MAS-Zine
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | MAS-Zine |
| Publisher: | Kanallje Press |
| Editor(s): | Juxian Tang and Anne Blue (#1), Anne Blue (#2-#5) |
| Date(s): | 2000-2004 |
| Series?: | yes |
| Medium: | Ezine, print |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Original Slash, original yaoi, yaoi |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | MAS-Zine index at webarchive.org |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
MAS-Zine is a slash and yaoi zine edited by Anne Blue[1] which published original slash and original yaoi stories and art.
It also published two works of yaoi fanfiction and one work of gay fiction. Its tagline was "Men loving Men fiction with dark elements."[2]
MAS-Zine was issued by Kanallje Press, which also published the annual Yaoi-Con Anthology for Yaoi-Con.
MAS-Zine was originally published as a CD-zine. Later, its issues were distributed as electronic downloads and in printed form.
Descriptions
I think MAS-Zine would be best described as a zine of original slash and original yaoi. The origins of it lie in the now-defunct MaleAbuseStuff e-mail list (hence "MAS-Zine"), which was founded by Juxian Tang, who was writing stories in both yaoi and slash fandoms, as well as creating original m/m fiction. The MaleAbuseStuff list, which was devoted to darkfic, attracted people from the yaoi, slash, and erotica worlds and was unusually prone (for that time period) to attract original fiction writers. Juxian Tang and Anne Blue were listed as joint publishers of the first issue of MAS-Zine; thereafter, the zine was Anne's alone. Anne advertised MAS-Zine at yaoi, slash, and gayfic Websites, but the zine never attracted much of a gayfic readership. The zine was sold at both yaoi cons and slash cons. At any rate, Anne was definitely recruiting writers and artists from both the slash and yaoi communities, which is why the zine published both original slash and original yaoi, as well as a dash of fanfic. Her [http://slashbluegreen.dreamwidth.org/8973.html?style=light Yaoi-con Anthology] , by contrast, published only yaoi stories and art (both original and fanfic). [3]
The zine's "About Us" page said:
MAS-Zine offers you stories that show you the darker side of life, dealing with topics like slavery, imprisonment and prostitution. But we're romantics at heart, showing how love can bloom in such unlikely places.
From a one-time distributor, Agent With Style:
If you like M/M romance with non-consensual and violent elements, then these slash zines are for you! These stories, containing both yaoi and original fiction, deal with controversial topics like M/M rape, non-consensual sex, abuse, hurt/comfort and dominant/submissive relationships, set off with thoughtful themes, creative characterization, skillful style and plots that'll make your heart pound so hard you'll need to splash water on yourself afterwards!
Origin of the Title
MAS stands for 'Male Abuse Stuff', originating from the Yahoo list which was so aptly named by Juxian Tang in an attempt to determine the category of stories and discussions that list members were are interested in.
Awards
It won a Screwz award in 2003 and 2004.
Some Firsts
One notable fact is that MAS-Zine was one of the earliest - possibly the earliest - electronic zines devoted to original slash. It was founded at a time when the original slash community did not yet exist (as opposed to individual writers of original slash, who had existed for quite a while). It's fair to say that MAS-Zine brought the original slash darkfic community together for the first time; the zine served as a focal point for that community for several years.
Issue 1
MAS-Zine 1 ("Juxian Tang: The Darker Side") was published in Summer 2002.
From the editorial:
"We're not squeamish. ^-^We're not squeamish. ^-^
We like M/M romance with non-consensual and violent elements.
The stories in this issue with controversial topics like M/M rape, non-consensual sex, abuse, hurt/comfort, dominant/submissive relationships.
We believe that the ingredients which make a good story for MAS-Zine are the same ingredients which make any good literature: Thoughtful themes. Creative characterization. Skillful style. And plots that make your heart pound so hard that you'll need to splash water on yourself afterwards.
MAS-Zine is a publication for adults. Please heed the warnings.
- Space Opera by Juxian Tang, illustration by Jessica ("Genetically engineered slaves are the latest cry among the rich and powerful. Kai, one of those exotic and submissive creatures, has the bad luck to have his master executed by revengful aliens and himself thrown to the mutinous crew for entertainment… only to find unexpected shelter in the arms of the tough young Officer Radek. But will they be able to stand up against the rest?")
