IDIC (Star Trek newsletter)/Issues 1-10

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Issue 1 (Dec 1988)

cover of issue #1

IDIC 1 was published in December 1988 and contains 34 pages.

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• the editors note that they would have liked the newsletter to be printed on size A4 paper, but to keep costs down, they went with A5. They put out a request for art, specifically black ink drawings
• a mention that they were collecting used stamps for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
• there is an article titled: “Gene Roddenberry: The Continuity of a Single Dream,” a biography that includes a run-down of his working credits
• a fan says of Star Trek: TNG: "I find TNG a perfectly acceptable future to the series. I don’t have the depth of feeling for any of the characters as I do for Kirk, Spock and McCoy but I think that suits me. I do find the stories comparable with the original."
• the editors include a "continuing poll… to see how members’ views change." The results of the first one for favourite ST character: Spock 8.36, Kirk 6.95, McCoy 5.95, Picard 2.83, Scotty 2.43, Uhura 2.25, Sulu 1.93, Data 1.88, Chekov 1.31, Sarek .78
• a fan writes about the movies’ subject matter (Spock leaving Kirk, Spock dying, the Enterprise being blown up): {{Quotation| Star Trek was very important to me and the film threatened to destroy something precious... I tried to ignore the films as if they didn't exist but that didn't really work. It hurt that so many fans loved the films and I found myself wondering how on earth these people could be fans of the same Star Trek that I was. I had to somehow come to terms with the films or get out of ST fandom.” She decided to think of the movies as alternate universes. “That way they ceased to be a threat and I could even read about them without being too bothered.}
• an essay, “Star Trek Fandom: Retrospective”:

  It is a well-known fact that if one Star Trek fan falls into conversation with another, the conversation always gets around to ‘the good old days,’ when Trek fandom in this country was in its infancy. It notes that the “Empathy convention at the Dragonara Hotel in September 1976 was in fact the third [ST] convention in this country [England], but it was the one which a very high proportion of fans claim as their first… There was a proliferation of small Star Trek clubs and groups across the country, STAG and Empathy having the highest profile, Jenny and Terry Elson, after running the first two conventions, having ‘passed the torch.’ With the exception of Alnitah, fanzines were duplicated; there was simply no other practical way to reproduce the news and fan fiction cheaply.

• a fan notes:

  One of the things that struck me most powerfully about the dealers' room at Midcon was that the number of fan publications had dropped, and what there were didn't seem to be selling particularly well. In the early days, it was all we had, and we bought everything. Now there is a such a proliferation of merchandise -- novels, toys, pins, calendars -- that by the time a fan has purchased just a few of these, there is simply no cash left for the fan publications.

• a fan speculates on some changes in fannish socialization at cons:

  It was the advent of video which changed the face of conventions. At first, the technology was too expensive for the average 'man on the street,' but conventions could afford to hire the equipment, and although blank tapes were £15.00 a time, a secondary programme of available episodes began to take shape, splitting the attendees into smaller groups. The 'one big happy family' feeling began to dissipate; I'm told of a convention where Trek episodes were available 24 hours a day on the hotel's in-house system, resulted in some people never leaving their rooms for the entire weekend!... Nowadays if an original Trek episode formed part of the main programme at a convention, it would have a very poor attendance indeed, and it seems that a higher percentage expect to be entertained 24 hours a day, rather than being prepared to make their own amusements.

• a fan writes a TNG episode review: “A Personal Reaction to ‘The Naked Now’” She wraps it up with:

  I suggest that you try and see the episode yourself – ideally back to back with the classic episode, so the similarities and more frequent differences can be clearly seen. .. I like ‘The Naked Time’ too, it’s one of my favourites, but I don’t consider it BETTER than ‘The Naked Now, just DIFFERENT… So, give ST-TNG a chance, instead of continually comparing it to the classic series.

• Actor Info (p15)
• Book Reviews (p18)
  • Final Frontier by Diane Carey, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p18)
  • Memory Prime by Gar and Judith Reeves-Stevens, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p18)
  • Spock's World by Diane Duane, reviewed by Linda Watt (p19)
• Con Reports:
  • Albacon 1988 - Star Trek Goes to Albacon by Ann Neilson (p13)
  • Midcon '88 Report by Sheila Clark (p7)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p28)
• Gene Roddenberry "The Continuity Of A Single Dream" (p4)
• IDIC Poll (p5)
• Info from Star Trek Welcommittee (p8)
• Latest News - Richard Arnold at Midcon '88 (p6)
• Murder on Vulcan! - An in-depth study by Oriel Cooper (p20)
• New Merchandise (p17)
• Star Trek Fandom: Retrospective by J A Mortimore (p14)
• Star Trek In The News (p10)
• ST:V - Further Info (p7)
• The Naked Now - A Personal Reaction by Oriel Cooper (p16)
• USS Enterprise 1701 - Constitution or Constellation Class? by Janet Quarton (p22)
• Zine Ads (p26)
• Zines - New Zines (p24)
• Zine Reviews (p22)
  • Mind Meld 5, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p23), see that page
  • To Catch a Butterfly by Shirley Buck, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p22), see that page

Issue 2 (Feb 1989)

cover of issue #2

IDIC 2 was published in February 1989 and contains 20 pages.

