Eyes Only (Man from UNCLE zine)

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You may be looking for the Man from UNCLE newsletter called For Your Eyes Only. "Eyes Only" is also the codename of a Dark Angel character and of various websites in the Dark Angel fandom.

Zine
Title: Eyes Only
Publisher: NorthCoast Press
Editor(s): Lisa Brazdil, A F Allison
Date(s): 1991-2009
Series?:
Medium: print
Genre: mostly het, slash in issue #8
Fandom: Man from UNCLE
Language: English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Eyes Only is an adult het Man from UNCLE anthology. There is slash in issue #8, perhaps others.

There appears to be a special issue, a novel called "The 'Flint and Tinder' Affair."

About

From the publisher, "'Eyes Only' is dedicated to showing us the more steamy side of what went on in the pseudo-espionage world of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.". Napoleon wasn't the only one who sometimes 'got the woman' if you know what I mean! 'Eyes Only' offers some tasty tidbits cooked up by such authors as Linda Cornett, A.F. Allison, C.W. Walker, Lisa Madden, F. Y. Driver, and many many more! There is no inside art (except for issue #1), but we do want to acknowledge our bodacious cover artists, including: Ellen Druda, Ramón Bricio, and Warren Oddsson."

From On the Double: "Characters must be written true to form for the series, book, or movies. 'True to form' means the must act and speak much the same as they did on the show. Please, no cross universes, (unless it is spy-related, such as Equalizer, Get Smart, I Spy, etc.). alternate universe. slash ("/"), or a story reprint (unless you ask me first). No graphic torture or rape. Since this zine, sexual scenes are encouraged and can range form PG-13 to X, but should be a part of the story. I strongly discourage mere "bed bouncers." I am looking for stories with plots. SASE for complete details."

Issue 1

cover of issue #1

The first issue contains 108 pages. While it is not dated, it was most likely published in 1991.

Production details: zine was composed on a typewriter. The art is photos (some professionally grayscale, others...not.) The cover had a hole in it, letting the title come through from the page beneath, and it had a color stamp saying "Confidential" on the cover. It is unclear if the stamp was supposed to discourage zine pirating.

It has no release date or letter from the editor, but is dedicated to Jon Heitland, and offers thanks to Lisa (assistant editor) and Kandi (publisher and chief cheerleader). The editor requests that LOCs go to her, for her to distribute to the authors of each issue (and warns that nasty LOCs will not be passed on), and says she doesn't know whether she'll do a sequel. Perhaps because it's het, there are an unusual amount of male names in the credits for the zine as a whole, and for the stories.

  • Bedside Manners by Jacquelyn Midcult (1)
  • Like a Virgin by Charlene Kirby (5)
  • Companion Pieces by Ann Craig (13)
  • The 70% Solution Affair by Liza Brazdil (25)
  • Interludes and Tasty Tidbits (47)
  • Stream of Libido by Jon Heitland (55)
  • "Fore" Play by Jon Heitland (60)
  • Encounter at Le Cafe by Catherine M. Schaff-Stump (64)
  • Wedding Bell Blues by Thomas Fareham (71)
  • The Dead Zone Affair by A F Allison (78)
  • Afters and 'Zine listings (104)

Issue 2

cover of issue #2

Eyes Only 2 was published in January 1992. It has 13 stories and is 190 pages long. On the cover: "U.N.C.L.E. for A.D.U.L.T.S."

  • Editorials by The Editors (1)
  • The Bump and Grind Affair by Charlene Kirby (3)
  • Day of Mourning by Lola (22)
  • A Wonderful Life by Lola (27)
  • The Trio-partake Affair by Eros (42)
  • The End of Innocence by A.F. Allison (47)
  • Heat and Passion by Jennifer Adams (55)
  • The Past Tense Affair by Jacqueline Midcult (60)
  • Little Waters by unknown (69)
  • The Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing Affair by C.W. Walker (72)
  • Consolation Prize by C.W. Walker (135) (reprinted in The St. Crispin's Day Society #5)
  • Ties That Bind by C.W. Walker (140) (reprinted in The St. Crispin's Day Society #5)
  • The Virgins Affair by Jean Unavocat (145)
  • The Party Doll Affair by Lisa Brazdil (168)
  • The Elusive Microdot Affair (189)

Artwork

  • Ellen Druda front cover

Issue 3

cover issue #3

Eyes Only 3 was published in 1994 and contains 122 pages.

The art is by Ellen Druda and Lisa Brazdil.

flyer for issue #3

From the editorial:

Here we go again! Welcome to another exciting issue of the only heterosexual, adult U.N.C.L.E. fanzine (that I know of anyway...). What started out as a lark has turned into another successful continuing fanzine for NorthCoast Press. As long as the stories keep sneaking into my mailbox, I'll keep publishing the zine (this is a BIG hint to all you naughty writers out there in case you didn't know it.) I've already started a file on my computer for ED #4, so sharpen those pencils.

