Human Factor (Star Trek: TOS zine)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Human Factor |
| Publisher: | Mattie Jones (Harlingen, TX) |
| Editor(s): | Mattie Jones & co-editor Marilyn Ambos |
| Date(s): | 1975-1981 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | print zine |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: |
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| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Human Factor is a Star Trek: TOS gen anthology.
There are seven issues. Many, if not all, of the issues were published in two versions: (1) The original printing, with different covers for each issue, printed in a larger font, and hence with a larger page count; and (2) a later edition which used uniform covers (such as shown on the right), a much smaller font, and hence a much smaller page count.
Like some fanzines of that era, earlier issues were published without the required pre-1989 copyright notices, possibly placing the fanzine in the public domain.
Issue 1
Human Factor 1 was published in 1975. It has 60 pages in the early printings, and 33 pages in the later compressed printings. Illustrations by Bill Hayes.
From the Editorial:
Now to the collection you are holding in your hands. It's a first effort with a lot of practice behind it. Sometime after the the third show of Star Trek in 1966 I started telling Star Trek stories to my friends at high school, and they started telling them back... The first time we realized Star Trek was special to people outside our little group of six or seven was at the end of the second year when the letter writing campaign saved the show. we knew then there were other fans out there. The question was how to reach them. It took from 1968 to 1976 to manage it, and we wouldn't have made it then if it hadn't been for Star Trek Lives!. But we did make contact and started collecting 'zines. Marilynn and I did some reading and she pointed out that with a little work some of my stories would be as good as the ones in the zines.... Then came the hard work of taking some stories never ment [sic] to be written and converting them into writable stories. There is a world of difference in a tale you tell verbally and one you write... Of the three stories contained in this zine one has what amounts to a walk on by the Enterprise crew, and then tells about Joanna McCoy and Tracy Donahue-Scott. (Note: My Joanna is 26 at the time of the Babel Conference, and she has been a Lt. Com. for nearly a year, and she is a doctor, not a nurse. I felt free to make those changes because Joanna was never actually mentioned in the aired episodes. The second story combines the Alaric and the Enterprise, and the third is an Enterprise story sort of, it's about the mirror-mirror's Enterprise. It is intended to answer a question Joan Winston raised in her book, why couldn't their Captain Kirk be convince[d] to become a good guy.
Contents. Page numbers are given as (Early printing page/Later printing page)
- Editorial I (i/i)
- Editorial II (iii/i)
- The Human Factor by Mattie Jones & Marilyn Ambos (There are other ships in Star Fleet and this is the story about the command crew of the Alaric) (1/1)
- Space Pirates by Mattie Jones & Marilynn Ambos (Mr. Scott saves another ship, besides the Enterprise, that's in distress.) (27/14)
- You've Got to Be Kidding (Space Pirates Part II) by Ambos and Jones (Both the Enterprise and the Alaric are needed to defeat the pirates.) (36/19)
- Match Puzzle by Marilynn Ambos (49/26)
- Mirror Image by Sapphira Cantrell (The first in a series about the Mirror Universe and Kirk's revolt.) (50/27)
Cover of issue #1, early printing
Cover of issue #1, later printing
Inside page of issue #1, early printing
Same page of issue #1, later printing
Art page of issue #1, all printings
Issue 2
Human Factor 2 was published in 1977 and contains 90 pages. Illustrations by Marty Brown and Lynn Holder. The cover of this issue, with the addition of a blue background, becomes the uniform cover for later printings of this title.
The editor notes that "Neither 'Rutland' or 'Tomorrow' is a Mary Sue Story, they're something Marilynn calls a Kitchen Sink Story, because that's the only thing missing."
- Editorial I (i)
- Editorial II (ii)
- Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Rutland, Vermont by Mattie Jones and Marilynn Ambos (One of its time trips into Earth's past, the Enterprise picks up some stowaways.) (1)
- Word Maze by Marilynn Ambos (17)
- House Divided by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambos (A matriarch culture Kirk can't change) (18)
- Landing Party by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambos, and Mich Coslet (Sulu's got a dead landing party, a stolen shuttle, and a planet full of pirates to cope with.) (35)
- For Tomorrow's Sake by Mattie Jones (The Klingons want to change Earth's past, but the Romulans want to keep the future they know. With a little help from a human, they foil the Klingons.) (59)
- Mirror, Image by Sapphira Cantrell (part two, chapter one of the Mirror Image Series) (78)
- Andorian/English Dictionary (86)
Cover of issue #2
Inside page from issue #2
Inside page from issue #2
Issue 3
Human Factor 3 was published in July 1977 and contained 71 pages. The cover is "T'Meyri's Challenge."
The editorial:
First of all, the stories, with the exception of "Don't Curse the Dark" take place between the aired live episodes of "A Piece of the Action" and "Immunity Syndrome". To be exact the Enterprise proceeds from "Star Grave" into "Immunity Syndrome". Secondly, "Cevelan Raid" & "War Games" did not appear in Southern Star #3. They will appear in Southern Star #4 & #5. Thirdly, the cover, is an illustration drawn by me for a fight scene in "Heirs of Tomorrow". But, the scene was cut. T'Meyri's fight with Tal will take place off stage. Still it was a good illo, and since she's definitely a Human Factor she became the cover illo.
- Editorial (i)
- The Terrible Time of the Troublesome Tribbles by Jones and Ambros (Seems like Mr. Scott missed a tribble when he cleaned out the ship.) (1)
- Star Grave by Jones and Ambos (Kirk, the Klingons and three novas in the same sector) (11)
- Bathos of Eros by Terry Hayes (Spock and a Unicorn on an uninhabited planet) (31)
- Heirs of Tomorrow by Jones (Ever wonder how the Romulans tested their new Klingon-designed ships?) (34)
- Don't Curse the Dark by S. Cantrell (part one, chapter two of the Mirror Image Series -- no one can run a revolution with just 6 people, not even Kirk and Spock) (54)
- Trivia Quiz by Marilynn Ambos (67)
- Coming next issue (inside back cover)
Original cover of issue #3
Inside page from issue #3
Issue 4
Human Factor 4 was published in 1977, and has 72 pages. Note: There is no page 41.
