Double eXposure (X-Files zine)

Zine
Title:	Double eXposure
Publisher:	IIBNF Press
Editor(s):
Date(s):	1998
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	The X-Files
Language:	English
External Links:	flyer, Archived version
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Double eXposure is a slash 138-page X-Files fanzine. It was published in 1998.

cover is black with a very faint green "X"

cover of issue #2, authorized American reprint

According to an online flyer, A Fish Called Krycek came free with this zine: Double eXposure, ^{Archived version}

Part of a Series

• eXposure (1997)
• Double eXposure (1998)
• Indecent eXposure (1999)
• Over eXposure (2002)

From the Editorial

Guest starring: Virginia as The Widow Twanky, printer extraordinaire.

Special Guest Star: A. Worthyfriend as Blind Pew, Proof-reader to the stars.

Best Boy: Viscous Linda, Chicken Worrier, Oscar award winner - best binding in a zine.

Produced and Directed: [Bernice] - An lIBNF Production.

The first thing you should notice is the completely new look to the layout of this zine. The last X Files slash zine came out in November 97 with only a few months lead time, which meant I had to pare it to the bone. I didn't expect this zine to be out so quickly - these contributors are amazing! - but I still took a little longer to work with layout, design, artwork, poems, frou frou and all the other details I love.

What do you think? Waste of time or value adding? I'd be interested in your feedback.

Talking of 'what do you think'; the contributors, that manic bundle of enthusiastic talent, bless their little cotton socks, are siting up like eager little Jack Russell Terriers - you know, like the dog from The Mask, and what a cute little dog that was! Wouldn't you hate to see that cute little dog cry? Well, that's what it will be like if you don't send in a Letter of Comment. Poor contributors! They sweat blood for you, you know! Late nights sitting up worrying about you, are you getting enough sleep, are you eating right... They exhaust themselves, working two jobs, and for what? Nothing! Nothing more than a wee pat on the head, a kind word from you. It's not so much to ask is it? You can stop the suffering! Just send your Letter of Comment telling us what you thought. Some of these authors are first timers, or at least, first time in a zine. Others have been around the knocking shops for a while - but they all need to hear from you. LOCs (now) printed first name only, and you can even send them in anonymously (if you wish) to the address on the inside front cover.

This series has been very successful so far, and I am keen to keep doing more X Files slash zines. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, drop me a line at the editorial address, or email me at [redacted] There is no specific deadline for Over eXposure, so check with me for less information.

Waminig: The following zine is rated X and contains language offensive enough to knock a buzzard off a shit wagon. This zine should be viewed by mature slash fans only, and contains violence, full frontal nudity, adult-fucking-language, two gorgeous guys having sex and all sorts of other good stuff. Parental guidance not recommended. Some of these stories may require stronger warnings - even though I think if you're reading slash, and X Files slash at that, you should be able to handle just about anything. A warning sticker may appear in the back of this zine - where it won't spoil things for the toughies, but may help the easily squicked.

This is a not-for-profit publication. In fact, this is run at a financial loss to cover up the funding of alien experimentation with small pox carrying bees.

Contents

As per other zines in this series, the luckless "Gwendolyn/Gwendolen/Gwendolin" has their name spelled several different ways in this issue.

• Denial by O.T.C. - Mulder/Krycek (7)
• Krycek and Mulder - Mulder/Krycek (24)
• Fox & Alex by Laura Trout (43)
• Current Address Unknown by Maria - Mulder/Krycek (44)
• Lullaby by Silk (50)
• Subaudition by Torch - Mulder/Skinner (51)
• Yoga by Katy Deery (55)
• Wilderness by Sugar Rush - Mulder/Krycek (57)
• Moments & Obsession by Gwendolyn (62)
• Private Dancer by Jill - Mulder/Krycek (63)
• Mulder by Bernice (68)
• Purely Fiction by Gloria Lancaster - Mulder/Skinner (69)
• Rat Tale by Liza McGrath - Mulder/Krycek (Online summary: "Artwork for this story was done by the Author's Husband. This story is probably something you should be careful about reading.") (79)
• Rat by Author's Husband (82)
• Spalniy Vagon by Bren Antrim - Mulder/Krycek (84)
• The Shaft by Elizabeth Holden - Mulder/Skinner (96)
• Krycek Unarmed by Kal Romine - Mulder/Krycek (102)
• Wishes by Silk (114)
• Fish are Jumping by Jane Symons - Mulder/Krycek (115)
• Lube & Laid, cartoons by Kathy Deery (138)
• Letters of Comment ("Remember - LOCs are the author's payment for all their efforts. Your feedback encourages them to wnte more. The more you backfeed, the more they write! No need to use your real name on the LOC, we don't care who you are - we re not fussy, or proud...") (139)

