Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast anthology by Rhonda Collins)

Zine
Title:	The Beauty and the Beast
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Rhonda Collins
Date(s):	1992-93
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Beauty and the Beast (TV)
Language:	English
External Links:	WayBack Archive link to zine flyer
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Beauty and the Beast is a fourth season Vincent/Diana Beauty and the Beast (TV) anthology by Rhonda Collins.

A prequel to this series is Legacy of Love.

The first three volumes were published in 1992 as separate zines, then in 1994 as a trilogy.

The fourth and fifth issues were also published in 1992, but not included in the bound trilogy.

The series has been published online as PDFs here.

Issue 1

Beauty and the Beast: A New Beginning was published in 1992 and contains 92 pages.

cover of issue #1

It contains eleven connected stories.

• When The Nighttime Comes in which Diana has formed a one-way bond with Vincent, meaning she feels his emotions. She has fallen deeply in love with him, yet his grief for Catherine is killing her. She finally confronts him.
• Of Self and Soul, Vincent begins to deal with the strange feelings he is experiencing in caring for someone when the bond is on the other side.
• Fairy Song, Brigit O'Donnell returns and Vincent's attraction to her disturbs Diana through the bond.
• other unknown content

Issue 1: Reactions and Reviews

Episodic, lively 4th season V/D romance posits that Diana has formed a one-way bond with Vincent-from him to her-setting up interesting ramifications...and frustrations. D also is concerned that her involvement with the ugliness and evil of the world Above makes her unfit for V's love. A growing V/D romance is interwoven through a number of cases in which D is involved. This book concludes with V/D's wedding and honeymoon, which has interesting revelations about the bond. Some drawings by author; some sex, none graphic.

Book 1 begins one year after Catherine's death. A powerful empath herself, Diana has formed a one-way connection with Vincent of which he is unaware. Their friendship and their continuing fight against Gabriel's still-active organization leads to romance and eventual marriage.

In A New Beginning, this episodic, lively 4th season V/D romance posits that Diana has formed a one-way bond with Vincent-from him to her-setting up interesting ramifications...and frustrations. D also is concerned that her involvement with the ugliness and evil of the world Above makes her unfit for V's love. A growing V/D romance is interwoven through a number of cases in which D is involved. This book concludes with V/D's wedding and honeymoon, which has interesting revelations about the bond. Some drawings by author; some sex, none graphic. Prequel to this series is Legacy of Love.

Issue 2

Beauty and the Beast: The Trials of Life was published in 1992 and contains 88 pages.

cover of issue #2

It contains ten connected stories.

From the author:

In Trials of Life, Vincent discovers that just because his dreams have come true and he has love within his grasp, that fate tends to throw curve balls. Life is never easy and even a bond such as he shares with Diana can cause problems.

Issue 2: Reactions and Reviews

D settle into married life, Below. Subplots involve Jacob's jealousy over not having V's affection exclusively to himself; romance between Devin and D's sister; D disposing, singlehanded, of a dangerous intruder into the tunnels... and the impact of that action on herself and V; D's pregnancy. More about V/D's bond. A rather loose, episodic narrative, but readable and interesting. Some non-graphic sex; some drawings by author.

Book 2 continues the story begun in Book 1 with the difficulties Diana and Vincent encounter in adjusting to married life. The remnants of Gabriel's organization continue to cause them problems. Diana becomes pregnant and delivers a daughter.

In The Trials of Life, an entertaining novel, V/D settle into married life, Below. Subplots involve Jacob's jealousy over not having V's affection exclusively to himself; romance between Devin and D's sister; D disposing, singlehanded, of a dangerous intruder into the tunnels... and the impact of that action on herself and V; D's pregnancy. More about V/D's bond. A rather loose, episodic narrative, but readable and interesting. Some non-graphic sex; some drawings by author.

Issue 3

Beauty and the Beast: The Truth of Love was published in 1992 and contains 89 pages.

cover of issue #3

It contains ten connected stories.

From the author:

In The Truth of Love, Vincent begins to be troubled with a restlessness he does not understand. Perhaps he is merely not accustomed to being happy. He now has a complete family ... a more or less "normal life" and should be content. He also begins to worry about the tenuous control he has on his "other" self. He feels he has betrayed Catherine's trust in him. Later in the series of stories he and Diana celebrate their second anniversary.

Issue 3: Reactions and Reviews

Book 3 continues from Book 2. Vincent's' control once more comes into question after a disturbing incident when he rescues Diana. Insights into his character and that of his daughter.

Elliot returns, becomes involved with the tunnel community. V/D's "happy life" is troubled by V's increasing restlessness, that prompts him to seek out danger in the world Above. Later, V/D have an unsettling experience after he disposes of a would-be rapist who attacks D in the tunnels. Interesting exploration of the role the Other plays in Vincent's life. Other incidents involve Jacob; V/D's empathic daughter, Cathy; D goes after a serial killer of prostitutes, aided by V's visionary insights, and saves the life of Lucy ("No Way Down"). The zine ends peacefully with V/D bidding goodbye to lost loved ones. Good reading throughout.

