eXposure (X-Files zine)
Zine | |
---|---|
Title: | eXposure |
Publisher: | IIBNF Press |
Editor(s): | |
Date(s): | 1997 |
Series?: | |
Medium: | print zine |
Size: | |
Genre: | |
Fandom: | The X-Files |
Language: | English |
External Links: | |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
eXposure is a slash X-Files fanzine. It was published in 1997, is 121 pages long (134,784 words) and was published in Australia.
Although the zine includes one story that isn't XF, it still belongs to some degree to the X-Files slash fandom because Nicholas Lea, the actor who played Krycek on the X-Files, also played Vic on Once a Thief. There was a lot of fannish crossover and the small OaT fandom can't be viewed separately from the history of the XF slash fandom.
According to an online flyer, the zine Sympathy for the Devil came free with this zine: e X p o s u r e.
The title of this zine series comes from a line of dialogue by Alex Krycek in the episode "Tunguska" -- "These men, they fear one thing. Exposure."
Part of a Series
- eXposure (1997)
- Double eXposure (1998)
- Indecent eXposure (1999)
- Over eXposure (2002)
From the Lengthy Editorial
This zine started when I was watching Alex Krycek getting locked in the silo. I couldn't believe that was the end of the character (nor how badly this would upset me!) so I emailed and phoned every good X- Files author I knew to get them to write me a 'Krycek escapes from the silo' story. A few of them responded, a few said 'get a life, he's just a bit part player', a few said... no... but how about this... and all of them came through to help put this together. Of course, along came Tunguska and Terma, which screwed everything mightily.
Deny Everything: Especially Terma: The Krycek based stories in this zine are arranged according to the author's acceptance of the events i depicted in the episodes Tunguska and Terma. From the completely ignoring it; to the 'it really happened this way'; to acceptance and explanation; to wallowing in the potential angst. The first stories ignore Terma, the last stories embrace it. It's a sliding scale. (I mention this as some readers have said they do not wish to read stories that deal with Terma - but I do recommend you read all of them, the Terma Trauma stories are just as juicy.
Is Everyone Looking For Krycek?: Does it have a lot of rat in it? Oh yes, it does! Probably my own bias, as well as the incredible influx of M/K stories since the start of the Mulder/Krycek Romantics List. There are two wholly Mulder/Skiimer stories in this zine, a Skiimer/Krycek, a Mulder/Krycek/Skiimer, but all the rest are Mulder/Krycek.
[snipped]
Plausible Fuckability: This is a non-profit publication and anyone saying otherwise will disappear amidst a bright light... only to be found wandering naked in the woods some time later with no memory of this zine, this press, or fandom in general, with 'pervert' written on their butts in metallic fuchsia lipstick... Any resemblance to any persons living or dead is a feature of your paranoid imagination. I deny everything.
The Stories Are Out There: A few of these stories may appear on the internet some time in the future. Many of these authors started off in an internet forum, so once the initial bulk of these zines have been sold, the authors and I have agreed to put them online.
Thank You
Trust These People:
A. Worthyfriend for proofing (that'll learn her to volunteer!).
Bobbie for printing (not only privileged to print my zines, but paid for it too!).
Viscous [sic?] Linda for binding (she likes the pain).
and JJ Adamson who scaimed the X you will get sick of seeing...
Contents
As per other zines in this series, the luckless "Gwendolyn/Gwendolen/Gwendolin" has their name spelled several different ways in this issue.
