POWERPLAY

Mini Reviews by Sarah Thompson.

Issue 1

Powerplay is another one of my favorite zines. The longest and best story in #1, The Road to Hell, has been reprinted by Judith in the anthology of the same title; but it's still well worth looking for this and other issues of the zine, for the other stories and especially for the art. I have #s 1-5 out of 7. Each one is worth the price for the color Lovett cover alone. (In fact, I've heard that when the zine was first published, purchasers received not only the zine but an extra copy of the cover print, "suitable for framing." Dunno if that's actually true, but I've got framed copies of two of them, acquired at cons.)

This issue has lots of other Lovett goodies, and Caren Parnes too.

For Susan Matthews fans, here's one of her story-poems, with a stunning Lovett illo accompanying it.

The two stories by Emily Ross could easily ooze over into something slashy-- especially "Once More," in which Blake is sold in a slave market. The description of the battered-but-attractive body is suggestive of London Bates. There's an equally suggestive illo by TACS. "Cassandra" has A & V in prison together PWB.

"The Slumber Party" is just what it sounds like. The women discuss the sexual prowess of the men, who just happen to be listening in on the flight deck intercom. This takes place in the "Minor Arcana" universe, invented I think by Susan Matthews, in which all the crew are alive and together except Gan (sorry, Kathy!).

Contents

Editor/publisher: Marion McChesney (Edgwood, MD)
Date: 1987

Fiction:
Suzan Lovett, "The Road to Hell" (S2; alt-Hostage; A-B)
Emily Ross, "Once More into the Breach" (S2; B-hc)
Emily Ross, "Cassandra" (S0; A-V)
Susan Matthews, "The Great Lord Shiva's Dance" (narrative poem; S5; Drake's Venture crossover)
D. J. Driscoll, "The Slumber Party: An Oral Overture" (Minor Arcana universe; Part 1 of 5; humor)

Nonfiction:
Marion McChesney, "Editorial"

Poetry:
Marion McChesney, "Mirror Images"
Wendy Rathbone, "Terminal"
Roberta Rogow, "Pick a Pocket or Two" (f, Pick a Pocket or Two, from Oliver)
Marion McChesney, "The Longest Journey"
Wendy Rathbone, "Aftermath"
Susan Matthews, [see under Fiction]
Marion McChesney, "There's Laughter Too"

Art:
Suzan Lovett cover all crew; color
p. 82a B, A
p. 86a "Heaven doesn't want me..." (A)
p. 88a "The Great Lord Shiva's Dance"
p. 90a B & A laughing
Caren Parnes p. 12a B-A
p. 58a B, A
p. 74a A, B
TACS p. 80a B-A; illo for "Once More"
p. 84a A-V; illo for "Cassandra"
Sheila Willis p. 101 D

Issue 2

Editor/publisher: Marion McChesney (Edgwood, MD)
Date: January 1988

Fiction:
Suzan Lovett, "Doppelganger" (alt-S4)
D. J. Driscoll, "Dreamin'" (narrative poem; S1?; A-V)
Mary Gerstner, "Lonely in Your Nightmare" (S4; A)
Celeste Hotaling, "The Happy Ending" (S5; V)
L. E. O'Brien, "The Precipice" (S1?; A-B)
Kate Daniels, "Downtime" (S3; post-Terminal; A-V-C)
April Giordano, "For a Few Moments More" (S5; V)
Barbara Tennison, "Follow the Leader" (S3; post-Rumours)
Sheila Paulson, "The Seventh Gate" (S2; alt-Pressure Point)
D. J. Driscoll, "Revenge of the Slumber Party" (Minor Arcana universe; Part 2 of 5; humor)
Jane Sibley, "Voices" (S5; A-B)
D. J. Driscoll, "The Vicious Circle" (narrative poem; S5)
Cindy Henry, "The Survivor's Song" (S4)
Marion McChesney, "Across the Well of Time" (S1?)

