Imperium
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Imperium |
| Publisher: | Imperial Press, under the purview of The Supreme Order of the Imperial Forces, then Judith Yuenger |
| Editor(s): | Pat Grant, Arwen Rosenbaum, and Judith Yuenger |
| Date(s): | 1983-1997 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Star Wars |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | WayBack Archive Link to Empire Club Publications, some of the table of content info is from the agent and some is from Another Sky |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Imperium is a gen Star Wars fiction and art zine for a Star Wars fan club out of Florida called The Supreme Order of the Imperial Forces.
It ran for twelve issues. Issue #9 won the 2000 Star aWards "BEST 2000 SW ZINE 100-200 PAGES" award.
From the first issue: "This 'zine is dedicated with respect & admiration for Our Lord Darth Vader."
Issue 1
Imperium 1 was published in May 1983 and contains 120 pages.
- Editorial by Pat Grant (4)
- Moment of Understanding by Beth Adams, art by Adams (5)
- Orders, poem by Rita Harlow (9)
- The Loyalty Conversion by Pat Grant (11)
- ESB Crossword Puzzle by Kris Hummel (27)
- The Engagement on Hoth: An Imperial View by Mark Walton (29)
- Confusion, poem by Rita Harlow (30)
- A Perfectly Simply Little Swindle by A.L. Beuttler, art by Bernie (31)
- Darth Vader Crossword Puzzle by Pat Grant (58)
- Slow Dies the Past by Kym Jenson (61)
- Absalom by Karen Osman (85)
- Heirs of Darkness, Heirs of Light, part one (87)
- Heirs of Darkness, Heirs of Light, part two (92)
- Family Man, poem by Rita Harlow (102)
- Infiltrator by Tim Eldred (103)
- Puzzle Solutions (118)
- Ads (119)
- other art by Chris Carrier, T. Perry, P. Grant
inside page from issue #1
inside page from issue #1
inside page from issue #1
inside page from issue #1
inside page from issue #1
inside page from issue #1
Issue 2
Imperium 2 was published in April 1986 and has 106 pages.
The art is by Bernie, Chris Carrier, June Edwards, Mark Fisher, Tim Eldred, Suzy Sansom, Jeff Smith, Nancy Stasulis, and Angela Varesano. One of the illustrations (by Varesano?) was originally printed in Masiform D #13 for the story "The Heir is Missing."
Regarding "Heirs of Darkness, Heirs of Light":
"Heirs of Darkness, Heirs of Light" is actually a series of short stories written by several people, including Nikki Cadwell, Jane Kaufenberg, Marilyn Pulley, Juanita Nesbitt, Pat Grant, Jeff Smith, Linda Grant and some others, whose names I do not have.
In IMPERIUM I, we ran two installments; "Best Laid Plans," by Pat Grant, and "The Snatch," by Nikki Cadwell. This issue we have "Power Play," by Jeff Smith. . . . involves mostly characters created by the authors listed above, with some use of the regular characters. Originally we had planned to run one or two segments per issue of IMPERIITM. However, to borrow a popular phrase, we've created a monster. And this monster has grown much faster than anticipated. Therefore, we have decided to publish all of the stories together, under one cover, in their own 'zine. This will make it easier for the reader to keep track of who's who, and what's going on. It will also be much lessfrustrating for the authors. This means that "Power Play" will be the final installment of . . . in IMPERIUM.
We hope you enjoy it...
- Greetings! (2)
- The Guest on the EXECUTOR by Betty Knight (4)
- cartoon by Pat Grant (6)
- Darth Vader by Janice Mergenhagen (7)
- The Story of Daara Vader, written and illustrated by Angela Varesano (8)
- The Loyalty Conversion, part two by Pat Grant, illos by Mark Fisher (10)
- Unsolicited Advice by Bernadette Krebs (36)
- filk by Seth Bonder, illustrated by Suzy Sansom (37)
- Heirs of Darkness, Heirs of Light: Introduction (38)
- Power Play written and illustrated by Jeff Smith (39)
- The Young Dark Lord, filk to tune of the Irish Resistance ballad, "The Foggy Dew", written by Angela Varesano, illustrated by Angela Varesano and June Edwards (58)
- The Dark Lord Abides, poem by Betty Knight (60)
- Calrissian's Revenge by Tim Eldred ("Calrissian's Revenge" appears in place of part 2 of "Infiltrator" by Tim Eldred, which was not yet ready at this printing. Infiltrator part 2 been promised for IMPERIUM #3.") (61)
- The New Rebellion by Brian Yamauchi (89)
- Meeting of Minds by Sylvia Stevens and Barbara Tennison, illustrated by Bernie (part of the Admiral Piett universe) (98)
- Palpatine by Janice Mergenhagen (100)
- Duality of Force by Betty Knight (101)
- Ads (102)
from issue #2, tribute
from issue #2, Mark Fisher
from issue #2, Mark Fisher
from issue #2, Angela Varesano
from issue #2, Suzy Sansom
from issue #2, June Edwards
from issue #2, Tim Eldred
from issue #2, Bernie
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2
As a relatively new fan to Star Wars, I did not read Imperium I and II when they came out. To be perfectly honest, I passed them by several times before I finally bought them, mainly because I was afraid the stories concealed in them would be mostly Imperial or Vader stories. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I enjoyed them immensely.I found the stories to be well-written. Even those stories that were Imperial-slanted were interesting and very readable.
The zine itself was very well done. I like spiral binding because zines tend to stay in one piece. The printing was legible and above all in a typest that w as easy to read. As I get older I find that zines that promote eyestrain are the ones that don't get read much.
I must mention briefly the stories that are a part of role-playing. I figured that I wouldn't know what was going on or who was who. Several of the role-playing stories were very well done and explained things in a story context so that I didn't feel like I'd come in the middle. I even found myself wanting to read more about these personas.
Thanks to all the writers, artists, and the editor for giving me several house of reading enjoyment. Hope to see Imperium 3 soon. [1]
As indicated by the title, Imperium is a zine slanted toward the Empire's point of view. Most of the stories concentrate on Vader, the Emperor or the Imperial forces. Brian Yamauchi's "The New Rebellion" follows the adventures of the crew of the Star Destroyer Aggressor after its escape from the destruction after the Emperor's death. Tim Eldred's comic strip adventures, "Calrissian's Revenge," find Lando tangling with slavers and a very nasty Wookiee. "Power Play," by Jeff Smith, concerns a young Emperor and his enemies within a planetary system that Palpatine now covets. "The Loyalty Conversion, Part 2," by Pat Grant, plots the redemption of an Imperial admiral, in which a young Rebel is captured and subverted to the Dark Side.[2]
Issue 3
Imperium 3 was published in May 1993 and contains 100 pages. It was edited by Pat Grant, with typesetting, layout, proofreading and other assorted stuff by Arwen Rosenbaum.
The art is by Mark Fisher, Melea Fisher, A.G. Steyn, Pamela Whitelark, Cassandra Boyle, Z.P. Florian, and Catherine Churko.
- Drastic Plastic, story by Diane Duane ("Hilarious spoof of a credit card commercial ('Do you know me?') starring Darth Vader") (3)
- A Change of Worlds, story by Maggie Nowakowska ("A tense confrontation between Mon Mothma and the Emperor.") (5)
- Strings, story by Maggie Nowakowska (8)
- Salacious Pieces of a Crummy Mind, story by A.G. Steyn (13)
- Ewoks, story by Susan Henderson (17)
- Why the Storytellers, poem by Jennifer Moore (20)
- Hunter, story by Kirk Taskila (21)
- The Search, story by James Casselbury ("A powerful disturbance in the Force pits imperials and rebels against each other in a race to discover its source.") (23)
- The Adventures of Cairn Hopewinger, vignette by Auriette Lindsey (31)
- Discoveries, vignette by Catherine Churko (35)
- Incident at Ord Mantell by Pat Grant (script form) (36)
- Another Memorable Day in the Life of Luke Skywalker, story by Z.P. Florian ("Luke accompanies Han on a trip to Corell and gets involved in a matter of Corellian honor.") (45)
- A Long, Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy, story by Z.P. Florian ("What if Luke had been captured by Vader before he'd even left Tatooine? And what if Leia had been the one who went to Dagobah?") (51)
- Unlikely Allies, story by Veronica Wilson ("Leia, Vader, and a senatorial subcommittee are taken hostage by radical left-wing terrorists.") (63)
- Filks: Message in an R2 (The Police), Yesterday (The Beatles), Jedi Knight (Caberet), I Wanna Go Home (The Sloop John B), Evil Ways (Evil Ways), My Way, The Ewok Barrel Polka, Luke's Lament I, Luke's Lament II (What Do You Get When You Fall in Love) by Pat Grant and Lynne Miller (95)
from issue #3, A.G. Steyn
from issue #3, Melea Fisher
from issue #3, Melea Fisher
from issue #3, Catherine Churko
from issue #3, Z.P. Florian
from issue #3, Z.P. Florian
from issue #3, Melea Fisher
from issue #3, Pamela Whitelark
from issue #3, illo by Pamela Whitelark
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
This all-fanfic zine leans toward the Dark Side (lots of Vader and Imperial p.o.v. stories), but there are still stories about everybody else (and some original characters), all well-written. My favorites were an excellent Vader-and-Leia adventure by Veronica Wilson, and a fun story by James Casselbury, where the author actually casts himself as an Imperial governor. There's also a short play, an American Express commercial starring our favorite Dark Lord of the Sith, and a collection of amusing filks. Example: "What do you get when you fall in love?/Your best friend for competition/He makes a pass at her while you're on a mission/I'll never fall in love again." [3]
This is a beautiful, elegant, superbly laid-out zine. Just looking at it made me feel good. The art was wonderful: Mark Fisher's dynamic cover, Melea's stunning, dark illo on page 62, Whitelark's great cartoon, and the mysterious Churko, both the art and the text an exciting, fragmented vision.
The great big story, 'Unnlikely Allies' by Veronica Wilson, was wonderful. Excellent portrayal of Vader at his intelligent best, Congrats for having him use brain over muscle. I loved the indomitable Leia, very much Vader's daughter! This was a Vader Luke could {had to) redeem.
Diane Duane's 'Drastic Plastic' was a jewel of all funny stories. I'll never use my A.E. card without laughing.
Nowakowska's twin pieces were soul-shattering. The simple statement "Leia was alive" had incredible power. The second story placed the ROTj-Luke into a disturbing, sharp light, in the focal point of family, politics, past and future. I would love to see the inevitable conversation between Mon Mothma and Luke...
Steyn's Salacious Crumb was great fun, for the in side look at Jabba's lair and for Han at his devious best.
Henderson's 'Ewoks' story had a unique pov — very enjoyable.
Taskila's 'Hunter' was a tragic, hard vignette.
Casselbury: The Search'. Definitely my favorite among his stories, this one had the usual brisk, good Casselbury dialogue, and Aerfen was a refreshing, surprising, excellent character. I hope to see her again.
Lindsey's 'Hopewinger' story looked like the first installment of a wonderful series. Yes, I want to see what happens next. Luke in the dual role of father and Jedi master? It won't be easy.
Grant's 'Incident on Ord Mantell': the script format was a great idea. I also loved the Grant/Miller filks, perfect for leisurely humming or (louder) pleasurable showering!
I'm already looking forward to Imperium 4! [4]
This is one nice zine! Personally, I don't mind the Imperial slant, because everything was so nicely written, drawn, etc.
Maggie Nowakowska's two Mon Mothma stories were very good. Mothma is one of the more enigmatic SW characters, and I appreciate the insight into her thoughts and personality. Another terrific story was 'A Long, Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy...'. Even though I didn't care for the incestuous marriage, I did like the idea of Leia being the one hope for the Jedi. Good alternate universe stuff. My fave story was Unlikely Allies'. Veronica Wilson did a great job with Vader and his feelings toward his unknown daughter. She also handled the political intrigue stuff very well, so that it was interesting. I loved the scene where Leia clobbers that sleazy terrorist...very clever! She certainly has got a lot of her Daddy in her!