- Left Buried by Gillian Middleton (Mulder/Krycek) (1)
- Q-File by O.T.C. (8)
- Shark by Elizabeth Holden (Mulder/Krycek) (9)
- Temptation by M. Fae Glasgow (Mulder/Skinner) (16)
- Queequeg/Big Blue, illo by Sarah Bellum (25)
- Then Something Else Will Happen by Gloria Lancaster (Krycek/Skinner) (26)
- Grief by Elizabeth Holden (Mulder/Skinner) (30)
- Not In This Zip Code by Quill (Mulder/Krycek) (34)
- Mulder in the Middle by Rosalita (Mulder/Krycek/Skinner) The story takes place some time after an alternate version of the fourth season episode Terma, which means Krycek doesn't lose his right arm. It is not to be confused with Mulder in the Middle by Orithain, the X-Files crossover series where Mulder gets to meet (and sleep with) several different characters that were all played by Nicholas Lea on different TV shows. (80)
- Dostoyevski's Tea by Jane Symons (Mulder/Krycek) (86)
- Phantom Pain by Cody Nelson (Mulder/Krycek) (98)
- Homecoming by Glacis (Mulder/Krycek) (103)
- Taking A Thief by Gillian Middleton (Once a Thief: Mac/Vic) (119)
- 2 cartoons by Nola Frame-Gray
Zine Flyer Summaries
- "Phantom Pain" by Cody Nelson (Mulder/Krycek) - Mulder and Krycek have their own particular ways of dealing with their losses… The tape had become an unvarying ritual, a dark path with steps that must be followed precisely, in order to avoid the pitfalls. Fucking Alex Krycek was a dangerous game, even when it was happening only in his own mind, and without the proper attention to the rites, he'd wind up stalking through the apartment looking for something to break, or sobbing in the floor, rather than curled up in a boneless puddle of steamy satisfaction.
- "Homecoming" by Bren Antrim (Mulder/Krycek) - One of Bren's strongest stories yet. Krycek comes back from Russia to take care of some unfinished business. "It's bandaged, Krycek. It's not going to gross me out." Wary eyes, dark with expected rejection, slid sideways to meet his own. "It doesn't matter to me, Alex," he added fiercely. "I've seen worse." Dark brows rose in disbelief, and he snorted impatiently. "Fuck it. When did talking ever convince you of anything? You lie too well. So do I." With that, he leaned down and traced the tops of the visible scars on the stump of Krycek's left arm with his tongue.
- "Temptation" by M. Fae Glasgow (Mulder/Skinner) - A lush tale of seduction; Mulder sets out to get exactly what he wants…Skinner. And then, the final act of the short-sighted: he took his glasses off, finally truly naked. He stepped closer to the broad, pale expanse, close enough that the sweet line of shoulder came into clarity, the muscles delineated and smooth, the long, sweet dip of Mulder's spine begging for the touch of his tongue.
- "Left Buried" by Gillian Middleton (Mulder/Krycek) - "I know that of all the things I've done, and all the things I bear responsibility for, I can feel no regret over my actions that night. What I did was not murder, it was execution." Mulder knelt on the bed and pressed the gun to Krycek's forehead so hard it left an impression. "And who gave you the right to judge my father?" he hissed, tears squeezing from the corners of his eyes. "Who gave you the right to execute him?" Krycek closed his eyes. "The Government of the United States of America," he said clearly.
- "Shark" by Elizabeth Holden (Mulder/Krycek) - He could not tell which of many confused emotions was uppermost. Anger? Hatred? Triumph? Pleasure? "Alex," he said, as if it were a friend he was greeting. The bright eyes flashed with ironic amusement. "Fox," replied Krycek, the mockery suffused and sultry. "Care for a game?" "Many games," said Mulder. "Which one did you have in mind?"
- "Then Something Else Will Happen" by Gloria Lancaster (Krycek/Skinner) - Rescuing Krycek from the Consortium proves more rewarding than Skinner ever anticipated; a sexy twist on the usual pairings… "This your way of saying thanks," Skinner growled, and his head tipped back, the sensation of those patient, wonderful hands on his cock getting better and better. This was insane, horrible, this impulse to give in, let Krycek pleasure him, let Krycek play whore, do whatever he wanted. And it could happen, it was there in every touch from those hands, every breath in his ear, now groaning in time to that push at his ass. "Sir, sir," over and over. Krycek would do whatever he wanted him to, would obey every order from now on.
