Universal Translator/Issues 11-20

Issues 1-10 · Issues 11-20 · Issues 21-32

Issue 11 (1981)

Universal Translator 11 was published in September/October 1981. It was edited by Susan Bridges and Rose Marie Jakubjansky.

front page of issue #11

• the editors decide to step down:

  After serious consideration of all the factors involved, Sue has decided that she will not be able to carry on with Universal Translator after Ro's departure... Therefore, the next issue of UT will be the last issue.

• Ingrid Cross, in a personal statement, encourages fans to stick up for McCoy:

  This statement is also from Lorraine Beatty, Tess Thomas, and Joyce Tullock. McCoy has little time left! Fandom has been lulled into complacency during the last few months, due to an erroneous report that DeForest Kelley is signed for the new movie. It's time to correct the mistake. As of July 23rd, Kelley was still not signed, and there is a strong possibility that his character will be eliminated. A Vulcan and a captain do not Star Trek make. There are three major characters: not two...or one. If Star Trek is to survive, it must continue with the triad theme. Kelley was magnificent in the film - and we need more of the same. Write to the following people at Paramount Studios...

• Linda Deneroff, publisher of Guardian, writes of the letter she received (the same letter was printed in Jundland Wastes #4). For more about this controversy, see Open Letter to Star Wars Zine Publishers by Maureen Garrett:

  By the time this sees print, some of you will have heard about the letter I received from Lucasfilm on the 3rd of August, or may have even received a letter yourselves, but as I write this I am still very upset over the implications this letter contains for all of us. The letter I received is a warning that Lucasfilm has re-evaluated its policy 'and it will no longer be safe for publishers such as you to feel immune from enforcement action by Lucasfilm.' This is in reaction to having published 'Slow Boat to Bespin,' which Lucusfilm evidently considers X-rated... My co-editor and I were concerned about Lucasfilm's reaction to the story and we submitted it to Lucasfilm almost a year in advance... Word reached us back... that Lucasfilm had said the story was all right to print. What I resent is the attitude I perceive which says 'Go ahead and print; we'll tell you later if you've exceeded our standards.' ... Obviously, Lucas now considers 'Slow Boat to Bespin' to be x-rated (Lucasfilm's term, not ours) certainly Cynthia and myself do not, or we would not have printed it... It will be interesting to see what happens in the state of fannish publishing in the coming months.

• Kathy Resch writes a personal statement saying that she has written another fan as asked her not to call her new fanzine, "T'hy'la," as Resch has already picked that title and her zine is going to press shortly:

  I read in the upcoming zine section in the latest issue of Universal Translator about Pam Jenkin's T'HY'LA. As my own zine, also called T'HY'LA has been in production since last last fall, and is about to be printed, and there has al eady been some confusion regarding the duplication of titles, I wrote to Pam suggesting that we issue a joint personal statement to UT. Since I haven't heard from her, and I do want to make your August deadline, I would like to state that there is no connection between the T'HY'LA I am publishing and Pam's zine.

• some Star Wars zine editors are disassociating with each other, and this disentangling is messy:

  Dear Friends, As of this date the fanzine known as GALACTIC FALCON has been discontinued and the partnership between Cathy Carmody and Cyndi Hartman dissolved. Anyone who has not received his copy of GALACTIC FALCON, please send a copy of the check (all checks have been cashed) and we'll try to rectify the mistake. All contributions for future issues of GF will be used instead in a new zine, also under Future Star Press as GF was, which I will be putting out by myself. Flyers will be forthcoming. I thank everyone who supported GF and/or the break in the partnership, and those who have shown support in my new zine.

• another set of Star Wars zine editors are breaking up:

  By the time this release sees print, I hope that all persons owed money for undeliverable copies of GALAC TIC FLIGHT will have received it. If you have not, this is through no fault of mine — the books and the financial records are in the hands of Mark Walton, my former co-editor, and for the past four months he has sent me no checks to co-sign; hence it has been impossible to provide refunds. Anyone who feels s/he has been shorted by GALACTIC FLIGHT should get directly in touch with Mark Walton [address redacted]. Enclose a xerox of both sides of your can celled check and be sure to retain copies of all letters sent. I regret to say I have no control over what he chooses to do or not to do, though I am personally willing for all entitled persons to receive the monies due them.