Nonfiction:
Marion McChesney, "Editorial"

Poetry:
D. J. Driscoll, [see under Fiction]
Marion McChesney, "The Nature of the Beast"
Cindy Henry, "Even Now"
Paulie Kay, "Words Unuttered"
Kelly Hardin, "Gan"
Marion McChesney, "Mask"
Pat Jacquerie, "Sarcophagus"

Art:
Suzan Lovett front c. B as knight fighting dragon; color
p. 83 A-B; panther and bull
p. 122a A with mask of B
p. 137 B, A
Jean Clissold p. 4a illo for "Doppelganger"
p. 13 illo for "Doppelganger"
p. 24a illo for "Doppelganger"
p. 36 illo for "Doppelganger"
p. 87 B laughing
Celeste Hotaling p. 75 V; illo for "Happy"
Gayle Feyrer p. 87 A, C, V
Pamela Auditore p. 90 V
Pat Cash p. 99 illo for "Follow"
Laura Virgil p. 116? ?
p. 191 A
back c. V
Suzie Molnar p. 149 illo for "Song"
p. 168 illo for "Song"
TACS p. 178 illo for "Across"
Caro Hedge borders

POWERPLAY #3

No Info yet - sorry

POWERPLAY #4

Am I imagining things, or are there at least three stories in this zine that are related to the pictures (all by Leah) that were the basis of the writing contest in =Southern Seven= #5? SS#6 does indeed include a reprint of "Playing the Fool" and explains that the Bizarro-style cartoon of Vila as ax murderer was originally done to go with this story. But it also seems to me that "Quoth Avon 'Nevermore'" goes with the writing contest picture of Avon and the children, and "Too Good for You" (which I think I would have classified as an adult story even though it's not explicit-- Vila and Blake are sold as sex slaves on a female-dominant planet; Avon disguises himself as a woman) goes with the picture of naked Vila and long-haired Avon.
Larger review by CB

Contents

Editor/publisher: Marion McChesney (Edgewood, MD)
Date: January 1989

Fiction:
Jeane [sic] DeVore, "Love & War" (S1; B/J)
Marion McChesney, "Homing" (S5; A-Se)
April Murray, "Quoth Avon 'Nevermore'" (S3)
Jean Graham, "Hecate Waits" (S2; A-J; A-hc)
Ann Wortham and Leah Rosenthal, "Playing the Fool" (S2; A/V; humor)
Jeff Morris, "And Then There Was One" (S5; O)
Steven Swanger, "Lost" (S3; J)
Joan Hoffman, "Nothing But the Thorn" (S0; Se/Don Keller)
Paulie Kay, "Too Good for You" (S1; V/ocfs, B/ocfs)
Sheila Paulson, "Past Tense" (S5; Ta, A)
Sue Wells and Dee Beetem, "Last Clear Chance" (S5; A-B)
Mary Gerstner, "Memory" (S5; A)
Kathy Hintze, "A Fool's Wager" (S4; alt-Orbit)
D. J. Driscoll, "Part IV: The Wrath of the Slumber
Party" (Minor Arcana universe; Part 4 of 5; humor)
Judith Kitses [sic], "Still Life" (S5; A/ocf; A-hc)

Nonfiction:
Marion McChesney, "Editorial"

Poetry:
Cindy Rancourt, "A Letter" (Ta)
Pat Jacquerie, "Flight Down"
Pat Jacquerie, "Voice of Reason"
Shoshanna, "After Sarcophagus: Avon, Cally"

Art:
Suzan Lovett cover A & B as magicians (after Michael Whelan)
p. 86a A and Grim Reaper
Adrian Morgan p. 6a J; illo for "Love & War"
p. 36a C-J; illo for "Love & War"
p. 46a B-J; illo for "Love & War"
Karen River p. 52a A
O'Caoindeablan p. 62 Liberator cartoon
p. 94a Se; illo for "Nothing But"
Sue Williams p. 72a A
p. 216a V
Gayle Feyrer p. 120a A-B
Annette Hall p. 124a A; illo for "Memories"

POWERPLAY #5

This time the cover is by Jean Kluge instead of Suzan Lovett, but it's equally beautiful. Makes me wish that Jean did more B7 work.