- Lover of Death by Juxian Tang ("He has arrived at the rundown brothel, in the slums of Old Toyko, whipped and bleeding and still covered in the lavish silks of a courtier. Tomo knows he should keep his distance – for this can only be the mysterious favorite of the Shogun who is being taught a lesson by his cruel lover.")
Issue 2
MAS-Zine 2 ("Bishonen in Peril") was published in Autumn 2002.
It was the winner of the SCREWZ Award.
At this time, the fanzine was spotted by Susan from Aesthticism.com who was a fan of Juxian's writing, and the organizer of Yaoi-Con. She offered the editor the opportunity to present the fanzine to a bigger audience at San Francisco's Yaoi-Con in October 2002.
- Wasteland by Becca Abbott, Ai no Kusabi ("Guy has destroyed the lives of Iason, leader of the Blondie Elite, and Iason's Pet, Riki. To punish Guy, Iason gives the angry young mongrel to his friend Raoul, a cold and deadly rapist of minds. When their world is threatened by a danger, only Guy can save the Blondies - but why should he help his enemies?")
- Debt Price by Heather Elizabeth Peterson, cover by Black Rose ("No one would pay his debt price. So he tried to pay it himself, giving the men who visited his prison cell the only thing he could offer: his body. But one man would require more.")
- Expulsion by Remy, art by Helm ("Joran was the second son, his Aristo father's favorite. But his mother was never legally freed, and when the old man dies, Joran's elder brother Aerne returns to set things right. Suddenly everything Joran has taken for granted is gone, and he is forced into the harsh world that always existed underneath his former luxurious life – the world of the slaves of his brother's manor.")
- Lynn by Francesca, illustration by Francesca ("Lukas is a modern man, well-educated, middle-class – a liberal. Lynn is a pleasure slave. Born and bred to serve. Maltreated by his last owner he has learned his lesson – and is determined to make Lukas his perfect master.")
- Predator and Prey by Amanda02 ("Hunted by the old and mighty Vampire Calen, young Parrish seems to be an easy victim. But he too is a hunter and killer of men.")
- Black Feathers by MadamHydra ("Prince Kaylin returns from a successful military expedition with an unexpected prize – a winged male called Skya. Unlike other members of the Imperial Court, Kaylin has never shown any interest in collecting exotic slaves, but for unknown reasons, he chooses to claim official ownership of Skya. It soon becomes apparent that a terrible secret lurks at the heart of Kaylin's and Skya's relationship. However, the Imperial Court of Korenth harbors many secrets and dangers of its own.")
Issue 3
MAS-Zine 3 ("Strappado de Luxe") was published May 2003.
- Barbarians by Heather Elizabeth Peterson ("Vovim was renowned for its strong monarchy, for its love of the theater, and for its skill in the art of torture. In other words, it had all the qualities needed to become a civilized nation. But would anyone be willing to defy Vovim's tyrannical king? And if they did, would they survive?") (1)
- Hidden by Heather Elizabeth Peterson ("He had been given the kindest, gentlest torturer in the dungeon. The prisoner was left with only one hope: that he could teach his torturer how to be cruel.") (31)
- Lament pour le Blond by Briony, illustrated by Marta, ArtDungeon ("In the dark times of the early Middle Ages, Berin, the Commander of Skarrin Guard, falls into the treacherous claws of his powerful uncle, Bishop Langeric de Decran.") (40)
- Pathfinder by Rushlight, illustrated by Tammy Lee, Umbrella Studios ("The young pathfinder Shai desperately needs a genetically suitable partner to prevent his extrasensory talents from running amok. Unfortunately Kalil, one of the town's brutal crime-lords, fits the description.") (67)
- Redemption Redemption by Remy, illustrated by Helm, Crimson Chimera ("A society built on slavery – and Joran, the young Aristo, has fallen deep as deep as one can and still survive. Sequel to Expulsion from MAS-Zine #2.") (175)
- Fortress by Becca Abbott, Yaoi (Ai no Kusabi), illustrated by Dori from Pomegranate Studio ("Sequel to "Wasteland" from MAS-Zine #2. Iason is the leader of the ruling class, the Blondies, and beloved son of the all-powerful artificial intelligence called Jupiter. Who does forgives him anything – but a conflict of loyalty.") (228)
- Forced Surrender by Tricia from JuxtaposeFantasy.com, illustrated by P.L. Nunn, Bishonenworks ("The young sorcerer Hadrian is hunted by most of the land after he was forced by his father to participate in the destroyment of the city of Rhiad. Caled, a mercenary who lost family and friends in the attack is now his reluctant traveling companion. His lust for revenge is only being thwarted by a Life-bond that prevents him from killing Hadrian but Caled is nothing if not inventive.") (317)
- Unicorns by C. E. Gatchalian, illustrated by Agnes, Sugarisland.org (372)
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Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
Thanksgiving (for us Americans) isn't the only feast available for yaoi fans. Here's a review of a veritable smorgasbord of fresh-cut gourmet English-language fansmut, courtesy of Mas-Zine and the Yaoicon fanfic anthology.
