Fantasia (Star Trek: TOS zine)

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Zine
Title: Fantasia
Publisher: Blatant and Latent Press, (in 1986, T'Kuhtian Press had permission to copy and distribute these zines/parts of these zines)
Editor(s): Jean Kluge & Kathy Langley
Date(s): 1977-1978
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
External Links:
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Fantasia is a gen Star Trek: TOS anthology fanzine published by Blatant and Latent Press.

front cover of issue #1, Marty Siegrist

This zine was originally going to be called "Strange New Worlds." From the submission request in The Halkan Council (August 1976): "Strange New Worlds is planned, out by 9/76 or 10/76; fiction, poetry, artwork, jokes, limericks. Contributions of all of the above welcome."

Issue 1

Fantasia 1 was published in January 1977 and contains 57 pages. The art is by Marty Siegrist (front cover), Dennis Drew (back cover), Cheryl Frasure, Joe Fleming, Gerry Downes, Amy Falkowitz, and Ron Chang.

back cover of issue #1, Dennis Drew

Issue 1: From the Editorial

From the editorial for issue #1:

As most of you have undoubtedly noticed by now, the title of this zine is no longer STRANGE NEW WORLDS, but rather, FANTASIA. I chose the latter for the simple reason that I prefer it to the former. It was pointed out to me later that the new title left me wlth a much more flexible format. Much of the material in future issues will pertain to STAR TREK; however, I intend to include other subjects as well, such as general sf, Sherlock Holmes, THE AVENGERS, Kermit the Frog (???)...ETC. I'll take contrlbs on quite a few subjects, and I'll CONSIDER just about anything.

Also from the editorial:

I've had quite a few people ask me what "WSA #1095" stands for in my address. Well, I am member #1095 the WSA program. "WSA" stands for "WE" Seal of Approval, "WE" being the the now M0NTHLY newsletter of the National Central Bureau, titled Weekly Express.

Also from the editorial:

I would like to start a zine for 2-5 year olds. However, before I invest my hard earned $$$, I'd like to know if there are any mothers, teachers, or babysitters out there who would be interested in contributing to, or purchasing such a zine. Please let me know, and sorry, but I must ask that you include a SASE.

Issue 1: "Gerry's Theme"

art from issue#1, Gerry Downes

"Editor's note: Kathy came up with this little gem after reading Gerry Downes' ALTERNATIVE. Part of Gerry's response was the accompanying illo. Thanks a heap, you two!"

"Gerry's Theme" is a limerick by Kathy Langley. It is a "G-rated" riff on Alternative: Epilog to Orion. Gerry Downes, author of "Alternative: Epilog to Orion," illoed the limerick.

"There was a ship's captain named Kirk"
"Who developed a very strange quirk."
"'Til once with with a leer,"
"He pinched Spock on the rear"
"And up did the Vulcan's brows perk?"

Issue 1: Contents

  • Editorial (by "Jeanie K," includes some recs for zine series, info on the WSA program, a reprint of Mandi Schultz' letter about the WSA) (2)
  • IT by Karen Fleming (6)
  • Limerick: Gerry's Theme by Katherine Langley (A G-rated limerick inspired by Alternative: Epilog to Orion, illoed by Gerry Downes herself.) (10)
  • Haiku by Frankie Jemison (11)
  • Fountain of Sorrow by Mandi Schultz (a Zarabeth story) (12)
  • general announcements and warning by Mandi Schultz (26)
  • Fleurs du Mal by Cheryl Rice (28)
  • Is This What Thee Truly Wishes by Amy Falkowitz - pt. 3 of "Rift-Crossing" series in Rigel. (38)
  • poem by Frankie Jemison (57)
  • Shore Leave by Frankie Jemison (57)
  • Three Romulan Ships by Lizette Hill (58)
  • Before the Kahs-wan by Frankie Jemison - poem (58)

Issue 1: Reactions and Reviews

This was originally to be titled 'Strange New Worlds,' but Jean changed her mind because she wants to include non-trek material in future issues... Fantasia is off to a rather inauspicious beginning, but the editor's enthusiasm is delightful, so Fantasia 2 , which should be out soon, will hopefully be more noteworthy.[1]

