Storms (multifandom zine)

Zine
Title:	Storms
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Charlene Terry
Date(s):	1981-1985
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	multimedia, though mainly Star Trek: TOS & Star Wars
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Storms is a gen, with occasional slash multimedia fanzine focused on female characters.

Editor Charlene Terry had "advertised this as a feminist 'media' fanzine, and it had a large built-in readership at the start, since many fans were self-described feminists." As one can see from the reviews and comments below, this topic, of course, was laced with challenges, even from within her own readership. Terry herself responded directly in the second issue to a letter of comment: "I've been called an extremist, a radical, and a man-hater; I've also been called a moderate, an "establishmentarian," and a man-lover. One [fan] tells me my editorial was too radical, and another Tells me it wasn't radical enough. All this from reading the same issue of the same zine -- tell me about my chosen task not being easy!"

From a Submission Request

"A celebration of women in fandom and fannish creation. Will include articles, stories, speculation, opinion, anger, and joy... the future is female -- the future is NOW."

flyer printed in Starwings #1

Why "Storms"? -- By the Editor

• "There is an incongruity in STAR TREK/STAR WARS/media fandom. Although the majority of fandom is female, a larger majority of its literary and artistic endeavors are about men. The men of these universes are certainly worthy of creative efforts — but what of the women, on- or off-screen? Surely the women in fandom's universes are equally worthy of such high-quality creativity. In the interest of seeing these women explored and in print, I have launched STORMS, a fannish feminist excursion into the women of STAR TREK, STAR WARS, and media. STORMS will probably be offset-printed, in either a standard size or half size format, with a mix of fiction and non-fiction. I plan to include letter columns; articles; essays; art; profiles; of characters and fans; zine, movie, TV, and book reviews; items of feminist interest (news, etc); ads (rates quoted upon request) and announcements; reader opinion polls; and possibly a pen-pal service as a separate feature (not in the pages of the zine itself.)

• "This is a challenge to fandom: For months now, there have been fannish discussion about feminism in fanlit -- or, rather, about the absence of feminism in fanlit. This absence makes no sense, as SW/ST media fandom is known to have a majority of women members. Although men of fannish media are worthy of literacy and creative endeavors, I believe that now is the time, long overdue, for fannish writers to move past this male-identification into the realm of FEMALE-identification. My challenge: for the women of media to begin writing and creating women of Star Wars, Star Trek, and media. As a forum for this material, I have launched Storms, a fannish feminist excursion into the women of fandom and fannish creation. I need ideas, feedback, constructive advice and support from interested feminists."

Issue 1

Storms 1 was published in Summer 1981 and ran 48 pages. There were 250 copies printed.

front cover of issue #1, June Grandey

back cover of issue #1, June Grandey

From the editorial: "Storms -- what a turbulent image that creates! Nature's fury unleashed. Howling winds, frenzied waves, pelting rain that soon turns to razor-sharp sleet.... Storms -- This is the name of a women's zine? On second thought, I like it. Being female in today's society has been known to evoke some rather 'stormy' thoughts and feelings. It's about time the women of fandom got together -- sharing, questioning, enlightening, exploring. Some do it best by writing articles or letters, others by artwork or fan fiction. Storms is our vehicle. Let's take full advantage of it."

• Thunder and Lightning, editorial (2)
• Klee-Fah!, fiction by Quism, art by Merie Lettieri and Linda Stoops (Star Trek: TOS) -- "T'Pring's view of the "Amok Time" story -- and why she chose to challenge." (4)
• For Brenda 1977 by Shannon Kyrke (12)
• Princess Leia: An Analysis, or Running the Alliance is Not All Fun and Games, article by Linda Stoops (Star Wars) -- "What a spot for the female lead: tied for third favorite with a droid and a Wookiee! So what happened?" (13)
• Some Attitudes Towards Marriage in Star Trek Fan Fiction, article by Deloris Booker -- "A scholarly view of matrimony in fannish Trek universes." (16)
• New Year, fiction by Paula Smith, art by Karen River (Starsky and Hutch) -- "Hutch falls in love with a lady enigma." (23)
• The K/S Concept: A Feminist Perspective -- A Personal Statement by Judith Gran, article by Judith Gran -- "One feminist K/S fan's view of this ever-controversial subject. With additional comments by Charlie Terry." (36)
• Equal Time, or an ad for an ad (44)
• other art by Caro Hedge

• 

  inside back cover, from issue #1, Linda Stoops: "And for those who were wondering why this zine took so long -------." Luke Skywalker: "Uncle Owen! This editor unit has a bad motivator, look!" The editor on the couch: "Come a little closer, honey, and I'll show you motivation!"

• 

  interior art from issue #1, Karen River for New Year, Starsky (in a Halloween costume) consoles Hutch. Hutch's ex-girlfriend had told him that Halloween was the "Gay New Year."

• 

  interior art from issue #1, Karen River, for New Year

• 

  interior art from issue #1, Karen River, for New Year

• 

  interior art from issue #1, Merie Lettieri

• 

  sample text from issue #1, The K/S Concept: A Feminist Perspective -- A Personal Statement by Judith Gran

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

See reactions and reviews for New Year.

See reactions and reviews for Princess Leia: An Analysis, or Running the Alliance is Not All Fun and Games.

See reactions and reviews for Some Attitudes Towards Marriage in Star Trek Fan Fiction.

See reactions and reviews for The K/S Concept: A Feminist Perspective -- A Personal Statement by Judith Gran.

A feminist mediazine" by Charlie Terry... [it] has a different perspective than any other fanzine I've ever seen so far. There are only two pieces of fiction: "New Year" by Paula Smith (S&H) and a Trek story about T'Pring that paints her as a victim of her culture, even more than Spock was. "New Year" is about a romance that goes rather badly for Hutch. It is written in an episodic style that leaves much for the reader to deduce on her own, and I found myself wishing for more detail on the development of the relationship; the breakup is painfully clear. It's a story worth reading, and together with some of the articles make the zine well worth its $2.50 cover price... Not recommended for for anyone who has a strong feeling against sexual variation. Recommended for anyone with an open mind.

Specialty zines are common in fandom, and becoming more so as fandom ranks expand with the addition of new interest groups. These zines tend to bloom and fade in relative obscurity, as infozine listings and even word of mouth recommendations generally don't seduce fans with parting zine dollars for something they are marginally interested in, at best. 'Storms,' however, has a format which Tigriffin believes will offset the possible disadvantage of specialization. Its chosen subject, feminism, is of interest to a good portion of fandom, and the editor is open to submissions on any aspect of media SF, as see from a feminist prospective. The quality of the first issue is gratifyingly high, something of a rarity in first-time fanzines. 'Storms' has also avoided the hint of condescension toward those not given to militancy that has unfortunately caused many women to equate feminism with Communist plots, rioting, and life of breakfast without orange juice. Tigriffin recommends this zine, especially to fans on the borderline who 'aren't feminists... but.'. 'Storms' shows feminism being lived instead of only fantasized, discussed rather than preached from a soap-box. Whether you agree with all the pieces or not, you will at least not be bored.

This issue contains 'Klee-Fan': this story is unusual on two counts. It is told in the second person, which is possibly the most difficult viewpoint to master, but handled admirably here. It is also a sensitive portrayal of T'Pring as one of the victims of the situation presented in 'Amok Time,' rather than a criminally selfish manipulator. The writer ties T'Pring's experiences to happenings 20th century Terran women will recognize and identify with, but the knows are so fine as to be invisible unless you are deliberately studying only a story's construction. A superior piece of fan fiction. Best of zine award.