• a review of Saurian Brandy Digest #27, see that page
• a review of Sublight Reading #2, see that page
• a review of Stardate #10, see that page
• a review of Eternal Triangle, see that page

Issue 12 (1981)

Universal Translator 12 was published in November/December 1981. It was edited by Susan Bridges.

front page of issue #12

• Ro steps down as editor, and announces that Linda Deneroff has stepped up to help publish Universal Translator; Linda will use a word processor which will "reduce much of the drudgery of production" and take much less time
• the editor of Alpha Touch and Views of Intimation writes that issues #3 and #2 respectively will be postponed indefinitely
• the zine, "Istari Axanar," has been canceled for two reasons: the editors only received a sixth of the pre-orders they'd hoped for, and then that money was used for one of their emergency medical bills. One of the editors writes that "I will be refunding the first twenty orders out of my own pocket to help Mary out, but since I am in bad financial shape right now, I will be unable to refund more people without reimbursement without Mary's help."
• the editor of Nome writes that issue #3 has been canceled; for more, see that page
• a review of Out of Bounds #1, see that page

Issue 13 (1982)

Universal Translator 13 was published in January/February 1982 and contains 29 pages. It was edited by Susan Bridges, assisted by Linda Deneroff, Joy Louise, Jeanne Webster and Mindy Glazer.

front page of issue #13

• it includes many announcements of fan selling their old fanzines directly or through auction. Boldly Writing notes that "out-of-print fanzines in great demand could bring in ten times their original price."
• Sue thanks:

  ...the 250 of you who sent in your sub renewals and kept the zine alive. She would also like to welcome her new co-editors, Linda Deneroff, the power behind the word processor who persevere[s]... and Joy Louise, who typed the labels and did other behind-the-scenes donkey work. As you read this issue, you'll notice some changes in format from earlier issues. Some of these are due to the internal organization of the Wang -- there really are a few things that are done more easily on typewriters] than on word processors. Not many, but a few. Other changes are due to the ever-increasing number of zines... which determines the amount of space left over for other items.

• there is a personal statement from Sandra Gent regarding Matter/Antimatter:

  Ahem. It now looks as though 'Matter/Antimatter' #3 will NOT make it to press in either December 1981 or January 1982. Despite my best efforts, I've managed to type only 40 pages thus far, leaving an approximate total of 180 pages still to be done. The most accurate estimate I can offer as to WHEN the zine will see print is, say, April or May. A miracle COULD occur and M/A 3 COULD be available even earlier than those dates, but I doubt it. My apologies to everyone, especially the authors and artists who have been so patient! Also, Virginia and I have given the subject a considerable amount of thought (about two seconds), and we've decided the next issue will be known as M/A 3-4, a double issue. We based our decision on two factors: first, the page count is much higher than our previous issues, and second, over two years has passed since M/A 2.

• Anne Elizabeth Zeek and Regina Gottesman announced they were making an amicable split in order for them to each publish her own fanzine. Anne Elizabeth was planning to continue with Time Warp and Regina was planning to come out with a multifandom media fiction zine, yet unnamed:

  Before the rumors start to fly, we are not dissolving this partnership because of any ill feelings. Both Regina and Anne Elizabeth will continue to edit fanzines and will continue to be friends.

