Hungry Hearts

Zine
Title:	Hungry Hearts
Publisher:	Mkashef Enterprises
Editor(s):	Dovya Blacque
Date(s):	1993-1995
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	multimedia
Language:	English
External Links:
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Hungry Hearts is a slash anthology edited by Dovya Blacque.

It is a massively complicated shared universe based on MerLyn's Miami Vice/Psychic Vampire 'verse crossed with many other media characters.

In this zine, it appears everyone's gay, AND everyone's a vampire.

The titles are taken from Bruce Springsteen song titles.

The Editor's Description

Yeah, there was a whole series. It was a girl in England who started writing these psychic vampire stories in which— She based them on Bruce Springsteen titles, which also caught my attention, because I adore him. And she had nowhere to publish them, so she asked me if I was interested. She sent me the first two, and— The first one is how Crockett and Tubbs — I mean, I'm sorry— Crockett and Castillo — get— Discover that they have this thing in common, where they are able to draw energy from other people. And there's a way to do it where you will kill the person, and one where you won't. So there— Throughout the universe there were rogues, who could do damage to other people, and Crockett and Castillo kind of ended up being the, ah, den mothers? And it turned into this huge crossover universe. We brought in other characters from Miami Vice, like the character of Gilmore. And when they were doing— It was during a trial pilot kind of episode, where they were going after a younger unit. So there were, like, kids— officers that looked like high school or college kids. Sort of like— 21 Jump Street, Miami Vice style... There was one character on there named Joey Harden, who was in another episode also, and Sue picked up on this. And she ran with that and brought those two in as a couple, and then, I mean, Wiseguy even got dragged in eventually, by me. It was just this huge community of psychic vampire stories, and they are spread out throughout the various Dyads, to a point. And then I decided, there's so many people wanting to write this that I have to do a zine dedicated to it. And it's called... Hungry Hearts, is what I called it. Another Bruce Springsteen reference. And then I found myself having to draw charts, and timetables, because I couldn't have people crossing over— you know, counteracting someone else's story. I did two issues of that, and it was fun. It was really fun. But it kinda petered out.

A Massively Complicated Shared Universe

From Media Monitor #34: "More adventures in MerLyn's MIAMI VICE/"Psychic Vampire" universe! You must send for guidelines before attempting to write in this universe. The specifications are complex, but not unworkable! SASE for guidelines."

From the first issue's editorial:

Welcome to Hungry Hearts, the zine that needs it's own instruction manual! Not really. But this universe hi confusing. So, in an attempt to make things as clear and as easy to follow as possible, HH features its own "Cast of Characters" (at the back of the zine) as well as synopses of all the previously printed "psychic vampire" stories that have appeared in various issues of DYAD. A list of those eleven stories, and where to find them, is on the following page.

The "Cast Of Characters" is as complete as I can make it. I know there are some characters without actors credited. If you can provide this information, I would be extremely grateful! Also, a few of the characters are from books so they have no actors listed as portraying them for obvious reasons (even though I really want to "cast" Anne Rice’s vampires!).

You will perhaps notice that all the titles in HH are taken from Bruce Springsteen songs. These songs are also listed at the back of the zine. The original idea of using one artist's music for a running theme throughout the "psychic vampire" universe was MerLyn’s. It appealed to me as away to bring the stories in HH even more into contact with one another.

Hungry Hearts was a huge project. Coordinating the stories so that they didn't contradict one another was an interesting, and fun, balancing act. But writing my two stories ("Atlantic City" and "Brilliant Disguise") was the real challenge. This is not a simple universe in which to write.

Issue 1

cover of issue #1, Cooper and Alayne

Hungry Hearts 1 was published in July 1993 and has artwork by Cooper and Alayne and Todd Parrish. It contains 146 pages.

"This zine will include synopses of the first eleven psychic vampire stories which appeared in various issues of DYAD as well as a "cast of characters" (including, when possible, actors who played the part) to make it easier to keep track of who's who even if you've never heard of the characters involved in the story!"

From the zine: "This is dedicated with admiration and respect to RAY SHARKEY and the art he left behind."

From the zine: "I especially want to thank MerLyn for allowing me to run with her concept, to open her universe to other writers, and for letting me turn it into "the fan universe that ate Cincinnati!"

