Thrust

Zine
Title:	Thrust
Publisher:	Pulsar Press
Editor(s):	Carol Frisbie
Date(s):	1978 (around the middle of February)
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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front cover by Gayle F

Thrust is a Kirk/Spock themed 181-page anthology published in 1978 by Carol Frisbie. It was the first K/S-only anthology. The zine was recognized immediately for its edginess in depiction of Kirk/Spock erotic relations.

Cover art by Gayle F and back cover by Michael B. Interior art by & Pat Stall, Merle Decker, Leslie Fish, Gerry Downes, Susan K. James, Laurie Huff, Signe Landon, Nan Lewis, Marty Siegrist, and Mary E.

Descriptions from Ads

From an ad in the first issue of Scuttlebutt # 1, asking for submissions: “An ‘ultra-adult’ Star Trek zine. Serious treatment of all adult themes. No parodies or satires. Heavy emphasis on characterization. ST characters only.”

From an ad in Scuttlebutt #5 (Jan/Feb 1978):“An exploration of the erotic/sensual side of Star Trek. The first all Kirk/Spock erotic zine will be ready for mailing on or before 2/15/78 or for pickup at ST Expo.”

back cover by Michael Bourgois

sample text page

From an ad in S.T.A.G. #28 (April 1978): “A zine exploring a possible sexual relationship between Kirk and Spock. Contains material which may be offensive to some. The editor describes herself as an ‘intellectual fence-sitter’ on the subject and is not convinced of its validity, but does feel that it is a valid subject for fictional discussion.”

preface page, art by Joni Wagner -- note the symbolic "/"

The Paramount Piece: This Zine Was Sent by an Angry Fan to TPTB

"Thrust" was sent by a fan to Paramount in an effort to quash slash and to get the creators and contributors of the zine in trouble.

From Judith Gran:

Re "publicity" of K/S: There is something going on here that doesn't quite meet the eye. Why this sudden fear of Paramount among people who've been selling their zines openly at cons for years -- just a few blocks away from Gulf & Western Plaza, yet? How come the anti-publicity people never were worried about Paramount before. And if they fear Paramount, why IS it that they don't seem to have any interest in actually investigating what Paramount thinks? I'm more than a little uncomfortable with people who speak as though Paramount were about to crack down on us any moment, as If that were Gospel, without offering a single shred of evidence of Paramount's intentions. The legal doctrine you refer to Is called estoppel. I've just written a column on it for NTS, so I don t think I'd better take up too much space here with that discussion: briefly, I agree that it would be difficult for Paramount to successfully challenge the publication of a K/S zine right now. The reason is not that someone sent a copy of one K/S zine (THRUST) to Paramount years ago and they decided not to prosecute in itself, that would protect only THRUST. But Paramount knows generally that large numbers of ST and K/S zines are being published, that there is a whole industry, so to speak, of zine publishing based on Star Trek. Their acquiescence in the larger phenomenon of zine publishing IS what protects us.

From Ann Carver:

I agree about the paranoia that seems to be active in K/S fandom now. At the time Thrust was published, Paramount's legal dept was given a copy and declined to do anything about it. I don't think they can start anything now, precedents and all that. Maybe [JG] can add legal opinion on that. I think the most trouble would come from the USPS and then only if the person receiving a copy of a K/S zine complained. Actually David Gerrold and his 'friends' are doing us all a big favor. His frequent public statements about it have brought many new fans into the fold that would otherwise have not known about us. Thanks, David. Keep up the good work!

From the Editor: 1984

Excerpts from Not Tonight, Spock! Interview with Carol Frisbie:

…I was familiar with a number of underground stories, and a large number of writers who had good ideas but nowhere to share them. Thrust seemed an answer—if I had the balls to do it. In 1977-78 there was a lot of vehement opposition to K/S, and I felt that a sensitive and intelligent treatment of the theme could only help to show that K/S represents more than the prurient fantasies of frustrated females—that it can be beautiful and moving as well as erotic, and that some of the best writing in fandom is K/S…. I wanted Thrust to carry a variety of first-time stories that would make people think, and that would promote my firm belief that, extrapolating on their given personalities, Kirk and Spock would gradually come to their bonding relationship through love, not because of innate homosexuality. Too casual a treatment would do the characters an injustice….

You had to be thick-skinned, because there was a lot of intensely emotional opposition coming your way; and level-headed, because you had a serious and delicate theme to protect and yourself along with it…. I sold Thrust in plain brown envelopes—Gayle F.’s gorgeous and explicit cover made that necessary—and with stringent warnings and age requisites. Despite all my caution, a member of the anti-K/S faction sent a copy to Shatner’s office. Shatner had the grace to smile and keep his silence, but his business manager (now son-in-law) was unhappy about it and we had a small go-round. He thought it all over, and later called me to apologize. All in all, Roddenberry, Shatner, and Nimoy took the theme with more equanimity than some uninvolved fans I know…. I hoped Thrust would make some kind of mark, both as a forum for writing and as a forum for the analysis of the K/S theme…. But it was the K/S theme itself that electrified fandom. As it added a dimension to the relationship between the two men, it added a new and lively dimension to fandom, providing a complex and invigorating idea to ponder, an emotional reference that took fandom by storm. I believe that the K/S theme has played a large part in keeping active fandom alive.