Inside Sample

• 

  Bernice

• 

  Cody

• 

  Bernice

• 

  "Author's Husband"

• 

  sample text

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

(Spalniy Vagon (Sleeper)]: It's clever, fascinating and well written with Brenda's typical pared to the bone description that some how provides everything you need to know.

[zine series]: The editor of IIBNF zines likes to keep at a fairly low profile, so I'm not going to say much about them. I do enjoy the series. I find it a joy to read. The humor might not be for everyone, but if you're in the mood for something a little different, then try these.

[zine]: An X-Files slash zine featuring M/K and M/Sk. The second of this series is every bit as wonderful as the first. Jane Symons' lends yet another gorgeous tale with "Fish are Jumping', a story that takes place while Krycek is in Hong Kong and runs into a rather curious and helpful shape-shifter. I also highly recommend the bittersweet tale by Kal Romine called "Krycek Unarmed" that will have your eyes tearing even as it has you squirming in your seat.

1998

[zine]:

An X-Files slash zine, published by IIBNF Press (that's Bernice, and you can reach her at xxxxxxx to ask about price and postage; there's no info in the zine and I don't remember what I paid). 130 pages of stories, poems, and occasional artwork, plus LOCs on the first issue. No word count provided. The fantasy a/u novel 'A FISH CALLED KRYCEK' comes free with this zine, but I won't discuss it here.

Claimer: A disclaimer is a way of disavowing responsibility, of saying "it's not my fault; I had nothing to do with it." Well, this review is my fault, and I had everything to do with it. In it I say, as eloquently as I can, what I thought of the zine and why. If you don't care what I thought, cool -- hit Delete now (or, if you're on digest, search ahead to the next occurrence of "From:"). If you do care, more cool; let's have a conversation.

Physically and visually, this zine is very, very nice. The layout is both legible and space-frugal, in double-column ten-point Times with extra line spacing (looks like 13 point) for readability. Story titles, author names, running heads and foots, and the table of contents use attractive display fonts. I was apprehensive about the quality of proofreading, since a previous zine I bought from Bernice averaged almost nine spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors per page. However, there are very few errors in DOUBLE EXPOSURE. I don't know if you've changed your procedures or what, Bernice, but whatever you did, keep it up!

The stories:

"Denial," by O.T.C. (37 pp.): Shortly after the events of Tunguska/Terma," Mulder and Scully take Krycek into custody, hoping to get information out of him. All the ins and out of the plot - and there are a few, involving the Smoking Man, more deals and betrayals, and a double surprise ending -- allow Mulder and Krycek to have tense, fraught conversations and to feel the attraction building between them. I like everything O.T.C does with them and the tensions between them; the story is told from Mulder's perspective(though it's not first-person), and she does a good job of showing his conflicted impulses to both kiss Krycek and slug him one. I was a bit less satisfied with her Scully, mostly bcause of the ease with which she is overpowered; I want Scully to be more capable than tat. Also, I doubt that the dose of drug she gets would incapacitate her that much. But she (and Skinner, who has a walk-on) are really not that important to the story, and the center of the story is strong. This story, by the way, is only about an R rating. Never fear, though; the rest are well into the NC-17 Raunch Zone. This one makes a good introduction to the whole zine.

