Well of the Souls
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Well of the Souls |
| Publisher: | Bullwhip Press |
| Editor(s): | Sally Smith |
| Date(s): | 1982-1991 |
| Series?: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Indiana Jones |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Well of the Souls is an Indiana Jones anthology fanzine. There are six issues.
A flyer for #4 calls it "the only regularly-published Indiana Jones zine."
About the Zine
What makes WOTS unique: One of the contributors to #5 made some comments me awhile back about the zine, and she was right. It's cheap, it's sleazy, it's tacky, it's weird, it's silly, and it's damn proud of it! It has always been that way. I'm in this for the fun of it. You want four-color covers and perfect binding, there are any number of good zines on the market I'll be happy to recommend. What you get with WOTS is, more than anything, an attitude: "Take it easy, kid, it's only a movie." Or maybe, "We're only here for the beer." WOTS' editorial policy has always been: if I like it, I print it. If I don't, I don't. I don't care if you're a big name fan or somebody who just fell off the turnip truck. If it's offbeat or tongue-in-cheek (but well-written, I hasten to add), it's got a home here. And remember, it's all in fun, so don't anybody get huffy about it. Some people are starting to take fandom too seriously. I encourage you to slap me silly if I ever do. [1]
Issue 1
Well of the Souls 1 was published in January 1982 and contains 62 pages.
The editors state they would like to have art by "like Martynn, Joni, Becky, etc." but there was no time, and therefore, the art in this zine is by Janice Liedl, Rena Leith, Joe Lyon, and Sheila Truax.
From Sally:
Thanks to all of you readers out there, special thanks to our contributors, our printers, Rena and Michael, my husband Joe for putting up with a wife who wanted nothing for her birthday save a fedora and a whip, and to whoever gave me the patience to tolerate a co-editor who has THIRTY-SIX pictures of Harrison Ford in her room (No kidding, folks, I counted them myself. This person's impossible — every time we go see "Raiders" together, I have to hose her down with the ice from her Coke during the scene in the Bantu Wind cabin!).
Why are we doing this? Well, it all started when I saw "Raiders" at a sneak preview a day early (I'm an original fan!), and then I met Sheila and she had a story idea, and then I did, and... "Hey kids, let's put out a zine!" See, we just happen to adore this flick, what with George and Steven doing it, and both of us always having this passion for archaeology (and Truax having this passion for...I'd better shut up before she hits me). Anyway, hope you enjoy our zine — please comment! Look for us at cons — we'll either be dressed like in the cartoon on this page, or else as Lucas and Spielberg (you'll know us, we'll be the ones with the fake beards and French Foreign Legion hats).
- Little Bits of Junk, editorial (2)
- Intercepted Communiques (in future issues, this will be letters of comment) (4)
- Sumer Summer, fiction by Sally Smith (6)
- Fun with George and Steven by Sally Smith and Sheila Truax (short verses and illos in the style of Star Trek Primer: A Child's Garden of Space) (17)
- Thoughts, poem by Sally Smith (23)
- And... Then There Was Light! by James Rowland (an alternative ending to the movie, in script form) (24)
- What's Wrong With This Picture? - or, Raiders of the Third Kind Strike Back (29)
- Trivia Quiz (39)
- Well of the Itza, fiction by Sheila Truax (44)
- Caught, poem by Rena Leith (55)
- So... You Want to Be An Archaeologist, article by Sally Smith ("Well, good for you! Only one problem - most archaeology profs I've seen are middle-aged, fat, balding, etc., not at all like our favorite. Sigh. [...] Anyway, this is the first in a series of non-fiction articles by your humble editors. This particular one is being cannibalized from my high school anthropology notes.") (56)
- Trivia Quiz Answers (58)
- Beg, Beg, Grovel, Grovel (about future submissions, "Lucasfilm has issued a statement to the effect that excessive violence and explicit sex are not allowed. Innuendo may be used, however. Since we have been the go-ahead from Lucasfilm, we felt we should stick to their guidelines. You can submit, uh, "non-PG-rated material" — it WON'T get printed, but the editors will read it with great glee...") (62)
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Janice Liedl
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, Sheila Truax
from issue #1, quiz page
from issue #1, Rena Leith
Issue 2
Well of the Souls 2 was published in June 1982 and contains 64 pages.
The art is by Cheryl Fint, Rena Leith, Janice Liedl, Delores McAllister, Tammy Monfette, Virgina Rogers, Bob West, and Sheila Truax. The calligrapher was Mary Dowd.
- Little Bits of Junk by the editors (mostly about changes at Lucasfilm, the release of Poltergeist and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, and a description of watching the pre-release of Bladerunner: "I was privileged to see a
sneak of BR on the 5th of March, We refer to it around here as "Riddley's Home Movie" since the film and voice track were still on separate reels, a couple of the reel changes were sloppy (the markers weren't on the film, yet), and there weren't any credits except the title, Harrison's name and THE END. What can you expect, though, when the film came out of the developing room at 6 AM for a 6 PM. showing? Plus, having to be flown from L.A. to Denver? You're forgiven, Ridley.") (2)
- Intercepted Communiques, letters of comment (6)
- Mabuhay, fiction by Rena Leith ("Indy and Marcus team up for one last dig—maybe!") (11)
- Indy Jones, poem by Tammy Monfette (23)
- An Open Letter by Sally Smith (tongue-in-cheek letter written to George Lucas about making so many great movies as it's hard to have time and energy to be a fan of them all) (25)
- The Secret of the Grand Lama (chapter 1), fiction by James Rowland ("A student of Indy's is in China just before the Second World War helping the OSS.") (26)
- You Know? A Drink?, fiction by Sally Smith (29)
- Tanis and Shishak: The Reality, article by Sheila Truax (35)
- Visit to An Old Friend, fiction by Sally Smith (37)
- Son of Trivia Quiz by the editors (39)
- La Maison Dans Paris, fiction by Sheila Truax ("How Rene spends his time when he isn't hassling Indy.") (40)
- Bazaar, ads (62)
from issue #2, Sheila Truax
from issue #2, Rena Leith
from issue #2, Cheryl Fint
from issue #2
from issue #2
from issue #2, Sheila Truax
from issue #2, Janice Liedl
from issue #2, Bob West
from issue #2, Cheryl Fint
from issue #2, inside back cover, Cheryl Fint
Issue 3
Well of the Souls 3 was published in 1983.
