Timeframe

Zine
Title:	Timeframe
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Evelyn Baker, Stephanie Bedwell (later Stephanie Bedwell Grime)
Date(s):	1979-1990
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	multimedia & Star Wars
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Timeframe is a gen multifandom zine that contains much Star Wars.

It ran for eleven issues and was published in Canada.

An Example of Snobbery, Male Editors vs. Media Zines

Early on, the female editors stood their ground regarding the "media content" the zine contained, addressing the comments that several male science fiction zine eds wrote in their letters of comment; at one point, the two editors said: "In the hope that someone will hear our skulls crack as we beat them against the wall, we will continue to defend our cause."

One male zine ed commented:

Fandom doesn't need another zine devoted to BATTLESTAR GALAXITIVE, STAR WARS, and badly written fan fiction. It seems everyone wants to be a writer, no matter how many T.V. shows they have to watch to get an original idea. Maybe that's the problem, all that T.V. has destroyed their brains. I'm not saying it was all bad, the cover looked nice, for instance, but who the hell cares. I want something to read that will grip me and entertain, not listen to the orgasmic moaning of some prepubescent schoolgirl over her favourite T.V. or movie star.... I hear you are ready to print TIMEFRAME 3, I guess that shows Barnum was right about a sucker being born every minute, if you sold all copies of your first two zines. Of course you are in the T.O. area, and as we all know most of the fans there have trouble reading anything that might make them think or that they can't watch on a screen. Anyway, I can't say keep up the good work, as you haven't done any yet, but I'm hopeful that one of you will come up with an original idea someday, or at least make a contribution to fandom.

Another male editor commented:

Media fiction is a good way for new writers to develop skills, and further, it

presents an enjoyable means of discussing and criticising T.V. and film science fiction....

I get the impression that Ms. Blair might be more comfortable writing mainstream fiction, where technological worries can be resolved by a glance at the BRITTANNICA. ...

What counts, though, is that I enjoyed reading it. Even the bad stuff. Like I said at the beginning, media fiction is not really subject to the same standards as the original story. It is a form of criticism. It is an illustrated discussion of a form of SF that is otherwise almost impossible to discuss in literary terms.

The editor's response: "

#@$@%*@!!!! The unheeded cry of two persecuted editors. TIMEFRAME is getting tired of being the scapegoat of the science fiction elite-purists of Southern Ontario. We are getting sick of defending our right to exist in an environment of narrow-minded snobs who believe there is no place for the media-based zine in science fiction fandom.

The term "media-based" is becoming as redundant, annoying and in-descriptive as "SCI-FI". What the hell is media-based anyway?!! A zine is media.

In the hope that someone will hear our skulls crack as we beat them against the wall, we will continue to defend our cause.

Issue 1

cover of issue #1, Mary Horsburgh

Timeframe 1 was published in March 1979 and contains 72 pages.

• Not for Officers Only by Lloyd Penney (2)
• Karrakaz by R. Amberdon (6)
• More Than Thou Showest by Janine Goldfarb (7)
• Apollo's Last Voyage by Stephanie Bedwell (10)
• Future by Billie Jones (15)
• Future Hope, Adama by Samantha Winters (16)
• And I Would Wait Forever by Evelyn Baker (16)
• Corell Also Exports Pirates by Maggie Nowakowska, art by Pam Kowalski (This is the very first ThousandWorlds story written. It was also published in Moonbeam #3.) (Star Wars) (17)
• The Prophecy by Elizabeth Carleton (42)
• Labyrinth by R. Amberson (59)
• All Good Things Must End by Shelley Mars (60)
• The End? by Evelyn Baker (72)
• art by Mary Horsburgh (cover), Julie Lewis, Lloyd Penny, Evelyn Baker

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Mary Horsburgh

back cover of issue #2

Timeframe 2 was published in February 1980 and contains 66 pages.

The art is by Evelyn Baker, Kevin Davies, Mary Horsburgh, J. Lews, and S. Skyler.

From the editorial:

I recently received a letter from a zine which has been accused of plagerism [sic]. I will not mention their name as I have not read their zine and so I will not judge them. I will, however, include my opinion here.