- "Grief" by Elizabeth Holden (Mulder/Skinner) - Skinner is caught up and consumed by Mulder's inexpressible anguish. Skinner could not cry, but if he could have, he would have now, under the spell of Mulder's consuming anguish. Mulder did not cry. Nor did he speak. Instead, his eyes still on Skinner's, he reached up and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Then the second…
- "Not in this Zip Code" by Quill (Mulder/Krycek) - Mulder finally finds his truth. Or rather, it finds him, takes him over, takes control of his life, and gives him every answer to every question he never had. "They locked me away, Mulder. Locked me away so that I couldn't betray them. But they forgot one thing, Mulder..." Alex Krycek opened his eyes and stared out at Fox Mulder. Mulder looked into those eyes and to his horror a black film seemed to cover them. "Sweet Jesus… what are you?"
- "Mulder in the Middle" by Spookette (Mulder/Skinner/Krycek) - Sexy indulgent PWP with three of our favourite boys. Krycek was right beside him and he was making the most delicious noises. He propped himself up on an elbow and immediately discovered the reason for Alex's moans. Walter had Krycek's cock in his mouth and was working him intensely. He moved to press his lips against Krycek's. His ex-partner wrapped his arms around him, clinging to him in his pleasure. Alex broke off the kiss long enough to pant out, "Is he always this good?" "Oh, yes, always."
- "Dostoyevsky's Tea" by Jane Symons (Mulder/Krycek) Mulder meets his match when it comes to onanistic style, and learns to have a little fun at the same time. Dear Scully, I am having an interesting time here in St Petersburg. It is snowing again. My original plan may have been to bring Krycek back to Washington with me and put him in jail, but I don't want you to think I've gone completely out of my mind when I tell you I am now hiding in a hotel room with him and we are both on the run from the Agency for Federal Security. We are planning to escape from Russia together. At least I will have some interesting holiday photos. Please feed the fish for me. Love, Mulder.
- "Q-File" vignette by O.T.C. (Read it, be surprised.)
- "Taking A Thief" by Gillian Middleton - A short, smart, Once A Thief story. Vic finally gets as much as he can take of Mac's smart ass ways…
Inside Sample
Reactions and Reviews
Unknown Date
1998
[War of the Roses]: "War of the Roses" fascinated me, less for the source show- (which sounds routine if probably okay on its own terms than the sneaky way the writer wrote the situation to make a compound-complex fan story work for even a reader with little background in the specifics of the main source. (Reading "Sympathy," however, uncomprehendingly of the nuances, surely helped, however.) I wasn't really in doubt as to the problem as the characters saw it, the characters on interaction, the building relationship, and so on. The story communicated by itself, even though it was also clear that there was a layer of plot based on something I didn't quite follow. The 'roses' references didn't mean anything but 15th century history to me - legitimate enough, but I wondered if it was supposed to pick up on a joke or something in OAT.[2]
[Dostoyevski's Tea]: I haven't read the whole zine but I made a point to read Dostoyevski's Tea and I loved it. You have a unique perspective on the character, and I love the way you present him. He has an edge, but he also has a lot of shadings - too many people either turn him into a creampuff or make him irredeemable. And your Mulder's pretty darned sexy too :) I thoroughly enjoyed the story.[2]
[Dostoyevski's Tea]:
Oh. I loved It! Consider than an advance review. I loved it so much I immediately read it over twice. What a delightful story. Beautiful characterization, especially of Krycek. I laughed at the funny bits but then got all moved over poor Mulder's desolation when he's sitting m the truck thinking Krycek is gone forever.[2]
[Dostoyevski's Tea]: Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how much I enjoyed "Dostoyevsky's Tea". I liked your Rough Boy version of Krycek - I
especially got a kick out of his Ivan fantasy, and thought it was very nice of Mulder to decide to play it out with him! Lots of fun. Thanks![2]
[Dostoyevski's Tea]: I wanted to say how very much I enjoyed "Dostoyevsky's Tea. I was really hoping for a happy ending, and at first thought that Alex would be waiting for him when he got back to the States, but when that person turned up and sat next to Mulder on the plane, my little heart leapt. Time to try join the mile high club methinks.[2]