'Princess Leia: An Analysis': a list of Leia's character tags and an appeal for more stories about her. The authors point out that Leia has not been given the treatment and attention in fan fiction that she deserves, a point that is well-taken, but this superficial coverage of her appearance and documented behavior is not enough to inspire expansion of her role by fan writers who have been shelving her in favor of male pulchritude.

'Some Attitudes Towards Marriage in Fan Fiction': very good, wide scope, an examination of how fan writers (both individually and generally) have handled the concept of marriage. It could even serve as a useful guide for readers in search of romantic viewpoints that match their own.

'New Year': eleven episodes between Hutch and a woman he comes to love make up a well-crafted story on the difficulty of accepting new realizations while existing in a comfortable and traditional environment.

'The K/S Concept: A Feminist Perspective': this article points out the ideological similarities between feminists and Kirk/Spock interactions in their personal fantasies. To give her credit, the author attempts it, but the effort comes across as her personal justification, rather than an unslanted statement of facts as presented at the article's beginning. She proceeds to explain her attraction to K/S literature by relating personal history. Interesting, but out of place in a factual piece. The article would have been better if one format, either personal opinion or unbiased reporting of evidence, had been chosen. Still, it was enlightening.

Tigriffin hopes 'Storms' will continue to receive and print good quality articles as well as fiction, since it is one of the few zines inclined to feature this type of food for thought. Overall content: very good to excellent. Art: well-used, high-quality. Repro: excellent. Value: buying this zine is money well spent.

1982: Letters of Comment in "Storms"

You asked for it, and you're gonna get it, and it ain't a Toyota. I'm about to LoC STORMS.

First the zine name, STORMS. I like it, but not just because the feminist movement is primarily an angry one. I like it because [wom]men can get angry, too. Even the Weather Bureau is finally acknowledging that. After all, they are naming hurricanes and tropical storms after women now. I like the name because It focuses on the common humanity of men and women. You'II find I'm big on that.

"Klee-Fah!" by Quism -- Technically, I like this story. It's fairly well-written and well-plotted. I find the somewhat detached observational mode of writing intriguing. How ever, the content is another matter entirely. The content of this story sets my teeth on edge. I resent, on behalf of the males I have known who do not fit the image, the attitude that all men see women only as sex objects and as"instruments of men's pleasure."This story is a thinly disguised vehicle for the author's opinion of men. Quism, if that's how you feel about men, fine. But why not set it here and now. In 20th century Earth. It would probably have more impact. ((No, it probably wouldn't. It would more likely fall on deaf ears, because of the same effect that allowed Roddenberry to use ideas in Trek that he never would have gotten away with in a non-sf show; people often will not accept radical change (to them) ideas set in their own time and place. The fact that this story affected you in such a strong way indicates that it was quite effective. Also, refer to Judith Gran's LoC later in this section. -- Editor))

"For Brenda, 1977" by Shannon Kyrke -- This poem spoke to me as a woman, as a woman who considers her self to be "straight but sympathetic," and as a human being. That's a hell of a lot for 4 lines of type. The one thing that many people forgot (are you listening, Anita?) is that, no matter what their orientation, human beings are just that -- human beings! They laugh, cry, hurt, FEEL, and it doesn't matter if they're straight, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

"Princess Leia: An Analysis" by Linda Stoops -- The article is good. I agree that not enough attention is paid to Leia as a main character. However, I don't feel that Linda's main source (the SWars novelization) should have been her main source. As I said, the main point of the article is very good, but the assumption everyone has read the book and remembers the smallest details is false.

"New Year" by Paula Smith -- I like it, with no reservations, and I'll tell you why. I think Hutch's reaction toward the end of the story is understandably human. I know that if I were in a similar situation (dumped by a man I loved for another man) I'd be hurt, angry, bitter, and, yes, jealous. I also like the fact that everything isn't all sweetness and light at the end. Hutch is still wary of Carla--hell, he backs away from her twice in a five-minute verbal exchange. He still doesn't understand -- he's simply decided that he might as well accept it, since he can't change it. Some people won't like this story because everything is seen through Hutch's eyes. I think the POV adds to the intensity of the story.

The K/S Concept: A Feminist Perspective by Judith Gran -- I m not sure I can agree with the idea that K/S and feminism have a lot in common. However, I can agree that men are "not so much the enemy as are the social institutions based on the stereotypes about the 'proper' roles of men and women." Mind if I memorize that, and quote it when appropriate, Judith? it's the best phrasing of my own opinion that I've seen to date.

The front cover is striking, but a little too cluttered for my taste. The back cover on the the hand is simple and well balanced. I like "Mandy, the Wonder Mutt"--having met the inspiration, I can believe it. Karen River's art for New Year is the best in the zine. The likenesses are good, the composition and balance excellent. My only negative comment is about the illo on page 29. Hutch looks like he's suddenly dropped 8-10 years. He's young, but not that young!

Thank you, first of all, for the dedication. Not exactly a "happy one", but interesting. I'm pleased to be associated with the zine, because I thought it was very good. I had a little bit of deja vu reading our commentary after Judith's K/S article. That aspect of the K/S relationship's appeal to fandom really needed to be mentioned. I think it might also be mentioned that a lot of fans worked out their feelings about gay relationships, in general, by being exposed to K/S. I know so many fans who were at first turned off by the relationship, then grew to enjoy reading about it -- and finally investigated other gay fiction and non-fiction, only to find that they enjoyed it, too. -- Kirk and Spock, though I think it's absurd to dub them "gay" -- did a lot of indirect work for the gay rights movement and for gay consciousness-raising.

Quism's T'Pring story was excellent. I can't say I "enjoyed it" because "enjoyment" isn't the right word, but it proved to me that I could like and understand T'Pring's actions in a different light than that provided by the series. I was a little disturbed that the point had to be made at the expense of Spock -- who, I though, was far less sexist than dear old James T. He came across looking very unsympathetic in the story, and I'm not sure that's fair. He may be every bit as much a victim of his culture as T'Pring has been.

Actually, this brings up my biggest objection to the whole zine: in my opinion, feminism's tenets should apply to men as well as to women. It is as hard for some men to be strong, silent types this culture demands as it is for some women to be housewives and mothers. We are all a like crippled by the insistence on traditional roles. Actually, this isn't a criticism, but a suggestion: I'd like to see a little something o the relationship between women and men's lib. I'm not a radical feminist; I don't think the answer lies in disassociating ourselves from the other gender. I think it lies in working out gender problems and expectation between thinking, sensitive individuals of both genders.

[snipped]

I don't think the lack of interest in Princess Leia is as much a question of not liking her as of not knowing enough about her. True, she was around, in view, about as much as Han Solo, but she seems to be a much more complex, difficult-to-pin-down character, and I found her more a mystery than any of the others. If I was to write SWars fiction, I might avoid writing her simply out of a sense of not having enough from which to extrapolate. ((That's no excuse -- you've done wonderful things with even less visible Trek guest characters. -- Editor))

I enjoyed Booker's article on marriage in fan fiction, but why didn't she at least mention Vonda McIntyre's concept as displayed in The Entropy Effect? It was fan fiction, I know, but it was obvious in reading the novel that Vonda had been reading fanfic and drawing upon it. A group marriage is one obvious alternative to the traditional stuff. I hope that some of the fan writing may pick up on the concept. ((Deloris' article was written, edited, and set up before the book reached her end of the spectrum. -- Editor))

Paula's portrayal of Hutch was damned unflattering -- and probably too true. I think she picked Hutch because he's usually portrayed as the more sensitive of the two. To show him at the height of his insensitivity was a new twist. He didn't seem especially rattled by the idea of two guys making love (as Starsky seemed to be, at times), but of course that's not the same as finding out that the woman you've been living with is in love with another woman, in fact prefers her to you. Touche!