This first attempt from Jean Kluge is an entertaining zine; contents include: 'It' by Karen Fleming, in which an alien youngling of indeterminate sex wrecks havoc aboard the Enterprise by immortalizing personal personnel 'interchanges' in life-size wall murals, to the collective embarrassment of all; the story meanders comically until its rather incomplete and semi-tragic ending; 'Fountain of Sorrow.' by Mandi Schultz is a Zarabeth story with stilted dialog, but it gives some good characterization of the prisoner of time and how she became exiled; 'Fleurs du Mal,' by Cheryl Rice is an enticing story with a bit too much interwoven foreshadowing, but it is well-written and leaves the reader chilled. Cheryl's concept of an advanced form of 'Venus Fly Trap' appearing in humanoid form to entice its prey was cleanly executed, but could have benefitted from being more than a series of short scenes. 'Is This What Thee Truly Wishes?' by Amy Falkowitz seems to hang on all-pervasive casual atmosphere -- a type of 'sure, you can borrow the starship, Spock' which is not only in contrast to aired characterizations but which also conflicts with the mood of later scenes in which Spock's human fiance, Kyra (who is actually a human from ANOTHER Earth where 'Star Trek' is just a TV program...) must face T'Pau and prove herself worthing of marrying him; many would disagree at the interpretation of the stock characters and at the introduction of the rather two-dimensional Kyra into the ST universe. Artists in this issue include Marty Siegrist (who handled the cover and many interiors with sketchy ease) and Cheryl Frashure, whose portrait-like illos of Uhura were uncommonly delicate. A fun bacover by Dennis Drew -- there has been a challenge issued to create a story from it, and that should make quite a story! -- and the zine is rounded off with several short, sensitive poems by Frankie Jemison. Fantasia could have benefitted from some more careful editing and fiction revision, but on the whole was a foretaste of good things to come out of Hazelwood; worth the price, if only for the friendly casual editorial letters interspersed. Let's see the NEXT one! [2]

... for a first effort, it wasn't compiled too badly. There is a fair amount of artwork inside., balancing the stories, clear, legible type and only a nominal number of typos. What's annoying perhaps is the editor's penchant for butting in at the beginnings and ends of most of the features inside to explain/clarify/comment on/add two cents to.. in addition to having had an editorial in the beginning as well. It would be nice if the features stood for themselves. The stories include 'It' which is a very quick vignette about an alien child abroad the Enterprise with a talent for art which gets carried away. It's cute but there's not a whole lot there. There is a longer story following called 'Fountain of Sorrow' which is a 'before' story (in contrast to an 'after' story which are more common) This explains the situation behind Zarabeth's imprisonment in time in 'All Our Yesterdays.' 'Fleurs du Mal' is more or less a character study since there's not much of your basic action/adventure plot contained inside. It's a rather convoluted and slightly obscure description of the reactions of Uhura, mainly, to the representatives from a new planet, although it involves much more. It is well-illustrated by Cheryl Frashure who renders one of the softest pen and ink styles I've seen. 'Is This What Thee Truly Wishes?' has, aside from an awkward, over-obvious title, has an awkward and over-obvious plot, too. If it's been a while since you've seen a gen-u-ine Mary Sue story, then you'll want to catch this. The protagonist, named Kyra, is actually a character taken from the universe where Star Trek is television and somehow transfered to a universe where it is reality. The details of the transfer were contained in Rigel #1 and #2. Kyra is, somehow married to Spock. The whole plot, what little there is, revolves around going to Vulcan to have their marriage officially approved and registered on Vulcan. Big deal, right? Well, not to Kyra to places as much importance on it as any Terran facing a tax audit. All that was missing was the part about living happily ever after, at the end. There are a few poems scattered about and one outstanding illo by Mary Siegrist accompanying a short poem by Frankie Jamison. Sorry to say, none of the fiction is outstanding and some of it could have been left standing in the editor's file, but perhaps there will be an improvement in any subsequent issues that Jean puts out.[3]

[zine]:

When the best thing in a zine is a couple of poems, it says something about the poems, but it also says more about the zine. FANTASIA is indeed fantasy, hardly touching on science fiction at all. It is a thoroughgoingly nice zine; there is nothing terrible about it, but nothing much outstandingly good, either.

