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Starlog #41, December 1980: A Flashy Flash

Milestones this issue: Robert Greenberger (future founding editor of Starlog's Comics Scene magazine), joins the staff as a production assistant; Susan Adamo graduates from an associate editor to the magazine's managing editor; David Houston, who'd dropped off the staffbox last issue, returns to join the columnist list; however, science columnist Jonathan Eberhart is no longer listed -- we've seen the last of his Interplanetary Excursions, Inc., column. No matter how much Isaac Asimov liked it. Also, the magazine prints its postal statement of ownership and circulation in a more timely manner, a couple months earlier in the year than it did it last time (February 1980). The paid circulation for the issue closest to the statement's filing deadline is listed as 146,637 (up 1,000 from the previous year), including the number of paid subscriptions of 19,000 (the same as last time).

Starlog #41
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.25

Dino DeLaurentiis' big-screen re-imagining of the science-fiction/fantasy Flash Gordon takes center stage this issue. And two running controveries -- draft registration and the David Gerrold/Dorothy Fontana vs. Fred Freiberger issue -- continue burning. Meanwhile, another controversy is resolved happily.

Publisher Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge column covers his love for Carl Sagan's Cosmos science TV series, plus some critical feedback from readers; if you thought O'Quinn had criticial feedback in his column, turn the page to the Communications section, where there's almost a page of reader response to his editorial against the draft, plus D.C. Fontana responds to Fred Freiberger's interview; in Log Entries, short news items include first word about Outland, an update on the Heavy Metal movie, the resolution of the Star Wars - Battlestar Galactica copyright infringement war (Galactica won), Tex Avery dies, Mark Hamill and Harlan Ellison bury the hatchet, and more.

Karen E. Willson interviews Sam J. Jones about starring in the Flash Gordon movie (and the article includes a sidebar on the lawsuits over contract claims at the movie); David Gerrold's Rumblings explains why he's still bitter about how Fred Freiberger "Cloud Mind-ed" him and his work on Star Trek; Susan Adamo covers the science-fiction parody Starstruck; Steve Swires interviews director John Carpenter about Escape from New York; Bjo Trimble talks about "Running a Con for Fun and Break-Even"; Quest prints some cartoons and illustrations by a batch of readers; "Return" is a one-page poem by Howard Zimmerman, illustrated by Mark Mutchnik; David Hirsch presents a three-page photo overview of the miniature constructions used in Alien; Gerry Anderson's Space Report runs its thirtieth and final column; William Millman visits the set of The UFO Chronicles; Karen E. Willson interviews Melody Anderson, Dale Arden in Flash Gordon; Ron Goulart begins a multi-part look at "SF in the Comics," focusing on the early years of the 20th century (Up in the Air, The Explorigator, Little Nemo in Slumberland, and others); John A. Rupkalvis looks at 3-D special effects; David Houston's Visions column looks at the 1950s, the "Golden Age of Science-Fiction Television"; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword recommends Gregory Benford's Timescape book, says farewell to Space Report, and tries to egg on readers to demand more SF comics coverage.

"[A]t the same time Mr. [Fred] Freiberger was finding himself 'a victim' of my so-called 'non-professionalism,' I was writing two Lancer scripts, two High Chaparrals, and two Big Valley scripts for apparently satisfied producers. Further, Gene Roddenberry hired me in 1973 to be Associate Producer/Story Editor for the first season of Star Trek Animated and, to my knowledge, was satisfied with my season's work."
–D.C. Fontana, letter writer, Communications

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Starlog #42, January 1981: Year of Trek, Redux

Starlog takes a break in its Year of Empire to give us another Star Trek -- The Motion Picture cover. This issue also includes a bound-in vinyl disk, featuring excerpts of science fiction theme music. The first time the magazine included a bound-in disk, it was printed on some sort of paperboard and was one-sided; this issue's is printed on flexible vinyl (you had to really hope your postal carrier didn't bend the magazine) and is two-sided. This month advertises another first for the magazine: the Starlog watch, shown on the inside back cover, selling for a rather high $50.

Starlog #42
68 pages (including cover)
Cover price: $3.00

Another strong issue, with some continuing controversy (oh, how those play out over many issues, especially in the pre-internet days) and lots of articles on past movies. It's a bit weak on upcoming fare, but the early 1980s didn't have the high production of science-fiction and fantasy programs that we would see in the 1990s.

Kerry O'Quinn uses his From the Bridge column to urge readers to stop just dreaming and use their inspiration to actually do something; Communications letters includes Gerry Anderson's and Zienia Merton' replies to the Fred Freiberger brouhaha, reader feedback on the Flash Gordon movie, praise for the Mark Hamill interview, and more; short Log Entries news items include announcement of Steven Spielberg's Night Skies, hints of a Sheena, Queen of the Jungle movie, Star Wars coming to public radio, and more.

