Refractions (multifandom zine)
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Refractions |
| Publisher: | Kathryn Andersen (Australia), official US reprints have ".1" after issue # (ex: #4 is #4.1) |
| Editor(s): | Kathryn Andersen |
| Date(s): | 1995-? |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | multifandom |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Refractions is a gen multimedia anthology edited and published by Kathryn Andersen.
It was planned to have been the club zine for Alternity, "a club for fans with eclectic tastes." This club, however, never made it off the ground.
Some issues are now online here.
Origins
The editor/publisher explains the concept for the zine series:
Refractions is a mixed Media SF fanzine, which I (Kathryn Andersen) edit. It's mixed because my tastes are far too eclectic to be limited to just one fannish universe. One of my guiding principles in choosing stories is: Nothing is too obscure, because a good story can stand on its own. I just want something that's a good read.
Why Refractions? The name and the idea for the logo came to me at about the same time, in January 1995. A single beam of light, refracted into many colours. It's supposed to indicate diversity of ideas, alterations, crossovers, and things broken away from the original yet echoing its image; the epitome of a Mixed Media SF fanzine.[1]
Issue 1
Refractions 1 was published in 1995 and contains 58 pages (40,400 words). The cover is by Kathryn Andersen. The interior art is by Kathryn Andersen, Jean Graham, Shona McAndrew, and Anonymous (clip art).
The second or third edition was January 1999. The fourth edition (written content is the same, mostly the same illustrations, but a different layout) was published in February 2003. The fifth edition was August 2004. From the fourth edition: "Why so many times? You could probably say it was a teething problem, trying to get an issue which would be the same for A4 and Letter paper, then laying it out again for Acrobat PDF format in January 1999 and this time, redoing it completely with LyX... in my quest to be free of the yoke of evil monopolies."
From the editorial:
Welcome to the debut of Refractions, the club zine of Alternity, the club for fans with eclectic tastes. Half the blame is Bryan Dart's. It was his idea. I'm starting a club, he said. You've got experience, he said. Would you be interested in editing the club zine. I said no. Then I said maybe. Then I said yes, but don't expect me to contribute to it. Famous last words. Here we have a zine, and I contributed to it. Then again, one zine editor that I know said you can't edit a zine without expecting to contribute 50% of it. Another revised that figure to 90%, so I guess I managed okay!
[snipped]
Why Refractions? the name and the idea for the logo came to me at about the same time, back in January. It's supposed to indicate diversity of ideas, alternations, crossovers, and things broken away from the original yet echoing its image; the epitome of a Media SF fanzine. That's why.
[snipped]
Due to the wonders of the Internet, this is truly an international fanzine. Besides Jenny Hayward, Shona McAndrew and I from Australia, we have Jean Graham and Jim McMahon from the U.S. of A., Kev Davis and Judith Proctor from England, and Marina Bailey from South Africa.
I hope you like this zine. There's a mixture of stories and poetry, of Blake's 7 and other universes, mostly serious, but also stuff to bring a smile to your face. Watch out for the end of Aftermath -- I originally wasn't going to use any Babylon 5 stories, but I couldn't resist this one. If you don't like the zine, why on Earth not? Tell me, constructively. And tell me why you like it too.
[For the next issue], I want good PG-rated stories, poetry, and artwork based on any SF Media universe except the Big Two, Doctor Who and Star Trek.
