Constellation (multimedia zine)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Constellation |
| Publisher: | Essex, UK |
| Editor(s): | Rita Oliver |
| Date(s): | 1979-1981 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | print, zine |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | gen |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS, Blake's 7, science fiction, Star Wars, Doctor Who |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Constellation is a gen multifandom anthology published in the UK.
All proceeds went to the charity, "Action in Distress."
Issue 1
Constellation 1 is subtitled "Gemini". It was published in 1979 and contains 70 (unnumbered) pages.
The art is not credited, nor are some of the stories and poems.
It contains Star Trek: TOS, Blake's 7, Doctor Who, science fiction, and Star Wars content.
- Table of Contents (1)
- About the Club's Charity (2)
- An Interview With Brian Stableford ("The following interview took place on the 6.7.79. We would like to thank Mr. Stableford for his time and trouble, and [V]ivien - Mrs Stableford- for supplying us with coffee." - The topic is science fiction, imagination, and a lot of shade thrown on Star Trek and Star Wars and fans of mainstream media science fiction) (3)
- A Day at the Sea, fiction by Rita Oliver (Star Trek: TOS) (10)
- Whatever Happened to Darth Vader?, essay by Linda Thomas (21)
- Shore Leave, vignette, not credited (Star Trek: TOS) (22)
- Nolan, fiction by Linda Thomas (Blake's 7) (23)
- To the Moon, poem by P.B. Shelley (science fiction) (27)
- The Dr. Who Arts and Crafts Page (directions for knitting a Doctor Who scarf) (28)
- Doctor Who illo (29)
- That Which Survives, fiction, not credited (Star Trek: TOS) (30)
- Seven Reasons Why I Like Crossroads, poem, not credited (Blake's 7) (32)
- The Very Last Star Trek Story of Them All, fiction by R.H. Downes "from an idea by George Lucas" (Star Trek: TOS/Star Wars) (33)
- I Dream of People, poem, not credited (science fiction) [1] (36)
- illo (37)
- The Artist, fiction by Sheila Clark (Star Trek: TOS) (38)
- The Defence, fiction by R.H. Downes (science fiction, ends with a pun) (39)
- A Bedtime Story, fiction by Rita Oliver (Star Trek: TOS) (40)
- Scenes We Could Do Without in Star Wars Two by R.H. Downes (Star Wars) (42)
- From the Summit of My Experience ("taken from "The Solitude of a Million Friends"), poem by Alan N. Squirrel (from "Frostbitten") (science fiction) (43)
- The Perfect Nightmare, fiction by Gladys Oliver (Star Trek: TOS) (44)
- Ultimate Request, poem, not credited (Star Trek: TOS) (52)
- Logic, essay by Kevin Mott (53)
- Whoopee!, fiction, not credited (Kirk sits on a whoopee cushion.) (Star Trek: TOS) (55)
- The Ultimate Computer, fiction in dialog, not credited (science fiction) (57)
- Calvan IV Nightmare, fiction by Liz Newton (Blake's 7) (58)
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Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1
Here's an oldie I bought from Janet while I was in London. I'd never seen or heard of it before. It's mostly a Trek zine, but with bits and pieces of other things.This is a spoiler, but I think it's unlikely that most of you will be reading this-- the first B7 story hints at a pairing I can't remember having seen, namely Jenna/Orac!!! Jenna meets an attractive man who seems vaguely familiar. He disappears and Avon tells Jenna that he's dead. Avon lies; he can't bring himself to tell Jenna that her love was actually an android, and Avon has strong suspicions as to who was really operating him.
You know, I've had vague notions, never committed to paper, of an A/Orac involving a mysterious android forcing himself on Avon, and turning out to be Guess Who in a clever plastic disguise. But this is the closest I've seen to an actual story using a similar device.
The second B7 story is the like-an-episode type, but with some nice Avon-hc.
The poem is about a fan's response to the show, as of the second season.