In The Truth of Love, Elliot returns, becomes involved with the tunnel community. V/D's “happy life” is troubled by V's increasing restlessness, that prompts him to seek out danger in the world Above. Later, V/D have an unsettling experience after he disposes of a would-be rapist who attacks D in the tunnels. Interesting exploration of the role the Other plays in Vincent's life. Other incidents involve Jacob; V/D's empathic daughter, Cathy; D goes after a serial killer of prostitutes, aided by V's visionary insights, and saves the life of Lucy (“No Way Down”). The zine ends peacefully with V/D bidding goodbye to lost loved ones. Good reading throughout. Better drawings by author.

Bound Together: Issues 1-3 ("A New Beginning," "The Trials of Life," and "The Truth of Love")

Beauty and the Beast Trilogy was first published singly 1992 and republished as a trilogy in 1994. It contains 200 pages.

front cover of #1-#3

It is the first three volumes of Rhonda Collins' first 4th season series: "A New Beginning," "The Trials of Life," and "The Truth of Love" — bound together and re-edited.

flyer

In 1995, the author posted:

The BEAUTY AND THE BEAST TRILOGY... Approximately 200 pages of packed, small-type text in columns. Not a lot of art. This is a lot of reading-value for your money. Originally published separately, my first three books have been combined into this trilogy. Art is by myself and Jan Durr. These books were written BEFORE I ever heard of fandom or ever expected anyone else to read them. A NEW BEGINNING, THE TRIALS OF LIFE, and THE TRUTH OF LOVE. They're fun, fast-paced and rather unique in fandom, since this is the only series of novels that has Vincent and Diana getting married in the first book and continuing their married life for five (actually six...the ending novelette appears in PHOENIX 6) books! The first chapter appears in Father's Online Library...

From the zine:

This trilogy set came to be for two reasons. One reason was that, after publishing seven fanzines one learns how to do it better... or at least more efficiently! Another was, that I wanted the first three zines to be available at a more reasonable rate for you -- the readers. These stories were originally about 270 pages with very few (and fairly bad) pictures. After two years of constant writing and zine publishing, my art has improved and so has my knowledge of how to produce a zine less expensively.

The stories are basically the same. Outside of fixing a few "trouble spots" all that has changed is the format and the art. And the price.

One thing: I know there are still typos "hidden away" in here that I've missed. If you find any that you think should be corrected in future volumes, please let me know. If you see any you can't live with, definitely let me know and I'll fix it and send you a new page to have inserted. Thanks.

I would like to add here a note about "my" Diana. When I watched the episodes of third season I was convinced that Diana was psychic. I had read the book "Red Dragon" and seen the movie "Manhunter" -- and Diana's character was so like the detective in that story (and I was convinced that Graham was psychic) that I knew this must be the case. And it fit. I thought it was a marvelous touch. After all, if the writers were forced to remove Catherine then it seemed logical and appropriate to have Diana be very different. Besides...it sets up so many fascinating ramifications. I wanted in my stories to show how two very similar characters (Vincent and Diana) would relate in a situation like this. It was fun.

Since I wrote these three books before ever even being aware of fandom's existence (and indeed, never thinking anyone else would ever read them), I felt a freedom in writing them that I think makes them just a little unique. In my second series I made Diana only empathic, not psychic -- but I still firmly see and believe her to be at least empathic. But it's fun to have written two very different series about the same characters.

So. I hope you, the reader, enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed writing them. Those of us who love the tunnels and the people who live there know that there is still magic in the world today, and we will keep the dream alive for ourselves and as many others who will listen and learn.

The dream is still in the dreaming, and the promise in every day.

• 

  from issue #1-3, Rhonda Collins

• 

  from issue #1-3, Rhonda Collins

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  from issue #1-3, Rhonda Collins

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  from issue #1-3, Rhonda Collins

• 

  from issue #1-3, Jan Durr

Issue 4 ("Legend of the Soul")

Beauty and the Beast 4 is subtitled, "The Legend of the Soul." It was published in June 1992 and contains 140 pages.

front cover

From the editorial:

Since I wrote my first three 'zines without even realizing that such a thing as a 'zine existed... or so many wonderful authors writing them, I have to thank Nan Dibble of the Helper's Network Hotline and Therion Press for enlightening me, and letting me know how I could share my vision of the story with others... and also read theirs.

[...]

Finally, I want to thank the readers. If you have managed to make it through my first 'zines, I hope you find THE LEGEND OF THE SOUL to be even more fun to read.

Without you, without all of us... the dream would sleep itself away, but as long as we write about them, read about them, talk about them and dream about them, the tunnels will continue to hold the magic for us. My son asked me why I liked to write, and I told him that while I write, and whenever someone reads what I have written, I have "made something be." I cannot think of anything I would rather "make be" than a Beauty and the Beast story. If you would care to write me and tell me what you think of the story, please do. I will write when I can, and I treasure all the comments, both positive and negative. The positive encourage me and the negative hopefully make me try harder.

