Starbound
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Starbound |
| Publisher: | Black Coffee Press for Friends of Nichelle Nichols Fan Club or (FONN)/Farpoint Press |
| Editor(s): | Florence Butler |
| Date(s): | 1988-1992 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Starbound is a Uhura-centered anthology. It contains G-PG-rated fiction, poems and art.
It was printed offset.
Each issue includes comments by Nichelle Nichols.
Issue 1
Starbound 1 was published in 1988 and contains 76 pages. The cover is by Chuck Frazier.
The interior art is by Anja Gruber (previously in Destiny's Children #2) and Tom Howard.
The editor's afterword:
In the TV episodes and the movies, Uhura was not given a first name. The professional novelists have used Nyota ("star" in Swahili) and it is indeed fitting. However, many years ago fanzine writers began using Upenda or Penda ("love" in Swahili) as Uhura's first name. In the stories and poems included here, we've left the usage of Nyota or Penda up to each individual writer.
From Nichol's foreword:
Voila! Congratulations! We are at that point in time in our FONN club when we warrant a fanzine! What a good beginning.I am thrilled and I am very grateful to you, my fans, and to our president and my wonderful, looong-suffering, patient, and loyal friend, Florence Butler, for getting us to this point. Her creative talents and skills, her tender caring and nurturing have made this club one of which I am proud. It means you, my fans, are happy to be members of FONN. I thank you for all your love and remembrances throughout the year on special holidays, and for so many wonderful cards and lovely (sometimes sassy) gifts on my birthday! I love and laugh, and appreciate all your contributions to the club, the newsletters, and now to the fan zine.
We'll be offering lots more good stuff for your appreciation: pictures, personal items, performance schedules, TV and film appearances, etc., etc.
May each and every one of you aspire to the stars, acquire your goals, live long and prosper in love and happiness. And may the wind always be at the back of your retro-packs.
PS: ¿Quien sabe? Wind could help.
- Foreword by Nichelle Nichols
- Starbound by Florence Butler, an Uhura-centric story reprinted from Destiny's Children #1 (1)
- Art: The Many Faces of Nyota by Tom Howard (4)
- Soliloquy by Janet Walker (6)
- Starwoman, poem by Greg Wilcott (17)
- Lady Nyota, poem by Greg Wilcott (14)
- All That We See or Seem, poem by Mary Ann Alfreda (15)
- Uhura's Question, poem by Mary Ann Alfreda (27)
- Charmed, I'm Sure by Diane R. Durham (28)
- Call Me Star Rover by Lisa Scott (30)
- Inquisitive Mind, poem by Diane R. Durham (41)
- One of These Days... by Chris Tucker (42)
- Promises to Keep by Norma McMillen (45)
- Letters to Uhura by Tom Howard (51)
- Ode to Nichelle, poem by Lisa Humphries (57)
- Truth and Consequences by Florence Butler (58)
- A Nurse's Viewpoint by Mary Ann Alfreda (72)
- And Finally... by Nichelle Nichols (76)
from issue #1, Tom Howard
from issue #1, Anja Gruber
from issue #1, Tom Howard
Issue 2
Starbound 2 was published in 1990 and contains 113 pages.
The foreword:
I have just read the stories in this year's fanzine and am so impressed with the quality of writing. I was charmed and I was hooked by the creativeness of the story lines.
The idea of a romance between Kirk and Uhura is an old and expected one, but the way in which the authors have handled it in this compilation of Uhura stories is charming, warm, and very interesting. They are vital in their concept: the drama of Uhura's impending paralysis in "No Less Than I Am -- leaving Kirk at the cliff-hanging point, revealing his vulnerability, passion, and strength.
Consider the deep-welled friendship between Uhura and Christine in "Hot Time In The Old Town". The author, in this case, wisely chose a light-hearted approach to their strongly felt relationship. These are two women totally at ease with one another (note Christine's use of Nyota's nickname, Upenda, obviously stemming from years of shared adventure on and off the starship Enterprise). They really know one another, and so their emotions are very real and natural and their friendship survives through it all, even their different tastes in music. Their mutual trust and quirky senses of humor are ties that bind them so nicely. (They truly remind me of Majel and me...okay, who's been eavesdropping?!?!)
The adhesive core of their friendship is again revealed in "There's No Business Like Sheep Business". Once again the two gals - so totally different, so much alike - come through a difficult and odious situation smelling like a rose. (I can't believe I said that!) Although I didn't quite understand the situation on E'krien, it was a nice little romp for the gals. I don't feel the least bit "sheepish" in saying I particularly liked seeing the guys put back in their proper, socially acceptable place. So there!
However, I became quite willing to bend my attitude a little when Uhura gets "Stranded" with Kirk. (Peggy, Peggy, be still my heart. Of course they did! Of course they did! Loved this one!)
I was really warmed by "White Lace & Ebony Silk" deja vu beyond Antares. It's a fine little story of loyalty, friendship and love. i can understand Uhura's determination to rescue Kirk, but my heart went out to her in her difficult but inevitable decision to follow the call and lure of the Enterprise. This story, with its charming little Mariah, the zooming daring rescue, love wrenched from just within grasp, plus dignity and fortitude to go on with life is very well written. I laughed and dreamed and lurched and pained with them both. I hope that Uhura and Otaja find one another again. Perhaps...beyond Antares?
All told, this is a fine collection of stories that warmed the cockles of my heart as I read them. Thank you, each of you. I really enjoyed them
- Foreword by Nichelle Nichols
- No Less Than I Am, story by Ann Zewen (1)
- Hot Time in the Old Time, story by Deborah Baudoin (12)
- poem by Deborah Baudoin (15)
- White Lace & Ebony Silk, story by Carrie L. Washington (16)
- poem by Peggy Avant (27)
- art gallery by Anja Gruber and Chuck Frazier (29)
- The Crinoline Caper, story by Juanita Danzik (33)
- Stranded, story by Peggy Avant (51)
- poem by Peggy Avant (66)
- There's No Business Like Sheep Business, story by Corey Madison (67)
from issue #2, part of the foreword by Nichelle Nichols
from issue #2, sample tex
from issue #2, art by Anja Gruber
from issue #2, art by Anja Gruber
from issue #2, art by Chuck Frazier
Issue 3
A third issue was advertised in the Starfleet Communique in 1992.