In 1993, Eyes Only #2 won a STIFFIE award for best adult MFU fanzine. Thank you everyone who voted for the zine. I appreciated all the support. It's nice to know I'm doing a good job as editor/publisher, but it's really the authors who deserve the credit. Without their great stories , the zine would be nothing.

I do have some sad news, however. The author of the first story in Eyes Only #3 was killed last February in an auto accident. This was his first story attempt, and while I "cleaned" it up a bit to help with the flow, I've tried to leave the story pretty much as he submitted it. Needless to say, this issue of Eyes Only is dedicated to Gerald. He was a good friend, and he is sadly missed.

  • Editorial by Lisa Brazdil (3)
  • Napoleon's Family by Gerald (4)
  • Full Moon by Linda Cornett ("What Is wrong with Illya Kuryakin's co-workers? Or is it simply full moon madness?") (7)
  • Interim by C.J. Morgan (11)
  • The Artistic Courtesans Affair by Tammy L. Croft (30) (crossover with Callahan's Crosstime Saloon)
  • Such Friendly People by Linda Cornett (43)
  • The Ukraine Affair by F.Y. Driver ("Kuryakin and Solo return to the Ukraine for a much-needed vacation. Will Illya's past or Napoleon's mistake prove too much for their friendship to bear?") (55)
  • Partners by Linda Cornett (94)
  • The Wives and Lovers Affair by F.Y. Driver (97)
  • Fingers and Toes by L.R.H. Balzer ("Stranded in the frigid North, April and Napoleon are left to their natural instincts. But, do these instincts include Illya?") (This story was later edited and incorporated in The Northern Lights Affair) (115)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

[Such Friendly People]: An entertaining and incisive take on the U.N.C.L.E. universe from the viewpoint of a female agent. She and Napoleon are posing as a swinging jetset couple on vacation, while Illya accompanies them as back-up. Surely every fan's dream...or is it? Napoleon is charming and flirtatious yet doesn't trust her with the nitty-gritty espionage work, but he's a welcome relief to Illya's impenetrable aloofness.

However, an embarrassing mix-up results in Illya being mistaken for the 'husband.' Is Illya capable of swinging? Our female agent has doubts, but Napoleon is cheerfully upbeat about Illya's ability to deliver. Even so, can a convincing chemistry be manufactured in time to fool the enemy? And what to do with it when the assignment is over?

Readers worried about Mary Sue traits should relax - Bev proves to be a character with wit and insight, but not annoyingly so. Her observations about being a female in a male-dominated profession has resonance today, and her gradual awareness of Illya's considerable appeal will be heartening to the Illya fans out there. The depiction of the friendship between Napoleon and Illya is an added bonus - though it's not the main theme, it's a reassuring anchor to canon. [1]

[zine]: Sometimes, it all just comes together. Every once in a while, an editor gathers a set of stories for a fanzine destined to become dog-eared with multiple readings. This is the zine that gets pulled off the shelf when snow lies several feet thick on the ground, the wind is howling outside and the MUNCLE fan is ready for an old friend and a sure thing. Eyes Only #3 is that kind of zine. Published in 1994, Eyes Only #3 is an installment in the U.N.C.L.E. for A.D.U.L.T.S. series edited by Lisa Madden and printed by Northcoast Press. This contribution is a set of nine stories that range from humorous vignettes to lengthy introspective tales.

E.O. #3 treats the reader to the light stuff first, with the spice that keeps us warm in the winter. 'Napoleon's Family' is a quick and funny little piece that pays homage to the E.O. series and serves as a nice intro to the more explicit stories that follow.

In 'Full Moon' veteran writer Linda Cornett scores again as one by one, U.N.C.L.E. personnel fall under the spell of the tides. In the space of four pages, Cornett manages to star our favorite blond agent in five very different fantasies. From a bodice-ripping encounter at reception to a threesome in the agent offices, Linda smoothly connects the wandering minds of U.N.C.L.E. No Thrush agents make an appearance in this one, but there is plenty of action.

Thrush does make an appearance in the next offering, in the person of the delectable Angelique. The action definitely continues. 'Interim' by C.J. Morgan, features Solo and Kuryakin paired up with Thrush partners in a race to catch a renegade scientist holding a doomsday weapon. Solo fails to catch the scientist, but he does score the Thrush agent in a marathon game of gratification. Napoleon's bedroom exploits are bracketed nicely with a more serious lesson in partnership from Illya. The Russian agent has the last laugh and a Hispanic gardener has the last word .. . and Napoleon's suit.