Plagerism in zines is very difficult to judge and although editors are responsible for the contents of their own fanzine, there is no way to research it by checking the hundreds of zines that are in print and the ones that aren't.

Many people have been inspired by Maggie Nowakowska and Dyane Kirkland's Thousand World Chronicles and use it as a basis for their stories. I personally see nothing wrong with that as it is not really plagerism. It is however, best to ask the author for permission. I don't think the stories in zines are plagerism because nothing is stolen word for word and no one is making vast fortunes. All they want is to see their work in print. They are doing it because they are fans. The difference between plagerism and 'borrowing' is giving credit where credit is due. These people should not be accused of plagerism accept [sic] if the accuser is absolutely sure or else they are being libelous.

Zines, specifically Star Trek zines were accused of plagerism by David Gerrold in The World of Star Trek. (p. 195). He of all people shouldn't [have done that] because he has been riding on Star Trek popularity since the writing of his episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles". He has recently changed his mind by mentioning Skywalker in his column. George Lucas encourages and promotes Star Wars fanzines.

All zines are susceptible to the accusation of plagerism and I'm sure some have been guilty of it. But I believe most are honest and contribute to fandom.

• Power Like a Poison by Nancy Baker (science fiction) (2)
• The Vampire, poem by Rhiann Amberdon (6)
• Nowhere on Gor by Nancy Baker and Julie Lewis (Gor) (7)
• Rime of the Starlost, poem by James R. Collier (science fiction) (8)
• Rendezvous on Paradise by Ellen Blair (Battlestar Galactica) (9)
• Earth Child, poem by Mary Horsburgy (science fiction) (44)
• Hardly a Love Story by Stephanie Bedwell (Star Wars) (45)
• Four Sides of a Coin, poem by Lenora Sauder (science fiction) (The version here is missing its last verse. The editors included it again, that time intact, in "Timeframe" #3.) (59)
• Battlestar: Ponderosa by Evelyn Baker and Stephanie Bedwell (Battlestar Galactica/Bonanza) (60)
• Heroes in an Ancient Land, poem by Helley Mars (The Silmarillion) (63)
• Mirror of the Past, poem by Samantha Winters (science fiction) (63)
• three pages of zine flyers

• 

  from issue #2, Kevin Davies

• 

  from issue #2, Kevin Davies

• 

  from issue #2, Mary Horsburgh

• 

  from issue #2, Mary Horsburgh

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

Just put down TIMEFRAME 2, the question is why did I pick it up in the first place? I guess I am just a masochist. Fandom doesn't

need another zine devoted to BATTLESTAR GALAXITIVE, STAR WARS, and badly written fan fiction. It seems everyone wants to be a writer, no matter how many T.V. shows they have to watch to get an original idea. Maybe that's the problem, all that T.V. has destroyed their brains.

I'm not saying it was all bad, the cover looked nice, for instance, but who the hell cares. I want something to read that will grip me and entertain, not listen to the orgasmic moaning of some prepubescent schoolgirl over her favourite T.V. or movie star. I mean really haven't we had enough of Han Solo and Starbuck? At least I have.

I hear you are ready to print TIMEFRAME 3, I guess that shows Barnum was right about a sucker being born every minute, if you sold all copies of your first two zines. Of course you are in the T.O. area, and as we all know most of the fans there have trouble reading anything that might make them think or that they can't watch on a screen. Anyway, I can't say keep up the good work, as you haven't

done any yet, but I'm hopeful that one of you will come up with an original idea someday, or at least make a contribution to fandom'.

Issue two of TIMEFRAME showed a lot of promise. Media fiction is a good way for new writers to develop skills, and further, it

presents an enjoyable means of discussing and criticising T.V. and film science fiction.

By far the best piece in the zine was HARDLY A LOVE STORY. The author shows an excellent grasp of narrative, and a genuine feel for the characters of STAR WARS. She should be writing more serious stuff, and when she does, I look forward to reading it.

NOWHERE ON GOR also had impact. Humorous, even frivolous treatment such as this is about all John Norman's work deserves.

Regrettably, the other laugh piece, BATTLESTAR PONDEROSA, just didn't come off, mostly, I think, because of an awkwardness in using the working script form.