"Current Address Unknown," by Maria Maniaci (6 pp.): There are two story genres combined here: the journal kept by one character that chronicles events (Krycek, in this case) and the character sitting alone musing while no events actually happen (Mulder, in this case). I could hear Krycek's voice in the journal, which is crucial to the success of this kind of genre. (I still always have a nagging suspicion that nobody ever writes as fluently and novelistically as this in a journal; but I suspend my disbelief, and it works fine.) Mulder comes through in this story in two views: the narration of his musing, and what Krycek says about him. Neither quite comes clear, and the way in which these two genres and stories merge raises even more questions. I'm still not sure how Mulder feels about all this, or what the consequences of the story's events and musings will be, but I'd really like to know. Though it leaves me a bit off balance and uncertain, I think this story is a success. In fact, it's a success *because* it does so.

"Subaudition," by torch (5 pp.): The zine's first M/Sk story, but don't fret, it's not the only one. Like "Current Address Unknown," this story is designed to raise more questions than it answers, and it succeeds. But while Maria's story leaves me with a pleasant shiver, torch's leaves me with a cold one, a helpless fearful shudder. Torch's storytelling is, as always, vivid, subtle, and beautiful; she's a master of the telling detail and the effective understatement.

"Wilderness," by Sugar Rush (6 pp.): Two short sexual encounters two days apart in the course of Tunguska/Terma, one harsh and angry, the other... well, read the story. The first is through Krycek's perspective (in third person), the second through Mulder's. Krycek seems stronger, more caustic, in the first; although that may be just an artifact of the switch in perspective, I found it a bit jarring. I think the story is too short to sustain the time jump and perspective switch entirely successfully. The first half works better for me, and I bet we could divvy up slash fans according to who agrees with me and who prefers the second half. Still, it's a good exploration of the characters' fears and hurts, and how they try to both salve and aggravate them with each other.

"Private Dancer," by Jill (5 pp.): This was the only story in the zine that did not work for me. It's well enough written, I have no complaints there, but the premise utterly loses me. Mulder, curious about the new partner he's been assigned, follows him to a strange, swank club, where he discovers that Krycek has a second job as an erotic dancer; they have great sex and agree to a continuing rendezvous. Pardon me? I have a hard time believing that Krycek would do this (or even has *time* for this; as we know but Mulder doesn't, being an FBI agent is already his second job), and an even harder time seeing Mulder flinging himself onto Krycek in happy lust. Except for a few sentences, this story just doesn't have anything to do with the characters and situations and dramas and dilemmas I see in XF and read the fanfic for. It's a good enough story on its own - with original characters in an erotica anthology, say - but in this zine it does nothing for me.

"Purely Fiction," by Gloria Lancaster (10 pp.): I gather that the title is Gloria's way of telling us not to even try to make the set-up for this one make sense, and I second her advice completely. Do not, repeat, *not* ask just why or how Skinner and Mulder have ended up in a leather bar wearing, respectively, damn little and less. Just accept it and go with the flow. And what a flow it is! What makes this one work, where "Private Dancer" didn't, is that these characters are recognizable to me as Mulder and Skinner, and that the tensions and longings fit them and the XF universe. Mulder is eaten by a passion he doesn't fully understand and isn't sure he can resist. Finally, to his own surprise, and perhaps to Skinner's, but not of course to ours, he doesn't. Like many in this zine, this story is third-person through Mulder's perspective, but it gives a good insight into Skinner's feelings as well, even when Mulder himself doesn't seem to be fully aware of the significance of what Skinner is saying or doing; this is a difficult writerly trick, and I admire it. I also really admire the pacing and rhythm of Gloria's writing. The paragraphs toward the end (if you've read the story, you'll know which ones I mean) simply stop me in my tracks, awed by their structure, their tumbling, irresistible current.

"Rat Tale," by Liza McGrath (4 pp.): For a change of pace, a story narrated by Krycek; we haven't seen this since the selections from his journal in Maria's story. Krycek is watching Mulder, and Liza does an excellent job of showing us not only what Krycek is like, but what Mulder is like, through what Krycek sees and the way in which he describes it. Then you get to the end of the story, and you suddenly realize that the few odd things that niggled at your attention as you read meant something completely different from what you thought, and it becomes abruptly clear that either Liza needs to immediately stop taking whatever drugs she's on, or she needs to take a whole lot more, and in either case she should be spanked. But you're laughing too hard to do it. At least, you think that gasping noise you're making is laughter. Way to go, Liza.

