Qwiffs

Zine
Title:	Qwiffs
Publisher:	Moon Magick Productions/Moon Magick East
Editor(s):	Gena Durrell, Leah S.
Type:
Date(s):	1993
Frequency:
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Quantum Leap
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Qwiffs is a slash Quantum Leap letterzine with one issue published in 1993.

It had a cover by J.R. featuring Einstein which was done on a computer.

Qwiffs was published in March 1993 and contains 19 pages.

Two abbreviations in this zine: "QS" = "Quantum Slash" and "QLeap" = "Quantum Leap."

From a July 1993 ad in GAZ: "A Quantum Leap letterzine including slash. Reviews, LOCs, artwork, cartoon. AVAILABLE."

• ten letters of comment (1)
• Slash Reviews (17)
  • Leapin' Friskys, see that page
  • Hot August Friskys, see that page
• Guide to the Holy Terror of Time Travel's Timelines (18)
• Project Quantum Slash Classifieds (19)

End of the Line

A second issue was planned for 1994, but was never published, in part due to Durrell's gafiation.

Another casualty of Durrell's fannish departure was the zine, Megrez. It was at this time that, Moon Magick Productions/Moon Magick West became Quantum Fire Press and severed communication and cooperation with "Moon Magick East."

Stacy Doyle had planned to take "Qwiffs" over, but ended up creating S/A instead.

About

From the editorial:

Qwiffs is a no-frills, amateur publication, intended solely for entertainment, socializing, practicing freedom of speech and of the press, and a very cheap and fun means of group therapy. It is not intended to infringe on personal lives or on copyrights held by Belisarius Productions, Universal, Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell or anyone else needed to be mentioned but haven't. The physical relationship discussed is only about the characters (Sam and Al), and in no way about any real individual, living or dead.

Hello Leapers!

I guess this is the mandatory space where I get to bitch and moan about what a rough time I had putting Quiffs out, then add additional griping about working on Megrez and Prima Donna (which may actually become part of Leah's zine, Let It Be Me, if she doesn't get any more subs for L.I.B.M.). Then I could go on to hem and haw about how every time I blink, another QL story insists to be written. On top of everything, I get to cry about finding study time, while maintaining a full time job!

I could, I should... It's my right as am editor. So how come as I finally get to this moment, all I can do is sit and stare at piles of LOC's, stories to be typed, books on quantum physics, and a brand new word processor, with this big shit-eating grin on my face? I had to face the facts: I loved every moment of putting this together. I loved reaching out and getting to know those of you who contributed to this issue. I hope I'll get to beg, grovel and plead to more of you to send in your LOC for Issue #2. I especially enjoyed finding others like me who see the QS universe. And most of all, I was ecstatic looking for a way to squeeze more time into a twenty-four hour period than I already over crammed.

Truth is, I'm not having fun unless I'm inventing the wheel every thirty-three seconds, or writing a new story or putting out a zine...

How frequently Qwiffs will come out depends on you. I hope to put out an issue every three months. The deadline for Issue #2 is April 10, 1993. As you'll discover, your contributions are not limited to LOC's. Zine and story reviews are most welcome. Artwork and cartoons and interesting quotes would be very much appreciated.

I had a few extra goodies planned for Qwiffs, but decided to put issue #1 out as a no-frills deal, thus keeping tune to Moon Magick's policy of keeping cost of zines at a nominal charge. I hope to add to those goodies in the future, but only if I can do it without making you people pay for the frills. This issue is not fancy, but I am a true believer of content rather than packaging (so much for a career in advertising—I'd never stand a chance!).

Please feel free in letting me know what you think of Qwiffs, what you did and didn't like, any suggestions on what you would like to see in future issues of Qwiffs, or topics of discussion. This is really your zine; I can't do this without all of you. Hope you have as much fun with Qwiffs as I had while putting this together.

Excerpts from Comments in the Zine

The possibilities of events represent the various timelines, or "universes", which can occur from a given action. All universes are valid. The "correct" universe is the one a given individual perceives. That does not make any of the others "incorrect", as another individual may deem one "correct" for her (or him).