I want more of this zine, and will certainly buy it when and if you do another issue.

STORMS #1 was a very interesting first issue. I'm going to disappoint you and not give you hell for anything in it. True, I'm not enthusiastic about the art except for Mandy the Wonder Mutt (if that cartoon was based on reality, I suspect Mandy's not long for this world!) and Leia's asteroid belt tour. But the written material is fine.

Before I start, I should emphasize that my media interest is SWars (and now RAIDERS). I've seen some Trek, read the Blish adaptations, and read a very little Trek fanfic and commentary. As for other likely films and shows, I probably know zilch. So commentary on Trek, etc pieces will be restricted to the articles as they stand -- please make allowances if I neglect to castigate someone for specific glitches.

"Amok Time" is one of the Trek episodes I saw once, eons ago, and read the adaptation several times. The story always bothered me -- hell, most of what I've picked up about Vulcans bothers me, as a feminist and a humanist. Quism's presentation of the story from the woman's POV is marvelous -- send copies to Roddenberry and Sturgeon immediately, if not last month! Not only is it a badly needed view from the other side, it's well written. Whoever Quism is, I hope there'll be more from this writer.

Paula Smith's "New Year" is fine as a story, which believable characters, good pace, overall good writing. The trick or treat scene is very effective -- it's the sort of human touch that's all too often missing in fanfic. I leave it to S&H fen to decide whether the characterizations were accurate. I enjoyed it as a story, period.

Strange to see a zine with more articles than fiction -- a pleasant change, in fact. I'd like to see a balance of no more than half fiction to non-fiction on a regular basis.

Linda Stoops' analysis of Leia is very good but much too short. As to the question of why women seem to have to make up our own characters rather than write about Leia -- in my case, it's at least partly because I haven't felt I would work with a diplomat and political leader. My pilot and smuggler is much easer to hand., especially since she started out being a lot like me and over time has developed into much her own person. I've used Leia as a secondary character in a couple of stories, featured her in one ("Best-Laid Plans" in "Storms" #2)... But there have been a number of stories, including or starring Leia all along (I mean Leia as a strong, positive character, not the various bitches and wimps who are all too common) and they seem to be increasing. The proportion isn't as high as the proportion of Han, Luke, or Darth stories, but they do exist and seem to be becoming more frequent. Another possibility just occurred to me, and I don't remember seeing it mentioned elsewhere -- Leia is too difficult to identify with, as an attractive young woman who's also a strong, competent leader and independent entity without being a stereotypical bitch. It's easy to identify with mythical types like Han, Luke, and Darth, either directly or a female involved with them. We've grown up with those archetypes and have been surround by literary and real versions of them all our lives. But Leia doesn't fit the images from fairy tales, myth, film, TV, children's books, teen novels, real life, and what we've always been told women should and should not be. It takes an unaccustomed leap of imagination (and possibly more than usual ego strength and security) to identify with Leia. Fortunately, some writers are making this identification, and as their stories get published maybe thy'll help encourage others to try. Feminism is unusually strong in fandom by comparison to the mundane world, and maybe this factor will help also. But even committed femistis somethings need outside stimuli to get them going on paper.

Deloris Booker's article on marriage in Trek fanfic was very interesting to the non-reader of the genre. Questions for those who do read and write Trek: are attitudes changing? And if so, in what direction? Booker seems to have done her sociological homework. I hope she'll be doing more along this line, maybe branching out to SWars....

Judith Gran's "The K/S Concept" is definitely one of the more interesting commentaries I've read lately. I have to admit that the idea jolted me -- a feminist perspective on K/S? Well, if nothing else, it shows that STORMS is going to be a vehicle for the unusual and unexpected! Again, not being a reader of the genre, I can't comment intelligently on K/S itself, but I'm definitely a feminist, and like Gran, happily married and in my thirties. So I'll concentrate on the feminist aspect -- which, I was interested to note, dominated the article. I was especially glad to see the statement that social attitudes based on stereotypes, rather than men, ar the enemy. This is a point that doesn't get anywhere near the emphasis it should have in a lot of feminist writing, especially among fen, who seem to lead toward the radical (is misanthropic) end of the spectrum. ((Oh, really? Personally, I've noted exactly the opposite; fannish women in general are more likely to support men's and people's liberation, too. Of course, it depends on which fandom you speak -- general SF fandom tends to be negative about a lot of things, as a general rule, so I believe that is your reference point. -- Editor)) [snipped] "The Feminine Mystique" which I read in college changed [my] life, but Gran is right, next to it has to be the world that's changes. And feminist franc can help, by encouraging fans to think and act in the mundane world as well as in fandom. After all, it's practically impossible to be a feminist in fandom without a least somewhat changing the way you deal with the outside, isn't it? Think about it.

Charlie, your commentary added on [to Gran's article] was also interesting, especially your statement that you may "have happened upon a 'straight alternative' previously unheard of." I haven't read much lesbian commentary, especially in fanzines, but all too much of what I have read has been more or less hostile and/or defensive concerning heterosexuals. Your calm, reasonable statement is very refreshing!

I think you should be proud of this one, Charlie. The layout, the typing (unlike this letter the zine had very few mistakes) and the rest are done quite professionally. There isn't as much art as I usually like (what do you expect from an artist?). Most of what you have is nice. I thought the S&H illo on page 35 was very interesting and gives the right feel ing to the moment being depicted. The other illos from the story are also nice, but not as striking. The rest of the art is a little uneven. Some is very nice, but in some places the figures are somewhat off, either in proportion or perspective. Still overall you've done a better job at keeping out the "junk" than many editors whose zines I have read.

On the stories and articles: I liked "Klee-Fah!" by far the best. The second person PoV was unusual and there was a real depth of understanding for the character presented. I found the beginning scene the most compelling and it forced a good base on which to rest the remainder of the story. The author brought out quite vividly the feelings of a small, frightened, angry girl who can't understand what has been done to her or why. The correleation between this chi ldhood bonding and sexual intercourse (explained very well later on in the story) is never stated in this scene but it is very clear and ail the more effective because it is left for the reader to discover. I wish the same sense of discovery had been possible later in the story when T'Pring is becoming, aware of the injustice of her culture. Here we are told that the system is immoral flat out and it doesn't work as well. The relationship between the heroine and Stonn is treated well. iwish it had been dealt with in more detail. Certainly the treatment of T'Pring in this story is better than what I have seen in other stories. Actually I never did think she was wicked or stupid for doing what she did. I wouldn't want to be married to Spock either!

The other fiction piece, "New Year" by Paula Smith, didn't interest me nearly so much as Quism's story. I can't in fairness say that it was a bad story. My reaction probably had more to do with the fact that of all the males portrayed on television, I think Starsky and Hutch were among the all-time most boring and I can't under stand why any intelllgent, sensitive woman wouId want to spend more than one night with either one, much less months. I might have liked the story more if it had been in Carla's PoV. Then I could have empathized (or at least sympathized) with her struggle to discover who she really was.