'Salacious Pieces' was very funny, as was 'Ewoks' and 'The Search'. You gotta love when someone casts himself 2S an Imperial Grand Moff Governor!
'Hunter', Discoveries', 'Cairn Hopewinger' and 'An other Memorable Day' were good reads as well.
The play and commercial were each fun, and the filks were great. 'Why the Storytellers' was a nice poem...it would be great to see more poetry in the future.
The cover art by Mark Fisher was great. Melea's art was terrific, while Catherine, Cassandra, Z.P., A.G., and Pamela did great jobs as well.
Overall, Imperium 3's a fine zine. Let's hope #4 will be out in '94![5]
Congratulations on a zine well done! I recently finished reading Imperium 3 and I thoroughly enjoyed it.From the layout and content, it is evident that a hard working team put in much effort into putting together a respectable piece of work.
The format of Imperium 3 was most impressive, from the handsome bind (with cardstock covers) to the editorial organization. Artwork was blended in quite well, complementing a series of quality stories. Of particular note was the cover collage by Mark Fisher and Pamela Whitelark's sketches on pages 51 and 70; great stormtrooper shots on both (aren't they the hardest things to draw?!?). But the most fetching piece pf art in the entire zine was the beautiful overlay shot of Leia and Vader by Melea Fisher. This picture, expressed in simple, uncrowded shades, was both captivating and haunting. Well done, Melea!
A side note in regard to the artwork — I would really like to see more sketches of the characters in 'uncharacteristic' situations. We've all seen still shots of Luke, Han, the droids, and the Emperor posing for the artist. Wouldn't it be interesting to see shots of the characters doing something besides posing? For example, I would love to see Boba Fett without his helmet on, or Han crying in pain (maybe as he holds his burning arm in his other hand), or Luke in rage (aggressively swinging his lightsaber). One might even get creative with the droids. Of course, these shots have to fit the stories they accompany, but pushing the bound aries of what we know of the characters might be great brainfood for Star Wars readers. I can't speak for myself, because what little art I do draw is mostly pose shots, but I've seen enough talented artists out there to know it could be done. Just something to think about.
As for the material itself—a great opener with 'Drastic Plastic'! Hilarious! Maggie Nowakowska's prose is excellent, although her storytelling was a bit vague in some areas of both of her stories. Z.P. Florian deserves commendation on a creative job in 'A Long, Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy' — very though-invoking. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to make of The Adventures of Cairn Hopewinger' or 'Discoveries'. However, the most well written and inventive story was Veronica Wilson's Unlikely Allies'. Not only did she draw up a means of having a mortal hold Vader hostage, she also dove into some well thought-out character developments between Vader and Leia. Drawing out political strategies, she conveyed her messages without badgering the points. She also did her bit to stretch the creative boundaries of typical Star Wars literature.
Again, the hard work from all writers, artists, and the zine staff is appreciated. I hope to see similar efforts in the near future. [6]
Thanks for a great zine! No way is it just an Imperial zine, and I'll let everyone know that image is wrong.Imperium 3 contains some great stuff!
A.G. Steyn's story 'Salacious Pieces of a Crummy Mind' was a scream! Her humor is so demented — I love it! She portrayed ol' Salacious perfectly. Comedy is so hard to write, but A.G. has it down convincingly. The story moves quickly enough to keep the reader interested. I mean the punchlines keep on coming! It's great!
Maggie Nowakowska's 'A Change of Worlds' and 'Strings' show how well she knows the Star Wars universe. Her characters are always well-drawn and believable. Plus she can convey a mood of the story so well.
Z.P. Florian's 'A Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy...' was outstanding. Man, that scenario was so plausible! Like Maggie, she knows the SW scene convincingly.
Everything else in Imperium 3 was great — the artwork, poems, etc.! The nice thing was this zine was easy to read and enjoy. The layout and formatting didn't take a toll on the eyes, like some zines can. All in all, a great effort! Thanks again! I'm definitely going to look for #4![7]
I recently received Imperium 3. What can I say but "great work". It is very professional looking in every way. I would also like to mention that it is encouraging to see some of this zine made with recycled paper. Perhaps in the future all of the pages could be made with 100% post-consumer waste like the cover. I am currently a volunteer at a recycling facility and am glad to see Star Wars concern about the environment. We can recycle just like our desert-dwelling friends the Jawas did. Thank you very much. I can hardly wait for #4. [8]
What a pleasant surprise I had when I purchased this zine for the first time at Mwc 13. Like so many others, I was under the false impression that this was strictly an Imperial-slanted zine, more enjoyed by the role-players of SW fandom. To my delight, I found that the works contained within these pages are meant to be enjoyed by all factions of the fandom. The writing is excellent, the art very good and the layout, etc. of the zine of high quality. I look forward to reading more issues of Imperium in the near future. Keep up the good work and I'm sure others will soon discover this zine as I have.The cover art by Mark Fisher for issue 3 is really superior, as is the internal art by A.G. Steyn on page 16 and, my personal favorite, the illo by Melea Fisher on page 62 accompanying Veronica Wilson's story. In fact, I didn't see any art I disliked throughout the entire zine.
Now to the contents.
'A Change of Worlds' by Maggie Nowakowska — this is a chilling story, but one I find I like. Maggie's ideas about Mon Mothma add a new dimension to this little-explored character. The interplay between that distinguished lady and the vile Emperor are particularly poignant and revealing.
'Drastic Plastic' by Diane Duane — wickedly funny! I would love to see this on celluloid. I'll never see that particular commercial again without a private snicker.
'Salacious Pieces of a Crummy Mind' by A.G. Steyn — this is a delightful piece of shameless fun! Written as though honestly witnessed, the style is quite interesting. This story makes a reader wonder about the author's own 'nocturnal activities' (smile). Good job!
'Ewoks' by Susan Henderson — a nicely written story revealing a more patient side to Endor's invaders than the film depicts. The attitudes of the 'humans' was also perfect — unfortunately. I especially like the idea of another Ewok tribe.
'Another Memorable Day in the Life of Luke Skywalker' by Z.P. Florian — I like the description of Mehan, Corell's heart. It's imaginative and yet fully plausible. Above all, I like the way Z.P. has captured that rogue Han. Good story. 'A Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy' by Z.P. Florian — a chilling alternate, well-written.
'Unlikely Allies' by Veronica Wilson — this was my favorite of the zine. It's an excellent pre-ANH glimpse of the complex nature of Lord Vader. The interplay between him and Leia was especially enjoyable and, in my opinion, believable. Another fine story by Veronica. [9]
I wanted to tell you how much I really enjoyed Imperium 3. It was very neat (I liked the heavier stock) and easy to read.Mark Fisher's cover art was quite nice.
A.G. Steyn's 'Salacious Pieces of a Crummy Mind' was a laugh riot. What a great story, and told from a great point of view. One comment: Han's tie-down is perfect where it is.
Both of Z.P. Florian's stories, 'Another Memorable Day in the Life of Luke Skywalker' and 'A Long, Long Time Ago in Another Galaxy...', made for great reading, but I really liked the alternate story. Well thought out and entirely plausible.
My two favorites of the zine are Veronica Wil son's *Unlikely Allies' (good action, nicely thought out, wonderful characterizations) and Diane Duane's 'Drastic Plastic'. I will never be able to see any of the credit card commercials without seeing Vader. I loved it!
All in all, a very enjoyable read. I look forward to Imperium 4! [10]
Issue 4
Imperium 4 was published May 1994 and has 118 pages.
It was edited by Arwen Rosenbaum, published by Pat Grant.
The zine debuted at MediaWest*Con.
Wanda Lybarger won the 1995 FanQ Award as 'Best Star Wars Artist' for her work in this zine. Other art by Marla Fair (front cover), Z.P. Florian, Debbie Hoyt, Leah Rosenthal and Nancy Stasulis.
- Letters of Comment (1)
- Lord Vader's Ordeal, story by Marti Schuller (5)
- Dark Calling, story by Cassandra Boyle (20)
- Groundstaff Blues, story by Louise Turner (22)
- Midnight Rendezvous, vignette by Aureitte Lindsey (31)
- Ask Me Again Sometime, poem by Yvette Ghilan (32)
- The Last Laugh?, story by Veronica Wilson (33)
- One Day on the Set, vignette by Cassandra Boyle & Kathy Metropulos (RPF, real world crossover) (40)
- Star Wars Trilogy Haiku, poem by Jennifer Moore (42)
- Spaceways: Prologue From the Adventures of Cairn Hopewinger by Auriette Lindsey (43)
- Lightning Strike, story by Marti Schuller (47)
- The Bet, poem by Pat Grant (71)
- The Bloodstone, story by Veronica Wilson (Senator Palpatine first meets Anakin Skywalker and decides to claim him for his apprentice.) (72)
- Masquerade, story by Julie Lim (81)
- The Other: Part 1 Imperial Rebellion, story by Sharane McCurry (87)
- The Other:Part 2 Paths of the Force, story by Sharane McCurry (105)
from issue #4, Debbie Hoyt
from issue #4, Wanda Lybarger
from issue #4, Wanda Lybarger
from issue #4, sample text
from issue #4, Nancy Stasulis
from issue #4, Z.P. Florian
from issue #4, Marla Fair
from issue #4, Z.P. Florian
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4
IMPERIUM 4 is a totally beautiful ZINE. I LOVED the cover art. I hope you have Marla Fair chained in a basement somewhere producing more; she’s very talented, Wanda’s humorous illos were very well done; I got akick out of ‘Centerfold’. The very first story by Marti Schuller, ‘Lord Vader’s Ordeal’, knocked my socks off. I read it while still at MediaWest and went and corralled Marti the next day to tell her she was a very sick woman. The idea of Vader having to play nursemaid to a happy Palpatine is hilarious. But the story is more than just funny. Marti manages to insert a good analysis of Vader and his ambitions with all the humor. And that’s not an easy thing to so.
Veronica Wilson’s ‘The Last Laugh’ is definitely darker, but very well done.
Louise Turner continues to explore the lives of the secondary characters in a most entertaining fashion. I liked what she did in ‘Groundstaff Blues’ with her created characters, especially Ysabel. (Her novel The Ormand Factor offers a more complete look at the tech crew.)
Auriette Lindsey’s ‘Spaceways’ also contains an interesting created character in Cairn Hopewinger. It’s kind of like watching what Luke might have been like if he’d been trained by a Jedi Master much earlier in his life. I hope she does more with this character.
‘Lightning Strike’ by Marti Schuller is an excellent psychological piece. I found the idea of the subconscious suggestion very intriguing but I did wonder whether Leia could really be influenced in that way. The stark illo of Leia huddling in her cell conveys the story’s emotions very well.
I had some trouble with Veronica’s ‘The Bloodstone’. It just didn’t work for me as an account of Palpatine’s first meeting with Anakin. Perhaps it was all the rhetoric they traded. I just couldn’t get into it, even though the scenario itself appealed to me.
I also had difficulty with ‘Masquerade’ by Julie Lim. I kept hoping for more background than was presented to enhance the dramatic action.
‘The Other’ by Sharane McCurry was very enjoyable. However, I had a great deal of trouble with Paltyna’s easy conversion to the Rebel side. It was too abrupt, especially given the opening scene in which she seems to be motivated solely by boredom and hatred. Yoda’s intervention certainly would make her begin to ask questions and I would like to have seen that developed more. What I really had problems with was Leia’s agreeing to keep her identity secret. I thought it really needed more explanation. Her willingness to conceal Luke’s parentage was much more believable. Despite these points, I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the continuation.[11]
IMPERIUM 4 is an exquisite ZINE. Wonderful artwork, beautifully laid out and presented — a professional treat! The ‘alternate’ theme is as thoroughly pleasing and satisfying as a five-course meal of Belgian chocolates.
‘Groundstaff Blues’: Enjoyable look at others on the Team as well as their views of our heroes—looking through a‘minor’ character’s eyes at the characters we know so well gives afresh perspective. Devrin - is he that interesting deck officer who confronts Han several times in the npr version of Empire?