Some of the fantasies that tease us in 'Full Moon' are fleshed out in The Artistic Courtesans Affair' by Tammy L. Croft. An injured Illya wakes up to find himself in a whorehouse with attitude. Lady Sally Callahan runs a unique establishment that caters to the eccentric whims of both customers and staff. While Kuryakin is protected in the bordello, Solo searches for a spool of recording wire that IK has hidden in a spot that he cannot recall. The set up is outrageous but satisfying for both Solo and Kuryakin and the action has a decent story line. Without the X-rated episodes, this could be a script treatment for the series.

Attitude is everything in the second offering by Linda Cornett in E.O. #3. 'Such Friendly People' introduces us to Bev, a female U.N.C.L.E. agent assigned to play Solo's wife on a south of the border affair. Kuryakin is along for the ride as the shadow man. The story is played through Bev's eyes and with her body as she is laid out as bait for a swinging couple with a code book for sale. The plan is hastily rewritten when the target couple mistakes Illya for the dutiful husband, forcing the two male agents to switch roles. Bev is a strong and appealing character who is surprised by her change in attitude toward her Russian partner. We would like to see more of her as the curtain rings down on this story. We will. If there is a glitch in this story, it is a computer generated one. In my copy, the name of the chief villainess changes from Glynnis to Adrian at random. Since there is no reference within the plot to an alias or schizophrenia, I've chalked this one up to the wonders of technology and chalked out the offending 'Adrians.' It is possible that this problem has been corrected in later printings.

'The Ukraine Affair' sits in the middle of E.O. #3 and shifts the zine from a humorous mode to a more serious one. This is an Illya origin story of a fine nature, with lots of detail, history and angst. Author Fara Driver has written a number of different histories for the Russian, but this is one of my favorites. This IK from the Ukraine has a tragic aristocratic background and a very dysfunctional but fascinating family. Solo plays the catalyst for a 'sins of the father' story with heart. For a short, two page span in the center of the piece, there may be a little too much heart for some readers, with the angst tiptoeing close to weepiness. Driver has written a stronger Napoleon in other stories, most notably in 'The Christmas Gift Affair', and both main characters falter for a moment in this one. However, the author quickly gets back on track by moving them both into a rescue sequence involving a Russian terrorist and the GRU. Readers who enjoy introspection, action and detail will find their tastes satisfied momentarily, but there is plenty of room in this story for a sequel and you will want one! Please, Fara?

If you liked Bev in 'Such Friendly People' she is back again in the same zine in 'Partners'. Linda Cornett's third and last installment in E.O. #3 finds IK and Bev with lime on their hands at the close of the 'People' affair. A dance that started in that story finds its conclusion here, and like the characters in 'The Ukraine Affair' the reader will want more of this story and this new agent.

Fanzine readers do get more of Angelique in the next piece, also written by Fara Driver. 'The Wives and Lovers Affair' offers us another version of Illya's history, but it is also about Napoleon and his responsibilities. Driver expertly twists the four main characters in a dance of bizarre family relationships. Angelique is in a difficult situation and looks to Illya to help her instead of Napoleon. His aid has to be coerced, but he ultimately decides to give Angelique the benefit of his doubt. All of their choices are explained as we meet more participants in Illya's history and Napoleon is given a chance to learn from his partner's experiences. This is another satisfying read from Driver and another story that begs a sequel.

'Finger and Toes' from the pen of Lois Balzer, is not a sequel, but an edited excerpt of one of her novels. Once again, Illya's life is hanging in the balance when he suffers hypothermia near the Arctic Circle. This is not an Illya story, however, but decidedly a Napoleon and April one. N.S. and A.D. kindle their own fire in the frozen wasteland as they wait to see if Kuryakin will survive. Readers can get the whole story in "The Northern Light's Affair'; part of Balzer's collection series, but this excerpt stands alone quite well. This Napoleon is vulnerable and believable and Balzer's April is competent and compassionate.

With 'Fingers and 'Toes' as its last addition, E.O. #3 comes to a satisfying close. It can be put back on the shelf for now, but I can guarantee that you will return for seconds on another day. [2]

Issue 4

Eyes Only 4 was published in April 1995 and contains 145 pages.

cover of issue #4
  • Editorial by Lisa Brazdil (2)
  • Virtual Reality by A.F. Allison (3)
  • A Stitch in Time by Cassandra Lane (9)
  • Uncovered Bridges by Linda Cornett (26)
  • The Cabin by Lisa Brazdil (48) (won a 1996 FanQ)
  • Black Widow by F.Y. Driver (54)
  • Till Death Do Us Part by Kathy Williamson (67)
  • Gender Manipulation by F.Y. Driver (81)
  • The Amore Affair by Angela Field (101)
  • Long Time Passing by Tammy L. Croft (114)
  • The Death of Sex Affair by K.C. Noel (123)
  • Comrades in Arms by C.W. Walker (144)

Issue 5

Eyes Only 5 was published in 1996 and contains 90 pages.

cover of issue #5, Warren Oddsson

The front cover is by Warren Oddsson. There is no interior art.