• a review of Maine(ly) Trek #3, see that page
• a review of Storms #1, see that page

Issue 14 (1982)

Universal Translator 14 was published in April/June 1982 and contains 32 pages. It was edited by Susan Bridges and Linda Deneroff.

front page of issue #14

• the Canadian Contingent Press editors reminded fans to NOT send U.S. stamps with their SASE, but instead to send International Reply Coupons
• the editors of UT write of SASEs:

  An increasing sore point is SASEs... or lack thereof. A few years ago, you couldn't open a zine without seeing a statement about including Self-Addressed Stamped Envelopes when corresponding with editors. it got to be a bit boring, and it was nice when the statements stopped, presumably because people had gotten the message. But now, another campaign seems to be necessary. People, when you are writing to an editor and want a response, always include a SASE with correct postage unless you are positive you have one on file with the editor in question. Fandom is a non-profit organization and postage is expensive. For the same reason, you are entitled to ask for your SASE back when the zine is sent. Editors should try to do this as a matter of course, but as so few do, specifically ask for your SASE to be returned.

• Sandra Gent has this personal statement regarding Matter/Antimatter:

  Thanks to the proceeds of my two [personal] zine sales, I now have half of the funds necessary to take Matter/Antimatter #3/4 to press... It now looks as though M/A 3-4 will be available sometime in June. There can't be anymore complications... To those of you who have offered to type, proof, collate, anything to get M/A 3-4 to press, my most sincerest and humblest thanks for your offers. Virginia's, too. It has been a long two years! [She also asks fans to stop asking her about Pon Farr Press's publications.] I have no affiliation or knowledge of Pon Farr Press' publications! My only concern is Tiberius Press...

• the editor of Storms blasts a previous review written by T'Yenta in this personal statement:

  I don't respond to reviews of my own fanzine; I believe that honest differences of opinions and perspective are valuable in fannish interaction. I do, however, take umbrage at the recent 'review' of my zine by you, T'Yenta -- because you did not review my fanzine, you reviewed my editorial. Who are you, T'Yenta? What injustice, real or imaginary, have I committed upon you to make you hate me and that editorial so much? If you honestly disliked Storms, I can appreciate that, as I stated upfront and from the beginning that this zine is not for everyone. But don't tell me in your infinite feminist wisdom (and own unresolved feminist rage) that you are more (fill in the blank) than I am. In your attack of my editorial and principles, you left out my basic editorial statement -- that those who seriously dislike "Storms" and feel that the job could have been better done by someone else, should, instead of grousing, do something constructive -- like do it herself. It's a whole lot easier to write reviews blasting the editor than it is to stick out your own neck and try. I find it significant that a person who is afraid, for whatever reason, to use her real name should also see fit to bitch rather than build.

• the editor of Storm's husband writes in a personal statement as well:

  T'yenta: Charlie Terry has not lost her rage. She's still angry, still fighting, still working towards the idea of choice for everyone. Her lessening of intensity has nothing to do with her finding 'one good man.' Despite that fact that I am that 'one good man,' I see the fire that burns in her every day... T'Yenta, you are wrong. Charlie may have lost the outspoken 'hate men' attitude, but she has molded her rage and her anger into a working, acting state of mind, working with good men, and good women. I resent the implication that Charlie has lost anything over her love for me. That goes against everything our relationship stands for. ... Charlie Terry has changed, not died. She has grown, not withered... Who are you to make such sweeping conclusions over a two-page editorial? You have jumped before you looked. Review yourself, before you review another zine.

• the publisher of Naked Times writes a personal statement that issue #4/5 will be published in two parts:

  [It] will be published, and mailed, in two segments... The first half is already printed, so no one needs to worry or panic that the money has been spent on other things. So go the rumors. Part II will be available as soon as the funds become available. Unfortunately advance orders haven't been sufficient to cover the cost of printing the entire zine, and rather than wait another year, I've decided to print it in sections. Not the best, obviously, but better than letting the rumors and accusations continue... As to the problem with xeroxes of back issues, I WILL NO LONGER BE OFFERING BACK ISSUES OF NAKED TIMES. It's become far too expensive, too time-consuming, and too long of a wait between printings.