Out loud, things are funny as hell, but coming off the page there's too much distance between the funny stuff. It would have worked better in prose, or with cartoons.

POWER LIKE A POISON didn't do much for me. It didn't seem to go anywhere. But there's a lot of fantasy written like that, and it sells, so who am I to say?

A full 35 pages of the middle of the zine are taken up with RENDEZVOUS ON PARADISE. That makes this story the major item in the zine, and one would expect it to be the best (or at least nearly the best) item therein. Not so.

I get the impression that Ms. Blair might be more comfortable writing mainstream fiction, where technological worries can be resolved by a glance at the [ENCYCLOPEDIA] BRITTANNICA [sic]. What I'm trying to say is that the thing is well written except for a few glaring gaps in technological consistency. What's worse the plot hinges on the damned things, so the editor couldn't very well have corrected the problems without eliminating the story line entirely.

Howcum whatsisname can't fly a fighter without his legs? Do they have foot pedals in those things? Hell, folks can drive cars without legs. Howcum "subatomic circuitry" ties in with munitions? It s one thing to make an engineering concept hazy, and quite another to pick assumptions out of thin air. (What is a subatomic circuit, anyway?)

Part of the problem has to be that the basic material used (Battlestar) is so terrible. Enough inconsistencies riddle its frame work that any attempt to rehabilitate it may be foredoomed. It was an okay story, (if a little hokey), but those irritating unexplained assumptions spoiled the whole thing.

Oh, yeah, one more thing. The Galactica has "infrared alert lights" on the bridge? These folks can see into the infrared? I didn't know that. Doesn't that have some other implications?

In an overall sense, the zine is a little too heavy on the poetry. Poems should be presented alone in a sea of prose in order to be adequately appreciated. TIMEFRAME also is sorely in need of tighter editing and more scrupulous proofreading. What counts, though, is that I enjoyed reading it. Even the bad stuff. Like I said at the beginning, media fiction is not really subject to the same standards as the original story. It is a form of criticism. It is an illustrated discussion of a form of SF that is otherwise almost impossible to discuss in literary terms. It is no mere coincidence that the failings I found with the Battlestar story parallel almost exactly the failings I found in the TV show. (My initial reaction was that, had this been submitted as a script, it might well have been accepted, and filmed with few changes.)

About the only thing left to talk about is the artwork, and the interior stuff is okay. Nothing tremendous, but it gets the point across. But the cover? Look, either you're going to put art on the cover, or not. If you do, make it good. Otherwise, stick a headline and an editorial or something there. Or maybe a picture with caption. Covers should do whatever they do as well as possible. The four spheroids on this one are just a little banal.

But it's a good zine. I'm looking forward to the next one.

TIMEFRAME continues to be a fine zine. I only have two gripes-- one is the bleed-through of print which makes reading it rather difficult. The other was the wealth of typos that weren't caught, and corrected. Of course, being a fanzine ed. myself, I know that there are things which sometimes have to be completed rather hastily and a few errors always escape notice, no matter how careful we try to be. But so many distract the reader's attention and, during especially critical or emotional scenes, can spoil the effect the author the

was trying to create. But these are technicalities which can be corrected, so I won't dwell on them.

"Power Like a Poison" puzzled me. It seemed less a story than a chapter from a much larger work. The author has talent but she

needs to work on the techniques i of writing ~ things like run-on sentences and comma splices detract from the mood she is trying to create. As fantasy, this story would do well if if was more cohesive. As it were, I got the feeling I walked in on the middle of something and left before it ended.

Stephanie Bedwell's "Hardly a Love Story" is fine - very well done done. She knows the characters well and she handles the dialogue well. The new characters she's introduced seem a bit two dimensional but Flame has marvelous potential. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Stephanie is obviously not a novice writer.

The rest of the zine's — poems, etc. — fair to good. Best of the group was "Heroes in an Ancient Land" but then I love Tolkien almost more than Star Wars.

In general, TIMEFRAME is a zine well on its way to being noteworthy. Keep up the good work!

Issue 3

front cover issue #3, not credited but likely Laural Russwurm

Timeframe 3 was published in August 1980 and is 70 pages long.