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• a fan writes that while she enjoys Star Trek: TNG for its vision and its science fiction: "I find it difficult to accept as Star Trek... How I miss the old crew, especially the chemistry between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, how can anyone ever replace that?"
• many fans write that they like the smaller format of the newsletter, saying it's easier to read on the train, tuck in a handbag and that the postman isn't as inclined to fold it in half to fit in the postbox
• there is a lengthy essay in defense of Star Trek: TNG:

  All I will therefore say is that in my opinion, TNG has the qualities that made Trek the show we all loved. In the early episodes it showed potential; the later episodes of the series show it beginning to accomplish that potential. Original Trek and Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the others hold a very special place in our hearts and minds, but are we so limited in our outlook that we can't accept a continuation of Star Trek into the Next Generation?

• Actor Info (p6)
• Book Review: Ishmael by Barbara Hambly, comments by Brenda Kelsey (p21), see that page
• Book Review: Chain of Attack and Final Nexus by Gene DeWeese, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p22)
• Book Review: The Three-Minute Universe by Barbara Paul, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p23)
• Book Review: The Star Trek Interview Book by Allan Asherman, reviewed by Janet Quarton (p24)
• The British Star Trek Convention - 1974, 1975 by Sheila Clark (p14)
• California 1988 (Holiday Report by Cathy Melrose and Elaine McCue) (p13)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p32)
• How to Order Zines From Abroad by Sheila Clark (p26)
• Klingons by Melanie Claessens (p16) (written from a Klingon's point of view; it talks of Klingon origins, personality traits, language, and family structure)
• Latest News (p2)
• Merchandise (p3)
• New Zines (p27)
• Patrick Stewart profile by Karen Sparks (p7)
• Postbag (p9)
• ST:TNG 1st season screening order (p17)
• Star Trek In The News (p4)
• The Star Trek Adventure (Universal Studios) reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p24) ("I was recently given a copy of a tape of the Universal Studio Star Trek Adventure, For those unfamiliar with the idea, members of the public touring Universal Studios are given the opportunity to appear in a Star Trek episode, and a tape is made of their performance. The participants are made up and costumed, then filmed in a number of short scenes, which are then cut with scenes of the genuine cast taken from the Star Trek films. William Shatner has recorded a few lines of dialogue to link the segments.")
• TNG - A Defence by Sheila Clark (p18)
• Video: TNG Videos released by CIC (p20)
• Video: UFP Con Video '88 - Patrick Stewart reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p20)
• Zine Ads (p29)
• Zine Reviews:
  • a review of More Missions, More Myths #12 reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p25), see that page
  • a review of Naked Times #20 reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p25), see that page

Issue 3 (Apr 1989)

IDIC 3 was published in April 1989 and contains 20 pages.

cover of issue #3

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• there is a memorial statement for Margaret Bertram, see that page
• Actor Info (p9)
• Book Review: Vulcan's Glory by D C Fontana, reviewed by Marcia Pecor (p24)
• Book Review: The Peacekeepers by Gene DeWeese, reviewed by Karen Sparks (p25)
• Book Review: Memory Prime by Gar and Judith Reeves-Stevens, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p26)
• Book Review: The Survivors by Jean Lorrah, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p27)
• Book Review: Uhura's Song by Janet Kegan, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p27)
• Book Review: Buck Alice And The Actor Robot by Walter Koenig, reviewed by Jayne Dearsley (p28)
• Book Review: Trek Vol.2 No.1 Fall '88 reviewed by Janet Quarton (p28)
• Books V. Zines by Sheila Clark (p23)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p35)
• Jonathan Frakes profile by Karen Sparks (P10)
• Latest News (p2)
• Merchandise (p8)
• New Zines (p30)
• Postbag (p11)
• Raumschiff Enterprise by Martin Stahl (p20)
• Star Trek In The News (p7)
• Terracon '76 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p18), see that page
• Thoughts on Margaret Bertram by Ena Glogowska (p2)
• Zine Ads (p31)
• Zine Reviews
  • there is a review for Sojourns by Jean Hinson,reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p29), see that page
  • there is a review for The Problems of Doctor Penhaligon by Glen David, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p30), see that page
• a fan writes an article called "Raumschiff Enterprise" about the history of Star Trek in Germany—some interesting bits: "Amanda" became "Emily" and "Gary Seven" became "Felix Sevenrock." He also mentions the dreadful dubbing, The Standby Team, the re-titling of episodes, and of the translations of some pro books. An excerpt from "Raumschiff Enterprise" regarding availability of Star Trek canon:

  At the beginning of the seventies ZDF bought some of the ST episodes. In 1979 some of them were rerun along with some new ones and In 1979, some of the 39 German episodes were telecast for the last time. Since that time these 39 episodes have been rerun several times on cable television, but not everyone has the cable connection. In 1987 SAT 1, a private station broadcasting cable television telecast the rest of the ST episodes which had never been seen on German television before. I have no cable connection, but friends recorded them for me. In 1976 ZDF telecast 17 of the animated episodes. The movies came to Germany about three months after their premiere in the USA. ST:TNG can be bought on video, as is the case in Great Britain, but there are rumours that we will see TNG on German television in 1991.

• from "Raumschiff Enterprise" regarding dubbing (after pointing out numerous poor translations of both dialogue and the quality of the actor's voices).