"Spalny Vagon," by Bren Antrim (13 pp.): Scully and Mulder take under their protection a computer programmer named Alec Neekto, who has attracted the menacing attention of the Consortium and has come to them for help. But since Neekto is a double for Krycek (and for some time Mulder is certain that he *is* Krycek, pulling some kind of bizarre scam), things get complicated fast. Mulder's effortfully- suppressed attraction to Krycek finds free play when the man in his arms may or may not be the man who betrayed him. And then Krycek - another Krycek? -- shows up, and things get even *more* complicated. I liked this story, but I don't know enough details of the show (and of clone physiology) to understand what happens at the end. That is a lack in me as a reader, not in the story. Scully, Mulder, Neekto, and Krycek (or should that be "Scully, Mulder, and Neekto/Krycek"?) are all vivid and engrossing, and the end is a grabber even though I want the subtitled-for-the-clueless version.

"The Shaft," by Elizabeth Holden (6 pp.): Mulder and Skinner in a mineshaft. No, no, not "in The Mineshaft," although just as they might in the back room of that notorious bar, they do have sex. (Oops, did I give the story away? No, I'm sure you all expected that.) This story make an interesting comparison with Gloria's "Purely Fiction"; in both, the characters are isolated from others and thrown together in a stressful situation, and in both Mulder's long-suppressed longings finally break free, and he risks all in a reckless throw of the dice. Elizabeth's writing is more lyrical than Gloria's, though, and this is a more poignant story, less rollicking fun, although both stories have aspects of both poignancy and jollity. I can't resist quoting a bit of it here.

"Sir?" asked Mulder softly.

"Mulder?"

"I wondered...." He trailed his lips along Skinner's lips.

"What did you wonder?" asked Skinner.

"Whether you were going to beat me to a pulp for this."

There was a pause. "No," said Skinner, very gently indeed. "No, I don't think so, Agent Mulder. Not at this time."

If that doesn't get your heartstrings clenching, then I hope you're reading my reviews in order to search out the stories I hate and avoid the ones I love, because if that passage doesn't work for you, we probably aren't going to agree on anything. I love it.

"Krycek Unarmed," by Kal Romine (13 pp.): This story is simply stunning. I haven't seen any of Kal's work before, but I have just asked a friend to send me everything she's got by her. Just after Tunguska/Terma, Krycek shows up at Mulder's door; maimed, bitter, enraged, and despairing. The story consists almost entirely of his and Mulder's conversation. Including the sex. One of the things that has been bugging me lately in slash is the way in which the characters seem to decide once to have sex, and then do it -- as if sex were a unitary act, like sneezing. As if they wouldn't be deciding again, over and over, at every stage, at every moment. Here nothing is skipped, or fastforwarded through; the characters are wholly present at each moment, wholly antagonists, wholly clinging to each other for support -- often at the same time. Mulder's brutal fascination with Krycek's mutilation rivets me (and both appalls and comforts Krycek), and Krycek's furious despair rivets me (and both gratifies and horrifies Mulder) just as much. I think this story contains the best single line of dialogue I've read in months: Krycek's bitter plea "Just fuck me like you're beating me up, okay?" With this one story, Kal Romine has put herself on my "buy the zine for the sake of her story" list.

"Fish Are Jumping," by Jane Symons (19 pp.) A lovely ending to the zine. Krycek is entertaining himself in Hong Kong when Jerry Kallenchuk calls to say that the FBI are breathing down her neck, in particular one Agent Mulder. Imagine Krycek's surprise, then, when Mulder shows up in Hong Kong only a few hours later, far too soon for him to have caught a flight from the U.S. But is it really Mulder? And if it's not, does Krycek care, when whoever (or whatever)-it-is is rubbing a foot into his groin under the table of an expensive restuarant? This story is both funny and poignant, romantic and cynical (as is Krycek himself). Jane's style is wonderful, and she tells the story through Krycek's perspective with an arch wit that is just right. The only problem I have is the extremely sudden cut from Hong Kong to the silo, a considerable time later. Yes, too much explanatory narration would have been tedious, but a little connective tissue would have been welcome; this is jarring. However, it's just one pothole in a 19-page joyride.