The art is by Evelyn Baker, Derek Grime, Pam Kowalski, Bob Powers, Laurel Russwurm, and Steve Skyler.

The editorial:

#@$@%*@!!!! The unheeded cry of two persecuted editors. TIMEFRAME is getting tired of being the scapegoat of the science fiction elite-purists of Southern Ontario. We are getting sick of defending our right to exist in an environment of narrow-minded snobs who believe there is no place for the media-based zine in science fiction fandom.

The term "media-based" is becoming as redundant, annoying and in-descriptive as "SCI-FI". What the hell is media-based anyway?!! A zine is media.

In the hope that someone will hear our skulls crack as we beat them against the wall, we will continue to defend our cause.

Media-based (#$@%*) fiction is a workshop for writers who might never see their work in print, and it is practice for those who will. It is also a creative method of discussion and criticism that is not found anywhere else in fandom. These stories are not the obsessions of star-crazed fans. These writers have built on the frameworks of established shows and in most cases put more thought into them than the original creators.

We are disillusioned that the fundamental element of science fiction — that everyone is accepted for what they are — has been breached in this manner. Is this the way they will approach our future interstellar visitors?!! Enough said.

Here is TIMEFRAME 3. We're not going to apologize for it — it's our best one yet. We will not be intimidated into dropping media-based fiction. We judge stories on their own merit, not by the false terms others place upon them.

We will not rave any longer. Read on. See you next zine.

• Seriously Folks, editorial (1)
• Ring World Flip Book by Steve Skyler
• LOX, Letters of Comment (there are three of them) (2)
• The Game by Bob Powers (original fantasy -- a rich and bloody swords and sorcery tale in the Arabian Nights-tradition.) (4)
• Nomad by Stephanie Bedwell (12)
• The White Crown by Ellen E. Blair (Battlestar Galactica) (Starbuck becomes a prophecy fulfilled and must decide between the Galactica and his newly found kingdom.) (13)
• Adam's Hope by Charles P. Nadeau (original SF -- The recollection of a dying genetic scientist.) (53)
• Ode to Henry Ford by Shelley Mars (Planet of the Apes, Galen learns to drive.) (39)
• Lilth, poem by Evelyn Baker (43)
• The Zelean Take by Evelyn Baker (Star Wars) (Han Solo undertakes to smuggle a potent liquor and brews some Imperial trouble.) (44)
• The Invincible Andromeda Spar by Stephanie Bedwell ) (original SF — The space-shaking saga of a personable four-armed warrioress.) (57
• Four Sides of a Coin by Lenora Sauder (This was reprinted from issue #2 of "Timeframe," this time with the last paragraph, which was accidentally cut off in that issue.) (67)
• Classifieds (70)

• 

  from issue #3, Bob Powers

• 

  from issue #3, Derek Grime

• 

  from issue #3, Steve Skyler

• 

  from issue #3, Steve Skyler, from "Adam's Hope"

• 

  from issue #3, Evelyn Baker

• 

  from issue #3, Evelyn Baker

• 

  from issue #3, Pam Kowalski

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

Pray tell who is Peter Roberts? Is he a fanzine editor? If so I would dearly love to read the quality of his fanzine. "Orgasmic moaning" indeed! Peter Roberts should stick to the professional science fiction writers, but even they have had their moments of moaning and far more descriptive than "a prepubescent schoolgirl." I hope that I may continue supporting TIMEFRAME and that our "friendly critics" did not put you off. Looking forward to TIMEFRAME 4.

Media-based zines?? What the hell is all this "snobbery" doing in SF Fandom?? Since when does a zine based on media SF automatically become substandard science fiction? As the editor of my own "media based zine", I am surprised at the pseudo disdain shown towards TIMEFRAME by SF fans who are probably reflecting the intolerance generally shown to their own brand of SF by school teachers. 'Media-based SF appeals to many people for a variety of reasons. For example, some fans would be attracted to TV SF by the exciting visual aspects, not just the script. In many cases, such as in TIMEFRAME, fans can develop upon the weak points of a show's script and produce something better than the original. This is not an intellectual cop-out by the authors, but good training for potential novelists...

... and as for TIMEFRAME 3...