• Timeline by Dovya Blacque (vampires) (4)
• Story Synopses by Dovya Blacque (vampires) (5)
• On Being a Vampire, poem by Dovya Blacque (vampires) (10)
• Gypsy Angel by Gene S. Delapenia ("We learn that Gina Calabrese was raised in an "old world" gypsy family from which she broke when they insisted on "traditional" female behavior from her. She’s very empathic and through a series of events, meets Felix Lawson - and instantly falls in love.") (Miami Vice) (11)
• Saint in the City by MerLyn ("Rico Tubbs, living in New York, working NYPD after having left Miami, discovers that one of his squad mates has turned traitor. H^s beaten up by some bad guys and left in a very bad part of town where he’s found by a mysterious man who answered to Tubbs’ moans of "Sonny". It turns out his rescuer is Sonny Steelgrave, ex-mobster and blood-sucking vampire! Sonny is very compassionate with Tubbs and teaches him how to understand the complexities of loving someone you can’t have. In Tubbs’case, Sonny Crockett -in Steelgrave’s case, Vinnie Terranova. They make love and spend some short time together before Rico decides he has to get back to the 'real' world.") (Miami Vice/Wiseguy) (14)
• Refuge, poem by Dovya Blacque (Miami Vice) (17)
• Luckless Joker by MerLyn ("Valerie Gordon and two other members of Tubbs’ NYPD team are killed through the machinations of the traitor in their midst. Tubbs knows who the traitor is, where he’s gone, and has vowed revenge. He follows the traitor to Miami where he hooks up again with his old Vice squad mates —still resenting the presence of Ray Gilmore and still extremely antagonistic toward Castillo, who doesn’t reel much better about Tubbs. Crockett is torn between the desperate need in his ex-partner, wanting to help him through the death of Valerie, and his love and commitment to Castillo. Also, Crockett (and Joey Hardin) is currently under "house arrest" by Felix Lawson for mis-using his psychic ability to draw power from other people. Both Crockett and Hardin have had psychic "blocks" put on them, leaving them with only their partner (Castillo and Gilmore) to draw from —and then only in emergency. Both men are in the middle of "withdrawal", not unlike drug withdrawal. This leaves Crockett even more vulnerable to Tubbs’ needs. Crockett takes Tubbs back to his hotel after Tubbs gets very drunk, finding himself in bed with Tubbs. He picks up sexual interest from Rico aimed at him, so he’s not too surprised when Rico, drunk, has sex with him (Crockett is not exactly a participant!). Feeling completely drained, and unable to stop himself, Crockett pulls energy from Tubbs —leaving Tubbs emotionally and psychically attached to Crockett. When the showdown comes with the bad guys. Crockett is torn between what he’s done to Tubbs and his love for Castillo. Crockett is shot (a minor head would) and, while in the hospital, realizes he doesn’t care for Tubbs enough to jeopardize his relationship with Castillo. For Tubbs’ part, just seeing Castillo hovering over Crockett’s hospital bed tells him exactly where Sonny’s loyalties are... and he returns to New York.) (Miami Vice) (19)
• Bedouin by Dovya Blacque (Miami Vice) (28)
• Just a Local Hero by Gene S. Delapenia ("Castillo is tied up in court, so when Felbc Lawson needs two members of the Miami team to check out some suspicious goings on in San Francisco, Crockett is elected -and takes Trudy Joplin with him. They meet Harry Callahan ("Dirty" Harry Callahan!) at the airport (Harry’s picking up his lover, John Davis) and through a series of events, end up working with Harry (and John) to unmask the Talent Sonny’s picked up behind the events Felix sent him to investigate. The Talent is not like the psychic vampires, but an evil force that sucks up energy from people and leaves the people depleted to a point that all sense of individuality is lost. To Crockett’s utter shock and horror, this evil entity is Caitlin -- or at least what was Caitlin —and he’s forced to kill her to protect himself from her vengeance - she blames her death on him and revenge was her main point in setting up her scheme in the first place. During all this, Crockett is continually bothered by a sense that he knows John Davis -only to finally figure out that John looks almost exactly like Ken Hutchinson (who he met in "Journal", DYAD #9). As it turns out John Davis is Hutch’s half-brother - both characters were played by David Soul.") (Miami Vice)/Harry & Johnny) (29)
• Penitent by Dovya Blacque by (Miami Vice) (34)
• Darkness on the Edge of Town Aletha Wyndsor ("An evil entity who fancies himself a vampire but who turns out to be just an extremely disturbed man with some psychic abilities, has decided that if he kills Mickey Kostmayer, Mickey’s psychic abilities will be his. He sets atrap ailing Mickey, only realizing at the last moment that he’s got the wrong person; the man who is psychic is Scott McCall, not Mickey Kostmayer. He got them confused because they spend so much time together. Just before Mickey died, he managed to make a call to Castillo and Crockett, begging them to come protect Scott (Mickey knows Crockett has some Kind of psychic abilities from the events in "Cross Driving Rain", DYAD #4). The bad guy, Harris, ends up capturing Scott, telling him Scott is responsible for Mickey’s death (which Scott believes). Gage, Crockett and Castillo track Scott down, eventually rescuing him. But Scott still feels responsible for Mickey’s death and for the fact that he feels he came between Mickey and Gage (who were lovers in "Cross Driving Rain"). Complex events straighten this problem out, leaving Scott and Harley in each others arms, mourning the loss of their friend. Crockett and Castillo tell them that Scott is extremely psychic but he’s not "one of them" (not a psychic vampire). They return to Miami, leaving Scott in Harley’s care.") (Miami Vice/Equalizer) (35)