The poems:

Why do so many fans write blank verse? You'd think they thought it was easy. I think blank verse, while certainly the easiest form of poetry to write, is the hardest form of all to write well. In all poetry, every syllable matters, and an exquisite sensitivity to the sound and rhythm of words, to their connotations as well as their meanings, is needed; in blank verse, the poet hasn't got any supporting structure, so it's even easier to wobble. It's very rare for me to unreservedly like fan poetry, and I'd call most of the poetry I've seen in ten years in fandom "unfortunate." Still, unlike some reviewers (not to name names, but hi, Christy), I will discuss it, and you've all been warned of my standards. If they're not yours, that's cool; I hope I give enough info for you to judge independently what you might think. Or to start a conversation about poetry in general.

Laura Trout contributes a pair of six-line poems called "Fox" and "Alex." These are gimmick poems -- I'm sure there's a technical name for the gimmick, but I don't know it - in which the first letters of the lines spell out a word: MULDER in "Fox," which is about Mulder, in Krycek's voice, and KRYCEK in "Alex," which is about Krycek, in Mulder's voice. Except that these are not really, to my ear, in the characters' voices. Poetry is a stylized form of language, but if it is meant to be a character speaking, I still want it to be language I could hear him using (just as I want Krycek's journal or his first-person narration to be recognizably in his voice, even while I know that nobody actually narrates their own life in that way). I cannot hear Krycek saying "Ease my pain; let me find forgiveness in your arms," or Mulder saying "Yearning uncontrolled, I find fulfilment in your arms." The emotions of the poem are entirely believable but their expressions are not, like a story whose ideas are sound but whose narration is clumsy.

Silk offers a two-stanza poem called "Lullaby." Actually, this looks very much like song lyrics. Like many songs, it doesn't make especially good poetry written down, but I'd love to hear the song; I think that with the power of the music behind it, this would be really good.

Gwendolin has a pair of poems, "Moments" and "Obsession"; like Laura's, they're a Mulder and a Krycek. Like Laura's, too, the emotions are believable but their expression doesn't work for me. Too barren and flatly stated; not enough, well, poetry. They read almost like prose with the lines broken off in odd places.

Silks poem "Wishes" is in Krycek's voice, and it has a rhyme and rhythm structure. I like this the most of the poems in the zine (if I read Silk's as a poem; if I read Silk's as a song, I like it more); it has a voice I can hear as Krycek's, and it works with innuendo and subtlety, rather than saying everything flat out (and with a self-awareness I don't think the characters actually have). There are still things that bug me here -- the rhyme and rhythm patterns are only barely adhered to in places, in a way that I find jarring, and I'd have liked to see the darkness imagery played up a bit more; it has more potential than the rather pedestrian "wishes" theme. But this poem suggests more than it says, rather than less, and that's well done.

(How come nobody writes Skinner poetry?)

Beyond the stories and the poems, there are a few pieces of artwork and some sillily-captioned photos.

Overall, I recommend this zine wholeheartedly.

1999

[zine]:

The second anthology was also a wonderful reading experience. The formatting again blended in very well with the show itself, as well as the works included in the zine.

The only part of the zine's appearance I was not quite sure about was the (type? font? graphic?) used in the title headings on the first page of each story. Maybe a bit too over-powering.

I have a bias towards long stories such as "Denial" which has wonderful h/c and successfully captures the "feel" of the show's alien episodes. Yes, you could almost see Krycek getting a message such as this and then having the arm reappear after the commercial, or maybe the next week.

The next three pieces: "Current Address Unknown", "Snbaudition", and "Wilderness" had a certain dark inevitability in common with each other. This quality appears in the show's classic conspiracy episodes, especially, and you were right in grouping these stories together. Different in content though they are, they all captured a real feeling of something, maybe irony? A feeling that "Yes, that's the way it would he".

"Private Dancer" and "Purely Fiction" were somewhat lighter in tone and delightfully erotic in mood. (You can probably tell that I don't see just M/K or just M/Sk; I'm just looking for good stories. And finding many in your zinesl). "Rat Tale" I see as a sort of theatre-of-the-absurd type work; great illustration.

