The Jedi Journal

Zine
Title:	The Jedi Journal
Publisher:	The Ermine Violin Press for sure, then perhaps Permanent Press
Editor(s):	Eileen Dougherty, Deborah Anne Lewis
Date(s):	1979-1981
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Wars
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Jedi Journal is a Star Wars fiction, art, poetry, and non-fiction zine that for three issues.

From an editorial in the first issue:

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... Newark, Delaware to exact, five students at the University of Delaware decided to start a Star Trek fanzine, The Ermine Violin. Despite the stated Star Trek orientation, we were flooded with Star Wars material. It seemed logical to the staff (now seven) to plan for a Special Issue that was mostly Star Wars. This stared a deluge. So... bowing to the inevitable, The Ermine Violin Press presents a new Star Wars fanzine, The Jedi Journal. The Jedi Journal will be published irregularly, and hopefully alternate with The Ermine Violin. The Jedi Journal will attempt to remain completely Star Wars oriented, while The Ermine Violin will continue to be a more general "zine [for] fantasy, straight science fiction. Battlestar Galactica, or any other universe you care to write in.

A fourth issue was planned but that did not occur.

Issue 1

The Jedi Journal 1 was published in May 1979 (second printing July, 1980) and has 82 pages.

front cover issue #1

back cover of issue #1, Colleen Winters: "A Tourney of Eagles"

The introduction to "Rescue Operation,":

Some years ago, at the site of a reputed "flying saucer landing" out west, a large box of unknown substance was discovered. The box was eventually broken open, and was found to contain bundles of what seemed to be computer printouts; the paper and symbols on it were of types unknown to anyone who examined the find.

Linguists and cryptographers worked for years attempting to decipher and translate these printouts, if such they are, and there has been partial success.

The basic content seems to be two series of literary or historical (or both?) episodes covering a portion of galactic history — though not this galaxy. The episodes, fragments, or whathaveyou, are each headed by one of two standard phrases} none has a distinctive title of its own. The two "series", as they have been designated, apparently are attempts to portray this period of history (whether actual or fictional) from two points of view, which at times run parallel, converge (characters, places, events referred to in both) and occasionally diverge considerably.

Two episodes from one history have already been translated and published. The first published, by translator G. Lucas, was issued under the translator's own title of Star Wars, with the standard heading, "From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker" used as a subtitle. A rather popular film was later made, based on this publication.

A second episode from the same series, apparently taking place shortly after the events of the first, was translated by A. D. Foster under the title Splinter of the Mind's Eye, with the standard heading again used as a subtitle. Neither Mr. Lucas nor Mr. Foster, unfortunately, saw fit to publicize the source of their material or the fact that they were actually publishing translations. There are rumors of yet a third episode from the Skywalker series being published in translation, whether in book or film format, in the next couple of years.

The other series of episodes has the heading rendered into English as "From the Saga of Maeve Solo" These episodes have proved much more difficult to translate satisfactorily, hence the tardiness of publication relative to the others. So far only one episode has been translated completely, and is published in this volume. I have titled it simply "Rescue Operation", eschewing the tendencies toward flamboyance exhibited by my esteemed colleagues. This episode is one of those which seems to converge somewhat with the Skywalker series. Its position in the entire "history" is apparently not too long after the events chronicled in the Star Wars fragment. Its relationship to the Splinter of the Mind's Eye episode is unknown, as the latter appeared in a separate bundle of printouts, and the relationships, if any, between the bundles have not yet been determined.

It is hoped that other episodes in the "Solo" series can be translated eventually and made available for publication.