From the Editor: 2007

Excerpts from Legacy Interview with Carol F.:

While I wouldn’t say that Thrust posed great problems to publishing, it was a ground-breaker regarding very explicit homosexual treatments pubbed in ST fandom, and it broke some barriers of hesitation re future K/S treatments. I had about 300 mail preorders for the zine (which sold, incredibly, for only $7.00!) and I took age statements for all of those orders. It was chancy, and all of us knew it; Paramount might get up a head of steam for quashing the theme, and certainly such a zine would find its way into their hands (hopefully not their legal department). Thrust, or some zine like it, was inevitable, though, and I thought it might as well be me to produce it. After all, I’d been an editor for years, and knew as much as anyone about the theme. And I loved the complexity of the task. The zine took well over a year to compile. I contacted all my writer friends, and their writer friends, and sent out a Premise Sheet detailing what I was looking for. Slowly, the stories came in. Extensive editing and rewriting was done on almost all the stories; a few gems came in almost ready to print as they were. The artwork posed a bit of a problem—how explicit should it be? I wanted art, not just porn images. I rejected several pieces, and asked for some other artwork to be redone. The artists were wonderful to work with—they understood the sensitivity of the theme very well, while still wanting an honest representation. When I received Gayle F.'s gorgeous cover art, it took my breath away...and gave me a moment of pause. Could I, should I, use it on the front cover? It was beautiful, and incredibly explicit re body parts. My friends and I decided that if you were going to do a zine, why hide from the theme behind innuendo? If the theme was worth doing, if it was a valid premise, throw the door open to quality treatments.

The title, Thrust, seemed to cover the subject rather well, and I liked the double meaning and the blunt, punchy “sound” of it. But in the end, it came about as the result of a dare: The CONTACT group in Baltimore threw a party and we all voted on names for the zine. NO ONE really thought I would actually use it. Maybe even me.

A printer to make the zine a reality was actually rather easy to find. There were several printers in Washington, DC (Virginia is more conservative, to say the least) vying for the job—I chose the one who gave me the best price for offset. My friend and writing partner, Susan K. J., accompanied me for moral support. After all, spreading out Thrust on the counter was diving into very cold water; Susan told me later that my face was beet red, though I thought I’d handled it rather well. The first print run was 700 copies, and costly—little did I know at the time how fast that money would be recouped, and how fast it would go right back into a reprint! Funny aside: The printer was thrilled to get the job. He was gay, and when 20 of my zines went missing from the boxes, I had to have a little talk with the fellow. I found out that they had printed extras of the artwork and that those extras had made the rounds all over the city. Almost immediately the premier gay bookstore in D.C. contacted me to ask if they could sell copies in their Dupont Circle store; needless to say, the answer was no. They called repeatedly over the years, even into the 1990s.

Thrust premiered at the January 1979 big New York convention. My friends and I didn’t have a table; we sold out the remaining zines in just a few hours while standing by a column near the dealer’s room. We took age statements when the buyer seemed underage, and would not sell to anyone who was under 18 years. That was an important stipulation—I couldn’t afford a lawsuit...or worse. Even so, there were those in ST fandom who were outraged by the theme, or pretended to be. One fan (who shall remain nameless) sent a copy to William Shatner. I was very surprised when I received a phone call from WS’ son-in-law, who was acting as his business manager at the time. He asked me why I had published such a magazine; he was obviously somewhat upset about it. I defended Thrust pretty vociferously, and asked him if WS had seen it. He said yes. After a rather long conversation, during which he wouldn’t reveal how Shatner had reacted to the zine, we got off the phone. I was left feeling both protective of Thrust and somewhat worried about what all this could mean legally. But the very next evening, the son-in-law cum business manager called again, this time to apologize profusely. It was immediately clear that WS was not happy that he’d called me the first time, and that it was Shatner’s requirement that he call me to apologize. That was the end of that interesting exchange, and I was much relieved.

From the Zine's Editorial: 1978

THRUST is a celebration and exploration of love--love in general and love in specific; love in friendship, love in the traditional romantic sense; love in adversity, and love as the highest value ultimately defeating adversity.