• a review of Gateway, see that page

Issue 15 (1982)

Universal Translator 15 was published in July/September 1982. It was edited by Susan Bridges and Linda Deneroff. They announce they are committed to publishing four issues in 1983.

front page of issue #15

• there is a personal statement from the publisher of Matter/Antimatter:

  I had to say there couldn't be any more complications, didn't I? No sooner than the words left my mouth when I came down with [details of illness redacted], and poof went my schedule for getting M/A 3-4 to the printer in June. The publishing date is now Summer/Fall 1982. If anyone is wondering why the publishing date has been pushed back as much as five months, Virginia and I would rather play it safe. We don't want to have to change the publishing date again! The summer months aren't the most productive time of the year as far as my typewriter is concerned, and we still haven't received all of the artwork, nor do we have a cover. Sigh.

• a review of Sublight Reading #2, see that page
• a review of Grip #11, see that page
• a review of B7 Complex #1, see that page
• a review of Felgercarb #8/9, see that page
• a review of Evolution of a Rebel, see that page
• a review of T'hy'la #1, see that page
• a review of Double Natural, see that page

Issue 16 (1982)

Universal Translator 16 was published in in 1982 and contains 36 pages. It was edited by Susan Bridges and Linda Deneroff.

front page of issue #16

• a zine ed writes this personal statement:

  It has recently come to my attention that some few people in fandom are selling Xerox copies of various zines which are out-of-print or no longer available. Pulsar Press zines... are among those 'pirated'... and I would like to make my permission clear regarding the sale of these reproductions. AT NO TIME -- PAST, PRESENT, OR IN THE FUTURE -- HAVE I OR WILL AUTHORIZE OR SANCTION ANY FORM OF REPRODUCTION AND SALE OF PULSAR PRESS ZINES, WHOLE OR IN PART. This seems like a harsh statement, but consider this: Editors, publishers, and writers work long and hard on their zines -- the average time I need to publish what I consider the best quality zine I can produce is two years plus... When others, uninvolved in the creation of the zine, pirate that zine and sell it for their own profit, they are stealing from those members of the fandom family who have spent their time and energies to produce the zines that keep fandom alive. Piracy is illegal, and prosecutable under the copyright law; worse, it is a crime against fandom -- both publisher and readers suffer for it. Yes-- the readers and zine buyers, too; when zines sell out and become out of print, they also gain intrinsic value to those who have obtained original issues. A single copy of a popular zine can sell for $200 when auctioned. Would you like to be the person who has paid this incredible amount of money, only to find that 'reprints' or Xerox copies are being sold for $20 or so?

• two other zine eds fans state their opinion about copying zines:

  It has come to our attention that there is some double-dealing being perpetrated by a person or persons in regards to the sale of Xerox copies of certain zines. We hereby state that we... Relationship Press, have never authorized the copying of any of our zines by any individual other than ourselves... We have unbound copies of our zines which we have lent out so that people might make copies for themselves if they so desired. We have on occasion sold at cost Xerox copies of one or more of these zines ourselves, which is our right as copyright holder... It is not necessary to delineate the reasons for this policy; they should be obvious to all zine editors, contributors, and buyers/readers. Suffice it to say that one of the most important aspects of fandom is trust, and to find out that this trust may have been betrayed is extremely distressing. A word of warning to prospective zine buyers: Unless you are competing in an auction for an ORIGINAL of a zine... do not buy any photocopies of zines from anyone except the original editor/publisher... The above does not apply, of course, to anyone who is selling his/her personal collection of original zines for whatever the reason.... although it may be sad, it is neither illegal nor unscrupulous.

• a fan writes that another fan has passed on her zine editorship to others:

  ... the editor of Eridani Triad wishes it be known that she is not dead, nor in Acapulco. She has not failed to answer mail until now because of lack of interest, but rather because she had no answers. Now, she is happy to say that the reprint of 'Eridani Triad' #3 has been assumed by Michael Rightor and Rena Weber (Free Spacers Press).

• one zine ed, Vel Jaeger, is washing her hands of the role she had in a zine:

  It's been a long and arduous task, but at last all my responsibility for Kirk is over. It is now in the hands of the publisher, and will probably be in print by the time you read this. I can no longer help with any of the problems you have had, especially concerning unreturned stories poetry, or artwork. EVERYTHING is now in Hayward, and you must settle things with Sonni Cooper or Susan Stephenson. I can do nothing but forward you name to them, which only costs me another stamp. It is all theirs now, including the correspondence... But to all the contributors of 'KIrk,' I would like to express my thanks... you've helped make IDIC a living credo!