Obviously, in the world of QUANTUM LEAP, there are many different timelines represented in the show itself. Add to that the various changes a fan writer can create... There are straight QL universes, and slash ones. I decided to call this letterzine Qwiffs as away to signify that slash is very real to us—it's OUR universe, the one we perceive. It doesn't mean the straight fans are wrong — they perceive a straight relationship, the one depicted in the show itself. Nobody's arguing that — but too many straight fans are arguing with us. They have no right to tell us our universe cannot exist. Because it does, to us. It's our reality. If in quantum physics, the various universes can co-exist peacefully, then why shouldn't the QL fans do the same, no matter what they believe...?

Haven't they learned anything from the messages of this great show?

{{Quotation|

Since I had acquired the habit of attending media cons from Star Trek fandom, I took a look at the [[:Category:Quantum Leap Zines|Quantum Leapfanzines. My interest deepened, and I went full-blast into the fandom at MEDIAWEST, this past year. It is interesting to see what different slants the fan writers can put on the Sam-Al relationship.}}

As for the Slash vs. Straight controversy itself, my initial feeling is, not again! I've already encountered this battle in two other media fandoms — and would like to avoid another bitter conflict.

For the record — I consider any QL slash stories solely "alternate universes" conceived by the writers — where Sam's and Al's personalities are different in some ways from the aired characters.

The main reason I've read some slash tales are: 1) to see the deepening emotional commitment between Sam and Al; and 2) to see the consequences of both of then if such a sexual relationship did develop. What would the reactions of other Project members be, if they found out? How would "The Donna Problem" be resolved?

I've hardly known slash fans to be a timid, cowering lot. Instead, I think they've tended to overwhelm those object that there's no way their media heroes could possibly become sexually involved. I don't want to see this fight rise again. The motto should be "Live and Let Live" on both sides.

There's one big threat the slash writers need to deal with: AIDS. What if the sexually promiscuous Al got a phone call from one of his former lovers, that she had just learned that one of her former lovers (before Al) had just found out he was HIV-Positive? That she had taken a blood test, and found that she was HIV-Positive, and that Al needed to have the test, too? Would Al blithely deny the threat, and possibly doom some future lover, like Sam? I hope not! I hope you slash writers will include this dangerous possibility, when writing your stories. What measures would they have to take?

Oh, and yes yes yes yes, I do believe in Quantum Slash! It wouldn't be half the fun if I couldn't slash them. If not on the screen, then at least in my mind. And of course in zines! Don't you agree?

I rolled into this fandom more or less accident. By way of Starsky/Hutch fandom and by way of a very good friend of mine, Shoshanna, who likely won't get to read this but I want to thank her anyway, for all she did for me and all she's still doing. She's been providing me with Qleap episodes that are being shown over there, and sending them to me [in the Netherlands]. Providing me with a fix, I couldn't get otherwise.

From the earliest known days of fandom, slash has been an accepted and respected form of fan fiction. Despite the outward "strangeness" of the concept, slash has caught on within virtually every fandom I've ever heard of, and some fandoms are reportedly all slash. So why the fuss over Quantum Leap slash? Why is it that some people in this corner of the fandom universe are so tremendously incensed by our pet concept that they feel the need to spread vicious, even slanderous rumors, and resort to unorthodox tactics, to prevent the spread of this "horrible" form of fiction?

A discussion of the history of slash fiction might be in order at this point. My knowledge of said history is sketchy, but as I understand it, the term "slash" originated with Star Trek fandom. (Love it or leave it, Star Trek and the phenomenon associated with it, and is in fact almost single-handedly responsible for the form of nearly every fandom in existence today.) In the beginning, many if not most Star Trek fan fiction consisted of normal "five-year mission" stories and the dreaded "Lieutenant Mary June" genre. After a while, stories were written and circulated that featured and focused on the relationship between the two male lead characters, Kirk and Spock. These stories came to be known as "K/S", in order to differentiate from the more "usual" fiction. As time passed, and more and more women began to be intrigued by the idea that these two luscious characters might be even more alluring as lovers, the term "K/S" came to denote fiction of an explicitly sexual and homoerotic nature. Hence, the term "slash" as we know it today. I may be wrong about any or all of the above history—I wasn't around when it happened.

My first exposure to slash fan fiction was at a Star Trek convention in a now-defunct hotel outside New York's JFK Airport, sometime in 1983 — ah, fateful convention! I turned around, and saw this weird-looking creature in a KISS t-shirt, and realized that I had inadvertently located an old friend who I hadn't seen in years "Gena!" I exclaimed, and history was re-born. We hugged, and made appropriate comments of startlement at each other's presence—and I happened to notice the fanzine in her hand, although at the time, "fanzine" was not a term I was familiar with. "What's that?" I said. Gena graciously allowed me to read over her shoulder, and from the first explicitly-sexual scene, I was hooked. That fanzine (dare I say its name? Broken Images, a Star Trek work) is probably directly responsible for this zine, among other things both unbelievable and mundane.

