Legends of Light

Zine
Title:	Legends of Light
Publisher:	Pooz Press
Editor(s):	Susan Voll and Rebecca Walker
Date(s):	1982-1984
Series?:
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Wars
Language:	English
External Links:
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Legends of Light is a gen mainly Star Wars anthology. The first issue had some content from Star Trek: TOS, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Blade Runner, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, and Indiana Jones.

There were two issues.

From an ad in Southern Enclave:

As of February 1985, there will not be a third issue of LoL... The major deterrents are increased job demands and limited financial resources for the editors. However, we are planning to publish a sequel to Susan Voll's 'Forerunner' in Spring 1986. Included with this mini-issue will be additional contributions, including short stories, poems, filks, art work, LoCs for issue #2 and filler material. A firm limit will be imposed on the number of pages in this third issues... Thanks to everyone for their support of LoL!

Disclaimer and Copyright Statement from the First Issue

LEGENDS OF LIGHT is a publication from POOZ PRESS. All world print, screen, and broadcast rights reserved. Not to be distributed or transmitted by proton nucleus isotope reactor detonation, satellite relays, citizen band radio, transmutation and ignition of graphite plutonium modulated propagation, distant early-warning long- range radar or sonar, intergalactic, as well as integrated, solid-state celestrial energizing nuclear fusion, quantum electromagnetic corpuscular deuterium gamma rays, random access memory banks within a Wookie fortune cookie onboard a talcum powder powered rocketship, conceptualized cloned connation, differential feed-back thru-put analyzer, plus benches, bill boards, or fences, nor by discaled Kliban gri malkins, or even by spray-can graffiti without prior accedence [sic] in micrographed scrivenery, not to mention written permission. All material within is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights of LucasFilm, Ltd, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, or anyone holding copyrights for the character and ideas that have appeared in written, screen, or TV form. This work is copyrighted as an entity unto itself, but all original works revert to their creators. Now that we've totally confused you, have fun reading this!

Issue 1

front cover of issue #1, J.R. Dunster

back cover of issue #1, D.R. Drake

flyer for issue #1, printed in Pegasus #6

flyer for issue #1, printed in Twin Suns #3

Legends of Light 1 was published in August 1982 and has 332 pages. The front cover is by J.R. Dunster and the back by D.R. Drake.

The interior art is by Wanda Lybarger, Susan E. Voll, Tim Eldred, Wendy Ikeguchi, D.R. Drake, Kurt Alan Christensen, Meredydd, Mark Wallace, Ernest J. Cervantes, Mary Soderstrom, Carol McPherson, Rebecca A. Walker, Mike Gougan, J.R. Dunster, Dennis Porther, J.A. Low, and Elizabeth Hoolihan.

From a flyer:

LEGENDS OF LIGHT is a new fanzine devoted to first- quality tributes to the Star Wars Saga (and a few others thrown in for spice.)

This exciting new fanzine will be available by late August 1982 in time for exposure at the World Con in Chicago.

Does Han Solo get rescued from Boba Fett? Does Luke complete his training? Who is the other? These questions plus more on the fate of our illustrious heroes after TESB will be met head-on in "A Different Light" (by Becky Walker), a gigantic study of the Star Wars characters as they seek their future, their past, and their inner selves while travelling throughout the galaxy. Full of fast action and fascinating character studies, it's sure to hold you over until Revenge of the Jedi arrives next Spring!

In addition to our lead novelette, LEGENDS OF LIGHT, the best zine ever to emerge out of fandom, will contain short stories galore, cartoons, controversial editorials, lovely and dramatic artwork, short articles of interest, poetry, puzzles, jokes, satires, games, and more I Not to be forgotten is "Forerunner" (by Susan Voll), our other major fiction story that explains how Senator Palpatine became Emperor and Lord of the Dark Side of the Force during the end of the Republic and the beginning of his Empire! This well-written story also introduces some new characters who are sure to shed some light on the present Star Wars heroes!

• Words by Susan E. Voll, and And More Words by Rebecca A. Walker, to editorials that includes an essay by both, see Lately I have noticed a certain conflict between media fen and those who call themselves "true science fiction" fans... (3)
• In Lieu Of, writing contest rules (6)
• Cohorts, poem by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Wanda Lybarger (10)
• What Happened On... by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Wendy Ikeguchi ("Before Hoth, there was Ord Mandel - and unexpected danger for Han Solo! Seen through the eyes of everyone's favorite smuggler, this story takes us on an exhiliarating adventure that even Han has difficulties handling!") (11)
• Darth's Been a Little Bit Hard On Me, filk to the tune of "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" by Juice Newton, by Rebecca A. Walker (24)
• Scream, filk to the tune of "Dream" by the Everly Brothers, by Rebecca A. Walker (24)
• Luke, poem by Susan E. Voll, art by D.R. Drake (26)
• The Saga Continues, article about George Lucas and his career by Chester L. Kloss, art by J.A. Low (28)
• Interrupted Journey by Ruel T. Hernandex (fiction with a Boba Fett focus), frontispiece by Ernest J. Cervantes, art by Tim Eldred ("Boba Fett runs into complications as he attempts to safely deliver a frozen Han Solo to Jabba the Hut. Full of action, it's a "must" for Bounty Hunter fans!") (32)
• Imperial Revenue, filk to the tune of "From Me To You" by J. Lennon and Paul McCartney, by Susan E. Voll, art by Kurt Alan Christensen (70)
• Hero, poem by Jani Hicks, art by Meredydd (72)
• Growing Pains by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Mary Soderstrom (73)
• Beam Me Up, filk to the tune of "Love Me Do" by the Beatles, by Susan E. Voll and Rebecca A. Walker, art by D.R. Drake (Star Trek: TOS) (73)
• The Wait, poem (meta about how hard it is to wait for George Lucas to make another film in the series) by Jake (76)
• Retelling the Legend, a Star Wars "Mad Libs" by Susan E. Voll, art by Rebecca A. Walker (78)
• Crossword Puzzle by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Rebecca A. Walker (87)
• Forerunner by Susan E. Voll, art by J.R. Dunster ("Out of the destruction of the Old Republic arose Emperor Palaptine, Lord Darth Vader, and a new heroine for the SW universe. Through new adventures, new characters, romance, and tragedy, fate intertwines this very- human heroine with Palpatine's transformation to evil Emperor, Darth Vader's acceptance of the Dark Side - and the birth and childhood of a major SW character!") (90)
• Carbonite Dream by Jani Hicks, art by Meredydd (151)
• Forerunner by Susan Voll
• Stolen Mometn by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Wanda Lybarger (155)
• E.T., filk to the tune of "Sweet Pea" by Tommy Roe, by Susan E. Voll, art by Susan E. Voll (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) (157)
• Fandom and Parlance, article about fans and their slang by Ruel T. Hernandez ("For a very long time a certain segment of the world's population had, and still has, an admiration for the science fiction genre. Those in this segment, chiefly in the United States, who were more or less committed to the genre developed and nurtured an entity known as "fandom." Fandom, at first, it could be said, was only a constituency that was to be catered to by publishers of science fiction in the form of books, magazines, pulps, comic books, etc. Later this range expanded with the advent of theatrical and television science fiction. The members of fandom, fans, devoured all the science fiction they could get. For some it was not enough. Fandom as it is known today is enamored with clubs, fanzines, and conventions. Of course, the basis shall always be in the genre"...[snipped] An inspection of the peculiar use of language, some may call it parlance or slang, would reveal a few of the characteristics of fandom. The remainder of this article shall attempt to superficially look at "fanspeak" with the aid of a certainly deficient list of the interesting, and oftentimes colorful, fabricated terms and words.") (159)
• Deathrun, comic by Tim Eldred, art by Tim Eldred (165)
• Paper Dolls by Susan E. Voll, art by Susan E. Voll (205)
• Won't You Come Home, Indiana?, filk to the tune of "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?," by Susan E. Voll, art by Voll (210)
• Rat Turds in the Lost Arck (poster satire) by Mike Cougan (211)
• Indiana Jones, poem by by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Rebecca A. Walker (213)
• Chart My Course, filk to the tune of "Drive My Car" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, by Susan E. Voll, art by D.R. Drake (217)
• Leia's Song, filk to the tune of "The Princess and Han Solo from 'The Empire Strikes Back'," by Susan E. Voll, art by Rebecca A. Walker (219)
• Enterprise Crises by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Rebecca A. Walker (220)
• For Decker, poem by Susan E. Voll, art by D.R. Drake (223)
• Journey's End in Lover's Meeting, poem by Susan E. Voll, art by Voll (225)
• A Different Light by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Carol McPherson ("Taking off where The Empire Strikes Back ends, this major story leads our SW heroes into conflicts and inner struggles never faced before, as Leia searches for the meaning of life and her true love, as Han sacrifices his happiness in the name of friendship, and as Luke learns the secrets of his past while fighting the galaxy to initiate his future.") (227)
• The Origin of Superman, parody fiction by Susan E. Voll (316)
• Dear Yoda, fictional letters to Yoda as if he were an advice columnist, by Susan E. Voll and Rebecca A. Walker, art by Mike Gougan (318)
• Letter by Rebecca A. Walker, art by Tim Eldred (320)
• Ads (322)
• Bios (330)

• 

  from issue #1, Wanda Lybarger

• 

  from issue #1, Wendy Ikeguchi

• 

  from issue #1, D.R. Drake

• 

  from issue #1, Judith Low

• 

  from issue #1, Judith Low

• 

  from issue #1, Ernest J. Cervantes

• 

  from issue #1, Tim Eldred

• 

  from issue #1, Elizabeth Hoolihan

• 

  from issue #1, Meredydd

• 

  from issue #1, D.R. Drake

• 

  from issue #1, Rebecca A. Walker

• 

  from issue #1, Mary Soderstrom (note the beverage can in the background, commented upon in one of the next issue's editorials)

• 

  from issue #1, J.R Dunster

• 

  from issue #1, J.R Dunster

• 

  from issue #1, J.R Dunster

• 

  from issue #1, Meredydd

• 

  from issue #1, Mary Soderstrom (from The Phoenix)

• 

  from issue #1, Tim Eldred

• 

  from issue #1, Susan E. Voll

• 

  from issue #1, Susan E. Voll

• 

  from issue #1, Susan E. Voll

• 

  from issue #1, Mike Gougan

• 

  from issue #1, D.R. Drake

• 

  from issue #1, Rebecca A. Walker

• 

  from issue #1, Rebecca A. Walker

• 

  from issue #1, Tim Eldred

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

[A Different Light]: The basic plot goes thus like: While Chewie and Lando are chasing around after Jabba the Hut and Han, Luke and Leia are at the new rebel base on Tatooine. When Luke returns to Dagobah and his training, Leia, having decided that being a Jedi might be even neater than being a dancer on Solid Gold, goes with him. As they undergo Yoda's schooling together, the Princess finds that, despite occasional sob attacks over Han's missing status, she is losing interest in him and being drawn to Luke. When Han shows up at the base, well, you've got trouble...The fact that this is Walker's first piece of SW fiction excuses it somewhat (although the advance hype on this, an indeterminable amount of it perpetrated by zine ed Walker herself, leads me to believe that she was Asking For It, to coin a phrase-surely few authors have the presumption to call their own first published work"major study, full of fast action and fascinating character studies"). As this story is also not yet published in its entirety and was two years in the writing to boot, I will read the next installment expecting to see a considerably more polished and thoughtful product. In the meantime, I think that Walker would be well advised to learn clean plot construction, tight pacing, and economy of language within the self-imposed limits of the short story. Many experienced fan writers are unable to sustain a novel-length piece; it's not necessarily a denigration of Walker's ability to say that she can't do it yet, either. It is entirely possible that Walker has talent; but on the evidence presented in ADL Part I, it is mired beneath so much artifice and overwriting that it might be another two years before it digs its way out."

