The Star Blazers Fandom Report

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Zine
Title: The Star Blazers Fandom Report
Publisher:
Editor(s): Michael Pinto, Brian Cirulnick, Robert Fenelon
Type: Fanzine
Date(s): 1981-1984, 1993
Frequency: Quarterly
Medium:
Fandom: Star Blazers, Space Battleship Yamato
Language: English
External Links: Archived at Cosmo DNA
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The Star Blazers Fandom Report was a newsletter fanzine published from 1981 to 1984 by the Star Blazers Fan Club. Originally titled News Line, it reported on Star Blazers news, including conventions, and hosted fanworks and discussion. Anime-Zine, one of the first general English-language anime zines, was published by founding editor Robert Fenelon and is credited as its spiritual successor.

About

There is much to be said for the Star Blazers Fandom Report, one of the finest club newsletters that I have ever seen. Most fan club newsletters cover only the most mundane aspects of fandom, the current activities at conventions, news on the late realese of the series or film, and news on where the series is being televised, or if it is not being televised, news on how one can get it back on the air.

The SPFR covers of these aspects of fandom in great and loving detail. But SBFR goes beyond being a newsletter, and becomes a mini-fanzine?

Why do I give the SBFR such praise? Where else can one find regularly published origional artwork based on Star Blazers, art that has come from both the U.S. and Japan. The coverage of fandom also has this universal emphasis to it, for the SBFR not only gave coverage to the Star Blazers Conclave in New York, but also gave us a look at fandom in Japan by letting us see the premeier of Be Forever Yamato in retrospect. [...]

While on the subject of actifans, I am happy to report that the editors fannish orientation has helped to encourage and promote many Star Blazers fanzines by means of his news updates, editorials and free ads. Space Cruiser Log is one of the fanzines that might have never gotten off the ground without the Fandom Report. The same can be said for local chapters and other projects as well.

And finally, speaking from a fanzine editor's perspective, there are the triple problems of layout, article sources and distribution to be met. Michael Pinto's SBFR, which distributes 300 odd copies of a well laid out, incisive, never dull work, is truly to be admired. Without SBFR, Blazerdom wouldn't be where it is today.

Fred Kopetz, letter to the editor in Issue 9 of SBFR (archived on Cosmo DNA)