‘The Last Laugh’: My favorite. I laughed myself silly; in fact, it took me a very long time to read this story because I kept taking off my glasses to wipe my eyes. What marvelous (and shattering) turns of phrase and imagery! I love a Vader with a sense of humor that he tries to ignore. I knew there was something subservient and groveling about Jerjerrod, but I never guessed this! Darth as the ultimate domination fantasy...and a mastiff—woof! Enjoyed the contrast between this and the author’s other piece, ‘The Bloodstone’ (loved the hunky, leonine illo with that) which was chilling.
‘The Other’: I’ll admit a prejudice against a-woman-for-Luke stories, so I’m always pleasantly surprised by wonderfully incisive stories like this one. Loved the subtle vignettes that were woven into it...Wedge, Luke and Fixer, Vader, trips into the Skywalker past. Terrific illo of Luke on Tatooine — someone, please kiss that sulky pout off Baby’s mouth! I’m looking forward to the sequel.
I enjoyed everything in this zine, including all the pieces I didn’t (for the sake of time and your typing fingers) mention. I’m eagerly awaiting #5. [12]
Super zine! I really like the nice layout. The artwork is excellent, also. Lots of attention to details, and it shows...
Loved ‘Lord Vader’s Ordeal'. The idea of the Emperor acting like a whiny five-year-old is great. One can almost feel sorry for Lord Vader — he must have felt he was standing on quicksand, with the mood swings of ‘Pal'.
‘Groundstaff Blues’ is quite good. Having gone through the ‘who’s responsible for cleaning up the mess’ bit too many times, I can empathize with Devrin. Liked the description of Luke — carelessly flamboyant body language and all.
‘Spaceways’ was good, too. I think I tell my older son at least once a week to approach something with an open mind — this was great reinforcement.
Enjoyed ‘Lightning Strike’, I think because I can see how it could have happened. Scary thought — how many others could have undergone the same treatment?
‘The Other’ was a good read. Well, if Leia can fall for a smuggler, why not Luke with the Emperor’s daughter? I liked how she, too, renounced her father’s legacy of the Dark Side. Looking forward to the conclusion.[13]
Congratulate yourself on another lovely issue of Imperium. The cover was amazing! If it’s not the best cover I’ve seen this year, then it’s definitely in the top five. The zine’s simple yet elegant layout and design appeal to my sense of minimalist aesthetics.
‘Groundstaff Blues’, ‘Lord Vader’s Ordeal’ and ‘The Last Laugh?’ were my favorite stories. Each was skillfully written and offered insight into characters that don’t get much coverage in fanfic. I also enjoyed ‘Midnight Rendezvous’ and ‘Lightning Strike’ — I’m always a sucker for Han ’n Leia stuff. ‘Masquerade’ touched upon something I’ve always suspected: who’s to say Mrs. Skywalker wasn’t a Jedi herself? In most stories, she’s a mere mortal, but it’s entirely possible (and it would certainly make a lot of sense) that she was also a knight. We’ll know for sure soon enough. Were ‘The Other’ stories written before ROTJ? This was never made clear. I was beginning to wonder if they were alternative universe or if the author forgot there was one more film in the trilogy.
The poems were good, as well as the artwork. I hope to see #5 at Media West next year![14]
What a delight this zine is! You should be so proud, Arwen. The cover was lovely and I adored the ‘aesthetic white space’. Wanda Lybarger’s cartoons were priceless! I so admire a warped sense of humor. As for the rest of the artwork, I love the illo on page 41 by Leah Rosenthal. Z.P.’s art, as usual, is terrific. I especially like the illo on page 79. I was also impressed by Marla Fair’s cover work and illo on page 104. Of course, I want to personally thank Debbie Hoyt for her fabulous caricature and Nancy Stasulis for her uncanny portrayal of Leia on page 65, as well as the work on page 51. I’m flattered and gratified. Now to the stories.
‘Groundstaff Blues’ by Louise Turner provided a welcome behind-the-scenes look at the unknowns necessary to make a believable galaxy. The characters were real and well-written, the story interesting.
‘The Bloodstone’ by Veronica Wilson offered a chilling glance at her vision of Anakin and his first meeting with the man who would mold his future. I’ve always liked the idea of a poverty-reared Anakin for some reason, but Veronica endows him with more honor than I confess I might have. Still, her version rings true and the story overall is haunting.
‘The Other: Imperial Rebellion’ and ‘The Other: Paths of the Force’ by Sharane McCurry. Though I’m not personally fond of alternate stories, I found this ongoing one interesting enough to look forward to the conclusion. Too bad I have to wait a whole year.
‘Masquerade’ by Julie Lim was another alternate for me since it doesn’t fit within the realms of my own ideas regarding the prelude to ‘our’ films, but I still found it very enjoyable reading. Such a cruel duel was certainly perfectly suited to the Emperor and Arcadia was presented as a strong, effective character. The writing was definitely superior. Clearly a well thought- out work, convincingly and professionally done.
Jennifer Moore’s ‘Star Wars Trilogy Haikus’ were wonderful! They gave me pleasurable chills. My personal favorite of this issue, however, was Veronica Wilson’s ‘The Last Laugh?’. It was marvelously wicked. How I could see Vader doing those things! The Emperor, too, was his deliciously nefarious self and the dinner scene between Vader and Jerjerrod was nothing short of hilarious. I loved the ending, too.
All in all, a terrific zine! I certainly look forward to number five—and six, and seven, and eight, and...well, you get the idea. Keep the Force![15]
IMPERIUM 4 WAS, AGAIN, BEAUTIFUL — LAYOUT-WISE and story-wise as well. I loved the aesthetic white space: could study it for hours.
Re: Bibby’s LoC — if Rosenbaum Grants, [groan] you can see Boba Fett without his helmet!
Schuller’s ‘Ordeal’ was utterly unique, thoroughly entertaining, hilarious and deliciously warped, just like the Hoyt illo!
Boyle: ‘Dark Calling—tragic, without a trace of mercy, precisely describing the Vader we saw on Endor.
Wilson: ‘The Last Laugh?’ — starts witty, gets wittier (oh, the doggy bag!), continues outrageously funny, and when you think it can’t get better, it does!
Boyle/Metropulos: ‘One Day...’—very funny, with a perfect cartoon by Rosenthal.
Schuller: ‘Lightning Strike’ — boy, that was scary!
Great illo on page 65 by Stasulis.
Wilson: ‘The Bloodstone’—her admirable Anakin and Machiavellian Palpatine at the beginning of their complex relationship.
Altogether, it was a great zine. Loved Moore’s eerie haikus, loved the great cover by Fair, and al¬ though I’m a maniac when it comes to preserving the environment. I’m all for keeping the zine this beautiful and spotted-owl-wise incorrect for now.[16]
IMPERIUM 4 WAS GREAT. The first thing that caught my eye was the gorgeous cover. Marla Fair’s work really impressed me. Lock her up in a closet and never let her go! She’s good. Hope to see a lot more of her work in the future. Hint!
‘Lord Vader’s Ordeal’ was a scream! Marti Schuller strikes again with a great story. She made me stay up late one night at MediaWest to read this but it was well worth it.
Also enjoyed her ‘Lightning Strike’. Good scene idea for when Leia was separated from everyone in TESB.
Wanda Lybarger’s two pieces of art were great. I really loved the eleven page-plus centerfold.
Louise Turner’s ‘Groundstaff Blues’ was absolutely incredible. Not only do we get to see the other members of the Alliance, how they live and work, but she incorporates our favorites in there as well and it was a delight to read.
Veronica Wilson’s ‘The Last Laugh?’ made me laugh. A wonderful look at life in the Imperial court. And her story ‘The Bloodstone’ gave us a look into the first meeting between Anakin and Palpatine. Nicely executed.
The rest of the work in the zine was well done. It’s times like these you run out of adjectives. Thanks for giving us a great zine, and I really look forward to Imperium 5.[17]
Even though Iknow it’s your training and profession, Arwen, take abow. I appreciate the clean, even elegant but never intrusive layout, quality of reproduction and—oh frabjous [18] joy!—typo-free typography.
Incidentally, your spot illo of Vader vs. Skywalker is so fine, I wish you had time to do story illos in earnest.
Nice bookend placement of ‘Lord Vader’s Oredal'—hilariously outrageous and displaying Marti’s considerable versatility, and ‘Dark Calling’, wherein Cassandra Boyle takes a cliched vignette and turns it into new territory. The device of the mask as literal turn and metaphor is both effective and new.
‘Groundstaff Blues’ is an interesting entry in a sort of subgenre — the rank and file ‘little people’ of both sides of the conflict. It’s an uphill effort to spark interest in author-created characters, especially when the plot revolves around them, but Turner succeeds very well in fleshing them and their dilemmas out enough to make us care.
Veronica Wilson is another normally serious writer who shows alight side in ‘The Last Laugh?’. Did I say light? Rather, wickedly witty and with the kind of word games (Officer Casualty Quota) that make me think she’d have much to chat about with Liz Sharpe.
‘One Day on the Set’: amusing, and Leah’s hamster-powered sketch ‘thronemobile’ is hysterical.
‘Lightning Strike’ is Marti in her more usual serious mode with ac leverly diabolical conspiracy (which has disquieting echoes beyond a happy ending for the moment). Nancy Stasulis graces the piece with a marvelously composed tense illo. Excellent storytelling from author and artist both. From a strictly personal bias, I recall an earlier story in Pegasus which Nancy also illoed with a similar plot device of Leia’s being programmed at Bespin but which, for me, ended tragically with her killing Han. Needless to say, as well-written as the other was, I enjoyed this one far more.
‘The Bet’ is a fun verse yarn recounting how Han and the Falcon could have made the Kessel Run in those infamous ‘less than twelve parsecs’.
‘The Bloodstone’ also is Veronica’s return to a more familiar tone. But the story is by no means hackneyed. In fact, from quite a few years reading fan stories, and out of some truly offbeat backgrounds for Anakin Vader, I don’t believe I remember any that gave him a street-child youth not unlike that often reserved for Solo. Intriguing to speculate by what route this poor youngster attained the World Family of Alderaan and Luke and Leia’s mother. But Palpatine’s machinations are chilling, and most chilling of all is the last sentence.
The alternate universe story, ‘The Other’, is progressing very well and I look forward to the rest of it. Z.P. Florian’s various illos are nice work, especially the rock star young Anakin and Paltyna with her Solo wall ornament.
The cover is really striking with an effective posterlike composite and rather good likenesses.[19]
Issue 5
Imperium 5 was published in May 1995 and has 179 pages.