[A Different Light]: Luke keeps his promise to return to Dagobah and complete his training.

[zine]: My first thought on receiving Legends of Light was that its editors had lavished plenty of TLC on its production. If I didn't know, I wouldn't· have guessed that LoL was a "neozine" simply by looking at it. The print is clear and, best of all, unreduced. And the artwork is impressive indeed, mostly by talented newcomers, with a sprinkling of more well known fen... I started to read the zine with a very positive feeling, based on appearances. And I am happy to report that my optimism didn't fade as I continued to read. It sustained several hard knocks, though. Most stories and articles are also by talented newcomers, and all needed polishing to greater or lesser degrees. However, there was nothing hopelessly terrible, nothing that necessitated forcing myself to continue reading to the end. A couple of stoires, in fact, had me eagerly turning the pages. Before I give details of the major pieces, let me mention that there is a good deal of material in this zine which will appeal to the eclectic fan: poems, cartoons and illos dealing with Star Trek, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. and a wonderful portrait of a slightly savage-looking Bennu (The Phoenix played by Judson Scott) by Mary Soderstrom.

Most unique of all, there is a Leia paper doll and costumes-get out your scissors and crayons, little girls!-by editor Susan Voll. The readers are challenged to create more costumes for Paper Leia and send them to be published in Legends of Light #2.

Editor Rebecca Walker has the first major contribution, "What Happened On ... " The title explains all: this is simply an action-adventure story, "what happened on" Ord Mantell. It has a plot of sorts, but no theme or character growth; it's just an incident. Personally, I'd have enjoyed the story more if those other literary elements had been worked in. And the plot, too, has its problems: Leia goes to Ord Mantell to claim some Alderaani bank account. I hope that in "real life" she'd have enough brains not to try any such thing, since surely the Empire has all such funds impounded and would arrest anyone trying to caim them. These kinds of logic flaws, as well as such technical things as overuse of adverbs and refusal to use the simple word "said" (admittedly a problem all newer writers have) cause me to rate this piece only as mediocre.

An article by Chester L. Kloss, "The Saga Continues," is a short biographical sketch of George Lucas. It will probably prove interesting to people new to SW fandom, but is a retelling of already-known facts to those who have been involved a while. I had a major difficulty with one point Mr. Kloss makes: he has a direct quote from Lucas about G.L.'s decision to attend USC, then says something else is probably more true. Kloss doesn't document this assertion. I hope he has very reliable sources, since he needs a darned good reason for saying, in effect, that he knows more about Lucas' past than Lucas does.

"Interrupted Journey" by Ruel T. Hernandez has Boba Fett as the main character, instead of one of the Big Three, and the story attempts to show some of Fett's personality traits and as a bounty hunter. The plot involves Fett's abduction by the government of the planet Durkslip. The officials hold the carbon-frozen Han Solo hostage, so that Fett will run an "errand" for them. Unfortunately, I couldn't like this piece much, because the weak plot and amateurish writing style got in the way. The writing was very much "stream of consciousness," and constantly shifted its point of view from Fett, to various of the author's original characters, to unimportant storm troopers. There were some unbelievable elements to the plot; for instance, technicians of the planet Durkslip identified Fett's ship and pulled it to the planet with a tractor beam while the ship was in hyperspece. I might have been almost willing to believe that, if it hadn't been mentioned a few paragraphs later that Fett's ship was made to land on an "antiquated landing field." It's inconsistent that a civilization with such a powerful tracking system and tractor beam would have less than the most advanced spaceport. This is one of the many logical points that the editors should have caught and corrected, even if the author didn't.

The next major story, "Forerunner" by editor Susan Voll, marks the beginning of an upswing in the literary quality of this zine. Many fans don't care for stories such as this, featuring only the author's original characters in the SW universe. I'm not one of them, though, and I found this piece very interesting. It starts during the extermination of the Jedi and progresses in stages to (I assume) near the SW "present." Its main character is a woman named Jazz, a child of Jedi parents whom we first meet as a baby when her parents are killed during the Imperial pogrom (?). She is sent by Palpatine to an orphanage, hates it (quite understandably-it's not a pleasant place), and runs away to befriend and be adopted by an old spacer. When he is murdered by pirates, she is sold into slavery. She eventually escapes and swears revenge. Well, it's difficult to synopsize this story in a few sentences, but it's a good one, with interesting characterizations. It also shows an awareness on Susan's part of the complexity and variety that the Imperial Galaxy must have; this attention to detail is rare in newer authors. The story is not complete, it is to be continued in the next issue of LoL, and I hope that Susan resolves some loose ends in her plot, concerning the Emperor and a mysterious Force "sphere," which Jazz's father was trying to hide from him.

"Fandom and Parlance," by Ruel Hernandez, is an overview of fannish terminology. It lists and defines about 80 words and phrases peculiar to SF fandom. Many of the words themselves are quite peculiar! Even after being in fandom for several years now, there were terms that I'd never heard, so I think this article will prove informative to all fans, not only new ones. Hernandez also includes a short bibliography for the benefit of those wishing to become more familiar with fannish lexicology.

Next comes a comic strip which would do the Marvel group proud: "Deathrun" by Tim Eldred. It's an exciting tale, about Luke assisting with a Rebellion blockade-running effort and using the Force to save the day, just when things look bleak. Tim's artistic style, although it doesn't have the polished, professional look of Carleton or Foglio, is very good and quite appropriate for this cartoon story.

Most of the rest of the zine is taken up by Rebecca Walker's "A Different Light," another fannish continuation of TESB. All TESB characters are included in this story, and Rebecca puts considerable effort into following up on all of Episode V's plotlines, rather than concentrating on the love triangle or the action-adventure element or the search for Han or Luke's angst over Vader, etc. As a result, the story has thematic balance, something of a rarity in fanfic. The general plotline goes like this: Luke returns to Dagobah. Leia goes with him, and gets some Jedi training, too. Meanwhile, Lando and Chewie go looking for Han. Vader is still searching Cor Luke. Eventually, everyone gets together again, and our three heroes must deal with their entwined personal Ilives as well as face an encounter with Imperial forces. It's approximately what we expect ROTJ to be, right? But Rebecca's ideas on how this bare outline is filled in are interesting and make entertaining reading. First, comments on some of the story's weaknesses. Although it was nice to see the droids included, they did little more than complain and get in the other characters' ways. It was annoying. Granted, Threepio can be pretty annoying at times, but at least Artoo can usually be counted upon to do something useful. There were several places where all three of the main characters seem out of it. (Out of character, that is.) For instance, at times Leia reacts quite timidly when "scolded" by Yoda; I'd expect her to give him tit for tat, Jedi Master or not. She also is squeamish when she first sees Yoda. Surely, she's had enough previous contact with various intelligent lifeforms to accept Yoda's appearance calmly. The characterizations are also "off" during sections of the story dealing with the love relationships. Luke, Leia, and Han often come across as teenagers with bad cases of puppy love; it's particularly painful to me in Han's case. (Example: I doubt he'd purposely eavesdrop on a private conversation between Leia and Luke.) Regarding Lando's and Chewie's attempt to rescue Han, there's one point where they simply march into Jabba's establishment and demand that the Hut turn over Han to them. Without ransom money, yet! I suspect they would have employed a little more finesse. Finally, the writing style often seems somewhat awkward and would have benefited from a thorough rewrite. The positive aspects of "Different Light" outweigh the negative, however. Despite the characterization problems, Rebecca's ideas on the love relationship situation are believable. As she wrote it, I found it quite easy to believe that Leia would be confused about which of her two heroes she really loved, and what kind of love (romantic or brother/sister) she actually felt for each of them. Rebecca also has an excellent idea on a different test Luke might face when he enters the "cave" on Dagobah a second time. The dream-Vader doesn't engage him in a physical duel, but a more subtle psychological one. I must put particular emphasis on the story's climax, the final confrontation with Vader. Both Luke and Leia come out of it as equally heroic, which is a nice touch. And while reading the passage, I forgot that this was a fanzine story, forgot even that I was reading. I was right there with the characters, immersed in the action. The passage is powerful. That a new author is able to so involve her readers (at least, this reader) in her tale augurs well for her future as a fanfic writer of quality. Perhaps the best thing about this story is that it's a true page-turner. Despite occasional winces and mild groans induced by the imperfections noted above, I always was eager to know "what happens next. A short ending to a long critique/review.

I recommend this zine. It's the most promising production by relative newcomers that have come across for quite a while.

[zine]:

Thank you for the zine. It's one of the nicest I've seen. Good printing, page decorations, binding, a marvelous package. I do have comments for you, and they may seem a bit scattered, but I'm working from a pile of notes I made while reading, and I haven't the time to put them into any intelligent order.

Kurt Christensen's cartoon on page 69 made me burst out laughing. I had never thought of Darth as a choo-choo. I'm giggling right now.

"Retelling the Legend." Funny idea. I've played Mad-Libs before, and I think your readers should receive the advice on the Mad-Libs pads: the odder the word (cucumber, herring, hopscotched), the sillier the story. Crazy is best in this game.

Regarding Fandom and its Parlance: I would recommend "The Fancyclopedia." It defines words and phrases, sites known origins, and contains a great deal of history and anecdotes.

My nomination for Best In Zine is "Forerunner Good characterization, very good pacing. Susan, it's fantastic! I love Zandor. I would like to see what happens to Jazz, and the son we know she'll have. In particular, your opinions of what made Han what he is. I know we all have our own pet theories, but I never tire of reading someone else's, if they've thought it out carefully, which it seems you have.

Thanx for Skywise. ELFQUEST is the only comic I read.

I will not comment on the poetry because there is very little poetry that I personally like. It's not a reflection on the individual poet, but a matter of personal preference. Poetry is not one of mine.

Now, Rebecca. Repeat after me: I will continue "A Different Light." I will continue...

I want to see you continue the Rebellion. And I want to see how you resolve all the inner turmoil of the love triangle. To me, Luke and Leia belong together. I don't doubt Han loving Leia, but as you pointed out, he can and will leave her. He just isn't the type to settle down.

I first saw "Dear Yoda" or "Ask Yoda" in Trackless Voids. I love to see silliness with SW characters. Thank you for including this, and please keep it up.

You will keep going with the zine, won't you? You had so many different things in it, something for everybody. Keep it up.

[zine]:

Legends of Light was a good deal bigger than I expected it to be (believe me, I'm not complaining.) It is also very good. The Light stories, of course, create their own set of questions, and I look forward to finding out the answers. Will Han ever find out about his Jedi ancestry? Who does Leia really love? Who is right? What will happen when Luke finds the Emperor? And what has become of the Sphere of Swingond? Perhaps the biggest threat ever, certainly the most dangerous, we haven't heard the last of IT!

The poetry is all very good, but my favorite is "Cohorts" (I've always had a soft spot for Chewie.)

The letter from Han to Leia is marvelous.

And please, don't ever drop "Dear Yoda"!

