I haven't actually seen #s 4 and 5, but the authors, titles, and descriptions of the stories are given in an ad for back issues in #9.
I find it interesting that the very first story in one of the oldest zines is a wallowy get-Avon story (he breaks a leg, is tortured by Tarvis, and is believed for a time to be dead). From the very beginning, fans wanted to hurt him, it seems. I wonder why? Were they picking up on hints in the canon (The Web, Hostage-- this is before such lovely lurid get-Avon-fests as Aftermath, Power, and Headhunter)? Did they want to see the cold facade break down? Or make the others prove that they care for dear Avon? Or what?
I picked this one up second-hand last year, so yes, it is still possible to buy original copies of the old zines if you hit the right second-hand stall. This is one from the early days, 1981. Nicely printed, with a gloss card cover to show off the B&W photo of Blake on the back cover.
The interior ink drawings are somewhat variable in quality, a mix of very nice indeed and ones where the likeness to the character is rather dubious, or the body proportions are wrong. Most of the internal illos are for specific scenes rather than generic, something I like to see.
Letters page
A couple of letters from readers, allegedly. The one complaining about the quality of the "tantalising time tour" holiday booked from an ad in a previous issue offers an interesting view of the fourth Doctor:-)
The Mediators of Ellion
The Liberator goes to the aid of a crashed spaceship, and picks up the ship's mercy mission to a colony planet. Some standard SF themes, nicely written. I had a couple of minor quibbles, most notably that it took the crew so long to work out what was going on. It could also have done with a little more attention to detail - Avon certainly doesn't look heavier than Blake to my eye, and the doorway to the flight deck does not have a door in it. However, I enjoyed the story.
A sequel to 'There's something wrong on Strawberry Hill'
One page humorous sequel to something in a previous issue, which presumably had the Federation putting out a propaganda series depicting the crew as cripples and rapists. I'd probably have found it more amusing if I'd read the original work, but not bad.
"Normal service will be resumed shortly"
Another sequel to an earlier piece. Longer, has a minor cross-over with Hitchhiker and is not my sense of humour.
Where is thy victory?
Interesting aliens, nice characterisation, plot hole large enough to fly the Liberator through.
The Merry Rebels of Terminal
Short Shakespeare pastiche set on Terminal, with the characters aware that they are characters, and speculating on the likelihood of renewal. Very much dependent on personal taste.
Fiction:
Carla Percival and Ann O'Neill, "In the End" (S1; A-hc)
Barbara Wakely, "A Brief Respite" (S2)
Brenda Callagher, "It Takes a Thief" (S0; V)
Marilyn White, "To What Green Altar" (S2; A-hc)
Nonfiction:
Ann O'Neill, editorial
Art:
Ann O'Neill cover Zen
John Dell p. a B-G cartoon
p. c Terry Nation cartoon
p. 3 trooper & pursuit ship
p. 4 B
pp. 7-8 "Radio One Cartoon"
p. 12 cartoons
p. 29 B
Fiction:
Ann O'Neill, "From Out of the Night" (S2; A's brother Terrick)
G. A. Wheatley, "Atala" (S2?; ocf)
Nonfiction:
Carla Percival, "Intergalactic Top Ten Record Breakers" (humor)
Art:
Ann O'Neill cover Zen
p. 61 "Goodnight" (cartoon)
John Dell p. 25 Liberator cutaway diagram
p. 27 Liberator cartoon
p. 28 "Now What If?" (cartoons, based on ideas by Ann O'Neill)
p. 60 "Cartoon Time"
Fiction:
Linda Webb-Taylor, "Mission of Mercy" (S2)
Yvette Clark, "Timeslip" (S2; B; V-hc)
Peter Hall, "Spacewave" (S2)
Nonfiction:
"Intergalactic Top Ten Record Breakers" (humor)
Ads for clubs and zines
Art:
John Dell cover pursuit ship
p. 35 alien; illo for "Mission"
p. 43 alien mascot cartoon
p. 44 pursuit ship cutaway diagram
p. 60 J cartoon
Fiction:
Linda Webb-Taylor, "Alliance" (S2?)
Brenda Callgher, "Nightmare" (sequel to "Timeslip" in #3; S2; B-V)
Nonfiction:
Yvette Clark, "A Fifth Grade Ignorant?-- We Think Not!" (essay)
Fiction:
Barbara Wakely, "Bloodlust" (S2?)