- Letters of Comment by The Readers (2)
- Vader's Heart by Bernadette Crumb (7)
- Outsiders by Louise Turner (33)
- Masters of the Game by Maggie Nowakowska (39)
- The Winner by John Fredericks (54)
- The Other: Destiny Fulfilled by Sharane McCurry (61)
- Constellation of the Heart by Mary Jo Fox (81)
- Knightfall by Auriette Lindsey (91)
- Repercussions by Marti Schuller (93)
- Ground Grunts by J.P.M. Treleaven (113)
- Throne by Z.P. Florian (119)
- Asteroid Encounters by Susan Zahn (125)
- Cold Hearted Sith, filk by Bambi, to the tune of "Cold Hearted" by Paula Abdul (128)
- If Yoda Can Lift It (I Can, Too), filk by Deborah Kittle, to the tune of "If Bubba Can Dance (I Can, Too)" by Shenandoah (129)
- Renegades, Rebels & Rogues, filk by Deborah Kittle, to the tune of of the same title by Tracy Lawrence from the "Maverick" soundtrack (130)
- Rebel Alliance Recruitment Association, filk by Deborah Kittle, to the tune of "American Honky Tonk Bar Association" by Garth Brooks (131)
- To Call The Darkness Light by Pat Nussman (133)
- Jewels of Destiny by Veronica Wilson 135
- Obsession by Veronica Wilson (147)
- Dark Odyssey by Marla Fair (151)
- untitled poem by Cheryl Deluca (179)
- art by Marla Fair (front cover), Mark Fisher, Melea Fisher, Z.P. Florian, John Fredericks, Wanda Lybarger, Matt Busch, Catherine Churko
from issue #5, Mark Fisher
from issue #5, Mark Fisher
from issue #5, Melea Fisher
from issue #5, Z.P. Florian
from issue #5, John Fredericks
from issue #5, Z.P. Florian
from issue #5, Melea Fisher
from issue #5, Wanda Lybarger
from issue #5, Melea Fisher
from issue #5, Catherine Churko
from issue #5, Marla Fair
from issue #5, Marla Fair
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5
Imperium 5 was a fine, professional-looking issue and one of the best SW zines available. I'm glad it won't be folding after all. The cover art for issue 5 by Maria Fair was very nice. In fact, all the art was fantastic, but I especially liked the illo by Mark Fisher on page 25. Melea's illo on page 32 for Louise Turner's Outsiders was exceptional. As always, Z.P. Florian's art astounds me. However, my personal favorite was on page 90 by Melea. Absolutely gorgeous! Fine work for all the talented artists to be proud of. Now to the written contents. Outsiders by Louise Turner was an insightful and welcome look at the lives and friendship of Wedge and Luke. Poignant, without being overly sentimental, this story added new depth to both characters. Masters Of The Game by Maggie Nowakowska was another interesting tale by this eloquent author. Her knowledge o f a true gambler's mind is nothing short of awesome and though I'm not completely familiar with her galaxy and its players, I can appreciate the emotion she brings to all the characters. She adds new levels to both Calrissian and Leia with her skill. The Winner by John Fredericks was a really interesting angle on the old question of Chewbacca's and Han's meeting. I liked the various points of view very much and Chewie's sarcastic thoughts were superb. Very good writing. To Call The Darkness Light by Pat Nussman. Though I have read similar themes in other stories, this one is chillingly told, the implications dreadful to ponder - even as a totally alternate tale. Obsession I, II, and III by Veronica Wilson offer, as usual, scathing insights into the three principle players of the SW saga. Of the three parts, however, my favorite is the third, particularly the line" With him we'd be three, but without him we're one". How aptly this seems to describe the Emperor's views. How truly revealing. Dark Odyssey by Maria Fair was a very exciting, well-told story. The characters were depicted believably and familiarly and the writing was smooth. Why is it that SW fandom seems to have so many multi-talented people in it? Here, as with Wanda Lybarger, is yet another who can draw quite well and also write with seeming ease and skill. It's wonderful and I'll certainly look forward to more of Ms. Fair's work in both fields, but I must confess a bit of envy as well. My favorite story in this issue was Ground Grunts by J.P. Treleaven. What a terrific read! The characters of Wyvern and Aber were totally three-dimensional and believable, as was Aber's reaction to Luke. The action was vividly described and the plot well-developed A thoroughly enjoyable story. Nice work, J.P.! This was another excellent issue and, as I've said before, I'll look forward eagerly to the next issue. Long may Imperium continue! [20]
No doubt about it, Imperium #5 is a winner! And that's not just because my story appeared in it. As per usual,it is beautifully put together. Less is more!I'll start off by complimenting the artists. Maria Fair turned out another excellent cover, one that will be hard to beat! The illustrations she did for her story were terrific as well. Melea Fisher's portraits of Luke, Wedge, Leia and Han were outstanding. (I'll bet Louise was drooling on page 32). Mark Fisher's illustrations for Vader's Heart warrant praise as well. And who's that Matt Busch guy? He's pretty good....
I always enjoy Debbie Kittle's filks; they're so well-written, never mind the feet I'm not a country fen. The Obsession poems were full of dark brooding angst, while the piece at the end captured the eternal hope that was always present in the movies.
Now for the stories. It was really tough to pick a favorite, because most of them were really good. For mainly sentimental reasons, Asteroid Encounters was very near and dear to my heart. Sue can really write Leia convincingly. As for Dark Odyssey, not only can this girl draw, she can really write! More, Marla, more. Louise Turner's Outsiders was another one of my favorites - I'm sure Luke andWedge forged a very close friendship, and Louise portrayed it pretty much the way I had imagined it. The Winner and Ground Grunts had some amusing moments.
To Call The Darkness, oh, NO! Say it isn't so. Vader's Heart and Jewels Of Destiny were the best of the darker stories, though I must say it would be kind of nice if for once somebody was a bit kinder to poor Ben Kenobi. I didn't think Masters O f The Game was bad or anything; it was great to see stuff that focused on Lando, and Mon Momma, two wonderful but woefully neglected characters. However, I didn't agree with the way Mothma in particular was portrayed. I know that Maggie has a grittier view of the saga than I do, but I'm sorry, I just couldn't get into it. And there were too many big words! (Just kidding.)
All in all, Imperium stands out as one of the best SW zines around. Keep it up, Arwen! [21]
Imperium #5 began with a fabulous cover from Marla Fair. Her shading came out beautifully.Vader's Heart was thought provoking. I had always assumed that Mrs. S. was married to Anakin and left him (or he left her) just as he turned to the Dark Side. Crumb really made us see how she could have loved Vader too. A sad ending but a great story. The other dark opus of the book, Jewels Of Destiny gave a detailed look at how Palpatine manipulated Vader to joining him. I liked the bit about Vader not trusting things that were completely perfect.
Outsiders was an insightful look at Luke and Wedge's relationship. It certainly makes sense mat the other X-wing pilots would have trouble accepting Luke in ANH. Ground Grunts addressed the same theme, though it explained how soldiers would respond to Luke's knighthood. Believable. Fandom needs more stories like Masters Of The Game which showcase Lando. Cool idea having he and Mon Mothma play cards for his generalship. Certainly explained how Han and Lando got promoted so quick in ROTJ. The only question I still have is whether Nowakowska was implying that Mon Momma was Luke and Leia's mom or a relative. Maybe I need to read it again?
Mary Jo Fox's Constellation O f The Heart was a straight ahead adventure yarn and Leia got to shoot some bad guys. I didn't figure out who done it in Repercussions until the characters did. Did Cutter appear in an earlier Schuller story? He seemed familiar. Asteroid Encounter made me laugh when Threepio was afraid he'd be welded to the hull. Her portrayal of Leia was right on the mark. Though I won't go into detail, I did enjoy the other stories and all the art, especially Florian's picture of Luke and Chewie, and her versions of Lando and Mon Mothma.
Just a few general comments on the zine. I like that you print people's full addresses (it actually saved me from having to look one up once). Also, the artwork that was shrunk still came out very clearly. Like everyone, I'd love to have all full page illos, but there is the reality of keeping zine sizes and printing costs reasonable. I understand the price of paper is set to go sky high any day now. Must be the Dark Side is working. Where's Ben when you need him?[22]
Another great issue of Imperium, delightful read. Marla Fair's cover was just as gorgeous as last issue. Am glad to see you kept her in the closet!Vsder's Heart by Bernadette Crumb was a really good Vader story. I liked the way she filled in the gaps. I also liked the way she paralleled Luke and his mother's attack by Palpatine. Mark Fisher's illos were beautiful.
Louise Turner's story Outsiders was a wonderful read. I like the way she had them get together and how they became friends and then the role reversal. Melea Fisher's illo of Wedge and the Death Star was gorgeous.
Masters Of The Game by Maggie Nowakowska was an interesting tale. I liked her portrayal of Mothma, I find it interesting that Lando's fete was decided on a game of sabacc but I liked it.
I liked Mary Jo Fox's Constellation Of The Heart. It was a nice Han and Leia story and I also liked Matt Busch's illo. I was glad to read of Cutter's return in Marti Schuller's story Repercussions. Well done and it is very true that there was probably hundreds or more of innocent people on bom Death Stars but the lives saved by its destruction hopefully would outweigh their deaths. First of all, I love J.P. Treleaven's title for her story Ground Grunts. The story was also a real delight and enjoyed the way the story was told.
Pat Nussman's To Call The Darkness Light gave me a few chills. I stopped and pondered the potential events that could have happened if it had come to pass. Very nicely written.
I was happy to see the cover artist had a story in this issue. Marla's illos for Dark Odyssey were breath-taking. I also enjoyed the story. It kept me on the edge of my seat The only problem I had was the device Han was given to defeat the creature. I would've liked a more in-depth explanation about what it was and how it was developed. It seemed a little too convenient. Otherwise, very nicely done.
All in all, a really good zine. I can't wait for #6.[23]
Imperium 5 was once again a shining example of great Star Wars fen fiction! I devoured this issue beautiful cover to cover and enjoyed every minute of it. Fantastic art and well-written fiction - thanks, Arwen, for bringing all this together!What a beginning - Bemadette Crumb did an amazing job with Vader's Heart, one o f my two favorite stories from this issue. Caleia and Anakin were both well-developed and captivating. My other favorite is Veronica Wilson's Jewels of Destiny. Her series about the young Anakin and Palpatine is engrossing, and I'm looking forward to new chapters.
I loved seeing Wedge's point of view in Louise Turner's Outsiders. I had thought only briefly, once, years ago about the possibility o f other prisoners aboard the Death Star, and I never made the connection and thought about Wedge losing his father. Louise presented his feelings beautifully, as did Melea Fisher in the accompanying art.
John Fredericks really captured Han Solo as the young trooper in The Winner. I could just hear Harrison (looking about like he did in Dead Heat on a Merry Go-Round) saying the lines.
Marti Schuller really kept me guessing in her mystery, Repercussions. Question: There's an asterisk next to the name "Balene" on page 99 when Cutter comes in - does this mean there are more stories with this enigmatic character?
Sue Zahn's Asteroid Encounters was a perfect missing scene story. I couldn't help but think o f it when I watched Empire again.
Dark Odyssey, by Maria Fair, was a very intense read. I really felt awful for Luke and Leia and what they were going through. I'm a bit jealous of Marla, though - not only can she write, but she can illustrate her own stories!
I liked Cheryl DeLuca's poem - and it provided a nice recovery from the last story. I wish her name had' been on the page with the poem, because at first, I thought it was part of Dark Odyssey.
I could probably go on for another page, but I'll let someone else have a turn. I'll just sit here waiting for Imperium 6...[24]
Issue 6
Imperium 6 was published in May 1997 and has 243 pages. The editor was Judith Yuenger.
I am not going to bore you with why this issue is so late. I sure that you don't really care one way or another and are just happy to finally have it in your hands.When it was first decided that I would take over all the stuff that Arwen had for #6, we thought that we would add the material that I had and put out a combined issue (#6/7). However, when I saw all the stuffthat Arwen had, I decided that I would save most of what I had and put it out next year as #7 (with the consent ofthose contributors).
This issue is a combined effort between Arwen and myself. We each did some of the editing, got artwork, etc. I got everything typed up and prepared and then sent it to Arwen so that she could do most of the layout and I did rest. A kind of interesting fact emerged. Veronica's story in this issue was, when she sent it to us, NINETY pages long. When I formatted it, it reduced down to SIXTY pages and then when Arwen reformatted it, it went down to FORTY-EIGHT pages.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who submitted stories, artwork, poems, filks, etc. to this issue.
I have been in contact with all of you regarding the lateness of this issue. You all have been very forbearing and very helpful. It has been a pleasure working with such wonderful people. From the bottom o f my heart, thanks for making my job so much easier and so much more pleasant.
Submissions for Imperium #7 shouldbe submitted to me. Imperium #7 will premierat MediaWest Con 1998. A submissions guideline is available if you send me a SASE. In the past, contributors have received a free copy ofImperium regardless ofhow muchmaterial they submitted. Sadly, I'm sorry to say, that policy will have to be curtailed. The rising costs of printing force us to end this tradition. The guideline lists how much submitted material gets a free copy or a percentage off the purchase price.