• Editor's Docking Bay by Eileen Dougherty (3)
• A Continuing Cartoon Saga by Colleen Winters (5, 32, 46, 55)
• The Jedi Spirit by JoLynn Horvath (6)
• The Duel, or, Crossed Sabers by Eva M.E. Oslo and Finocchio Fen (15)
• Editor's Note, and THIS is a Thrown Gauntlet! (26)
• The Challenge and What Came of It by Lee Burwasser (27)
• Details, Details, essay about small visual details and goofs in the film: A New Hope, by Chris Callahan (33)
• Remembrance, poem by Jesan Akyra (37)
• A Shade of Darkness (to be continued) by Colleen Winters (origianl science fiction) (38)
• I'm a Corellian and I'm Okay, to the tune of "I'm a Lumberjack, and I'm Okay" by Monty Python, by Tietre (43)
• A Book Review: Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Chris Callahan, see that page (44)
• The Corellian Code by Janal Tagar (47)
• Lines We'd Like to Hear (53)
• Another Book Reivew: Han Solo at Star's End by Chris Callahan (54)
• I'm a Wookie [sic] and I'm Okay, to the tune of "I'm a Lumberjack, and I'm Okay" by Monty Python, by Tietre (56)
• After the Volcano by Abbie Herrick (57)
• The Classified Ads (68)
• The Death of Alderaan, poem by Jo Horvath (69)
• Translator's Notes on the Literary-Historical Fragments Collectively Titled "The Saga of Maeve Solo" and Their Apparent Origin, introduction to "Rescue Operation," by Chris Callahan (70)
• Rescue Operation by Chris Callahan (71)
• More Classified Ads (82)
• You are Receiving This Because (83)

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Abbie Herrick

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Abbie Herrick

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Abbie Herrick

• 

  inside page from issue #1, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #1, You are Receiving This Because

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

[The Corellian Code]: On to new acquaintances (who tend to become old friends). Lajal Ban appears first in Janal Tagar's "The Corellian Code" in JJ #1. Corellian herself, she breaks into an Imperial prison to rescue Han in payment of an old debt to his father, who saw3d her a long time ago. She operates by the Corellian Code, a combination of honor and pragmatism, with neither of them making allowances for her sex and neither expecting to do so. At the end, unemployed, she accepts a temporary job with Han. She returns in "Mindgames" (part 1, JJ #3) helping Han to fight a mindblock and herself standing up to Vader for a while.

[zine]: Many thanks for THE JEDI JOURNAL, which arrived intact today (although the envelope had been munched, do doubt by Nazgulis).

There is one great result from having Colleen do the artwork or most of it ~ she has developed a beautiful style and produces drawings of compelling power. I admire her work — that back cover, for instance ~ is a marvelous picture, both in execution, in theme, and arrangement. I would like to encourage her to submit at least one good piece to zines like Warped Space and Mos Eisley Tribune so that her name and work may become more widely known. I greatly enjoy the Interdimensional Hilton series — they should become classics. In fact, it would make a most amusing short story — "One Afternoon at the Con," or "Lunchtime," that sort of thing. If I recall my Galactic Anthropology, this kind of humorous story is traditional in Life Day Celebrations.

JoLynn's "The Jedi Spirit" demanded my reading — it's quite good. I agree with the premises, and the idea that Han has some latent abilities in him. The fact that the duels take place in an old Jedi temple may provide the requisite atmosphere so that the merging of several minds, and the exchange of knowledge, can take place. It is a fluke incident, and both of them need the requisite years of training to become true Jedi. But, given the nature of Luke's guidance, — Obi-Wan's presence ~ and the necessity of the moment, such an apparently miraculous incident may well occur. "More powerful than you can imagine" implies some rather strong stuff, and I like to see authors explore this idea. (Did any one think Darth's imagination of power was snail??) ("Details") presented some evidence that even I (^5 times) did not catch. I agree that the objects in the cave were positively fascinating, including that "Award for the Defense of the Galaxy" hanging on the wall. Not to mention Ben's new-style Vulcan lyrette (?), which implied that he may have known songs, too. Is there any local talent that would like to have a go at presenting some of Kenobi's compositions??

[zine]: JEDI JOURNAL #1 reached me safely last week, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I found the "theme" of Han-with-a-lightsaber intriguing, and I liked the different ways it WM handled. My favorite piece in that connection was "The Jedi Spirit," but Variant One of "The Challenge" wss interesting too, and I liked Lee's little reference to Han as "a Corellian knifeman," since in my own fictions he's a pretty fair hand with a blade when he has to be — he learned from a girl he used to ship with, a mining-camp brat from the mountains of Corell. The cartoons were hilarious, and I liked "Rescue Operation" (but then Chris had already told me a little about Maeve). "After the Volcano" I found confusing, the way it skipped around in time ~ I couldn't always figure out who Vader was thinking about or when the encounter had taken place. "The Corellian Code" and "A Shade of Darkness" were at least adequate} will there be any more Lajal or Duath stories?