- Editorial (2)
- Migration, poem by Kathryn Andersen (set after the end of the first season) (Ocean Girl) (3)
- Bitter Wine, fiction by Jean Graham ("Looking inside Cally and Avon around Rumours of Death and Sarcophagus.") (Blake's 7) (also in B7 Complex #12 and Rebel #7) (4)
- Elegy For The Seven, poem by Judith Proctor (Blake's 7) (6)
- Winning is the Only Safety: First Death, fiction by Kathryn Andersen ("With so many corpses on Gauda Prime, what's one body more or less? Avon and Vila are both free, alive, and alone. How long can this last? And what strange thing has happened to Avon?") (An earlier version of this story appeared on the HLFIC-L mailing list. This version also appeared in Southern Seven #10) (Blake's 7/Highlander) (7)
- Deliverance, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Blake's 7) (15)
- Suspicion, fiction by Jenny Hayward (Blake's 7) (16)
- Bartolemew, poem by Judith Proctor (Blake's 7) (17)
- All I Really Needed To Know I Learned From Watching Highlander by Marina Bailey (Highlander) (18)
- Ending, poem by Kathryn Andersen (about Roy Batty's death) (Blade Runner) (20)
- Though This Be Madness by Jean Graham ("In the dark of night, Tone Hobert stumbles to the house of a blind man, Kolas. Hobert has escaped from an asylum, where they locked him up for wanting to battle with death. And yet, in the shelter of Kolas' house, he is determined to try again. A prequel to "The Forms of Things Unknown" but there is no need to have seen that episode to understand the story.") (was originally in Here Lies Illya Kuryakin) (Outer Limits) (21)
- Soldier, poem by Judith Proctor ("In every war, there is the soldier who carries out the orders.") (Blake's 7) (26)
- Not Dead But Sleeping by Kev Davis ("The newest ethnic group to land on the shores of Britain are a little out of this world. They are the Tenctonese, called Newcomers, Slags, Spongeheads -- aliens who crashlanded in California more than five years ago. Most stayed in the USA, but some emigrated to Britain. Detective Inspector David Crowley is one such, and here he is faced with a puzzle of death. What happened to the corpse of Eric Praline? Who is Richard McGeddon? And why would someone want Crowley dead? This is set in the Alien Nation universe, but with all original characters.") (Alien Nation, set in the Alien Nation universe, but with all original characters) (27)
- Aftermath by Jim McMahon ("Dr. Franklin pores over a patient, Garibaldi feels guilty and Delenn is furious. But what actually happened?" This story is set after the episode "Eyes." It first appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5) (56)
- Astrogation Log (58)
- Bread and Salt, poem by Judith Proctor via Rudyard Kipling (58)
from issue #1, fifth edition
from issue #1, Kathryn Andersen, fifth edition
from issue #1, Kathryn Andersen, fifth edition
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1
This zine contains a number of stories and poems set in various fannish universes. Probably the most distinctive feature of Refractions is the layout. Text, images, fancy borders are worked together very smoothly indeed. The zine looks good to the eye. Do the contents live up to the layout? I'd say they do. I can't comment on the poetry because I wrote most of that, but I'll look at some of the stories here.Winning is the Only Safety by Kathryn Andersen - Blake's 7/Highlander crossover. This is the first instalment of what is intended to be a longer saga. Avon awakes in a mass grave on Gauda Prime. He realises that he is cursed in a unique way, he cannot die. While I enjoyed this story, I really would like to have more of it because it does end at a point that demands continuation.
Not Dead But Sleeping - by Kev Davis - Alien Nation - probably my favourite story in the zine. I think you could easily enjoy this story without knowing the series at all. It's not tied into the series continuity in any way, uses new characters and develops them well. The details of Newcommer life are happily worked into the plot. Cowly, a Newcommer, is a policeman in Birmingham, has raw haddock at his local chip shop and complains about thc chemical additives in the sour milk at the pub. The story is essentially a murder mystery and the plot takes us deeper into Newcommer history before they came to earth.
All I Need to Know I learned From Watching Highlander by Marina Bailey. "If you see two people fighting with swords, don't interrupt." and other useful aphorisms. Amusing and interesting selection even if (like me) you've never seen the series.
Though This be Madness by Jean Graham - Outer Limits - This is a prequel to to an episode called 'The Form of Things Unknown', but it's pretty creepy in its own right. If you like horror stories, this may well appeal.
Aftermath by Jim McMahon - Babylon 5 - a pleasant short story and to say more about it would give away the plot.