- Letters of Comment by Various (1)
- Funeral Games by ZP Florian (3)
- The Adventures of L. Anakin Skywalker by MJ Mink (7)
- Loyalties by MJ Mink (15)
- Gotcha by Ken Keisel (19)
- Enemy Fire by Louise Turner (21)
- Champions by Mary Jo Fox (51)
- Interpretations by John Fredricks (53)
- At What Price? by Catriona Campbell (A few days after the events of A New Hope Han is offered a job by the Alliance Command. Luke and Leia join him, but all are caught in the middle of a feud between two Imperial Officers, and their fate is in the hands of a manipulative young man.) (61)
- Shadow Sithlord by Belea T. Keeney (86)
- Tempting Fate by Veronica Wilson (87)
- Torn by Cheryl DeLuca (137)
- Eye of the Storm by Marla Fair (139)
- Ceremony by Mary Jo Fox 155)
- Crystal City of the Jedi by Tammy Olsen (156)
- Turnabout by K. Wills Sterling (165)
- Reality Bites by Marcia Brin (184)
- Monkey by Marcia Brin (185)
- The Bothans by Z.P. Florian (187)
- Filks by Deborah Kittle (198)
- Antilles by James Addams (201)
- Mevasa by Marti Schuller (214)
- Encyclopedia Galactica by Janice Brockley (238)
- Artwork by Marla Fair (front cover), Z.P. Florian, John Fredricks, Wanda Lybarger (back cover), A.G. Steyn, Nadye Whitham
from issue #6, Wanda Lybarger
from issue #6, Nadye Whitham
from issue #6, Marla Fair
from issue #6, Z.P. Florian
from issue #6, Z.P. Florian
from issue #6, Marla Fair
from issue #6, Marla Fair
from issue #6, Z.P. Florian
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6
Congratulations to you, Judy, on a job well done with this issue (Imperium #6) and best wishes for your time at the helm of Imperium. It's always great to have a superior zine around and I know you'll do a great job. I wanted to congratulate the many artists who contributed to this issue before commenting on my favorite stories. The artwork throughout the zine, and cover to cover, was exceptionally nice. You all deserve kudos for your fine efforts. As usual, I will only comment on those stories that, for one reason or another, struck a chord in me, but I did enjoythe entire zine. Turnabout by K. Wills Sterling was a veiy well-written story offering plausible history for the pre-ANH Solo. While I've not read this writer's work before, I will be on the lookout for more. SW fanfiction can never have enough writers of this caliber. Good work. The Adventures Of Anakin Skywalker by M. J. Mink - you are one funny, sick, twisted lady! I like it, I like it!!! At What Price by Catriona Campbell was a well-told, action oriented story in true SW fashion. The Y'iami was an especially intriguing being andone I hope this author will bring back in future "episodes'. Nicely plotted, with fully developed characters, it's great to see Treenain print again! I've missed you,gal!! Tempting Fate by Veronica Wilson- Besides giving us a good adventure, this story offers an exciting glimpse of what seems wholly possible in the inter actions between Leia and Vader. Once again, Veronica brings new depth and insight to two powerful, complex characters while creating an all-too-real political background. Gratifying, yet thought-provoking, writing! All in all, another good issue of a good zine and I look forward to the next issue eagerly. [25]
You and Arwen deserve kudos for Imperium #6. This zine has an excellent reputation to live up to. What an awesome edition. Marla Fair's dynamic front cover captured the Star Wars characters in a lovely montage. I like the symmetry of the composition and the way Vader looms over it all- in the background- but at the center of the piece. My favorite pieces were: Funeral Games by Z.P. Florian continued her tradition of good storytelling in the Star Wars universe. Her Anakin was an arrogant and cold young man; ripe for the picking by Palpatine. Their conversation was chilling. A n interesting discussion o f Dark vs. Lightside philosophies. The Adventures Of Anakin Skywalkerby M. J. Mink was another stellar tale. It was a dark yet jaunty take on the trilogy. The run-on sentences made it a quirky and entertaining read. Minky has put together an unsettling combination of light tone with rather grim events. Would Vader (or would it have been Anakin?) have wept i f Luke had died on the Death Star? Quite an interesting question. John Frederick's Interpretations was a new perspective on Ben, Anakin and Yoda. And another double-fisted fan: yes, he writes and he draws. Tempting Fatewas a lengthy and satisfying masterpiece by Veronica Wilson. She addressed a "taboo" topic that she had alluded to in previous stories - an unsettling attraction between Vader and Leia. I admire her ability to write each character's point of view with such authority and believability. Her original characters are well-dran, too. The perspective on Morini matriarchal society was also enjoyable. More, please, more! Imperium #7 is eagerly awaited! [26]
I have been catching up with SW fiction missed over the last couple of years, courtesy of my good friend Carolyn Golledge. I noticed that most of the fiction that moved me most was written by one Veronica Wilson. Your newest issue contains a prime example of her work. Tempting Fate is one of the best SW stories I have read, and I say that without hesitation. Few stories have looked at the relationship between Leia and Vader, and few have done so without concentrating on her hatred of him. Veronica has amazing ability (why aren't there books on bookshop shelves with your name on the spine, woman?) While her vision of Vader may not tie precisely with that presented by the movie universe, it is nonetheless a very human, fascinating and ultimately believable one. She also managed an extremely difficult feat (and I speak as a writer here as well as an appreciative audience) in having Vader acknowledge his need to have Leia and keep it totally non-sexual. I read every page of this thoroughly enjoyable long work and my only disappointment was that there weren't more pages to read. More, please! I hope to attend MediaWest Con next year and if Veronica is there, I would love to meet her and con gratulate her in person. Writing such as yours, Veronica, makes the rest of us envious as well as mak ing us try harder. I also enjoyed The Bothans by Z. P. Florian, another author who's stories I like. An odd little idea that appealed to my strange tastes. . .I've always had a soft (in the head) spot for vampires, and the idea o f a vampireintheSW universe is a neat one. The general quality of your fiction is superb and I felt I had received a good value. Well done, and I look forward to the next issue. [27]
Although we had to wait two years for it, Imperium #6 again proves to be the home of some of the best stories in fandom. Arwen's last turn as layout master was as good as her past efforts; her simple elegant style will be missed. But I am glad the zine will liveonunderJudy'ssupervision- though I don't know how she does it! I was also glad to see another nice cover by Marla Fair. Her illos were fantastic. Another favorite illo was of the merry trio as kids by Wanda Lybarger. How cute! Okay, the stories. It's going to be a crowded field in the next STAR aWARdS long story category come next spring! Louise's Enemy Fire was an excellent Wedge adventure, filled with action and humor. I don't know which was funnier, Wedge getting caught looking at the medical journal or Luke chastising the pilots as he dispatches the badguys. I read James Addams's Antilles years ago; it's too bad he doesn't write more fan fiction. . .1 haven't seen that Chewie story he promised yet. Turnabout by K. Wills Sterling was a very well-written Solo story, with close careful attention to canon. I liked how she fleshed out Bib Fortuna's sleazy character, a creep driven by greed and his addiction to ryll. Han's heart of gold shines through his mercenary I-don't-care facade once more, very true to the guy we've seen onscreen. Tempting Fate had Veronica teaming Vader up with Leia oncemore; okay, some parts of it I was saying to myself, "Yeah, right I believe this arrangement" and I'm not sure if Vader was really a bleeding-heart-liberal under all of that armor. But the story was very well-written and parts of the story were compelling. I have to say that I probably enjoyed Catriona Campbell's At What Price the most It was a great action-adventure tale utilizing all of the main characters, not something you see too much of in fan fiction. I found The Bothans utterly weird; not so much because Z.P.'s Bothans are vastly different from what I think they are, as it is whether SW fits into a typical vampire story. The Encyclopedia Galactica wasjust bizarre. To wrap this up, Debbie Kittle's filks were as enjoyable as always, particularly Another Imp Bites The Dust Overall, a great issueof Imperium... I'm looking forward to #7! [28]
I enjoyed reading Imperium #6 very much - a delightful zine. Marla Fair's cover art is again gorgeous. She is very talented! Louise Turner's Enemy Fire was really good. I love how she portrays Wedge and the squadron. Interpretations by John Fredericks was a decent pre-SW story, filling in some blanks. At What Price by Catriona Campbell was a really fine story- lots of action- well done. Veronica Wilson's Tempting Fate was incredible! I really loved this one. Enjoyed Leia and Vader's interactions. I like Ceremony by Mary Jo Fox -- a great story filler. An interesting and enjoyable story by K. Wills Sterling; Turnabout gives an intriguing twist to ROTJ. Z.P. Florian's The Bothan was strange but interesting. I can't picture Bothans as bloodsuckers, but it was quite a different twist As for James Addams' story Antilles, I did enjoy his version very much. A.G. Steyn's cartoons were cute. Mevasa by Marti Schuller was really good. An intense and powerful story. Glad to see Cutter return. Well done. This issue was worth the two year wait Thanks for the many hours of enjoyment Can't wait for#7. [29]
Brin: Monkey- loved the ending "I'll be only Luke Skywalker, whoever he turns out to be. Wilson: Tempting Fate-not the first time that she got Vader and Leia together, always an explosive combination. I can't have enough of her Vader. Mink: The Adventures - it would have been funny, except that I cried... Keisel: Gotcha-good to see that some people still remember bido oil. Shouldn't the new generation read those stories? Campbell: At What Price- welcome back, that's a good, exciting story! Fredericks: Interpretations - loved the uncertain Force visions and the dynamics between Ben and Yoda. Now, what's the next story? Sterling: Turnabout - gritty, realistic, colorful, excellent Schuller: Mevasa - not only a good story, but finally, Han and Leia are acting as parents. Many thanks for that. Brockley: Encyclopedia - a perfectly beautiful mockery of history writing at its usual. Loved the beautiful drawings by Marla Fair. A word of regret... due to, I think, some problem in a find and replace program during editing (the names needed to be changed) in my story, The Bothans, the names of the vampire twins were frequently reversed. I doubt anyone had a chance to understand which of the twins was doing what, or even which was the boy and which was the girl. Those who did should be given some kind of a prize. [30]
Issue 7
Imperium 7 was published in May 1998 and has 289 pages.
