Martynn

Fan
Name:	Martynn
Alias(es):	Martynn Walther, Mary-Ann Walther Keisel
Type:	Fan Artist, Fan Writer
Fandoms:	Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford, Man From UNCLE
Communities:
Other:
URL:
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Martynn is a prolific fan artist whose work appeared in a number of different fanzines, including the early Star Trek zine Grup, as well as the infamous story, Slow Boat to Bespin.

She is also a multiple FanQ award winner.

Martynn was the winner of the 2002 SF/Media Fan Fund.

Some Short Bios

In 1982, she was nominated for a FanQ award and submitted the following bio to The Annual Fan Q Awards Nominations Booklet:

First fannish endeavor was the cover of a P'burgh based ST zine named "Star Fleet Communications" back in 1968. Since then I have illustrated stories, done covers, written poetry and composed articles for several score of fanzines in various categories ranging from Star Trek to Star Wars, Man from U.N.C.L.E., fantasy, and various other categories. Winner of 1979 Fan Q Award at T'Con for Artist. Winner of Judge's Choice Award at Media West art show 1981. SW zine credits include work in Skywalker, Time Warp, Falcon's Flight, Warped Space, Pegasus, Guardian, etc.

In 2009, she was nominated for that year's The SF/Media Fan Fund:

Mary Ann Walther Keisel (Martynn) -- Martynn is, & has been, a BNF for many years, as well as a long-time MW*C attendee. She is well known for her artistic & vocal contributions to fandom. Last year she illustrated Bev Grant's Harry Potter story in Millenium V. In previous years her works have been seen in the MW*C art show. Martynn is an experienced opera singer, best known in fandom for her participation in most of Bev Grant's plays. Currently, she keeps her voice in practice with a Slavic folk group at OSU. She also likes to participate in panels. She is also fluent in Russian.

General Fan Comments

Martynn's illos of Han have a tendency to reduce me to a slobbering hunk of protoplasm.

Has anyone told Martynn that I love her --not only for her absolutely edible art work, but for saying such nice things about people? Martynn's artwork was, as always, a delight, and no small part of whatever merit the script itself may present.

Whenever Martynn's name appears in the contents I anticipate a treat in just flipping through and looking at the illos.

Zine Contributions

Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones

• Archaeology 101
• Choice Parts
• Facets
• Field Studies
• Harrison Ford Filmography
• Tales for the Telling
• Well of the Souls

Star Trek

• The Compleat Kershu Fighter
• Eridani Triad
• Fesarius
• Grup
• Independent Entity
• Interphase
• Masiform D
• Menagerie
• NTM Collected
• Obsc'zine
• Rigel
• Sehlat's Roar
• Side-Trekked
• Star-Fleet Communications
• This Side of Parodize

Star Wars

• Bright Center of the Universe
• Circle of Light
• Collected Circle of Fire
• Docking Bay
• Empire Review
• Empire Star
• Equal Space
• Falcon's Flight
• Fanfare
• Far Realms
• Galactic Flight
• Guardian
• JediStarDarkFalconKnight
• Kessel Run
• Legends of Light
• Millennium
• The Mos Eisley Tribune
• A New Hope
• Outlands Chronicles
• Pegasus
• Phoenix
• Raiders of the Lost Carbonite
• The Rebel and the Rogue
• ReVisions
• Sanctuary
• ...Scum & Villainy
• Shadowstar
• Syndicated Images
• Skywalker
• Starwings
• Syndizine
• ThousandWorlds Collected
• Time Warp
• A Tremor in the Force
• Trust
• Turnabout
• Twin Suns
• Warped Space

Other

• Cityspeak: The Special Edition
• Comlink
• CrossFiles (X-Files)
• Dracula
• Errantry
• Ghost Riders
• Wide Open Spaces
• The Wolves and the Lambs Affair & The Final Affair

Example Art Gallery

1968

• 

  from Star-Fleet Communications #4

1972

• 

  from from Eridani Triad #1, detail from a page

• 

  from from Eridani Triad #1, detail from a page

• 

  from from Eridani Triad #1

1974

• 

  from Grup #3

1976

• 

  from Warped Space #20, one of the four fold-outs in that zine, this one is titeld "Ask the Girl Who Owns One"

• 

  from Independent Entity #3

• 

  from Warped Space #18, portrays Spock and Arex playing 3-dimensional chess

• 

  from Masiform D #5

• 

  Menagerie #10, art from TrekWorld -- "Mary Sue's head blew off and her body slumped to the floor; a cloud of smoke rose from her neck, where a few wires dangled forlornly. Even Ellison seemed a bit surprised. 'Gosh,' he said. 'She wasn't real, either.' 'So it would appear,' Spock said, nudging her detached head with the toe of his boot."