• the editor of Purple and Orange? writes a long personal statement about the editors of Gemini Press, detailing why she felt they were stealing information and ideas from other Battlestar Galactica zines, and something she felt worse, attempting to make a profit off of their zines, something that:

  endangered all of media fandom." She ends with: "In an editorial to 'Purple and Orange?' #12, I suggested that science fiction fans everywhere... all fans, write to these people and tell them what they think of the unethical and highly illegal behaviour of Gemini Press... We must let 'Gemini Press' know that fandom will not tolerate their illegal activities. For if they persist, media fandom itself may be doomed.

• the editors of Gemini Press has their own personal statement:

  Song of Caprica has always provided contributors with a free copy of the zine in which their work appears, just as Purple and Orange? does. Contributors to the new Battlestar Columbia club zine will also receive free copies in which their work appears. Other crew members who have not contributed to the zine will have to purchase their zines just like everyone else. Gemini Press will publish this zine, going into debt to do so. We will not wait for sufficient funds from the members. Fanzines are never profit-making, as any zine editor will gladly confirm. If we're lucky, we'll sell enough of one issue to finance the next. We at Gemini Press are very conversant with copyright law and what can and cannot be copyrighted. Formats such as the use of collages which are in the public domain are not copyrightable, nor are names, titles, or logos... Gemini Press is registered as a business under Maryland State Law. Proper taxes are paid for all items sold in Maryland... We are registered in order to prepare to become a free lance graphic arts company in the near future... We are branching out with a small zine entitled Firebird, based on the TV series, The Phoenix. It will be handled in the same fully professional manner as 'Song of Caprica' and 'Battlestar Columbia.' Gemini Press and its staff will never attack another zine in public no matter what the provocation. We do reserve the right to defend ourselves and to consider legal action against those who would defame our character, our products, and the manner in which we do business. We have copied no original art from 'Purple and Orange?' nor any other zine. Neither have we copied a particular style of college presentation but have developed our own. The same applies to our format, layout, as well as an entirely different Alternate Universe concept... We again apologize for the necessity of having to address these issues in public.

• a review of Woman, Warrior, Wife, see that page
• a review of Interstellar Mail Collected, see that page

Issue 17 (1983)

Universal Translator 17 was published in January/March 1983 and contains about 36 pages. It was edited by Susan Bridges and Linda Deneroff. It had a print run of 1000.

front page of issue #17

• Another fan comments on a recently released Star Trek pro novel, contrasting the quality of the stories in the fan realm and the pro realm:

  Black Fire is fan-fiction at a level only millimeters above the mediocre, and it's frustrating to see it professionally published when superior material remains confined to fanzines and therefore unknown to the general public.

• Susan Matthews writes a letter complaining that she has heard that a fan using the name Inclination Press out of Tsaile, Arizona is reproducing and selling Ragnarok stories with Martynn's artwork without authorization:

The unauthorized -- and bitterly resented -- reprint of Ragnarok material is not to be confused with the 'Matthews Collected' that Jeffords and bes Shahar had offered. That idea didn't work out, and there were no printings.

• a fan has this personal statement: she says there was to be a sequel to her story "Love Song" in 'Duet' #4:

  I would like to make it clear that the information in the editorial in that zine is inaccurate. I'll gladly clarify the situation to anyone who writes directly to me. Cynthia C. Drake of Final Frontier now plans to publish the entire story, complete and uncensored.

• a fan asks for others to donate zines to a con:

  We are asking fanzine editors to donate a copy of their Dr. Who fanzines with Dr. Who stories in them to Panopticon West 1983. These zines will be available to be read by con attendees in our Reading Room during the course of PW '83. The zines will then, probably during the art auction be auctioned off. The proceeds from this special auction will go to the convention's official, BBC-approved charity, the Cousteau Society.