• The Saint of Atlantic City by Dovya Blaque ("After the events in "Back From The Pit" (DYAD #8), Vinnie Terranova finds himself wandering the country, trying to figure out what he’s going to do. He feels himself being "directed", pulled this way and that. Eventually, he ends up in Miami, at OCB headquarters, looking directly into a stranger’s face that is uncomfortably familiar; the face of Sonny Crockett. Crockett knows exactly who he is, suspects why he’s there. He and Castillo take Vinnie to their house where they meet with Felix Lawson. Sonny uses his psychic abilities to track down Steelgrave, giving Terranova encouragement to seek Steelgrave out and work out their problems. Terranova leaves Miami having been told that he is a latent Talent and promising to return to be "trained" by someone (Crockett, Castillo, Lawson or someone else). Crockett had told Vinnie that Steelgrave was in Atlantic City... which seems strange to Vince but also perfectly logical. He heads for A.C. only to wander around, finding himself on the boardwalk, watching the sun set. Suddenly, he feels a presence and knows it’s Steelgrave. They talk a bit, end up in a hotel room together where they make love and find themselves unable to part again. Vince explains his knew knowledge of his own psychic abilities to Steelgrave, convincing him to return to Miami with him.") (Miami Vice)/(Wiseguy) (63)
• All of the Old Faces by Gene S. Delapenia ("This story takes place simultaneously with two other stories (on the same night): "Lost In The Flood" (DYAD #10) and "Tougher Than The Rest" (HUNGRY HEARTS #1). This is from the journal of Felix Lawson. Fulfilling his commitment to Bodie and Doyle (in "Sights of the Sun", DYAD #5) to go to London and help them explain things to Cowley, Lawson finds himself on a plane, thinking about many things: all the new Talent he's found recently; his love for Gina Calabrese; that he’s never managed to find a Talent older than early 40s. He makes a visit to Cowley, instantly aware that he’s in the presence of an extremely strong psychic presence, an old presence, but not feeling able to address the subject directly to Cowley at this stage. They discuss Bodie and Doyle and their newly utilized psychic powers. Cowley takes all or Lawson’s information with very little reaction, asserting that as long as his men do their work, he’s not interested in anything else about them. Lawson also makes a visit to Bodie and Doyle, helping them learn to control their Talent a little.") The Professionals (74)
• Puzzle by Dovya Blaque (The Professionals) (76)
• Tougher Than the Rest by Gene S. Delapenia ("This story takes place on the same night as "Lost In The Flood" and "All The Old Faces" and is from Ray Doyle’s point of view. We see Doyle come to terms with his physical attraction to his partner, and with their psychic abilities. We also see Felix Lawson’s visit the night he also sees Cowley.") The Professionals (77)
• Resurrection by Dovya Blaque (The Professionals) (78)
• Brilliant Disguise by Dovya Blaque ("This is an extremely complex story involving Thomas Magnum and Indiana Jones. Magnum has re-enlisted with Navel Intelligence and has been handed a very sensitive case: he’s to go to Washington D.C. to investigate a robbery at the National Archives warehouse; an item beyond price has been removed from the warehouse, leaving everything else undisturbed. The missing item is The Ark of The Covenant. Magnum returns to Robin’s Nest (where his daughter, Lily, is watched after by Higgins when she’s not in school) to find Lily playing with a strange man who is dressed in shorts and a t-shirt reading "I Dig Archeology". The stranger is speaking to Lily in French. We learn that the stranger is "Harry Jones", who is visiting Higgins with his father, "Henry Jones", an old war comrade of Higgins’. These two men turn out to be Indiana Jones and his father, Henry, both of whom are immortal, having taken drink from The Holy Grail (see Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade). Higgins and Indy are war buddies, not Higgins and Henry as they