  STIV seemed to suffer from the same destiny -- eg it was planned that Spock couldn't say any swear words; and many, many other minor changes... But then Standby came into life. Standby is a group of five German Trekkers who had had enough of bad dubbing of Star Trek. After STIII they wrote to Harve Bennett, Leonard Nimoy and Wolfgang Schick (who directs the dubbing of Star Trek) to name only a few. The Standby team got permission to check the translated script and to correct mistakes. They rewrote at least one third of the script. They also managed to get Kirk spoken again by his "old" voice, G.G. Hoffmann. Now ST IV is really enjoyable also in Germany.

• one of the editors writes about the history of zines, first explaining the scarcity of pro books and how hard it was to view Star Trek:

  For most of us, therefore, there was only one answer. If we wanted more Trek, especially in the hiatus between series, we had to write it ourselves. (The Americans had come to the same conclusion some years previously - remember, they had Star Trek as early as 1966.) Many of the stories written In those days were written for a very small group; the writer and her friends. Back around 1976, I was typing 6 copies of some of my stories - one top copy and 5 carbons. You can imagine the quality of the bottom copy! Finding someone who put out zines, so that you could get stories written by someone else, was not easy. Come to that, finding other fans wasn't easy! Today, things have changed quite drastically. The number of Trek books that have come out for the professional market over the years is over 100 - some of them good, some of them, quite frankly, a rip-off. But as the number of available books grows, the number of people writing their own stories has dwindled. Why should this be? Is it the old answer that inertia reigns supreme? That people can't be bothered writing down their own stories because there are so many professional novels around? Yet the highest praise a zine reader seems to give to a professionally written novel in that it's as good an a zine story! There must be as many potential amateur writers around today as there were back in the early '70s, if they would only summon up the courage (or the energy!) to set the words down on paper and then lot a zine editor see them. If the basic plot has been used - so what? It's how it's developed that makes a new story. The kind of story written for the amateur (zine) market tends to be somewhat different from the kind of story written for the professional market. Zine stories tend to lean on inter-character relationship and stress the friendship between the characters while still often telling; a good, well-moving story. Professional novels rarely have much of this relationship - for some reason the professional publishers of today seem to be terrified of stories (for adults) where characters of the same sex are actually friends. Friendly, yes, but not friends. (In children's books, on the other hand, the characters are allowed to have 'best friends'.) Even romances - unless the publisher is Mills and Boon - are often temporary affairs. (I'm not Just thinking of Trek novels, incidentally.) Oh, there are exceptions; some professional writers do write the kind of inter-character relationship that makes a book eminently re-readable instead of instantly forgettable. That's not to say that all zine stories are good. Many are - while some are abysmally bad. Some, while neither particularly good nor particularly bad, show promise and the writers can, with a little constructive criticism and advice, go on to become really good.

Issue 4 (June 1989)

IDIC 4 was published in June 1989 and contains 52 pages.

cover of issue #4

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p)
• Book Review: Double, Double by Michael Jan Friedman, reviewed by Christine Jones (p34)
• Book Review: Strike One by Peter David, reviews by Gary Heron and Lorraine Goodison (p35)
• Book Review: Power Hungry by Howard Weinstein, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p36)
• Book Review: Vulcan's Glory by D C Fontana, reviewed by Jenny Turner (p37)
• Book Review: Trek To Madworld by Mark Goldin, reviewed by Martin Stahl (p37)
• Book Review: The Children Of Hamlin by Carmen Carter, reviewed by Christine Hornby (p38)
• Book Review: My Enemy, My Ally by Diane Duane, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p38)
• Denise Crosby profile by Karen Sparks (P9)
• Dilithium Crystal Within the Star Trek Universe - The Known Facts by J A Clark (p31)
• George Takei at Clippercon, Baltimore by Marcia Pecor (p21)
• In Defence of Wesley by Sheila Clark (p30)
• Klingons Pt 2 by Melanie Claessens (p32)
• Latest News From Richard Arnold & Guy Vardaman at Sol III (p2)
• Merchandise (p6)
• Movies and the TV Series by Lesley Hatch (p29)
• New Zines (p42)
• Postbag (p11)
• Sol III reports by Mike Mullen and Sheila Clark (P23)
• Star Trek In The News (p4)
• TerraCon '77 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p26)
• Walter Koenig profile by Marcia Pecor (p8)
• Zine Ads (p42)
• Zine Reviews
  • contains a review of The Morbius Syndrome by Janet Lawn, reviewed by Teresa Abbott (p39), see that page
  • contains a review of Make It So #1, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p40), see that page
  • contains a review of Song of the Stars by Betsey Fisher, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p40), see that page
  • contains a review of A Proper Pantomime edited by Jacqueline Comben, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p41), see that page
  • contains a review of Crossroads by Alexis Fegan Black, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p41), see that page
  • contains a review of A Comedy of Errors, edited by Jacqueline Comben, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p41), see that page
• a fan comments on ST:TNG:

  I read an article recently in a US zine that suggested that the Trek movies had become morally bankrupt. I think that's a gross exaggeration, but in my mind at least the films have come a long way from the original, enjoyable though they are in their own way. So it's especially nice to see a lot of the things that attracted me to Trek in the first place are there in the new. It had Gene's hallmark all over it, and if it doesn't have anything quite as special as the Kirk/Spock relationship (if it did, I'd be writing it, believe me!) it still has a lot going for it. So I'd urge anybody who's been a bit wary to at least give Next Gen a try - it does improve as it develops.