Question: Why did both Gena and I find that fanzine so compelling?

Many answers to that one. Firstly, the zine was incredibly well-written—the characterizations of all the main players was true-to-form, realistic and accurate. There was no altering of the characters' personality traits in order to make them conform to an "alien" situation. What we saw in that fanzine was the same Kirk and Spock that we knew and loved, portrayed in a manner that we found appealing. This brings up one of the essential points of slash fiction—that badly-written slash fiction is just as offensive as bad straight fiction, to all but the most hardcore explicit-sex junkies. But that doesn't answer ’the basic question—why would two reasonably normal, thoroughly heterosexual women find such gratification in a fanzine depicting our favorite male characters as homosexual lovers?

Now let’s look at Sam and Al, as portrayed on the tube. Friends, obviously, of many years, so well-acquainted with each other that despite the swiss-cheesing, that friendship endures. There is aggravation, disputes aplenty, as in any relationship. Because both characters are male, the relationship is assumed, quite naturally, to be a platonic one. But if Sam and Al were of opposite gender the show would closely resemble Moonlighting, or any of those other sexual-tens ion, "will-they-or-won't-they" shows so common nowadays, and no one would think twice about it. Something to think about.

Sexual fantasies are common, healthy, and fun. Some people still harbor the mistaken belief that 'nice girls don't think about these things' — which is, as we should all know, a load of pterodactyl manure. An absolutely prehistoric attitude. Still, some women who'll happily read Playgirl will still point to our beloved slash fiction with horrified shock, and cry, "Perverts!" Yeah, right. Because we get turned on by the idea of two men going at it with each other? Ask any man what he thinks of the concept of two women having sex, and see what he says. No honest man will deny that the concept elicits a vividly erotic response within him. If only

our gender could respond with the same honesty.

But some demon within the female mindset too often insists that a "real" man would not participate in such "effeminate" activity, and that the entire concept undermines the masculinity of the male in question. To that, I can only say — a stereotype is a stereotype, whether (to be intentionally offensive) you insist on stereotyping people of color as being maids and slaves and drug dealers, or stereotyping women as helpless bimbos who don't know a screwdriver from a swizzle stick, or stereotyping people of alternate sexual preferences as being "butches" or "fairies". Bigotry is bigotry, whatever its form, and is something that all wise people seek to eliminate from their subconscious minds.

So if slash fiction is psychologically and sexually healthy for its readers, those who are so inclined to seek and enjoy such fiction, why the outcry?

Quantum Leap is one of the rare fandoms that has blossomed tremendously while still in first-run broadcast. This scares a lot of people. What if Universal, or Belisarius, gets persnickety about copyright legalities? What will that do to our newborn baby fandom? And this horrible slash stuff—if Donald or Scott or Dean ever see any of this trash, well, they'll shut down everything on the spot! Their fragile male egos will insist upon putting an end to this perversion of their creation.

So far as I know, no such thing has occurred, nor is it likely to. As stated before, slash is a respected part of most fandoms. Although the subject material might make any man a little uncomfortable, particularly if it its too close to home, a ban on slash fiction would be outright censorship—unless all fanzines were banned, and Don & company value their fandom too much to let that happen. Universal, as "owners" of the property in question, might get edgy about fandom in general, but to single out slash in particular would provoke a debate that would surely prove deleterious to their reputation. And nobody in the Belisarius organization — despite repeated rumors to the contrary — is pursuing, or even aware of any lawsuits against any QL fan fiction writers or publishers whatsoever. How do I know this? Simple. I asked.

When I first found myself falling into this thing we call Quantum Leap fandom, I started hearing about the various forms of persecution being perpetrated against us "slash" types. I was astonished, and filled with disbelief. "What's the big deal?" I kept saying. And the more I think about it, the more I wonder. After all, in any other fandom, changes must be made, and an alternate universe created, in order to allow the "slash" factor to be believable. But Quantum Leap is all alternate universes! Hell, the universes alternate from episode to episode! All that's necessary to explain away the slash universe is one tiny change in the past. We've already seen a bare minimum of three universes, in the broadcast episodes—one in which Sam is married to Donna, one in which Sam's marital status is uncertain and Al is dead, and one in which Sam never Leaped home...

