Artwork
Cover by Phoenix. Nude. Doesn't really look like Avon as far as I can see (too soppy expression & too over-muscled). There are some more Phoenix's in this 'zine which I don't like, I think she can do him as too Soppy & Quivery.
A nice A/T by Randym. I'm always amazed by her pictures because the characters are more recognisable than some in more naturalistic artwork despite being incredibly stylised.
A rather good soft-pencil thing of Blake's face by Laura Virgil. Nicely sensual. Slightly wary or pensive expression - I think he's looking at Avon & thinking What's He Up To Now...
A couple of fun cartoons by Leah Rosenthal.
Some line drawings by Jessikah Rian which I really don't like at all.
My absolute favourite in this 'zine is the full-colour Lovett illustrating "Weight Watchers": lovely sensual golden picture of Avon & Blake cuddling up in the afterglow.
Poetry:
Well, you know what I'm likely to think of fan poetry by now...
Stories:
The Hand of Friendship (A/V) by N.T. Casillas
Avon decides not only to kill Tynus for betraying their friendship but to make his life a misery first. He & Vila stage a slightly d/s sex scene (Vila as Top) in order to show Tynus (via the surveillance cameras) that Avon will permit Vila intimacies he never permitted Tynus.
Weight Watchers (A/B) by Matilda Willard
My favourite story in this 'zine. A nice just-for-fun PWP (I have a weakness for A/B PWPs - Vila shouldn't get *all* the fun & games stories). No redeeming social value, no plot-as-an-excuse, no ritual Avon-Being-Agonised-Afterwards, just sheer sexual greed. I *like* that in a story. Avon manages to catch Blake trying to sneak a piece of illicit chocolate cake at the dead of night, & manages to distract him from breaking his diet by a thorough & draining exercise routine.
Change of Pace (A/T) by Paula
PWP. Avon decides to go to the public baths one shore leave - and meets somebody unexpectedly familiar.
Scattered Petals (V/Soolin) by Anon
Only het story in this 'zine. Nice gentle bittersweet story - Soolin dares Vila to be romantic instead of clodhopping & Vila determines to really surprise her.
For Play (A/V) by E. Lapidae
No overt sex scene - although the ending is obviously leading up to sex. 2 illos by Phoenix of Avon with a kitten. Avon finds a stray kitten - showing Vila the softer side well hidden under his forbidding exterior.
Deliverance (A/B) by Pat Ellen
Very heavy d/s - Blake is Top, satisfying Avon's Federation-conditioned need to be controlled while trying to make him revolt against it. I don't dislike d/s in slash but I found the "brainwashing" (although in a good cause) angle uncomfortable to read. I also thought the tangled knot of emotions was a little fuzzy, but that may have been the point.
Fortune's Soldiers (T/Grant) by Cami
Tarrant has a fling with Grant in the adrenalin high after a battle. Nice considerate sex scenes.
Hitting Bottom (A/V) by Catocala
Nice send-up. This has Avon Sozzled & Randy while Vila is the BSO. Avon goes back to his cabin trying to convince himself that he is "a rock of independence, a monolith of prepossession, a model of ultimate control" but one glimpse of Vila on his bed & he's ripping his own clothes off ("Leather flew everywhere, like a chainsaw run wild in a shoe factory"). Made me laugh, anyway.
Liars (A/V) by R. Olivia Brown
Avon has to go & kill his Evil Mad Scientist brother. I like the bit where the Evil Brother is hoist with his own petard, but I don't find the story really works for me - feels a bit like a gen story crammed together w/ a slash story.
It's a Small Ship, After All by Natasha Barry
I can't get a handle on this one at all. The situation is that Blake had a fling w/ Avon a week ago, & Avon wants to forget all about it while Blake wants a serious relationship. The entire story is made up of the crew having long conversations about their emotions - it seems scrappy to me & full of contradictions. Also the way the emotions are talked about rather than expressed has a distancing effect.
Orac's Research (A/V + alternate A/V) by Ty Downs
Orac messes about w/ the nature of reality or something, & we get the parallel-universe versions of Avon & Vila getting mixed up w/ "our" ones. In the parallel universe the classes are reversed so Delta Vila is above Alphas Avon & Blake. I don't think it's done as a joke (I may as always be wrong...) but what w/ the role-reversal, Blake as Vila's sex toy, & multiple orgasms all over the place I don't find it at all convincing.
Fiction:
N. T. Casillas, "The Hand of Friendship" (A/V)
Matilda Willard, "Weight Watchers" (A/B)
Paula, "Change of Pace" (A/Ta)
Anon, "Scattered Petals" (adult; V/So)
Matilda Willard, "Festival" (A/B)
E. Lapidae, "For Play" (A/V)
pat ellen, "Deliverance" (A/B)
Cami, "Fortunes Soldiers" (Ta/Del Grant)
Catocala, "Hitting Bottom" (A/V)
R. Olivia Brown, "Liars" (A/V)
Natasha Barry, "It's a Small Ship, After All" (A/B)
Ty Downs, "Orac's Research" (A/V)
Poetry:
Gene S. Delapenia, "Mystery" (?)
Khylara, "Stolen Moments" (A/B)
Judith Ellison, "For What It's Worth" (?A/B?)
Jane Mailander, "Only Mistaken" (V to A)
Gene S. Delapenia, "Acceptance" (A/B)
Judith Ellison, "Ever Hopeful" (A/B/V)
Jane Mailander, "Hermit Crab" (A/?)
Khylara, "Here in This Room" (A/V)
Khylara, "Fire with Fire" (A/B)
Art:
Phoenix cover nude A
facing p. 62 A in leather
facing p. 68 nude A & kitten (foldout)
facing p. 76 A in parka, & kitten
facing p. 89 A (illo for "Deliverance")
Jessikah Rian p. 2 A/V
p. 13 A/V
Suzan Lovett facing p. 30 A/B, color
Randym p. 35 A/Ta
Leah Rosenthal p. 40 cartoon (B-V)
p. 112 cartoon (A, B, V)
Laura Virgil facing p. 52 B (face)
Current price from Denetia not known, they used to be: $17.00 first class, $24.00 Europe - Checking recommended. That includes postage and handling.
Denetia also writes in her last flyer that she can take English pounds cash, Thomas Cook traveller's checks, and personal checks (but be sure to include proper id on those). She said, please do the best you can on the conversion of $ --> pounds.
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Back to Blake's 7 Index Last updated on 02nd of February 2003.