The thrust of THRUST is the exploration of the Kirk/Spock relationship-- which, called by any name, must be defined as love. Love is an amorphous entity, only defined in its entirety as a process unique to the beings involved in it. Exclusively theirs, it's as exclusive-- and inclusive--as their definition dictates. And, being a process, its substance, intensity and expressions are everchanging. Dealing with love's progressions, THRUST is written in the spirit of Walt Whitman's words, ". . . it has become imperative to achieve a shifted attitude ... toward the thought and fact of sexuality, as an element in character, personality, the emotions and a theme in literature. The sexual question's not argued by itself and for its own sake, "... it does not stand by itself. The vitality of it is altogether in its relations, bearings, significance..." The theme, as some might argue. is not homosexuality--it ~ love between two people who have made their own progressions from sharing life, time, mind~ thought and soul to sharing bodies--love between two people who happen to be both male.

Beyond the general consensus, the writers in THRUST all have their special Visions and definitions of the Kirk/Spock theme, and the stories express, in keeping with the IDIC, this diversity of literary/artistic extrapolations.

Content Description: From the Editorial

The first story, SUCCUBUS, INCUBUS by Maggie McClendon is a haunting little mystery unique in several ways, not the least of which is that it utilizes the oft-opted "dream end format" in a new way; the dream is truly both fantasy and reality for Kirk and Spock. In this case, the alien succubus-incubus is the catalyst to reveal and enact realities that both have unconsciously repressed. SUCCUBUS, INCUBUS is also one of the first stories to note the linking character/relational similarities between Kirk/Spock and Alexander/Hephaistion. In that spirit, Laurie Huff's song, PREORDAINED and Gerry Downes' poem, CONSCIENCE OF THE KING, follow beautifully, the latter being a strong and moving correlation between Kirk and (Mary Renault's) Alexander.

For obvious reasons, the pon farr theme proliferates in Kirk/Spock fiction as a barrier-breaking crisis to initiate the sexual or bonding relationship. HOUR OF LEAD by Teri White treats this theme, and the uncertainties and hesitations involved, in a sensitive way (her sequel story will be published at a later date, in another fanzine). Carol Shuttleworth's ON THE BEACH fleshes out the biological side of the Vulcan pon farr cycle, and its implications for human sexuality and emotions. While Jane Aumerle's rich FIRST THINGS (contrasting creation with final judgment/destruction in liturgical terms) deals with the real beginnings of relationship, her DAY OF BURNING is an intensely powerful pon farr story—with a twist; pon farr does not serve to initiate the relationship, but rather threatens to destroy the preexisting bonding between Kirk and Spock. To my knowledge, this is the only story to date to deal with the pon farr within the framework of an already established bond. (These two stories are parts of a series; the first story is yet unpublished, followed by FIRST THINGS, and DAY OF BURNING is the fourth in the series.)

BEYOND SETARCOS and NIGHT OF THE DRAGON continue [Gayle F's] long awaited Kirk/Spock series which began with DESERT HEAT published in Diane Steiner's excellent SENSUOUS VULCAN fanzine. BEYOND SETARCOS is a beautiful treatment of the aftermath of pon farr—and its consequences; NIGHT OF THE DRAGON deals with a theme as timeless as it is devastating. (The end of this one would be a good place to take a break; THRUST should not be consumed at one sitting—for emotional health reasons—and this story is one of the most fiercely erotic and emotionally wracking in the zine.)

Leslie Fish's SONG OF THE UNWILLING BRIDE takes an outsider's point of view. (Unfortunately for this outsider, the Kirk/Spock relationship has been too much with her.) This elaborate poem postulates some new circumstances surrounding "Amok Time," and also provides certain (anatomical?) insights into Leslie's SHELTER and POSES.

LIEBESTOD by Ginna LaCroix deals, in a moving, poetic way, with ends and beginnings, death and love, and like NIGHT OF THE DRAGON, describes a possibility that is more than probable in the STAR TREK universe. "late, latest. too late ...?"

NIGHTJOURNEY by Susan K. James and Carol Frisbie is the longest story in THRUST. and possibly the most romantic; love gives both the means to survive a curtailed reality, and serves as its ultimate joy. NIGHTJOURNEY, while standing on its own, is an excerpt from an as yet unfinished novel, NIGHT VISIONS, to be published in the future by Pulsar Press (read Carol Frisbie).

ECHOES OF TWILIGHT by Ellen Kobrin and ECHOES OF DAWN by Susan K. James and Carol Frisbie is a two-part testimonial. It reveals, in personal, philosophical statements, the deepest underlying causes and feelings that make the Kirk/Spock relationship possible, meaningful and real.

It is not necessary here to mention all the outstanding poetry and artwork that comprise THRUST—they all speak for themselves and need no preface. The artwork itself illuminates and adds a valuable dimension to each of the written pieces, and the quality of the art is further pointed out by the innate difficulty attending illustration of such a demanding and sensitive theme. Additionally, there is a unity of theme that binds the singular pieces together; it is the reader's turn to read, react and, hopefully, enjoy. LoC's are welcomed at this end, and will be forwarded to the authors/artists specified.