• a fan remembers writing Starlog about her love of Star Trek:

  ...I sent them a desperate note, something along the lines of, 'Please help me, I think I'm the only person in Britain who likes Star Trek (if only I'd known!). The response was a wonderfully kind, friendly letter reassuring me that I wasn't alone, addresses of a couple of British clubs to prove it, and a zine catalogue. The zines I duly received contained good character relationship stories, warm and caring and well-written -- they were everything I had been searching for without even realising, and suddenly the world was a better place!... It was a great joy to discover there were people out there who wrote Trek characters the way I thought of them, and a relief to no longer have to rely on the unsatisfactory professional novels.

• the editors of IDIC Log explain the reason for this new zine:

  Re. the IDIC zine; we started up ScoTpress so that we could publish stories which would appeal to other fans with similar interests to our own, which is why ScoTpress has its policy [of no death stories and stories that do not concentrate on the Big Three]. IDIC however caters for all aspects of Star Trek and we don't feel we should dictate the type of story which is published in the club zines. As long as a story can be called 'Star Trek', is well written, is in good taste and doesn't include explicit sex, we will consider it. Basically, ScoTpress will only accept stories which will fit our policy, IDIC can accept any story which ScoTpress does plus all the others. We know some fans prefer to read or submit stories to a zine which prints a larger variety of stories than we do with ScoTpress.

Issue 5 (Aug 1989)

IDIC 5 was published in August 1989 and contains 60 pages.

Download the PDF of this issue here.

The editors write that the size of the zine is increasing and that its cost will go up as well: "We just don't feel we can give you the kind at newsletter we want to in 36 pages. Fandom is much more diverse these days and we want to be able to print something in the newsletter for everyone."

cover of issue #5

toc for issue #5

• Actor Info (p11)
• Book Review: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier by J M Dillard, reviews by Valerie Piacentini & B Huntly (p40)
• Book Review: Dreams of the Raven by Carmen Carter, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p41)
• Book Review: Time Trap by David Dvorkin, reviewed by Jenny Turner (p41)
• Book Review: Killing Time by Della Van Hise, reviewed by Michele Zachayus (p42)
• Book Review: The Entropy Effect by Vonda N. McIntyre, reviewed by Sue Embury (p43)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p54)
• Creation Con Salutes Star Trek, a con report by Rosemary Wild (p26)
• Crusher v Pulaski by Sheila Clark (p33)
• Fandom In The West Bank & Israel by Suzanna R Shalabi (p34)
• Intercon'78 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p28)
• James Blish Paperbacks by Michael Simpson (p39)
• Latest Star Trek News (p3)
• Levar Burton profile by Karen Sparks (P11)
• Merchandise (p10)
• Moon Trap (with Walter Koenig, - Reviews by Karen Sparks & Jenny Turner (p38)
• Original Star Trek/German Star Trek - A Comparison by Karen Embacher (p35)
• Postbag (p14)
• a financial report for Sol III 1989, Sol II Statement of Accounts (p25)
• Sol III; News from George Takei by Edward Woo (p12)
• ST/TNG In the Tail by Linda Wood (p31)
• ST:TNG - A Personal Progress Report by Teresa Abbott (p32)
• Star Trek In The News (p5)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Reviews (p6)
• Story Submissions by Valerie Piacentini (p47)
• Walter Koenig on TV-AM (p13)
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p49)
• Zine Reviews:
  • a review of Home to Roost, reviewed by Lesley Hatch (p43), see that page
  • a review of Too Many Avenues by Kay Stagg, reviewed by Teresa Abbott (p44), see that page
  • a review of Eridani #3: Starry Starry Night by Cyndi Bayless Overstreet, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p44), see that page
  • a review of Saavik by Lynda Allan Ainsworth and Karen Sparks, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p45), see that page
  • a review of Continuum #1 - A 1701-D zine, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p46), see that page
  • a review of The Beginning and the End by Simone Mason, reviewed by Sandy Catchick (p46), see that page
• a fan writes "Fandom in the West Bank and Israel":