- Letters of Comment by The Readers (1)
- Even Asses Can Dance by Marla F. Fair (6)
- Fuzzy Cargo by Z.P. Florian (Han and Herlivon transport an interesting cargo. Why do things never seem to go easy for these two?) (10)
- For a Fistful of Credits by Mary Jo Fox (19)
- I Know by Deborah Kittle (21)
- Rescue on a Small Satellite by Marti Schuller (A distress call is received from some Imperials. Is it real or is it a trap? Luke and Han decide to find out.) (22)
- Savage Dove by Belea T. Keeney (Inspired by MJ . Mink's Favorite Son, this tale sees Leia appealing for help from Vader.) (52)
- Difficult Sometimes by Cindy Olsen ( Leia deals with her feelings for Han.) (60)
- Stars Over Coruscant by Deborah Kittle (75)
- Chances Are by Rebecca Maynard (A young Han rescues a young girl and meets a hard-boiled but sympathetic tag.) (76)
- Paradox by Veronica Wilson (113)
- The Next Step by Amy S. Farmer (Luke gets a rather strange student at his Jedi Academy.) (115)
- Lord of the Day by M.J Mink (Luke inherits Castle Vader and finds someone he didn't know existed.) (118)
- Shadows of the Mind by Jamie C. Cohen & Dennis Biegel (132)
- Destiny's Dawn by Veronica Wilson (148)
- Questions and.... by Richard Gawel (149)
- Tree of Life by Cara J. Loup (Han and Luke have been estranged for some time. Han bolsters his courage and asked for Luke's help. Chewie is dying and Han hopes that Luke's hocus pocus can help.) (152)
- The Private Torments of Lord Vadar by Marti Schuller (173)
- Dreams by Marie Flanigan (Leia has had some bad experiences and Han is trying to pry them out of her.) (174)
- Like There Ain't No Yesterday by Deborah Kittle (181)
- Choices by Amy S. Farmer (182)
- Endor Morning by Veronica Wilson (184)
- Chrysalis by K. Willis Sterling (A sequel to Chances Are. Han is now living with the tag, Jac and life is definitely not a bed of roses between the two hard- headed men.) (186)
- art by Marla Fair (front cover) , Kristen Brown, Z.P. Florian, Rebecca Maynard, Nancy Stasulis, A.G. Steyn, Rhyderrch Wilson (back cover), and Zyene
inside page from issue #7, Marla Fair
inside page from issue #7, Z.P. Florian
inside page from issue #7, Zyene
inside page from issue #7, Kristen Brown
inside page from issue #7, Nancy Stasulis
inside page from issue #7, Z.P. Florian
inside page from issue #7, A.G. Steyn
inside page from issue #7, Rebecca Maynard
inside page from issue #7, Z.P. Florian
inside page from issue #7, Nancy Stasulis
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 7
Marla Fair - Even Asses Can Dance, it's been ages since anyone wrote Han as a Force user. Must say it was refreshing. Schuller - Rescue On A Small Satellite, vintage Schuller, full of good characters as usual. And, The Private Torments Of Lord Vadervtas a particularly beautiful vignette. Keeney - Savage Dove, loved it! What a great Leia, what a great Vader, what a great story! Maynard - Chances Are, it's always good to get the little Leia and the young Han together, good adventure too. Sterling - Chrysalis, the continuation o f the above, clearly proved that one good story inspires another good story. Mink - Lord Of The Day, now that's a very interesting setting for the Sith, and Ronin is a good character, enjoyed Luke's acceptance of the situation too. Loup- Tree Of Life, a beautiful visit on Kashyyyk. Olsen - Difficult Sometimes, a truly splendid insidelook at Han and Leia's relationship. Flanigan - Dreams, now that's a rare realistic view of what had happened to Leia, and a blessedly good explanation of why she looked so good after the torture on the Death Star, my special thanks for that. Farmer - Choices, another good Leia story, glad to see more of those, she deserves to be portrayed well. Cohen and Biegel - Shadows Of The Mind- very scary. Loved Wilson's poems, Kittle's filks and Steyn's wicked cartoons, Fair's drawings, the marvelous Stasulis on page 130, the dark moody Maynards. Brown's very promising lines, and Zyene's poetic lifetree. [31]
This is one of the best zines I've read in a while, and it's an honor to be included. I really liked Maria's Even Asses CanDance. Not many people stop to consider the relationship between Ben and Han. I'm glad she did, and did it so well. ZP's Fuzzy Cargo was funny, and Mary Jo's Fistful, though brief, was well-drawn. Cindy's Difficult Sometimes was very well-done, with great tension between Han and Leia. TESB has some great unresolved questions. How long were Han and Leia stuck on the Falcon as they escapedto Cloud City? And what did they do during all that time? Cindy really gets at the effects that long, claustrophobic ride would have had on than. I also liked Amy's Next Step. Personally, I like it when authors stq) away from the main characters and explorethe minor characters, throwaway lines and plot points from the movies and novels. Same goes for Jamie & Dennis's Shadow O f The Mind, which resurrects a great villain in Nil Spaar. They managed to effectively show how badly Han was tortured while in Yevethan space, and show that Spaar is a villain as evil and deadly as any in the SW galaxy. And, yet, on top of all this, two stories blew me away - Chances A r e and Chrysalis. Rebecca sets up Han's rough childhood with warmth and depth. And, little Leia is just as smart and as feisty as she should be, hintingat the warrior princess she will someday become. The minor characters, like Jaq and Bail Organa, are well-developed without stealing the show, while whetting the reader's appetite to find out more about them. And, she handles the continuity problem for Leia logically and nicely, though I wonder about Han's memory. Is there a future story there, too? Did I say something about whetting the appetite? K. Wills delivered. Han's teenage conflicts, adjusting to school, a new father figure, and his ties to his past life of crime were all displayed. Jaq's own conflicts were well-written, too. Also, the layered structure of the story, with the tale of corruption on top of this developing relationship, was sophisticated. Of course, I was expecting an unhappy ending - Jac getting killed, perhaps - which would produce the cynical and jaded Han we know from the films. But, Han and Jaq seem to live happily ever after. So, what happens to change all this? Again, is there a sequel in the works? Finally, I almost neglected to mention Marti's Rescue On A Small Satellite, a rousing, fun adventure. Her minor characters gave the story its resonance. She also portrayed the Imperials very well, showing that they do have honor and duty and a sense of protection towards the general public. They're not all cackling power-hungry Dark Siders. There were plenty of other stories, drawings, poems and cartoons throughout the zine that were excellent. Once again, this was a great zine. Thanks for the copy and thanks for including me.[32]
Congratulations, Judy, on a fine and deliciously large issue. Imperium is one o f the best zines available today and under your control I know it will continue to be so for some time to come. As usual, the artwork throughoutthe zine was very good, but i especially loved A.G. Steyn's cartoons and Nancy Stasulis's illos. Both these artists just seem to get better and better. I also liked Z.P. Florian's illos on pages 12and 148. The story contents were also excellent, though I will comment only on a select few lest this become a novella in itself. Even Asses Can Dance by Maria F. Fair was a beautifully written beginning to the zine. I like her interpretation of Han's internal battle and Obi-Wan's ghostly intervention on that fateful Hoth night Her Han is a man I can believe in, too. Nice job. Difficult Sometimes by Cindy Olsen was a nice piece, creating a plausible scenario for a princess's confused heart. Chances Are by Rebecca Maynard is one of my most favorite stories in this issue. I love this writer's galaxy and the rich characters in it, especially Jaq Odella and Maresha. Well-written with vivid scenes and realistic dialogue, this story was a delight to read. Chrysalis by K. Wills Sterling was my other favorite story in the zine. Wonderfully, believably written,thisisaterrificstory. Knowingthattheauthor used some characters from another fan's work makes it only that much more exceptional. Great work! As usual, I look forward to next year's issue. Kudos to Judy and all the fine artists and writers affiliated with Imperium. May your imaginations never fail. Thanks for letting we readers enjoy your talents. [33]
Marla Fair has been doing some fantastic covers on Imperium and the one on issue #7 is no exception. I enjoyed her artwork and story Even Asses Can Dance. Her interplay between HanandObi-Wan Kenobi was great. Marti Schuller's Rescue On A Small Satellite was a wonderful story. I loved the way the Imperials and Alliance members interacted and the way she dragged it out Difficult Sometimes by Cindy Olsen was a good Han and Leia story. I really enjoyed it. Rebecca Maynard's Chances Are and K. Wills Sterling's sequel Chrysalis were incredible. I loved the young Han in these stories - he's very believable and hope to see another story where Jag and Maresha get together. Shadows Of The Mind by Cohen and Biegel was a well done post-Black Fleet Crisis novel story. They seemed to capture all the emotions and turmoil that I felt while reading the novel. I enjoyed all of A. G. Steyn's cartoons - lots of fun. Thanks to all for a wonderful read. [34]
Thank you so much for the copy of Imperium 7, and thank you for finding space inside it for my tiny little vignette. This is one of the best zines I've read in a while, and it's an honor to be included. I really liked Maria's Even Asses Can Dance. Not many people stop to consider the relationship between Ben and Han. I'm glad she did, and did it so well. ZP's Fuzzy Cargo was funny, and Mary Jo's Fistful, though brief, was well-drawn. Cindy's Difficult Sometimes was very well-done, with great tension between Han and Leia. TESB has some great unresolved questions. How long were Han and Leia stuck on the Falcon as they escapedto Cloud City? And what did they do during all that time? Cindy really gets at the effects that long, claustrophobic ride would have had on than. I also liked Amy's Next Step. Personally, I like it when authors stq) away from the main characters and explorethe minor characters, throwaway lines and plot points from the movies and novels. Same goes for Jamie & Dennis's Shadow O f The Mind, which resurrects a great villain in Nil Spaar. They managed to effectively show how badly Han was tortured while in Yevethan space, and show that Spaar is a villain as evil and deadly as any in the SW galaxy. And, yet, on top of all this, two stories blew me away - Chances Are and Chrysalis. Rebecca sets up Han's rough childhood with warmth and depth. And, little Leia is just as smart and as feisty as she should be, hinting at the warrior princess she will someday become. The minor characters, like Jaq and Bail Organa, are well-developed without stealing the show, while whetting the reader's appetite to find out more about them. And, she handles the continuity problem for Leia logically and nicely, though I wonder about Han's memory. Is there a future story there, too? Did I say something about whetting the appetite? K. Wills delivered. Han's teenage conflicts, adjusting to school, a new father figure, and his ties to his past life of crime were all displayed. Jaq's own conflicts were well- written, too. Also, the layered structure o f the story, with the tale o f corruption on top o f this developing relationship, was sophisticated. Of course, I was expecting an unhappy ending - Jac getting killed, perhaps - which would produce the cynical and jaded Han we know from the films. But, Han and Jaq seem to live happily ever after. So, what happens to change all this? Again, is therea sequel in the works? Finally, I almost neglected to mention Marti's Rescue On A Small Satellite, a rousing, fun adventure story. Her minor characters gave the story its resonance. She also portrayed the Imperials very well, showing that they do have honor and duty and a sense of protection towards the general public. They're not all cackling power-hungry Dark Siders. There were plenty of other stories, drawings, poems and cartoons throughout the zine that were excellent. Once again, this was a great zine. Thanks for the copy and thanks for including me. [35]
[Difficult Sometimes]: "Cindy Olsen's fics are terrific. I became hopelessly hooked when I read "Difficult Sometimes," which is incredibly sexy even though there's no actual sex in it. She nails both Han and Leia's characters; I don't think I've seen any other writer, fanfic or profic, who got their personalities so right. How I wish she was writing the profic instead of the Del Rey authors."[36]
Issue 8
Imperium 8 was published in May 1999 and has 295 pages. Artwork by Matt Busch (front cover) and Z.P. Florian (back cover). Other art by Z.P. Florian, John Conway, Bert-Olof Lundin, and A.G. Steyn.
- Letters of Comment by The Readers (1)
- Cartoon by A.G. Steyn (3)
- Lifemates by Marti Schuller ("Han and Leia have the ideal union -- or do they? Who is the mysterious new woman in Solo's life? Can love really overcome all obstacles, and if it can't, is this the end for the galaxy's favorite twosome?") (4)
- A Devil's Bargain by Mary Jo Fox ("Lando Calrissian thought he could save his city and his friends. But there are no real winners in a deal with Darth Vader.") (24)
- Don't Remember Me by Z.P. Florian (31)
- Lando's Rescue by Rebecca S. Wolking (37)
- Transgalactic E-mail by A.G. Steyn (38)
- You're Gone by Deborah Kittle (43)
- Honor Among Thieves by Carolyn Golledge ("Is there an assassin after Leia? And why have medical supplies been stolen? Han Solo falls under suspicion and Leia is sent to spy on him -- she discovers he has unsuspected talent.") (reprinted in Never Say Die #1) ((44)
- Palpatine by Mary Jo Fox (75)
- First Assignment by Richard Gawel ("Mara Jade is just a teenager but she's determined to prove to the Emperor that she can be one of his best agents. But sometimes idealism and determination aren't enough to make up for the inexperience and naivete especially on the wild streets of Imperial City.") (76)
- Shadows Before Dawn part 1 Shadows Before Dawn part 2 by Kelly Hodgson Kline (A sequel to "Shadows of the Mind" by Jamie C. Cohen and Dennis Biegel. "Set sixteen years after ROTJ, Han Solo is forced to confront an old nemesis -- Nil Spaar. Reluctantly returning to the genocidal viceroy's spawnworld of N'zoth, he is willing to sacrifice just about anything to save his wife and child.") (86)
- First Steps by Judy Ebberly (118)
- Facing the Past by Augusta Downey-Hovey (128)
- Cartoon by A.G. Steyn (137)
- Can't Really Be Gone by Deborah Kittle (139)
- Dark Moon by Jamie Cohen & Laura Tarzia (140)
- It's Always Easier to Run Away by Alison Glover (Set during Return of the Jedi. A conversation between Han and Luke. Winner of the Star Award for Best Medium Story.) (180)
- Cartoon by A.G. Steyn (197)
- Understanding Owen by Rebecca S. Wolking (198)
- Cartoon by A.G. Steyn 201
- Han and the Jawas by Z.P. Florian (203)
- Blood Calling by Marti Schuller (204)
- Bounty Huntin' by Deborah Kittle (215)
- Truly Dead by Z.P. Florian ("Tarkin finds out who's behind Vader's mask.") (216)
- Life Debt by Cindy Olsen (A story of Han and Chewbacca's first meeting, and how the life debt began. "An academy honors graduate, decorated with the Corellian bloodstripe and promoted early, Lt. Han Solo was a hotshot young Navy pilot with a promising career in front of him and trouble looking for a place to happen. Given on final chance to redeem himself for his misdemeanors, Han resolves to change his attitude in order to keep his wings. But when confronted by the plight of a Wookiee slave, Han must ultimately decide in which direction his future lies.") (222)
- [NOTE: on the flyer, may not be in the zine]: Missing Moments: Owen by Rebecca S. Wolking ("Luke visits his old home before rescuing Han from Jabba the Hutt and gets a difference perspective on his uncle's personality.")