Contents

• Succubus, Incubus by Maggie McClendon (slash) (1)
• Conscience of the King by Gerry Downes (10)
• Preordained by Laurie Huff (11)
• Hour of Lead by Teri White (slash) (sequel "An Anguish to Pay" appears in Naked Times #1) (12)
• Final Admission by Ellen Kobrin (31)
• Nocturne by Jane Aumerle (32)
• Song of the Unwilling Bride and here by Leslie Fish (33)
• On the Beach by Carol Shuttleworth (slash) (37)
• Antares Rising by Jane Aumerle (53)
• Beyond Setarcos by Gayle F (slash) (Prequel: Desert Heat Sequel: Night of the Dragon.) (also in Cosmic Collected) (55)
• Night of the Dragon by Gayle F (slash) (Prequel: Beyond Setarcos. Sequel: Between Friends.) (76)
• Changes by April Valentine (filk, reprinted in Starsong) (91)
• Reflections by Susan K. James (92)
• Echoes of Twilight by Ellen Kobrin (Sequel: Echoes of Dawn.) (94)
• ...Echoes of Dawn by Susan K. James & Carol Frisbie (Prequel: Echoes of Twilight.) (99)
• Battle Lost by Beverly Volker (104)
• Liebestod by Ginna LaCroix (106)
• Stars Await by Jane Firmstone (slash) (PWP) (110)
• First Things by Jane Aumerle (slash) (113)
• Day of Burning by Jane Aumerle (slash) (132)
• Stay by Gerry Downes (145)
• Night Journey by Susan K. James & Carol Frisbie 9slash) (excerpt from Nightvisions) (179)
• Star Visions by Susan K. James (180)
• Night Song by April Valentine (filk, reprinted in Starsong) (181)

Gallery

• 

  art by Signe Landon. It is also used as the cover of Nightvisions and was included here together with an excerpt from that zine.

• 

  interior art by Mary Emerson for "On The Beach"

• 

  interior art by Pat Stall for "Succubus, Incubus" (Kirk and Spock as Alexander & Hephaistion).

• 

  interior art by Merle Decker for "Liebestod"

• 

  interior page, art by Gerry Downes for "Conscience of a King"

• 

  interior page, art by Merle Decker for Hour of Lead

• 

  interior page, art by Pat Stall for Hour of Lead

• 

  interior page, art by Pat Stall for Hour of Lead

• 

  interior page, art by Leslie Fish for Song of the Unwilling Bride

• 

  interior page, art by Gerry Downes for "Antares Rising"

• 

  interior page, art by Susan K. James for "Reflections"

• 

  interior page, art by Gayle F for ...Echoes of Dawn

• 

  interior page, art by Laurie Huff for Stars Await

• 

  interior page, art by Signe Landon for First Things, foldout

• 

  interior page, art by Nan Lewis for Day of Burning

• 

  interior page, art by Marty Siegrist for "Stay"

• 

  interior page, art by Signe Landon for Night Journey

• 

  interior page, art by Signe Landon for Night Journey

• 

  interior page, art by Signe Landon for Night Journey

• 

  Gayle F

• 

  interior art by Gayle F for Beyond Setarcos. -- Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized.

• 

  interior art by Gayle F for Night of the Dragon. -- Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized.

Reactions and Reviews

See reactions and reviews for Beyond Setarcos.

See reactions and reviews for Hour of Lead.

See reactions and reviews for Song of the Unwilling Bride.

See reactions and reviews for Succubus, Incubus.

See reactions and reviews for Night of the Dragon.

See reactions and reviews for Echoes of Twilight.

See reactions and reviews for ...Echoes of Dawn.

See reactions and reviews for Liebestod.

See reactions and reviews for Stars Await.

See reactions and reviews for First Things.

See reactions and reviews for Day of Burning.

See reactions and reviews for Night Journey.

See reactions and reviews for Star Visions.

Whole Zine

Unknown Date

If you don't know what Thrust is, hang your head in shame. This is where it all started... or close enough.

Then on the very first New York Con I ever went to I wandered on over to the ST Welcommittee's table where they had loads of wonderful fanzines. The first one that jumped off the table at me was Gayle F "Thrust." I remember squealing as I grabbed the zine up in my hot little hands. The cover was so incredible I'd never seen anything like it: Kirk and Spock making love.

1978

This zine is worth every penny of the high price, something completely new in ST fandom, a serious erotic zine narrowly focused so as to appeal only to devout K/S enthusiast. There is no way for shocked folks who disapprove to lay violent hands on this zine, except knowingly. The proper way to review or read THRUST is with a sound track of Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You, Baby” playing softly in the background——a chorus of sighs, moans and occasional whispers, sexily delivered. zine is intentionally stimulating, with its gorgeous cover getting right down to business, , and backed up by the very fine art selections throughout, notably those by Gayle F. This is not to say the zine is pornographic in its presentations, not at all: there is good literary quality in the fiction, particularly in series stories by Jane Aumerle and Gayle F.