  • Editorial by Lisa Brazdil (3)
  • Spider Bite by F.Y. Driver (4)
  • Human Kindness by Linda Cornett (18)
  • Home from the Office by Tasha White (24)
  • Romancing the Spider by C.W. Walker (26) (reprinted in The St. Crispin's Day Society #5)
  • Kiss of the Mantis by Angela Field (42)
  • The Shop Till You Drop Affair by Lisa Conrad (57)
  • Refuge by Nan Mack & C.W. Walker (71)

Issue 6

cover of issue #6, Ramón Bricio

Eyes Only 6 was published in 1997 and contains 84 pages. The front and back covers are by Ramón Bricio.

  • Editorial by Lisa Madden iii
  • Writer's Guidelines by The Editor iv
  • Coitus Interruptus by Linda Cornett (1)
  • The Femme Fatale Affair by Angela Field (7)
  • Cabin Fever by C.W. Walker & Nan Mack (13)
  • The 'If I Were You' Affair by Mo Boldock (26)
  • Menage A U.N.C.L.E. (part one) by Liselle (36)
  • Parting Glances by P.R. Zed (41)
  • A Minor Source of Irritation by Mo Boldock (51)
  • The Never Look a White Elephant in the Mouth Affair by K.C. Noel (65)
  • The Cost of Knowledge by F.Y. Driver (74)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6

[Coitus Interruptus]: I have to admit to a strong bias towards slash fiction. But every so often I discover a het story with such witty dialogue and intriguing characters that I just have to read it over and over. In this story, Illya is on a stake-out, talking on his communicator to a female U.N.C.L.E. agent. They start reminiscing about past times and we gradually learn a little bit about Illya's life outside of U.N.C.L.E.. Written with humor and a great ear for the characters' speech patterns, this story is a wonderful read. [3]

Issue 7

Eyes Only 7 was published in 2003 and is 81 pages. The cover art is by Ellen Druda.

cover of issue #7

Issue 8

cover of issue #8 by Cat's Meow Creative Arts

Eyes Only 8 was published in 2006 and contains 78 pages. It has a cover by Cat's Meow Creative Arts. It contains some slash.

  • Dinner with Marion by Linda Cornett (6 pages)
  • Changing Times & When in Paris (Puzzles) by Periwinkle (2 pages)
  • None of His Business by Yum Yum PM (6 pages)
  • Risky Business by C.W. Walker and F.Y. Driver (52 pages)
  • Coming Home by Linda Cornett (6 pages)
  • The Puzzle Affair (cross puzzle) by Periwinkle (2 pages)

Issue 9

cover of issue #9 by Romanse

Eyes Only 9 was published in 2009, contains 56 pages, has a cover by Romanse, and is comb bound. 6 stories in all. Stories range in nature from PG-13 to X.

Summaries come from the publisher:

  • The Poker Face Affair by Periwinkle & Hazelayes (11 pages)
  • The Riding the Camel Affair by Linda Cornett. (""The girl would like to help with the leg!" The phrase echoed in his head, the tribal chief's oddly suggestive cadence supported by the drumming and shouts from the campfire outside. Sophie, daughter of Suldar, wanted to trade Illya Kuryakin for a camel. However before that could happen, she needed to take care of his wounded leg. Would that be all she took care of that night?") (5 pages)
  • The Import-Export Business Affair by Molly Cate (20 pages)
  • Memorandum from Alexander Waverly (5 pages)
  • The Better Lover by Yum Yum PM. ("Illya stepped through the door and heading toward the Grande Ballroom. Steps led down to the dance floor and Illya paused at the top, his eyes scanning and locating his partner without seeming to, before making his entrance. The room quieted as he started downward, his presence caused the crowd on the stairway to part in his wake. Handing over his invitation, he was aware of all eyes turned his way as he stopped at attention, bowed deeply to His Royal Highness, Prince Rainier, and his bride. "Count Kuryakin." Princess Grace smiled and led him from one group to another. Illya kept an eye on Napoleon, while seeming not to. It appeared that he had already made the acquaintance of their target, Nicole Jordan. Napoleon arrogantly thought he could do a better job of charming the information back & well it was time that Illya showed just what he was capable of accomplishing. So who is the better lover?") (6 pages)
  • Bedside Manners by Linda Cornett (4 pages)

Special Issue: The 'Flint and Tinder' Affair

"The 'Flint and Tinder' Affair" is a 76-page gen novel by Jomil S. Mulvey.

  • Flintandtinder-1.jpg
  • Flintandtinder-2.jpg

References

  1. ^ a 2006 comment at Crack Van
  2. ^ from Z.I.N.E.S. v.1 n.1
  3. ^ a 2008 comment at Crack Van
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