Tunneltalk
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Tunneltalk |
| Publisher: | Artemis Press |
| Editor(s): | edited by Barbara Storey, Victoria Clark, & Sharon Himmanen |
| Type: | |
| Date(s): | 1990-? |
| Frequency: | monthly |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | digest |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Tunneltalk is a Beauty and the Beast (TV) letterzine edited by Barbara Storey, Victoria Clark and Sharon Himmanen.
This zine began after the letterzine Passages ended.
From the August 1991 issue: "This publication is intended as an outlet for fans; it will not be sent to either Witt-Thomas or Republic, or anyone else connected with the show, so don't be afraid to say your piece."
It won a 1991 FanQ Award.
Art is included at the publisher's request.
See List of Letterzines for similar fan works.
Issue Contents
Click on the links below to see more information about individual issues of Tunneltalk.
About
From the editorial in the first issue, published March 1990:
TUNNELTALK is dedicated to one concern—freedom of speech, otherwise known as the First Amendment.....But there has been in fandom, of late, a wave of negativity, taking the form of intimidation—labels of correct and incorrect, acceptable and unacceptable, applied to honest personal opinion in an attempt to control and manipulate other fans. There has been intolerance, and voices speaking with a self-appointed authority that should be severely questioned. There have been admonitions to refrain from voicing any negative opinions, no matter how calmly or rationally, and people have been told they write "hate mail" and are "ex-fans" simply because they have strongly expressed deep disappointment in the third season....Therefore, we wanted to add our voices to the other individual voices and to the other letterzines where freedom of speech is being upheld. There are safe places in this fandom where your opinion—pro or con, hopeful or disappointed—will be respected, and we are one of those places.
From the August 1991 issue:
This publication is intended as an outlet for fans; it will not be sent to either Witt-Thomas or Republic, or anyone else connected with the show, so don't be afraid to say your piece. The only things required are that you speak honestly and follow your heart, wherever it leads you. The only things not tolerated are personal attacks/abuse directed toward anyone and anonymous letters.
All rights revert to the contributors, with our gratitude for participating. Since TUNNELTALK is dedicated to the pursuit of freedom of speech, the views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the editors — which is just the way we want it!
Some Topics Discussed
Each issue contained letters of comment, zine reviews, an occasional featurette about a local fan club, zine publisher and merchandise contact information along with interviews with actors or show staff.
- were the changes to the show in the third season done on purpose to punish Linda Hamilton, and to hurt fans
- did Catherine subconsciously rely on Vincent's protective nature and recklessly put herself in danger
- what role did Catherine play in Vincent's increasing violence
- who was stronger: Diane or Catherine
- did the show intend to send the message: sex = death when they killed Catherine after consummating her relationship with Vincent
- how fans should respond to the 1st/2nd vs. 3rd Season fandom rifts.
- whether fans should push for a sequel movie given Catherine's departure from the show in second season
- was Vincent an alien? Mostly human? Part animal, and if animal, what did this mean in regards to bestiality, see Vincent: The Beast
- discussion and reviews of zines
- Tunnelcon, South of Oz, Creation Con con reports
- name-calling, hurt feelings, the Roy Dotrice "Nay-sayer" Incident
- fan letter campaigns
- the showrunner Ron Koslow and what did fans owe him, comments regarding George R.R. Martin who was one of the show's prominent writers
- pressure on fans from other fans to "behave" so that TPTB would create a movie or bring the show back for a fourth season
- fans' desire for better show merchandise
- a spate of terrifying cease and desist letters sent to two fan zine editors: see The Beauty and the Beast Cease and Desist Letters
- discussion about Diana Bennett including whether she "looked like a rat" and her sloppy clothing
- hoping the third season was a dream season
- MUCH regarding The Beauty and the Beast Wars, referred to as "the rift," "World War Beast"
- a fan's indignation at Ron Koslow's next show (My Life and Times), and how he "thumbed his nose" at fans at the use of "Catherine's balcony," and more indignities
- the controversial anti-Diana Bennett button: "Who says we have to give her a chance?"
- wishing bankruptcy on fellow fans for their creation of third season zines
- ripping pages out of a zine, A Secret Place, and sending them back to the zine editor: see that editor's reply in her own zine: I am not immune to grief over the death of a fictional character.
- much discussion about fan service, though this specific phrase is not used
- more cutting -- "TLBL" back to "TPTB" -- buying the video release by Republic, cutting offensive episodes out of it, splicing it back for home use, and sending the unwanted part back to the company
- anger at the Family Channel and its "family-friendly" re-editing of the show for re-run purposes
- lots of discussion about censorship regarding sexually explicit fanworks, about the zine Black Cover!
- some meta and open letters: see The Lifeline Letter, Diana moved me ''powerfully", An Exercise in Futility (Or Lessons in How to Beat a Dead Horse): Black Cover, I believe there is a universal need for a happy ending., and An Open Letter to all Readers of "Adult" fanzines
General Fan Comments
1990
It occurred to me that I have never told you what it is I like about your letterzine TUNNELTALK. I would hate to be labeled as "chronic complainer" so the following paragraphs are devoted to my more positive feelings.
First and foremost on my list of positives is honesty. You have always been honest with your subscribers, telling us where your own feelings lie (i.e. why you felt it was OK to ask for a character to be returned like Spock on Star Trek and Catherine on B&TB). This encourages others to be honest in a helpful rather than hurtful way.
Second on my list is giving contributors to TT a way to feel they are able to do something to help, as opposed to being blindly led by "fate." You continually give us addresses: Republic, Avon, First Publishing, Pat Faulstich, etc. And even if these don't always pan out, at least we know it wasn't without effort on our parts. (I keep these letters, like from the Fox network, just as proudly as if they mere a total success!)
Third — you give us a feeling of unity. We may believe this way or that, but we are still a group which hangs on lending support to others (Lights of Winterfest), and demonstrating to outsiders that our series has a great deal of worth. Each of us tends to enjoy writing, whether it be LOCs, stories, letters to sponsors, communication with friends, or simply to let other fans know about the great zine we have discovered. TUNNELTALK encourages these things, and many of us have made some terrific acquaintances through the pages of this zine.
But most of all, you have encouraged us to "be all that we can be," to look beyond petty differences where hurt is usually lurking. We write stories with happy endings for those of us who are unhappy. We rid ourselves of disappointments with our words, and find others like ourselves, who are coping and enjoying B&TB as much as ever. We reassure one another that we are all "dreamers" no matter where our feelings lie. We all go with "courage and with care."
A lot of this is due to the fact that after the metamorphosis our show went through, and following THE SECOND CANCELLATION — TUNNELTALK was born. Speaking for myself at least — a new lease on our dream has been given and gratefully accepted. [1]
1991
Thank you, TT — it's a welcome change to receive a fanzine that isn't filled with recriminations, resentments and downright hurling of insults. Don't get me wrong. I listen and evaluated/opinions — I've even found that I don't object to third season as much as I thought I would — I just dislike the ugly way in which some of these opinions have been expressed, which isn't to say that you can't express yourselves in any way you choose, just that I won't read it or give it serious consideration. I've felt from the beginning of my involvement in fandom that TT was the best forum for discussing the show intelligently, and it's good to be continually proved correct in this. [2]