Helen Russell (4)
- Profile: Koenig, character study, art by Kathi Lynn Higley (4)
- From the Editor (5)
- Lunar Trading Post (5)
- Bits 'n' Pieces (5)
- Random Notes by Mark Willis (commentary on Space: 1999 episodes) (6)
- detailed info on what is planned for issue #7 (7)
Issue 7
Alpha Chronicle 7 was published in November 1978 and contains 10 pages.
It has art by Kathi Lynn Higley, Arthur Flores, Matt Butts, and Robert Edralin.
Mark Willis is no longer the assistant editor. He has been replaced by Stan Hjartberg and Sally Armstrong.
- The Absolute Negative, Archived version, fiction by Matt Butts (1)
- Yet Another Ultimate Space: 1999 Trivia Quiz (2)
- Hardware Wars, review by Matt Butts (2)
- Profile: Helena Russell (3)
- short description of the Psychon 100 Society, a fan club (3)
- Interview with Shawn Bishop by Matt Butts (portrayed the oldest child in Close Encounters of the Third Kind - while called an interview, it is a short description of some comments he made at Vul-Con #5, where he had been a guest) (4)
- Lunar Trading Post (4)
- Bits 'n' Peices (4)
- A Shining Planet Known As Earth, Archived version, part one, fiction by Matt Butts (5)
- short review of Battlestar Galactica (1978) by Sally Armstrong (6)
- Felgercarb!, some Battlestar Galactica vocabulary (6)
- It's Love, Love, Love, song lyrics ("from the movie Battlestar Galactica") (6)
- New Spaceships of 1999, by Kevin G. Kent (7)
- Trivia Quiz (8)
- Letters of Comment (8)
- Editor's Corner by Matt Butts and Sally Armstrong (9)
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Alphans But Were Afraid to Ask, by Sally Armstrong (9)
- full page ad for Star Trek Galore, a store in Florida
from issue #7, Kathy Lynn Higley
from issue #7, Matt Butts
from issue #7, Kevin G. Kent
Issue 8
Alpha Chronicle 8 was published in March 1979 and contains 6 pages.
From the article about the fan campaign:
So, we've got OUR show back. This article was written to prove that you should NOT give up hope - just keep trying! If a small band of fans can persuade a big city station to renew the show, others can do the same elsewhere. We're pretty proud of what we accomplished. And best of all, those eagles will be screaming across the screen, with Alan Carter at the controls. John will be smug with Helena. I've got Paul back (People will stop asking me "Who is that guy in the spacesuit in your locker.") And happiness is being able to look up into the sky and say "It's the moon, John!" with sincerity in your heart.
- A Shining Planet Known as Earth, part two, fiction by Mark Butts (Battlestar Galactica (1978)]]) (1)
- Thoughts on The Prisoner by Stan Hjartberg (2)
- Profile: Victor Bergman (3)
- Profile: Maya (3)
- Bio-Rythum Analysis for John Robert Koenig (4)
- Crossindexing on the Galactica, article by Amy Kisil (4)
- Ultra Probe, ship blueprints by Mark A. Terrano (5)
- Hawk, reviewed by Matt Butts (5)
- Trivia Quiz (Space: 1999) (5)
- Special Thanks To by Matt Butts (acknowledgements) (6)
- Triumph!, an article about the success of a letter writing campaign to get Space: 1999 back on the air in the Louisiana area (6)
from issue #8, Kathi Lynn Higley
from issue #8, Mike Gaines
from issue #8, Mark A. Terrano
References
- ^ Alpha Chronicle: Introduction, Archived version.
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Alpha Chronicle" #5
- ^ from ComLoC #7