'Thrust' is an adult zine, dedicated to the exploration of sexuality in the relationship between Kirk and Spock. This is not a zine for those who find such speculation distasteful or for those who dislike explicit sex. The cover itself is explicit enough to make opening the mailing envelope in privacy desirable, at least for those like me who would rather be thought weird than to remove all doubt. But -- for those intrigued by the idea, wanting a more thorough examination of the Kirk/Spock relationship, or who simply enjoy good sex and/in good writing, 'Thrust' is a marvelous zine. It is 181 pages, with the artwork ranging from good to incredible. [Gayle F's] erotic fantasies head the list, with Signe Landon, Nan Lewis, Laurie Huff, Pat Stall, not far behind. There are 12 pieces of poetry; I liked Jane Aumerle's [April Valentine's] Susan K. James, Ginna La Croix's, and Gerry Downe's particularly well. Leslie Fish has a ballad concerning T'Pring which gives both a sympathetic insight into her motivations and into the anatomy of Fish's Vulcan females. Stories: a pleasant vignette by Jane Firmstone. A nice dream sequence by Maggie McClendon utilizes the Kirk/Spock, Alexander/Hephaistus parallel rather well, the story itself seems only a prelude, and I'd like to see more. 'Echoes of Twilight' and 'Echoes of Dawn' detail the same event from different viewpoints but lacked conviction for me. The Kirk segment by Susan James and Carol Frisbie seemed to a have a better grasp on character than the Spock segment by Ellen Kobrin, but the use of imagery in both parts was good. 'On the Beach' by Carol Shuttleworth I found mixed. 'Nightjourney' is distinguished from other stories by having outside problems important to the relationship; others I've talked to consider it the best story in the zine for that reason. The laurels in my estimation go to five stories by these authors... "Hour of Lead' is very good, very honest, recognizing fear and doubt as well as love. ' The middle two stories of [Gayle F's] series, 'Beyond Setarcos' and 'Night of the Dragon' and Jane Aumerle's first and third stories in her series, 'First Things' and 'Day of Burning,' rival each other for sheer good writing, outstanding craftsmanship, and ability-to-move-emotionally. This zine isn't for everyone, but those that read it will be getting some of the finest writing in fandom today.

How can we devote such energy to a debate over the sexual prefer ences of fictional characters, and totally ignore the fellow human beings who created those wonderful characters? Doesn't anyone else care that maybe Bill Shatner and Leonard Nimoy may not like the idea of being depicted in homosexual acts? The printed page is faceless. The illos in Thrust are not. Kirk and Spock are two specific actors and no one else. I've heard K/S proponents say that Nimoy knows about K/S and doesn't mind. Just because he hasn't spoken out against K/S we should not assume approval. Paramount was sued because of their use of his face on that famous London billboard. If it is wrong for Paramount to use these men's faces for monetary gain, what makes it right for us as writers of Treklit to use their faces in any way we choose?

If you're a K/S fan. this one'll wipe you out. Price is s little steep, but worth every penny (somewhere around $9.00 first class). Could be sold out, so write to Carol (SASE) and ask before sending that much $$ through the ever-reputable Post Offal. Some great fiction and artwork by Fish, [Gayle F], Downes, Kobrin, White, Shuttleworth and more. Must be over 18, of course, to order. (Alexander and Hephaistion appear therein, too!)

This zine is worth every penny of the high price, something completely new in ST fandom, a serious erotic zine narrowly focused so as to appeal only to devout K/S enthusiasts. There is no way for shocked folks who disapprove to lay violent hand on this zine, except knowingly. The proper way to review or read THRUST is with a sound track of Donna Sunnner's "Love to Love You, Baby" playing softly in the background--a chorus of sighs and moans and occasional whispers, sexily delivered. The zine is intentionally stimulating, with its gorgeous cover getting right down to business, and backed up by the many fine art selections throughout, notably those by Gayle F. This is not to say that the zine is pornographic in its presentations, not at all: there is good literary quality in the fiction, particularly in series stories by Jane Aumerle and Gayle F. "One Flesh", which begins Aumerle's group, will be printed in ISTARI AXANAR , which is in preparation. "Desert Heat", Gayle's lead-in to these, has been printed in SENSUOUS VULCAN. THRUST's other selections range from splendid ideas somewhat turgidly developed ("Nightjourney", by Susan James and Carol Frisbie, and the "The Stars Await", by Jane Firmstone) to mere delicious excuses for erotic descriptions ("Succubus, Incubus", by Maggie McClendon and "Hour of Lead", by Teri White). "On the Beach", by Carol Shuttleworth, falls somewhere in between, leaving the reader longing to read the story which must precede it and cover the bonding. "Nightjourney" also has a romantically satisfying ending, and I look forward very much to its inclusion in the novel NIGHT VISIONS.