[zine]: Of the 3 (4?) Han-with-a-lightsaber stories, I*m afraid "Variant Two" is the most believable (poor Han!). In "The Duel," I think Han's reaction to the use of the Force by Luke on him would be a bit stroneger than is

depicted (cf. Falcon's Lair). The Duath story was too short, as was "The Corellian Code." The latter was rather pat as well, although the idea of a Corellian code is quite intriguing.

The artwork is quite good, and the cartoons reminded me of several cons. Chain Colleen to her pen and pad for more.

[zine]: Hi again! I got my copy of the Jedi Journal and I thought it was very good. I especially like "After the Volcano," though I did find it a bit hard to follow

with all the time loops going on. It was very well written and very entertaining.

Can't say I agreed entirely with the review of Han Solo at Star's End, but the review itself was well done. I have read the book twice and think it's terrific.

[zine]: I enjoyed the four variation on the theme of a light saber duel between Han Solo and Darth Vader, especially "The Duel". I also found that there were some intriguing similarities between the stories. All the authors seem to agree that if Solo winds up in this sort of situation, he desperately needs help. Lee Burwasser's second"Variation" especially illustrates this - but Han does not get himself out of this situation in any of the stories. All also agree that Han must be separated from his blaster, knives, and any other weapon before he will resort to using a lightsaber (which he can't quite figure out how to hold properly). I also liked the illo of the confrontation on page 11. I also loved the cartoon which included the announcement about the Arakeen sandworm swallowing the Galactica. (But then, I always love Colleen's cartoons.)

[zine]: Many congratulations on the first issue of The Jedi Journal. I really got a kick out of it. I must say that it's very different from any of the other SW zines I've read, and I found that extremely refreshing. Not to mention unusual -- I don't think I've read so many stories in a single zine in which Han Solo tries out a lightsaber. And where else would someone actually have the nerve to allow him to be subdivided by Vader? That second ending by Lee Burwasser was so unexpected it was hysterical. The first one I found slightly unsatisfactory in that I don't think Vader would back off that easily, especially with Leia laughing in his face like that. But ANYWAY, it was a lot of fun as was the rest of the fiction.

[zine]: . Comments on cartoons - wonderful! I love funnies. I love mixed universes. I love #1 p. 46 - "A delegation from Earth

arrives for the Super Hero Con." Enjoyed the various Corellians, especially Maeve Solo.

Chris Callahan's "Details, Details" produces a great many nuggets of interest or information. I haven't seen anyone else complain seriously about that malaproprism '"droids," for instance, and "parsecs" was such an idiocy one had to overlook it for the sake of one's viewing enjoyment. My own theory about the noise in space (aside from the possibility, further supported by ESB, that there is air in space in the SW universe) is that the noise is not, strictly speaking, "in space," but coming out of the speakers in movie theaters. It should be thought of, like the a music, as part of the film's presentation like lighting and camera angles. No one a in the film notices that spaceships make horrendously loud swooshing noises in interstellar flight; only the audience hears that noise. Now in ESB, not only is there noise when the spaceships are moving through space, but an insignificant asteroid apparently has earth-normal gravity and earth-normal atmosphere pressure. It happens inside a snaky beast, true, but where did the best get the gravity and atmosphere? If the beast were used to living in zero atmosphere, why does it need one internally and how does it maintain that enormous pressure differential? If the beast itself needs an external atmosphere, we're back to the question of how such a tiny hunk of rock has an atmosphere. Now if SW universe "space" is full of air (despite the lack of blurring of distant objects that air would cause...details, details), at least half the problem is solved.

Callahan complains that Ben (or Ben's scriptwriter) seems to confuse planets with star systems. He (Editor: actually 'she') is correct as far as she goes (a planet is not a star system, after all), but I can think up several extenuating explanations. First, even though Alderaan was a planet, could it not be the name of the star and its system as well? A star system with only one inhabitable or one significant planet might well simply give the star's name to the planet (the star would probably be named first, being more visible), much as Los Angeles Cit" and Los Angeles County are all but interchangeable in terms of who lives there. Second, while only Alderaan was broken up and destroyed, that doesn't mean the star system was unaffected. If there were any other planets, satellites, etc., in the system Alderaan was in, they'll be affected as their orbits adjust to Alderaan's displacement, and the system will have asteroids falling onto nearby planets (if any) to disrupt their ecologies (if any) - remember all those meteor craters on Mars? Asteroids will probably also fall into the sun. That may not have too much effect, since a sun is awfully big even compared to a whole earth- sized planet, let alone a small percentage of it, but they surely will not improve its stability.