There's also a couple of short Blake's 7 stories by Jean Graham and Jenny Hayward. [2]
The zine dropped onto my doormat last week, and I must say I was deeply impressed with it all. A nice lot of material (your Blake's 7/Highlander crossover was excellent, and I look forward to seeing the sequels), and splendid artwork, all expertly put together. Top notch.[3]
... the zine looks gorgeous, even before one sits down to read. I was very impressed with all of it, from the layout to the art, and most definitely the stories! My favourite piece? Has to be Winning is the Only Safety, no doubt about it. Kudos are in order! I look [forward] very much to the continuation... think of this! Blake's 7 and Highlander in the same story! Be still my beating heart.
Best piece of art? I think, Avon on page 16. That hit the spot for me!
Not Dead But Sleeping was a little wasted on me, because I never saw Alien Nation, and the same applies to Babylon 5. But the B7 and Highlander material more than made up for this. I love Highlander. Okay, sure, the show has its flaws. But then again, nothing is perfect and Highlander has the merit of being difference, setting off to be original, and sticking to that determination!
Many thanks for a wonderful zine! I look forward eagerly to your next issue...[4]
... it looks very nice! I loved the B5 story in it. [5]
...I was really impressed with the first issue... I'm not up on Ocean Girl, but I loved your poem Migration. Bitter Wine was great, so in keeping with the show's characters, wish it had been a bit longer.
I really loved "Winning is the Only Safety", I'm looking forward to following the series, as I love both Blake's 7 and Highlander also I enjoy series as well. Aftermath had me going and ending up laughing heaps, in the end I had to go and rewatch "Eyes" again so I had a good
setting (visual) for the story. It was a first class effort. As was the entire zine. If that was your novice efforts I'm Impressed and I'm waiting eagerly for my next installment. [6]
Issue 2
Refractions 2 was published in January 1996 and contains 80 pages.
The fan club this zine was to have been related to never made it off the ground.
The third edition was published July 1997, the fourth edition was August 2004.
It was illustrated by Kathryn Andersen, Photo Phred, Alexander Tulloch, Adrienne Losin.
A flyer for this issue, posted at Lysator:
Announcing: Refractions, Issue 2, a mixed-media SF fanzine containing...
Irregularity by Russ Massey (Blake's 7/Sapphire & Steel) When Jenna and Cally bring aboard an object floating in space, a cargo pod centuries old, little did they know how dangerous it would be, not just to them, but to the universe. Because something was waiting for ththe right combination of old and new. Something that hungers for a crack in Time. Something that would create an Irregularity. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Cold Fire by Kev Davis (Alien Nation) The second Inspector Crowley tale. A Tenctonese religious cult campaigns against the dangers of sour milk, said beverage is vanishing from the pub cellars of Birmingham, and all through the city Newcomers are mysteriously bursting aflame for no explainable reason. Vyse Street CID investigates, under the command of the enigmatic Newcomer detective, David Crowley... Set in the Alien Nation universe, with all original characters.
Steele Blades by Mark Overton (Remington Steele/Highlander) A drugged woman dressed as a bride in the front window of a department store, thugs in masks with machine guns, a chase, a trip to the morgue, cryptic warnings from a Scotsman with a sword - and the day wasn't even over yet. What kind of a case have Steele and Laura fallen into this time? And will they surive with their heads intact?
Other prose and poetry by Marie Logan, Kymberlee Ricke, Kathryn Andersen, Alison Hopkins, Una McCormack, Mary Richards, and Donna Kirking; set in the universes of Highlander, Blake's 7, Babylon 5, Ladyhawke and UFO.
Illustrated by Kathryn Andersen, Alexander Tulloch and Adrienne Losin.
80pp A4, 52700 words, parchment paper covers.
Available in Australia at the Parliament of Dreams convention, first weekend in May 1996. Available in the UK soon after. The US edition will be somewhat later.
From the editorial:
Well, here we are again. I can't blame Bryan this time, since Alternity has turned into one of those clubs that never was -- or at least, hasn't happened yet. Refractions is now not affiliated with anyone, but is simply my own brainchild.
[snipped]
This issue, as I have been telling all and sundry, should be debuting at Parliament of Dreams, Australia's first Babylon 5 convention -- which should be fun fun fun (and terribly busy for me!).