  Before I start, I must admit that Martin Stahl's article about fandom encouraged me and gave me a 'push' to go forward... the fandom in my country is - somehow - like that in Germany... The Israeli Broadcasting set began its plans for Star Trek in 1980; to understand how fandom goes on, you must consider the West Bank and Israel are separated in regard to fandom. Star Trek didn't last too well in Israel; in the West Bank we liked it enough to have a good number of fans.
  The series' popularity increased after it was stopped! It began to have its fans - even so, there was no information about the series at all. In the West Bank it began to appear everywhere, on shirts - I still have a green shirt with the Enterprise on it, though now it doesn't fit me - it's for a child! Even so, the people considered it was for children. Everyone tells me now, "Are you a bairn to see those binaurds?" That really makes me mad... Nobody understood about IDIC because of lack of information. So Star Trek ended, like any other programme. The animated series succeeded better than the original one - I still remember, as if a Vulcan mind-melded with me! You'll find pictures in my mind - some scenes in both - the animated - and the original series — as long as I can remember. The show went off and stayed hidden there in some corner of a broadcasting room!
  After seven years, another TV station began to show Star Trek - it was the Middle East Television - and the show was translated into Arabic. More people came to love Star Trek; I was among them. But that didn't mean all the people understood Star Trek - like when one says 'James T. Shirt' Instead of James T. Kirk???!
  The translation METV made was so bad — it was a written (subtitled) translation, but that didn't mean it didn't threaten the script! Like saying 'Volcan' about Vulcan and the programme's name turned from 'Star Trek' to 'The Space Ship', which is obviously incorrect. Furthermore, there were some scenes 'shifted' in the episodes; that changed Star Trek. Some people even called it 'The Long Eared People'! There are no conventions in Israel — neither are there books, either novels or zines. I don't know why.
  Many fans ask for Star Trek, so sometimes we can see some episodes of it (mostly Patterns of Force). I myself, with some friends, asked for the episode 'The Trouble with Tribbles' and for the film The Brothers Karamazov - and it came! And YEAH! it was thrilling; you can't see William Shatner as a small monk every day! (In fact he's as far from it as the Orion Nebula from us! But he was great as Alex Karamazov.)
  I have seven friends who thought about making a Trek group to help fans in Israel - I do care about activating fans everywhere - but the situation here for a Palestinian is difficult; much of what we try to do is declared illegal.
  Most of the fans here prefer Kirk to Spock and Spock to the other characters - like me.
  Two years ago, we saw Star Trek - The Motion Picture. That first one was a film that everyone liked - even my mother, who is fandom's best enemy!
  I - like many of my fan friends - thought we'd see the other films, but no; Israel does not have any plans to show us more. Neither does METV want to show any of the four films - even though Israel, with the help of the USA, made the METV.
  If any of you have any suggestions about how to increase fandom in Israel and the West Bank - I know that everyone likes to hear that Star Trek is popular everywhere - please help. I would love everybody here to consider Star Trek as a philosophy, but never to be The Long Eared People!!!

Issue 6 (Oct 1989)

IDIC 6 IDIC 6 was published in October 1989 and contains 64 pages. There were 375 copies printed. It was the first issue of this series to print a table of contents.

cover of issue #6

table of contents, issue #6

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p12)
• Book Review: Antimatter in the 20th Century and Beyond by Sue Embury (p40)
• Book Review: Masks by John Vornholt, reviews by Lorraine Goodison & Helen White (p44)
• Book Review: The Captains' Honour by David and Daniel Dvorkin, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p45)
• Book Review: Captain's Log by Lisabeth Shatner, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p46)
• Book Review: Killing Time by Della Van Hise, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p47), see that page
• Book Review: Ghost Ship by Diana Carey, reviewed by Pat Mitchell (p47)
• Book Review: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p48)
• Book Review: Questor by D C Fontana, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p48)
• Character Relationship In TNG by Sheila Clark (p38)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p57)
• Dealers' Room by Valerie Piacentini (p43)
• Definitions of Fan Terms by Valerie Piacentini (p42)
• From My Diary... by Marion Kennedy (p44)
• IDIC Opinion Poll (p34)
• James Doohan - Profile by Marcia Pecor (p13)
• James Doohan on Wogan 1989-08-04 by Karen Sparks (p14)
• Klingon Women by Mel Claessens (p39)
• Latest Star Trek News (p3)
• Local Group News (p55)
• Marina Sirtis - Profile by Karen Sparks (p15)
• Merchandise (p9)
• Empathy Midi-Con '78 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p32)
• Mister Data by Lorraine Goodison (p36)
• Ordering Merchandise from Abroad (p11)
• Postbag (p16)
• Rec-Con reports by Sheila Clark & Karen Sparks (p29)
• Star Trek Fandom in Austria by Karin Embacher (p39)
• Star Trek In The News (p7)
• Star Trek V: Comments (p25)
• Zine Reviews:
  • a review of Continuum #2, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p49), see that page
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p50)
• there are a number of comments about the con report in the last issue for Intercon, see that page
• the editors write about how this newsletter is put together:

  Some of you have asked us to make it clear to whom you send what so we've put this on the last page. Basically how we work it is that Janet does most of the newsletter which leaves Sheila and Valerie free to edit and type up the zines - although they do type up their own N/L articles. If you are writing to Sheila or Valerie anyway it is okay to send newsletter submissions to them but they need to receive them at least 10 days before the deadline so that they can type them up and send them through to Janet to be added to the various files. Janet then prints up a proof copy of each section. Sheila and Valerie arrive at Janet's on Friday night and newsletter weekend is mostly spent proof reading, correcting, writing our letter, deciding what we can fit in the newsletter and the best order to put the articles in. Once Sheila and Valerie leave for home on Sunday afternoon Janet starts putting the newsletter together on the computer and prints a 'camera' proof copy. At this stage items may have to be swapped round to fit, and items may have to be added or left out to fit the the page layout. Once this is done, and it can take up to three evenings, Janet prints all the masters (at 9 pages per hour if all goes well). These are then posted to Sheila who reduces them and puts them in for printing. Sheila also sticks the labels on the envelopes, stamps them and then with the help of the "Chain Gang" stuffs them with the newsletters and posts them out.

• about dealing with Customs:

  Zines - printed matter - are not liable to Customs dues, although some packets with zines are stopped and checked, apparently at random; but other merchandise is. Not everything is stopped and not everything that is stopped and checked is charged, but there is always the probability that your packet may be the unlucky one. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind what they stop, either, though they often seem to go by the value marked on the packet... A few years ago, Valerie and I got some original artwork; one packet (which was addressed to the school where I was based at the time) came through without being checked, the next (to my home address) was charged quite steeply - I believe original artwork is usually pounced on by Customs. To add insult to injury, they also added a 'handling charge' for opening and resealing the packet!... One possibility if you want to try avoiding being caught by Customs seems to be, keep your orders relatively small. If you want a lot from one supplier, send him half a dozen small orders over several months rather than one big one. I don't guarantee that that will work, but it might help.