• a fan complains:

  I have been in fandom since 1976. At least as far as fanzines. Lately, I have ordered fanzines, spent my hard-earned money on them, and received nothing... I've included SASEs and never even gotten a reply. It's bad enough we get ripped off by the Establishment, but I expected better of fandom.

• Dorothy C. Laoang has a reply to a personal statement in the previous issue:

  I would like to offer some thoughts on the problem of zine piracy as addressed... First of all, I am saddened to hear about this practice, but I believe it is a symptom of a real problem in fandom that fan editors need to recognize. Like many others, I discovered fanzines long after Thrust, Nightvisions, and Companion, etc. went out of print. I have tried in vain to obtain copies of these and other zines to read, if only to borrow and return. Like a great many others, I cannot afford to pay auction prices of $50 and upwards per zine. I am acquainted with [names redacted] and I have repeatedly expressed to them a strong desire to read their zines. Unlike Carol's statement in her letter that she would 'help any fan obtain a copy of one of my publications legally,' AT NO TIME was I offered help in finding 'legal' copies at a reasonable price. With all this talk about 'the family of fandom,' etc., I have seen little evidence of it other than lip service... The only reason people buy pirated zines is because there is no other way to get to see them. Sadly, that is why the pirates will continue to do business.

• a personal statement by Shirley Maiewski says that she never authorized her name to be used to sell Modello Star Trek: The Wrath of Con wristwatches, blasts a man named J.K. Farris for buying a copy of the Welcommitee directory and using it to solicit fans, and stressed that the Welcommitee has never, and never will, endorse any product '"other than its own Paramount-licensed woven patches."
• a review of The Honorable Sacrifice, see that page
• a review of The Third Verdict, see that page
• a review of Twin Suns, see that page
• a review of Transition, see that pagem
• a review of Vault of Tomorrow #1, see that page

Issue 18 (1983)

Universal Translator 18 was published in April/June 1983 and contains about 36 pages.

front page of issue #18

• the editor says at this point, they print have a 1000 copy print run
• there are a number of explanations from editors on why zines are late; medical issues, car repairs, disagreements with printing shops are familiar reasons
• there is an ad in the Proposed Zines section for As I Do Thee
• Susan Matthews apologizes to a fan named [L S] for suggesting she is the one who is making bootleg copies of her Ragnorak zine simply by mentioning the tiny, tiny, tiny town she lives in; about the fan in question:

  [L S] is an honorable and responsible fan and any suspicions I cast in her direction will be misguided ones." The fan in question has been doing her own detective work at the post office in her town and says no one has seen that zine "If the unauthorized copies reprints are originating from Arizona, they are not coming from Tsaile.

• there is a long personal statement by Judith Gran on copyright and xeroxing zines. She points out that an editor's copyright extends only to her or his material in zine, not the whole zine itself and brings up the snarl that is profit and supply and demand. An excerpt:

  I doubt very much that a xerox copy of an out-of-print zine for one's own personal use is infringement. And... there is infringement ONLY if the editor's copyright is valid in the first place. I mention this because of the increasingly common practice of publishing zine as profit-making ventures, a practice that... takes fanzines out of the protection of fair use...In recent years, demand for Trekzines has created such a thriving auction market for out-of-print zines that some editors now anticipate and plan for sales at auction from the beginning. The editor of a popular zine may elect to charge much more for the than the zine's actual cost of production, knowing that readers will gladly pay the inflated price because they know they can double or triple their initial investment at auction later on. Then, the editor may announce that the zine is sold out, while holding back a number of copies for auction when the price goes up. She may even auction them off herself under a different name... I write this not from concern for Paramount's rights, but because of the effect of these practices on fans. Like the AMA, some editors have learned that limiting supply drives the price through the roof. But what about the authors and artists who produce the creative guts of a zine? They don't share the editor's profits from sale or auction. In many cases, they probably would prefer a wider distribution of the zine at an affordable price so their work would reach more readers. The plight of the the reader who cannot afford to pay $50 for a zine is obvious, especially for an 'out-of-print' zine that really isn't. In this situation, resourceful readers have turned to long-distance borrowing and xeroxing as the only practice ways to have access to the work of their fellow fans... Of course, I assume that the editors who have said they will enforce their copyrights against unauthorized xeroxers do not engage in any of the practices I've mentioned., and that they have valid and enforceable copyrights. But as for the editor who's elected to turn her fanzine into a lucrative commercial venture, well, she can't have it both ways. By choosing to publish in violation of the copyright, she has made her work fair game.

