Lodestar (multimedia zine by Gail Neville)

Zine
Title:	Lodestar
Publisher:	Gail Neville
Editor(s):
Date(s):	1985
Series?:
Medium:	print, zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Blake’s 7 & multimedia
Language:	English
External Links:
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Lodestar is a gen multimedia (with an emphasis on Blake's 7) anthology of stories and poetry by Gail Neville.

There were four issues and a Lodestar Omnibus. They were published in Australia.

Regarding the title: It is from "Warlord," the name of a ship from Betafarl, according to the first editorial.

From a fan in 1985:

This is a very interesting B7 zine, produced entirely on a computer with fascinating headings and some great articles! The printing method is also computerised, which makes this zine unique in my experience -- well worth the price of $3 ppd.

Issue 1

Lodestar 1 was published in 1985.

• Gail Neville, "Winning Is the Only Safety" (fiction)
• Gail Neville, "The Intruders" (Doctor Who crossover) (fiction)
• Gail Neville, "Poems"
• Gail Neville, "Blake's Seven Star Charts (Dayna and ?)"
• computer graphics by Laurie Neville

Issue 2

Lodestar 2 was published in April 1985.

• Gail Neville, "The Cloud Ships of Dhara" (fiction)
• Gail Neville, "Alone and Silent" (fiction)
• xBryn Lantry, "A Lie" (poem) (reprinted in Gambit #1)
• Mark Stonham, "Blakes Seven Quiz"
• Linda McCarthy, "Headhunter, A Review"
• "Dome City Daily" (non-fiction)
• Gail Neville, "Blake's Seven Star Charts (Jenna and Servalan)"
• Zine reviews
• Adpage
• computer graphics by Laurie Neville

Issue 3

Lodestar 3 was published in September 1985.

• So Long As They Fear, fiction by Gail Neville
• Vengeance, fiction by Julie Kramer (S5)
• Wrong Time, Get Time, fiction by Geoff Tilley
• Might-Have-Beens, poem by xBryn Lantry (reprinted in Gambit #1)
• Ode to Vila, poem by Geoff Tilley
• , Quiz by Mark Stonham
• Review Pages
• Hotel at the End of the World, fiction by Gail Neville (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe/Fawlty Towers crossover)
• computer graphics by Laurie Neville

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

This zine shows what can be done with a computer in its neat, readable and in parts, decorative format. At least this way, Gail doesn't have $$$s of stock gathering dust as can often happen. She just whips off a copy when ordered ($2 per issue). With this issue. Lodestar goes multimedia due to alack of B7 material (for shame!) The feature story is by Gall herself about Dayna Mellanby's parents, without degenerating into a romance. The characters are strong and so contributing much to the product of their union, Dayna. It does, somewhat romantically, though, explain how she got her name and tosses in a connection with the Avon family. Young Kerr Avon as well. Really enjoyable. Bryn Lantry's poem, "Might Have Beens" was excellent, evocative and authentic to the characters involved. Also, Gail's "Hotel At The Edge of The World" gives a humourous look at Fawlty Towers meets Hitch-Hikers (more specifically - the Vogons) and Basil Fawlty's "masterly" handling of the situation. The zine is definitely one of my "must read" ones. *Recommended*.

Issue 4

Lodestar 4 was published in September 1985. It contains other fandom material but mostly Blake's 7.

Lodestar 5

Lodestar 5 was published in 1986.

Omnibus

Lodestar Omnibus is a reprint of issues #1-#3. It was published in December 1985.