Independent Entity
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Independent Entity |
| Publisher: | Organian Press |
| Editor(s): | Lynda Martindale ("The Raving Romulan") and Sheryl Przybylski ("The Federation Empress") |
| Date(s): | 1974-1976 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | print zine |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Independent Entity is a gen Star Trek: TOS anthology edited by Lynda Martindale and Sheryl Przybylski.
It was "a unique endeavor by the enthusiastic brigade of the Galaxy Gazette," this zine's predecessor.
From Time Warp #1 (1977): "INDEPENDENT ENTITY is an enjoyable ST genzine. It contains some clever short, humorous pieces: puzzles, cartoons, trivia, book reviews (by Jackie Lichtenberg), a delightful comic strip, etc. General ST-oriented fiction is also featured. An inexpensive mimeo zine. IE provides light and beguiling reading."
About the Zine's Size
From The Halkan Council #9 (August 9): "Independent Entity" #2 is almost out! Send SASE for more info. It'll be normal size this time around -- 5 X 11 and 80 pages."
Issue 1
Independent Entity 1 was published in August 1974 and contains 61 pages.
The art is by Mike Bunn, Mark DiCamillo, K.T., Lynda Martindale, Cara Sherman, Martynn Walther, and Leonard Fornalik.
From the zine:
We would like to thank our contributors: Sharon Emily and Maryann Walther, for submitting material to what is an essentially unknown, never-heard-of ’zine, and Cara Sherman, who sent her sketchbook (with $2.10 worth of stamps!) to use for Entity. Also to our previously unpublished writers and artists for making this ’zine what it is.
Many thanks to the Boston Star Trek Association and Gail Abend, President, for their help with publicity (We need it!) ...And a big Thank-You goes to our PRODUCTION STAFF:
....and all others (human or otherwise) who joined our production, collating, and numbering parties? some of whom survived the onslaught of paper cuts, typos, jammed fingers in the staple gun, and, endless renditions of "99 Bottles of Scotch on the Wall."
- Lucy
- Mary
- Emp & Ed
- Tammy Clawson
- Mike Bunn
From the editorial by Sheryl:
We've tried to make Entity as unique as possible, although it's a bit hard with about 80 Strek 'zines floating around. If you ignore our swiping the last page of excuses from Grup, this editorial drivel from Romulan Wine, and Sharon Emily from her own zine, we've succeeded. Just thinks where else but at Entity can you find a bookkeeper whose werewolf and Trek leanings manifest themselves only during the full moon? An office consisting of a floor, sewing machine, cellar, ironing board, and bed? An editor's TV that refuses to pick up the local Star Trek station? Or an Empress who is so sick of tribbles that no mention of them is included in this 'zine?????
Yep, you read right. No tribbles allowed. David Gerrold must hate this Federation court. Tribbles have replaced Mr. Spock as being synonymous with ST. And they've inundated and taken over the NY Con, my first convention. Whatever happened to the Glomar? Guess a good thing becomes immortal, but Captain Kirk's advice should be kept in mind: "Too much of anything-" even love -- is not necessarily a good thing!" Case closed.
One of my fondest dreams is, natch, the return of ST as a movie. (Isn't it everyone's?) I hate to repeat what's been said so many times before that it's ludicrous, but WRITE PARAMOUNT! Keep plugging away to Mr. Frank Yabelans... ] If you don't have this address memorized by now, you haven't written enough letters!
As I mentioned before, the Con was my first. If you ever get a chance to go to a ST Con, go! It’s an indescribable experience. The Trekkies there aren't just fans — they're friends -- with the people wwho brought At least to my eyes, it wasn’t a mobbing, hysterical crowd that seems converge around idols like, say, David Cassidy (or whoever's on the current Hollywood gossip magazine cover — haven't picked one up in ages). The prevailing spirit of comradeship at the cons is so unlike the restless, discontent mood of the world today. The attendees are enthusiastic — not fanatical — all akin in Gene Roddenberry's universe. And nutty, too — if you happen to wander around Grand Central Station over Washington's Birthday, don't be too startled to run into Elaan of Troyius, the Romulan Commander, T’Pring and probably a few Andorians, too. Remember, you were warned by Entity!