As for Leia. Now there's a character I've gotten to know real well. That's because of the story I'm working on in which she is the uncontested lead. She even talks In my head from time to time, which is freaky when the speaker isn't your own character. Why is Leia behind a droid and a Wookiee (or is it with them?--oh well!)? That's a good question, since I like her best (well -- after Luke -- and that's 33% hormones). Actually, I think those hormones and romantic fantasies do have a lot to do with Leia's problems. If an author wants to write a MarySue/alter ego, the character is likely to be female and that means writing about someone who can fall for her; in SWars, that means Luke or Han, principally. Beyond that, the real Leia introduced into most of those stories would totally over shadow those little Mary Sues. As to the "triangle" problem TESB left us with, I'm betting on the "she really is Luke's half sister" solution -- at least this week. ((Kinky! Sounds like something Lucas wouldn't allow us to write about, actually!! --Editor))

"The K/S Concept" was interesting for a number of reasons. Not that I disagree, but that just got to thinking about some things. Housework, for example -- why is it considered "no-status" work (I know, because it's "woman's work.") -- but leave that aside and consider this: housework is something that is essentially contributing to the basic comfort of life.: clean clothes are more comfortable than dirty clothes; well prepared food is more appetizing and appealing than badly prepared food. ... Why is pushing a lawnmower a more useful and respectable occupation than pushing a vacuum cleaner. As to the question of whether you can be a feminist and still life K/S? ((Everybody, go get a copy of Nicole Hollander's excellent book of cartoons, "Ma, Can I Be A Feminist and Still Like Men?" Recommended reading for every feminist K/S fans... and even some of us morons holdouts who still like The Village People... -- Editor)) Can you be a feminist and like Georgette Heyer/Bogie movies/country music? It depends on what kind of a feminist you are. The more puritanical feminists want to live lives totally disassociated from men, and they think of men the way a passionate fundamentalist might think of booze, cigarettes, pot, rock music... Others aren't so rigid. Personally, I like men about as much as I like women, which is to say it depends on the person, and there aren't a whole lot either that I like a lot. I find K/S a turn-on because I identify with Spock, and in the K/S I like best, he learns/discovers that he really is a bing of value to someone else -- his insecurities get taken care of -- something my insecurities could stand occasionally. I don't particularly enjoy the streak of sadism to be found in such zines such as The Price and the Prize. But I don't find S/M a turn on even in heterosexual situations.

[snipped]]

"Klee-Fah!" was certainly interesting stylistically -- made T'Pring seem more believable -- but personally, I still think she's just a plain bitch! If she doesn't want to marry Spock, find and good. But if she had any decent morals, or character, she would have told him so before the crucial moment. What she did was pure cruelty, and I don't think that there could be mitigating circumstances for such behaviour.

"New Year" was good and I "identified" with everybody in it because a friend of mine who seemed to be the quintessential straight "came out" as a lesbian this past winter. Her family's reaction was along the lines of "Better you should have cancer -- at least then you'd be (as good as) dead . . ." etc. Her husband was, as you might imagine, somewhat confused/surprised/upset over the events. From my point of view, it doesn't seem to make much difference; her taste in movies is still dreadful.

This first issue of the first feminist pan-media fanzine is a technical gem, as well as being a straight from the heart, non-pretentious production. The art was well-placed (LOVED the cartoon at the end of my article! Very appropriate!), and both the front and back covers where highly evocative of the material between them.

While I've gotten a little tired of Trek over the last five years, nevertheless I found the events and rationale that led to T'Pring's challenge a fascinating (sorry, couldn't resist) bit of speculation. At first I had some difficulty accepting that all-too-mild explanation she gave in the episode; on further consideration however, I realized that Vulcan decorum would have precluded the telling of the whole nasty truth. Besides, even if something like this story had occurred to Roddenberry, the 1960's network mentality would never have let it on the air. what a jolt that would have been to the Spockies! I mean, what woman wouldn't want that Vulcan, right? Ah, but there's one who didn't, so there must be something wrong with her, right?

Although any-S&H I've seen has been involuntary, Hutch always struck me as the kind of straight-laced guy who would freak out in a situation such as the one put forth in "New Year." I also found this story to be a nice change from the "beat-one-or-both-of-the-characters-to-a-bloody-pulp" pieces I always seem to come across.

I'd like to make an apology for "Equal Time." No, not the subject matter, the artwork. I did that cartoon in an hour, and it shows. Urrgh. Sorry, folks.

Very nice first issue! Keep up the good work and you'll have a very interesting -- and important -- zine. Your chosen task isn't easy: feminism is a topic fraught with deep pits all through the subjects, holes that beckon one to extremism. Fall into one and it's hell to get out.

[snipped]

I've never understood the connection between feminism and porn as Judith Gran asserts there is. Perhaps feminism and erotica would be better words. As for K/S: some of us are strongly anti-K/S not because we're also anti-gay or anti-feminist. Some of us simply feel thai no amount of rationalization can account for the distortion of aired Trek that K/S demands, especially not personal gratification. ((Has anyone considered the possibility that no tuo fen see aired Trek the same? And why can't everyone who doesn't care for K/S just see it as an alternate universe vision, so we can stop all this useless bickering? -- Editor)) I am glad you mentioned the strong element of hidden female homosexuality in K/S. I can remember once getting soundly trounced for suggesting such. It's a sad commentary on our cultures that loving one's own sex should be so difficult to imagine that such stories that exclude women are a sole, lonely outlet for the feelings. Aside from the argument of whether K/S accurately portrays aired Kirk and Spock, I have never understand female interest in the subject on a purely sexual level. The gay women I know don't care for K/S, in fact, are often insulted by it. These are women who enjoy both lesbian and heterosexual erotica. In K/S, though, they find nothing to interest them. ((If you're interested, I'll put you in touch with some lesbian friends of mine who not only enjoy K/S, but positively rejoice in it. The gay women you know seem to be the exceptions in this respect, from my observations. -- Editor))

"New Year" by Paula Smith was well-written , as 99% of Paula's work is, if a bit spare in the prose. I was bitterly disappointed by the cavalier way Carla treated Hutch. To tell him over her packing that she's moving in with a woman, a woman she's been two-timing him with? How cold, how unloving! If Carla has truly found her place in her private life, her lover, she will be more compassionate, lot less. She would try her best to recognize the shock this is going to be to gentle-but-still-macho Hutch, and break it slowly and softly. Carla's actions were cruel and unjustified. I wouldn't bIame someone still undecided about her attitude to homosexuality if she reacted badly to the story. Hutch may be male, but he has feelings, too. The argument that Carla was scared is a lame one. One's fright cannot outweigh one's human responsibilities.

The article on marriage was quite comprehensive. Nothing more to say on it but gratitude that the author pointed out that no one in her right mind would marry James Kirk.

Oh, gods -- how do I begin to express my reaction to "Klee-Fah!"? I have pondered this since I read the piece -- fortunately, read last, or I may have been too furious to continue in the zine. I was livid after reading the story. Not because it wasn't well done -- it was. Not because I thought the author set out to annoy -- I'm certain she meant well. But because this kind of story is just what we don't need to future our cause. ((Don't use "our" so generally -- there are some feminists who disagree with you heartily on this. -- Editor)) As a fan of Trek and Vulcan, I protest because the imposition of Terran problems, reactions and history is irrelevant, insulting to Vulcan's singularity, and throughly inappropriate. I there had been some suggestion in Trek that Vulcan women feel about about their culture as Terran women might, I might have excused the story. But not as it stands. Put "Klee-Fah!" in a Terran time-frame, and I'll buy it.

I hope this LoC doesn't seem too critical. I like the zine and wish you the best. I'm intimately involved with the subjects and appreciate the chance to struggle with them with everyone along the way.