[zine]:

Favorable comments first. Legends of Light #1 looks good: neat; attractively designed cover (I do like the title being on the spine - much nicer looking than my printing it on for easy location on the shelf); overall clean appearance, nicely laid out. Wanda Lybarger's and JR Dunster's illos are almost uniformly high quality. Tim Eldred's illos for "Interrupted Journey" are uneven, but never less-than-adequate, and his action scenes are quite good.

On the writing side, Jani Hicks' "Hero" appeals to me at least partly because It jibes with my personal initial reaction to Lando. "Retelling the Legend" has all sorts of possibilities, but the fact that Susan felt it necessary to include an extensive glossary of grammatical terms says something very depressing about the state of modern elementary/secondary education! (Please keep in mind that I'm 38 years old, and went thru school long before the innovations that turned out to be such disasters!) In her "Forerunner" it's good to see someone else treating Han's mother (as opposed to Luke's) as a character worthy of consideration. And the background to Palpatine's political rise is both interesting and believable.

Ruel Hernandez's "Random and Parlance" is a real public service, and very well done; including the bibliography was a very good idea. I do wish he'd made it clear, the, that "sci-fi" is considered practically a four-letter word in the science fiction community, and its use generally indicates lack of familiarity with the field. The term was supposedly coined by Mr. Ackerman, whose expertise is in media, not print - and considering the words he makes up constantly, you can imagine that "sci-fi" would not be pounced upon with great love by the rest of us. The terms tends to be used by reporters assigned to cover cons without knowing anything about the subject, and by other commentators, official and otherwise, who know nothing about it. Personally I've had it addressed to me by people who know I "read the stuff" in a tone that absolutely reeks of desire to sound "with it". If I have any respect or liking for the person I explain politely that the proper abbreviation is "sf"; otherwise I just let the person go on sounding ignorant. Frankly, the affectation turns my stomach.

"OutBrunner" - oh yes! Having met the original I can appreciate the term! (He's GoH at the 1983 Worldcon, ConStellation, in Baltimore, by the way). The bios at the end of the zine are a good idea. This is the first time I've seen it done since Ellen Blair's Falcon's Flight unfortunately went under.

Now onto the hard part, which is one reason why I took so long to get this written - trying to work out the right way to say things without sounding destructive is not easy! I hope you'll read this through, even though I can guarantee you won't like it. But I'm honestly trying to be as constructive as possible, and I apologize ahead of time if I sound too rough or start to condescend. I've been doing a lot of story editing the last year or so (as well as getting some! Ouch!) and it's gotten to be a habit, hence the possibly-oppressive attention to details.

"What Happened On..." It seems rather unlike Leia to decide to "take over" Han's cabin when she's passenger on his ship. The business about the lawyer and the family money strikes me as being rather unlikely unless the money was under a false ID - as it turns out, the Empire has taken a good portion of it and if under the Organia name would likely have impounded every credit under that name in the Galaxy (or at least everywhere the Empire has influence, which seems to be a large area). Leia's "it isn't fair" reaction to the loss of the money seems not only unrealistic for someone in her position, it's downright childish. So's her "smarty" speech to Han - she comes across all the way through not as a grown woman in a position of great responsibility, but as a rather spoiled pre-adolescent.

Han, Luke, and Chewie's escape from the Imperial HQ is right in the SW/TESB tradition, but seems to go much too easily.

The "Gank Killer" bothers me. The creature is described interchangeably as killer and bounty hunter, but the terms are not synonymous. As for the "terror weapon", it sounds like a souped-up blaster to me. Why such an odd name for it? Frankly,I'd think that a blaster of any kind would be a terror weapon to someone not armed at all, and the customized variety here would have the same effect on someone with something more ordinary. So why not just call it a custom job of some sort? How does the existence of a "wanted" poster help the Gank find Han and Co.? If it was the only means he had of knowing what Han looked like, and happened to see him shortly after seeing the poster, this should have been specified. But a poster can be anywhere, including many places far from the subject's physical location, hence it would be no help at all in "finding" the person. Why does Han wonder how Jabba could put a bounty on him? Has he forgotten that Greedo told him about the bounty already? And since Han hasn't paid Jabba off yet, the bounty Greedo mentioned would presumably still be offered. Rather odd, also, that the Gank is after Jabba's bounty rather than the bounty for all three of them offered by the Empire - that poster did show all three after all, yet the Gank wants only to give Han to Jabba and then let the others go. General comments: I think the story had a chance at turning into a good old-fashioned space opera, but didn't make it, partly because of logical and writing problems, partly because of nil or poor characterization.

"Interrupted Journey". I couldn't get past the third page or so of this one. A pity, because the opening "roll-up" is a fine idea and is handled well. And the story seems to have great promise, from what I did read. But the writing is generally so very poor (gramma tically and stylistically) that I just couldn't force myself to keep on with it.

"Forerunner". There are a number of problems here, which really is a shame because the basic idea of telling the story of Han's mother is a good one. Uh, if the blaster that killed Zara produced a pencil-thin hole in her, how does that same blaster put a hole in the hull large enough to let two grown men get sucked out in a huge outrush of atmosphere? No matter how thin the hull is, a pencil-sized hole would not be en larged to that size just by the air leakage, and certainly not so quickly. A pencil-sized hole could be patched very easily, and even if getting the job done took a couple of minutes, the air loss would be almost negligible. What's more, a hole large enough to let the two men out would have meant enough sudden pressure loss to take Jazz along with them, and possibly another invader or two. How big is the sphere? Is it really small enough to be hidden in a baby's clothes if not wrapped up in its box or whatever? The fact that the asteroid has artificial atmosphere and gravity should have been made clear at the beginning; mentioning the two factors later in widely separated places makes it sound as if the author suddenly realized in the course of writing that these things were necessary and never went back to smooth things out (in other words it sounds as if the story didn't get proper editing!) It's "phalanges", not "flanges" (good thesaurus and dictionary are invaluable tools for a writer!) How can a virgin be guaranteed a good breeder unless she's been genetically engineered to be one? By definition her potential is unproven. Jazz escapes from the palace with a "small pillow" full of jewelry and small artifacts stolen during her stay; she apparently remains on the planet during her search for a teacher. A great fuss was made about the high cost of buying her, and her presence was surely known to others besides the Baron and his wife, and Phaidra. Surely there would have been an alert when she came up missing? As much as she cost, surely the Baron would have wanted to get her back even if it meant more money. And surely the things she stole would have been described to police and their descriptions circulated. In this case, how was she able to support herself by selling the stuff without getting caught? And she apparently wasn't hiding much, if she was looking for information. Her continued freedom just doesn't make sense. Zandor seems to be almost too easily located and persuaded to help her. For a man whose business is violent crime, he has an almost unbelievable personal sense of honor. Jazz as a person is hard to believe in. Her displays of independence come across more as childish foot-stamping than anything else, and her fanaticism about vengeance seems to make up most if not all of her personality. Too many of the plot devices are cliches: the orphan child brought up in the horrible institution; the waif adopted by the soft-hearted codger who teaches her all he knows; the murder of the guardian and subsequent search for vengeance; the super-independent young woman sold into slavery but never giving in and eventually escaping with her jewels to support herself; in SW fanfic alone the idea of the young woman trained in weapons, etc. by the attractive young man whether or not they become partners and/or lovers.

"Deathrun". Very disappointing, because (Tim Eldred's) "Littlest Bounty Hunter" in Passage to Arms was such fun. This one has too many panels that look unfinished, and it relies entirely too much on both lines and incidents from the films instead of going for something original.

"A Different Light". I got 9 pages into this one, from my written comments. Leia's reaction to Luke's announcement about going back to Dagobah doesn't seem to fit the Leia of the films. Surely she, with her background, would understand the importance of keeping a promise, and she must know that he hadn't finished training - to expect him to help set up a new base rather than finish Jedi training is more than a little shortsighted. As for him being the only one who'd ever been there, why should that matter? Had someone been on Hoth before? Leia seems much too self-centered and unthinking here. Her decision to go with Luke to become a Jedi doesn't make any sense at all (though if he wasn't too old, why should she be? She's younger than he is! Unless, of course, Yoda meant really young was the time to start). And her insistence on learning is rather childish and irresponsible for of the heroine's life), however, the characters and situations reached me, and the relationship between Jazz and Zandor was unusual and enjoyable to read about.

There's so much in this zine that I don't feel that I can comment on everything. Just the things that struck me most. The "filksongs" were fun and some of the poetry was thought-provoking (I especially liked Susan's "Luke").

[zine]:

Well, Legends of Light came last week and has almost totally been read. Congratulations on a very good first effort. I will be looking forward to reading your next issue.

Now onto my thoughts about the stories. The best story was "Forerunner". I liked Jazz very much and hope to read more about that lady. Too bad about Zandor being killed off so soon. I would have liked to have seen them kept together a little longer. Now since she has taken the name of Jazz Solo she will become Han's mother with Zan being his father, correct? You wouldn't do anything as under-handed as not go that way with your story, would you? "Interrupted Journey" was interesting and had very good artwork. Only problem is,when will I get to read the next part? It gave me the feeling of having a second part coming up soon. "What Happened On..." was nicely written and entertaining reading. But not the best Ord Mandel story I have read (the best was Pat Nussman's story <The Nussman story likely referenced is "Toward a Corellian Conquest" in Kessel Run #1. </ref>.)

Now to the story that bothered me very much. "A Different Light" was not my favorite piece. Sorry, but I could buy nothing in it. I could not accept Leia going off to Dagobah just to be with Luke or to become a Jedi for the rebels. At that point in the rebellion they would need strong leaders that would stay and help, not take off for several months. Han came off as a back ward teenager with no feelings and unable to sayanything right. This is not the man shown in either ANH or TESB. Han is not afraid of showing his feelings. This being Leia's first love is also unbelievable. She's been away from home for years! Luke's being told by her that "he was too good to her." Come on now. This is the woman that has helped to run a rebellion. You have kept the names but changed the characters.

Well, other than that small problem talked about before, you two have done a great job and I will buy your next issue.

[zine]:

Whew, I finally finished reading Legends of Light. Well, you have to admit there is a lot there to get through. Now I'll take Rebecca's advice and step out of my "closet fan" status by writing this here LoC.

I particularly enjoyed the two major stories, "Forerunner" and "A Different Light". I'm looking forward to reading their continuations, too. I really like the introduction of Jazz Solo, and the way her character is expanded. Generally, I don't like reading stories about somebody's made up characters in the SW universe. Maybe because so many of them tend to be "Mary Sue-ish". But in this case I found myself becoming quite involved with Jazz and really caring about her. The thing I don't particularly like in "ADL" is Leia's character, though. She's portrayed as childish, which she's not, but she came across that way to me in this story. I'll admit Leia is a hard character to portray just right, and everyone sees her differently.

At first I was going to skip over "Interrupted Journey" since I'm not really into Boba Fett stories. As soon as I got into it, though, I couldn't put it down. This is one exciting story. I'm glad now I didn't pass it by.

"Growing Pains" is a wonderful little piece. That last line in reference to Luke's father is chilling. "Stolen Moment" is another wonderful short piece. Sometimes the short pieces are some of the best. I also like the illo accompanying "Stolen Moment." I'm afraid I dislike "Death Run". I had a hard time following it through and it just didn't seem to make much sense. Could be that it's just me and the fact that I don't really like comic book style reading, because the work on this piece is on a professional level.

I'm grateful for the article, "Fandom and Parlance". Some of the words and terms I was already familiar with, but I learned a lot of new ones, too. I also like the bio section at the end. It's always fun to learn about other's interests.

I hope these bio sections are going to become a coming thing in zines.