- Editorials (3)
- Letter from the Empress
- A View from Under the Ironing Board
- View from a Stabilized Orbit, poem by Martynn Walther (6)
- Wouldn't You Like to See by Gail Abend (6)
- Meet the Empress and Her Court (7)
- Cogley's Corner by Psych Siegman (8)
- Appointment with Destiny, fiction by Sharon Emily (9)
- An Official Teachents Star Trek Examination (trivia) (19)
- Warp Drive Analysis by Dr. Mark DiCamillo (article on warp drive) (25)
- Song for a Wildflower, fiction by Psych Siegman (29)
- Mirror, Mirror: Captain's Last Orders of the Alternate Universe (33)
- Ecoutez, Sir, poem by Martynn Walther (34)
- Now, a Stuck Kaleidoscope, poem by Martynn Walther (34)
- Dear Mr. Spock (35)
- Lament of the Star-Struck Housewife, poem by Judy Resutek (37)
- Scarborough Fair Revisted, poem by Martynn Walther (38)
- Lament for Humankind, poem by Psych Siegman (38)
- The Risk, fiction by Lynda Martindale (a Romulan story) (39)
- Star Trek, poem by Liz Krause (55)
- Analysis of a Fan, article by Prof. T' Prune aka Sheryl Przybylski (56)
- Epilogue, poem by Lynda Martindale (59)
- Teachents Answers (60)
- You Are Receiving This Zine Because (61)
from issue #1, Lynda Martindale
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
from issue #1, Mike Bunn
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
from issue #1, not credited
from issue #1, Cara Sherman, "... and finally, if you lay any more of the 'General Order Number One' bullshit on us, we'll rip your faces off!"
from issue #1, Lynda Martindale
from issue #1, Leonard Fornalik
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1
[aural clue: imagine the computer voice on the Enterprise] "Computer readout : A Trekzine featuring assorted items; i.e., bad puns, blurbs, fiction, lectures, hideous Trek exam, cartoons. Has story by Sharon Emily; art by Cara Sherman and Martynn, many others. Over 60 pages (legal size) (8 1/2 x 14); mimeo and offset. Mad creation; published on the 7th anniversary of 'Amok Time.' Has spicy Romulan story; permeated with Klingon flavoring; made palatably wholesome by Federation mellowness. QUESTION: Can 3 chief powers live together in same galaxy peacefully. ANSWER: 'Examine for yourself what co-existence means on a small scale first; what the ultimate results are; what kind of sanity (or lack such) exists between covers of 'Entity'! [1]
The tone is informal and friendly. The artwork... is plentiful, and of good quality. 'Appointment with Destiny' is set within 'The City at the Edge of Tomorrow' and comes across well. There's a continuation of 'Elaan of Troyius' and a touching Romulan tale. There are other interesting features: an article on Warp Drive, 'Dear Mr. Spock,' a ST test etc. and lots of poetry. Recommended. [2]
I think this zine was printed by mimeograph. However, for a first fanzine, this is a very good fanzine. The artwork seems to have been electrostenciled and some thought was given to its placement throughout the issue. The main artist was Leonard Fornalik who is fairly good. My main dislike in the appearance is that the pages are all legal-size (11 inches by 14 inches) which I personally feel is awkward to read. The printing is legible in all of my copy in spite of being a little light for my taste. This first issue runs 62 pages with the material matching the printing in quality.
The highlight of the zine are the three main stories. "Appointment With Destiny" by Sharon Emily is about Spock saving one of his ancestors from suicide while Kirk is off somewhere with Edith Keeler in the "City on the Edge..." episode. "Song for a Wildflower" by Psych Siegman is a continuation of "Elaan of Troyius" with her story after the ENTERPRISE and Kirk leave her to the Troyan ruler Dalon. The last story is "The Risk" by Lynda Martindale. A Federation officer deserts to the Romulans for personal reasons and winds up in love with a young Romulan officer. There is also a Star Trek Exam which is more than average difficult including a set of fandom based questions.
There is an article on Starship warp drives by Mark DiCamillo and a pseudo fact article of ST fans during the Eugenics Wars taking a spaceship and settling Vulcan along with some pointed-eared mutants. A few minor poems and a parody of Kirk's last orders in "The Tholian Web" (the "Mirror, Mirror" Kirk's orders in the same situation) complete the first issue.
