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SKIFFY_ZINES

                                             October 1, 2010

  In the RE/Search publication "ZINES!" Vol I,
  there's a "History of Zines" by Nico Ordway.

  This history is comprehensive enough to
  mention the development of Science Fiction
  zines as an important stage in the story,
  but is dismissive of them as narrow in
  scope:

      "But the science-fiction fanzines,
      notwithstanding their typically
      crude production and limited
      circulation, were still mainly
      dedicated to publicizing favorite
      movies and writers, rather than
      giving vent to the pure intellectual
      venturings of the producers."

  He's obviously unfamiliar with the
  reality of actual SF fanzines.

  Many of the popular ones were much
  like today's blogs: unrestricted              And yeah, back in the mid-80s,
  personal ramblings and musings.               it was hardly a big leap to
                                                get from Richard E. Geis
                                                zines to the doomfiles.
  Further: when you're talking about    
  Science Fiction, there's no limit                ALTER_EGO
  to the range of subjects you         
  potentially need to cover.        
           
  Politics, technology, philosophy,
  science, literature...

  Discussion about SF very quickly
  expands to include everything. 


        Ordway's history, however is
        really strong on revolutionary
        broadsheets and literary
        "little magazines" and so on.

           Clearly the intent is to play up
           the zine's cool antecedents, and 
           play down it's dorky ones...

           But it's no good, Jack.

           I'm a dork, you're a dork, we're all dorks.

           Get used to it.






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