Antrim's "Spalniy Vagon" kept up a marvellous sense of "where are we going with this" that I think she could have taken in several different directions quite successfully, since she is such a gifted writer. And she introduced us to an original character - er, personality, the unforgettable Alec Neekto.

"The Shaft": nice title. I like the way Holden used the time-loss scenario in this story; it adds that certain quality that separates the real thing from the PWP. Dialogue is everything in Kal Romine's "Krycek Unarmed". The special gift this piece gives us lies in the way the characters reveal the weird and wonderful ambivalence of their relationship to us through their verbal interaction.

"Fish are Jumping": Symon's pleasantly lengthy story is a wonderful way to end the zine. It is highly memorable with some adventurous plot twists and delicious raunchiness. How can we hope to understand the motivations of these various aliens?! At least our fan fiction writers tend to give us a more organised view than the series did for quite a while.

The question that comes to mind is "Did CC have some sort of over-view or outline in mind from the beginning, or is he just making it up as he goes along?" In the case of this zine, it all fits together so well, it's almost like works on specified themes were commissioned and then placed in the very best place in the zine for them to appear. But I suspect only the part about the careful placement is true {BMR's Note: I think I agree!} Like the first issue, this is a zine I will read again and again.

[zine]: Double exposure was an excellent zine. All the stories were extremely well written, the quality was high and the styles different and compelling. There is little to add to that, so I will make my comments on each story brief. Denial by OTC -I loved the tension in this story and the outcome felt real.

Current Address Unknown by Maria Maniaci - I liked the concept and it was a great tum on. I could see Mulder behaving like this under the circumstances. Subaudition by Torch - This was an excellent story, but I found it difficult to accept that Mulder or Skiimer would tolerate such a relationship hut then I am a sick, twisted romantic.

Wilderness by Sugar Rush - Very nicely done. I loved the sex in the car. Krycek was well written.

Private Dancer by Jill - Very Hot

Purely Fiction by Gloria Lancaster - I loved this Skinner in black leather, wonderful.

Rat Tal by Liza McGrath - I enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun.

Spalniy Vagon by Bren Antrim - This was my favourite because the author had be completely fooled. My heart shuddered when the truth was revealed. Poor Mulder.

The Shaft by Elizabeth Holden - This is a great story, sweet and hot.

Krycek Unarmed by Kal Romine - I enjoyed this story very much. I like Krycek Vulnerable.

Fish are Jumping by Jane Symons - The plot in this was fantastic, even if the end was a bit too sweet for my jaded tastes.

[zine]:

I thoroughly enjoyed this ish (what can I say: I love bad boys and Alex does every variation and motivation). I liked "Denial" coz Alex got his own back and had the DAT tape for Mulder. "Current Address Unknown" - Maria: where's the rest? What next? "Subaudition" made me twitch because I can't quite wrap

my mind around Skinner using sexual blackmail, but Torch can make me believe as long as the story lasts. "Purely Fiction" what a hoot! What a wicked Waler! More, Gloria! "Spalniy Vagon" was... sinister. What twist next? And why isn't Alex plotting some kind of escape? I started out hating "Krycek Unarmed" but the ending was worth it. Thank you, Kal! "Fish Are Jumping" - oh, that weird alien! But what a way to get 'em together, oh and if there is a sequel to "Sympathy for the Devil" where is it? I loved this story! And is there a Samantaha Mulder Krycek and it's not Alex playing with Fox's head - somebody'd better get protection fast!

[zine]: s always it is a beautifully produced zine. I like the layout and all the little details. I think these add to the quality of the zine, though they are not essential, for me. I wouldn't want to pay for a zine that was all style and no content, but that is not true for any of your zines (and of course, I didn't pay for this one!).

The cartoons, poems, pictures and acrostics are all nice touches that really add to the zine.

Current Address Unknown - I really liked this story. Like Mulder I want to know what it meant that CSM had the journal. Having said that the story is so complete in itself that it works really well without the reader being told everything.

Subaudition - This story is beautifully written and I almost wish it wasn't as that's what makes it so uncomfortable. I finished it hoping I'd misunderstood. Mayhe I did. Wilderness - Krycek suffering - always a way to my heart. A lovely story and a beautiful picture on page 57.