Mas-Zine #2 cover, art by Helm.
Mas-Zine first, since I read this one some time ago. A true rarity in the field of homegrown smut, Mas-Zine is a semipro fanzine of derivative and original m/m fiction with nonconsensual elements. That's right, non-con not only allowed, but encouraged. Not necessarily manga/anime-based, each Mas-Zine issue solicits stories around a central theme. The one I happened to get was volume 3: Strappado de Luxe. (Note: I see that issue 2 is now available for free, so I guess I've got some reading handy for the post-holiday flight back home. =P)
As with any gourmet dish, presentation matters. This volume of Mas-Zine was published in CD format with a nice professional-looking custom label, featuring stories in HTML and PDF format, along with black-and-white and color illustrations by popular artists like Tammy Lee, Pluto, P.L. Nunn, Helm, and more. The format options are handy, since the stories themselves range from traditional short-story length to novel-sized whoppers (the longest was 120,000 words).
Fortunately, the Mas-Zine folks have mostly done a good job of selecting and editing, so reading such long stories isn't a chore. It also helps that there's something here for everybody: "original slash", historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and gay fiction, running the gamut from fairly standard fanfic to avant-garde indescribable.
My personal fave was Rushlight's Pathfinder, the aforementioned 120K novel with a well-developed sci-fi concept wrapped around a classic fannish nugget: the concept of unbreakable bonds. I have to confess that bonds are a personal pet peeve; I see them too often in speculative fiction and fanfiction, used as a handy shortcut for creating emotional intensity without the fuss and bother of a long relationship. But this story went straight into the dark side of bonding, and how absolutely crappy it can be to have an unbreakable emotional bond with a bad partner. A refreshing change from the usual sappy sweetness of bonding stories. In this story about genetically-engineered psychics who literally lose their minds unless they bond to a "guide", we meet Shai, a pretty young thing who encounters not one, but three possible guides, each of whom lays claim to him in a different way. The first is benign, though exploitative; the third becomes the obvious odds-on favorite by virtue of the fact that he's the only decent human being of the three. The second, and the focus of most of the story, is a sadistic super-soldier who makes his claim on Shai through a series of brutal rapes. In the end, Shai's only choice is which of the three will end up owning him.
I also liked Becca Abbott's Ai no Kusabi fanfic "Fortress," even though it was apparently the sequel to a story which ran in Mas-Zine volume 2. It stood alone nicely, a well-plotted side dish of characters both familiar and original. I liked her explanation for why Blondies aren't supposed to Do It, and what happens to them when they do.
I tried to like Tricia's "Forced Surrender," but couldn't quite get into it, possibly because much of the story's plot is provided in a backstory info-dump (possibly an unpublished prequel?). What was left felt like a thin excuse for the characters to play master-slave. Might be some people's cuppa, just not mine.
The rest of the stories on the volume are the usual anthology mix of enjoyable and "what were they thinking?" But overall I liked it. I'm tempted to get the "Pirates" issue in the hope of seeing some Pirates of the Caribbean slash. Though I'm not sure I want to see Jack and Will non-con...[4]
Issue 4
MAS-Zine 4 ("Pirates!") was published in November 2003.