- Interlude on the Bantu Wind by Jeannie Webster ("The scene that didn't appear in the movie!")
- Provenance by Roberta Rogow. Paris, 1920 ("Indy and Rene meet Corey, a man with no past... and a pure, gold coin.")
- "Xi-Cna: The Green Goddess by Cheryl Flint ("A mysterious Chinese temple beckons Indy. Then a man disappears inside...")
- Birds of a Feather by Sally Smith. Indiana Jones and Jake Cutter."
- Rites of Spring by Barbara T ("Indy faces the greatest challenge of his career—from a VERY unexpected source.")
- The Secret of the Grand Lama (chapter 2) by James Rowland
- poetry, filks, non-fiction, art, and cartoons
Issue 4
Well of the Souls 4 was published in May 1984 (second printing: January 1986) and has 104 pages.
The cover is by Martynn, and the interior art is by Cheree Cargill, Cheryl Fint, B.J. Kreuz, Cathy Woldow, and Sheila Truax.
- Little Bits of Junk, editorial (2)
- Intercepted Communique, LOCs (6)
- An Eye for an Eye by Tammy Monfette ("Indy and Belloq are drawn to a mysterious jungle city for the legendary jewels it is said to hold. What they find there is more than they bargained for...or could conceive of in their wildest dreams—or worst nightmares.") (10)
- puzzles by Marci Erwin (29)
- The Exhibit by Carol-Lynn Sappe ("A handsome archaeologist and his beautiful assistant try to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from its hiding place. If you think you've heard it before, you're wrong—because this archaeologist's name is Marcus B. Jones and this is today!") (32)
- What I Did on my Summer Vacation, part 1 by Sally Smith and Cathy Woldow (a Worldcon con report.) (46)
- Raiders One More Time by Cathy Woldow (50)
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes by Tana Christenson (53)
- Well of Souls by Barbara T. (53)
- Repercussions by Jeannie Webster (54)
- Wartime Adjustments by Jeannie Webster (60)
- As Time Goes By by Jeannie Webster and Sally Smith ("A few small incidents from the life and times of Dr. and Mrs. Jones, from 1939 to 1983. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always containing more in jokes than you can imagine!") (72)
- Bazaar, zine listings (103)
Issue 5
Well of the Souls 5 was published in January 1986. A two-time BALROG nominee.
The art is by Gerald Crotty, Jean Ellenbacher, Cheryl Fint, Pat Posadas (cover), William Rostler, Terelle Terry, and Cathy Woldow.
- Little Bits of Junk, editorial (2)
- Intercepted Communiques, LOCs (4)
- Anything Goes by Jeannie Webster ("In 1937, Indy and Marion decide to visit a nightclub. when Indy recognizes the blonde singer, things get...uh...interesting between Willie and Marion!") ("inspired by Kate Capshaw's comments on the Today show, May, 1984. All similarities to Destry Rides Again are strictly deliberate <G>.") (7)
- Filks by Marguarite P. O'Rourke (17)
- Raiders of the Last Fridge by Ros Wheadon ("A satirical script. The Nazis have stolen Indy's refrigerator, and he's the only one who can save the world from being flooded with frozen sauerkraut ——but he should've read the script first. or at least avoided Elstree!") (18)
- Trivia Quiz by Deanna MacKenn (29)
- As Time Goes By - Epilog by Jeannie Webster and Sally Smith ("It's the l980's and Indiana Jones' memoirs have hit the best—seller list. A couple of guys named George and Steven think the book would make a great movie--but they'll have to deal with Indy's skepticism, Harrison's business acumen, and the grandkids' requests to get the rights.") (31)
- Lucas and Spielberg: The Continuing Saga, article by Beth M. Lentz (43)
- What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part 2 by Sally Smith and the WOTS crew ("Just what was going on with all those weirdos at the L.A. Worldcon." (44)
- Give Me a Break by Mary Teel (47)
- Tinseltown by Roberta Rogow ("Willie and Shorty return to America and fall in with evil companions- like William Randolph Hearst. Katharine Hepburn. F. Scott Fitzgerald, David Niven, Louis B. Mayer...not to mention the Chinese thugs who are out to get Indy and Shorty in revenge for Lau Che's son’s death...and a natural disaster or two.") (48)
Issue 6
Well of the Souls 6 was published in 1991.
From a submission request in Zine Scene: "Due out for MediaWest 1991. After a hiatus, WOTS returns for its final (sob) issue. Going back to my original philosophy of a quality zine that you don't need a fork-lift to pick up, or a bank loan to buy, this will feature more of the adventures of Henry and Junior in "Here Abide Monsters" by Sheila Paulson. It'll be less than 100 pages. It'll be less than $10.00."
- Here Abide Monsters by Sheila Paulson (a Young Indy story)
- other unknown content
References
- ^ from Pop Stand Express #17