Private Dancer - I didn't believe a word of it, and I loved it!

Purely Fiction - Same comment, I think!

Rat Tale - Nice story. I made the mistake of looking at the illustration first which rather gave the game away. Picture by "Author's Husband". That conjures up the an interesting domestic image. ("I've just fmished a story, darling, any chance of a picture?"). Has he illustrated any of her other stories? {BMR's Note: I don't know about that, but he did compose some music for her 'Ivan' story, co-written with Jane Symons. To the best of my knowledge that is no longer on the web}. Spalniy Valgon - A fascinating idea. Partway through I was wondering why it wasn't included on your warnings sticker - and then I found out. It's definitely a candidate for a sequel.

The Shaft - Uncomfortable, but fun.

Krycek Unarmed - When I first read the title I was rather put off, which was a shame as I think the title does not do the story justice. It is possibly the best story in the zine. These men are really talking to each other, which can be difficult to do with M/K, and it makes you believe that Mulder really is a psychologist, something the series often fails to do. And the sex is good!

Fish are Jumping - What can I say? I started to read the zine when I got home from work on a Friday, so it was about 1:30 am when I got to this story. I was partway through the restaurant scene when tiredness finally over took me and I realised that I wanted to be properly awake to read this. I'm glad I did. The next day when I started it again I found myself noticing little things that didn't seem quite right, and, like Krycek, I knew something was wrong but I wasn't sure what. No, I didn't see it coming. I love the way this story develops. The apparently irrelevant information, Krycek knowing the sexual preferences of his colleagues, that becomes important later. I felt the ending could have been longer, or is that wishful thinking on my part? Mulder didn't need much persuading, but it was very nice persuasion.

Altogether a very good zine and I'm proud to have a story in it.

[zine]: I loved your indicia and introduction, especially the line that the zine "contains language offensive enough to knoek a buzzard off a shit wagon." I should hope so! Not to mention "Parental guidance not recommended." Things I liked in no particular order:

1. Katy Deery's lovely cartoons - if that is the word for them. Visual jokes... "Yoga was a favourite.

2. The font and layouts.

3. The inclusion of poetry.

4. Your choice of authors - you had a few favourites of mine: Jane Symons, Gloria Lancaster, Torch. I was happy to be in such company.

5. The art, especially the Mulder picture on page 68 (Well done, Bemice!)

6. As usual, the inclusion of letters and feedback. Always nice to see, and it encourages a person to write. Were all the letters you got so positive? [I include 99% of what I receive as LOCs, praise or complaint] Reading them (and especially basking in the words of praise for my story, of course) was most encouraging, but it did look rather one-sided. I suppose people mostly write when they have good things to say. -- editor]

[zine]:

I've been reading Double eXposure lately, at the rate of one story per night. Last night I got to "Subaudition" by torch, and loved it. Just wanted to say that even if there weren't other good stuff in this zine (which there is), this story would be worth buying it for, IMHO. Of comse, I like torch's style; this story got to me in a way most fan fiction can't. It isn't for those who want sweetness and light, but then, sweetness and light isn't the hallmark of the X-Files fans, is it?

[zine]:

"Subaudition" the things Mulder will do to keep the X- Files open! "Purely Fiction" very sexy. "The Shaft" a cave story in X-Files fandom - I really loved it. I don't know if you read K/S stories, but in the early K/S stories there were quite a lot of them. "Spalniy Vagon" I liked the idea of this one. I liked the layout of the zine. In my opinion it's a value adding. As someone into the rights of animals, I was especially relieved to learn that no animals were harmed by doing this zine - really. This was my favourite detail.

[zine]:

When I first got my copy of Double eXposure, I gleefully turned to my favorite authors: Brenda Antrim, Torch, Jane Symons. It was only after I had read these, that I started on "Krycek Unarmed" by the unknown to me Kal Romine. What a wonderful story! I just reread it before starting this letter, and I'm afraid I still have a stupid grin stuck on my face. I shall now seek out all ofKalRomine's work. Thank you and I look forward to Over eXposure.