"Ode to Henry Ford" was a very clever way of contrasting modern technology with ancient myth, a potential the APES series always had but evidently too scared to attempt because it might not sell enough soap. I applaud Shelley Mars.

"The White Crown" was the best GALACTICA episode I have seen — well, it wasn't really an episode, but it should have been. For once the true inherent humanity of the characters came alive, and Adama and Apollo were especially well portrayed. Great stuff, E.E. Blair!

"The Zelean Take" had a much more likeable character development of Han Solo and Chewie than did THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. In fact, I probably enjoyed the media-based SF stories more than the rest — and that's saying something for someone who prefers Heinlein, Asimov or Clarke any day to Roddenberry, Lucas or Serling.

Basically, TIMEFRAME is a really good zine, and keep up the good work. Anyone who says otherwise is, in the words of the invincible Andromeda Spar, a son of a szchlitzchah!

I just finished reading TIMEFRAME 3. This [is] hard for me to say, but I actually enjoyed parts of it. I usually advocate the abolition of fanfic fanzines. But must it be "media-based" fanfic? Meaning media to be visually based science fiction. That type of media is radically different from the print media. Writing for television, you have to simplify matters for the common man which most members of SF fandom do not fit into. The same thing goes for most movies.

It was interesting to see something based on the PLANET OF THE APES series though.

I read "Seriously Folks" (TP3 editorial) with great interest. You really seem to have a problem with fen who denounce "media-based" fan fiction. I've never heard of such a thing! Just point out to them this one simple facts all fictional work is media, whether it's on the written page, or the silver screen. They sure nothing but variations on story telling, and as such, are equals. And the use of characters another person (or persons) has created has historical precedents long enough to stretch from here to Ontario. Consider King Arthur and his legends, to name one example. Tell your detractors to go cool off in a carbon freezing chamber.

"The Game" by Bob Powers was a rather powerfully written piece, though strictly fight-oriented work doesn't totally work for me. The motivations of the two main characters needed development.

I enjoyed "The White Crown", though I can take Galactica or leave it (and I usually leave it). The theme of choosing personal growth and love over power was nicely done.

"Adam's Hope" was nice.

"The Zelean Take" was my favorite. I'm no great Han Solo fan, but your development of the Zelean Culture was truly deft. It's always nice to see the Imperials get theirs. The story was complete and I was happy to see the efforts and development of other characters in the story, not just another Han and Chewie get-in-a-fix-and-shoot-their-way-out story.

Boy, it sounds as though you're going through all sorts of hell up there. Don't listen to them!!!! If you were the only two people in the universe that liked "media SF", I'd suggest you still publish your zine. No one has the right to run your life or your thoughts and people who are that narrow-minded should leave everyone alone. We get enough narrow-mindedness from outside the fandom!

Then just as a passing idea, I decided to read the LOC section (or LOX, as you have it). I only read the first one — by Mr. Peter Roberts. I have a suggestion as to where he may go. Who does he think he is? He knew what he was getting into when he read your zine. So why does he have to let you know he made a mistake? If I got a letter like that, I'd feel so terrible.

I especially did NOT like his comments about STAR WARS and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (especially the misspelling of the latter into something 'cute'). And the comments on your writing in general...as a writer I know how they hurt, too. My only question is: why did you print the letter?

At least it showed how out of place this guy is in this branch of SP.

Issue 4

cover issue #4, Alicia Austin

Timeframe 4 was published in May 1982 and is 64 pages long.

From the editorial:

For those who are wondering, TIMEFRAME is still alive and kicking in spite of, yes, another postal strike, suid a few other delays, namely the purchase of our own printing press.

Inflation has driven offset printing prices sky-high in the last two years since TIMEFRAME 3, and to avoid raising the price, we will switch to Gestetner printing for TIMEFRAME 5. Since we will be using an electronic stencil cutter printing quality should be comparable.

The art is by Alicia Austin (cover), Bob Azzarro, Evelyn Baker, Derek Grime, and Debra Pugh.

• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Post Office, editorial (1)
• LOX, five letters of comment (2)
• Karad-Dur by Stephanie Bedwell (fantasy) (4)
• Alia, poem by Shelley Mars (10)
• A Star Trek Interlude by Forrest Fusco, Jr. (11)
• Trapped by Elizabeth Carleton (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) (12)
• Perseus by Stephanie Bedwell ) (original science fiction) (34
• The Making of a Rebel by Christine Jeffords (Star Wars) (44)
• The Rider, poem by Stephanie Bedwell (60)
• Satan-Mas by Charles Nadeau (61)
• I Don't Want This Anymore by Lloyd Penney (original science fiction) (62)
• Classifieds (63)

• 

  inside page from issue #4, Bob Azzaro

• 

  inside page from issue #4, Evelyn Baker

• 

  inside page from issue #4, Bob Azzaro

• 

  inside page from issue #4, Bob Azzaro

Issue 4.5

cover of issue #4.5, Wanda Lybarger

Timeframe 4.5 was published in 1983 and is 18 (unnumbered) pages long.

The art is by Wanda Lybarger, Shelley Mars, and Jacquie Allinson.

The editorial:

First there was STAR WARS, then the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and now TIMEFRAME 4 1/2; The Sequel? That's right folks! We've decided to get on the bandwagon with everyone else. Due to lack of material we aren't able to print the giant zine (hint, hint) we said we were. But instead of waiting and then putting out a late issue, Steph and I have decided to put out a mini Star Wars edition to coincide with the premier of RETURN OF THE JEDI. Of course this issue will be smaller, but its also CHEAPER!

We all know many of TIMEFRAME'S readers write and draw for fanzines. We also know TIMEFRAME is on the look-out for material. We even had a contest for best art and writing. The response was pitiful. So we've put it out of its misery. We half expected that but editors need some feed back. There hasn't been one LOC. So come on, there's no excuse now. Lets hear from you. Tell us if you like this format. Drop us a line.

You might also notice that the text of this issue is different. We've gone computerized—temporarily. This issue is also being printed on our very own press; so that also has brought the price down. TIMEFRAME 5 will be out this time next year and will hopefully be filled with all sorts new fiction and art. We don't write cruel rejection letters and we answer as soon as we can. Now that it will cost us less to produce, we can also print longer stories. So submit all you can.

TIMEFRAME 4 1/2 is short and sweet; so read on.

• The Thaw by Stephanie Bedwell (Star Wars) (1 page)
• The Secret Of The Pale Moon by Shelley Mars (Star Wars) (11 pages)

• 

  from issue #4.5, Shelley Mars

• 

  from issue #4.5, Shelley Mars

Issue 5

cover of issue #5, Wanda Lybarger

Timeframe 5 was published in May 1984 and is 75 pages long.

The art is by Jacquie Allinson, Evelyn Baker, Derek Grime, Don Lewis, Wanda Lybarger (cover), Debra Pugh, and Leah Rosenthal.

• All Creatures Great and Small by Stephanie Bedwell (Star Wars) (Chewie brings home a pet.) (2)
• For Leia, poem by Jacqueline Taero (7)
• The Song of Skygold and Amiranda, lyrics by Martie Benedict (According to Bright Center of the Universe #5 where it was reprinted, this song was originally written in October 1981.) (8)
• All The World’s A Stage by Gordon Baker (original fiction) (15)
• Indiana Jones: A Search For The Lamp by Jacquie Allinson Indiana Jones) (70)
• The Pegasus Storm by E.E. Blair (Battlestar Galactica) (Starbuck makes an unusual friend.) (33)
• Classifieds (75)

• 

  from issue #5, Debra Pugh

• 

  from issue #5, Derek Grime

• 

  from issue #5, Debra Pugh

• 

  from issue #5, Don Lewis

• 

  from issue #5, Wanda Lybarger

• 

  from issue #5, Jacquie Allinson

• 

  from issue #5, Jacquie Allinson

• 

  from issue #5, Jacquie Allinson

• 

  from issue #5, Debra Pugh

• 

  from issue #5, Debra Pugh

Issue 6

cover of issue #6, Karen River. The photo reference used is a Billy photo of Billy Dee Williams (not included in the illo), Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford taken by Annie Leibovitz

Timeframe 6 was published in May 1985 and is 85 pages long.

The art is by Jacquie Allinson, Derek Grime, Bob Powers, Debra Pugh, and Karen River (cover).