Altogether, I recommend this fanzine for its contents and the efforts of its editors to put out a reasonably priced entertaining ST zine. [3]
Issue 2
Independent Entity 2 was published in August 1975 and contains 76 pages. Mimeo, two pages of offset. The art is by Mike Bunn, Lyn Martindale (cover), Dave Cambrini (bacover), Jerry Roundtree, Cara Sherman, and Martynn Walther.
From the editorial:
Welcome to the long-awaited Christmas '74 ish! Sorry about the printing on many of the pages. Our machines died, and an appropriate explanatory eulogy can be found at the back of this zine. The ridiculous price of $1.75 causes a few red faces here, too! Expenses were quite a bit higher, like the slides to be blown up--19 slides at 70¢ each came out to be $35 ... which says something about the rate of inflation at our local camera shop... But the adventure... led to the Offset Experience-- and OFFSET is FUN! Nextish we'll definitely have more, since our stencil-cutter just died. We'll offset the covers, Mike Bunn's portraits, and probably all other artwork as well. At least they won't turn out like zebras like the pics on Pages 25 and 62! ...We hope the content makes up for the printing!
- Editorial (3)
- Reserved for Strong Hearts by Laura Virgil (outline for a Star Trek: TOS/Lost in Space story) (4)
- The Hearing by Johanna Cantor, story (5)
- Is It or Isn't It Star Trek?, article (13)
- Kalifee Krossword (14)
- Destiny by Lyn Martindale, story (17)
- poem by Psych Siegman (22)
- Computer Game, article by James Brown (23)
- Stiles' Dilemma by Carla Sherman, story (26)
- Dear Mr. Spock (short parodies of letters of advice by Star Trek characters) (43)
- On the Bridge by Sheryl Przybylski (also in Galaxy Gazette 1974) (44)
- poem by Martynn Walther (51)
- poem by Thomas McCaskey (52)
- The Revenge by Psych Siegman, story (53)
- An Analysis of the Functional Characteristics of the AT-1211B, A Representative of the Modern Dematerializing Non-Receiver Transporters, article by Dr. Mark DiCamillo (58)
- First Command... Last Command by Psych Siegman, story (60)
- Understanding by Lyn Martindale, story (63)
- Zine Reviews by Sheryl
- Interphase (Star Trek: TOS zine)|Interphase]] #1, see that page
- Sol III, see that page
- Menagerie #5, see that page
- Berengaria #3, see that page
- "Omen" ("Quarterly; This one is for the general SF fans. Nice format. OMEN consists of mostly short SF stories but also has genzine reviews § letters from readers. It would be nice if it were longer--but it's still a bargain at 35 cents.")
from issue #2, computer game, James Brown
from issue #2, computer game, James Brown
from issue #2, computer game, James Brown
from issue #2, computer game, James Brown
from issue #2, Mike Bunn
from issue #2, Martyn Walther
from issue #2, Cara Sherman
from issue #2
from issue #2
from issue #2
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2
The cover is by Lyn Martindale, back cover is a page of absolutely hideous cartoons by Dave Cambrini. There are seven pieces of fiction inside beginning with a very interesting piece by Johanna Cantor, 'The Hearing,' which involves a little on women's rights. 'Destiny' is a strange piece in which a witch transports herself on board the Big E to find Spock whom she believes she loves... certainly not run-of-the-mill and certainly interesting. 'One the Bridge' is a poor attempt at humor that fails to do anything interesting to the reader except confuse and bore him... ' The Revenge' is a follow-up on the situation that was left off in 'Elaan of Troyius.' The story focuses mainly around Elaan and Kirk and poses what might be an interesting conflict for Kirk and even the Federation. Personally, I couldn't' give the story validity since Elaan just wasn't pictured the same in the show as in this piece. Another story 'First Command... Last Command' is short but powerful. 'Understanding' may have a point to make but it tends to get fuzzy and hard to sort out; it concerns the relationship between a ship's captain and a lieutenant trapped on a planet. Perhaps the best story in this entire zine is 'Stile's Dilemma.' It concerns another encounter that Stiles (from 'Balance of Terror') has with Romulans. This makes for a fascinating study of the character of Stiles and provides more insight into the Romulans. Very well told. The remainder of this zine is a collection of various fillers; crossword puzzle, directions for programming a computer game, a short description of the transporter, a few humorous short sections including two pages (one fold out) of pictures and bloopers with captions. This zine would be good for general reading if it weren't for the horrendous mimeo quality of the printing. You get to see everything from striped pages and hand-penned words to who sections of paragraphs that are obliterated. With these obstacles in mind, it takes quite a bit of determination to pick and struggle through this one. [4]
Issue 3
Independent Entity 3 was published in July 1976 and contains 84 pages. Cover: John Holmes. The interior art is by Mike Bunn, Sandy Dennis, John Holmes, Suzanne Kirwan, Edward Laprade, Lyn Martindale, Frank Paonessa, and Martynn Walther.