I'll just quickly list a few other features that I particularly enjoyed - the Luke poem on pg. 26, Indy poem and illo on pgs. 212-13, cartoon on pg. 214, "Leia's Song" on pg. 219, and "Journey's End..." on pg. 225. But these are only a handful as there are so many good items to choose from. Which brings me to what I think is the best thing about LoL - the variety, something for everybody. I hope you'll continue this variety in future issues.

[zine]:

I enjoyed your zine and was quite impressed for what you said was a first effort. The layout was especially well done. As for the contents: First off, your editorial "words" were very interesting. (I always like to read about other fans and how they discovered fandom .) I thought the things you had to say about the relations between "pure" and "media" fans were quite true. I've heard that relations are not as bad now as they once were, but still in a people known for acceptance, they should be better. And, of course, there is still some conflict between SWars and Trek fans that should have ended long ago (after all, the IDIC does apply.)

Rebecca was always interesting in her "words" as well. I, too, know the struggle to escape from neo-fanism. And being active is the only answer, as well as a good time (although hard on your time and credits).

"What Happened On..." - I thought it was an original idea to show the Ord Mantell incident this way (I've read a few others already). It had a good action-adventure plot, but also had a few problems. One, that the Empire hadn't already appropriated the money (esp. since it was Organa family money). Two, that it wouldn't be very interested in someone of that family going to court (Imperial Court!?!) to get it; at the least they'd show up and see if the Organa in question was a rebel/knew where the Princess was. The only other quibble that I have with the story relates to the dialogue; the use of Earth phrases struck me as a little too much. ("My day hasn't been all roses", etc.)

"Interrupted Journey" was great! I'm a bounty hunter/Boba Fett fan from the beginning and love any stories where they/he appears. This one was esp. exciting, though, with terrific artwork. I thought the author had an excellent grasp of the SWars universe, esp. in relation to names and atmosphere. I'm looking forward to more of his work. Playing cards on top of a I frozen Han was a wonderful twist and the action was great (J know how difficult it is, at least for me, to write exciting and true action). Please more Boba Fett!

"Growing Pains" was a nice vignette. Owen not wanting him to grow up like his father had double meaning in light of the revealed situation. He didn't want Luke to be like Anakin (a pilot always off on idealistic crusades) and to relate to not wanting Luke to grow up to be like our favorite baddie.

"Retelling the Legend" reminded me of every shower I've been to, but is a lot more fun, and funny.

"Forerunner" was very interesting. The main character. Jazz, tended toward a little Mary Sueness, but was acceptable for all that. Perhaps, because she wasn't relating to any of the regular SW characters in this part, at least. This series seems to have only a minor relation to Lucas' universe, but is interesting for all that. Perhaps, when it is finished it could be revamped and made original SF (without any reference to SWars) and aimed at pro or SF zine publication. (I volunteer in the first case to help...)

"Stolen Moment" didn't work for me. I can see Han telling Leia that he was leaving, but not changing his mind then - to stay - only to return and tell the General and Leia that he's going, again. Leia would not have acted like she did in Empire if this had, in fact, happened. (My own opinion.) It just didn't ring true.

"Fandom and Parlance" was very interesting and informative. I found I knew about r to 3 of the terms. The others were all interesting to discover.

"Deathrun" was great. I've seen Tim Eldred's work before and have always loved it. You can see he puts a lot of care into his art and story and as a comics collector of long-standing I would only wish that the Marvel series was done half as well.

"A Different Light" - sorry, but I couldn't finish this story. I don't agree with the characterization and I think the dialogue is again too "Earthish" in context. The texture and sheer details for the SWars universe seems to be missing - the heart of the Saga is missing; the feelings beneath the storyline, the ideas. Most of the characters tend to be shallow compared to the movie versions, esp. Luke, Leia, Han, and Lord Vader. This Vader didn't give me the sense of Dark Power that the movie Vader does or most other fan Vaders. As a first effort it is a worthy one - few people try to do so much the first time around. I do respect the work that obviously went into ADL, and the motivation to create that is behind it, and all I can ask for is that the author do what all would-be writers should: practice, practice, practice. Also, another good idea, perhaps, would be for her to try to "get into" the SWars universe more - the dialogue, situations, names, and planets, etc. I'm sorry if I've hurt any feelings, but I've always felt any writer deserved honest reactions. Keep at it and I'm sure everything will come together.

"Dear Yoda" was great and good for quite a few screams (not Chekov's type). I especially liked how Yoda signed off each time. "Dear Abby" better look out. More! More!

I thought the biographies part was a nice touch, as well as interesting. As I mentioned at the beginning of this LoC - about the size of War and Peace - I love to read about fans.

Well, final word - I promise! I think this first zine is a worthy one, and I've never seen such few typos before! Your zine has a warm, friendly personality and I hope it (the feeling and the zine) remains for a long while.

[zine]: I bought a copy of Legends of Light at Chicon IV. I enjoyed reading it. It was at Chicon that I first found out about the animosity between print fans and media fans. I am saddened by it. I have always maintained that SF fandom was big enough, literally and figuratively, to accept anyone who liked or loved science fiction and fantasy. I hope that this is only a temporary situation.

[zine]: I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my copy of LoL. It's a first rate zine with beautiful artwork, poetry, filksongs, and esp. stories. I particularly enjoyed "Forerunner" and the filksong "Chart My Course" and Rebecca's contributions, "Stolen Moment" and "Letter". The "Dear Yoda" column was hilarious, as were many of the cartoons. I found the articles interesting - Ruel T. Hernandez's "Fandom and Parlance" was very helpful in understanding some of the many people I meet at any cons I'm lucky enough to attend. All in all, a wonderful first issue!

[zine]:

"What Happened On..." is only the second Ord Mandel story I have read. Maybe I don't buy enough of the right zines. Anyway, I thought it fit in nicely with what we were told about it in Empire. Apparently, Lucas will never elaborate on Ord Mandel, so the fans are free to do so. The story was concise, adventuresome, and with characters still in thei characterization up to that point in the Saga. I enjoyed it. On the other hand, "Interrupted Journey" is the only Boba Fett story of any kind I have read. Maybe he's too hard of a character to write about. The thing I liked about the story was that Fett's true nature comes out: he'll do anything for the right price. And poor Han, to have to suffer being a card table.

"Growing Pains" put Uncle Owen into a completely different light. I always believed in pre-Jedi days that Owen wasn't all that he appeared to be. Maybe he does know the truth of Luke's father. Perhaps his behavior towards Luke was his way of protecting him from something Owen never completely understood himself. Maybe there was more to the overbearing man than wanting to keep Luke around as slave labor. Now a good discussion can arise from this idea.

"The Wait" - my sentiments exactly! Enough said, just as an aside. I like Mary Soderstrom's Luke on page 86, but is that a beer can in the background? Just curious.

I'd like to thank Ruel T. Hernandez for compiling the Fandom Glossary. I hang on the fringe of fandom and I didn't know all of the lingo or all of their meanings. Now I'm ready for any fanac where I can show my true fringefandomness (is that a word?)

Tim Eldred is a fantastically talented person. To be able to write a SWars episode in the comic style and then do all of the accompanying artwork is something I can appreciate. I thoroughly enjoyed "Deathrun". I felt it was far superior to some of the SW comic strips I had read in the past. Keep up the good work, Tim!

Susan, I loved your paper dolls. It seems as the Saga progressed so did Leia's wardrobe. I mean in Jedi she had no less than five outfits, well at least four and a half outfits! The half didn't cover much.

Rebecca's Indiana poem described the essence of the man in so few words, but they were the right words. And then a few pages later, she goes to the opposite with "Enterprise Crisis." Very humorous. And then she goes and writes "A Different Light". I've read it twice now, so I must like it. It is one of my favorite post-Empire and pre-Jedi fan written stories I have read. I started reading it one night and just kept turning the pages. I felt it flowed so well. There were no rough parts in it at all. I believe Rebecca covered all the questions we've been waiting to get answers to, and they all tied in so well. One aspect I definitely liked was her softening of Leia's character without taking away her ability to still command. I'm afraid that Leia's character is too often rigid in her dealings, much more so than she was in the movies. She can be strong but soft as well, and Rebecca has proved that.

For some reason, "Dear Yoda" was the first article I read in the zine. Is this going to be a regular feature in LoL? Yoda gives better advice than Ann Landers! I wouldn't mind seeing it appear again.

I can't think of more to write, so I guess I'll quit and let you get back to planning LoL #2. You have decided to boldly move ahead, haven't you? You do good work!

[zine]:

What can I say? "I loved it" seems so simple, so easy. But it truthful. Much of the work is outstanding in quality and substance.

All of it is impressive. My two favorite parts are "Forerunner" and "A Different Light", with only one or two small gripes about each. "Forerunner": This was so mature! So very grown up for a fanzine. (It has been a long time since I've taken interest in one...) Even a hint of...sex I Gosh, don't you know romantic sex is forbidden in SF, huh? "Forerunner" was a wonderful piece of background on Han Solo's parentage. I do, however, cringe at the mention of Jedi in his blood. I think if it were so it would I.) Change our fun-loving rogue forever, and 2.) Luke would have picked it up by now. But I did love this story.

Now, "A Different Light": are you sure Rebecca didn't just steal a "Revenge (now Return) of the Jedi" script? Come on, surely she's had visions of Spring '83. I loved this one, too! So nice, so very well-written. All this talent out there in Ohio! Seriously, ADL is one of the most (and best) sincere second-guess attempts I have ever seen. I did shake my head a bit at the thought of Leia being a Jedi. Just a bit. (Please don't take offense, but when you're dealing with somebody else's characters, you've got to expect and understand this.) Also I feel when it finally comes to it, Luke will destroy Vader. It is his destiny, one he cannot change unless he sways to the Dark Side of the Force. Also, Han shouldn't end up with Leia. He's too much of a rogue to be tied down for long. He likes adventure, danger, etc.... I honestly think if he were to marry her eventually it would destroy them both. All's I can wrap ADL up with is SEQUEL! SEQUEL! SEQUEL!

Okay, enough back-scratching (though it is all meant sincerely and given with much enthusiasm. You deserve it. Ladies.)

[zine]:

I wish I could take time and space to comment properly on every piece in this zine, but I have a job to hold down and will struggle to be brief. There were so many names - my apologies to those I haven't had time to mention specifically!

The stories: my personal favorite was "Fore runner", because of the scope and complexity of the universe and society depicted therein. I would rate it a successful "pilot" for a series, because when I had finished it, I was definitely interested in what-will-happen-next-to-these-people. Two scenes which particularly gripped me (for different reasons) were the passage where Palpatine experiences the effects of the mysterious evil (artifact?) thing; and the scene in the alley where Jazz and Gank first meet. I was a little disappointed that the first, delightfully icky- scary scene wasn't followed up on; I realize that this is to be a series, but enough time and care was lavished on developing this sub-plot that I think it could have been tied off (if only temporarily) more neatly. The alleyway scene("garbage") caused me to giggle hysterically and nearly get thrown out of the public reference room at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where I was diverting myself between bouts of research. I enjoyed this story very much overall, but there were one or two points that gave me pause. Atmosphere on an asteroid? This may just be a matter of SWarsian physics differing from the mundane variety, but a word or two acknowledging the discrepancy might be in order. No serious attempt made (that was mentioned in the story) to at least check the sole obvious place where a fairly valuable escaped slave would have turned up if she survived? Again, it's not (shudder) "wrong"; but an extra line or two could have helped keep the reader's attention from straying after intriguing/distracting loose ends. (Picky, picky. The fact was stressed that local security was pretty laid-back, as compared to the usual pleasure palace, so it is possible I am being unnecessarily critical.)