tell Magnum. At dinner, Magnum asks Higgins what he knows about the legend of The Ark Of The Covenant eliciting a strong reaction from "Harry" and intense interest from Henry. Indy ("Harry") tells Magnum that he’s following in his late uncle's footsteps (he passes his father off as the famous Indiana Jones’ brother —it’s a long story!) and is vastly interested archeology and, in particular, The Ark. They get to talking and Indy convinces Magnum to take him doing as a consultant. Magnum gets permission to take Indy with him to Washington D.C. They fly from Honolulu to L.A. where they’re supposed to change planes for D.C. but Magnum hauls Indy off to another plane headed for Miami, saying that they’re wasting their time going to D.C., that what they want is in Miami. Having had a lengthy conversation on the flight from Hawaii, Indy gives in after a little fight and they go on their way to Florida. On this flight, they become even closer than they were already becoming. They end up in Miami, where Magnum directs them without error to Castillo’s house. Crockett opens the door, looks at both men, and asks them in. It seems that The Ark was taken by a group of psychic investigators know as 'The Talamaska" (see Anne Rice’s "Vampire Chronicles" and The Witching Hour". Felix Lawson knows about the Talamaska, has learned about Indy through a connection in the Talamaska (knows the truth about Indy) and, once Magnum and Indy arrive in Miami, Felix convinces his connection with the Talamaska to come to Miami to talk to the two men. Meanwhile, Crockett and Castillo have yet another fledgling vampire to convince and instruct, Magnum. Indy and Magnum become lovers through complex circumstances and end up spending a week with Crockett and Castillo, waiting for this person from the Talamaska to turn up. When he does arrive, he invites Indy to come to their London headquarters to help research The Ark. He also asks Magmum to come to London to be studied as they’ve never managed to convince another psychic vampire to let them study them. Indy has to take the offer and, since Magnum doesn’t want to leave Indy, he agrees to go to London, too.") (Miami Vice/Magnum, P.I./(Indiana Jones) (79)
• Pirates, poem by Dovya Blacque Indiana Jones (108)
• No Surrender! by Gene S. Delapenia ("Crockett and Castillo are sent to L.A. by Lawson to investigate some "odd Talent" Lawson’s people in California have picked up on. They are directed to David Brandstetter as a consultant. They track down the bad guys in the hills above Ontario, California where Sonny is captured by the bad guys when one of them (the "odd Talent") "feels" other psychic vampires nearby. Castillo is ordered home by his superiors in Miami, but he vows to quit his job rather than abandon Crockett. A "tip" is received as to where Crockett can be found, and they find Sonny, hurt but alive.") (Miami Vice)/(David Brandstetter) (109)
• Something in the Night by Aletha Wyndsor ("In this "alternate" to Aletha’s story "Darkness On The Edge Of Town". Sapphire and Steel intervene in Harris’ machinations, saving Mickey’s life, changing the events involving Harris. The story is similar but different from Darkness. In this version, Kostmayer calls Miami only to find out Harris has already been through there, killing Gina Calabrese along the way (as a means of "getting to" the psychic vampires — which doesn’t work). Mickey goes along with Gage, Castillo and Crockett to find Scott when Hams kidnaps him. They’re successful in rescuing Scott but then Harris captures Gage and Scott goes after him alone, Kostmayer, Castillo and Crockett on his trail. They find Gage and kill Harris. Kostmayer explains to Scott that the relationship he and Gage had is over, that it was a mutual, friendly decision to end their affair. Scott is, eventually, convinced of this. The story ends with Crockett and Castillo convincing Scott and Harley to come to Miami soon so Castillo can train Scott, teach him how to use and control his psychic abilities.") (Miami Vice)/(Equalizer) (113)
• P.O.V., poem by Dovya Blacque (Equalizer) (142)