[Dostoyevski's Tea]: Just read your story and loved it!!! It was so nice to see Krycek get to have his fantasies played out for once. Slut!Mulder strikes again. <sigh>
P.S: The "Brief Encounter" references bought back some lovely memories.[2]
[zine]: Before I forget, can you tell Quill how very much I enjoyed Not In This Zipcode. I was gripped from the word go and I loved the idea of Mulder and Krycek both being inhabited by the aliens. The bonding that took place was wonderful. It was like two stories, the first part dealing with them and the aliens, then the second part like a separate X-Files. I loved it, so please pass my thanks for a wonderful read will you, and thank you for a great, great zine. This is my favourite XF zine so far I think, certainly my favourite short story one. All the stories were good. I loved Jane's one too, that lovely romantic ending that I was so hoping for and that she delivered. They were all good stories.[2]
[zine]: Wonderfully done. With eXposure, I can't really decide which story I liked best. I loved Not In This Zip Code by Quill and Homecoming by Brenda was simply amazing. I've loved her stories from the beginning. Another story I liked was Temptation by M. Fae Glasgow although I'm not much of a Mulder/Skinner fan.[2]
[zine]:I loved this zine. It's got some marvellous stuff in it. Best story? Q File. Wonderful dialogue, good characterisation, great plot! Seriously though - it's lovely to see it printed. Thank you. [This LoCCer is the author of "Q File".]
I don't have a favourite story. It's a three way between Phantom Pain, Dostoyevsky's Tea, and Homecoming. Phantom Pain was the first post-Tunguska story that I ever saw, thought I was already writing Denial when I read it. I thought it was wonderful then and I still do. It's beautifully sad, especially when Mulder is thinking that he'll never feel the touch of Krycek's hands on his skin and you know that he never will. Very effective.
Doystoyevsky's Tea is simply delightful, from the moment when Mulder is sitting on the plane reading the Russian Dictionary to the point when Krycek joins him to return to America. It's wonderful; funny, sexy and sometimes sad, quite lovely. (I'd be very happy to be in touch with Jane Symons - even though I'm dead envious of her).
I think Homecoming is the best thing I have ever seen by Brenda Antrim and she has already written a couple of my favourite stories, her explanation of Krycek's background is very plausible (something I thought too difficult to attempt) and her descriptions of his feelings about his disability are so convincing.
Left Buried and Taking A Thief - well they're by Gillian Middleton, what more can I say. They are wonderful. The set up of Once A Thief is a gift for slash writers and I love her take on their relationship. I also love the image of Krycek handcuffed to a bath in Left Buried. He's been handcuffed to just about everything but that was a new one. Oh and Mulder making love to Krycek's navel - extremely nice moment. (Pause for a cold shower).
I thought Shark had one of the best summaries of the M/K relationship that I've ever seen. "Guess you really don't like me." "I like your body. The rest of you I don't trust." And then Mulder happily goes to sleep next to him - wonderful.
It was nice to have a good, long story as well - Not In This Zipcode. Mulder, prepared to tear his own yes out to get rid of the alien, was incredible. I loved Krycek's seduction of him, especially when he persuades him to put down the pillow and hold him instead. Using Mrs Paddock was a clever idea.
I felt so sorry for Krycek in Then Something Else Will Happen. It was a very effective story - managing to be uncomfortable and satisfying at the same time. He's rather happier in Mulder in the Middle, but then, they're all enjoying themselves and so was I!
The build up in Temptation was so effective; the way Mulder's presence gradually becomes harder and harder for Skinner to ignore. Glorious.
Grief was a very good contrast. The whole zine has so many shades of light and dark, it's a very satisfying read.
Queequeg/Big Blue - lovely idea. That dog really needed to get out and see the world.
P S. How many times can you use the word 'wonderful' in one letter? Answer 8! I need a thesaurus.[2]
[zine]:Left Buried - Gillian Middleton. A highly satisfying story, in which the difficult questions of retribution and punishment are tackled superbly. She paints Mulder beautifully, how he gradually becomes aware of the difference between personal revenge and justice. And I love her suffering Krycek too, coming to terms with the reality of what CSM tried to do to him.