Yvette Clark, "Posession" (S2?; V)
Nonfiction:
Judith Cross, "The Making of 'Blake's Seven'" (article)
Viv Callaway, "Terracon '79" (con report)
Fiction:
Brenda Callagher, "The Gemini Connection" (S2)
Ann O'Neill, "Midnight of the Mind" (S2)
Nonfiction:
Ann O'Neill, "Personal Communication" (editorial)
Ann O'Neill, "Alien" (review)
Amanda Cable, "Alien Quiz" (multimedia)
Art:
John Dell cover troopers & body
p. a Liberator
p. b alien cartoon
p. 3 troopers
p. 5 pursuit ship
p. 8 Liberator silhouette
p. 9 B
p. 12 J
p. 14 C
p. 16 J
p. 18 A-B
p. 19 V
p. 23 A-V cartoon
p. 25 "Alien" cartoon
p. 26 "Alien" cartoon
p. 27 aliens, cartoon
p. 28 "City" class cargo ship cutaway diagram
p. 30 illo for "Midnight"
p. 35 pursuit ships
p. 38 alien, cartoon
Fiction:
Ann O'Neill, "To Drink from the Styx" (S3; A-hc)
Barbara Wakely, "To the Brink of Eternity" (S2; alt-post-Star One; B-J death)
Kathleen Glancy, "The Real Reason" (script; alt-S3, alt-Aftermath; B/J, A/C; humor)
Yvette Clark, "An Exchange of Views" (S2?; A-V)
Keith Sumner, "Zen's Mission" (S2; alt-post-Star One; Z)
Keith Sumner, "A Day in the Life" (S2?; O-Z)
Kathleen Glancy, "Crossed Lines" (script; S1?; multiple crossovers; humor)
Nonfiction:
Viv Callaway, "Personal Communication" (editorial)
"Interview: David Maloney"
Keith Sumner, "Readers' Letters" (humor)
Peter Hall, "Is Zen Dead?" (essay)
Peter Hall, "City Class Cargo Ship"
Barbara Wakely, "Jumbo Word Search"
Information on back issues
Ads for zines, clubs, conventions
Art:
John Dell cover "Argus 700" (spaceship)
p. b Liberator
p. 24 A cartoon
p. 26 cartoon
p. 26b pullout: Liberator
p. 26c pullout: Avon
p. 27 Liberator handgun cutaway diagram
p. 28 cartoons
p. 31 J; SW cartoon
p. 32 cartoon illo for "The Real"
p. 34 A
p. 35 Old Troopers cartoon
p. 36 "Del Tarrant Space Piloting School" cartoon
pp. 38-9 cartoon
p. 40 City class cargo ships
p. 44 "Join the Autospace Association" cartoon
p. 45 "Alien" and SW cartoons
p. 47 cartoons
p. 49 cartoon
p. 50 DW
p. 51 spaceships; cartoons
Simon Lake p. 1 Liberator
p. 3 A; illo for "To Drink"
p. 7 Ta-C-ocm; illo for "To Drink"
p. 10 A; illo for "To Drink"
p. 13 D
p. 18 Ta-C
p. 20 V-C; illo for "To Drink"
Fiction:
Barbara Wakely, "Vice Versa" (S2?; A-B)
Kathleen Glancy, "Servalan, the Scot" (monologue; S3; humor)
Yvette Clark (from a synopsis by Ann O'Neill), "One Man's Measure" (S2; V)
Nonfiction:
Ann O'Neill, "Personal Communication" (editorial)
Keith Sumner, "Letter Page" (humor)
Peter Hall, "History of Paragun Mark 14"
"Interview: Paul Darrow, Actor"
"Avon... On Reflection" (quotes from Julius Caesar)
Chris Reay, "Avon-- A Personal View" (essay)
Chris Reay, "Cally-- A Personal View" (essay)
Chris Reay, "Can We Take Vila Seriously?" (essay)
Anthony King, "Build It Yourself-- Liberator Handgun"
Keith Sumner, "Heroes" (humor)
Information on back issues
Ads for zines, clubs, conventions
Poetry:
Kathleen Glancy, "Sarcophagus, a Double Soliloquy"
Art:
Anne Marie cover Liberator (based on drawing by John Dell)
John Dell p. a pursuit ship
p. c alien reading zine; cartoon
p. 1 Snoopy cartoon
p. 2 B
p. 4 J
p. 5 B-A cartoon
p. 6 Paragun Mark 14 cutaway diagram
p. 8 Se
p. 14 A-O cartoon
p. 19 mutoid
p. 44 O cartoon
p. 46 "It Could Happen" (cartoons based on ideas by Keith Sumner)
p. 47 B
p. 51 models-- cartoon
p. 53 A cartoon
p. 56 pursuit ships
p. 57 cartoon
p. 58 "Somewhere in Space" (cartoon based on idea by Keith Sumner)
John Peel p. 10 A-C
p. 16 C
p. 45 V
Simon Lake p. 22 A; illo for "One"
p. 26 illo for "One"
p. 30 wolverine; illo for "One"
p. 34 C; illo for "One"
p. 31 wolverines; illo for "One"
p. 41 V; illo for "One"
Fiction:
Peter Hall, "There's Something Wrong on Strawberry
Hollow" (S2; looks like an AU but isn't)
Kathleen Glancy, "Verily I Say Unto You" (S2?; script;
Biblical pastiche; humor)
Ann O'Neill, "Between Black and White" ("Originally
written in 1978. Rewritten by original author."