I especially enjoyed the article on the K/S theme and feminism. I must confess that the thought that K/S might be considered anti-feminist had never occurred to me. In fact, just the opposite, since I tend to equate feminism with human liberation, and the K/S lit deals with new types of roles and relationships emphasizing human liberation.

[much snipped about Superman and Lois Lane]

Because I was possibly more naive than most, the implications of Superman and Lois getting married ((Or otherwise! -- Editor) it never occurred to me until after I quit reading the comics. Even then I didn't realize all the possible complications until I read an amusing short story/article by Larry Niven called "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex." In it Niven points out that if every cell of Superman's body is endowed with super abilities, this would naturally include his sperm cells. Normal sperm cells die after a few hours under ideal conditions, but Superman's sperm could conceivably live for days or weeks, with each of the millions of sperm seeking an ovum to fertilize. To say the least, this could cause serious problems not only for the woman involved, but anyone else in the vicinity, since these super sperm could have the ability to fly and crash through anything in their path, including human flesh. ((Well, there goes the neighborhood. -- Editor)) Even if Superman managed to impregnate a human woman without killing her in the process, what happens if the fetus inherits its father's super powers? How could the woman ever carry it to term? Realizing all this, if Superman decides to remain celibate, how does he deal with it? ((I can see it now — Superman/Batman hurt/comfort stories! -- Editor))

I'm curious to know if there are any other feminists out there who grew up reading "boys' comic books like Superman instead of "girls' comics" like True Romances or whatever. I know 1 was a very small minority because all the other comix people I traded/corresponded with were male. The same was true in SF fandom before STAR TREK. For some reason it took STAR TREK to make female fandom visible.

STORMS was really a rather spectacular zine: strong, unusual, and strikingly refreshing. It's so good to read a zine that's such a change from the usual schticks and schlock. The look of the zine was very good, too, from the powerful front cover on. The layout was simple but done with a sure hand and eye.

"Klee-Fah!" was possibly the best T'Pring story I've read yet. I've read a lot of them from T'Pring's PoV, but in this case I could say: Yes. I know this is how it happened, how it felt. An expert job of getting inside a character.

And I particularly appreciated "New Year," because I happen to have a brother who went through an experience similar to to Hutch's (a typical macho Texan, he did not handle it as well as Hutch, though). The choice of an "external" style allowed Smith to move easily through a fairly long chronological time span in the relationship and she handled it consistently; the calendar dates added to the reader's sense of being an outside observer. But the approach does have its limits, for it cannot show us the full depth of masculine hurt and rage that (I assume) Hutch must have felt.

Deloris Booker's article, "Some Attitudes Towards Marriage in Star Trek Fan Fiction," was rather frustrating, as it is very difficult to cover such a large topic succinctly in a limited space. The discussion of probably arrangements of the future (as opposed to the ones actually explored in aired Trek or fan fiction) provided a useful perspective, but it wasn't tied together much with the discussion of Trekfiction. Lack of space no doubt precluded a comprehensive analysis. Why have some fans ignored some fairly obvious extrapolations of contemporary marriage arrangements, and concentrated instead on the traditional, nuclear, monogamous kind? Because aired Trek itself did, no doubt -- it's one reason, at least. But why bring it up at all, then? -- is it to criticize fan fiction, or aired Trek itself? Ms. Booker's analysis was at it best on the subject of "conservative" fan writers -- Hoffman, Dodge, et al. But her approach was less satisfying on the "liberal" writers. Perhaps that is because she has a tendency to focus on portrayals of marriage -- that is specific examples of marriage In works of Trek fiction -- and her own evaluation of those marriages, rather than the attitudes of the writers themselves. As she shows so well in the case of the conservative writers, those attitudes are often unconscious,-- at least, who would admit overtly to admiring a man who uses violence with his woman. But the "attitudes towards marriage" in some of the writers Ms. Booker identifies as adherents of the liberal school of Trek writing are often contradictory. No doubt this contradictory attitude mirror some very real contradictions in the situation of contemporary American women. For instance, what is the "attitude towards marriage" in a work like The Perfect Object by Mindy Glazer -- is it the overt portray of marriage in the heroine's society, or it is not also Kirk's sentimental mooning over how nice it would be to have a wife and kids to come home to? Much space was given to those fantasies of Kirk's, and it was my impression that they were portrayed quite sympathetically. The portrayal of the heroine and her social experience and attitudes was extremely sparse in comparison. Such contradictions abound in the treatment of marriage in fanfic. Perhaps the type of writing which Deloris labels "making the best of a bad job" is the most honest, and the most searching of all in fanfic-- for it wrestles with the contradiction between our socially conditioned romanticism about marriage, and our own experience of the limitations, even the outright oppression, that many women find in that Institution. It does more than merely inveigh against marriage with one hand, and fantasize about it with the other. In a story like Welling's THE DISPLACED, fantasy and reality are made to confront each other: the fantasy in this case is the classic pon farr fantasy, the fantasy of rape and being the passive receptacle for the man s will, bearing his children, etc -- and the reality, a real-life woman finding out. "My God, what would it actually be like to be in that situation?"

I enjoyed your comments on my article very much, and chuckled over your notion of the "straight alternative." Well, it's only logical, after all -- if we heterosexuals can depart from the straight path occasionally, it's only fair that it should work the other way around. I agree regarding the difference between Orwell's voicing his ideas via a work about animals and women's writing about men -- animals have never repressed humans, and men have oppressed women. No matter how much we may claim that it's really "the system" that is oppressive, and not individual men, nevertheless less it is individual men who benefit from that system, and wo are in fact the agents of women's oppression in everyday life. This is a fact that can never be ignored in sexual politics. ... It's all very well to claim that in the abstract, one can express oneself equally well via a male or female character -- but the fact is that men and women are not equal yet and this is a reality that cannot be ignored. The fact that Kirk and Spock aren't real-life twentieth-century men but part of an imaginary future that we can idealize is salient, however.

I received some very interesting letters on the article; the most enlightening were letters from lesbians who, as you said, enjoy K/S because it portrays alternate relationships, etc. One writer pointed out that the K/S relationship is similar to the ideal lesbian relationship. I almost kicked myself for not having seen that! I learned a lot from your comments and those of other women, so writing the article turned out to be a rewarding experience for me. Thanks.

One 1981 Exchange

'Storms' announced itself loudly as the First Feminist Fanzine; when in the planning stages, its inception seems somehow to have been shouted from the rooftops. Well, 'a fannish feminist celebration of women in fandom and fannish creation' has finally appeared, and I feel it necessary to preface my remarks on it with a paraphrase of those of its editor: This, too, is a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. STORMS, at $3.75 first class (or, I suppose, $2.50 in person—the cover says "Cover Price - $2.50," which I presume includes the insides and staples), is 48 pages long, leaving one with a first impression that on the fannish scene, women don't have an awful lot to celebrate. (After reading the contents you'll wonder why we haven't been walking around in sack cloth and ashes. You will also realize that a small zine can be a blessing in disguise.)

The art is uninspired, except for the cover, which seems disturbingly and directly inspired by the cover of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Stormqueen!; there is one story that should be reprinted somewhere since it's far too good to meet an untimely death in a dark alley (or 'celebration', if you prefer); and a—thankfully small— collection of mishmosh: another short piece of fiction, one poem, three articles and the editorial.