Various points about disarranged and rearranged costumes and mechanicals are probably accurate (^ didn't see the movie 42 times!) though they slide right by the average viewer the first two or three times. What I'd like to know about restraining bolts, though, is how a little hunk of metal stuck onto the outside of a robot can do to prevent it from running away. They don't cut out all a 'droid's free will or random action, note; they just restrict it in one way. How?

I trust you have a suitable restraint for the Mad Artist of Telmar, obviously a very dangerous individual....

[snipped]

Despite the criticisms above, I enjoyed JEDI JOURNAL tremendously...

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Colleen Winters

back cover of issue #2, John Ellis

The Jedi Journal 2 was published in May 1980 and contains 131 pages. There were 100 copies printed.

The art is by Colleen Winters, Regina DeSimone, Abbie Herrick, Mary Mabrey, and John Ellis.

• LoCs (4)
• Star Wars Re-Viewed, essay about the joys of re-watching the movie by Chris Callahan (7)
• Challenge, a challenge to authors to write a story based on an illo of Doctor Who and Darth Vader having a light saber battle, by Colleen Winter (10)
• The Amazing Adventure by Tiatre (12)
• Work of Art by Chris Callahan (It was a simple smuggling job, or so Solo thought. This story stars Maeve Solo, the author's original character, sister to Han Solo. Author's Note: "With this story, I'm dropping the idea of the "translator's note" that introduced "Rescue Operation" in JJ#1. It was a gimmick I liked at the time, but once is enough. As written, "Work of Art" was probably going to be the earliest episode "found", hence the introductory descriptive paragraph—it's set about 25 years before "Rescue Operation", Rather than do considerable rewriting, I've decided to leave the introduction while dropping the note- it does provide a bit of description that would otherwise have been in the text ( as was done in the 1st story.) As for this being the earliest — it won't be.") (21)
• Limericks by Karen Klinck (33)
• After the Battle by Karen Klinck (34)
• Graffiti (40)
• The Wit and Wisdom of Darth Vader, Some Excerpts from Lord Vader's Secret Memoirs, by Abbie Herrick (41)
• Argument, vignette by Karen Klinck (41)
• Alternative Futures by Abbie Herrick (43)
• Second Thoughts by Chris Callahan (an addendum to the review by this fan of Splinter of the Mind's Eye that was in the last issue) (50)
• Requiem for the Falcon by Jo Horvath ("This piece was inspired by "The Last Flight of the Millennium Falcon," a story written by Maggie Nowakowska that appeared in Skywalker 2. It is an excellent story (I can't wait to read the sequel), and the quality of this work is no reflection on that of the story it is based on.") (51)
• Rat Wars by Mary Mabrey (52)
• Pay-Off by Karen Klinck (60) (Jabba insisted on interest on Han's debt, but the payment was high.)
• Three Brave Rebels, filk to the tune of "One Tin Soldier," by Jo Harvath (90)
• You are Receiving This Because (93)

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Colleen Winters

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Regina DeSimone

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Abbie Herrick

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Mary Mabrey

• 

  inside page from issue #2, Regina DeSimone

• 

  inside page from issue #2, filk

• 

  inside page from issue #2, You are Receiving This Because

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

[Payoff]: 'Payoff' gives us a slightly more mature Luke. He is still the farmboy thrust into adventure, but he shows more initiative and intelligence now. For examples, he negotiates with Jabba the Hutt without interference from a silent, passive Han. And -- in the most dramatic twist a writer can conceive -- Luke saves Han's life. This characterizes the second time of fan fiction story -- the role reversal. Here we have Luke in the role of the planner and risk-taker, instead of Han. In this story, Luke even fusses over Han's health at the end and takes over Han's role as mother hen. He practices a bit of deception when he joins up with Han and Chewie, planning to spy for the Rebels from the Falcon. This is certainly a different Luke... he has changed from a totally naive farmboy to a slowly-awakening schemer with protective tendencies. However, although this is an attempt to make Luke the central character, he is still not the main focus of the story. Han is the one in need of rescue, and unlike the stories where Luke is saved, in this case the rescued is more important character. The whole story revolves around Han's deal and pay off, as the title indicates. So, although Luke has taken Han's usual role, he really doesn't really receive the elevation in importance that Han always receives when he performs that duty; Luke remains the minor character.