interior page from issue #8, A.G. Steyn
interior page from issue #8, Z.P. Florian
interior page from issue #8, Bert-Olof Lundin
interior page from issue #8, John Conway
interior page from issue #8, Bert-Olof Lundin
interior page from issue #8, Z.P. Florian
interior page from issue #8, filk by Mary Jo Fox
interior page from issue #8, John Conway
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 8
Another great issue! Imperium 8 is overflowing with creative works. Striking front cover by a most talented Matt Busch, but have to say that Z.P.'s Han on the back cover was more to my taste. And I always get a laugh out of A.G. Steyn's cartoons - what a wicked sense of humor!There were so many well-crafted stories in this issue, I hardly know where to start. Have to admit, though, I love anything by Marti Schuller. Her dialogue always sounds true to me, and her affection for the characters and entire universe always shines through. I particularly enjoyed Blood Calling, as it gave us an unusual view of some oft-ignored characters. I always love 'childhood' pov stories.
Z.P.Florian has to be one of the most inspired fans I've ever come across - wonderful stories and art! The woman does it all! Her take on Anakin is always inventive; Don't Remember Me and Truly Dead areno exception. Vader's guilt over his son's death, and his need to be punished, were remarkable. Her stories are always thought-provoking. A particular favorite of mine was It's Always Easier To Run Away by Alison Glover. A lovely conversation between Han, Luke, and Chewie the night before the big Endor battle. Always knew Han wouldn't let Luke go off without demanding an explanation! Now I know what happened off-screen.
I enjoyed the portrayal ofa young, confident Han in Cindy Olsen's Life Debt. It's always interesting to read different interpretations of the inception of that bond between Han and Chewie. Rebecca Wolking's Understanding Owen paralleled many of my own thoughts about this gruffly protective and affectionate man. Richard Gawel's First Assignment was an appealing glimpse into an unfamiliar character. And,as always, Carolyn Golledge has given us a lively and action-filled adventure in Honor Among Thieves. Wonderful zine from cover to cover. Thanks to all who contributed their time, energy, and creativity! [37]
Another solid issue of Imperium. Good stuff inside and out.Covers - nicely done. Both Matt Busch and Z.P. Florian should take a bow. Marti Schuller's Lifemates story was interesting. Well-written and well-plotted, it took a different direction not generally done. But Marti likes to do that withher tales. I enjoyed her take on the early life of Ben and Owen in in Blood Calling. The Devil's Bargain by Mary Jo Fox gave Lando some limelight. A nice filler for ESB. And a great filk, Palpatine - one of my fave holiday songs, too. I like Mara Jade as a character and thought Rich Gawel's story First Assignment was a nice read. Kelly Hodgson Kline followed up with a good sequel with Shadows Before Dawn. Dark Moon by Cohen and Tarzia - what can I say but I think this was the ultimate toasted Han story ever! Cindy Olsen's take on Han's early life and meeting Chewbacca in Life Debt was an engrossing story I enjoyed immensely. Welldone.
Another excellent issue. Great job, Judy. [38]
Well done, Judith! Imperium 8 was a fine collection of excellent stories and high class artwork. The best illos were the front cover by Matt Busch, Z.P. Florian's back cover and John Conway's artwork for three of the stories. I especially liked the one on page 187.All the stories were great and I mean that, but I'll select a few o f my favorites to comment on. Lifemates by Marti Schuller was probably one of my favorites as it captured the devotion Leia has for Han even though she has to face his apparent betrayal with Ziltaya. Luckily Leia was able to forgive him when Luke finally uncovered the truth. Cindy Olsen's Life Debt was great and one of the best how-Han-met-Chewie stories I've ever read. Poor Chewie certainly suffered under Montesuren and it was a good job Han was willing to sacrifice everything in order to save him. Shadows Before Dawn by Kelly Hodgson Kline was an excellent follow up to Shadows Of The Mind. It was a great idea introducing a daughter Han didn't even know he had with Bria. Luckily for him, Leia was able to accept her, especially after all she did for the family. Enjoyed Judy Ebberley's First Steps. Are you ever going to write a story where Han finally finds out that Rahandir is his father, Judy? It was nice to visit the Cove again in Carolyn Golledge's Honor Among Thieves. Loved the mud-slinging match and Leia's handling of her kidnappers.
Look forward to the next issue and hopefully more great stories from the best film series around. [39]
This is a wonderful zine - beautifully put together and full of stories, cartoons, and artwork that made my mouth water.Have to say I enjoyed all of it and find it difficult to pick out a few but here goes. Special mentions for: Lifemates by Marti Schuller which I really enjoyed and was so well crafted. Honor Among Thieves by Carolyn Golledge was another rousing adventure. A great follow-up to The Princess And The Nerf Herder, and thoroughly enjoyable. Also enjoyed Dark Moon and It's Always Easier To Run Away - both with good storylines.
Congratulations to you and Marti for putting out another master zine. [40]
Issue 9
Imperium 9 was published in May 2000 and has 167 pages. It has art by Sandra Scholes, Z.P. Florian, and A.G. Steyn (front cover).
- Letters of Comment (1)
- Cartoon by Nancy Stasulis (3)
- Out of the Badlands by Cara J. Loup (4)
- Mirage by Deborah Kittle (11)
- Diplomatic Maneuvers by Judy Ebberly (12)
- Musings of the Emperor by Marti Schuller (24)
- Computer Image by Z.P. Florian (27)
- Winter by Kate Birkel (28)
- But They Don't Know You by A.G. Steyn (34)
- Return to Iridonia by Z.P. Florian (35)
- Isolation by Mary Jo Fox (42)
- Cartoon by Sandra Scholes (45)
- Retreat from Yavin by Amy S. Farmer (46)
- Final Insight by Amy S. Farmer (49)
- Slaver's Story: The Limits of Loyalty by Belea T. Keeney (50)
- The Choice by T.J. Perkins (63)
- Since My Life Went Mad by A.G. Steyn (65)
- A Mother's Decision by Valerie Vancolli (What if Padme had brought Luke to his father when he was only nine months old?) (66)
- I Can Still Feel You by Deborah Kittle (89)
- Let Bygones Be Bygones by A.G. Steyn (90)
- The Ashes of the Past by Amy S. Farmer (111)
- The Barmaid's Song by A.G. Steyn (113)
- The Eternal Challenge by Selinthia Avenchesca (114)
- Solitary Anguish by T.J. Perkins (121)
- Yavin-Sized Heartache by Deborah Kittle (123)
- Loss by Marti Schuller (124)
- Bloody Sands by Z.P. Florian (143)
- Cartoon by A.G. Steyn (151)
- Homecoming by Alison Glover (A Phantom Menace story. Obi-wan deals with the aftermath of Qui-Gon's death.) (152)
inside art from issue #9, "computer image"
inside art from issue #9, Z.P. Florian
inside art from issue #9, Sandra Scholes
inside art from issue #9, Z.P. Florian
inside art from issue #9, sample text
inside art from issue #9, Z.P. Florian
inside art from issue #9, Z.P. Florian
inside art from issue #9, Sandra Scholes
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 9
Loved the zine. Once I started reading it I couldn't I found myself reading everything, even stories about characters I'm normally not that interested in.Special mentions for: The cover art, loved the way it was done. Cara Loup's Out Of The Badlands. I simply love the stories where Luke or Leia learn of their heritage. Musings Of The Emperor by Marti Schuller instantly grasped my attention. Isolation by Mary Jo Fox gave a great insight on how Ben must have felt on Tatooine all those years. Belea T. Keeney's Slaver's Story.The Limits Of Loyalty also gave me a great look at what Maul's life might have been like before TPM. The Eternal Challenge by Selinthia Avenchesca was also wonderfully done, giving me a nice look at what could have been. stop!
Z.P.Florian's Bloody Sands was a great story on how Anakin could have started out on the wrong path. Loved the whole zine! [41]
Another stellar issue to compliment you two on! This is such a lovely zine in many ways...Overall, the fiction is high quality and satisfying. It was good to see a mix of original trilogy and Phantom Menace in the zine. A.G. Steyn's stark cover was striking and I especially enjoyed her Obi-Wan and Amidala cartoon. (So that's where Leia got her penchant for odd hairstyles.)My favorite stories were the pieces you used to bookend the zine. Cars Loup's Out Of The Badlands was a compelling portrait of Leia searching for answers of her own. What a lovely piece. It was elegantly written, as usual. The characterization of Leia was right on target, but I especially enjoyed her take on Shmi. Yes, she probably is/was a Force user and Qui Gon just dismissed her out of hand! Chauvinistic tendencies, even in a Jedi. Sigh. I liked the little non-earth touches she worked into the piece as well. The sunrider, the pearlbrush. Luke's puzzlement at Leia's decision about her life and her father was nicely done. Though I enjoy stories where Leia accepts her parentage, this one was completely believable in that she wasn't swept away into Luke's sparkly ideas of Anakin. Luke never really knew Anakin or Vader. Leia knew at least one of them well enough to develop antipathy and who can blame her? I would love to read more of her Shmi.
The other noticeably strong story in the zine was Alison Glover's Homecoming. A hankie alert should have been issued for this one! I especially liked her freighter captain, Sshill-zan-Zryt, who had a distinctive non-human culture and point of view. Kenobi was well drawn in his grief without being maudlin. And Shivon was a nice contrast to her dead brother and his idealism. Yes, I really did tear up reading this one. It was nice to see Z.P. Florian writing Maul. Her story was imaginative, as usual, and it was nice to see some of the Shh Lord. In fact, I was disappointed that mere weren't more stories about this compelling character. It was also good to see you're providing a forum for some new, young writers. A couple of the stories had interesting ideas and it's good to see some new blood. My only quibble is that a stronger hand in editing was in order. One piece in particular had an excess of adverbs and an intrusive use of verb phrases attached to nearly every dialogue tag. This was distracting and could have been fixed with editing. With encouragement and editorial guidance, these writers could work on their craft and become much stronger authors.
Thanks again for a wonderful zine. I'm looking forward to next year's edition. [42]
I must begin this LoC with my enthusiasm about Imperium #9 and the one story that made my day.It had to be Z.P. Florian's Return To Iridonia. An alternate vision of the past it may have been, but I thought it was an exceptional read. For once, 1 had to feel sorry for Lord Maul - nasty Palpie wanting to castrate him! It'd never be the same watching 'Episode One', now would it? It, for me, was also great welcoming back Belea T. Keeney. I haven't heard from her for ages since I last did some art for her zine. Dark Master, Dark Servant. She is a great writer and deserves a mention for Slaver's Story. I just love to hear these insightful stories about Darth Maul and Sidious. © A special mention also goes out to Judy Ebberley for her inspiring piece, Diplomatic Maneuver.