My next favorite story was "Interrupted Journey". The action was strong, and the backgrounds interesting - Hernandez has done some serious thinking about his characters and the political environments they inhabit. However, once again, I was occasionally distracted by technical questions. Another "physics" problem: according to the movies, it is difficult, if not impossible, to track/detect a ship travelling in hyper-space, short of using a tracer of some sort. So I had a little trouble with a planetary-based network detecting a ship travelling in hyperspace, and tractoring onto same. As with the open-air asteroid, this apparent contradiction could have been acknowledged up front, and thereby rendered less distracting. My other quibble with IJ is more quibble-able: surely Boba Fett is suffi ciently cautious (if not downright paranoid) to have some sort of alarm system built into his sleep inducer, so that he would be woken in case of deviations from programmed routine? would - and I'm not exactly a notorious and deadly (not to mention, unpopular and successful) bounty hunter. Actually, it struck me as peculiar that he would willfully succumb to induced uncon sciousness inthe first place, but the author DID take time and trouble to explain why. This is someone else's interpretation of the character; and the fact that Fett could and did get himself corralled was an integral part of the plot - so I will shaddup. I thought that the manner in which the bounty hunter offed the Imperial was both ingenious and totally in character - both for Fett, and for the Imperial.

"A Different Light" is well-written and quite coherent, in addition to being long (those things don't always go together.) Both the action and the characterizations were strong, though I found the mix a little uneven. My reasons for not being more positive are largely a matter of personal taste, but here they are. First, while Han, Luke and Leia generally act and talk pretty much as they do in the movies, when they get onto The Triangle and the stresses thereof, they start to sound rather adolescent and sorry for themselves. They also start to sound rather like each other: the dialogue takes on a sort of protracted-internal-debate flavor. My second reservation has to do with the characterization of Leia, which just seems dis jointed, somehow. Not one thing she does (well, apart from burdening Luke ad infinitum with the emotional injuries she and Han inflict on each other) was "out of character", but I never got a feeling that she was displaying separate facets of a single dynamic whole; rather, it felt as though there were only fragments, and no systems underneath. This is not to say that Rebecca has not made an ambitious and convincing attempt to portray the Princess; although I'm complaining about fragments, I must say that I liked each of the faces Rebecca had the Princess display very much. Leia is just tremendously difficult to do - and in this story, she is facing situations where what we do already know about her from the movies isn't much help. Seeing the Princess in some different circumstances was refreshing, despite my nit-picking - and she certainly didn't collapse into tearful indecision when it came to non- romantic action. On the whole, I thought that the solution to the Luke/Vader problem Rebecca pro posed was both dramatic and satisfying, and that the problems of Han-Luke-Leia explored in the story were valid, and are certainly going to require SOME sort of working out. The characters learned more about themselves (and maybe each other) in this story than in any of the others. ADL definitely has that labor-of-love feeling.

"What Happened On..." is another action piece. I confess that I generally go for action plots by preference, but the basic premise of this story is a little too easy to pick holes in, and there were problems of transition/exposition which kept coming between me and the flow of the plot. I got the feeling that the author had a very clear picture of what was going on in her head, but hadn't quite had time to get it all down on paper. The story does have its moments. I particularly liked the way in which Our Heroes (the Heroine being occupied elsewhere) diddled the nasty nosey Imperial type who wanted to ask all those embarrassing questions.

All the major stories were strong on action, pacing and overall plot structure; but the writing throughout suffered from surface flaws which varied from distracting to (but only occasionally) down right confusing. The design and reproduction of this zine was top quality, and a great deal of originality and energy went into the stories, art work and articles - but somewhere along the line, proofreading got shorted a bit. Simple typos of the reversed-letters variety are easy to ignore, but it is harder to do when such occurrences start interfering with the sense of a word, sentence, or story. Clarity is vital in action plots; if the reader has to stop and puzzle, the rhythm of the story falters. The same goes for grammatical usage/mechanics. Scatter ye idioms where ye may - as long as the reader gets a clear idea of what's happening. Grammar was occasion ally an obstacle in IJ, where the confusion of noun/verb order, and substitution of verb tenses within sentences sometimes made me wonder whether a particular incident had actually happened yet. This is not meant as a personal attack on style! I don't care whether it's "right" or not (whose rules?), only whether I can understand what's going on. I will say that when I reread the passages that had given me trouble at first, that the pieces generally turned out to have been there all along; I just needed to (aargh) use my brain a little to see how they fit together. Incidentally, I have read zines put out by people with considerable experience which offended worse on editorial grounds, without necessarily being as pretty as LoL is. Gee, what a shame you people can't be absolutely perfect, like everybody else...

So enough of quibbling. As aforesaid, it's because I like the stories, and was impressed with the zine all-around, that I am being obnoxious and pointing out what are (to me) the occasional irregularities. As you can see, most of my hair splitting has to do with the mechanics of story telling, not the stories themselves.

This still leaves an awful lot of zine to yak about. Art - what can I say, other than that I am very impressed. On the technical side, the artwork was well-reproduced, and laid out in a manner that coincides with my personal sense of aesthetics. Very pretty! Illustrative art: I like Tim Eldred's illos for IJ very much. They were clean and competent, though they don't (with one or two exceptions) tell much about this story, as distinct from other Fett stories. Special points to JR Dunster for the illos for "Forerunner". The artist conveys a strong sense of structure and dimensionality, I like the detail the shading gives (extra plaudits once more for fine reproduction, without which these pictures could have suffered badly), and the illos were an integral part of the story. The picture of skank's pet complemented the verbal description very nicely, f'rinstance.

Speaking of art and story together, there is "Deathrun". The story/strip (I'm not sure of the most proper way to describe this piece) reminds me that the visual element was essential to the dramatic impact - as well as the simple believe-ability - of both SW and TESB. Tim's nice, clean lines and tightly designed spaces are very attractive. He also uses the requirements of his medium to advantage - for example, the graphic rhythm of the countdown sequences really transmits a sense of urgency. The occasional echo of speech patterns from the movies was a nice touch. Luke is strong and decisive, and the Rebels are competent despite being deep in trouble, and the Imperials are bad and nasty without being hopelessly dangerous to themselves. I'm not sure exactly what Luke did with his X-wing, but it sure was effective.

Incidental art: some real beauties. I was gripped by a heretical desire to mutilate a zine when I saw the picture of Luke with lightsabre on pg. 86 (Mary Soderstrom): I wanted to cut it out and frame it. I also panted over the "thoughtful" (?) Luke portrait on pg. 25. Other special mentions (I wish I could speak of each one separately, but I just can't - a general pat on the back to all contributors):the Lybarger of Han and Chewie on Pg. 9; the Vader train on pg. 69; ET illos on pg. 158 (Mark Wallace) (very nice). The Yodas at the very end of the zine were strong of line and well-proportioned, but a bit cutesy.

Comic art (as in funny, rather than story telling): there was lots and lots of humor scattered throughout this zine, with the usual proportion of really funny stuff - which amounts to a lot more than usual. A few of the funnies left me flat - I still don't get the point of "kinky" (pg. 135) - maybe I'm just being dense. "Rat Turds" (Mike Gougan) - well, I found it tasteless and pointless,though the caricature is painfully deft. Most of the humor is at least superficially amusing. Some struck me as VERY funny: "Red 5" (pg. 185); Enterprise Crisis (pg. 220-221); and "E.T." (around pg. 26): but humor is very individualistic, and my taste seems especially chaotic/anarchistic. Other humor: "Dear Yoda" and "The Origin of Superman" didn't cause me to froth at the mouth this time around, but many things like it have paralyzed me with giggles at convivial gatherings, so maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. All the filks and poems were perfectly competent.

Articles: I always like to see non-fiction, in addition to fiction, in a fannish publication - gives me something to flap at my mundane half (see? HARD stuff!), I guess. "The Saga Continues" by Chester Kloss, and "Fandom and Parlance" by Ruel Hernandez both qualify as analytical forays. Both articles were all right within their limits, but could have drawn on broader sources. The mini-biography of George Lucas could have included THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, STARLOG magazine (both of which contained transcripts of live interviews), and also THE MOVIE BRATS (or whatever the formal title of that very useful reference aid is) - just for more basic information. Kloss' article did cover the vital statistics, though. The article on fannish lingo was interesting, but (it seemed to me) didn't acknowledge a broad enough variety of sources. It did contain some words new to me - oh bliss! I should know better than to complain when my vocabulary is being expanded...

Fringe benefits (i.e. miscellania): one of the OTHER things that made this zine so much fun was all the creative little goodies scattered here and there throughout. My personal favorite extra was the "madlib", which I inflicted on my muchly-mundane family to their vociferous delight. Many kudos for originality to the cutout/paper dolls. I liked the idea of the contest ("In Lieu Of") - wish I had gotten a copy in time to take a stab at it, as I have that sort of an evil mind. So, to sum up (after having run on MUCH longer than I had intended!), I really enjoyed the diversity of LoL. It was big, fat, and affordable - but what really sold me was its overall impact. This zine has a nice, clean lay out, with crisp reproduction which neatly displays lots and lots of art. Another plus (in my opinion) is the unreduced print. The perfect binding (which has so far stood up admirably to the test of time and the Intergalactic Postal Snail) was another selling touch.

In addition to the large number of offerings by the editors (something I have no strong opinions on, except I don't believe there is any one "right" way to determine proportion of editors' contributions to others'), I really enjoyed seeing the wide variety of people represented between one set of covers. Many of the names are unfamiliar (to me, at least), and it is wonderful to see so much talent gathered together and handsomely showcased. LoL should be encouraging to new-comers, late-comers, and would be comers-out-of-the-closet-after-all-these- years. Great work, team!

[zine]:

As a first or any zine, "most impressive" (Wheeze), as a certain tall, dark type might intone. I'm gratified you found my art useful and enjoyed both the accompanying poem and vignette. But you certainly didn't need it! So many of your artists are so good, especially Drake's, Eldred's (the comic strip a particularly ambitious amount of work; I know), Gougan's outrageous Raider's poster (worthy of MAD or Nat'l Lampoon). Not to say others weren't fine, especially Judy Low's, but those Just stood out. Just for pure fun,

Christensen's Vader choo choo, and "Dear Yoda" were delights, as well as the exhaustive Parlance article. Considering I'm still neo, I welcome the input. To me, though, all the fiction and poetry were good or showed promise, the standout was "Forerunner". Apart from my bias in Solo's favor, I really did find the characterizations the soundest, motives most carefully thought out, a linear plot. I admire Jackie Dunster's art anyway, but here especially as she notes in the features of the parents of the future Han Solo. Really nice effort, and turned out in an incredibly short time frame. Nice, ladies.

[zine]:

I wanted to let you know that I think you've got a real winner on tap here! It's got its rough edges, but it's got a lot of potential, and I wish you great success.

Your artwork, especially, is among the best I've ever seen in any zines. Drake, Soderstrom (LOOOOVE her Bennu!!), and Dunster are especially superb. And a special commendation for Tim Eldred. This guy's got a lot of potential as a comic artist, as displayed in "Deathrun". He milked a lot of excitement out of not much story, and the little touch of ticking away the seconds underneath the main panels added an incredible amount of tension. He's got an eye for innovation and cinematic technique that should take him far. I liked his illos to "Interrupted Journey" even better, with their nice, clean lines and crackling action. The shot of the guards playing cards on Han's carbonite-encased body was a classic. I look forward to seeing more of these folks.