• a fan comments on gender differences and preferences regarding Star Trek:

  With regard to [name redacted's] comment about my letter in N/L 5 containing a sexist comment. As I'm sure she really understands, I didn't mean that women are INCAPABLE of understanding and appreciating the technical side of the series, Just less inclined to prefer that side of it. Most of the zine stories that I like best have been written by women, as they explore the in-depth personalities and feelings of the characters, whereas men will generally write stories that are action-adventure based. This IS a generalisation, and she may decry the fact, but you only have to analyse the contents of 5 or 6 zines to see this is true. It's even more true of the novels. I've just recently started a bock by a male author, where he makes a comment early on to the effect that, '... Kirk thought Spock was quite a good officer, really, and it would be a bit of a shame to lose the totally unemotional Vulcan if he should ever be transferred.' I'm afraid that with that perception of the relationship, I'm not all that interested in the intricate details of the battle with the Klingons which follows. This DOESN'T make me right, and him wrong, as we all get pleasure out of the series in our own way, and perhaps we should put it down as another facet of I.D.I.C.

• a fan reports on Richard Arnold's comments at Rec-Con regarding the differences between US and UK cons:

  On Friday night Richard Arnold chatted for an hour and answered questions on the differences between American and British cons. American cons are run for profit not for charity, they are of course much bigger with more major guest stars, and run for a much shorter time, usually from about 10 am to 6 or 7 pm, Sat. and Sun. only; there are none of these bank holiday 4 day weekend marathons that we have. Apparently the hotel bars are never even opened because they charge such a high fee for the privilege? They don't usually have any of the other traditional (for us) con events like quizzes, auctions, fancy dress, con booklets or discos etc, and there aren't even places for sitting around to chat to friends. He said British fans are generally more reserved and polite than our American counterparts, and tend to treat our cons as weekend long parties rather than expecting to be entertained, and he said he enjoys coming to them a great deal....

Issue 7 (Dec 1989)

IDIC 7 was published in December 1989 and contains 68 pages.

cover of issue #7

TOC of issue #7

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p12)
• Book Review: The Lost Years by J M Dillard, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p46)
• Book Review: The Cry of the Onlies by Judy Klass, reviews by Teresa Abbott & Sheila Clark (p47)
• Book Review: Dreadnought by Diane Carey, reviewed by Helen White (p49)
• Book Review: Web of the Romulans by M S Murdock, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p49), see that page
• Book Review: The Vulcan Academy Murders by Jean Lorrah, reviewed by Joyce Devlin (p50), see that page
• Book Review: The Worlds of the Federation by Shane Johnson, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p50)
• TV Zone - The Magazine of Cult Television, reviewed by Christine Hornby (p50)
• Christmas Trivia Quiz compiled by Helen White (p44)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p60)
• Gates McFadden - Profile by Karen Sparks (p14)
• James Blish Novels by Michael Simpson (p42)
• Latest Star Trek News (p4)
• The Leeds Minicon '79 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p37), see that page
• Local Group News (p59)
• Merchandise (p10)
• Midcon '89 Guest Talks;
  • Gates McFadden, summary by Karen Sparks (p34))
  • William Ware Theiss, summary by Lynda Allen Ainsworth (p36))
  • Midcon '89 Reports by Karen Sparks, Teresa Abbott & Helen White (p30)
  • Ne'A'Driar ST Mini Con III report by Sandy Catchick (p28)
• Postbag (p14)
• Rec-Con - Post-Con Report (p28)
• ST:TNG 2nd Season Screening Order (p5)
• Star Trek at Leeds Film Festival by Mike Mullen (p39)
• Star Trek in Austria by Karin Embacher (p41)
• Star Trek In The News (p5)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (p9)
• Star Trekkers: All Channels Open by Vicky Walters and Jan Seifert (p40)
• Starships by Paul Wood (p43)
• There Are Always Possibilities (Sending Money to UK from Germany) by Martin Stahl (p12)
  • a review of Lifeboat by Bev Zuk, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p51)
  • a review of A Legend Begins by Barbara Allayn, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p52)
  • a review of Make It So #2, reviewed by Pat Mitchell (p52)
  • a review of Scandals of Shikahr, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p53)
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p53)
• fiction, art, masquerade, craft winners from Rec-Con are listed, as is the amount of money for charity raised (two men dressed as women and Richard Arnold donated some items: "Overall, a total of £1450.00 was raised for charities, £605.00 going to each of the 2 charities; the NSPCC and The Motor Neurone Disease Association.)
• there are many comments on the recent movie, running the spectrum from "loved it," "disliked it," "tolerated it," but most were disappointed: one fan writes:

  Having said all that, I went to see it for a second time, and I enjoyed it much more -- maybe because I know what was in it, so I enjoyed it on its own merits. It's not a bad film, really, But it's not much cop as a Trek film. Roll on STVI -- let's go out with a bang, not a whimper.

• the editors write:

  We are sure you all want to join with us and our German friends in celebrating the breaching of the Berlin Wall. Surely this, at last, gives us all hope that the d!vision between East and West has been only temporary; that the invisible walls separating people will go, too, and that the world can forget its differences and begin to build the future that Star Trek has shown us.