Oddly enough, this time around, most of the contributors come from the British Isles, with only three from teh States and three from Australia. Gee I love the net!
Do tell me what you think of the zine -- else I'll think I'm yelling into an empty room.
- What's in a Word? by Kymberlee ("Delenn is finding it difficult to understand certain human idioms - why would Captain Sheridan want to cover his Ass?" First appeared on the B5-creative mailing list.) (Babylon 5)
- Kosh Encounters #1 & #2 by A&K ("Cartoons. What does Kosh really have under his encounter suit?") (Babylon 5)
- Faith Manages, poem by Alison Hopkins (about Delenn and Sheridan) (first appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5)
- Irregularity by Russ Massey ("When Jenna and Cally bring aboard an object floating in space, a cargo pod centuries old, little did they know how dangerous it would be, not just to them, but to the universe. Because something was waiting for the right combination of old and new. Something that hungers for a crack in Time. Something that would create an Irregularity. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.") (Blake's 7/Sapphire & Steel)
- Coda, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Blake's 7/Sapphire & Steel)
- Resolution, poem by Kathryn Andersen ("Blake's and Avon's separate, resolute determination.") (Blake's 7)
- On The Way To The Midnight Sun by Marie Logan ("Two lovers, always together, eternally apart. When Isabeau and Navarre broke the curse that the Bishop of Aquila had laid on them, they thought their troubles were over. What, then, brings chance-met travellers together in the fenlands of Bohemia, seeking a way to the North?") (first appeared in Enarrare' 3, revised for Refractions) (Ladyhawke)
- Haiku for Katana, poem by Donna Kirking (first appeared on the Highlander Fiction mailing list) (Highlander)
- Steele Blades by Mark Overton ("A drugged woman dressed as a bride in the front window of a department store, thugs in masks with machine guns, a chase, a trip to the morgue, cryptic warnings from a Scotsman with a sword - and the day wasn't even over yet. What kind of a case have Steele and Laura fallen into this time? And will they survive with their heads intact?") (first appeared on the Highlander Fiction mailing list) (Remington Steele/Highlander)
- The Long Sleep, poem by Kathryn Andersen (first appeared in Enarrare #5) (UFO)
- Cold Fire by Kev Davis ("The second Inspector Crowley tale. A Tenctonese religious cult campaigns against the dangers of sour milk, said beverage is vanishing from the pub cellars of Birmingham, and all through the city Newcomers are mysteriously bursting aflame for no explainable reason. Vyse Street CID investigates, under the command of the enigmatic Newcomer detective, David Crowley... Set in the Alien Nation universe, with all original characters.") (Alien Nation)
- Symbiosis, poem by Una McCormack (Blake's 7)
- Mirror Truths, poem by Mary Richards (first appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5)
- Illustrated by Kathryn Andersen, Photo Phred, Alexander Tulloch, Adrienne Losin. It has parchment paper covers.
from issue #2, Kathryn Andersen, fourth edition
from issue #2, Kathryn Andersen, fourth edition
from issue #2, Alexander Tulloch, fourth edition
from issue #2, Kathryn Andersen, fourth edition
from issue #2, fourth edition
from issue #2, Kathryn Andersen, fourth edition
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2
Issue 3
Refractions 3 was published in 1997 and contains 64 pages. The cover is by Kathryn Andersen.
It was illustrated by Kathryn Andersen, Photo Phred, and Adrienne Losin.
The fanzine received a C&D letter from TriTac Games for mentioning the phrase "Bureau 13", because it is the name of one of their games. The phrase never appeared in the fanzine.
From the editorial:
This issue has been plagued by the you can't get poetry out of a horse by beating it phenomenon. In other words, as soon as I had to write the next part of Winning Is The Only Safety, my Muse fled. So I finally gave up. Particularly when I discovered that I had enough pieces available to make up an issue anyway. So, I'm going to have to say, all bets are off regarding Winning Is The Only Safety. I have the plot, I just can't write it. I'd rather you didn't shoot me, just help me write it somehow, (sigh).