Let's start with the good news. (Don't blink.) "Klee-Fah!", by Quism, is a beautiful story. It is complete, moving, and the only piece of merit in the zine. A retelling of the Spock/T'Pring/Stonn story from T'Pring's point of view, it is a mirror reflecting the pain of a woman in a male-do-dominated society, as she discovers the little, limited and unpalatable spaces her world conspires to push her into, and her courage to live a life of her own making.

Now for the rest. The other story is a Starsky and Hutch outline by Paula Smith (is a story feminist because it's got women characters?) in which Hutch seems to have instantly and selectively turned into a moron, allowing him to bumble along for the length of the piece, blissfully unaware of what the reader has realized almost from the start. While some may consider this story insulting to women, I consider it insulting to readers.

There is an article on the trivialization of Princess Leia in SWars fan fiction, by Linda Stoops, which I won't comment on beyond the obvious: the "sad dearth of interest" isn't solely on Leia's shoulder's—one look at STORMS and one can see it's happening to women all over.

Deloris Booker has an article entitled "Some Attitudes Towards Marriage in ST Fan Fiction", an aptly nebulous appellation, which seems to include capriciously chosen representative stories and couples, with little thought as to how these reflect the genre as a whole, while any sign of a mature relationship (such as yours, mine and Jean Lorrah's favorite, Sarek and Amanda) have been totally ignored. The synopses of zine marriages are preceded and followed by some general claptrap about marriages, past and future, with no real cultural, social or historical point of view, and equally little direction.

Judith Gran has an article regarding K/S and feminism, views she sees as capable of mutual coexistence as each affirms the humanness of all and the choices of any of us. Though nothing new, it is well-structured and craftswomanly written. The editor's comments after this piece try, in part, to explain the erotic fascination K/S seems to hold over some if not all of us Dirty Old Broads. This to me has always seemed like explaining the unexplainable. Instead of being aroused by the loving, caring nature of the relationship, which, Ms. Terry points out, is different from the sweat/pain of gay porn (except in the case of Gayle F's work, where it's not), why not just leave it to all that can really be said: we're aroused because the writer wanted it that way. K/S works because it's written by people who know (viscerally, so to speak) whether it's working or not. Oddly enough, this is one zine where the editor has not chosen to include any of her own work ... beyond the editorial, the aforementioned comments, and some zine recommendations among the ads. This may be a good thing, because the editorial set the tone for the disappointment that was to come. While the following reference is decidedly antifeminist, many of us are old enough to remember the wildly successful Clairol ad campaign pegged on "Is it true blondes have more fun?" And most of us will remember the quiet little disclaimer in all the ads: "Chances are she would have gotten that young man anyhow.... But you'll never convince her of that."

Reading the editorial of STORMS—the most bizarre piece in the zine--brought that ad back to me in glorious black and white. One of the reasons the editor embarked upon this zine, she tells us, is because she had 'the feminist background and contacts' (which sounds like the old 'I'm more fill-in-the-blank than you are' game). She tells us she has been through a growth process since the inception of STORMS, the result of which is that she has lost first-stage-feminist rage. Now I would have thought, with all her contacts and background, Sisterhood being what it is in my bend of the creek, that someone, somewhere along the way, would have told the editor, or she might have noticed it herself, that anyone who is determined to no longer allow herself to be oppressed loses the seething rage that accompanies the realization of the extent of one's oppression. The rage is universal, it's eventual diminuition certain. Well, apparently no one did tell her, because she feels the need to tell us, folks, right there in black and white in the editorial, that she lost her rage through the love of one good man. Chances are she would have lost her rage anyway.... So, for those of you with a twisted sense of humor, there's one good laugh in STORMS: the publisher of 'the first feminist zine' should have known that what's been done to women throughout the centuries in the name of the love of one good man is the reason that history goes on and herstory has been lost forever. Offering her happiness to us as responsible for her metamorphosis goes a long way toward explaining the limited quality of all that follows, and a zine, the idea of which had so much to offer, which so many people were so predisposed to like, winds up being just another mediocre evening's read.

The editor of Storms blasts the previous review written by T'Yenta in this personal statement:

I don't respond to reviews of my own fanzine; I believe that honest differences of opinions and perspective are valuable in fannish interaction. I do, however, take umbrage at the recent 'review' of my zine by you, T'Yenta -- because you did not review my fanzine, you reviewed my editorial. Who are you, T'Yenta? What injustice, real or imaginary, have I committed upon you to make you hate me and that editorial so much? If you honestly disliked Storms, I can appreciate that, as I stated upfront and from the beginning that this zine is not for everyone. But don't tell me in your infinite feminist wisdom (and own unresolved feminist rage) that you are more (fill in the blank) than I am. In your attack of my editorial and principles, you left out my basic editorial statement -- that those who seriously dislike "Storms" and feel that the job could have been better done by someone else, should, instead of grousing, do something constructive -- like do it herself. It's a whole lot easier to write reviews blasting the editor than it is to stick out your own neck and try. I find it significant that a person who is afraid, for whatever reason, to use her real name should also see fit to bitch rather than build.

The editor of Storm's husband writes in a personal statement as well:

T'yenta: Charlie Terry has not lost her rage. She's still angry, still fighting, still working towards the idea of choice for everyone. Her lessening of intensity has nothing to do with her finding 'one good man.' Despite that fact that I am that 'one good man,' I see the fire that burns in her every day... T'Yenta, you are wrong. Charlie may have lost the outspoken 'hate men' attitude, but she has molded her rage and her anger into a working, acting state of mind, working with good men, and good women. I resent the implication that Charlie has lost anything over her love for me. That goes against everything our relationship stands for. ... Charlie Terry has changed, not died. She has grown, not withered... Who are you to make such sweeping conclusions over a two-page editorial? You have jumped before you looked. Review yourself, before you review another zine.

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Linda Stoops

back cover by Jani Hicks

Storms 2 was published in May 1982 and is 90 pages long.

From Boldly Writing:

The fanzine featured a large letters section. One of the two Star Wars entries detailed how women were far more prominent in Star Wars fanzine stories—even including some female Jedi Knights—than they had been in the Star Wars movies. The lone Trek entry of the fanzine was "Bridges are for Burning," by Sharon Giacomo, which featured a prominent Klingon woman (predating Valkris, Azetbur, and K'Ehleyr by many years).

[From the editorial]: to issue #1 were varied, as I ejected, and there were few middle-of-the-roaders — either you loved it or you hated it. Fortunately, most of the reactions were highly favorable, with a few notable exceptions (hello, T'Yental), and the zine accomplished exactly what I'd hoped it made people think, and feel, and act on those thoughts and feelings. Success is a very good feeling, and I thank all of you for sharing with me.

Those who've waited for survey results have, I'm afraid, waited in vain: all my efforts to compile statistical information from them fell prey to lack of time, energy, and motivation. My primary purpose in conducting the survey was to determine a) if there was an audience for STORMS, and b) what this audience wanted from a feminist media zine. In general, though: 1) fandom seems to have a good proportion of lesbians and bisexuals; some of those who called themselves heterosexual exclusively sounded almost embarrassed about it!; 2) of 36 responses, only 2 would not accept lesbian material in STORMS; 3) most of the respondents consider themselves personal feminists, preferring to apply feminist thought and deed to their personal lives rather than taking it into the political realm; 4) only one respondent specified that she would prefer an anti-male policy; the rest specified that such a policy would be unacceptable; 5) very few believed that feminism, and fandom were not related; most saw feminism as being a definite part of fandom and its general outlook on the world. I again thank those who responded to this survey. The responses were invaluable

[snipped]

This issue is much subtler than the first, emphasizing woman's proper place — wherever she wants to be. Some knee-jerk feminists will have fits over a couple of the pieces herein — I suggest you look them over carefully, they're sneaky.