• 

  from issue #1, Alayne (Miami Vice)

• 

  from issue #1, Todd Parrish (Miami Vice)

• 

  from issue #1, Alayne (Harry/Johnny)

• 

  from issue #1, Cooper (Equalizer)

• 

  from issue #1, Alayne (Equalizer)

• 

  from issue #1, Cooper (Equalizer)

• 

  from issue #1, timeline of stories

• 

  from issue #1, one of three pages that describes the media characters portrayed in this universe

Issue 2

cover of issue #2, Elaine Cole

Hungry Hearts 2 was published in January 1995 and is 149 pages long.

The front cover is by Elaine Cole. The zine contains no interior art.

"This zine will include synopses of the first eleven Psychic vampire stories which appeared in various issues of DYAD as well as synopses of the eleven stories which appeared in HUNGRY HEARTS #1 and a revised "cast of characters" (including, when possible, actors who played the part) to make it easier to keep track of who's who even if you've never heard of the characters involved in the story!"

From the editorial:

Here we are again: a brand new zine in our warm little hands and not a clue as to how to go about reading the darn thing! Kidding! But HH is complicated so, as with issue #1, I have made an attempt to clarify the procedure via a timeline which gives all the stories in approximate chronology, synopses of ail the Miami Vice/psychic vampire stories which appeared in DYAD, HUNGRY HEARTS #1 and HUNGRY HEARTS #2 as well as a handy-dandy "Cast of Characters" (at the back of the zine) to help you put faces to names and to clarify the characters that are unfamiliar to you.

The "Cast of Characters" is more complete than in issue #1 thanks to those of you who wrote in with names I didn’t have and info on characters where I was deficient. Thanks for the help.

As you will notice, there are fewer fandoms represented in this issue. It seems writers had more to say about the Miami Vice aspect of the universe-than in issue #1. I think there are still many, many areas of this aspect left untouched and would welcome more stories based in Miami Vice for issue #3. Of course, stories based in fandoms both established and new to the universe are also very welcome #3 is loosely scheduled for February 1996 (giving a year between #2 and #3). If you’d like to write for HH #3, be sure to send a SASE for guidelines before beginning your story. Sending me ashort outline of what you’d like to write will help keep both of us out of possible tangles in the story lines.

Included in HH #2 is "The Price You Pay", a sequel by Aletha Wyndsor to her stories "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" and "Something In The Night" in issue #1. "Price" ties up a lot of ends left loose in the first two stories. What you won’t find include in HH #2 is a sequel to "Brilliant Disguise". There is a sequel in the works but it's gotten away from me. I'm currently trying to tame it (using chair and whip!) and hope to have it in #3.

A very special thanks to my contributors: Aletha, Gene, Jonni, Pamela and Teal. And, of course, a tremendously HUGE thanks to MerLyn, the one responsible for the sparks that fanned the conflagration that has become HUNGRY HEARTS. Though MerLyn did not contribute to this issue by writing a story, she has reviewed the contents and everything has received her enthusiastic seal of approval. Hopefully she’ll join us again in creating something for HH #3.

• Timeline by Dovya Blaque (Vampires) (4)
• Story Synopses by Dovya Blaque (Vampires) (5)
• Fledglings by Dovya Blaque (Miami Vice) (18)
• The Ties That Bind by Pamela J. Corsa ("That a Houston case had crossed with one in Miami didn't bother Levon Lundy. What did bother him was Joey LaFiamma's eagerness to see Crockett and Castillo again. Meanwhile, in Miami, Martin Castillo is not exactly acting normally... and everyone is worried.") (Houston Knights) (19)
• Looking In from Outside by Dovya Blaque (Houston Knights) (36)
• Cover Me by Teal Sumner ("Reeling from the isolation enforced by the mental walls Felix Lawson forced on him in LUCKLESS JOKER [HH #1], Sonny Crockett has sought isolation from everyone... including Martin Castillo.") (Miami Vice) (37
• One by Dovya Blaque (Miami Vice) (46)
• Spirits in the Night by Gene S. Delapenia ("It's a nice break for Crockett and Joey Hardin when they are sent to South Carolina to help out Sonny's old pal Lou DeLong.") (Miami Vice) (47)
• Two Good Men by Dovya Blaque (Miami Vice) (50)
• Leap of Faith by Jonni Corday ("The first things Sam Beckett noticed were, in order, that he was not alone in bed, that he was male, that the other body in bed with him was also male... and then that other body moved, poised over him like a panther protecting its young, a gravel-hued voice demanding, "Who the fuck are you?"") (Quantum Leap) (51)
• Discovery by Dovya Blaque (Quantum Leap) (73)
• Time Travelers by Dovya Blaque (Miami Vice)/(Quantum Leap) (74)
• Out in the Street by Gene S. Delapenia ("Trudy Joplin wasn't interested in a new partner. Gina Calabrese was her partner and always would be, even if she was dead and gone. But Trudy is forced to accept a new partner... in the form of Barbara Weston.") (Miami Vice) (75)
• The Price You Pay by Aletha Wyndsor ("[A sequel to SOMETHING IN THE NIGHT, HH #1] Scott McCall and Harley Gage journey to Miami, accepting Martin Castillo's promise to help Scott learn to understand, use and control his psychic powers. But more than assistance and sunshine await Scott and Gage down south.") (Equalizer) (77)
• Self Interests by Dovya Blaque ("Who would have thought that the grounding Dennis Booker so badly needed would come in the form of Tom Hanson and a few late-night revelations discovered over a long talk and a big pizza?") (Miami Vice) (136)
• Independence Day by Dovya Blaque 21 Jump Street (37)
• Renegade Souls by Dovya Blaque Booker (146)