Cheryl Frashure's art was about all that made Cheryl Rice's "Fleurs du Mai" worthwhile. Rice's story is skillfully written but nothing happens in it. It's a do-it-yourself-er, in that the reader is supposed to supply the next chapter. Amy Falkowitz' "Is This What Thee Truly Wishes?" is part 3 in her Rift-Crossing Series from RIGEL. In this installment Kyra, having made it from 20th century Earth into the Galactic Patrol and across the dimensional barrier into the ST universe to meet and marry Spock after his yearly fit of pon farr, now must go with him to Vulcan to meet the folks. Specifically, T'Pau, who tells Kyra to straighten up and fly right. About time somebody did. Frankie Jemison wrote the poems mentioned above. "Before the Kahs-wan" has a wonderfully pleasant tone to it. Rating: Graphics 3 Content 3 $ Worth 3[4]

A very good buy. This is a well-edited zine, good layout, some excellent illos; the print is very small but clear. And only $2.00! The ish contains a rather long editor's page; 'By the Waters of Babylon.' a post-Paradise Syndrome tale by Ingrid Cross, I didn't feel that it was quite the right angle, but that's personal, it is well-written; also an 'overview' of The Society for Creative Anachronism; 'A Price Too High,' an excellent Cross poem; a very standout L. Fish story, 'Yesteryear, Today, and Tomorrow' which deals with a very original Thelin; another excellent poem, this time 'how Kirk and Spock went out' by Frankie Jemison, with a Landon illo; 'We Do Our Best' by Ginna LaCroix provides chuckles; 'Cavalier' by Denny Arnold leaves a bit to be desired but is worth reading; Arnold's other piece, er, entry, er, well, read it and see; Jean Stevenson's 'The City' is mostly Edith's p.o.v.; two poems, and zine/con listings finished the zine. I was very impressed, a great Trekzine buy.[5]

This is an average fan fiction zine. Average not in content, but in approach. It has crisp layouts and reduced type (reduced even smaller than that in ENTERPRISE INCIDENTS) so the 38 page count is a bit deceptive. This issue has several pieces of fiction but the one that stands out is "Yesteryear, Today &' Tomorrow" by Leslie Fish. This story is a sequel to the animated STAR TREK episode "Yesteryear", but it takes a unique approach in that it focuses on the character of the Andorian, Thelin, who was introduced in that episode. The story picks up with Thelin having strange dreams about another life in which he was the first officer aboard the Enterprise. Gradually he puts the pieces together until he comes up with a solution which he finds difficult to believe. There are subplots involving his relationship with other people on his Federation ship, the Yorktown. The Yorktown is almost a complete opposite of the Enterprise in that the Captain is a zenophobic jerk and the ship itself is not taken care of as well as the Enterprise. Thelin himself needs to secure an important position in Starfleet in order to help the people of his star system. The fact that in an altered time he had this position is intensely frustrating to him. He finally hatches a plan involving the Guardian which could return him to that coveted position. What happens is unpredictable and imaginative, not to mention suspenseful. It's one of my favorite fan fiction stories. Leslie Fish is one of the best writers in fan fiction and this is far and away one of her best stories. She also has some nice illos accompanying it which she drew herself, as is the case with most of her stories. There is also an underlying theme regarding Thelin's emotional involvement with the chief engineer which is handled very well. This story is a perfect example of excellent fan fiction as it handles characters, developes the plot, and uses the science fiction elements in a very professional manner. Other stories include a nice little vignette concerning Kirk mourning the death of Miramanee. There is also some fine art by Gordon Carleton, [Gayle F] and Joni Wagner, all very popular artists in the fan fiction zines. Jean Kluge has managed to secure a lot of talented people and produce a very good zine. STORY: 8 GRAPHICS: 8 [6]

Issue 2

issue #2 front cover, Joni Wagner
issue #2 back cover, Dennis Drew

Fantasia 2 was published in February 1978 and contains 34 pages. Cover: Joni Wagner; back cover: Dennis Drew. Art by Bill Bow, Leslie Fish, Gayle F, Signe Landon, Joni Wagner, Amy Falkowitz and Gordon Carleton.