I had something of a problem coming to terms with the explicit violence in three of the Aumerle and Gayle F stories which I have singled out to commend, which does not make the theme any the less valid in homosexual life. "Day of Burning", by Aumerle, a superbly written pon farr story with underlying religious and alienation themes, is easier to accept because Spock cannot help the pain he causes. Even in "Night of the Dragon" , the punishment as a reaction to agony of waiting and fear of loss is certainly understandable. But Aumerle's "First Things", with its death-and-resurrection theme, is harder to justify on the surface, Vulcans being touch-telepaths, and Spock necessarily knowing Kirk's feelings and yet continuing. Still, violence between males has its place in homosexuality as just another facet in the spectrum considered by the fiction in THRUST, which ranges from schoolboy belly-to-belly rubbings through the most sophisticated contacts, surrounded by stories of all calibers. Added to these fables, speculations and emotional experiences is a suitable amount of excellent poetry, generally reflecting the mood of the" fiction. Ellen Kobrin's sly "View from the Bridge" represents the only intentional humor in the zine, and gets things off to a good start by explaining what Kirk means when he talks about going where no man has, preceding each episode. THRUST represents a fine first effort by editor Frisbie in a landmark zine, and I for one hope very much she will now start in on issue #2.

Another sector of fandom has found itself caught up in the K/S sexual relationship craze, I consider K/S a portion of ST fandom that branches off of ST Pom and as apart from mainstream ST as SW or Mary-Sue stories. But Mary Sue never got an entire zine dedicated to her, you say? (Or at least I don't think she did) Well, K/S certainly did, and you're not just whistling Dixie, either!

THRUST, The name can be taken two ways and rightfully so, THRUST is to K/S syndrome what 'PHASE was to Main stream ST. THRUST by Carol Frisbie is the creme de la creme of K/S zines. It is, for Carol, the first zine that she has ever done and is clear and clean and shows exceptional layout talent there have all of these people been hiding? The artwork is exceptional and with some of the Gayle F. work down right erotic. Actually it's about ten times past erotic, but I can't think of a proper word. Maybe perverted, but I suppose that that's all in your up-bringing. The fiction is, well, excellent to ridiculous. Most notably good are works by Downes, Fish and Frisbie, On the other hand some of the fiction stretches my credibility to the breaking point, I'm speaking of the works by Gayle and Shuttleworth. (God, I think I just made two enemies.) But all the works, whether bad or good have been very handily disguised by fantastic layout. Even for its short comings (or cumings? Yeah I know—BAD joke!) THRUST is the best effort to spring out of the K/S genre yet, and for its worth, a very nice zine, I heard a rumor that Carol has gone underground. Is this true? Why for? Etc... Fill me in, if know anything about this. Okay?

Both Spectrum and Carol Frisbie's Thrust arrived this past week, a piece of postal serendipity and the sort of coincidence that always amuses me. Thrust is a practical application of your "Round Three" argument: restrict the forbidden themes to a few zines, in this case, Kirk/Spock homosex. Unfortunately, tho their stories are at least adequate and occasionally quite well written, Frisbie et. al. don't prove their point, because the overkill on the theme—some seven stories, all terribly earnest- makes for incredulousness and ultimately a feeling that the whole thing is pretty silly. But the pictures are nice... I am reminded of Mandi Schultz's Zarabeth zine, which told us about three times more than we really wanted to know about the lady. For some reason, the KS stuff in Obsc'zine was less unbelievable, perhaps because the authors weren't all telling the exact same plot ten different ways. Perhaps also, the generally lighter tone of the Obsc helped too, in not demanding the reader believe.

Apparently, sex is more objectionable than violence - in my past six years of fanning, I have yet to see a jihad against get-ems. Indeed, tho it's been reliably reported that two people literally barfed at the gore in my story. The Logical Conclusion, the only subscription cancellations we ever received were with regard to "What Henoch Did" in Men 9, which had nothing more prurient than a handful of incomplete smarmy limericks. Curious. Has sparagmos been with us so long, been ingrained as an essence of tragedy, that we don't see it? Is sex. Nature's horselaugh on human dignity, objection able because we can't bear to be thought ridiculous? Sex is hilarious, not at least in the Eskimo sense of laughing together; else why do baudy jokes exist? As for violence, hit me and I'll get mad. But what's the value distinction?

Karen Fleming is right in identifying the base of this feud as a lack of IDIC. Unwelcome themes can be as offensive, even threatening, as an obscene phone call to a sensitized person; however, no matter how repulsive said person finds them, such themes reflect things that do indeed exist. Sex brought us into the world, and violence shall take us away. We can rage or we can ignore this, but whichever course we choose, there's no percentage in damning the other side.

It helps to giggle a lot, tho.