Overall, I'm very proud of this issue and the famish talent displayed here in; I hope you enjoy and employ it.

• Editorial (2)
• Letters of Comment (4)
• Best-Laid Plans by Chris Callahan, art by L.C. Wells (part of the Maeve Solo universe) (Star Wars) (10)
• The Female Hero: Personal Reflections on the Appeal of Leia Organa by Pat Nussman, art by June Grandey (STAR WARS) (21)
• Fish Story by Linda M. Simpson, art by Daphne Ann Hamilton STAR TREK) (Uhura and Chapel) (28)
• poem by Nora Zachary (33)
• Visible Women by Chris Callahan, art by L.C. Wells (STAR WARS) (Women in stories) (34)
• Mary Sue Just Ain’t What She Used To Be by Linda Stoops (STAR TREK) (Article) (47)
• Orion Slave Dancer by Shona Jackson (54)
• Sweet Woman, Risin’ So Fine…by Charlie Terry-Textor (An introduction to women’s music) (55)
• Bridges Are For Burning by Sharon Giacomo, art by June Grandey (STAR TREK) (Klingon with Kor, Secanth and Kang) (58)
• other people's stuff (90)
• other art by Caro Hedge, James Adams, Jani Hicks, and Wayne Grenner

• 

  interior art from issue #2, inside back cover, Shona Jackson

• 

  interior art from issue #2, June Grandey

• 

  interior art from issue #2, L.C. Wells

• 

  interior art from issue #2, Linda Stoops

• 

  interior art from issue #2, Shona Jackson

• 

  interior art from issue #2, sample text

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

See reactions and reviews for The Female Hero: Personal Reflections on the Appeal of Leia Organa.

See reactions and reviews for Visible Women.

See reactions and reviews for Mary Sue Just Ain’t What She Used To Be.

[zine]: Storms is not primarily a SWars zine, but is instead a "feminist-oriented" zine willing to accept stories and articles drawn from any source. Issue one featured a controversial Starsky and Hutch story by Paula Smith, an article about Princess Leia by Linda Stoops, an exploration of the attractions of K/S stories by Judith Gran, and other items. This second issue continues the tradition established by the first. Storms us with a story about Princess Leia by Chris Callahan, an article about the "female hero" by Pat Nussman, a Uhura story by Linda M. Simpson, an article about the women in SWars fan-fiction by Chris Callahan, an article on "marysue" in media fan-lit by Linda Stoops, an article on "women's music" by Charlie Terry-Textor, and a Trek story by Sharon Giacomo featuring a female Klingon commander. There is also much feminist-oriented poetry and artwork in this issue.

Storms may be feminist-oriented, but what I particularly like about it is that it is not strident. Charlie Terry-Textor states the case well in her editorial. Storms emphasizes "woman's proper place--wherever she wants to be." (Emphasis mine.) Because Storms does not preach, because it does not indulge in diatribes and in hate-mongering, I prefer to think of it as a "humanist-oriented" fanzine, rather than a "feminist-oriented" one. And therein lies its charm--and its strength. There is a place in fandom for zines such as Storms: zines in which ethical questions can be discussed, zines in which controversial stories can be aired, zines in which polls can be taken and opinions solicited, zines in which articles and essays (of varying degrees of depth and meaning) can be presented. It is true that not all of Storms will be of interest to SW fans, however, most fan do not appear to be dedicated only to the Lucas universe. In the beginning there was SF fandom. Then there appeared Star Trek fandom, and opinion was divided: should this upstart 'fandom' be accepted or not? That question never was universally answered, when along came Star Wars. A new fandom sprang up, one that laid the groundwork for what is now known as "media fandom". Storms appeals to this broad-based fandom, and has the added attraction of presenting stories, poetry, and articles which relate to female issues. Even so, there are several items in Storms which will be of primary interest to SWfans.

"Best Laid Plans" by Chris Callahan, concerns the role of the Princess Leia Organa in the acquisition of the Death Star tapes. It is competently written, and the character' of Leia is rather well-handled. It is an honest attempt by the author to present a rounded portrait of the princess as opposed to the stereotypical bitch who appears in so much fan writing. The story itself, unfortunately, lacks depth and has no bite. It is, basically, simply the prelude to the adventures that began in A New Hope. Also, the story is too short to truly explore Leia's character. I like that Callahan has done thus far, and would enjoy seeing her take this Leia and write an entire adventure--a new adventure-- around her. There are entirely too few stories out that give good pictures of the Princess Leia Organa.

"The Female Hero", by Pat Nussman, is subtitled "Personal Reflections on the Appeal of Leia Organa". Nussman writes an interesting and entertaining essay in which she traces some of the common elements she finds in her favorite myths and fairy-tales and in Star Wars. Han Solo as the Frog Prince? Perhaps. But as Nussman points out, even more important is the quest of identity that Leia Organa, the female hero, is undertaking--and that we, through identification and empathy, can take with her.

In a second article, Chris Callahan points out that A New Hope was considered by many to be "blatantly sexist" (I don't agree. Of the three main "heroes", one is a female. That's better odds than we get in most fiction and films!), but that fanfic came along shortly after the movie, and suddenly "the SWars universe acquired a much more balanced population ... along with a relatively unquestioned assumption that in this highly advanced galactic civilization women and men are more or less equal legally and socially." Callahan then proceeds to give an overview of some of the "Visible Women" in SW fan-fiction. She gives as her criteria the following: 1) the character's existence as an individual who could be featured in her own story without any reference to Luke or Han; 2) the character's presence in the story ... being justifiable on grounds other than romantic interest and/or 'local color'; 3) the avoidance of stereotyping of personality and/or role. Callahan studies Jedi, Alliance members, and "independents". I do not always agree with her choices (neither Ariel Solo, Kaili Lars, nor Lyann Skywalker strikes me as strong--nor even as particularly believable or competent), nor with her basic premise that sexual equality is "unquestioned" in fan-fiction, but I think that she has done a good job in presenting a thoughtful and interesting introduction to the subject of women in Star Wars fandom. I would be interested in seeing more development of this theme, both in adding a study of some of the characters introduced in fan-fiction since the inception of this issue of Storms and in studying some of the characters who are in categories not covered by Callahan (what of the Imperials? Surely Susan Matthews's Jennet Ap Rhiannon is as interesting a person as Naom Pre?) .

"Mary Sue Just Ain't What She Used to Be" by Linda Stoops, introduces us to the most maligned of created characters, the Sue. As Stoops points out, SW fan-fic has been guilty of creating more than its share of new variations on an old mistake. Unfortunately, this article at several points threatens to get away from Stoops; it is perhaps the single most "preachy" article in Storms, and I found it a bit disconcerting to find "Mary Sue" tied to the growth of Christianity and the destruction of the Mother-religion on one hand, and the burgeoning power of the "Moral Majority" on the other--or maybe it's the same hand? Stoops' point could have been made with less bitterness and with less condescension, and an outline of what she wanted to say would have kept her from straying so much from the point. Also, her political/religious material should have been saved for a more meaningful, deeper essay rather than wasted here almost as a throw-away.

With the exception of some cartoons of questionable taste, that is the total of the SW material in this issue. Artwork is unmemorable, layout and paste-up in need of improvement, and reproduction poor in places. The non- SW work is interesting and worth reading. General recommendation? For a general media fan or for the SW fan willing to dip into other interests, the zine is recommended. You will find thought-provoking material here that will encourage you to develop new ways of looking at "female issues" If all you are interested in are SW stories and articles, proceed with caution. Although the SW items are competent and interesting, you may not consider them sufficient inducement to purchase the whole zine.