1977

• 

  from Interphase #4

• 

  from Interphase #4

• 

  from Interphase #4

• 

  from Warped Space #29/30

1978

• 

  from Warped Space #39 -- "Martynn's gorgeous cover — still haven't decided whether I like the latter because of its artistic merits or because of the fact that it's (gasp, swoon) Frank Langella. He was the last person I expected to see on a WS cover, but it was definitely a very pleasant surprise."

• 

  from Warped Space #39

• 

  from Masiform D #7, portrays Spock and Zarabeth

• 

  for the story, "Wormie, or Hottest Damn Girl of the World" by Paula M. Block in Pegasus #3 -- "Martynn's illos for Po Skyblocker's "Wormie" are perfect! Ghod! We all know how damn hard it is to draw something straight from the head with out an exact photo of the scene to go by and Martynn is one of the best I've seen to do that."

• 

  for the story, "Wormie, or Hottest Damn Girl of the World" by Paula M. Block in Pegasus #3 -- "One of the two best bits in the whole ish. Martynn's illos definitely did the story justice! I read it just before I saw "Corvette Summer," and was almost in hysterics over the similarities between the two seduction scenes. Are we to assume that Luke never did — uh — uh— up until he met Leia? And Camie sure started young, didn't she? I assume she's supposed to be about Luke's age, and already she's laid every available man in Anchorhead! Busy lady!"

• 

  from Warped Space #33/34

• 

  from Warped Space #37 (Man from Atlantis)

• 

  from Warped Space #38 -- "Martynn's young Obi-Wan looked more like James Doohan than Alec Guiness to me, for some strange reason!"

1979

• 

  from Time Warp #4 for the story, "Cat Dancing" by Susan Matthews, one of Matthews' stories about Thera, the pantherix Temple dancer -- "Too bad Martynn's illos aren't quite up to the story. The best is on page 72; the others are too static, and Han's face is obviously taken from photos. But the one on p. 72 is beautiful."

• 

  from Time Warp #4 for the story, "Cat Dancing"
  
  "Martynn's art was -superb; those on pages 63 and 70 were especially so."
  
  "... illustrated beautifully by Martynn. It is slightly erotic without being grossly explicit...the ideal prototype of this sub-genre."

• 

  from Skywalker #3 -- "Martynn can't draw feet, but she has the sense to leave them out."

• 

  from The Mos Eisley Tribune #3 (art is dated 1978), this was reprinted in Guardian #3 with a caption

• 

  from the well-known story, A Marketable Commodity, in Pegasus #4

• 

  portrays the original character, Cori Beckett from the well-known story, A Marketable Commodity, in Pegasus #4

• 

  from the well-known story, A Marketable Commodity, in Pegasus #4

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #2 -- "The art by...Martynn is fine as usual, and I'm particularly partial to the shot of Han in a blanket with his arms around the Widowmaker. Hubba-hubba!"

• 

  from Warped Space #40 -- "Han With His Pants Falling Off on p. 96. (Wouldn't we all like to see Han with his pants falling off? Eh?)"

• 

  from Warped Space #40 -- "Martynn's accompanying art is beautiful, especially Chewie carrying Han on p. 87."

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #3 -- "The art [in this zine] ranges from fair to excellent, top of the scale belonging once again to Martynn.

• 

  from Warped Space #42 -- "Tell Martynn that it's about time she realized there are backgrounds in real life. And other portions of anatomy besides the face ... If one covers the face of any one of her people in illos, the picture looks rather dismal and amateurish. She's improving weekly, though."
  
  "Martynn's illos are beautiful. She'll probably kvetch because the backgrounds aren't all filled in, but Martynn, lovely, sometimes; that does an even better job of setting off your subject. Considering the pressure she was under when she did these illos, they're incredible. And now she has one more for the large file cabinet of Chewie-carrying-somebody illos."