[zine]: I was glad to see the return of Maeve Solo and Nila in #2. Klinck's "After the Battle" was rather sophomoric humor. That didn't stop me from laughing all the way through it, you understand, but would Han and Luke really be so childish? "After the Volcano [in issue #1]" and "Alternative Futures" both have an interesting dream-like quality from the time changes, though they do confuse the reader. They don't, or don't quite, confuse the story's point, but they come very close to it. My biggest objection to those stories is that I simply can't picture Darth Vader with any kind of wife, before, during or after his rise to power.

[zine]: I enjoyed the JEDI JOURNAL if2. I liked "The Amazing Adventure," "After the Battle" (humor stories are hard to write but this is one of the cutest I've seen) and "Pay-off." "Alternative Futures" has some interesting ideas, but I found it difficult to distinguish the times Leia was "awake" and the times she was "visual izing" a possible future.

[zine]: I've had a chance to read about half of JJ #2...and hopefully I'll get the rest read before September.

Of what I've read so far, "Alternative Futures" has to be my favorite. It's nice to find stories that depict the characters as human. I've seen enough "Leia is as cold as ice," "Han can survive any torture" and "Luke is fantastic with his saber and the Force" stories to last a lifetime. I'm just wondering how TESB will affect the authors' attitudes toward future stories...

I found "After the Battle" to be somewhat strange, no not the story, but what happened after I read it. A thunderstorm occurred, and afterwards I went outside and found a toad, a frog, and a snake on the patio. Talk about coincidence! ... I liked the story and can see Luke doing such a thing, along with Han, but I doubt either would have done such a thing on their own.

And the other story that I read, "Pay-off," seemed good. At least he didn't get tortured by Jabba the Hut, which I assume is going to happen in a lot of Empire sequels. I'd prefer that they just thaw him out mercifully with hot pokers and such. Anyway, Pay-off went along at a good pace, tho I think that after what? 2 weeks?, Han surely would have told them something.

[zine]: JEDI JOURNAL #2 is great. I've read it twice so far. In my opinion the story called "Pay-off" by Karen Klinck was the best of the lot. It was well-done and even the rough parts of it were done realistically while not going to excess. You're fortunate to have an author like her. (I'm a Han Solo fan.)

[zine]: Many compliments on JEDI JOURNAL if2. Please tell Karen Klinck that she knows what she's doing. "Pay-off" was absolutely a treasure. Also "Argument" comes as near to Han's mind as I've read. But all and everyone should be thanked and given 3 cheers. It's a great zine!

[zine]: Greetings! Finally got JJ #2 and it was worth the long wait. My two favorite stories were "After the Battle" and "Pay-off." "Alternative Futures" was also very good.

I read "After the Battle" over lunch one day and laughed out loud. It figures Solo would have a still in the Falcon. It also figures he would think up such a scheme to infuriate Leia - Han seems to have some of his more inspirational moments when he's drunk.

"Pay-off" - shades of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! I shudder to think what might happen to Han when Jabba gets hold of him. Funny; while Han mutters to himself about her lack of friendship, Leia sends word to Alliance spies to keep an eye on him. Chewie's curses at Jabba are quite imaginative. Han would do anything to save Chewie, and vice versa. Poor guy; he does run into the worst types, doesn't he? Dr. Uspar reminds me of Andrej Koscuisko in Susan Matthews' "Devil and Deep Space," except that he has no excuse that he is crazy; the man simply enjoys what he does. Sadly, this is probably a case of art imitating life. Just read Matchbox, the Amnesty International newsletter, and you'll see what I mean. A friend of mine said the injection reminded her of a spinal tap - thanks, but no thanks! I tell, you I will be so glad when REVENGE OF THE JEDI comes out. I went to see EMPIRE again last night and during the torture scene I was so mad! Here was Vader - ho hum, just another torture session, can't wait to get my hands on Skywalker; Boba Fett, counting his money in advance; and Lando, wondering what in Ghod's name he was going to do now. Meanwhile Han is screaming his head off in the background. I just wanted to jump into the seen yelling "Stop it!! Stop! Stop! Stop!" I'll never make a good Jedi, because I can't wait to get even.

