Tales of Two U.N.C.L.E.S.

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Zine
Title: Tales of Two U.N.C.L.E.S.
Publisher: Novelty Shop Press and Nowayjose Press
Editor(s): Denetia Arellanes
Date(s): 1984-1985
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Language: English
External Links:
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Tales of Two U.N.C.L.E.S. is a gen and slash Man from UNCLE anthology.

The slash stories are printed on blue paper, purportedly so that "people would [not] read them 'by mistake.'[1] To stress this message, the slash section had a cover page in large type announcing that this was a controversial section and readers should feel free to stop reading.

Interestingly, the first submission request for this zine in Datazine #28 didn't specify the content genre.

Issue 1

Tales of Two U.N.C.L.E.S. 1 was published in 1984 and contains 120 pages.

The content is gen.

cover of issue #1

The art is not credited, but is by Charlene Kirby, Denetia Arellanes, M. Gee, and others.

  • The New Wave-rly Affair by J. March Fox (With THRUSH accessing UNCLE's computers, everyone is in danger and only one person can stop it.) (2)
  • The Return of Golgatha Affair by Denetia Arellanes (Solo and Kuryakin thought they'd hear the last of Goltatha 19 years ago. Now the cadaverous apparition was back, burning for revenge.) (4)
  • Napoleon Solo's Revenge by J. March Fox (Solo exacts his pound of flesh for past, present, and future indiscretions.) (50)
  • The Joyous Noelle Affair by Denetia Arellanes (A sentimental Christmas story about love and understanding. A positive resolution to the aftermath to the 'Return of Golgatha Affair.') (54)
  • Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin by Denetia Arellanes (67)
  • The Still of the Night Affair by Charlene Kirby (Ambassador Starr, kidnapped three weeks at gun point, remained a prisoner of a terrorist group, and UNCLE comes to the rescue.) (68)
  • The Centerfold Affair by Denetia Arellanes (Once again, THRUSH was exposing UNCLE to the public eye.) (84)
  • The Worthy Adversary Affair by Denetia Arellanes (crossover with Rat Patrol) (102)

Issue 2

Tales of Two U.N.C.L.E.S. 2 was published in 1985 and contains 196 pages. The gen content is 126 pages and the slash content is 67 pages. The slash stories are at the end, in a different color paper.

front cover of issue #2
back cover of issue #2, Paulie

The art is by Charlene Kirby, Maggie Johnston, Andy Kerr, ERIC, Brian, Denetia Arellanes, Angi Towski, and Zach Nitzyekov.

from issue #2: There is a full page, capslocked 100-point font warning before the slash stories: "Lest ye of faint heart and delicate sensibilities be warned, the following pages contains stories of an adult, same-sex nature and may not be suitable reading for purist U.N.C.L.E. fans. WARNING: THE FOLLOWING SECTION CONTAINS STORIES GRAPHICALLY DEPICTING A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ILLYA KURYAKIN AND NAPOLEON SOLO. IF THIS TYPE OF EXPLICIT SUBJECT MATTER OFFENDS YOU, PROCEED NO FURTHER."
from issue #2, Maggie Johnston, some commentary on risk-taking, a nod to the slash content and warning

From the editorial:

Finally, what seems an eternity, TALES OF TWO U.N.C.L.E.s is back and burning at both ends. It’s taken quite some time, not just to gather stories and artwork, but to convince myself that all the effort was worthwhile. It is due to many of you readers that I did decide to take on another issue. I wish to thank all of you for your letters and also the first 100 people who ordered the zine who filled out and returned the questionnaires that were enclosed. Like it or not, the contents of this issue reflect a majority of your wishes. In particular, LOC's from Barbara Tennison and Joy Ashenfelder, helped me pinpoint many of the faults of the first zine while bolstering my ego with the knowledge that I wasn't a totally lost cause.

I know there will be some of you who are upset by the final section of this zine. I take no personal stand regarding this. My only comment is, that according to the seventy-six returned questionnaires, nearly 85% of the people expressed a desire to read this kind of fiction. As many of you will note, the flavor of this zine is not the same as TALES OF TWO U.N.C.L.E.s I. Future issues will probably have an entirely different tone. If I offend any of you readers, believe me, it is not my intent to do so. The flyer for the zine stated the presence of this section, this editor's page is noting it, and when you arrive at the section itself, there is a VERY LARGE disclaimer. The last section is also printed on colored paper. I don't think I can do more than that.

I hope to hear feedback, good and bad, regarding TOTU. After all, that is the only way I can meet the reading needs of all the U.N.C.L.E. fans out there. Let's hope TALES OF TWO U.N.C.L.E.s III is not so long in forthcoming.

Channel D Out

  • Table of Contents (1)
  • Acknowledgments (2)
  • Editor's Page (3)
  • Aunt Amy's Remedy by Donna Hutt; art by Charlene Kirby ("Napoleon talks Illya through his drugged fear in "The Quadripartite Affair".") (gen) (4)
  • U.N.C.L.E. Related Publications and Organizations (13)
  • The Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed Affair by Stewart Johnston; art by Maggie Johnston ("Illya and Napoleon wake up naked together...in a THRUSH cell. An amused fellow female agent helps them out.") (gen) (14)
  • The Bagpipe Affair by Charlene Kirby; art by Charlene Kirby (24)
  • I Can Imagine Quite A Lot by Alexandra H. Ramsay; art by Andy Kerr ("Illya comes back from a mission to discover UNCLE in the grip of Star Wars-mania.") (reprinted from Syndizine #1) (gen) (48)
  • The Impossible Mission Affair by Joy March Fox; art by ERIC ("Illya and Napoleon and the IMF go undercover in a circus to smuggle a defector's family out of East Germany; Illya romances one of the acrobats.") (crossover with Mission: Impossible) (gen) (54)
  • The Fifteen Years Earlier Affair by Eileen Roy; art by Brian ("Illya finds out why Napoleon is about to leave UNCLE and intervenes.") (gen) (84)
  • Parting Well Made by Hindman; art by Denetia Arellanes ("Napoleon leaves UNCLE, and Illya.") (gen) (92)
  • The Russian Cafe Affair, poem by Denise Leanne Matthews; art by Andy Kerr (101)
  • The Only Good U.N.C.L.E. Agent by Joy Ashenfelder ("Chained to a wall, Napoleon can only watch as Illya is slowly dying.") (gen) (102)
  • Jamie by Stewart Johnston; art by Maggie Johnston (gen) (107)
  • On Borrowed Time by Denetia Arellanes; art by Charlene Kirby ("A badly injured Illya sees Napoleon's ghost, and chooses to join him.") (gen) (reprinted from another version in U.N.C.L.E. Special #3, a slash version is in U.N.C.L.E. "/" Collected) (108)
  • A Greater Love by C.C. Smith; art by Denetia Arellanes ("Illya worries about the rumors people are spreading about him and Napoleon.") (gen) (116)
  • Editor's Warning (127)
  • Facet Amorphous/First Fires by Zach Nitzyekov; art by Zach Nitzyekov ("Napoleon and Illya's first time is complicated by the fact that they're both werecats.") (slash) (reprinted in UNCLE Gold #3) (gen) (128)
  • Echoes in the Dark, poem by Isaac Person; art by Denetia Arellanes (slash) (133)
  • The Fantasy Affair by Clotilda Willard; art by Angi Towski (crossover with Fantasy Island) (slash) (134)

References