• there is a sarcastic personal statement from Lynda K. Roper who takes on the issue of xerox copies as it was addressed in the previous issue:

  How appalling to discover that [C F] and other zine publishers are not as dedicated to fandom as they should be. I mean, when someone decides to publish a zine, it should be a total commitment to ALL of fandom. Not only should the publisher think of the present but all future fan and assure that enough copies of her zine are produced for every single fan yet to come. If the publisher doesn't have the thousands of dollars to make sufficient copies, she should be willing to have any fan... walk in to her home and borrow her personal copies of out-of-print zines. ... If a zine publisher is too selfish to allow the private collection of her work to be lent out, the least she could do is maintain control over other people's zine auctions and make sure bidders keep their bids low enough for everyone to have a chance to buy what they want at a reasonable price. an if all of the above is not possible, then a zine publisher can only expect to have her zine xeroxed and sold by pirates.

• another fan, Sheila Clark, offers another view:

  First of all, I have never objected to anyone photocopying ScoTpress's out of print zines for their own use, and have given direct permission to people who have written me and asked where they could obtain certain zines to copy them if they can find anyone who has a copy. I'm not willing to send my own personal copies of O/P zines through the post. It's not that I don't trust the post office but... I don't trust the post office... I don't suppose we at ScoTpress are alone in sympathizing with people coming into fandom late and hearing about marvelous zines that are now O/P!

• this issue of Universal Translator contains no zine reviews
• there is an ad for An Angry Man

Issue 19 (1983)

Universal Translator 19 was published in July/September 1983 and contains about 36 pages.

front page of issue #19

• the editors say they are not a letterzine and will not print any more letters about copying zines after this issue
• there are letters from a number of fans regarding copying zines, most of them very angry at Judith Gran's letter in the previous issue, saying her letter was "scattershot" and "amateur" and who was she to speak for others? Most editors wrote that they had been misunderstood, and that they only meant they had a problem with people selling out-of-print zines they'd copied for a profit, not for fans' personal use. Some editors applauded Lynda K. Roper's letter in the previous issue, saying that fans were not saints and shouldn't be expected to act like them. One editor resented another fan's complaint about not helping hard enough to find copies of a zine, saying she "hardly knew the woman." One fan accuses Gran of being the cause of possibly even more pirating at most, and creating conflict at the least: "This whole situation now threatens to get out of hand. The number of zines actually copied and sold illicitly was probably small anyway, and the strong protests registered by the people at Pulsar and Relationship Press should have ended the matter there. Why Judith wanted to open up this whole other can of worms I'm sure I don't know." And every editor bent over backward to say she'd never made a dime selling fanzines, ever, except for when she'd made enough to fund the next zine.
• there are the usual personal statements from fans who have not recieved the zines they've paid for, and from editors who explain the lateness of their zines; one fan has lent out a copy of Spock Enslaved! and it was never returned. She says to keep a look out for it at auction, describes the personal stamps she has on the front: "If you see, it, it's mine, and I want it back!"
• a fan offers to help with zine layout: "I can help you with all those pesky title layouts. You buy, pay for, or send the lettering sheets, and I will do the labor in return for a free contributor's copy. I work fast and neat, and due to extreme myopia, rarely make mistakes that can be seen without a magnifying glass. Special favorites include adult ST, DW, and HSB, but I will happily help out anyone on anything."
• a review of Fesarius #4, see that page
• a review of Organia, see that page

Issue 20 (1983)

Universal Translator 20 was published in October/December 1983 and contains about 36 pages.

front page of issue #20

• a zine ed apologizes for past performance:

  I'd like to apologize for any inconvenience or worry I might have inadvertently caused in any contact you may have had with T'Kuhtian Press in the past. Due to a combination of factors, including an unpredictable work schedule, [more work hours]... and a bad lingering case of fannish burn-out on my part, I've let correspondance, processing of orders, and progress on our zine productions slide. Thanks to the help and encouragement o four good friends in fandom, a reduced work load, and, finally, renewed confidence in myself, I'm finally back on track and starting to catch up again with my backlog.