[zine]: Tiatre's "Amazing Adventure" was disappointing. The author told me last summer about the fall in the mud and its results, and I thought it would make for a really funny short piece. But she dragged it out much too long, used too many cliches, and wavered in tone between humor and straight space opera. The basic idea is good but it needs work. Also a better title.

Karen Klinck's "After The Battle" was hysterical — a bit malicious (a bit?!) but definitely a gem. I think Leia's reaction was out of character — I expect she'd have simply called for a droid to help catch the wildlife and dispose of it while she plotted ways of finding cut who was responsible. Chewie's anticipating the twin hangovers to gloat over was a neat touch. I especially like Luke's reference to "liquid end product of a bantha." Just the sort of thing he'd say, not being given to Han's probable vulgarity. And Han's previous statement about loving thyself was perfect — I'd love to hear it on screen, but Lucas probably wouldn't allow it! Ah, what we fen can get away with!

Abbie Herrick's "Wit and Wisdom of Darth Vader" was amusing but rather childish. Her "Alternative Futures" was much better, though occasionally a bit confusing. The illos are very poor.

Klinck's "Pay-Off" is fairly wall-written, but I'm getting awfully tired of "get Han" stories. Very sensible of Han to leave the money behind till the price on his head is removed. Too bad being sensible for once backfired so badly. The entire sequence of betrayals and masquerades is well worked out, handled logically. But there's no logic to Han's being willing to work for Jabba again even if Han sets the terms — after all that's happened, surely Han would want to tell Jabba good-bye forever. Overall, a pretty good effort. Slightly over written in places, but basically a decent story. The illos were fair — the worst is on P. 79. -- p. 61 and 63 are much better.

The cover illo for #2 is very attractive, and John Ellis' portrait of Han and Luke on the back came through nicely, considering you had to do it from a xerox copy.

[zine]: I really enjoyed the JEDI JOURNAL #2, and I look forward to further Issues. I especially like "The Wit and Wisdom of Darth Vader."

Issue 3

front cover of issue #3, Colleen Winters

back cover of issue #3, Jackie Paciello: "Jedi Master"

The Jedi Journal 3 was published on May 25, 1981 (April 10 on the front cover) and has 131 pages. Two hundred copies were printed.

The publisher notes: "Traditionally, Jedi Journal has been printed on May 25th, the anniversary of the premiere of Star Wars. However, it is ready now, and I will be lynched if this doesn't get to the printers by Balticon. So, it's being published as of the same that that Star Wars is being re-released for two weeks."

• The Editorial at the Bottom of the Page (3)
• Letters of Comment (4)
• Vendetta by Chris Callahan ("Maeve Solo's 'personal business' comes to close to being her last transaction.") (8)
• Before the Ceremony, poetic vignette by Marcia Brin (discussed in Han and Leia in Fanfiction) (32)
• Mindgames (Part 1) by JoLynn Horvath ("A side of Han no one has ever seen before: the one working for Darth Vader.") (36)
• ”Son Of Starr Warrs” or “The Empire Gets Theirs), con skit by Babs Lucas (preformed at a Shore Leave) ("A Note to the Reader - first performad on July 11, 1981 at Shore Leave II, "Son of Starr Warrs" has yet to see another production. Everyone and anyone who wants to do this turkey had my sympathy and my blessing - but try it without my permission and you might get a visit from my cousins Luigi, Carmine and Tony. They're the ones with the baseball bats. They don't play ball. Sincerely yours, Babs Lucas") (50)
• Lucas Strikes Again!, a review and essay about The Empire Strikes Back, by Chris Callahan (65)
• Once A Jedi by Cathy Sieman (72)
• Transposition by Abbie Herrick (78)
• Second Thoughtsby JoLynn Horvath (97)
• An Expert In His Own Field by Karen Klinck ("Luke becomes an ally of the Imperials on a desert world that threatens all their lives." (100)
• Dark Encounter by John Flynn (123)
• You are Receiving This Because (130)
• Solo's Falcon Ship, filk to the tune of "Grandma's Feather Bed" by John Denver, by Tiatre (131)

• 

  from issue #3, Letitia C. Wells (portrays Maeve Solo and Nila, two original female characters)

