Seminar (zine)

Zine
Title:	Seminar
Publisher:	Stygian Depths Inc.
Editor(s):	Trevor "Trev" Goring, Peter Parkin, John Harvey
Date(s):	1969-1970
Frequency:	"whenever possible"
Medium:	print
Size:	30 pages
Fandom:	Comics, Fantasy
Language:	English
External Links:	Seminar at the Fanscene Project
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Seminar was a comics and fantasy fanzine published by Trevor "Trev" Goring (as "Stygian Depths") starting in 1969 and running for an unknown number of issues; Issues 1 and 2 are available from the Fanscene Project, however per the Fanscene Facebook, there is a request by archivist David Hathaway-Price for "Seminar, Issue 3 and above".

The zine was initially to be called "Per Annum", however it was changed at the last minute. Issue 1 focussed on comics, but with Issue 2 that focus had expanded to "all aspects of fantasy"

Issue 1

Issue #1, front cover by Trevor Goring.

Issue #1 was released in 1969, with 30 pages. Trev Goring was the editor and Peter Parkin was the assistant editor. Articles were provided by Peter Parkin and Stephen Brady, art by Trev Goring and John Harvey.

Contents:

• Front cover by Trev Goring.
• Table of Contents, including art by Trev Goring.
• Illustration by Trev Goring.
• Editorial and acknowledgments/disclaimers by Trev Goring.
• "Eisner" by P.D. Parkin - article on Will Eisner and his work.
• Illustrations by John Harvey - Marvel Comics characters Adam Strange and Doctor Doom.
• "Secret Agents of the '60s" by John Harvey - article on the secret agent genre in American and British comics of the 1960s.
• Illustrations by John Harvey - Marvel Comics character Leonus the Lion-Man from the Inhumans and DC Comics character Captain Marvel Junior.
• "Opposition: Trash Literature" by Stephen Brady - opinion piece on the (negative) influence of American comics, with a rebuttal by P.D. Parkin.
• "Doric" written and drawn by Trev Goring - comic strip.
• "Fanzine Review" by Trev Goring - reviews of Heroes Unlimited #7 and Witzend #5 & 6.
• "Parkin Column" by P.D. Parkin - article on Gilbert Shelton's underground comic, Wonder Warthog, art by (illegible) "in the style of Gilbert Shelton".
• Advertisement - request for contributions for auction at the 1970 British Comic Art Convention, art by Trev Goring.
• "Small Ads" - advertisements for various zines (Oracle; Eureka; Stardock; Heroes Unlimited) plus Trev Goring's own want ad for various comics.
• "Last Word" by P.D. Parkin - notes on Issue 1 and apologies. Art by John Harvey.
• Back Cover by John Harvey.

Reactions and Reviews #1

'Seminar' number 1 certainly shows a great deal of promise.

Managing to get it lithoed was half the battle, but despite this the type matter wasn't very well printed and your page layouts seem to have a great deal of virgin white sitting around doing nothing. You really should feed those areas with lots of words.

The articles were okay but too short and inconclusive. The artwork, the heart of the 'zine, is really very good. Your strip "Doric" has some figure work that is really full of movement and is constructed well. However, I see Jeff Jones everywhere (your idol. Obviously). And, although it does your taste credit, it doesn't do to dwell too much on his stylised anatomy, until you're got conventional anatomy licked. But, as I say, you have a fine sense of contraction and it does you well.

David Lloyd, Letters, Seminar #2

"Seminar" number 1: Well, to put it quote frankly, I would say that I payed for it, I would not have considered it worth as much as 3/6.

There was generally too much use of artwork mostly excellent as it was, and just not enough information or articles. Your typing was my main itch; it was absolutely terrible. I especially dislike seeing half-finished sentences going into the next type block and half-finished words going into the next line without any indication that they were continued. Throughout the entire magazine, you disregard the hypen, an invaluable tool to the typist. Perhaps I'm not one to talk, looking at Echo Number 1, but I'm sure that I was never as guilty of a monumental offense as this.

