The Fiendish Offendie Affair

Fanfiction
Title:	The Fiendish Offendie Affair
Author(s):	Cara Sherman
Date(s):	1972
Length:
Genre(s):	gen
Fandom(s):
Relationship(s):
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The Fiendish Offendie Affair is a Star Trek: TOS story by Cara Sherman.

first page of the first part of the story

It features Sherman's klutzy, adorable Vulcan original character named Peter Sunn.

It was published in two parts in 1972. The first part " Pardon Me, but Isn't That Your Camel in My Chicken Soup?") was printed in Vulcanalia sometime after February.

The second part (no subtitle) was in Romulan Wine #2 and printed shortly after the early September Munich massacre of twelve hostages, most of them Jewish Olympic athletes and coaches.

The first part of the story contains no illustration. The second has illos by the author.

The Introduction to the Second Part of the Story

Sherman addressed this event in the introduction to the second part of the story:

I'm going to get serious for a moment. This is the wrong place to bring up such a subject, but it hinges on what I'm about to say. In light of recent terrible events, it seems inappropriate to run THE FIENDISH OFFENDIE AFFAIR. which at best pokes fun at the cultural stereotypes surrounding Arab and Israeli Jew, and at worst, perpetuates these same ideas. I admit to being biased, as can be easily discerned from the tone of this piece. Also it is impossible to be rational about the situation, at least for me, so the story did not begin to deal, except in a marginal sense, with the issues at stake in the Middle East; it was written at a time when my hopes for peace were much higher than at present. It is my belief that you may well be reading this in the middle of another Arab-Israeli War; keeping that in mind it may be easier to understand my apprehension. It's neither good form nor good editorial policy to introduce a feature with your misgivings about the feature, but in this case I felt it to be necessary. Those of you who are "up" on the Middle East will know what I mean: it isn't possible, in my opinion, to treat subjects like the disposition of the Palestinean [sic] refugees, or the Munich massacre, in light satire. They are part of what may well be the highest form of satire, and right now I can find very little funny about it.

Sample Pages

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  Cara Sherman, from Romulan Wine #2

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  Cara Sherman, from Romulan Wine #2

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  Cara Sherman, from Romulan Wine #2

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  Cara Sherman, from Romulan Wine #2

Reactions and Reviews: Part One of the Story

... we come to Peter Sunn, Our

Man Vulcan. I liked it. It wasn't without flaws, of course, but I think it's the "star" of the issue.

One thing that really bothered me was the characters talking cut of the story replying that so-and-so did such and such so many pages back. That may be funny but it's a dangerous item to load a story with. When you try to get involved with the characters and the story it's jarring to be reminded that really just some schmucky story. I would try to avoid such references in the future.

Another thing was that I'm still unclear as to just what Peter's explosive problem is.

[Cara Sherman]: A nuclear accident with an old-fashioned reactor fouled up his endocrine system — or whatever he has — so that if he is sexually approached there is an overload in the corresponding nerve centers in Peter. As a safeguard — what self-respecting Vulcan could live with those kinda memories? — he "blacks out" consciously and instinct, fouled and amplified with his whacked—out glandular secretions takes over.

Perhaps I'm just dense, but there wasn't enough reference between what happened to Peter in the university, and what happened when he tried to make it with one of the non-Vulcan students for me to really understand what his problem is. And this problem is used at a couple of critical times in the story.

[...]

A definite plus in your favor was the use of distinctive dialogue for the characters: with the two stars, two spies, and god-nose who else running along, ii was difficult to keep them apart in the reader's mind. But by borrowing one of Caniff's old techniques, you made the characters easily discernible.

[...]

I'm still not sure about the plot situations, besides it being a satire of 1 of 10 spy shows (the remaining one was the British show SECRET AGENT), but I'm willing to wait around and see what happens.

Reactions and Reviews: Part Two of the Story

PETER SUNN — too long, too dull. Satire shouldn't be so long as it quickly lo ses its punch. Sorry, Cara, but I didn't like it.

PETER SUNN if canceled could be better. I am not being cruel, just honest. It is the way of my people.

[Cara Sherman]: ((IF BY PEOPLE YOU MEAN VULCANS, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT VULCANS ARE NOT IN THE HABIT OF OFFERING UNQUALIFIED OPINIONS AS FACTS. BY "UNQUALIFIED" I MEAN "NOT STIPULATED AS BEING SUCH," NOT THE GENERAL MEANING OF QUALIFICATION. AS FOR PETER SUNN BEING CANCELED, FORGET IT. AT THE RISK OF BEING ORNERY, WHICH IS THE WAY OF MY PEOPLE) I MUST CONFESS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THIS ZINE EXISTS IS AS A VEHICLE FOR MY OWN WORK. THAT THIS MAY OR MAY NOT INDICATE THAT IT COULDN'T BE PUBLISHED ELSE WHERE, YOU CAN INFER FOR YOURSELF. I'M SORRY YOU DON'T LIKE IT. DON'T READ IT -- Cara

Peter Sunn's conclusion was, if possible, better than the first part. It is a delightful satire and I found myself nursing my Dr. Pepper carefully so I could get through it without collapsing. And some those risqué elements! I only retched occasionally (just kidding). If there was a choice (involving the choosing of ONE or THE OTHER) between straight Sherman fiction as SAKENN, or Peter Sunn, I would choose Peter Sunn. SUNN is absolutely stunning, while SAKENN, though interesting, is not as brilliant.

I enjoyed your text piece, "PETER SUNN' but I especially enjoy your style of cartooning. It's one of the freshest I've ever seen.

Peter Sunn was almost (but not quite) anti-climactic (Please, no puns from that!). After a slow start, the story picked up and moved uproariously to its end...I liked the touch of making the F.O. queer. My perverse sense of humor strikes again). The dinner scene was definitely the best part...not counting the illos. THE best part.

[Cara Sherman]: ((HUH?...C))

PETER SUNN was just incredibly funny. Easily the second-best feature in the book.