Reputed to be the source of the fannish concept of
Avon's allergies.) (S1; A-hc)
Anthony Murray, "The Glorious Day" (S2; humor)
Nonfiction:
Viv Callaway, "Welcom" (editorial)
Keith Sumner, "Readers' Letters Page" (humor)
"Quote Time" (quotes)
"Review Time-- 'The Empire Strikes Back'"
Ads for zines and clubs
Anthony King, "Build It Yourself-- Teleport Bracelet"
Art:
John Dell cover pursuit ships
ed. page cartoon
pp. 3, 4, 6, 7 cartoon illos for "There's Something Wrong"
p. 8 A-O cartoon
p. 12 illo for "Between"
p. 15 pursuit ships
p. 16 pursuit ships
p. 18 A
p. 19 buildings
p. 21 illo for "Between"
p. 24 "
p. 25 "
p. 26 "
p. 30 B on flight deck
p. 33 illo for "Between"
p. 34 illo for "Between"
p. 37 "
p. 45 cartoon, based on idea by Keith Sumner
p. 51 illo for "Glorious"
p. 52 cartoon
p. 53 A
p. 56 alien thinking of Liberator
p. 57 "Would You Believe"
p. 59 alien reading the zine
B.B.C. center pullout photos of A and C
Fiction:
Linda Webb-Taylor, "The Mediators of Ellion"
Kathleen Glancy, "A Sequel to 'There's Something Wrong on
Strawberry Hollow' (As Seen in Issue Nine)"
Anthony Murray, "Normal Service Will Be Resumed Shortly" (humor)
Viv Callaway, "Where Is Thy Victory?" (S3; Ta)
Peter Anghelides, "The Merry Rebels of Terminal"
(Shakespeare pastiche; S3, post-Terminal)
Nonfiction:
Ann O'Neill and Viv Callaway, "Personal Communication" (editorial)
Keith Sumner, "Letters Page" (humor)
Anthony King, "D.I.Y.-- Avon-style Repair and Maintenance Kit"
Janet Connolly, "Jan's Page" (advice column; humor)
Art:
David Bowden front c. Liberator
pp. 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 20, 23, 27
illos for "Mediators"
p. 33 "Orac Fan Club" (cartoon based on idea by Keith Sumner)
pp. 42, 44, 46, 49, 51, 52, 54, 55, 58, 59
illos for "Where"
B.B.C. back c. photo of B
Fiction:
Rosalyn Paterson, "The Fight for Several" (S4; humor)
Sue Stuart, "What Will Vila Say?" (S4?)
Freda Hyatt, "The Human Factor" (S2?)
Moira Dahlberg, "What?" (S3; real world crossover; PD on Liberator)
Nonfiction:
Ann O'Neill and Viv Callaway, editorial
Ads for zines and clubs
Kathleen Glancy, "Obligatory Bits of Shirt" (humor)
Kathleen Glancy, "Dear Jan" (humor)
Poetry:
Pat Cash, "Limericks"
Art:
David Bowden front c. Scorpio
p. 3 Se
pp. 6 ff. illos for "The Human Factor"
p. 57 A
Dan Bowden p. 4 "Planet Hibiscus III" (cartoon based on idea by Keith Sumner)
B.B.C. back c. photo of J
Last updated on 14th of January 2000.