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #4

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #4 -- "Her illo of Han's reunion with the Wookies is the best in the zine this time, with him cringing from Malla and Chewie...She got the Wookie likenesses very well--each one recognizable to anyone who saw the show."
  
  "Martynn's my favorite SW portrait artist, and my favorite picture is Han's reunion with Chewie's family."
  
  "Guess I'm kind of drawn to the idea of the Wookiees as Han's "family" group, and Martynn's illos were absolutely perfect, a fine compliment to the narrative. My personal favorite was Han being hugged by the Wookiees. That's an act I wouldn't mind being in on myself - even if I had to grow fur to participate."

• 

  from ReVisions #3

• 

  from ...Scum & Villainy, portrays the original character, Cori Beckett in Stowaway

• 

  from Warped Space #41 for the story, "Comfort", comments regarding common/shared photo references: -- A year later, Martynn told another fan: "Your one full-page of Luke asleep with Jessami in his arms recalled a similar illo which I did for the old 'Continuator' series of Luke and Bri Windrider in the 'Comfort' installment. I'm curious as to whether you used your own reference because, I recall, Po sent me a clipping from a magazine with the angle she wanted for the sleeping couple. It's a nice rendition, anyway." In 1980, at least one other fan commented about a different shared photo reference for illos in Twin Suns.

1980

• 

  from Twin Suns #1, an illo that led to some discussion about "great minds thinking alike" and another comment about sharing common photo references, see Issue 1. A similar comment was made for an illo in Warped Space #41 the year before.

• 

  from Twin Suns #1, some fan casting utilizing David Starsky -- "Uh, is it just me, though, or does that picture of Corlyn look suspiciously like Paul Michael Glaser? [Editor: It better. Before it was titled, that piece was dubbed the 'Han meets Starsky story.']

• 

  from Trust, this illo was reprinted from Warped Space #42, where a fan wrote: "Martynn's illos are marvelous. She rivals Monica Miller. The lady is talented. Don't let her get away. I am especially fond of her illo for "Have You Hugged Your Wookiee Today?" Her patience must be inexhaustible to apply herself so wholeheartedly to all those tiny dots — and to have them come out looking like something!"
  
  "The huggy-Wookiee (also known as "C'mere, darlin'") didn't print very well at all — a lot of the detail on Chewie's coat and some in the lines on Han's hair was lost. What happened? I've seen the prints that Martynn has of this piece, and they're faithful repros of the original, so it can be done."

• 

  from Syndizine #2 (1980 art in a 1981 zine), portrays Boba Fett and a commentary on Dallas -- "And all that time we were quibbling over whether Sue Ellen or Kristen or someone else shot J.R. (re Martynn's illo) and all the time it was dear old Boba. Should've known."

• 

  from Galactic Flight #3 -- "I love Han's hairy chest! 'Sigh'"

• 

  from Galactic Flight #4

• 

  from Obsc'zine #4, portrays the characters Kenny and Vanessa from the movie Corvette Summer

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #5

• 

  from Falcon's Flight #6

• 

  front cover of Facets #3. Thirteen years later, it was used as an interior illo in Bounty Hunter #13, possibly without permission. -- "It's good, but I don't think it's up to Martynn's usually out standing abilities. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something not quite right about the face. It isn't the eyes, though, they're beautiful!"
  
  "To begin with the cover, it certainly isn't my favorite Martynn; in fact, it's no where near up to the level of accomplishment demonstrated by the other pieces she had in thish. Harrison's not that pretty."
  
  "To start, your cover is probably the best piece of Martynn's that I've ever seen — drool! It really is a beautiful illo...

• 

  from Facets #4, for the story 'Festival in Paradise' -- " Martynn's illustrations are good, although in this case she seems to having trouble with body proportions."

• 

  from ReVisions #4

• 

  from Warped Space #43 -- "Martynn's work wasn't up to some of her other illos, tho' the one of Leia was excellent."

1981

• 

  for the story, Slow Boat to Bespin 1, in Guardian #3

• 

  for the more infamous story, Slow Boat to Bespin 2, in Guardian #3

• 

  from Comlink #3 portrays "Hawk" from Buck Rogers

• 

  from Facets #6: "Keep Yer Eyes on the Tuchas" -- "Of course Martynn's art is wonderful, funny and perfectly drawn. Does she ever goof? I think not. (However, it suffered in reduction, losing detail)."