As for art that I liked, I would love to know who did the lovely diagrammatic rendering of a lightsaber on page 2. (Mr. or Ms. Anonymous please stand up and take a well-eamed bow.) (Ed: The lightsaber is from some SW clip-art that I have. Artist unknown.) [43]
I love A.G. Steyn's silhouette covers and this one of Yoda is really well done.Cara Loup's story Out Of The Badlands was a touching blend of Classic and EP1. I enjoyed Mary Jo Fox's Isolation - a nice pre-SW story about Ben and his life. A.G. Steyn's story Let Bygones Be Bygones was a good story. I got a kick out of the whole plot and who deflowered Leia. Great fun! Another powerful story by Marti Schuller. Loss took my breath away and made me feel Han's anguish. Incredible! Homecoming by Alison Glover - a well-written story about Obi Wan Kenobi dealing with his grief over Qui-Gon Jinn's death.
Excellent reading all around! [44]
Issue 10
Imperium 10 was published in May 2001 and contains 138 pages.
- Letters of Comment (1)
- Interview with the Sith by Mary Jo Fox ("You thought your last job interview was stressful? Try convincing Darth Sidious you should be his next apprentice!") (3)
- A Night to Remember by Deborah Kittle (5)
- Matriarch by Judy Ebberley ("Working together undercover for the Alliance gives Leia new insight into Han's real opinion of the Rebellion.") (6)
- Contributions to the Cause by Alison Glover ("Han joins a raid on an Imperial armaments shipment, and finds out why storm troopers are such bad shots.") (26)
- A Letter to Ben Kenobi by Z.P. Florian (31)
- Out of the Terror by Irene Heron ("On a routine mission for the Rebellion, an unexpected disaster awakens Luke Skywalker's untrained Force abilities. Han at his side, Luke once again plunges headlong into a dangerous adventure, with life and death consequences hanging in the balance.") (32)
- Angel by Debra Durkee ("After the destruction of the second Death Star, Leia finds herself alone with her mourning Alderaan amid a sea of joyous Rebels. There are those who understand, and Leia finds her saviors.") (44)
- Crowd Us and Crush Us by Belea T. Keeney ("Maul has survived The Phantom Menace and has returned to his homeland. Healing from his broken Forcebond with his former Master has proven difficult.") (50)
- A Woman Scorned by Z.P. Florian ("It is surprisingly easy to make everybody believe that Han would betray the Alliance and when it happened, it's not surprising that it is hard to get Han to trust his friends again.") (62)
- Fate and Glory by Veronica Wilson & Barbara Gardner (68)
- Improvisation by Paul Jeffrey Tatting (78)
- The Tree by Marla Fair (91)
- Cartoon by Sandra Scholes (93)
- The Price by Valerie Vancolli (94)
- Sins of the Father by D.J. Slaten (114)
- We Help the Hopeless by [[Jason Grant ]] (120)
- It Was by Deborah Kittle (123)
- Dinner by Cindy Olsen ("The Alderaani princess and the Corellian smuggler-turned-general are off to their first formal dinner together. Leia is pleased the Alliance has finally recognized her relationship with Han, and is eager to be seen on his arm. However, Han is not so keen, and with good cause, for he is about to meet the Bothan faction leader, Borsk Fey'lya for the first time...") (124)
- Artwork by Marla Fair (front cover), Sandra Scholes (back cover), Kate Birkel, Z.P. Florian, and Judy Street
inside issue #10, Z.P. Florian
inside issue #10, Sandra Scholes
inside issue #10, Kate Birkel
interior illo #10 by Judy Street for the story "The Price"
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 10
I couldn't get over the array of different stories I had been reading and generally getting into. My favorites are as follows: I found Mary Jo Fox's Interview With The Sith a fun read I liked the idea of Darth Sidious putting out a job ad - the funniest part is that he's an 'equal opportunity employer'. Mr. Dunleavy thinks there's much fun to be had as his Sith apprentice- but as we all know, the trap door awaits! Alison Glover - Contributions To The Cause was an interesting insight on how other members of the Alliance can help - or hinder the usual team of Luke, Han, and Leia. One of the best short stories I found was Z.P. Florian's A Letter To Ben Kenobi. I really liked how you love it even though you know what happens next. It makes you think 'what if Ben Kenobi had left Luke aloneto become just a farmboy'. Irene Heron's Out Of The Terror I thought was a great read. It's nice to see a story showing Luke's potential not just as a Jedi but him having one psychic awareness of a trapped person. He realizes at one end of the story that he is a true Jedi, not a farmboy playing at being one. I found Valerie Vaneollie's The Price a thoroughly good read even though Luke had gone to the Rebellion, when Palpatine had captured him once he realizes through his DNA test that Vader's his father, it's so easy for him to join the Dark Side- family, eh? I liked all the stories very much. Beautiful cover by Maria Fair- almost a sepia and nicely outlined for an extra special effect. I also like the interior illustration from Judith Street. Keep that art flowing, girls. [45]
A good read of a zine. Imperium 10 was entertaining. Some of my favorites were: Out Of The Terror by Irene Heron - good plot and characterizations. Angel by Debra Durkee - not enough Wedge stories out there so enjoyed this one and his interaction with Leia. Dinner by Cindy Olsen - I love her Han and Leia, well written stuff and Kate's illos were delightful. Thanks to everyone for their hard work, a great job done by all. [46]
Another great issue of Imperium that was a treasure of wonderful fic and art for the starved mind. Awesome job, Judy! I truly enjoyed Mary Jo Fox's Interview With The Sith That was very unique and funny! I loved Matriarch by Judy Ebberley. I realty enjoyed her character of Corrinn and the way she treated Han. To see him defer to anyone like that was interesting, but to have it done in front of Leia was great. I especially enjoyed all the details in the traditions and rules o f the culture o f the Matriarch. In particular I liked the hairstyle. I can just picture Han with braids and beaded ribbons in his hair. Fantastic! I hope that we we'll get to see more Corrinn and Han stories. Contributions To The Cause by Alison Glover was also a blast. I loved the little tricks those former Imps did with all the equipment before they joined the Alliance. That's great and extremely creative! I can just see the poor stormies and other Imps using all of that equipment. A perfect explanation as to why Imperials seen unable to shoot straight. Out Of Terror by Irene Heron was a terrific read. The development o fLuke's powers and reputation as the Alliance's Jedi was great, as well as how his abilities helped him accomplish a mission which would have foiled had he not been there. Veronica and Barbara's Fate And Glory was awesome. I loved their style and found the story itself really intriguing. I have never looked at Palpatine in that light but it was very interesting. Especially his vulnerabilities and the way he looks at what is going on in the movies. The Tree by Marla Fair was also terrific. I enjoyed the way it was presented and how Luke learned from his experience. [47]
Issue 11
Imperium 11 was published in May 2002 and has 189 pages. Artwork by Nancy Stasulis (front cover) and Carrie Williams (back cover). Interior art by Sandra Scholes, Kate Birkel, and Z.P. Florian.
- Letters of Comment (1)
- World's Oldest Living SW Fan by Lori Barron (3)
- Flagship by Kate Birkel (part eleven of The Chivalry Series) (4)
- There You'll Be by Deborah Kittle (11)
- A Lack of Commitment by Judy Ebberley (12)
- Accidental Modulation by Paul Tatting (24)
- Out of the Darkness by Amy S. Farmer (40)
- His Father's Eyes by Jude Bingham (44)
- Maul's Fate by Mary Jo Fox (63)
- Return to Tatooine by D.L. Slaten 64)
- So, How Did You Join the Galactic Civil War? by R.J. Thompson (70)
- Mephisotopheles Rising by Mary Jo Fox (74)
- He was Supposed to Be by Deborah Kittle (77)
- Old Friends Long Gone by Cindy Olsen (With the Empire in tatters, Princess Leia is part of a team undertaking surrender negotiations with remnant Imperial forces. But neither she nor Han are prepared for the impact it will have on their relationship when an old friend from the past appears. (Can be read as a "long distance" sequel to Life Debt.) (78)
- You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This by Deborah Kittle (120)
- Jungle by Paul J. Tatting (121)
- Bedtime Story by Valerie Vancollie (122)
- Initiation Rites by Veronica Wilson (126)
inside page from issue #11, Sandra Scholes
inside page from issue #11, Kate Birkel
inside page from issue #11, Sandra Scholes
inside page from issue #11, Z.P. Florian
inside page from issue #11, filk by Deborah Kittle, art is uncredited
inside page from issue #11, Sandra Scholes, Jar Jar Binks is the rare subject
inside page from issue #11, Sandra Scholes
inside page from issue #11, Sandra Scholes, Darth is taking, giving, or intercepting (probably the latter) a LoC
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 11
Enjoyed reading Imperium 11. Nancy Stasulis' front cover is quite elegant. She always does a great job and doesn't disappoint.Cindy Olsen is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. Old Friends Long Gone gave us a glimpse into Han's colorfulbackground And Kate's artworkwas an added bonus.
I like Mary Jo Fox's work. Mauls Fate gives us a glimpse of his side of the confrontation. And Mephistopheles Rising gave me some chills just as it did when Palpatine placed his hands on Anakin's shoulders. These are just the high points for me but really a good read all around Thanks to everyone for their hard work, a great job done by all. [48]
I really enjoyed Imperium 11.All of the stories were great, especially Old Friends Long Gone and Initiation Rites.
I thought the artwork was really good as well. [49]
Imperium 11 was another great issue. I've read it cover to cover several times and enjoyed it every time. The covers and the story art were all wonderful and very well done.The stories were excellent once again - not a bad one in the bunch. Old Friends Long Gone was probably my favorite. Cindy Olsen in one of my favorite fanfic authors and this story was another winner. I love how she writes Han/Leia and her romantic scenes are fantastic. Flagship was another great one. I've enjoyed Kate Birkel's Chivalry series and this chapter was no exception.
All of the stories in the zine were great and thank you and the authors and artists for all your hard work. Another great job! [50]
Issue 12
Imperium 12 was published in May 2003 and has 183 pages.
- Guilt Trip by Judy Ebberley (2)
- Going Home by Danielle Millerd (12)
- A New Dawn Has Come by Valerie Vancollie (15)
- Complicated by Deborah Kittle (17)
- Ghosts of the Past by D.L. Slaten (18)
- Growing Pains of Love by Margaret Westphal (32)
- Present Company Excepted by Skye Rutherford (74)
- Tricks of the Mind by Cindy Olsen (Part 3 in the Committed trilogy. The Battle of Endor has been fought and won, but the war is not yet over for Han Solo. As the Alliance celebrates and plans for the future, Han fights with the demons that plague his mind -- old and new.) (80)
- The Jedi in Me by Deborah Kittle (111)
- Sold by Angel (113)
- Redemption at Theed by Richard Gawel (115)
- Invitation by Angel (116)
- The Ballad of Han and Leia by Angel (119)
- Family Matters by Leela Starsky (120)
- Shiver by Deborah Kittle (182)
- Artwork by Dani (front cover) and Laura Quilles (back cover)
from issue #12, art for "Family Matters," by Leela Starsky
from issue #12, art for "Family Matters," by Leela Starsky
from issue #12, art for "Family Matters," by Leela Starsky
from issue #12, art for "Growing Pains," by Laura Quiles
from issue #12, art for "Growing Pains," by Laura Quiles
References
- ^ LOC by Judith G. Yuenger in "Imperium #3"
- ^ from "The Wookiee Commode Guide to Star Wars Zines -- 1986", from The Wookiee Commode #6
- ^ from Blue Harvest #2
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #3
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #4
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ "frabjous" - ironic typo or intentional?
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #5
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #6
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #6
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #6
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Imperium" #6
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in Imperium #7
- ^ from a LoC in issue #8
- ^ from a LoC in issue #8
- ^ from a LoC in issue #8
- ^ from a LoC in issue #8
- ^ from a LoC in issue #8
- ^ Han and Leia's Club House, Archived version
- ^ LoC from issue #9
- ^ LoC from issue #9
- ^ LoC from issue #9
- ^ LoC from issue #9
- ^ LoC from issue #10
- ^ LoC from issue #10
- ^ LoC from issue #10
- ^ LoC from issue #10
- ^ from a LoC in issue #11
- ^ from a LoC in issue #11
- ^ from a LoC in issue #11
- ^ LoC from issue #12
- ^ LoC from issue #12
- ^ LoC from issue #12