[...]

If all of these universes can coexist peacefully on the television screen, why are all these narrow-minded people so up-in-arms about an aspect of fandom that they can easily ignore?

... if there's one thing I've noticed about Quantum Leap fans, it's that they like to complain. This sounds awfully bigoted of me, and maybe it is, but every time I pick up a letterzine, I end up reading pages and pages of whining and bitching — mostly, about how 'Sam isn't acting like a boy scout in the new episodes' and 'Al's supposed to be the sleazebag; Sam's a good boy'. Pretty superficial analyses, if you ask me. But everyone's entitled to their own view of the QL universe, no matter whether I find it superficial or not. And that's the point. Everyone's entitled to their own view. This is the point stated and reiterated with such force and conviction throughout the series. Walk a mile in another man's shoes. See the other person's point of view. Isn't it amazing that, within a group of people so devoted to the show that makes these points so strongly, so few actually practice what their heroes preach?

As Sam Beckett once queried his holographic companion, regarding the subject of personal sexual preferences, "Does it matter?" The answer —my answer— is this: It shouldn't. Not if you have an open mind, and any respect

whatsoever for the concepts of freedom of thought and expression. This right goes beyond mere constitutional dictates — it is the right of every conscious being, and must not be repressed. And I, for one, will stand up for those rights, and proudly identify myself as a slash fan and writer to anyone who cares to ask—and many who don't. Sure, it takes courage to stand up for your convictions—but someone has to do it.

Because it doesn't matter, and it's high time the rest of QL fandom realized that.

I got into QL reluctantly; stayed because Sam is such a cutie-pie and I'm across universe nut and QL is so damn easy to use. I got into QL slash because the letterzine I was involved in at the time was adamant that slash shall not exist in QL . Well, forget that. Slash can exist anywhere fervid, dirty little minds like mine live. So I wrote one. Still don't believe it actually (I mean, Al smokes. Yech. Why would anyone want to stay in the same room with a smoker, let alone get naked with one?) but hey, you want me to write something, tell me I can't.

I won't even start in on my thoughts on the slash/straight controversy — it would add ten pages to this letter at least! Besides, I'd like us to keep this l/z friendly and non-judgmental. We don't need to lower ourselves to their depths. Anyone takes aim at a slash zine — regardless of what petty excuses they think up — is guilty of discrimination, pure and simple. And whether they like it or not, there are laws to protect us from those who would take away our rights to free speech, free religion, free beliefs and most importantly, the freedom to love. Like Sam — we believe in equal human rights. There was a nasty battle raging in the S&H letterzine years — personally, I think it spoils the fun. And besides, this is OUR forum.

I've been an S&H fan for 17 years now, and this is the first time I've seen as much chemistry! The depth of the relationship between Sam and Al is incredible. The sad part is, most of the QL zines I've read have barely scratched the surface of their complex friendship. Even in S&H we have our intense, straight relationship stories. I guess S&H has hopelessly spoiled me! Granted, the fact that they can't touch makes it more of a challenge, but my friends and I have come up with a n infinite number of fascinating ways to get around that.

I don’t believe that God is leaping Sam around. No God I could believe in would fix it so Sam could cheat on his wife — and father a child by another woman. (Yet he hardly ever leaps into a married man, if so there's usually a way out of the sex issue, like her being pregnant, etc.)

I may hate Donna for wanting Al dead, but I figure SOMETHING turned her into what she is — she seemed like a nice enough person the first time we saw her. But hey, if she thinks fathering another woman's child isn't betraying their love maybe she really is a jerk!

On the other hand, my personal theory is that SAM is responsible for his swiss-cheesing her, as a defense mechanism enabling him to handle all the aspects of leaping. (Not to mention the guilt

about deserting her.) Going even further, I don't believe she's still around. She either left, or Sam erased her again. But, damn her, she makes a great plot device!

I started off in QL just loving the show, and not really getting into the slash aspect until after I'd seen the third season, and [the episode] "Shock Theater". Then, this thing took over in me, and I realized this was one of the most beautiful things that could ever be written, the story of these two guys who really have a fabulous opportunity to be lovers, and love each other.