1984

Published in 1978, this is a 181 page anthology of consistently excellent stories and poetry, plus an outstanding fold-out sketch by Signe Landon. Some highlights: SONG OF THE UNWILLING BRIDE by Leslie Fish, a prose poem with a surprise explanation of why T'Pring had such a poor attitude toward Spock and Kirk in Amok Time. Fascinating idea! BEYOND SETARCOS (a sequel to "Desert Heat" which was published in The Sensuous Vulcan" both by Gayle F, and probably the best items in a zine full of really good work. These two stories get Jim and Spock through the inevitable consequences that followed Spock's Pon Farr in "Desert Heat" and, read together, are emotionally exhausting. NIGHTJOURNEY by Susan K. James and Carol Frisbie, is an excellent short story which was later expanded into the legendary novel "Nightvisions". THRUST contains some truly lovely pieces of artwork by several of the best artists in fandom, but the true jewel of this zine is (believe it or not) on the editorial page. Carol Frisbie has, in my opinion, defined K/S for all time and beyond all debate with the statement, "...The theme...is not homosexuality—it is love between two people...who happen to be both male." Bravo, Carol!

A fan tells of an ugly scene regarding this zine, and some other slash zines, at UFP Con in 1984] -- Mr. Gerrold conducted the auction, which combines the sale of charity items with zines of all types, including K/S, and which is held in the main convention hall. During the proceedings, Mr. Gerrold picked up a copy of Thrust and said, ‘I find this kind of literature…annoying to say the least.’ He then flourished the cover (there were small children near the front of the audience) and gave mock readings at 50 pence a time to derisive laughter from some sections of the audience. Other sections made their disapproval plain and Mr. Gerrold apologized for having given offense (his expression). However, the auction continued the following day and the same thing happened. The words ‘filth’ and ‘perversion’ were used in connection with K/S zines including Alternative: Epilog to Orion and K/S Relay. Mr. Gerrold read brief extracts from Sun and Shadow in a suggestive manner, intimating that this was a K/S zine. The same implication was made in the same manner of Precessional. The whole manner was exceedingly unpleasant, casting a shadow over the whole con….

1985

... progressively, the more K/S that has been written, the easier it is to accept them doing more and more "unorthodox" things. Think of THRUST, the first anthology ever done on K/S. Almost every story in that zine had them beginning a sexual relationship due to external influence (ie: Pon Farr) and not on their own initiative. There had to be some "excuse" for them to take their love that final, physical step because the idea of their being with another man was so taboo. This attitude was developed, not just from our societal prejudices, but also from the personas we were presented with on the show.

1986

Funny you should have a dream about "Thrust for the Blind," as such a thing actually exists. Way back when I had to return my borrowed copy of THRUST, and didn't have any access to a copy machine that wasn't exorbitantly expensive (not to mention publicly exposed), and recorded the whole damn zine on audio tapes. Later on I finally did get a hard copy (sorry, couldn't resist), but still have the tapes. If anyone knows of a visually impaired K/S fan who'd like them, they're free for the asking. I certainly no longer need 'em, but couldn't bring myself to erase all that work (I think the tapes are about 5 hours long, as I recall).

1991

By the time K/S came around, I felt I knew the characters pretty well, which didn't jibe with what was between the covers of THRUST, the very first K/S zine I laid my hands on at a convention. And yet reading that zine had me panting for more. It was easy to accept it on a purely entertainment level. It was scandalous and outrageous for Kirk and Spock to be interested in each other. It was fun reading, but wouldn't happen in "real life". It wasn't until I read a lot more K/S and wrote my first K/S story, published years later in NAKED TIMES 16... that I couid really accept it as a viable relationship.

1992

I read THRUST when it was first released. It was the first K/S anthology. It contained a bunch of routine first times and pon-farr stories which felt routine to me even then.

1993

For all time [favorite] Slash Zine, there is a soft spot in my heart for Carol Frisbee's Thrust. This was not only the first zine I ever read (it's a long story), it is still the definitive work in the genre. It hails from the era when slash was young, K/S was a whispered term, and the stuff had to be crafted to a higher level than almost anything else available just to be accepted. (You know, like women in today's workplace!) Slash has fallen far since then; when the parachute didn't open, you would have thought it a mercy if it had simply splattered itself on the highways of fandom and died a quick death. Sadly, slash writing bullseyed the manhole and kept-falling-right into the sewer where most of it wallows happily to this very day.

My first intro to fan slash: I was slow in Trek for some reason (my friends say it's because K/S is not plausible). It took reading Sondra and Myrna's 1st anthology of fan writers. All the stories were relationship, but there was one (sorry I never can remember names and titles) where Spock while off his rocker told Kirk 'they didn't need anyone else,' and I knew just what that love-struck Vulcan was talking about. I was primed when Thrust arrived...it finalized, in writing, what I had started playing in my mind.

1996

OK they beat Pon Farr to death, but in 1978 how else did you get them in bed?