The editors wanted to get it out in time for SeKWester*Con.

From the editorial:

Fandom, too, has changed somewhat in the year since my first issue. There have been some problems, not the least of which is the latest rift between the porn-haters and the porn-lovers (I use the word "porn" here very loosely to refer to any fiction that is adult in content, although I really don't feel that much of the adult Treklit is really pornographic). Being "pro porn" myself, I've decided to put my two cent's worth in. First, I feel that the "cons" have a valid right to request that ads and flyers state whether or not a zine is going to contain adult material. Consequently, if one does not like that sort of thing, one doesn't buy the zine. Of course, it isn't always possible to know in advance if any of the material promised to an editor will be adult in nature ... sometimes one doesn't find out until the work actually arrives, which would make for a slight problem with advance orders (how would one know whether or not those people would object to "porn"?). However, a solution to this would be to refund the cost of the zine to anyone who complained. One suggestion made by the "cons" is that such work be relegated to only the porn-zines. I feel that this is un-reasonable. This particular issue of "FANTASIA" contains material that could be considered adult ... when I received them in the mail, I certainly did not suggest the authors send them on to one of the strictly adult zines, simply because they might happen to offend some people. I print what I feel is good, well-written fiction. If the stories I accept for "FANTASIA. It happen to be adult in content, it makes no difference to me. Why should I be expected to turn away good work? I guess the one thing that makes this whole issue so ironic to me is the fact that nobody seemed to complain about the "good old-fashioned man-on-top-get-it-over- with-quick" type porn; no, it was when the K/S fiction started coming out that people began to make waves. I certainly never heard a word about it until then...

Another problem in fandom is the increaaingly high cost of zines. The average fanzine, with postage, now runs between $4 and $7, give or take a little. Personally, I think this is too much...

One of the more pleasant changes to occur in fandom is the increasing number of aesthetically pleasing zines. More and more zines seem to have a really good lay-out, even the first efforts, which was rather unusual at one time. Fanzines are beginning to look more and more like professional magazines, especially since the advent of color work. Many editors seem to be taking more care with their standards for artwork, too. It's not often that one sees poorly-done work in a zine any more, whereas "doodles" seemed to abound a couple of years ago.

  • interior art from issue #2, Gordon Carleton for "Insert... and Rotate"

  • interior art from issue #2, Signe Landon for "How Kirk and Spock Went Out"

  • interior art from issue #2, Leslie Fish for "Yesteryear, Today & Tomorrow"

  • interior art from issue #2, Gayle F for "Omicron"

Issue 2: Reactions and Reviews

Jean Kluge has managed to secure a lot of talented people and produce a very good zine.[7]

This is yet another high-quality 'zine with a really low price. It features a superb story by Leslie Fish about Thelin, the Andorrian of Yesteryear, a dreadfully intriguing explanation of Spock's "personality change" in the 1st season, to which a sequel is planned, a Spock-leaves-for-the-Academy-against-his-father's-wishes story, and miscellaneous other material of generally good quality, as well as excellent artwork. Most definitely worth the money.[8]

