Tales from the Litterbox

Zine
Title:	Tales from the Litterbox
Publisher:	Paws and Claws Press, Gyspy Moth Publications
Editor(s):	see below
Date(s):	1988, 1993
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Beauty and the Beast (TV)
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

cover of issue #1, by Zapf

Tales from the Litterbox is a het Beauty and the Beast anthology. Zapf is the cover artist and Melody Rondeau did the other art.

It is fairly furry.

"Dedicated to: All those who are realistic about their fantasies." -- from the zine.

Issue 1

Tales from the Litterbox 1 is a 60-page satire and was published in 1988. It was edited by Sherri and Sandi Hawke. Authors are Sherri Hawke, Sandi Hawke, Bill Hupe, Michelle Hupe, Melody Rondeau, and Zapf.

From the publisher:

Read the true origins of Catherine's and Vincent's beginnings — not the whitewash CBS fed us! Read about their marriage, children, and Vincent's passion for catnip. A truly delightful romp, not for anyone who will be offended by a satirical look at the show!

From the zine's editorial:

Don't panic, this will be short.

Looking back, this thing didn't end up at all the way it started out. We haven't decided if it's for the better or worse. Probably for the better, we aren't insulting near as many people as we set out to. We probably won't try another B and B story, at least not for a long time, there are only so many different scenarios.

Without Bill, this would have gone nowhere.

We checked printers ourselves, and had initially decided upon a first run of...ten. Which would have been just fine, because we might have sold five, and that would have left three to give away to people we didn't think much of.

Now that Bill's helping, we can print twenty, and Bill can give ten away to people he doesn't think much of.

Anyway, this is getting long so I'll give up now. Hopeyouenjoyourfirstlitter. Commentsare appreciated and might be printed in any future zines.

Don't choke on any furballs, Sandi and Sherri.

From the zine:

Typing: No one claims responsibility Proofreading: Mom Emotional Support: The Coca-Cola Company Hardware: Apple Software: Microsoft

We would like to thank Bill, although the man is obviously insane.

We would also like to thank the University of Michigan for having several hundred LaserWriters in its possesion.

And last but not least, Melody Rondeau, for her always fantastic illustrations.

This zine shouldn't have cost you more than $6.00.

Chapters:

• Vincent Leaves Home or "Hit the Road, Jack"
• "Oh My Darling, Catherine" or "99 Bottles of Nip on the Wall"
• "The Morning After" or "Plenty of Cream in My Coffee"
• "While the Mice Are Away, The Cats Will Play"
• "Just Scram Out the Back, Cat"
• "How Much For That Kitty in the Window?"
• "How About a Biscuit, Little Doggie?"
• "The Kitty With the Broken Halo" or "I'm Back In The Saddle Again"
• "The Bride's In White, The Groom's In Black and Blue"
• "The Visit" or "Cat Got Your Tongue?"
• "There's Gonna Be A White Wedding"
• "Vincent Gets IDs Cake and Eats It Too" or "We're Gonna Have A Party Hearty!"
• "And Babies Make Six" or "The Tidy-Didy Man Hits A Gold Mine"
• "Six Is Five Too Many" or "The Sound of Silence"
• "Family Feud" or "Hi-ho, hi-ho, to the un'erground we go!"
• Epilogue or Justice Served on A Silver Platter

• 

  art by Melody Rondeau

• 

  art by Melody Rondeau

• 

  art by Melody Rondeau

• 

  sample text

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

An irreverent Vincent/Catherine parody zine. Catherine has: a German Shepherd named “Killer” and a tomcat felinoid named Vincent. Vincent, in turn, has: whiskers, a tail, no morals, foul language, a habit of getting high on catnip and then throwing up, and a distinct resemblance to “Fritz the Cat.” He's not litterbox-trained, either. Reviewer called it the Andrew Dice Clay of B&B zines. Aims to annoy, amuse: succeeds. The romance-allergic may find it likable: there's wit here, for the strong stomached, and the writing is competent. The interior cartoon-style art (by Melody Rondeau) is wicked and witty, given the story's premise.

Catherine calls him 'Furball'; Vincent refers to himself as 'Rambo Kitty.' You get the picture.

Discover the true nature of Vincent's and Catherine's relationship in this humorous, 70 page novella. Read about their marriage, children, and Vincent's passion for catnip. A truly delightful romp; not for anyone who will be offended by a satirical look at the show!

While B&B Light is a satire on well known characters and situations, this more of an alternate universe version portraying Vincent as a large, irreverent tomcat.

Print Quality - 4.7

Proofreading - 3.3

Issue 2

Tales from the Litterbox 2 was published in February 1993 and contains 83 pages. It was edited by Peg Kennedy and Bill Hupe

The cover is by TACS, and the interior art is by Anne Davenport (one illo), Cindy Brink (one illo), and Gamin Davis (14 illos). Two of the illos by Davis were reprinted from Sonnets and Roses.

cover of issue #2, TACS

From the zine:

Dedication: To Gamin Davis, for tolerating above and beyond the call of duty the United States Post Office losing her art the first time around (and the second time) and then United Parcel Service forgetting to come get the overnight letter from her. Despite all the delivery services, she still came through at the last minute. And, to all the other contributors, who waited so patiently for this second volume.

• Something Different, poem by Gamin Davis (2)
• I'll Rip to Pieces, filk by Michelle Perry, to the tune of "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline (3)
• Table of Contents (4)
• Tunnel Child, fiction by Teri Sarick (5)
• Worlds Apart, poem by Jenny Bozovic (6)
• Cat's Parlor, fiction by Anne Davenport (A Beauty and the Beast/Spiderman) (7)

• Lion in the Park, fiction by Louann Qualls ("The Time Lord Aslan was created by Kyle Sessions and is used with his permission.") (20)
• You Don't Mess Around With Vincent's Chick, filk by Michelle Perry, to the tune of "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" (24)
• Project: Prototype, fiction by Gamin Davis (26)
• Waiting for Catherine, poem by Gamin Davis (83)

• 

  from issue #2, Anne Davenport

• 

  from issue #2, sample filk

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis (reprinted from Sonnets and Roses)

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Cindy Brink

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

• 

  from issue #2, Gamin Davis

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

Not satirical, like the previous volume, this anthology zine seems more like an introduction to B&B than an exploration or extension of its themes. Parts are multimedia (mixing B&B with characters from other series). In Teri Sarick's anecdote "Tunnel Child," the titular child muses on what it means to be rich. In Anne Davenport's "Cat's Parlor," V has a fairly humorous run-in with Spiderman. Louann Qualls' brief "Lion in the Park" involves V with a Timelord (Dr. Who) named Aslan. The substantial novelette "Project: Prototype" by Gamin Davis, deals with V's origins as ex-Nazi doctors' experiment in breeding a master race. In all of these stories, V's relationship to C is acknowledged, but not the focus. It gives the stories an oddly distant air. But the writing is competent and the storytelling moves right along. Multimedia fans may enjoy this more than those whose fascination extends only to B&B.