The editorials:
Editorial IGroan! I don't know what our lucky number is, but I do know what it isn't, namely, #4. This issue must have some kind of curse against it, or something. First the art work for one of our stories failed to show, so "The Promise" by Jon Van Sickle has been delayed until next issue. Instead an old filler story "Kirk's Reverie" has been inserted.
Secondly, we had to hurry to get the zine ready for a November convention in San Antonio, Texas, so of course the final proofs didn't get back from Rebecca in time. We solved that by making a limited (25 copies) run for the Con, and then a larger run after we got back and got her proofs. So if your copy doesn't say it was proofed by Rebecca Hoffman, it wasn't.
(Note: I would like to thank my father, Harry C. Jones, for proofing my spelling in "Yesterday's Children" and "Kirk's Reverie." Considering that He is not a Trekker, and the local channels had a positive talent for putting it on opposite what ever Foot or Base ball game he wanted to watch, I think it was big of him.)
Thirdly, the stories in this issue take place after "The Omega Glory" and before the "Ultimate Computer".
Thank You for your attention, you can go ahead and read the zine now, if you like.
-- Mattie Jones
Editorial II
Whee! Another issue finished. Almost.
All I can say is that this is a heck of a mess for a people watcher to get into.
-- Marilynn Ambos
- Editorial (i)
- Kirk's Reverie, by Mattie Jones (A glimpse at Kirk's days at the Academy.) (1)
- One of Those Days, by Mattie Jones and Marilynn Ambos (Someone will do anything to stop the Alaric from delivering Tintagle's new Federation Governor.) (5)
- Beware of Dragons, by Mattie Jones and Marilynn Ambos (Some of the Alaric's crew find Earth isn't the only planet with a Bermuda Triangle, and some have dragons.) (21)
- Scramble, by Mattie Jones (Word scramble puzzle) (40)
- Yesterday's Children, by Mattie Jones and Marilynn Ambos (A Chapel-McCoy story about a lost people who don't want to be found.) (42)
- Don't Curse the Dark, by Sapphira Cantrell (part two, chapter two of "Mirror Image") (58)
- Coming next issue (inside back cover)
Original cover of issue #3
Issue 5
Human Factor 5 was published in August 1979. Written by John Van Sickle, M.J., M.A. and M.C. Carson and Saphira Cantrell.
- But It Isn't Always Home by Jones and Ambos (The stowaways learn you really can't go home again.)
- The Promise by Jon Van Sickle (An insight into Vulcan history)
- The Heir of of the Demon by Jones, Cantrell and M.C. Carson (Three vampires are one too many for any ship.)
- Shadows of the Night by Jones and Cantrell (Captain Scott is a very odd duel with an unknown foe.)
- Scotty's Dilemma by Jones (A Mr. Scott short story)
- Maker of Tomorrows by M. Jones (Even the Romulans can be diplomats when they have to.)
- Don't Curse the Dark (another chapter)
Issue 6
Human Factor 6 was published in February 1980.
- Power Play by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambros (The pirates are back, and this time they're giving the Klingons their share of the action. A Tracy Scott and Joanna McCoy story.
- Escort Duty by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambros (Kirk and the Enterprise has a secret mission, only someone doesn't want it to stay a secret.)
- Romii Incident by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambros (The other half of the Enterprise Incident from the Romii point of view.)
- Paradise Quest by Mattie Jones and Marilyn Ambros (Kirk's missing and the Enterprise can't wait around to find him. Marty and Lynn's view of the action on the Enterprise during 'Paradise Syndrome.')
- Christine's Proposal by Mattie Jones (A Christine short short.)
- Command Choice - by Sapphira Cantrell (Mirror image series. Once Kirk would have had no trouble in choosing between the life of a person and the success of his plans Now he has to make that choice, and it isn't easy. The original chapter for this chapter was "The Price of Friendship.")
Issue 7
Human Factor 7 was published in May 1981.
- Shore Leave by Jones and Ambos (Sooner or later, everyone gets made an offer they can't refuse, and the Enterprise's stowaways are no different. A Marty and Lynn story.)
- Door Between Tomorrows by Mattie Jones (Vas and T'Meyri on Romii, and a glimpse of Romii history.)
- Confrontations by Jones and Ambos (Spock is confronted by T'Pring and Stonn, on the Enterprise. The Vulcan diplomatic team is confronted with Romulan diplomats, and both the Federation and the Empire find themselves confronted with Vegas and Gorns in a power struggle for control of a star system. Everyone gets in on this one, T'Meryi, Sarek, Amanda, T'Pring, Stonn, Marty, and the Enterprise's crew.)
- Transitions by Jones (Even on a star crossed ship like the Enterprise true love has to work out, occasionally, Marty gets her man.)
- The Captain's Lady by Jones (Kirk meets a most unusual lady on leave.)
- Ransom by Jones and Ambos (Is a first officer, and friend, worth betraying her duty to Caldonia? That's the question that Tracy faces when someone kidnaps Joanna and a third of her crew.)
- Carmilla by Rebecca Ross (Some of the crew of the Enterprise aren't the normal humans they look. Reprint of Rebecca Ross' vampire story.)
- Command Choice (Mirror Image) by Jones (If you were rebelling against the Vegan Empire would you accept the help of one of its best captains? The Caldonians aren't too sure that Kirk doesn't come under the heading of 'With friends like these...')