...

So that's it. You say Number 2 will be better, I hope so. But as a first issue, it wasn't really all that bad. I'm afraid it didn't live up to my expectations, maybe, in fact probably, I'm biased. But any way, I'll see what it's like.

 Paul R. Hudson, Letters, Seminar #2

Issue 2

Issue #2 front cover by Trevor Goring.

Issue #2 was released in 1970 and contained 30 pages. Trev Goring, Peter Parkin and John Harvey were credited as editors, with a number of art and articles being provided by others. From the editorial, Trev explains the change in direction and outlines his plans - and the possible end, given the last paragraph! - of the zine:

Although the first issue of this 'zine dealt only with items of interest to comic fandom, Seminar 2 is an attempt to cover all aspects of Fantasy. Articles on Doc Savage and The Shadow, and the inclusion of various book Reviews result from my growing interest in these subjects.

I would like to extend these and other interests in future issues, so that Seminar would become a kind of gen. 'zine. That is (believe it or not) Sem. would contain items of general interest, provided they were well written or drawn. But I am still initially interested in the development of the comic strip, and its acceptance as a media of artistic expression. Therefore this would not be neglected - but would play an important part in the 'zine.

Yet I may never fulfill this hope. For some unknown reasons I've been accepted at the Birmingham College of Art and Design which I start in September. I will therefore have little time, and money to produced the 'zine which I'd like.

 

Contents:

• Front Cover by Trev Goring.
• "Red Brains in the Sunset" by Trev Goring - editorial. Includes art of Captain America by Gene Colan, lent by Mike Lake for the zine and a plug for Unicorn.
• "Inside Cimmeria" - book reviews:
  • The Mighty Barbarians, edited by Hans Stefan Santesson - reviewed by Jon Harvey.
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis - reviewed by Pete D. Parkin.
  • Giant of World's End by Lin Carter and Kandar by Kenneth Bulmer - reviewed by Tony Vincent.
  • Bored of the Rings by H.C. Beard and D.C. Kenney of the Harvard Lampoon - reviewed by Jon Harvey.
  • Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad - reviewed by Haydn Paul.
  • Swords of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber - reviewed by Haydn Paul. Includes art by (illegible).
• Illustration by David Fletcher.
• "In Gotham City a Corpse Lies Screaming" by Ian Penman - Batman article with art by John Harvey.
• "Letters" - letters of comment with Batman art by Paul Neary.
• Illustration by James Cawthorn.
• "The Shadow" by Alan Moore - article on The Shadow from Detective Story Magazine (Street & Smith).
• "The Vicar and the Prostitute (an old joke)" by John Hutchinson - poem.
• "Enoch" written by Pete D. Parkin, drawn and told by Trev Goring - comic strip.
• "Doc Savage" by Bob Poole - article on the Doc Savage magazine (Street & Smith). Art by Bob Poole, Jon Harvey and Trev Goring, including Harvey's reproduction of the front cover of "Death is Silver".
• "No Horizon In Any Direction" by Peter Finch - poem.
• "Check and Other Perversions" by Pete Parkin - poetry, art and ephemera.
• Illustration by Trev Goring.
• "Lee: A Question of Genius" by Mike Cruden - article on Stan Lee.

Perhaps Lee isn't comicdom's greatest raconteur but as a combination of ringmaster and con man, he's unbeatable.

Mike Cruden

• "Strange Bedfellows" - advertisements by Trev Goring with art by Tim Bennion and Trev Goring.
  • Zine-Zone - French comic/discussion zine.
  • Baltus #1 has been delayed, but will see print within the next two months.
  • All books reviewed in "Inside Cimmeria" are available from the Dark They Were & Golden Eyed bookstore.
  • Fan-Fare #14 - British comic zine, available soon.
  • The Bookshop, for old comics.
  • An Ad-Zine #4 currently available on back order.
  • Echo #4 - "what was once a crudzine is now an excellent article zine".
  • Shadow #11 - horror zine out soon.
• Back Cover by Ken Simpson - Batman.