• 

  from Archaeology 101 #1 -- "While I adore Martynn's illos, I thought her Indy was just a little too young, and a little too clean—he needed a bit more beard. Yes, I realize that the photo she based it on is a fairly "clean" shot of Indy, but she could have grubbed him up a little. He looked about 20 years old, too—far too young. Oh, well, I really shouldn't complain, since my illos would look like Spielberg's initial sketches for his storyboards!"

• 

  from Facets #7/8, from the film, Heroes -- "And while I have kicked around the notion that Kenny might not choose to sit with legs crossed, not embrace his guitar quite so gracefully, the portrait is so exquisite and lyrical I find it doesn't matter, really. ((Editor: The pose in the picture is at least partly, if not wholly, my doing. I asked Martynn if she could transform a pic of Steve Martin playing the banjo into Kenny with guitar, and that was the pose in the picture.))
  
  "I've been a fan of the lady since I got into fandom. The Ken who accompanies Kelly's reprint of her short but so poignant "Rainbows" is really nice. Please note: a background for those who've been asking; and dramatically employed, I might add, to emphasize the silhouette of the action of the figure and his isolation. If we could only have one Martynn this time around, at least we got her usual winner."

• 

  from Guardian #3, portrays canon characters and original characters, and is an example of the intense promotion by fans of their, and others' female creations such as Cori Beckett and Mari Sevenstars in the Brightstar Universe, see Other Prominent Early Star Wars Fan-Created Universes.

• 

  from Guardian #3 (art is dated 1978), this illo without the caption was reprinted from The Mos Eisley Tribune #3 (1979)

• 

  from Time Warp #5

• 

  from Twin Suns #2 -- "The front cover, a Martynn piece that is as beautiful as all Martynn-pieces, looks as if it would be the next focus for a 'Write-a-Story-to-Match-This-Illo' contest."
  
  "The outside front cover, a nice Martynn-pic, nice layout and typography. Looks like it ought to be a 'Finish This Story' entry."
  
  "The cover was really cute. Martynn captured our favorite 'twin sons' personalities very well here." "First off, the cover. What can I say? I'm a Martynn fan. Solo's expression in her art always strikes a responsive, emotional chord in me. Her proportions on Luke's arms were off, but I loved her art just the same. Beautiful. (I'm jealous.)"

• 

  from Warped Space #45 -- "At last, an illo of someone carrying the Wookiee for a change. I don't mind the lack of backgrounds in some of Martynn's illos mainly because she does such a nice job with the figures in the foreground. All artwork doesn't need a background to be good; granted I'm nowhere near as good as most of the artists; Martynn, Wagner, and Moaven to name a few of the best. I find myself, however, just as guilty when it comes to omitting backgrounds, some of my stuff is detailed and some isn't, it comes down to what you feel is right for the illo and yes, as Martynn pointed out in her letter, lack of time."

• 

  from Warped Space #45 -- "Then there's Martynn's truly beautiful illo of Luke and Leia on

• 

  from Warped Space #46, from one of Susan Matthews' stories about Thera, the pantherix Temple dancer -- "an exquisite illo"

1982

• 

  from Empire Review, Han carries Chewbacca with ease

• 

  from Shadowstar #14 (1984), the art is dated 1984

• 

  from Starwings #1, portrays Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith

• 

  from Twin Suns #3 -- A fan was not impressed with any art in this zine: "... adequate basic Martynn, Eluki, and Lybarger, a highly-disappointing Wagner, some rather wooden and amateurish McPherson, and illos for "Revenant" by Dunster which are more preliminary sketches than anything else: good but rushed."

1983

• 

  from Starwings #2 (art dated 1983, for a 1984 zine), portrays Saavik over a silhouette of Spock

• 

  from Shadowstar #12 -- From the fan's poem whose art it accompanied: "When I saw the illo that accompanied my own piece, I nearly fainted! I got a Martynn! Thank you for

• 

  from Outlands Chronicles #1

• 

  from Outlands Chronicles #1 -- "Martynn's illos of Han and Zera don't really look like teenagers; they more resemble 20-year-olds. But she does a convincing face for Han as a young boy."