• another editor is back on track:

  Who said miracles don't happen?! As of 8/15/83, all but thirty pages of Matter/Antimatter #3/4 have been entered into the computer, and all the artwork is in with the exception of two illos...The printer has asked for four weeks in which to print the the zine, therefore the zine should be available sometime during the month of October... To all of you who've been so patient with us, Virginia and Karen and I would like to extend our appreciation and our thanks. It's been a long two years for us, too!

• Shirley Maiewski writes from the Star Trek Welcommittee about the recently finished survey of the listings of our Directory of Star Trek Organizations:

  The results of that survey are rather discouraging: only about %55 of those surveyed answered saying that they would want to continue being listed. There are probably many reasons for this percentage, such as people forgetting to answer, people on vacation or at school, et etcetera. We noticed a number of well-known clubs, zine, et etcetera, to be among the missing, and this worries us! The Directory is a the new fan's main approach to Fandom. A great many of the neos who contact us buy the Directory and we know that many of them write to the addresses listed and buy the material or find the club they can join. We feel that all fans should be listed. As you know, there is NO charge for being listed. We do have to charge for the Directory, but this charge -- $1.50 at present -- like all STW services, only covers the costs of printing and postage... We urge anyone who feels they may not be listed to contact Judy Segal at once, in order to be included in the next edition... 'Let us help!

• a fan writes a long detailed personal statement about six zines over the last year or so she has not received:

  I've read with a good deal of interest the subject of zine piracy and authorized sale of sad zines in 'Universal Translator' and Interstat. While I sympathize with people who are creative enough to put out a work/publication for others to buy and read, there is also the other side of the coin: people who want to read certain publications, who put their money out and expect to get something in return... So, [Katherine G] and [Dorothy L], you are not alone. I had to get my two cents in. If I may quote you out of context, [Dorothy L] in your letter of UT 17, 'The reason why people get pirated zines is you can't get them anywhere else today...

• a fan is putting together another edition of the Trexindex:

  Three years ago, I closed out [the second supplement] and vowed never to do another one. Since then, the fanzines have been rolling along, and I've decided there is enough interest left in fandom for me to try once more. However, I cannot do another issue without some input from my fellow editors. Therefore I must ask for help. Those editors who want their fanzine included in the new volume and are in doubt about whether I have information can contact me... Those editors who wish to trade (one copy of the zine for a copy of the Index) may do so. Any fanzine I acquire will become part of the Fanzine Library Collection and will not be sold or otherwise disposed of. Those editors who do not wish to trade but who want their fanzines indexed can send for an indexing form, which they can then send back to me with the requisite data. Those editors who, for whatever reason, do not wish their fanzines to be included in the 'Trexindex Third Index' must contact me before the end of the year so I can remove references before I start to type the finished copy.

• there is a rebuttal to a review of an article by Karen Osman in Organia in which she states that:

  Of course George Lucas' political biases were/are created and influenced by his contact with contemporary issues... But I wasn't dealing primarily with Lucas' biases. I was interested in the political structure of the SWars universe, and that it derived mainly from fairly tales and mythology.... ST is science fiction, and is a direct commentary on its historical period's political concerns...; SW is a fantasy, and is based on fairy tales which are medieval in origin and structure. So, an analysis of medieval, ancient, and early-modern political structures is important and germane to an analysis of the politics of Star Wars.

• a review of More Tales of Feldman, see that page
• a review of Don't! Tell It to the Captain, see that page