Taking a Thief - GM. Not usually a Vic/Mac fan, I really enjoyed this. Great way to get the two boys together and I loved the use of anger, mixed with arousal, to instigate sex between them. The ending, with Vic changing his mind to retrieve one of the violets is gorgeous.
Q-File - OTC. Okay I know I'm being dumb but I don't get the catchline! Duh!!!
Shark - Elizabeth Holden. This was delicious. What a pool game, with Krycek in leather trousers, flirtacious and sexy, and Mulder trying to keep his mind on the game! Wonderfiil how Krycek turns so vulnerable once he's announced his need for Mulder. That "Help me" is so very moving. Beautifully written, with a perfect feel for Mulder/Krycek dialogue. Very hot sex, mixed in with a little interrogation for good measure.
Grief- Though Mulder/Skinner is not normally my thing, I did love this. Wliat a marvellous portrayal of Mulder, almost entirely overwhelmed by grief and his suffering seduction of Skinner. Very sexy climax in every sense of the word.
Temptation - M Fae Glasgow. Again, Mulder/Skinner not usually my scene but it didn't detract from this lovely study of Skinner wrestling hopelessly with temptation. His asides are wonderftilly written, just as you'd imagine Skinner to be feeling. And the sultry sexy Mulder she portrays is a delight, so turned on by Skinner that he hardly knows what to do with himself. Funny, sexy, touching. Great writing.
Then Something Else Will Happen - Gloria Lancaster. Fabulous idea having Skinner be the one to rescue Krycek from the silo. A marvellously draw n interplay between the two men. TTie weak and ulnerable Krycek is a particular joy cuddling Skinner for comfort while he sleeps, crying with fear in the shower, climaxing when Skinner calls him "whore". The portrait of Skinner is beautiftilly drawn, his tough care of Krycek, his feelings for the man in spite of himself, looking in the rear view mirror "more often than was strictly necessary". Strong, vividly drawn, erotic and very sexy. I loved it.
Not In This Zip Code - Quill. Brilliantly clever idea this. We often assume there was only one alien possessing Krycek but why not two. The "transference" kiss was highly charged drama -sexy and scary. A great way to get them together for ever, solving all the forgiveness/redemption problems in a wonderftd, almost Wuthering Heights kind of way. Romantic, touching, hot and sexy, a fantastic read.
Mulder in the Middle - Spookette. A great threesome story, with lovely touches of humour, and hot sex scenes. Krycek: You let him call you Fox. Can I? Skinner: No, you can't. Lovely! I especially liked her Krycek, desperately in love with Mulder, a human and sensitive Krycek who wouldn't have slept with Mulder if he'd known he'd had a lover.
Homecoming - Bren Antrim. Though I'm in full Terma denial, I did love this story very much because of the recognition between Mulder and Krycek of their love for each other and the way they decide to try for a relationship. Although the tone of the story is "tough", it manages to be romantic at the same time, one of Bren's many talents. I loved her Mulder, putting his foot in things as usual, confused by conflicting emotions. And Bren's Krycek - crying in his bed alone (that brought, a painful lump to my throat), professional and soldierly, so protective towards Mulder. Fantastically sexy love making - "Krycek was out of control, writhing, humping and yelling into the bedsheets". One of Bren's best, I think.
Cody's Phantom Pain - I think by now she'll have sent you what I said to her? If not, I'll try to remember what I said and send it on.[2]
[zine]: I especially loved eXposure and was really upset to finish it. (MORE, I need MORE)! The story Left Buried was bloody brilliant. I kept returning to it again and again. Also enjoyed Not in This Zipcode which was a brilliant premise. Homecoming was probably my favourite though. In fact, here we are almost two months after I first raed it, and it's still making me late for work every day coz I have to read my favourite passages each morning to make my day start right! You can probably tell by now that my heart belongs to Ratboy. Please let mek now if you have other X-File slash zines available -- especially those involving Krycek. And I have no problem with the events of Terma... 'Terma trauma"?... oooh, yes please[2]
[zine]:When I read Q-File, I lost it! Not only was it a "'great'" piece but it fell under the category of, "Why didn't I think of that?" Loved it all, even to the point that A1 would never bother changing his name when he people the people m the waiting room.