• a fan comments on ST: TNG:

  The next generation, who grow up with TNG, will probably prefer it to ST. I know I always like the first version of a song that I hear and sometimes when the first is not the original, and then you do hear the original artist, you don't like that. Yet it 1s only because you are familiar with the one version. ST is mine, as it is my generation's. But I wouldn't want to stop people having TNG, and one day that will be someone else's, and their generation's, and I'll be glad to have been a part of both.

Issue 8 (Feb 1990)

IDIC 8 was published in February 1990 and contains 64 pages.

cover of issue #8

table of contents

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p7)
• Book Review: A Call to Darkness by Michael Jan Friedman, reviews by Sheila Clark & Karen Sparks (p38)
• Book Review: The Kobayashi Maru by Julia Ecklar, reviews by Lori Scott, Teresa Abbott & Sheila Clark (p39)
• Book Review: Spock's World (audio) adapted by Diane Duane, reviewed by Helen White (p41)
• Book Review: Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan, reviewed by Helen White (p41)
• Brent Spiner - Profile by Karen Sparks (p10)
• Brief Encounter by Miri Rana (p30)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p55)
• Dilithium Crystals And Warp Drive by Gary Heron (p30)
• Klingon Rite of Ascension by Mel Claessens (p32)
• Latest Star Trek News (p3)
• Local Group News (p55)
• Merchandise (p5)
• Nichelle Nichols - Profile by Marcia Pecor (p8)
• Pon Far; The 7 Year Myth? by Teresa Abbott (p35)
• Postbag (p12)
• ST Episodes & Alternate Universes by Sheila Clark (p34)
• Star Trek In The News (p4)
• Star Trek V - Reviews (p23)
• Taking Photos from TV or Video by Sheila Clark (p36)
• con report for TerraCon '79 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p28), see that page
• The 'Real' Tiberius by Michael Simpson (p32)
• The Cage by Michael Simpson (p33)
• William Shatner on This Is Your Life 1989-12-27 by Karen Sparks (p11)
• Zine Reviews:
  • a review of Sacrifices by Anna S Greener, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p42), see that page
  • a review of Green Fire, by Jacqueline Comben, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p43), see that page
  • a review of Descent into Darkness by Joan Verba, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p43), see that page
  • a review of As New Wine by Meg Wright, reviewed by Jean Sloan (p44), see that page
  • a review of Glory Project, by Gwen Brennan, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p45), see that page
  • a review of Legacy by Lynda Roper, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p45), see that page
  • a review of Pit of Acheron by Zaquia Tarhuntassa, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p46), see that page
  • a review of Holidays by Lisa Beckingham, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p46), see that page
  • a review of Eridani #4 reviewed by Sheila Clark (p47), see that page
  • a review of Eridani #5, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p48), see that page
  • a review of Children of Darkness (Dr Who) by Althea Fleming, reviewed by Lorraine Goodison (p48), see that page
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p49)
• a fan writes:

  About zines - it's funny, some authors capture my concept of Spock and Kirk exactly - others just don't. These strolls can be better written, more scientifically correct, and still it's not Kirk and Spock. There has to be the - how shall I put it? - the inability for one to survive without the other. The psychic link is central to their characters; they are like the two sides of the same coin - different but from the same mould. Any author who doesn't see this tends to lose my interest. It's not bad writing as such, it's just they haven't seen things the way I do.

Issue 9 (Apr 1989)

IDIC 9 was published in April 1990 and contains 68 pages.

cover of issue #9

table of contents for issue #9

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p7)
• Book Review: The Trellisane Confrontation by David Dvorkin, reviewed by Helen White (p44)
• Book Review: A Rock and a Hard Place by Peter David, reviews by Helen White and Sheila Clark (p44)
• Book Review: Rules of Engagement by Peter Morwood, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p46)
• Book Review: Metamorphosis by Jean Lorrah, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p46)
• Book Review: Dreadnought by Diane Carey, reviewed by Christine Snow (p46)
• Book Review: The Monsters of Star Trek by Daniel Cohen, reviewed by Christine Hornby (p48)
• Video Review: The Doomsday Machine & Wolf In The Fold videos reviewed by Gloria Fry (p49)
• Book Review: Tekwar by William Shatner, reviewed by Teresa Abbott (p50)
• Captain Jean-Luc Picard by Valerie Piacentini (p38)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p59)
• Eastern Star Trek Points of View by Suzanne Shalabi (p32)
• History of Star Trek on the BBC by Janet Quarton (p29)
• Jerry Goldsmith's Music for Star Trek V (p39)
• Late Show transcribed by Valerie Piacentini (p35)
• Latest Star Trek News (p3)
• Local Group News (p58)
• Merchandise (p11)
• Michael Dorn - Profile by Karen Sparks (p8)
• Postbag (p12)
• Romulan Bird of Prey Cruisers by Paul Heath (p40)
• ST:TNG Special Effects by Pat Mitchell (p42)
• Star Trek 1-5, Glasgow screening by Cathy Melrose (p38)
• Star Trek in the News (p6)
• Star Trek in the US, UK & Germany - A Comparison by Karin Embacher (p30)
• UFP Con '80 - Retrospective by Judy Mortimore (p28), see that page
• William Shatner - Michael Aspel & Company 1990-02-24 by Karen Sparks (p10)
• William Shatner - This Is Your Life 1989-12-27, Transcribed by Linda Wood (p9)
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p52)
• Zine Reviews:
  • a review of Between Friends, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p50), see that page
  • a review of Nocturne, reviewed by Valerie Piacentini (p51), see that page

Issue 10 (June 1989)

IDIC 10 was published in June 1990 and contains 88 pages.

cover of issue #10

table of contents for issue #10

Download the PDF of this issue here.