Be not too distressed, Highlander crossover fans. We have a real gem here. Voice From The Past, by Jenny Hajward, which, despite the title, has nothing to do with Blake's 7. This is Babylon 5 crossover, rather more B5 Highlander. I really like this story, which is just as well, since it takes up most of the issue. It's one of those stories you can go back and read again and pick up all diose things you missed the first time aroimd. The next-longest story is Man of the Century, which is unusual because I don't like Quantum Leap as a rule, but this one really struck a chord. Melancholy, perhaps? We have another get-you-laughing story from Kymberlee, a Highlander character story from Sandra McDonald, and assorted poems. Here I go again, just as many poems as stories.
A warning for the net.connected: most of the pieces in this issue are archived on the net - if you know where to look. Some have appeared on mailing lists, and others are archived on the authors' own web pages, or other web pages. Thanks for the suggestions of the folks on the FANZINE mailing list - Jenny Hayward's author's notes would not have made it into this issue if not for you.
Only two letters of comment this time. Guess I'll just have to give up on that column altogether. You obviously don't want it. (humph!)
This issue is a worldwide first - it will be available at MediaWestCon, because Yours Truly is going to be there! I will, barring disasters, be sharing a table with Judith Proctor. Us folks with funny accents gotta stick together! (Well, they will be funny accents in relation to the majority of the attendees, won't they?).
- Editorial (2)
- Pieces, poem by Kathryn Andersen (First appeared on VR.5 mailing list) (VR.5) (3)
- Man of the Century, fiction by Russet McMillan ("Not quite fitting in with the standard QL timeline... Sam has leaped into a woman dying of cancer. As he and Al try to figure out what Sam has to change, Sam is faced with his own mortality - and wondering if there is ever going to be a way to get home.") (Author's intro: "This story was supposed to be the sequel to another one, which I was never able to write to my satisfaction. All you need to know about the previous unfinished story is that an earthquake occurred at Project Quantum Leap, damaging some equipment, injuring Al, and causing a lot of confusion I wrote this before seeing the final season of the show, I am following the show's convention that it's the body that leaps, and not just the consciousness, even though I prefer it the other way.") (Quantum Leap) (4)
- Knight's Quest, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Forever Knight) (14)
- You Never Let Me Go, poem by Una McCormack (Blake's 7) (15)
- Tell It Like It Is, fiction by Sandra McDonald ("Amanda and Richie discover common ground at Joe's.") (First appeared on the HLFIC-L mailing list) (Highlander) (16)
- Messages From..., fiction by Kymberlee (First appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5) (20)
- "We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement...", fiction by Deborah Laymon (First appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5) (23)
- Elegy, poem by Una McCormack (Blake's 7) (26)
- Voice from the Past by Jenny Hayward ("Just after the events of "Spider In The Web"... The new negotiator from Futurecorp is more than he appears. Why is he being followed by a man with a tattoo? Why is Delenn disturbed by him? Is Bureau 13 involved? And will Garibaldi manage to unravel these mysteries before someone dies?") (First appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5/Highlander) (27)
- Astrogation Log (64)
- Letters of Comment (64)
from issue #3, Kathryn Andersen
from issue #3, Kathryn Andersen
from issue #3, Kathryn Andersen
from issue #3, Adrienne Losin
Issue 4
Refractions 4 is subtitled "Patterns of Light & Shadow." It was published in June 1997 and contains 89 pages. This zine is a novel by Isoline Sanderson.
Summary from the publisher: "When Ambassador Sinclair decides to have a holiday, guess where he decides to go? Garibaldi thought that his worst problem would be keeping it a secret, so that Jeff could have some peace, but when Jeff goes out on a routine patrol that vanishes without a trace, keeping it secret suddenly becomes the least of his problems... This is a novel set after Confessions & Lamentations, and approximately three weeks prior to the events in Divided Loyalties. This version has been revised from the version that first appeared on the Babylon 5 fiction mailing list."