The editorial:

[Stephanie Bedwell Grime]:

Since I have the honour of hosting my own editorial this issue, I'd like to air some beefs I've had since the premiere of STAR WARS in 1977.

Quite simply, the Empire needs women.

This struck me as strange the first time I saw STAR WARS, but recently I did some research in the form of watching the trilogy, and 1 found that, not only are there no women, but there are also no ethnic groups in the Empire.

Why this lack of representation? An oversight perhaps. For some reason the makers of STAR WARS, who went to such lengths to show the great diversity of peoples in the Cantina Scene, failed miserably when it came to recruiting for the Empire.

One could argue that since Storm Troopers wear armour that obscures their faces, that ethnic groups and women are in fact hidden, but present in their ranks. I believe, however, that there are no women in the Empire, and that is why they're losing to the Rebellion, amongst whom women are equally represented.

• The Seeds Of Discontent by Cynthia E. Baughn and Deborah A. Baughn (Star Trek: TOS) (2)
• Leia... Long Before Dawn, poem or song lyrics by Marie Benedict (Star Wars) (23)
• Yet Again (Another Han Solo Rescue story) by Norma Mergenhagen (Star Wars) (24)
• And Who Shall Leave The Battle Without Scars by Jacquie Allinson (Star Trek: TOS) (35)
• Never Tell Me The Odds by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime (Star Wars) (72)

• 

  from issue #6, Bob Powers

• 

  from issue #6, Bob Powers

• 

  from issue #6, Jacquie Allinson

• 

  from issue #6, Jacquie Allinson

• 

  from issue #6, Debra Pugh

• 

  from issue #6, Debra Pugh

• 

  from issue #6, Derek Grime

Issue 7

front cover of issue #7

back cover of issue #7

Timeframe 7 was published in May 1987 and contains 21 pages. The content is entirely Star Wars. The art is by Wanda Lybarger.

The editorial:

Timeframe is back after an absence of two years. Where have we been for two years? Funny you should ask.... We've been right here all along. However, contributors, both artists and writers have been conspicuously absent.

Alas, faced with the danger of Star Wars fandom disappearing forever into a black hole, we courageously ventured forth alone and took matters into our own hands. We begged, pleaded, threatened, and after two years managed to acquire three rare and precious Star Wars stories. (Well, actually we wrote one ourselves, but don't tell anyone).

So here you go, Timeframe's all Star Wars issue; destined to swiftly become extinct, unless you help. The Empire needs you. The Federation needs you. The Colonials

need you, not to mention Indiana, and Galen, and ... oh hell, make some up yourself, but write and draw, and send it to us!

• Acme Story Plotting Dice (i)
• Beyond Oblivion by Stephanie Bedwell-Grimes - Han has a little black box. Where did he get it? And why do so many people want it? (1)
• Priority Cargo by Laura Michaels - Imperials, contraband, and smuggling all add up to adventure for Han and Chewie. (8)
• Deathstar III: Hello Daddy! by Bev Grant - the musical parody to end all musicals. (14)

• 

  from issue #7

• 

  from issue #7

• 

  from issue #7

Issue 8

cover of issue #8, Jacquie Allinson

Timeframe 8 was published in May 1988 and contains 15 pages. The interior art is by Wanda Lybarger. The photo manips are not credited.

• Time and Time Again by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime (1)
• Report for Repairs by Laura Michaels (9)

• 

  from issue #8

• 

  from issue #8

• 

  from issue #8

Issue 9

cover of issue #9, Wanda Lybarger

Timeframe 9 was published in 1989 and contains 62 pages.

The art is by Jacquie Allinson, and Derek Grime.

• Eye of Ramouth, story by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, art by Derek Grime (Star Wars) (1)
• Odyssey by Ellen Blair, art by Jacquie Allinson (Battlestar Galactica) (7)
• Pirated Weapons by Laura Michaels, art by Jacquie Allinson and Derek Grime (Star Wars) (44)
• Lady Release by Anne Ostrom, art by Derek Grime (original science fiction) (50)
• cover art by Wanda Lybarger

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  from issue #9, Derek Grime

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  from issue #9, Jacquie Allinson

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  from issue #9, Jacquie Allinson

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  from issue #9, Derek Grime

Issue 10

cover of issue #10, Joanne Park

Timeframe 10 was published in 1990 and has 73 pages.