From the editorial: "We know--we promised a of a kind ' zine with #1. But isn't getting carried away by ideas part of what it's all about? So here's #3 in a of one, the last in one of those fashionable groupings, the trilogy. Like Tolkien, we feel three is a decent number at which to stop, before becoming dangerously addicted to the masochism of publishing--the mad typing, the gluing together of fingers, the creeping financial drain, all the fun, little madnesses that become more and more difficult to integrate into lives that need have at least a semblance of sanity. So, once again we promise, this is it."
- Federation Service by Patti Cullen (4)
- Duty of a Parent by Johanna Cantor (reprinted in Despatch #33) (5)
- Famous Last Words by Patti Cullen (16)
- From Whence This Vestige by Joyce Stroedecke (includes a Trek version of the Lord's Prayer) ("Great Bird of the Galaxy, who art in the heavens; hallowed be thy name. Thy trekdom come, thy dreams be done on Terra as it is in the heavens. Give us this day our daily episode, and forgive us our misquotes as we forgive those who misquote us. And lead us not into cancellation, and deliver us from Nielsons. For thine is the trekdom, the creator and the producer forever..." A similar fanwork is The Star Trek Rosary (1974).) (17)
- The Cure by Lucy Diefenbach (18)
- Dear Mr. Spock by anonymous (advice column) (40)
- Memo Series by Joyce Stroedeke (41)
- Blurbs (50)
- Hair of the Dog #3 by Jacqueline Lichtenberg (#1 and #2 appeared in Sol III) (contains book reviews: "One thing readers of 'Entity' have is a certain addiction to STAR TREK. When it goes off the air in all our cities, we sometimes have to travel thousands of miles to a con to get a fix. Good fanzines come all too seldom. So what do you do the rest of the time? Climb the walls? Well, my secret vice is science fiction. If I can't get enough of it to read. I write it myself." -- she reviews a bunch Darkover books and a book called "Keeper" by Joan Hunter Holly, and a handful of DAW books.) (52)
- A Time for Departure by Lyn Martindale (56)
- How to Command a Starship by Sheryl Przybylski (62)
- The Masquerader by Sandra Dennis (63)
- Star-Struck in "Con-Oy" (comic strip) (68)
- The Step by Psych Siegman (73)
- Dual Dream by Karen Klinck (77)
- Gnomic Vulcan Saying, poem by Martynn (80)
- Conference, and Out to Launch, poems by Martynn (81)
- In Shadows by Connie Colman (83)
- You are Receiving this Zine Because (84)
from issue #3, Mike Bunn
from issue #3, Edward Laprade
from issue #3, John Holmes
from issue #3, Martynn
from issue #3, John Holmes
from issue #3, Martynn
from issue #3, Martynn, some Gen Bathing
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
It's a mixed bag of materials, some good, some forgettable. 'Duty of a Parent' puts the last patch on the Spock-Sarek rift in an epilog to 'Journey to Babel.' It's loosely paced, but being a Cantor story, it can't help but be entertaining. The story is enhanced by very good illos by Martynn... 'The Cure' is a post-'Turnabout Intruder' story in which the cure for Kirk's psychological problems is a female Commodore 'freezer unit' who just happens to have been one of the Federation's foremost vocal artists before she joined the 'Fleet. It's a pleasant enough story, and adequately written, but I can't say that I was very taken with the too-improbably heroine. The illos didn't add much, either. There's a funny, if overblown memo series... CB radio fans will get a few chuckles out of 'Star Struck' comix. 'Dual Dream' is a nice wish-fulfillment for Janice Rand... The mimeo is generally readable. Though there's noting really outstanding, the editors obviously enjoyed putting the zine together, and they're a good 45 minutes of lightweight entertainment here. [5]
The zine features a sprinkling of cute little cartoons.