In this issue: 2 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story.
- The Memory Made Flesh by Lewis Katsukawa ("Severin, the young and sheltered son of a Loyalist plantation owner, is forced to flee his home in South Carolina during the turmoil of post-revolutionary America. Penniless and drunk on a ship to England, he is captured during a pirate raid by the handsome former redcoat, Captain Steele. At the mercy of this increasingly obsessed man, Severin fights a losing battle, pitted against the dark secrets of Steele's violent past.") (1)
- Shark Calling by Tyellas ("A backpacker's search for adventure entangles him in an island coup, placing him at the mercy of the South Pacific's human predators.") (157)
- Piracy Laws by M. Jones ("To serve on the "Anchorage" is an honor for any young officer. But little does Pel know that his first voyage will lead him into the heart of darkness.") (217)
- The New Boy by Heather Elizabeth Peterson ("In a world where temples are dying and sacred theaters have been replaced by brothels, what will happen when a hard-headed businessman joins forces with an idealist? The first part of a new series, Michael's House. Continued in MAS-Zine #5.") (227)
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Issue 5
MAS-Zine 5 ("The Wicked Ones") was published in May 2004 in print form as a 370-page single issue. [5]
At one point, Agent With Style?) published this zine in two parts.[6] See the talk page.
MAS-Zine 5 (Part 1) was published May 2004 and contains 165 pages.
- Offstage by Heather Elizabeth Peterson ("Michael's House is facing ruin -- unless one of the partners falls back on old ways ...This is the second story of the series. The first story "The New Boy" was published in MAS-Zine #4.") (42 pages)
- When Nightlings Dream by Natsume U ("Mind-wiped Kail is at the mercy of Doctor Simmons, the director of Warwick Asylum. His future seems hopeless until Lord Ryanthis appears -- will he save him or will Kail suffer a fate even more horrible in his hands?") (85 pages)
- The Servant of Inari by Tyellas ("A love triangle of a guardsman, a young prince, and a trickster fox-spirit.") (8 pages)
- Only Sleeping by Lewis Katsukawa ("Cam needs shelter, food and a place to sleep -- the cold and beautiful Sterling has all that to offer but what he demands as payment is more than the young streetwalker bargained for.") (26 pages)
MAS-Zine 5 (Part 2) was published in 2004 and is 192 pages long.
- Sobell by Trece Angulo ("Kydan is a slave and the favorite of his mage-blooded master Lord Ronic. When a newly captured foreign soldier is brought to the estate all those fairy tales of freedom and rebellion become threatening reality.") (83 pages)
- Sworn by Camilla ("Thomas knows that there's a chunk of his life missing. Something about his childhood, something that happened in the old orphanage for boys that his father ran, something so dark and horrible that the ghost of it had manifested to drag him down to hell.") (63 pages)
- Your Darkest Desire by Tricia and Heartfelt ("Finn, a young stripper, is a suspect in a murdercase. But that is not why detective John Stonebrook finds himself obsessed with him ...") (20 pages)
- Dark and Light by Paladin ("After Tequa, crown-prince of the dark elves, has rescued a beautiful light elf from certain death in the arena and made him his slave -- he finds both of them at the center of an intrigue at the royal Dark Elven court.") (25 pages)
- Alexander's River by Patricia Fuller (aka SpiralSea) ("Was there ever a time when you wished for another life? That you wished you'd never known me?")
References
- ^ Anne Blue's deviantART profile Accessed 24 August 2009.
- ^ Defunct website. MAS-zine catalogue archived at webarchive.org. Accessed 24 August 2009.
- ^ by duskpeterson 04:53, 10 June 2010 (UTC), from the talk page of this article
- ^ A Movable Fannish Feast, reviewed by Nora, November 20th 2003; ccessed 24 August 2009.
- ^ for the single issue flyer
- ^ MAS-ZINE 5, Vol. 1 and https://archive.is/eQShn MAS-ZINE 5, Vol. 2.