Issue 5
Refractions 5 contains 70 pages. The cover is by Kathryn Andersen.
- The Other by Inga Maria Horwood ("Sometimes every day is a struggle when you're a security guard on Babylon 5." (first appeared on the B5-creative mailing list) (Babylon 5)
- Beautiful World by Kate Orman ("Ever wondered about what it takes to be Servalan's tailor?") (Blake's 7)
- Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Kerry Blackwell ("An escapee from a sinister government experiment finds freedom.") (first appeared on the TPFICT mailing list) (Tomorrow People)
- Oldest, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Highlander)
- Winning Is the Only Safety (2): Hide and Seek by Kathryn Andersen (the sequel to Winning is the Only Safety - First Death) ("After GP, there are two survivors - Avon, and Vila. Vila ducked, and Avon is immortal. The price on Vila's head bears fruit: Vila is now in Servalan's hands. Servalan wants Avon and Orac - and Avon wants to be left alone. Servalan searches for Avon, and Avon searches for a mysterious computer hacker. Richie Ryan visits an old friend, but tranquility is not what he gets.") (Blake's 7/Highlander)
- Mortality Rate by Russet McMillan ("When an unknown immortal is beheaded outside Joe's bar, it isn't as simple as it seems. Richie gropes for memories from the dead woman's quickening, to try to find out who she was, who killed her... and why. The killer must have been a mortal because the quickening went to Richie. But why kill her outside Joe's bar? Was it a Hunter? An enemy of the Watchers? Or something more personal? As Richie and Joe investigate, more questions arise. And if the answers are wrong... somebody could die.") (first appeared on the HLFIC-L mailing list) (Highlander)
- Alone and Silent, fiction by Kate Orman ("Alone, in a space suit, in space... will the others find Vila in time?") (Blake's 7)
- Out of the Dark by Kathryn Andersen (Alternative Universe, sequel to The Butterfly Effect (1)) ("The Liberator is destroyed, they are stranded on Terminal -- what else could go wrong? Well, when an old enemy returns, it's a darned good time to be telepathic...") (Blake's 7)
- Illustrated by Kathryn Andersen and Mary O'Connor. Parchment paper covers.
Issue 6
Refractions 6 The cover is by Kathryn Andersen.
- Haunting, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Blake's 7)
- Future Imperfect by Rachel Lynn Brody ("Buffy Summers is dead. She's been dead for ten years. The Slayerettes have gone their separate ways, it should all be over and forgotten. But Xander can't forget. And when he returns to Sunnydale to lay to rest old ghosts, he finds that the past sometimes isn't as dead as it appears.") (slightly revised from the version which appeared on the BuffyFic mailing list) (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer)
- Journey, poem by Kathryn Andersen (Highlander)
- Darius, poem by Elise Bochinski (Highlander)
- The Reality Affair by Jill Sylvan ("Illya Kuriakin is having trouble with reality. Things vanish, and he is having strange dreams. Who is the blonde woman, and is Mr. Waverly really out to get him? Where nothing is certain, there is only one thing he can be sure of - Napoleon Solo won't desert him. And what they find together, makes the troubles of U.N.C.L.E. look like just a game.") (slightly revised from the version which appeared on the sapphire-and-steel mailing list) (Man from U.N.C.L.E./Sapphire & Steel)
- Projekt: Heinrich by Catherine Stewart ("Robert Casterville has just joined SHADO. He thought that staying with his great-aunts would just be a temporary measure, until he found somewhere better to stay. But there wasn't really anywhere better. A security problem? Of course not! Those dotty old aunts wouldn't notice a thing! Or so he thought. But maybe that isn't such a bad thing after all...") (This is a reprint of the first Casterville story, which first appeared in Enarrare' #3) (UFO)
References
- ^ Katspace: Refractions (accessed 31 October 2012)
- ^ from Sarah Thompson at Judith Proctor's Blake's 7 site
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Refractions" #2
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Refractions" #2
- ^ from a letter of comment in "Refractions" #2
- ^ from "Refractions" #3
- ^ from "Refractions" #3