I like the idea of QL slash. To me, it's just the continuance of the friendship the two men share. Granted, some of the stuff I've read, not just in this universe, was just written to get the two into bed and have sex. Personally, I like the relationship stories more. I like the sex parts as well, but you can only read them for awhile. There are only so many ways for them to do it, and I think I've read just about all of them.

A whole QL slash letterzine? 'Bout time, I say. Yes, the feelthy half of fandom has reared its ugly head, and I, for one, am glad!

It's been over a year since I wondered if I was the only pervert seeing these two as lovers, and while I have discovered a few kindred souls, I see a real need to get together and find others, dear.

I came into Leap around second season, didn't have the slightest intention of slashing these two; it just happened [...]. Just little stuff—the way Al looks at him, sacrifices, protects and cajoles. Let it be officially known — I'm a major Calavicci fan, though I don't distain the other half by any means. Leap got me involved in fandom again, got me writing find wondering and dreaming and communicating. It fed my soul, revived my spirit, gave me hope that I could love and care again. It also triggered a veritable flash flood of stories, phone calls, letters and communication, and that means so much to me. I have found love, warmth and acceptance among

the Leapers I have met, and much tolerance.

My own universe spans from the pre-Leap to post Leap, incorporates and deals with the dreaded "D" woman, sets up a pre-Leap relationship that Sam swiss cheeses when he leaps, and further complicates in "Star Crossed" when he changes his and Donna's lives. It also deals with homecoming and how Al, Sam and Donna struggle to find a way to rebuild their lives. It's ambitious as hell, and scares me to death, but it wants to be written. I need to make Donna a real person, a lady of worth, with feelings and ambitions of her own. I can't ignore her, she's a woman like I am and deserves to be more than a plot device dreamed up by Don to make Sam want to stay home. She deserves to be REAL. She also deserves a better shake than she's been given.

I also need to address what happens when he comes home and Al can finally stop lying to him. Lots of shit will hit the fan, and Sam will be tortured by half remembered things, and Al will stay away, dreading the return of Sam's memory and the knowledge of what he changed because he didn't remember them.

Let me also say that I have already written a ton of "just because" stories that explore the sexual side of the two, quite frankly, didn't give a damn for plot or reason, just wrote to see them together. Apologies to anyone who gets annoyed by such, and yes, I can do more than just throw them together, but it's so much fun, I had to do it for a while just to see if I could. Nor will I premise not to do it again, if the mood strikes...this is also good for the soul.

Hello all! Nice to see I'm not the only Quantum Slash fan in existence. (Believe me, sometimes it feels like it!)

First off, I'd like to congratulate the ladies of Moon Magick for thinking this up. Great idea! I also applaud their courage for not bowing to pressure from Bellisario and Company. While I haven't heard the whole story (anyone care to fill me in?) I do think Donald should unknot his nipples and not take it so seriously. We're just having fun.

As for controversy...well...there's been hubbub about slash in every fandom I've been in. It's not new. Personally, I get strange looks just for liking slash, (the local fans I know won't touch it with a 10-foot pole). As for writing it... as a writer and a poet, I don't take responsibility for what my fevered imagination cares up with. Let's face it, it's not hard to 'read between the lines'. Slashers have raised it to an art form.

It took me awhile to see Quantum Leap as slashable. Granted, they are close, but I find it more difficult than other fandoms because of the nature of their relationship while Sam is leaping. They may be able to confess, but they can't consummate until Sam leaps home. Even non-sexually, you can see the toll it takes on both of them. Add the slash element...angst, angst, angst!

Quantum Slash, I find has to deal more with their feelings and the confession of those feelings than any physical act. Although I have seem 'before' and 'after leaping' stories that work just as well (and are just as enjoyable!).

And yet, while Quantum Slash is the hardest to do, it's also one of the most believable, because of what's in the series. Donald makes it obvious that they care about each other a great deal; the love and the friendship is there for all to see. It's also believable because of their leap relationship. Both of them literally have no one else.

[...]

Okay, so I'm a hopeless romantic. I listen to Barry Manilow, too (the two seem to go together).

Aside from all the fun of exploring all aspects of the relationship, I love the slash universe because the slash people tend to look beneath the self imposed "auras' Sam and Al choose to project to the world. For some strange reason, the straight fans have a tendency to take everything presented to them on surface only and are blind to the other little situations presented (a biased opinion, I admit; but hey, I'm human.).