My two top favorite stories in this issue are Tashery's long-after- GP surprise-ending gem, "Crusader," which is illustrated with a Lovett foldout; and Shoshanna's heartbreaking story in which Avon and Cally do =not= become lovers (sniff!). BTW, I think I'm going to start using "uc" to indicate "unconsummated" pairings.

Contents

Editor: Marion McChesney
Publisher: Paw Print Press (Edgewood, MD)
Date: April 1989

Fiction:
Cindy Rancourt, "Infernus" (S5; A-V-B; A-hc)
Heather Saavaarda [sic], "The Way to the Beginning" (S0; C)
Sue Glaven, "Intruders" (S5)
Tom Beck, "Physicist" (S2; post-Hostage)
Tashery Shannon, "Crusader" (S5; Se)
Shoshanna, "What Dreams May Come" (S3; post- Sarcophagus; uc A/C)
Sue Williams, "Timeless Conflict" (S2)
Judith Kitzes, "The Flying Dutchman" (sequel to "Still Life" in #4; S3-S5; A/ocf)
Judith Kitzes, "Hurricane" (sequel to "The Flying Dutchman;" S5; A/ocf, B/ocf)

Nonfiction:
Marion McChesney, "Editorial"

Poetry:
P. Del Ames, "Balance: Blake, Avon"
Pat Jacquerie, "Broken Image: Vila, Avon"
Alicia Ann Fox, "Knowledge" (Sand; Se)
Alicia Ann Fox, "Musing, at the Pilot's Controls" (Sand; Ta)
Jacqueline Taero, "Next-to-Last Thoughts on Gauda Prime: Tarrant"

Art:
Jean Kluge cover A as juggler
Suzan Lovett facing p. 84 foldout illo for "Crusader"
Karen River p. 92a A-V in Orbit
p. 214a A
Sue Williams p. 100a B
p. 104a A
p. 104b A with beard
TACS p. 160a illo for "Flying"

POWERPLAY #6

Editor: Marion McChesney
Publisher: Paw Print Press
Date: 1989

Fiction:
Judith Kitzes, "Letters" (S2)
Cindy Rancourt, "Purgatorio" (S5; sequel to "Infernus" (Powerplay5))
April Murray, "Silent Knight" (S2)
Debbie McKean, "Something Fishy" (S3)
Kathy Hintze, "Lest We Forgive" (S5)
April Murray, "Next Generation" (S5)
Jill Grundfest, "Childhood's End" (S2)
April Giordano, "The Stonecutter" (post-"Terminal")
Leigh Arnold, "Avon's Big Score" (S4)
D. J. Driscoll, "Slumber Party IV: The Final Frontier" (alt)

Poetry:
Sue Williams, "Tale of a Fool"
Mary G. T. Webber, "The Legacy"
Sue Williams, "I Wish I Knew"
Jacqueline Taeor, "Evensong: Avon"
Marion McChesney, "The River"
Sue Williams, "It Tolls for Thee"

Art:
Suzan Lovett cover B, A, Arthurian
p. 12b A-B; illo for "Letters"
p. 52b A-B; illo for "The Legacy"
p. 96b A; illo for "Next Generation"
Adrian Morgan p. 36b A; illo for "Purgatorio"
p. 164b A; illo for "Purgatorio"
p. 164c A-V; illo for "Purgatorio"
Sue Williams p. 86 A-B; illo for "I Wish I Knew"
p. 142 A; illo for "It Tolls for Thee"
Karen River p. 98b A; illo for "Evensong: Avon"
p. 126b A-V; illo for "The River"
Gayle Feyrer back cover A

POWERPLAY #7

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