• Transformation Cycle XI by Constance Lilliss Dickinson-Otty, art by Evelyn Baker (Vincent and Catherine, Data and Geordie find themselves in an unusual meeting place.) (Beauty and the Beast) (1)
• The Universe According To Andomeda Spar by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, art by Derek Grime (Andromeda Spar is looking for a change of career. Her choices: end a inter-galatic war or die.) (original science fiction) (17)
• Intersection by Marg Baskin and Nigel Conliffe, art by Evelyn Baker and Joanne Park (Capt. James T. Kirk and his cronies meet up with 1970's Callan and the encounter has unpleasant consequences for both sides. Does Straker have his final confrontation?) (Star Trek: TOS/Callan) (27)

The foreword to "Intersection":

Deep down Inside, I suppose this bit of perversity is the world's weirdest Star Trek parody, although it may not be immediately recognizable as such. It grew out of a long discussion Nigel and I had one weekend while driving across Switzerland. We were both fans of Star Trek, and of Callan, and somehow or other we got to chatting about the two types of world-views the show represented—action/adventure (ie. god and the scriptwriter is always-but- always on the good guys side, no matter what they do) vs. dark, gritty realism (not only is god not always on their side, but the heroes aren't necessarily heroic).

Anyway, we kicked around various ideas: how badly the Enterprise's security men would fare in a universe where the bad guys didn't give them time to walk into the room, look around, then thinking about pulling their phasers; all the old standards like "Why the hell is the Captain always the first one to beam down into danger?", and so on. This led to playing with ideas about how badly the Star Trek gang (or the casts of any of the other stock action/adventure series, for that matter) would fare in a gritty, Callan-esque universe. (Don't get me wrong. I like Trek, too. That doesn't prevent me from being bothered by some of its weaknesses.) Somewhere along the line, we decided to put it on paper, and this is the result.

The Star Trek crew, admittedly, don't get a very fair shake in "Intersection". They're not as consistently dense as they're portrayed herein. But they did make all these mistakes, from Jim's inclination to think with his glands, to Christine's endless talent for having the wool pulled over her eyes. This time, though, the scriptwriters weren't particularly on their side, ready to put everything to rights...

If you've never run into it, Callan is a British spy series from the early 197QS. It starred Edward Woodward as a reluctant agent/assassin for the S.I.S. (Special Intelligence Service), an elite branch of MIS. If you imagine Robert McCall from The Equalizer back when he was on active duty, you'll be close. I hold the theory that Callan and McCall are really the same character, with the name changed to avoid copyright problems.

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  from issue #10, Evelyn Baker

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  from issue #10, Derek Grime

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  from issue #10, Evelyn Baker

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  from issue #10, Evelyn Baker

Issue 11

Timeframe 11 was published in 1991 and contains 100 pages.

The art is by Jacquie Allinson, Derek Grime, Amanda Hitson Cassidy, and Evelyn Baker.

front cover of issue #11, Jacquie Allinson

From a flyer:

Welcome to TIMEFRAME 11, where Klingons run rampant, a reluctant Han Solo gets a psychology lesson, and a newly-wed Vulcan receives a crash course in Human Romance!

Plus Vintage and Next Generation Star Trek (of course), and science fiction.

[...]

Some stories may include adult situations.

• Purposeful Flight by Laura Michaels (Star Wars) (1)
• If You Could Read My Mind by Jeanne Elizabeth McGraw (Star Trek: TNG) (9)
• Going Home by Halsey Taylor (This story was submitted to Barbara P. Gordon in 1988 for consideration for publication in one of Gordon's zines.) (reprinted in Close Enough to Smell Them) (Star Trek: TNG) (12)
• The Minal Field by Amanda Hitson Cassidy (Star Trek: TOS) (33)
• Delta 88 by Anne Ostrom (original science fiction) (73)

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  from issue #11, Evelyn Baker

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  from issue #11, Derek Grime

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  from issue #11, Derek Grime

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  from issue #11, Amanda Hitson Cassidy

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  from issue #11, Derek Grime