Issue 3

front cover of issue #3, T.J. Burnside

back cover of issue #3, Paulie Gilmore

table of contents

Storms 3 was published in 1985 and is 72 pages long. The previous editor, Charlie Terry (now Textor-Terry) had accompanied her husband to a job overseas, and she turned the zine over to long-time contributor, Linda Stoops.

From a submission request in Universal Translator #17 in 1983: "'Storms' is revising its format for the third issue of the fannish feminist celebration to all-Trek and/or 'mainstream' feminist/lesbian thought... I'd like to return to the fire of the first issue, with more controversial themes."

With issue #3, Charlene Terry "turned over the production of ....Storms, to Linda Stoops of Columbus, Ohio... There was one major Star Trek story and one major Star Wars story, plus a number of smaller entries. Despite the great enthusiasm for this fanzine among its readers, this was the last issue."

[From the editorial by Terry]:

The USAF gives us APO "privileges", meaning we're on US domestic postal rates; however, the distance gives them another 9,000 miles in which to lose things. The quality of Philippine printing is non-existent. Customs laws give me a stomach ache. Editing and/or publishing a zine from here would have been impossible at best. When Linda wrote with her offer, I jumped on it. She's been involved with STORMS almost since the beginning, knows the philosophy and rhythm behind the zine, and has all the right fannish connections. I couldn't have picked a better first officer.

Another upheaval that had its start in June '83 may not have prevented my putting together a zine, but the personal changes and confusions would have made the whole thing doubly difficult. On 29 March 1984, my daughter, [name redacted], made her world premiere amidst much agony and deep joy. The processes of pregnancy and birth rattled me to ray roots, and I've found that many of my deepest beliefs regarding gender and sex traits have been either challenged or annihilated, (Guess what, femfen — women and men really are a lot different, and not in some of the ways you might think). And, of course, the normal stresses and just hard work that go along with having a very young baby in the house would have made the typing/lay- out/printing/scutwork take a back seat to the feeding/changing/ burping/bouncing. Pages can wait— babies can't.

Linda has put together a wonderful collection of woman-words and -images, and I don't want to keep you from it. Communications are welcome. Joyous reading!

[From the editorial by Stoops]: Well, it was a fun job, but somebody had to do it.

Frankly, I was a little surprised at the response at a couple of cons last year: "Where's Charlie?", "Is she still doing STORMS?" "When's #3 coming out?". Having been closely involved with two other zines before, neither of which garnered such a re action after halting production, I found the ongoing interest in Charlie's creation heartening. STORMS seemed to fill a need for quite a few feminists in fandom, a space in which they could discuss and explore the archetypes and attitudes of both sexes. Not that they couldn't do that in other zines, but such discussions and explorations are more thinly scattered because of the wider diversity of subject matter in our sister publications, STORMS also delves into areas not covered by other zines, also due to their given subject matter: lesbianism, women's music (see Issue Two), media and fannish character studies in article form, women's spirituality and general up-on-the-soapbox bitchin'.

With this realization in mind, as well as not wanting to see another zine die out, especially one with a focus point that I felt strongly about, I wrote to Charlie for permission in August. Preliminary flyers went out in September, and, nine months later (unintentional, but appropriate, no?), here we are. For those of you new readers who might be curious as to the earlier-mentioned guidelines, and our previous supporters who wonder if the policy has changed any, I can assure(or disappoint, depending on your

preference) you that fan-oriented contribs will be limited to the media out of fairness to those who haven't read every SF/fantasy book that's garnered a following. Besides, there already are zines covering the literary aspects. There is, however, a Saturday-morning program in the works based on McCaffrey's Pern novels, not to mention the Elfquest movie coming,out soon, so there'll be adaptations made in policy as things come up. Anti-feminist material is not only politically incorrect, but it will get you a pithy letter at the very least. Otherwise, anything of a feminist nature, be it media fanfic/nonfic or general attitudes, is acceptable subject matter. We do ask that already- established characters(i.e., non-fan-created) retain the sexual orientations evident in their original universes. I mean, would you want someone making major changes — and to certain authors it would be considered a major change — in your work? Your own "people", however, can have any preferences that suit you. This, of course, restricts our readership to the l8-and-over crowd. We still live in a sexually immature society, and such adult subjects, however tastefully done, can be seen as contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Fandom has had enough trouble with copyright technicalities as it is.

• Thunder and Lightning, editorial (2)
• Mater Aeternitas, poem by Angela Varesano, art by Bonnie Reitz (4)
• Corn Woman, poem by Linda Stoops, art by Paulie (5)
• Storms III: The Search for Words (word search puzzle) by Carol D. Zerucha (6)
• Bridges are for Building, fiction by Sharon Giacomo (was to have art by Morgan Tennent, but "due to the ravages of the Post Awful", it is not included) (8)
• The Vow, poem by Maggie Nowakowska (originally published in The Mose Eisley Tribune #3), art by Margaret Schulte (30)
• And No Regrets, poem by Maggie Nowakowska, art by Margaret Schulte (31)
• Wendy, poem by Linda Stoops, art by Morgan Tennent (34)
• Swamps and Wookiees and Spies... Oh, Shit, fiction (to be continued) by Pat Stanley, art by Paulie (Star Wars fusion with Elfquest? The table of contents calls it "New Order Materials," and it is part nine of that series. See New Order Series.) (36)
• zine ads (six flyers) (63)

• 

  interior art from issue #3, Paulie

• 

  interior art from issue #3, Morgan Tennant

• 

  interior art from issue #3, Paulie and Linda Stoops

• 

  interior art from issue #3, Margaret Schulte and Maggie Nowakowska

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

While Charlie Terry-Textor takes a leave of absence, she has turned over the editorship of STORMS to Linda Stoops for an issue or two. STORMS is still a feminist-oriented fanzine for media fans, and the contents include a puzzle, cartoons, poetry, and two stories, which make up the bulk of the zine. "Bridges are for Building," by Sharon Giacomo, is part two of a story set in a ST alternate universe. The 'New Federation' includes the old Federation, Romulans, and Klingons. The current conflict is with the Kzinti but there are still internal conflicts as the new alliance adjusts. The story includes Admiral Kirk for reference — a good touch — but its main character is Captain Secanth, a woman of Klingon origins who commands a New Federation ship. Secanth is a believable character and is not the Mary Sue stereotype. She has all the problems one would expect any starship captain to have and handles them with varying degrees of success, as one would exect in reality. With the internal and external conflicts, there is plenty to keep the reader's attention, and I found the story to be self-contained, even though I do not remember part 1 and haven't seen part 3. The other story is in the SW universe. "Swamps and Wook-iees and Spies . . .," by Pat Stanley, has several good, interesting female characters, including the widow of Admiral Ozzel and a healer who is a member of the local Sisterhood. The planet on which this takes place is detailed believably, and the characters are well-defined. The main part of the story revolves around Ranna Von, a female Jedi novice, and Lando Calrissian, who have come to the planet in question to pick up a large sum for the Rebel Alliance from Ozzel's widow. Though there is some Imperial trouble, the main problem comes from the local inhabitants, who have a long-time conflict going at the time of the story. This story is also to be continued, but I found it good enough to read on its own. STORMS 3 continues the tradition of issues 1 and 2 and should keep its readers satisfied until the next issue.