Of the stories, far and away my favorite was "Forerunner", and I'm not just being nice to the ed. It was an excellent story with very strong characters that I really came to like; and JR's illos made them even more real to me. My only complaint was that it ended too soon. I presume Jazz is pregnant at the end of the story, but doesn't know it yet (where else could Han get his winning charm, except from Zandor?), and I'd have liked to see her reaction to that. In short, I'd like to see more of Jazz Solo. "Interrupted Journey" was also riveting and action-packed - but inconclusive. What did Fett do with Plasus, anyway? He had plenty of choices, and could have gotten a good fee for any one of them. Same thing with "A Different Light", which did a good job of second-guessing Lucas. I got really involved in it, and I wanna know what happened! My only objection is to Rebecca's one-dimensional handling of most of the bad guys. Being myself one of those awful people who always falls in love with the villains, I know that Vader, at least, is a very complex character, and would not have been that straight-forward about anything, particularly if his life were in danger. He's tricky; and if there was even a chance that Skywalker could best him in the lightsaber duel (or even if there weren't) he'd have had an extra card up his sleeve somewhere. He would also have known of Luke's improvement, as well as Leia's presence - that's part of being in tune with the Force; he would have felt the changes in intensity, and recognized the new "scent" of Leia's Force-presence.

The poetry got a tad maudlin in spots, but that's what poetry is for most of the time, and I won't quibble. But your filks were terrific; "Imperial Revenue" alone had me on the floor for days. "Dear Yoda", ditto; I hope that will be a regular feature. I like the little "different" things you ran, like the crossword puzzle and the mad lib; these are things you seldom see in zines, but which give LoL an "audience participation" feel, and make it unique. I also like the corner brackets and bold outlining of illos; Jean Danielsen did something similar with the layout of Dragonlore. and it's just as effective in LoL. It adds a very classy, turn-of-the-century touch that, again, sets your zine apart from the masses.

In short, I really like your zine (altho, as I said, I'm not usually partial to good guys), and I also like your attitudes, both as eds and as fen. I wish you both and your zine all the success you so richly deserve.

[zine]: Congratulations to you on your first issue. I don't have much to complain about in your first issue, although pages 90-99 were upside down! That made interesting reading for awhile. I found all of the stories interesting and easy to read. Both "Forerunner" and "A Different Light" seem very simplistic in style - but there's nothing wrong with that. The more you write, the more your style develops. "What Happened On..." was a bit short and choppy (jumped from scene to scene too much), but still a good read. "Inter rupted Journey" was a nice glimpse of Boba Fett; you don't see many fans writing about the bounty hunter. And I always enjoy seeing Tim Eldred's work; "Deathrun" was a nice addition to your zine. My favorite artwork was the cartoon on pg. 214 - "Princess Leia never hit me!"

[zine]:

Cover - tasteful logo. Needs a little more dynamic energy and to see Luke's face...

"Words" - the issue is a good one: fan unity. It's the only way we'll survive. I like your neofan approach; gets people to identify.

General layout of the zine is very good. I know you have complaints about reducing print to reduce overall size, but it IS a relief not to have to get out the old bifocals to read the text.

Luke illo is angelic (by Drake), very good with the poem. Poem is a bit Harlequin (most romantic fan poems are) and might have been done with less exposition, less direct questions and more subtle imagery. Poems are words that spin the web, paint the picture, not tell us about it.

The E.T. cartoon is nice, I like the rendering of Elliott - a gentle face.

It's great that you have informational articles in your zine. The Lucas one didn't tell me anything new, but I'm sure a lot of people found it informative. The illo is very nice. Watch the "editorializing" in factual articles; they don't go together. For a professional look, think Journalism here.

"Interrupted Journey", nicely-paced adventure. It's good to see someone expand upon Boba, although I think he's a bounty hunter who'll get knocked off in Jedi and that's it. (No Other here.) It's standard pulp fiction, which is not to say it's bad. There are a few writing problems here and there, but fine overall. Story didn't interest me much. Illo's are very GOOD for a 17 year-old punk kid who makes me feel like I've got one foot in the grave. Eldred's got style, but he needs to go back and learn how to render like a boring art student. (Ya gotta walk before ya kin fly.) He should also read the story a little more closely to get the illos correct... (the card table, et al).

My God, you've actually got MALE zine contributors!!! That is an accomplishment par excellence.

"Imperial Revenue" - clever. It makes an interesting point. Aside from blowing up one planet, in the SW movies we don't get a real sense of what makes the Imperials so rotten. It's a subtle drawback to George's scheme. After all, we pay taxes in the U.S., but do you see us in revolt? Nah.

"Growing Pains" is good. Rebecca captured a kid's dreams well. I like the idea of Luke imagining the rest of the Universe, it establishes him in our reality. Is Owen Lars or Aunt Beru related to Luke's father? It makes a difference as to whether we believe Owen knew about Darth as Luke's father...Someone should ask George.

"The Wait" is nice. Very identifiable - all our dreams and imaginings really sell the SW pictures, not the pictures themselves.

I like the Lando strangled cartoon. Leia's blase demeanor is perfect.

"Retelling the Legend" could be very funny, especially at parties where the participants have had a little too much Saurian Brandy for their own good.

Luke illo by Mary Soderstrom is good. I like the Bud can especially. Do people notice that?

"Forerunner" illos by JR Dunster very good. Once in awhile her figures look posed, as if they're modeling for a classroom full of eager young artists. She's obviously one of the best in fen artworld. The story is well-written, with some excellent imagery and action descriptions. The style is slightly expository and over-written at times. Having a short scene that expresses how "his admiration grew for her daily" instead of telling us that in the narrative would be better. The plot is fine, although it takes a while for the story to really get going. The plot's a bit standard. Orphan stuck in nasty orphanage, escapes, makes friend who gets snuffed, seeks revenge and falls in love with someone who gets killed. I like the Emperor angle better and the nagging conscience of the underling. I feel more sorry for him than the selfish little girl. Words should speak and situations should describe attitudes. The description of how one says things should be implicit in the dialogue itself and therefore unnecessary. Of course, you CAN use them sometimes, but as a rule they are weaker than they are strong. One point on characterization: Jazz is cute and brave and spunky, but she has very little stake in anything other than revenge, which is a poor motivation (for me, personally). The one person she DOES have a stake in, Zan, is ultimately killed because she is too stupid to see her alternatives. At the end, we hope she wises up, but it is very difficult for me to respect a character without moral sensibilities, no matter how wronged she has been. She cost Zan his life. I do like the business angle of his assassination trade - the letters and all. Rather a nice way to make something abhorrent mundane.

"Stolen Moment" is as close to the Lucas concept of what really could have happened In the movie as I've seen any fan come. (Your last story is pretty plausible, too.) Very good Job, true to character and situation. A little exposition. The only comment I have is the end phrase, "leaving a very confused Princess behind." Aside from the fact that it might read better as "leaving behind blah-blah...." there is again a missed chance for character action as opposed to describing how the Princess feels. Leia could DO something that would indicate to us her confusion, frustration or whatever. Remember the little argument in the Falcon cockpit in Empire? Leia slams her fist on the overhead console, she does not say, "Oh, he makes me so mad." A slam with a hand is worth two words with the lips. (Such poetry.)

The E.T. filk is very clever, very good. It's even singable, which is more than I can say for some filks.

Ruel's article is good and again, thank you for the breadth you offer in your zine. Many of the definitions are funny and even more are difficult to believe. Are you sure he didn't make them up?

Mary's Judson piece is very good, she's got talent, that lady.

The comic strip is fantastic for a 17 year- old. Well drawn (I had the urge to color it in.) The writing is suitable comic book (and there fore, I don't feel qualified to criticize it). With a little work on rendering, Tim could be a pro in a few years. Tell him he has someone rooting for him.

Paper Dolls is another clever idea. I wish Susan had designed some NEW clothes for Leia!

I love the Marion screaming illo on pg. 210. I like Rebecca's Indy poem because it's true and it's economical. The stiple drawing is good. How the heck do you have the patience to do a drawing in dots is beyond me.

The "Enterprise Crisis" is the funniest bit of business in the whole zine. "I've become accustomed to your ears..." priceless. I just love ST take-offs (and landings, too.) Do more funny bits on Star Trek. I love 'em.

Susan's poem for Decker reminds me of Batty of Blade Runner. Was his final speech an inspi ration? The illo is good.

"Dear Yoda" has some inspired bits. (Again, good on variety of zine content.) The ST ones are great, especially Chekov's bit about the red shirt. Oh, those expendable extras!

"Letter" IS a joke, right? I hope so. Wouldn't it be funny if Han DID write such inane letters? Eldred's illos are great. Is he left- handed, or did he make Han that way for cracks?

"A Different Light": I found this story hard to put down...seems some idiot spilled crazy glue all over the desk and my fingers were bound to the pages. I spent three weeks in the hospital getting my face unglued from page 237. Seriously, you share the style weaknesses of Susan noted previously, but in a different way. Suffice to say the story could be cut by 20% and still retain its essential meaning. What color and interest you lost could be better replaced by putting in 20% of metaphor, simile, analogy - all that literary garbage. Susan seems more willing than you to use these writing tools. I suggest you feel free about describing your characters and situations in a more original way. Now I know this sounds very negative, but, in truth, I would give ADL a positive review. The story is up to zine standard-style-writing levels and the plot is good. Once again, you come closer than most fen writers when it comes to operating within George's universe. A lot of what you write is very plausible. Luke goes back to Dagobah. It's possible that Leia would train with Luke, or even be the Other. Depending on how much the alliance needs her, this could happen in ROTJ. Lando and Chewie may try to find Jabba and negotiate, although I feel they wouldn't get very far. I don't think George will have them try the direct approach, but it IS fairly possible. The idea that Luke is haunted by Vader will probably come forth in ROTJ - that, I think is an excellent insight. Yoda's lessons read very well and have good continuity. I don't know if Luke would blow up at Leia ad talk about his past in this manner. George seems to be grooming Luke to be the type who accepts his lot and doesn't complain about it. I think Luke's bitterness may be directed at someone, but not Leia as his nobility would pro tect her from his misguided wrath. He may, how ever, confide in her in a more gentle manner. I don't know if he'll tell anyone about Vader as his father, other than Yoda and Ben. While I do see Leia loosening up and becoming more feminine in the last film, I don't see her doing it through the Force. I see it happening through her relationship with Han. I do, however, think you did a swell job of establishing her character and having it grow. After you rescue Han you bring the smuggler to life after a fashion. I don't recall him really functioning enough in your story. His characterization's a bit off, too casual and easy. I know you've had Han criticism, but I don't think your portrayal is totally wrong. It's just that he has a lot at stake, too, and his actions don't speak for his motivations. I think the lovers reunion will generate more heat than your story, but I do hope she gets the chance to call him a "stuck-up sack of Terler feet". THAT is hysterical. I think the characters won't have all this doubt you give them - Han, Luke, and Leia can handle their emotional problems with more maturity than that. They won't be playing the games as in ADL. This is the one thing I really disagree with. It is interesting that Luke seems more suited to Leia and that they do build a friendship (as opposed to a "lustship") but George has laid the foundation and he's not going to let the action suffer to complicate the love interests. It's a shame, but I think ROTJ will only deal with acceptance and admissions of love and then get on to the action and final resolution of the political struggle. The love relationship is there as gravy and to create dramatic, emotional stakes. BUT, what you have written in ADL is nicely thought out. A bit too long, perhaps, but intriguing.