• 

  from issue #3, Letitia C. Wells (portrays Maeve Solo and Nila, two original female characters)

• 

  from issue #3, Regina DeSimone

• 

  from issue #3, Regina DeSimone

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  from issue #3, from the con skit

• 

  from issue #3, Abbie Herrick

• 

  from issue #3, Phil Foglio

• 

  from issue #3, Dot Sasscer

• 

  from issue #3, Regina DiSimone

• 

  from issue #3, You Are Receiving This Zine Because

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

[Once a Jedi]:

Ninta Ken of Catherine Sieman's "Once a Jedi" (JJ #3) has spent years posing as an Imperial businesswoman before she joins the Alliance and seeks out her old teacher to persuade him to join also. The story opens, however, with her telling a r^Del in her office {a visitor? client? It isn't made clear) that she is a Jedi, and she had used the Force to persuade him to tell her in detail about the battle of Yavin and the move to Hoth. Presumably the Force has assur-ed her he's telling the truth, and that he is with the Rebellion in the first place. Telling a total stranger that one is a Jedi is hardly a sign of wisdom! I wonder if the author would have shown a male Jedi doing such a thing?

[zine]: To paraphrase the Police Sergeant in 'The Pirates of Penzance,' 'A reviewer's lot is not a happy one.' Last time I was able to give my highest praise to Twin Suns #2. This time it becomes my unfortunate task to tell you about a zine that merits very little praise at all. To give JJ its due, it doubtless started out with good intentions. Its reproduction is clean and crisp and typos generally absent, and the art is for the most part adequate. Its chief need is better editing. The two best pieces are both unfortunately very short. One, 'Before the Ceremony.' is a double monologue by Han and Leia telling of the events that led up tho their imminent wedding; the other, 'Son of Star Warrs, or, The Empire Gets Theirs,' is obviously a parody of TESB written in play form and originally performed at Shore Leave] [#2?]. The Brin piece is deft and well-done and will appeal even to those who doubt Han and Leia will remain an item; 'Son' is funny and clever, but lacks the sometimes offensive irreverence of so many satires. Also good is 'Second Thought,' in which [the author] takes a dozen of Lando Calrissian's lines from TESB and probes what goes on with his mind as he delivers them. There are three delightful cartoons as well: a wheezing Darth advertising 'Imperial-Synephrine' nose drops, a black-toweled Darth 'finding a hotel's lack of hot water disturbing,' and a Phil Foglio of Luke and Leia comparing notes after the Empire. This however amounts to only about 18 pages... the remainder is really not worth your money. The major stories range from implausible ('Transition' and 'An Expert in His Own Field') through badly-handled ('Mindgames,' which has a good basic premise but is spoiled by being a two-part serial which will not be completed until JJ #4 debuts in May) to simply not up to the author's usual quality ('Vendetta,' a Maeve Solo tale which somehow impressed me as having been written on a bad day.) Better editing might have saved them... I can only hope that editor Eileen is reading this review and realizes that it is an editor's duty to EDIT, not merely take everything without question or pause. I regret to say that I cannot in good conscience recommend JJ #3 unless you are a completist or desperate for something to read.

Issue 4 (was not published)

A fourth issue was planned but was never published. The original release date was early 1982, then March 1983, then summer 1983. but that did not occur. There was a short flyer for it printed in Contraband #1.

Contents were to have included:

• Mindgames (Conclusion) by Jo Horvath (A side of Han no one has ever seen before; the one working for Darth Vader.) (While the first half of this story was in "The Jedi Journal" #2, this conclusion was never published.)
• It's the Money, a Maeve Solo story by Chris Callahan (This story ended up in Crossed Sabers #3.)
• Family Matters by Chris Callahan ("Maeve Solo is summoned by Princess Leia to help rescue Han from Boba Fett before he reaches Jabba the Hut.") (This story ended up in Contraband #3.)
• Trial Run by Chris Callahan ("Han Solo becomes involved in a drunken encounter with lasting consequences.") (This story ended up in Bright Center of the Universe #3.)
• Doctor Who and the Pawns of Darth Vader, conclusion by John Olson ("The Doctor attempts to stop Vader and his allies - the Daleks.") (While the first half of this story was in Dimensionally Transcendental, this conclusion never published.)