This is one of "'the'" reason why I believe that all contributors should get a copy! Many a time, it was the "vignette" that made a lasting impression on me rather than the longer pieces. Vignettes represents a writing art form that I have not seen here in the States since the golden days of the Star Wars zines. Ahh, those were the days...:)
Louis and I were impressed with the layout that you did with my toon in eXposure. :) Good zme thus far. Ohmighod! While flipping through eXposure, I just noticed, I'm in the same zine as M. Fae Glasgow. Oh my. I can't believe it! Be still my beating heart. :)[2]
Just received eXposures a few days ago and immediately started reading it. The stories were fantastic, every one different and every one a winner. This is defimtely one of those zines that I intend to read more thm once. Thank you so much for sending it to me. The quality of the wntmg was outstanding.[2]
[zine]: Very fine slash fiction. You should be proud of your talent! Very well-written, witty and sexy. Congrats.[2]
[zine]:Bottom line: I really, really loved this zine. It even had enough Mulder/Skinner in it to make me happy, though there is more Mulder/Krycek.
My ratings for stories:
* truly awful
** a few redeeming qualities
*** fun
**** really good
***** brilliant
Left Buried by Gillian Middleton *** Mulder saves Krycek from the silo and takes him home. They have sex and Krycek talks a little about his experiences - this is major Krycek angst. Mulder lets him leave. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But it's very nicely written and characterized, and in some places I thought I could feel the hot tears and the steamy breath. Try this passage, for example:
"God, I hate you," Alex groaned, and dropped his head, pressing his lips to Mulder's in a desperate kiss. Mulder's hand came up to push im away but instead shaped the back of his skill, forcing their mouths even harder together.... When he tired it was Fox's turn, rolling over so that Alex was once again beneath him, stroking his hands up and down the man's vulnerable throat, strong thumbs pressing up against the working jaw. Lips numb and tingling, Mulder drew back and drew in a breath.
Q-File by O.T.C. *** Just a snippet, with a good twist.
Shark by Elizabeth Holden I can't review my own story, but I can say what it's about. And yes, even though I bleat that I want more Mulder/Skinner material, this is Mulder/Krycek. Again. X sends Mulder to the Chicago underworld, where he meets up with Krycek and they play pool for high stakes.
Temptation by M. Fae Glasgow ***** Mulder/Skinner at last, and beautifully done. The whole problem of mutual lust between A.D. and agent; written in M. Fae's inimitable style, that simplifies nothing and illuminates everything. M. Fae writes Skinner better than anyone I know, very definitely including myself. (I wish!) The story: Mulder and Skinner meet in a restaurant. Skinner is lusting after Mulder and Mulder is doing everything in his power to show how sexy and available he is. Skinner is worried about the ethics of touching Mulder, which he shouldn't do, and knows he mustn't take him home, which is what he wants to do.
A snippet:
No. He did *not* need to get laid by Fox Mulder. Anyone but him. Perhaps it was time for an A.D. in the FBI to flirt with a handsome young waiter.... So who wasn't getting out of control? No, finish dinner, go to one of the bars that were acceptable, find a woman who was looking for nothing more than a night's ease. That's what he was going to do. That's what he had to do. But....
I particularly loved the resolution, which was clever, and Skinnerlike, and predictable in the nicest way.
Queequeg/Big Blue by Sarah Bellum ****
Not a story, but a silhouette, giving an unfinished segment of the aired X-Files an alternate ending.
Then Something Else Will Happen by Gloria Lancaster **** A Skinner/Krycek story, mostly; short, simple and with a lot of bite. Skinner rescues a helpless Krycek from the silo, and does everything he can to keep him alive so he can give information - including playing to Krycek's lust for him. Describing it so simply is to mislead regarding the real depth I saw in this story. It made my heart bleed.