I like the idea of Leia helping do in Vader, although I think if something like that does happen in George's movie the order will be reversed. Like SW, someone will do something that will enable Luke to FINISH the job. The last blow should be Luke's (or the Other's). It's just good policy. The letters from Ma Skywalker is a very original and interesting idea. I commend you! It tends to be an easy excuse for exposition (but letters often are), but they make a kind of sense.

All in all, a good story with a nice lead- in that doesn't leave you hanging. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Overall, a tremendous first effort. You are to be congratulated. I hope you get a lot of useful feedback from your readers. Really, guys, a great job.

[zine]:

For a first timer I'd give LoL #1 an 80, with Skywalker & Pegasus each getting a 95. It needs work, but time will tell. Some of the artwork was very good, others not very. My favorites are on pgs. 25, 31, 86, 69, & 216. Stories - well, two interesting, one boring, and the others in-between. "What Happened On" and "Interrupted Journey" being the two interesting ones and "Forerunner" being slightly boring.

There are some really drawn-out scenes and not very captivating people.

Also worth note was the cartoon section, "Deathrun". It was a little lacking in polish, but very promising.

[zine]:

Legends arrived in great shape and looked terrific! Originally, I had planned to go into a detailed discussion of the many points I had to make. However, I know that you have been raked over the coals rather severely already (and in the JW review, I think unfairly); and although I certainly had no intention of putting you through another C.M. Carlisle experience, I did have some rather harsh criticism.

My initial reaction was to go into detail on individual pieces, but I'm sure you've already received an over-abundance of comments in that area. What I offer are a few general suggestions that I feel would help tighten the book as a whole.

From a physical standpoint, LoL is right up there with the best of the Fan Q winners. Tho roughly professional in design and binding. The illos were of the highest quality and the type styles selected for the titles were extremely attractive and effective. I was especially enamored of the editorial caricatures (it's always nice to see what people look like), and the contributors biographies - something I wish a lot more zines would include.

As to content, simply put, this is the worst zine I have ever read.

For a zine of this size, quality printing and price, the material appeared to be geared towards a primarily juvenile audience that generally does not fall into the category of people I think you are trying to attract. Also, having authored so much of the material yourself - - with a good percentage of it being little more than filler/fluff - opened you up for harsher criticism than you would have normally incurred. A less than great first effort on a moderate scale would have been better received than a mediocre book on a grand scale.

An example of the above was the opening editorials, which were written in total sincerity, but came off sounding arrogant and boastful. When I first read them, I almost got the feeling you were trying to say that your stuff was too good for any of the zines on the market, so you had to create your own in order to show them off. Obviously,this is not what you meant, but if you tell people you spent two years working on a story, their expectations are a lot higher than if you had said nothing about it. Allow room for comment on the first installment before you announce there is more to come. You might receive letters full of enthusiasm for the next chapter, suggestions you might want to incorporate into it, or reaction that might convince you to abandon it altogether. Keep the door open. Nothing is definitive.

If you do not have enough submissions to fill the book by the required deadline, publish a smaller zine. Almost half of this book could be classified as filler. As for the filler pieces themselves, really give some thought to the lyrics of the "Sung to the tune of..." songs they are being put to. "Scream" sung to the tune of "Dream" is an appalling combination. Personally, I found all of these bits terrible. Improve the prose or eliminate them completely. Nothing should ever be done simply to take up space. If you come up half a page short, fill it with news, artwork, trivia items or leave it blank.

LoL is in need of a strong, objective editorial hand. There is really no excuse for the "See Spot run" style of writing and in some cases, outright bad grammar that permeated a good percentage of this zine. In this instance I am not referring to any variations of slang, but to standard sentence construction. An editor must conform material to these standards if it is to be taken seriously. Stories should never be allowed to ramble, place characters in situations for no reason, or have the protagonist do something drastic (i.e. contradictory to the legend) without apparent motivation. Basic story structure demands that events flow in some type of logical sequence, and paragraphs/chapters/ sentences should be rearranged or rewritten when they don't. With the exception of "Forerunner", almost every other piece got off track of the narrative within the first page. As an editor, you must review these stories with an eye to advancement of the plot at all times.

As for material selection in general; if you plan to publish a high-priced zine, you must give the customer their money's worth. Paper doll contests, fan-slang articles, etc. belong in newsletter type zines. Go through your sub missions and pick out the ones that really have something to say - something that will get people writing LoC's and make them feel involved with what you're doing.

Anyway, I think that's enough for now. As I said earlier, I'm certain you've received numerous suggestions and hopefully, these will be reflected in issue #2. I really don't like being too critical, especially of a first effort. My opinions stem from the fact that I believe you want to publish something that can compete for a Fan Q and I sincerely believe you have the talent to do it. I'm looking forward to your next issue with enthusiasm.

[zine]:

I received my copy of LoL #1 and have enjoyed what I have read so far. First of all, I love the dedication...it's just how I feel about SF and the possibility of space travel. It really is lovely. Also, enjoyed the bit below the dedication. It's a lot of fun and whoever came up with all of that is to be complimented!

I think you've done a good job with the lay-out (which must surely be one of the hardest parts of putting out a zine). LoL is crammed full of good artwork and cartoons, with hardly any blank spaces. (I hate a lot of empty spaces in a zine). Some of the artwork I liked the best: Boba Fett on pg. 31; Chewie on pg. 80 (I love that drawing of him - it's delightful.); all the E.T.s on pg. 158 (the way you've combined these three drawings is especially nice and unusual); the drawing on pg. 164 (must be from PHOENIX...but I've never seen that show); Yoda on pg. 319 (he's really cute). Tim Eldred's "Deathrun" is very well- drawn and the layout on it is unusual and very creative. Very impressive, especially consider ing his age. I like the Princess Leia paper dolls and will enjoy seeing the contest winners. I enjoyed Susan's poem "Luke". I like her choice of words and the way they flow. Really lovely.

I know this has been a mixed up mess of comments. I hope you can make some sense of it. I'm anxious to read the longer offerings in the zine - especially "Forerunner" and "A Different Light". They both sound good. Oh, yeah, almost forgot to mention that I enjoyed both the editorials. I hope some fans take Susan's words to heart. I'm amazed at the egotism and rivalry that goes on in parts of fandom. I attended the St. Louis con in June ('83). I bought a copy of Stormbrother there and was walking through the dealer's room with it. A fan came shrieking up to me and snatched the zine out of my hand, saying,"What that beautiful zine!?" Then she looked closer at the cover and groaned, "Oh, ghod. Star Wars - yuk." Then she gave me a condescending look, stuck her nose in the air, and walked off. This attitude mystifies me.

I think this is a terrific idea you have - to include something about the contributors. I found it very interesting and it made the people more than just names to me.

[zine]: In general, I'm highly impressed with you and your zine in specific. From my limited ex perience with zines, I've seen some of the best and the worst examples of fiction, art, and editing; LoL ranks as one of the highest on ray list, exhibiting the best in quality in all three, especially in fiction and illos. I'm looking forward to #2 (hopefully 3, 4, 5...) with great anticipation, and will eagerly purchase them. Please, please, please, keep up the great work and high standards. Take it from one who's been let down often; nothing's worse than expending hard-earned money for a zine which has been built up and then being disappointed by lousy art, poorly written fiction and sloppy layout or printing. LoL, in ray opinion, will never be counted amongst these, unless you begin to compromise your own standards, which, judging from your submission requirements and all, I'm certain will never happen. Thank you for a great zine.

[zine]:

Just finished Legends of Light #1 and loved every page. It was fabulous! Everything a zine should be, and more. The stories and poems brought all the Star Wars characters to life without bringing "X-rated material" into the picture like so many other zines do. This zine is the kind of one I enjoy reading (I hated to see it end.) The filksongs and comics were hilarious, the artwork was beautiful. All in all, it totally absorbed me, and I can't wait for Issue #2.

Wow, "A Different Light" was something else! (And I mean it.) I'm dying to know what happens to everyone, especially Luke, who is on his way to meet the Emperor. Boy, that story would really make a good movie, huh? Well, I just had to let you know how much I loved Legends of Light. Congratulations on a number 1 zine!

Issue 2

Legends of Light 2 was published in August 1984 and contains 382 pages. The content is almost entirely Star Wars, with two Star Trek poems with illos.

front cover of issue #2, Rebecca Walker

back cover of issue #2, Wanda Lybarger

a flyer for issue #2, note the missing story "Guardian" -- in the zine, the author of this proposed story: "I am very sorry if anyone is unhappy because my story, "Guardian", is not included in this issue. As much as I hate to break a promise - here we go with the trust thing again - I was unable to deliver it in time to have it ready for the zine. I think this issue has enough other great stuff so that no one will really miss it, but for those of you who are interested, 1 am going to finish the story and it will see print eventually. It will be a pretty good size, so it may be a one-shot. SASE us."

The art is by Jenni Hennig, Judy Low, Suzy Sansom, Martynn, Marilyn Morey (Angel), Pat O'Neill, Tim Eldred, Susan Parsley, Carol McPherson, Gail Bennett, Liz Hoolihan, Peter Zale, Madeline Rogers, Jean Clissold, Wendy Ikeguchi, Susan Voll, Jackie Dunster, Cheree Cargill, Nancy Stasulis, Danaline Bryant, Elizabeth Cerritelli, Lynn Garcia, Liz Gregory, Denise Habel, Yvonne Zan, and Mick Gougan.

From the editorial by Rebecca:

With our new jobs, new friends, new homes, new bills (ugh!), the zine in addition was almost the straw that broke the zine-ed's back. But I suppose all zine editors have a bit of the martyr in them. If a job application existed for such a position, the very first question would be: Are you a martyr? Of course, question number two would be: Do you like to have fun while being a martyr? Because certainly being a zine-editor is a lot of fun as well as being a physically and mentally tiring job.

Putting this zine together was like riding a runaway horse when you've lost your stirrups, i.e. it got a little out of control. It kept growing and growing and growing...kinda like the Blob... We have almost fifty contributors who submitted fantastic work, but what a nightmare keeping everything organized! I congratulate all of them for surviving my fits of confusion as I tried to remember to which artist I'd sent a poem to illo, or whose biography I had but didn't know I had, or who I'd given deadline extensions to and for how long. I'm sure you'll agree with me, though,that the temporary confusion was worth every minute.

Susan and I have worked to make LoL a zine of variety. "Something for everyone" is our unofficial motto. With the help of our talented contributors we've certainly succeeded in this issue.

A few readers expressed interest in a sequel to "Interrupted Journey", which appeared in issue one. We encouraged Ruel Hernandez to do such a sequel, but his life has been disrupted as much as, or more than, ours the past year, and circumstances prevented it from being written.

We also received a few inquiries concerning the mysterious object in Mary Soderstrom's "Luke" illo in issue one. Yes, folks, that isa beer (or pop?) can in the background...

From the editorial by Susan:

It has been my experience that most zlne-eds' editorials are mostly statements of agony, such as "This zine was a real pain in the ass to do," "I've worked so hard on this zine, and it's late because..." or "1 don't get no respect" and "1 must be crazy to ever have done this again!" Far be it for me to totally deviate from tradition, but if you are with me thus far, I'll spare you such statements in the following paragraphs. You've read them all before, and the validity of the claims makes them no less palatable.