1999

Taking this little walk down history lane, I do have a bit of nostalgia for the the fact that zines used to have limited print runs, and therefore they *increased* in value with time. I remember paying $80 for an original copy of THRUST (that's when most new zines cost about $12). At one time I owned every K/S zine ever published in the U.S. It was selling a good portion of my collection in 1992 that gave me the down payment for my house (most of those zines were sold for a profit). I lucked out in the timing, because within a couple of years after that, zines quit increasing in value because everyone always kept them in print, since desktop publishing (and high quality xerox machines) had made the overall printing process much cheaper.

2007

In 1978, K/S took another giant step forward. Carol F. published Thrust, the first all K/S anthology zine. All K/S, all the time.

This one-shot zine runs 181 pages and contains work from many of the authors and artists who had found a new home in K/S and were gaining experience and insight from each other. Its cover was a very explicit illo by Gayle F. Included is one of the first stories to link Kirk and Spock with [[Alexander/Hephaestion}Alexander and Hephaestion]], “Succubus, Incubus” by Maggie McC., followed by the related poem “Conscience of the King” by Gerry Downes, and the song “Preordained” by Laurie H. There is also an illo by Michael B. that pictures our captain and first officer as the historic lovers.

Pon farr inspired many stories in the early days, serving as an obvious emotional shortcut to getting the guys together, and there are several of these in Thrust. As already mentioned, parts two and three of Gayle F.’s series that deal with the repercussions of Spock’s pon farr on Setarcos are published here. Carol S.’s “On the Beach” and Teri W.’s “Hour of Lead” deal with this theme. Teri wrote a sequel to this story, “An Anguish to Pay,” that was published later that year in the first issue of Naked Times. The concluding story “Hour of Gold” was published in Nome 2 (1980). Also included in Thrust is perhaps the first story that deals with pon farr in the context of a continuing relationship, Jane Aumerle “Day of Burning.” This was supposed to be the fourth story in a series of stories. Number two, “First Things” is also printed here. Part one was printed in The Price and the Prize (1981) and called “One Flesh.” As far as I know, part three was never printed. (This happened often in the early days of zine publishing and caused some consternation among fans. A promised part, perhaps the culminating story in a series, never saw the light of day, finally causing some people to wait until an entire series was published before they would read any of the linked stories.)

“Nightjourney” by Susan K. J. and Carol F. is the longest story in Thrust at almost 29 pages. It is an excerpt from what was then an unfinished novel called Nightvisions published by Carol F. in 1979.

There are also some lovely poems and vignettes included in Thrust by authors already well known in gen fandom, who dared to join what were becoming easily recognizable names in K/S such as Ellen K. and Leslie Fish. Beautiful art makes Thrust truly a memorable zine.

2015

But then in April 1978 there was an advert for an American zine called Thrust, which was described as “a zine exploring a possible sexual relationship between Kirk and Spock. Contains material which may be offensive to some. The editor describes herself as an ‘intellectual fence-sitter’ on the subject and is not convinced of its validity, but does feel that it is a valid subject for fictional discussion.” From the tone of that, even without the line at the top of the Fanlore page, you might gather that this was one of the very first slash fanzines.

I remember the price as being $50, but that may be too high. It’s the one type of fact that Fanlore doesn’t cover. The publisher wanted an International Money Order but I had no idea how to obtain one of those – I heard later from other fans that you had to go to your bank and explain what you wanted it for – and so I somehow got my hands on $50 in cash. They also wanted a statement that I was at least 18 years of age, and as I was (and am) a good girl, I wasn’t willing to lie about that. I asked my school-friend Suzie who was over 18 and who knew something about my enthusiasm for Star Trek if she would sign the order form for me. So the order was in her name, but the address was my home address – and my home address was in Wiltshire by then as my family had moved to the UK in 1976. The boarding school had got easier, and I stayed on there.

The zine was waiting for me when I got home for the summer holidays. I’d told my parents that the friend Suzie this package was addressed to was Canadian (true) and that she’d asked to use my address because she was travelling all that summer (possibly true), and she’d said I could open the package (definitely true). It’s baffled me for many years now that I took that age declaration so seriously, because how on earth was anyone going to find out? But, you know… “good girl”.

The editor might have been a fence-sitter but she was not pulling her punches, because this was the front cover. The artist was Gayle Feyrer, the Aubrey Beardsley of Star Trek fandom, and a fine writer as well as a talented artist. The cover was a fair indication of the contents of the zine – though there was also plot, of course, and characterisation, and that sort of time-wasting nonsense that women will insist on putting into their porn. I had a very happy summer with it.

And then my mother found it and was quietly freaked out, and said I must send it on to my Canadian friend Suzie straight away. I couldn’t take the risk that she would find it again in my possession so I destroyed it – I still have the full sensory memory of the process of tearing it up – and I also gave all of my Star Trek books to a second-hand bookshop in an attempt to convince her that the zine had completely put me off fandom.