From the preface:

In my previous three zines, Vincent and Diana have grown together through the time since Catherine's death with a closeness that unfortunately we can only guess at; but this closeness also raises the question of How is Vincent dealing with this? He has always been a very self-contained individual, and even his bond with Catherine did not infringe upon this because it was only one way. In THE TRUTH OF LOVE, Vincent's deeper psychology begins to play a part ... one that he is not quite ready to deal with. He has all his life kept those parts of himself that he could not control (his rage) and the strong emotions he had no outlet for (his desire) bottled up into a separate part of himself... this "Other" being which has become very real for him. And he has found that when you open that bottle too far when you have not learned how to close it. .. strange and disturbing things can happen. However, Diana has made him realize that he must learn to accept these feelings as a natural and normal part of himself, or he will never be able to control them. Opening up... changing... and facing one's inner self can be a painful struggle, especially when you have as much that you wish to keep hidden from the world as Vincent has. In addition, he has the added problem of needing to protect those he loves... from himself. He feels he has a long way to go to get to where he wants to be. No mention was made in the series of how "The Other" came to be. This story begins to make some speculations in that area as well.

The views expressed in my conception of Vincent are of course only one view... and we all see the characters differently. That is what makes the storytelling ... and the reading especially wonderful and so much fun. By the time all the stories are told (Will they ever be?) Vincent may well be one of the most analyzed men in history ... and perhaps we will all know ourselves much better as a consequence. In my 'zines Vincent told Diana that "All the world needs to learn is the art of being kind." That means kind to one another and kind to ourselves. Perhaps he needs to learn how to be kind to himself.

• 
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• 
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• 
• 

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

Book 4 continues from Book 3. Vincent's control still in question, and the problem becomes acute when Lena decides to come for a visit, putting a strain on their marriage. Later, although earlier problems were solved, their anniversary trip begins a nightmare of fevered dreams and half-remembered events. Diana and the Other establish a very close relationship.

This strong, well-written novel, continuing from what's now become the opening trilogy, begins with a short story about V and Devin as children. The novel, then following, shows the increasing intrusion of the Other (Dark Vincent) in V/D's married bliss. Though agreeing with D he must have greater access to those feelings-and the intensity-the Other represents, V's still afraid both of losing control and of losing himself, permanently. Developments include Lena's return, Elliot's unwise attempt to comfort D, and an eye-opening V/D visit to a river deep underground, V's solitary retreat since childhood, where V's uneasy memories...and the Other...surface, to V/D's dismay. Afterward, D begins reading Father's journals and comes to some disquieting conjectures about V's past, involving Paracelsus, the Other, and V's twin sister. This storyline is continued in Vol. 5. Imaginative and interesting throughout, with coherent storytelling. One reviewer's favorite among this author's frighteningly prolific output. More decent drawings by author.

Issue 5

Beauty and Beast 5 is subtitled, "The Silent Self." It was published in August 1992 and contains 147 pages.

The art is by Jan Durr and the author.

cover of issue #5

From the author:

In The Silent Self, the story begins with Diana and Vincent having a violent argument relating to the Other. Through Diana's study of Father's journals and Vincent's explorations below, a very strange and convoluted story relating to Vincent's past emerges. Vincent is forced to face his past - and his present - in a violent confrontation with another being like himself who threatens the tunnel community and his life. Once an uneasy peace has been restored, Vincent must deal with his attitude towards Diana's psychological makeup and his own.

Be aware that Diana makes love to "The Other" while Vincent is theoretically sleeping.

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

What may be the finale to this 4th season series. V is extremely upset, and D is uneasy, because of her close relationship with “the Other” (Dark Vincent), described in the previous volume. D continues to examine Father's diaries, discovering unsettling details of Paracelsus' manipulations of youthful Vincent/the Other-events of which V remembers nothing. Only through cross-examining the Other-not an easy task-does D learn the full truth about V's past and the origin of a similar being, Modred, who violently invades the tunnels and whom V has, ultimately, to face. In a well-developed subplot, V/D endure the emotional rigors of her attempt to locate a woman who uncannily resembles Catherine-abducted...and pregnant. In another, Diana insists on taking responsibilities for which she's suited within the tunnel community-including sentry duty. In a third, V/D discover their children have, not an imaginary playmate, but a very real (though unseen) protector. The story ends in a comforting communal Winterfest. Generally good, vivid art by the author and Jan Durr. The series continues with a prequel, Legacy of Love, which is followed by The Mirror of Our Dreams and then Shadow Dancers.

V is extremely upset, and D is uneasy, because of her close relationship with the Other (Dark Vincent), described in the previous volume. D continues to examine Father's diaries. V/D endure the emotional rigors of her attempt to locate a woman who uncannily resembles Catherine. Diana insists on taking responsibilities for which she's suited within the tunnel community--including sentry duty. (As a footnote, this particular series ends with the novelette, "Journey's End", which appears in Nan Dibble's Phoenix 6.

Book 5 continues from Book 4. The story begins with Diana and Vincent having a violent argument relating to the Other. Through Diana's study of Father's journals and Vincent's explorations below, a very strange and convoluted story relating to Vincent's past emerges. Vincent is forced to face his past -- and his present -- in a violent confrontation with another being like himself who threatens the tunnel community and his life. Once an uneasy peace has been restored, Vincent must then deal with his attitude towards Diana's psychological makeup and his own.