- Federation Service / cute ad for what the Enterprise can do for your planet
- Duty of a Parent / Post- "Journey to Babel." from Sarek's pov as he observes McCoy's ministrations and Spock's interactions with his colleagues while he, Spock and Kirk all recover in Sickbay. The strain has caused Spock's latent Alphan fever to flare up; McCoy resorts to a cold water bath and Sarek is shocked to find that his son is not only mature but has divorced T'Pring. Reconciliation is completed.
- Famous Last Words / fun list of series quotes the characters surely regretted
- From Whence This Vestige / one-pager with a Trek version of the Lord's Prayer
- The Cure / Post-"Turnabout Intruder." McCoy prescribes shore leave on Argelius to cure Kirk of the after-effects of being a woman, which seems to have left him impotent, and it doesn't work. Just as Enterprise is scheduled to take cadets on a training cruise, with brusque female commodore Mutoh in charge, Ensign Kahsram is killed in an engineering accident and Scott suspects foul play. Mutoh takes charge of the investigation, to Kirk's annoyance, and finds that it was an accident due to a h idden whiskey still. Mutoh turns out to also be a renowned singer and after she gives a concert, in a romantic interlude with Kirk, she confesses that her presence was a set-up by McCoy to cure him of hostility to all women by providing him with an individual who would provoke justifiable hostility, making others look good.
- Dear Mr. Spock /
- "Advice column" - rather dull
- Memo Series / A mildy amusing series of Spock/McCoy memo exchanges on the subject of upcoming pon farr.
- Blurbs / spoof dialogue set to Trek stills
- Hair of the Dog #3
- A Time for Departure / A Vulcan woman leaves her husband to join the Intrepid. No main characters.
- How to Command a Starship / Policy tips from James Kirk
- The Masquerader / Standard battle fare; Klingons trick Romulans into attacking Enterprise.
- Star-Struck in "Con-Oy" / cartoon of CB-style conversations as ship heads for a Trek con.
- The Step / A friend of T'Pring's contemplates the uses of emotion.
- Dual Dream / Kirk-Rand smarm.
- In Shadows / Amanda musing on Spock's death.
- Plus a couple of nice cartoons. [6]
Patti Cullen's "Federation Services" begins the pieces in IE3 and is a good laugh. It outlines the wonderful services available to the beleaguered planets within and without the Federation from your local meddling starship. "Duty of a Parent" by Johanna Cantor reads much too quickly, more like a story outline than a finished piece. Martynn's cartoons and illos to this story meld well. Diefenbach's "The Cure" presented the intriguing idea of a bunch of en gineering cadets serving aboard the Enterprise while Kirk is recovering from being Janice Lester. "The Memo Series" and "Dear Mr. Spock" are silly and, to my taste, insulting and over-familiar. "Hair of the Dog" is aptly titled—book reviews by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, tho I recommend The Exile Waiting (Vonda Mclntyre, Fawcett Gold Medal, #P3456, $1.25) over everything else she mentions. "A Time for Departure" by Martindale is obscurely written, more like an "Afterword" in a novel than a story by itself. "How to Command a Star- ship" is as good as Pat Cullen's opening piece—Admiral Kirk's tips on command. "The Masquerader" reads like an outline, with a simple plot and little characterization.
"Star Struck: A Con—Oy!" is a comic type piece on the Big E's journey to Toronto ST '76 and a CB-type encounter. Psych Siegman's "The Step" is laid out badly (senten ces running thru the illo, jumping from one side to the other. This pastiche deals with a^non-conformist Vulcan who writes a letter toa.young friend about living under a repressive system...onVulcan. "DualDream"by Karen Klinck is a sketch of Rand & Kirk, long separated, dreaming of each other.
Appropriately, this issue winds up with a "torment" story. Amanda agonizes over the fact that Spock has finally bought it on some forsaken planetoid.
Overall, not bad, but nothing especially outstanding. Ratings: Graphics 2; Content 3; $ Worth 3. [7]
References
- ^ from The Halkan Council #2
- ^ from The Halkan Council #2
- ^ from Pentathlon #3
- ^ from Spectrum #21
- ^ from Interphase #4
- ^ Halliday’s Star Trek Zinedex (TOS) - Title Index, Archived version
- ^ comments by Sharon Ferraro in Menagerie #10