[zine]:

Double exposure - what can I say, another masterpiece. Your fanzines are so beautiful that they attract all the best writers. I especially loved the bone-melting photo of Krycek. I used to think "smouldering eyes" was artistic exaggeration but no longer. My housemate wants to know where he can find a copy of this picture (although his original comment was "take it away, it's threatening my heterosexuality").

[zine]: First, I love the presentation. No, you didn't waste your time. I think the aspect is important and a beautiful appearance only adds to the pleasure of the reader. The drawings and cartoons especially are amazing (not only do they write beautiful stories, but they also draw...).

Denial - I loved this story. At least, someone who gave Krycek his arm back. The characterisation is very well done. I particularly like the depiction of the states of mind of Krycek and Mulder who are experiencing such contradictory feelings at the same time. The reader can really feel their confusion.

Fox and Alex ; Lullaby ; Moments and Obsession ; Wishes - The poems are simply beautiful.

Current Address Unknown - Such an angsty story, so sad but beautifully written.

Subaudition - Fabulous story. Torch outdid herself as always. I found this story rather unsettling, because it aroused mixed feelings in me. I find this really interesting. It's one story that made me interrogate myself about my feelings and why I was feeling them (I hope I make sense here, it's rather difficult to explain). I'm not sure I found the answers...

Wilderness - Beautiful story. The feelings of the characters are so deep, it's really moving.

Private Dancer - Hot story! It's just what I needed after all the angsty stories contained in Double eXposure.

Purely Fiction - A leather story! Even if I'm more a M/K fan than a M/Sk one, I must admit this story sent me take a long cold shower.

Rat Tale - Interesting story. The ending let me confused.

Spalniy Vagon - Oh, it's a wonderful story. The twist at the end is fabulous. Brenda lead us to believe that Alex was dead and only at the last time do we understand how she is a master in manipulation. Congrats!

The Shaft - How cute. I especially like this paragraph: "No, Agent Mulder, I am not comfortable. I am sitting on a sharp, pointed rock in a cold, damp mineshaft with a six hundred pound federal agent leaning on my chest and no relief in sight."

Krycek Unarmed - Mind blower story. Deliciously pervert. Mulder having a helluva time messing with Krycek's mind, i just love a pervert Mulder taking advantage of Krycek's feelings towards him. And at the end comforting him because his love for the little rat is imdeniable.

Fish Are Jumping - Oooh, I love Krycek and the alien bounty hunter! Hot, hot, hot story. Fabulous ending for the zine.

Well, I hope I haven't bored you to death with this long post. Thanks for a beautiful read.

[zine]: Denial OTC - A strong, wonderful story. The tension is beautifully held while Mulder and Scully are transporting the unnaturally calm Krycek back to Washington. Krycek turning up with a healed arm is a great dramatic moment and the drama is tightly held between M & K all the time, while M stmggles with his emotions, playing sadistic games with K and then finally being able to forgive him. A great story.

Current Address Unknown Maria M - So sad, this story brought a lump to my throat. Great idea, great way of having Mulder realise how much Krycek feels for him Love the way she gets into Krycek's head. Sex scene in handcuffs is utterly delicious.

Wilderness Sugar Rush - One of my favourite scenarios - Krycek being taken handcuffed in the back of a car! And she wrote it so well! Love Krycek's upset at Mulder calling him a whore. And the scene under the blanket is touching and sexy all at the same time. Gorgeous.

Private Dancer Jill - Adored her sexy dancing Krycek! Nice idea, throwing Mulder's suspicions completely off balance. Lovely steamy hot sex scene with the rampant Krycek determined to have his payment, and I love the idea of Mulder making a weekly visit!

Spalniy Vagen Bren - Boy was this complicated, not sure still whether I've really figured it all out! Beautifully, tightly written in true Bren fashion, it was fun to see Krycek in another mode for a change. Made you think back to those Sleepless days and what they might have been to each other.

Rat Tale - Liza McGrath - This is a wonderful flight of imagination. Cleverly written so you think it's the post Tunguska Krycek come back to hide in Mulder's closet - until the surprise ending. Love the way this is written, the easy style, the attention to detail - the contents of Mulder's closet, Mulder's routine, Krycek's thoughts as he watches. Gorgeous touches of humour. Delicious.