Grief by Elizabeth Holden Mulder is sick with grief and Skinner tries to help him, but Mulder has ideas of his own about how Skinner can help.
Not in this Zip Code by Quill* I guess every zine has to have at least one story I don't like, and this was it, here. I found it difficult to read - changes in point of view, a meandering storyline, a plot I wasn't convinced by. It took me several takes before I managed to read it through, and even then I found my eyes skimming paragraphs. It didn't help, that I didn't like the premise.
Mulder in the Middle by Spookette*** Describing this story at all would be to give spoilers, so beware. Krycek offers Mulder information in return for sex - yeah, we've seen that before, and Mulder is just so *easy*. <G> Then Skinner comes along for sex with Mulder and finds him with Krycek and decides to take advantage of the situation. My favourite bit:
Krycek looked insulted. "You let him call you Fox?" "I don't have much of a choice. He does it whether I like it or not." "Can I?" Skinner answered gruffly, "No, you can't. Now, if you're not too busy, there are some condoms and KY in the drawer behind you."
Ah, I like that sort of leadership quality in a man.
Dostoevsky's Tea by Jane Symons**** Alex Krycek is living with a guy named Boris in Leningrad. Mulder comes to Russia and they leave together.... And it's all done with such humour, such a sense of affection, such endearing unpredictability that I read it over three times just for the delight of it. Example:
"FBI!" Mulder shouted, his voice unnaturally loud and resounding off all four walls. "Put your hands in the air and come out of there!" There was a slight scuffle on the floor and Krycek poked his head round the curtain. His face lit up like a child's at Christmas. "Mulder!" he said breathlessly. "Hey, it's good to see you!"
And it's touching, too. Not to mention sexy.
Phantom Pain by Cody Nelson****
Mulder in the States thinks about Krycek while Krycek in Russia thinks of Mulder. A good read, an angsty story. Bittersweet, and very well written
Homecoming by Brenda Antrim**** Krycek returns to the States to set up and kill the Smoking Man, but instead of succeeding in this, he saves Mulder's life and is wounded himself. Mulder, feeling some responsibility, takes him home where they pursue their love/hate relationship, and have to come to terms with it. This has an interesting take on Mulder and Krycek, and on Scully and Skinner too. My favourite scene is one in which Scully and Skinner walk in on Mulder and Krycek in bed, and their divergent reactions. Usually I don't like slash stories where heroes cry, but Brenda Antrim pulled it off with Krycek in this case.
Taking a Thief by Gillian Middleton *** This is Mac/Vic slash from Nick Lea's TV show, "Once a Thief". As far as I know this hasn't been shown in the States - I've seen it, I like it (a lot), and it's a treat to see some slash based on it. Don't worry if you don't know the series, you don't need it to understand this story. Not that this is a deep story - assuming a deep story could be written from what we've seen of the characterization on "Once a Thief". It's a nice play on the love triangle set up in the show itself, very true to the characters and very convincing with their banter. Another case of attraction through antagonism. Too bad the Director doesn't have a role.
Okay, you'll already have seen that I consider this a way- above-average zine, one I took great delight in reading and rereading.
Best story - Temptation by M. Fae Glasgow
Next Best - And Then Something Else Will Happen by Gloria Lancaster
Third best - Dostoyevsky's Tea by Jane Symons (who gets a special tip of the hat for her title)
Special mention because it's clever - Queequeg/Big Blue by Sarah Bellum[3]
1999
[Ishi72]
There are too many great stories in this zine to describe them all so I'll just name a couple. Quill's 'Not in This Zipcode' is a wonderful casefile with a fascinating romantic twist. Jane Symons' 'Dostoyevsky's Tea' is now available online but this romantic and humorous story is well worth purchasing in print.[4]
References
- ^ Lynn W. "The X-Files Fanzines". Archived from the original on 2003-04-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n LoC's commment from Double eXposure
- ^ comment quoted anonymously's from Virgule-L (Jun 6, 1998)
- ^ Ishi72 (1999-10-08). "'Zine Recs and Reviews". Archived from the original on 1999-10-08. Retrieved 2013-01-12.