When we did our first zine, LoL #1, I had no such statements to make. Being very wet behind the ears, and letting other people do all of the typing, it really seemed like an easy project to me, certainly not something one could do over a weekend, but not the back-breaking agony that 1 had read, with feelings of guilt and resentment (about being made to feel guilt over a stranger's pains), so many times before. I saw no reason to have that thrust upon me. 1 wanted to read that zines were fun to do, that the editors loved practically every minute of putting it together.

Well, I was right. Putting together a zine is fun. It is something that one can enjoy doing, or I wouldn't do it. (No, I am neither a maso- chist nor a martyr). But this issue was a lot more work than the last one - there are so many more contributors in it! This was bound to create a work load greater than before. Don't get me wrong - I am thrilled to have each and every one. Or 1 wouldn't have them. They are some of the finest talents in Media fandom, many of them well- known in fannish circles, some of them debuting here. As someone who still is a newcomer (neofan) to this aspect of fandom, I welcome the chance to give other neos exposure. But I am also highly gratified that the more established writers and artists chose to trust us with their works.

If I were asked to describe in one word what zine-fandom were all about, it would be TRUST. I'll tell you, just thinking about all the people I don't know and may never meet trusting me and Rebecca with their talents, the hours and hours of time and effort that go into writing a story or poem, composing a crossword puzzle or drawing a cartoon or illustration, well, it simply is overwhelming. And even more overwhelming are you guys, the people who send your hard-earned pesos to us, trusting that we will, eventually, send you something tangible in return (and here it is - hope you enjoy it!) - well, you're terrific. Without you, we simply could not have done this zine.

• Words by Rebecca Walker (4)
• More Words by Susan Voll (5)
• Legendary Letters, letters of comment (7)
• In Lieu Of by Liz S. (23)
• Journey to Midnight by Ellen Blair-Aspengren, art by Martynn ("Ellen, editor of out-of-print Falcon's Flight, wrote this story seven years ago. Through the help of Martynn nad the willingness of Ellen to pull the story "out of the closet," we are able to print this fine example of early Star Wars fan fiction.")(25)
• Through Your Eyes, Luke, poem by Phyllis Wilson, art by Pat O'Neill (51)
• Command Decision, poem by Pat Nussman, art by Judy Low (53)
• Costume Recreation, article about cosplay by Susan Parsley, art by Parsley (55)
• Slow Dawning by Jenna Bruce, art by Jenni Hennig ("Leia's old friend, Iriadne, helps the Princess, Han, and Luke on an arms smuggling mission, but all is not as it seems. Beware of Imperials in Rebel places!") (59)
• Destiny, poem by Suzy Sansom, art by Gail Bennett (69)
• Hutt So Bad, filk to the tune of "Hurt So Bad" by Linda Ronstadt, by David Wagner, art by Peter Zale (71)
• Fill in the Blank, a Mad Libs by Voll and Walker (72)
• Twinkle, Twinkle Altercation, satirical comic a la Mad Magazine, by Liz Gregory, art by Time Eldred (75)
• Truce by Carol Mularski, art by Walker (81)
• Vader Poem by Marilyn Morey, art by Morey (87)
• Desideratum, filk to the tune of "Old Tennessee" by Dan Fogelberg, by Jenni Hennig, art by Jean C. (89)
• A Date With Mary Sue by Rebecca Walker, art by Tim Eldred (91)
• Lost Young Man, poem by Liz S., art by Wendy Ikeguchi (93)
• Legacy by Chris Jeffords, art by Wanda Lybarger ("Han escapes from Jabba only to find himself alone on Corell and haunted bv memories. A woman and a young boy befriend the former Captain, helping Han come to terms with his conscience. First of the "Brightstar Cycle."") (part of the Brightstar Universe) (97)
• Old Alderaani Lullaby, filk to the tune of "Danny Boy," by Chris Noel, art by Susan Voll (137)
• Secret Hurt, poem by Rebecca Walker, art by Cheree Cargill ( 139)
• Courtship by Tamara Vermande, art by Nancy Stasulis (141)
• The Prophecy of St. Sartan of Alderaan, poem by Chris Noel (145)
• A Certain Point of View by Marilyn Morey, art by Nancy Stasulis (147)
• Tatooine Waltz, filk to the tune of "The Tennessee Waltz", by Linda Eggleton and Janice Bratton, art by Suzy Sansom (149)
• The Captive, filk to the tune of "Beggar's Game" by Dan Fogelberg, by Susan Voll and Rebecca Walker, art by Wanda Lybarger (150)
• Wrath Side Story, a Musical, art by Peter Zale (A con skit. "Written and performed by the AlterCon '83 Con Committee and Friends: Beth Bowles, Ann Cecil, Joe Ellis, Susan Voll, Richard Vorpe, Rebecca Walker, and Rusty Westbeld. Special creative talent (and scripting) by Julia Ecklar. Also performed at Stellar Voyage '84.") (151)
• The Emperor Awaits, poem by Debbie Gilbert, art by Rebecca Walker (167)
• Han's Song, filk to the tune of "Han Solo and the Princess" by John Williams, by Chris Noel, art by Madeline Rogers (168)
• Requiem by Richard Brown (169)
• Limerick by Susan Voll, art by Suzy Sansom (170)
• Alliance by Marcia Brin, art by Judy Low (171)
• Corellian Thoughts, poem by Kathy Agel, art by Suzy Sansom (174)
• Big Brother, Little Sister by Kathy Agel (part of Starbird's Children Universe) (175)
• Time of Leaving by Kathy Agel (part of Starbird's Children Universe) (179)
• Uhura, poem by Liz Gregory, art by Marilyn Morey (Star Trek: TOS) (181)
• Luke and Leia's Theme, filk to the tune of "Luke and Leia" by John Williams, by Debbie Gilbert, art by Judy Low (183)
• A House in Flames by Chris Noel, art by Time Eldred ("Two Imperial agents trick Han, Leia, and Luke into taking them to the new Rebel Base. The female Imperial is also seeking answers to her past and finds them totally unexpected!") (185)
• Epistle for Luke, poem by Liz Gregory, art by Carol McPherson (208)
• Reflections, two poems by Lynne Terry-Hicks, art by Martynn (209)
• Time of Proving, poem by Angelo Varesano, art by Liz Hoolihan (211)
• It is the Wind, poem by Suzy Sansom, art by Jenni Hennig (212)
• Review: Triangle by Nola Caulfield, see that page (213)
• Poor Transportation by Linda and Bobby Eggleton, art by Tim Eldred (216)
• costume contest winners, three paper doll costumes for the Leia paper doll in the previous issue, by Marily Morey and Elizabeth Cerritelli (216)
• The Morning After by Debi Cole, art from Madeline Rogers (219)
• Decision?, poem by Chris Noel, art by Wanda Lybarger (223)
• Those Days, poem by Rebecca Walker and Susan Voll, art by Martynn (224)
• Night Watch by Liz S. (Set during Return of the Jedi. Han's first night with Leia after the carbon freeze. Reprinted in Bloodstripe) (225)
• Jedi Jests (232)
• Release, poem by Chris Noel, art by Suzy Sansom (235)
• Solo's Choice by Janice Bratton, art by J.R. Dunster (237)
• Forced Humor by Rebecca Walker, art by Walker (262)
• Haiku by Rebecca Walker, art by Marilyn Morey (Star Tre: TOS) (264)
• Death Mission by Eim Eldred, art by Eldred (267)
• word search puzzles by Lynda Vandiver (304)
• Shifting Sands by Debbie Gilbert, art by Elizabeth Cerritelli (306)
• The Ultimate Labyrinth by Rebecca Walker, art by T.J. Burnside ("Luke is delayed on his journey to the Emperor and soon finds himself on an Imperial troop carrier ship travelling to the most secret planet in the Empire besides Palpatine's own. While completing her training on Dagobah, Leia sorts out her emotions concerning Han and Luke. Back at the Fleet Han chooses between the Rebellion and his freedom. And waiting to ensnare them all in his web of power, the Emperor sits in his secret fortress with-a weapon that can end the legacy of the Jedi forever! (Conclusion to "A Different Light") (307)
• Son's Lament, poem by Rebecca Walker (349)
• crossword puzzle by Marci Erwin (352)
• Animals, filk to the tune of "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton John, by Linda, Johnny, Bobby Eggleton, art by Tim Eldred (355)
• Dear Yoda by Walker and Voll, art by Gougan (356)

• 

  from issue #2, Suzy Sansom

• 

  from issue #2, Elizabeth Cerritelli

• 

  from issue #2, Suzy Sansom

• 

  from issue #2, Martynn

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  from issue #2, Pat O'Neill

• 

  from issue #2, Judy Low

• 

  from issue #2, Gail Bennett

• 

  from issue #2, Peter Zale, illo for "Hutt So Bad"

• 

  from issue #2, filk: "Hutt So Bad"

• 

  from issue #2, Tim Eldred

• 

  from issue #2, Marilyn Morey (Angel)

• 

  from issue #2, Wendy Ikeguchi

• 

  from issue #2, Wanda Lybarger

• 

  from issue #2, Rebecca Walker

• 

  from issue #2, Nancy Stasulis

• 

  from issue #2, Nancy Stasulis

• 

  from issue #2, Peter Zale

• 

  from issue #2, Rebecca Walker

• 

  from issue #2, Judy Low

• 

  from issue #2, Judy Low

• 

  from issue #2, Elizabeth Hoolihan

• 

  from issue #2, Madeline Rogers

• 

  from issue #2, Suzy Sansom

• 

  from issue #2, Yvonne Zan

• 

  from issue #2, Suzy Sansom

• 

  from issue #2, J.R. Dunster

• 

  from issue #2, J.R. Dunster

• 

  from issue #2, Rebecca Walker

• 

  from issue #2, Marilyn Morey (Angel)

• 

  from issue #2, Tim Eldred

• 

  from issue #2, Elizabeth Cerritelli

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

[The Ultimate Labyrinth]: Some writers have integrated only certain plot twists into their stories, preferring their own solutions to Empire's questions. Rebecca Walker in "The Ultimate Labyrinth" (Legends,of. Light 2) works Luke and Leia's family relationship into the plot while overlooking other developments.

[zine]: LEGENDS OF LIGHT was not as Luke oriented as I had expected, but a few things in it were memorable..."Solo's Choice" by Janice Bratton was one of the best written Solo stories I've come across. Normally, if a story centers on the irascible Corellian, I skip it until I've read any Luke based fiction in the zine, since that doesn't take very long with most zines (the small, number I've read), it was a real surprise to come across a Solo story that was so enjoyable. Han's character was dynamic and very believable as he handled the news of the high price placed on his head by Jabba by retreating into his superficial "loner" persona. There are some great confrontation scenes between Han and Chewie and the book's dialogue is handled just right, both in content and presentation. All the dialogue moves naturally and sounds just as it should for each character. Best of all, Luke is treated with the respect and depth of character he deserves. Great art by J.R. Dunster complemented the story perfectly. "Truce" by Carol Mularski was a very good story explaining Leia's distrust of Lando alter their escape from Bespin. "Requiem" by Chris Brown was a sensitive, moving insight into the thoughts of Anakin Skywalker as he is welcomed into the Force; and Pat Nussman's "Commnand Decision" was a memorable account of the very complex thought processes of Organa, the woman. Very powerful, Pat. I, for one, am sorry you are no longer writing for SW fandom.