• 

  from Facets #9/10 (Frisco Kid)

• 

  from Facets #9/10 (Frisco Kid) -- "Against Gee Moaven's textural still-frames, Martynn's more stilted figures and backgrounds seem lightweight and in a couple of places are unintentionally hilarious in their lack of logic or proportion."

1984

• 

  from Time Warp #6/7 for the story, In Durance Vile: A Reprehensible Tale, another of Susan Matthews' stories about Thera, the pantherix Temple dancer

• 

  from Time Warp #6/7 for the story, In Durance Vile: A Reprehensible Tale

• 

  from Time Warp #6/7 for the story, In Durance Vile: A Reprehensible Tale

• 

  from Far Realms #6 for the story, "Encounter in a Cantina"

• 

  from Docking Bay #5, for the story, "Gratia Artis" by Eva Albertsson which is told from the point of view of an intelligent snake called Zindra, it concerns Indiana Jones' slipping into a gate in the middle of his escape from the temple in RLA, whereupon he lands in another dimension. -- "Martynn's illos for Albertsson's piece match the author's humor, especially the one which has Indy rather upset at waking up to find a large snake in his bed."

• 

  from Shadowstar #15 -- "Talking about illos, the back cover by Martynn was beautiful. It caught the essence of the ending of ROTJ."

• 

  from A Tremor in the Force #1 -- "Thanks to you, Martynn, for that absolutely delectable Han Solo on page 6. Always wondered what he'd look like in his shorts."
  
  "Re Martynn's illo in TREMOR #1—it's absolutely gorgeous. Of course, she had great material to draw from. Harrison Ford ain't exactly chopped liver, folks. If you've seen TEMPLE OF DOOM, you'll know what I mean."
  
  "(thank you, Martynn, for that beautiful Han hugging and comforting Leia)"
  
  "Martynn's illo for "Just a Dream" enhances the story nicely. I do question the placement of the left leg and foot (Han's); looks awkward to me. I definitely don't care for the method used for some of the shading; looks like felt tip seeping through from the back side of the paper. Flawless likenesses, but, then what else is new?"
  
  "Martynn's illo and stories of yours like 'Interlude on Bespin' had me staggering to the bathroom for another cold shower...all in all, a very satisfactory experience!"
  
  " I thought the Martynn illo of Han in the almost altogether was incredible."

1985

• 

  from Far Realms #7 -- "Not up to Martynn's usual standards."
  
  "I usually love Martynn's illo, but on pp 121 is Leia supposed to look fat?"
  
  "First and foremost I'm a fan of Martynn's art. She continues to brighten any story with her many and various techniques of pointalism—absolutely beautiful."
  
  "Martynn's first illo for Chris Jeffords' story was a bit, er, strange. Leia looks like she put on about 50 pounds and the positioning of Mari Sevenstars' arms indicate an extremely open body stance that doesn't seem in synch with her character."

• 

  from Flip of a Coin #7 (Dead Heat on a Merry Go Round/The Conversation)

• 

  from Far Realms #8

• 

  from Far Realms #8 -- "Martynn's Han and Leia bugged me, though, because it's impossible for Han to hold Leia that way -- unless he separated his arm from the rest of his body."

• 

  from Circle of Light #2 -- "...wonderful as usual. I've been playing with stipple as it's more delicate than Crosshatch. It's more subtle, which was what I always liked about pencil. Maybe someday I'll get that good with pen and ink like Martynn and J.R. Dunster."
  
  "I would really be inspired to visit Tatooine by Martynn's illo."
  
  "Where do you buy a ticket to visit scenic Tatooine? And if this is what training by Yoda can do for a man's physique, I'm sure he'll have more than just Force-sensitives lining up for courses!"

• 

  Art for Flip of a Coin #7 (Hanover Street)

• 

  from Field Studies #2 -- "That cover alone takes away one’s breath. There are a lot of good artists out there, but Martynn consistently does the best facial likeness. And that’s the bottom line, isn’t it? That marvelous face."

1986

• 

  from Shadowstar #20

• 

  from Shadowstar #22, commentary featuring Khan from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan and George Lucas

• 

  from Sanctuary (the art is dated 1986, the zine was 1988)

• 

  from Turnabout

1992

• 

  from Bright Center of the Universe #2 for the story, "Hidden Perils" -- "Martynn's illos for this story were great too. Though the one of Han and Darth looked a little kinky at first glance."

2008

• 

  from a Harry Potter story in Millennium