This ST zine contains seven stories, a SCA article, a porn-in fanfic editorial and several poems. Art honors are shared by Fish, Landon, [Gayle F], Wagner, Falkowitz, Carleton and others. Covers tagboard weight, well-stapled, suitably carry out ST-fantasy theme. The prize fiction of thish for me is Leslie Fish's "Yesteryear, Today and Tomorrow", a sensual story about the Andorian Thelin who replaced Spock in the other timeline of "Yesteryear". In this alternate story (told from a marvellously alien point-of-view) the presently-neuter Thelin and lover Chief Engineer Jensen of the Yorktown conspire to allow Thelin to jump timelines and take his/her "rightful" place beside Kirk on the E (which means seeing that Thelin's longtime friend Spock actually meets his death at age seven). Leslie weaves in a wealth of political and physiological detail concerning Andor and its people, all the while moving the suspenseful storyline right along, and the reader's fascinated interest is held right up to the closing line. Nobody does aliens better tha Fish, but I do have a grumble at the annoying use of the Latin impersonal pronouns throughout, in place of "it" or "s/he" or even "she", since Thelin knows all along his/her future gender. Ah, well--hic, haec, hoc; hulus, huius, huius--I can forgive almost anything for a storyteller of this originality and talent. The other six stories suffer slightly by contrast, but newcomer Denny Arnold shows promise. She has three short stories, one a witty take-off on the current K/S theme, and purporting to follow Fish's "Shelter" (WS 20), called "Insert and Rotate". In this one McCoy deals himself into the game. Sort of. The accompanying Carleton illo catches the mood exactly. "Cavalier", by Arnold and Anne Trembley, is a more serious effort, and attempts to reconcile the human, laughing Spock of "The Cage" with the sombre Vulcan we know, more or less succes fully. Her "Parting" is another Spock-chooses-Star-Fleet confrontation with Sarek, and some gentle moments with Amanda. "We Do Our Best", by Ginna La Croix, wavers between slapstick (a la "Practical Joker") and a heretical break with episodal characterization wherein she has Spock defy Kirk in front of the whole ship and directly disobey orders. And live. Strange. Ingrid Cross has a mood-piece called "By the Waters of Babylon", featuring Kirk at Miramanee's graveside, and "The City", by Jean Stevenson, completes the line-up. The latter is a touching, sensitively done version of our favorite episode as seen from Edith's point of view, fleshing out reasonable background for her and adding enough new detail to hold the interest. Zine reviews on the inside back cover. Recommended: entertaining, and the price is right; how can a buyer go wrong for (about) two bucks? [9]

  • By the Waters of Babylon / Kirk ponders life at Miramanee's graveside.
  • Society for Creative Anachronism / explanation of SCA organization
  • Yesteryear, Today & Tomorrow / Thelin, a pre-Change neuter Andorian science officer, miserable under a nasty captain on the Yorktown from whom 'hoc' and engineer Blackie have to hide their affection, finds himself at the Guardian with the opportunity to have hoc's rightful life (the one in which she is an admiral and has a happy family with Jim Kirk) - at the cost of killing Spock, Amanda and probably Blackie. Van Hise: a perfect example of excellent fan fiction.
  • We Do Our Best / everything goes wrong on Enterprise while an obnoxious Commodore is aboard for observation - until there's a real crisis as they evacuate a ship about to explode, and Spock overrides Kirk.
  • Cavalier / McCoy discovers that Spock went out on the Cavalier, which disappeared out by the rim for 21 months and returned with Spock in command, a third of the crew gone, and no one able to explain what had happened.
  • Insert... and Rotate / Short K/S spoof - Spock, once sexually awakened, is now screwing everyone, and comes to seduce McCoy.
  • Parting / Spock confronts Sarek with his decision to join "Space Fleet" - and is no longer Sarek's son.
  • Steve's Little Toy / scifi story - kid finds futuristic weapon and turns it on nagging Mom.
  • The City / "City" from Edith Keeler's pov. Nice, but nothing really new.[10]

The Possible Third Issue

An ad for a third issue of this zine was in the "On the Printer's Doorstep" in Datazine #15, but it is unclear if this zine ever got off the ground.

The ad: "... a Rocky Horror/Fantasy issue. fiction and flights of fancy by Paula Smith, David Lubkin, and Geoffrey Renet. Art work by Anne Ward, Gordon Carleton, and Jean Kluge... Estimated release date October 1981."

References

  1. ^ from Interphase #4
  2. ^ from The Halkan Council #24
  3. ^ from Spectrum #31
  4. ^ a review by Sharon Ferraro in Menagerie #11
  5. ^ from Scuttlebutt
  6. ^ from Enterprise Incidents #6 (1978) by Jim Van Hise
  7. ^ from Jim Van Hise in Enterprise Incidents #6
  8. ^ from Paradise
  9. ^ from Mahko Root #2
  10. ^ Halliday’s Star Trek Zinedex (TOS) - Title Index, Archived version
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