And amongst the Trek offerings is a humorous parody of K/S. Kirk lies in bed admiring the beauty of his pointy-eared bedmate-- Bungo the Bunny. [2]
Issue 2
Constellation 2 is subtitled, Virgo. It was published in 1981 and contains 70 pages.
It includes Star Wars, Blake's 7, and Star Trek: TOS.
The editor's introduction to "Infernal Ending":
I have been offered the advice that the story is of a nature that my offend some readers.... and although I find it hysterical I feel obliged to tender my apologies to those who may find it in poor taste.
I had not intended Constellation to grow to include 'rude' or unkind stories, and I don't think it will continue to. After all; 'Thrust', 'Grope', Jackie Collins and Hefner have the market pretty well sewn up.... yet this story I could not resist.
Why?
Because I find it incredibly funny, I think it's a joy, very well written poking fun at every Trek cliche.
If anyone is still greatly offended you may write and state more fully your outrage, but I hope you will accept it in the fun-poking vein in which it is intended and can see the absurdity of all such stories that get sillier and more pointless with the growth of Fandom.
It still makes me chuckle, smile, groan, scream and beg for mercy.
- A Chat with Philipp E. High, interview (1)
- I Remember, I Remember, poem by Gladys and Rita (many, including Stingray (1964), Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Doctor Who, Counterstrike, Star Trek, Star Wars, Time Tunnel, Space: 1999, and about ten more fandoms) (7)
- All Our Yesterdays, fiction by Rita Oliver (Star Trek: TOS) (10)
- The Walker, fiction by R.H. Downes (science fiction) (12)
- Goodbye, fiction by Bridget Lawrance (Blake's 7) (14)
- The Very Last Star Wars Story of Them All, fiction by Dennis Murphy (a response fic to a story in the previous issue) (Star Wars/Star Trek: TOS) (16)
- For the World is Hollow, article by Rita Oliver (Jules Verne, scientific theories about a hollow earth) (18)
- That Which Survives, fiction by Gladys Oliver (Star Trek: TOS, marginally) (20)
- What If?, poem by Rita Oliver (commentary on Star Trek: The Motion Picture) (22)
- Jewelled Star, fiction by Jackie High (science fiction) (23)
- Portrait of a Traitor, fiction by Rice Zurrows (Blake's 7) (24)
- Spock's Enemy, fiction by Bridget Lawrance (Star Trek: TOS) (49)
- Errand of Mercy, fiction by Katherine Glancey (Star Trek: TOS) (53)
- Last Wish, fiction by Gladys Oliver (science fiction) (54)
- Scenes Left Out of Star Wars Two by R.H. (At the top of the story: "I received this piece with a not that it had already been rejected by four other zines.... I leapt to print it. He introduces the character of Darth Colin Vader, who is all together less menacing than his fore-bear. A sort of Norman Wisdom in mourning.") (56)
- Balance of Terror, Or: Christmas in the Jenkins' House, fiction by Yvonne Jenkins (utilizes the Palitoy Star Trek dolls) (Star Trek: TOS) (56)
- McCoy, illo by Yvonne Jenkins (56)
- Her Hour!, fiction by Gladys and Rita ("There had been a strong desire to leave "Her Hour" anonymous, but Glad and I had a lot of fun writing it and felt we couldn't deny it some authors. You will forgive our aged adolescent enthusiasm, but the idea and characters brought out the "Woman's Weekly" in us!") (Blake's 7) (58)
- Infernal Ending, fiction by John Gerard Meancy (a violent Kirk get'em that ends with a pun; despite the editor's note (see above), it doesn't appear to contain a sexual element unless it is very, very vague) (Star Trek: TOS) (67)
- Last Word by Rita (72)
from issue #2: An example of a poorly duplicated page from the zine. From the editorial: "My apologies for the poor reproduction of some of the pages of the zine. This is because I used a duplicator of a lesser calibre in deference to my poor leggies that didn't enjoy the long walk to the one I used before. I am sorry about the results but I think it is still largely legible."
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interior issue 2
References
- ^ contains some antisemitic language
- ^ from Sarah Thompson at Judith Proctor's Blake's 7 site