Mandria
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| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Mandria |
| Publisher: | David Blenkinsopp |
| Editor(s): | David Blenkinsopp |
| Date(s): | |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Doctor Who |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | http://homepages.enterprise.net:80/mandria/ (via Wayback) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Mandria is a gen anthology of fiction edited and published by David Blenkinsopp. There are at least ten issues.
Issue 1
Mandria 2
Issue 2
Mandria 2 was published in May 1990.
- Lady in a Cage by R. Head
- Mirrors by T. Reid
- Prisoners of Time by John Holland
- other unknown content
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2
What with the current lack of production of new Doctor Who episodes by the BBC and the decline of interest on this side of the Atlantic, it might not be such a bad idea to keep tabs on the fanzines coming out on the program's home turf. After all, the Brits created it, the Brits have nurtured it, and British fanzines can be considered as much a reflection of British fandom as vice versa. So when Marty passed Mandria into my hands and asked me for a review, I figured it was about time some word from the homeland graced these pages. No one does digest-sized fanzines better than the British. I've been informed by British fen that 8 1/2 X 11 zines are expensive to produce and that they've had to work with digest sizes out of necessity, but in this case necessity has bred expertise. The type is clear and crisp, and even though it ranges to the most minuscule sizes at times, you can still read it (an improbability in American zines). The artwork is well reproduced with regard to shading on the interior, although the cover suffers from light repro (and being that the cover is a parchment paper, the printer probably wasn't willing to spend the extra time and effort required). Two quibbles—whoever is responsible for the layout of the cartoons should be shot, and someone has to learn to reduce artwork sufficiently so that the blacks don't run to the edge of the paper (or find a printer that can handle blacks that runs to edge and be prepared to pay for cropping fees). Layout isn't an arcane science, but it does depend on a certain amount of hand/eye coordination and a sense of juxtaposition of white space versus material. Let somebody else do the layout next time, guys. And try to cut down on the number of paste-up lines visible after reproduction. It's a damned shame that such dark and legible repro is ruined by the occasionally messy paste-up line (especially detracting from the artwork). I say "guys" when referring to the editors because the zine, from all indications, is a group edit. The guilty parties aren't named and more's the pity, because someone should be taking credit for the fact that the zine exists... All in all, Mandria is a good effort. The fiction is enjoyable, the reviews certainly present a different viewpoint, and the artwork shows off the excellence of Mr. Linsley and the promise of Mr. Holland. Honestly, I'd have to say that the contents of Mandria are far more imaginative and interesting than those of the Doctor Who fanzines produced on this side of the Atlantic. The editors of Mandria seem willing to take chances with style, substance, and content and I heartily applaud their efforts. [1]
Issue 3
- Summer Night, 1968 by Tim Munro
- Prisoners of Time, part two by John Holland
- Suicide is Painless by James Grant McQuarrie
- Shadows on the Wall by Dave Tully
- Some People are on the Pitch by Keith Topping
- stippling covers by Maria Richmond, other art by John Holland/Editoria-Grafix
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
Mandria 3 has page numbers. Mandria 3 contains the full names of editors and contributors. Mandria 3 has a table of contents, and contains credits for artwork. My faith in fanzine editors may not have been completely renewed, but it did sign a lease for another season. Beyond those additions, the format of Mandria remains consistent-still digest-size (the Brits do it better), offset, about forty-eight pages. The front and back cover repro is excellent.... The content, logically enough, includes new material, basically fiction, episode critiques, and letters. Let's start with the letters. A lot of people don't read letters, which is a damned shame, because letters are often the most interesting part of a zine—especially if you've read the last issue. I found the letters entertaining and, presumably, unedited in addition, they weren't entirely favorable. Kudos to the editorial staff of Mandria, for being able to take it on the chin, and in print... The fiction in Mandria is just fifteen degrees off center, not at all like the pablum of American Doctor Who fic. These people take chances. Sometimes they fail due to the execution or the premise, but at least they try... So ends my follow-up review on Mandria. To be fair, I preferred the fiction in the previous issue, but I do still want to commend the editors for pursuing ideas out of the mainstream. If you like the same old Tom Baker-Sarah Jane stuff, give this a miss. But if you'd like something out of the ordinary, and can tolerate the occasional poor sentence construction and grammatical faux pas, this is inexpensive enough to try at least once, exchange rates what they are. [2]
References
- ^ from a much longer review in Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine? #2. The reviewer, Susan M. Garrett, gives it "3 trees." The reviewers in "Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine?" rated zines on a 1-5 tree/star scale.
- ^ from a much longer review by Susan M. Garrett in Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine? #4. She gives it "3 trees." The reviewers in "Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine?" rated zines on a 1-5 tree/star scale.