• Actor Info (p7)
• The Pandora Principle by Carolyn Clowes, reviews by Helen White & Sheila Clark (p63)
• Book Review: Book Review: Metamorphosis by Jean Lorrah, reviewed by Helen White (p65)
• Book Review: The Survivors by Jean Lorrah, reviewed by Christine Snow (p66)
• Book Review: Captain's Log (Making of STV) by Lisabeth Shatner, reviewed by Edward Woo (p67)
• Video Review: Mirror, Mirror, The Deadly Years, I Mudd & The Trouble with Tribbles; videos reviewed by Gloria Fry (p68)
• Conventions/Adverts/Clubs/Groups (p79)
• DeForest Kelley - Profile by Marcia Pecor (p8)
• Frontiers '90 Guest Talks: Reports by Allen Ainsworth, Karen Sparks & Helen White (p38)
• Frontiers '90 Reports by Helen White & Edward Woo (p30)
• James Blish Paperbacks by Michael Simpson (p60)
• Latest Star Trek News (p3)
• Local Group News (p78)
• Merchandise (p11)
• My Kind Of Trek by Valerie Piacentini (p71)
• Pioneer 10 Mystery by Christine Snow (p51)
• Postbag (p12)
• Star Trek in the News (p4)
• Star Trek in the US, UK & Germany - A Comparison by Karin Embacher (p58)
• Star Trek V Video Promotion, Empire Cinema, Leicester Square 1990-04-01 by Helen White (p49)
• TerraCon ’79 - Another View by Liz Caldwell (p48)
• The Most Unkindest Cut... - BBC Cuts by Teresa Abbott and Jason Hart (p52)
• Trivia Quiz by Helen White (p62)
• USS Excelsior Class Starship by Edward Woo (p55)
• Why We Love Beverly by Lori Scott (p56)
• Wil Wheaton - Profile by Karen Sparks (p10)
• Zines - New Zines/Zine Ads (p72)
• Zine reviews
  • a review of The Third Verdict by Bev Zuk, reviewed by Jean Sloan (p70), see that page
  • a review of Trinary Star by Diane King, reviewed by Sheila Clark (p70), see that page
• a fan writes about the BBC's cutting of footage, a topic fans have been discussing for a long time:

  Firstly, thanks to Janet for her efforts in compiling a history of the BBC's screening of ST. Having been unable to obtain a VCR till after the end of the fourth screening, all mine date from the fifth. I remember some cuts but was pretty dismayed to realise most of my 3rd series is cut, and indeed, most of the episodes have never been shown unedited in the UK. I'd been trying to buy the professional releases for episodes I knew from personal recollection had been cut: even if I were to buy all the 3rd series ones mentioned and reuse the tapes I would still have the sheer problem of storage.

• regarding TekWar and ghostwriting and copyright:

  Teresa Abbott states in her review of 'TekWar' that it is her understanding; that it was ghostwritten. I suspect Bill's fulsome remarks in praise of those who helped and encouraged him have given some people this idea, also the phrasing with regard to the copyrlght that William Shatner shall be deemed to be the author, has given rise to some misconceptions. Firstly, when you read the thanks in the front of a fanzine for all the help and encouragement given to the author, do you immediately conclude that the zine was ghostwritten? Secondly, if you read Section 77 and 78 of the Copyright and Patents Act 1988 you will find that it relates to the transfer of the material to all other methods of communication, i.e. electronic tape, visuals, other methods of presentation of the same material. Basically it is saying that if you use any part of 'TekWar', in any context, then a royalty is due to William Shatner. This could be an interesting point should anyone decide to do a zine story from it because, under the Act, not only Bill, but Bantam can sue you for royalty payments. Let's hope Pocket and Titan Publishers don't decide to apply that clause!

• a fan writes of seeing some Star Trek local theatre:

  Recently, I saw a musical called 'Dazzle' done by a local youth theatre group. It was a 'Star Trek' spoof and it was very amusing. They had a mock-up of the Bridge with consoles and flashing lights, and a transporter section. The boy who played the Kirk character was especially good. He played it a little over the top, but with all the mannerisms and the correct stance. He must have been studying the videos. Other characters included Mr. Spock, Lt. Alura, Mr. Suey, and the Irish engineer, Mr. Paddy. It was most enjoyable and I believe if it was done by a professional company, with plenty special effects, it could be a big hit.

• a fan defends a pro book and Mary Sue:

  Having just re-read Dreadnaught and Battlestations by Diane Carey for the second time I thought it was about time someone wrote in defence of these books. In N/L 7 there was a very nasty review of Dreadnaught by Helen White mostly criticising the book's apparent basis in the so-called 'Mary Sue' Syndrome, As a new Trekker I have no bias against 'Mary Sue' stories, having not ever heard of them before, and I would like to say that I thought Ms. White's review exceedingly unfair to criticize the whole novel just because it was written in the first person from a normally minor character's point of view.