"During the filming of this movie many real events were happening which in some respects seem unreal. It was as if Frau im Mond had a sub-plot. To begin with, the pre-publicity of the film naturally attracted the attention of a new wave of spaceflight enthusiasts in Germany. One of these people was actually an old timer to spaceflight, Hermann Ganswindt, then aged 72. Ganswindt was an eccentric and prolific (if sometimes unscientific) inventor who was known for his novel bicycles, horseless carriages, 'motor' boats, fire engines, a briefly working helicopter (in 1901), airships and a spaceship which he had designed in 1891!"
–Frank H. Winter, writer, "Frau im Mond: Fritz Lang's Surprising, Silent Space Travel Classic"

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Starlog #43, February 1981: The Scanners-Altered States Axis

This issue has an extra eight pages in it to feature the Hulk episode guide, but the early-1980s recession is likely making itself felt: This is the last 76-page issue the magazine will publish for years. (There'll be a 72-pager soon, and the occasional special-edition 100-pagers at a higher cover price, but the magazine would be mostly 68 pages for a while.)

Starlog #43
76 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.25

Beyond the economics of restrained page counts, I tend to think of this issue and the next as the beginning of a new phase of SF movies. Star Trek and The Empire Strikes Back are both still around and will continue to get coverage, but two earth-bound films get the most attention at this time: Scanners (on the cover of this issue, #43), and Altered States (on the cover of #44). Both of them are a bit brainier, a bit less fantastic (in the fantastic films sense), and probably a heck of a lot cheaper to make.

And to kick it off, we have a (non-bloody) photo on the contents page of a Scanner blowing up someone's head. Nice. Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge focuses on mind-blowing activities of another kind: the intellectual and emotional pleasures of truly enjoying fantasy; Communications letters range from Nick Tate fans defending their hero against (you guessed it) Fred Freiberger's comments in his (in)famous interview, readers also comment on Gerrold's own response to Freiberger, and more; Log Entries short news items include the planned NASA Space Shuttle Columbia launch for March 1981, a preview of The Incredible Shrinking Woman with Lily Tomlin, Tom Baker leaves Doctor Who, George Takei drops out of the race for the California state assembly, Star Trek is the latest science-fiction program that supposedly has never made money, and more.

Howard Zimmerman interviews Gary Kurtz, producer of Star Wars IV and V, about his plans post-Empire; David Gerrold gets into the trekkies-vs-trekkers controversy; Sam Maronie interviews director David Cronenberg about his new movie, Scanners; Brian Mossman records the first-ever meeting between Frankie Thomas (Tom Corbett, Space Patrol) and Ed Kemmer (Buzz Corry of Space Patrol); Gary Gerani provides an episode guide for The Incredible Hulk (seasons 1977-1980); James H. Burns interviews Robert Altman about his new movie, the Robin Williams-starring Popeye; Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene explores the Society for Creative Anachronism; Quest publishes "Terry's" black-and-white illustrations; Tone Hobart chronicles "The Fantastic Bubblegum Invasion" (which includes some data on recent SF-themed cards); it's part three of Ron Goulart's exploration of science-fiction comics, this time focusing on the 1940s; James H. Burns interviews Somewhere in Time director Jeannot Szwarc; David Hutchison uncovers the special effects of Paddy Chayefsky's Altered States; David Houston's "Golden Age of Science Fiction Television" explores "the Outer Space Bandwagon"; and Howard Zimmerman closes the issue in his Lastword column with some kind words about Scanners, a short review of the past year in SF, and watching NASA explore Saturn.

"Since I'm recommending things, I'd like to get in another book plug. This one's for Steven King's The Stand, definitely my favorite read of 1980. It's much closer to science fiction than any of King's other books and guaranteed to blow you away."
–Howard Zimmerman, editor, Lastword

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Starlog #44, March 1981: Houston, We Have a Problem

Starlog releases its newest Starlog Record, First Men in the Moon. On the contributor front, former editor David Houston is still listed as a columnist, but his column has been replaced by associate editor David Hirsch's new In Syndication column.

Starlog #44
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.25

It's a real-space-heavy issue, a true NASA-lover's delight. Meanwhile, the various controversies take a low profile this issue, as the magazine gets down to its usual bring-us-the-news business.

The rundown: Publisher Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge column is a collection of reader letters (including someone accusing O'Quinn's editorials of ruining Starlog) and his responses; Communications letters include reader reactions to Howard Zimmerman's criticism of Cosmos, feedback on the magazine's 3-D coverage, and more; short news items in Log Entries include information about the upcoming Dino De Laurentiis Conan movie, a Howard the Duck lawsuit, DC Comics' Green Lantern Corps mini-series, and more.

James H. Burns interviews Bob Balaban, star of Altered States; David Gerrold uses his Rumblings column to urge readers to actively support the U.S. space program; Alan Brender interviews Verna Fields, the studio executive behind The Incredible Shrinking Woman; Brender also pens a studio-by-studio roundup of science-fiction film and television productions that were affected by the 1980 actors strike; it's real-science time again, as Joseph Veverka steps into Jonathan Eberhart's sciency shoes and writes the first of a two-part feature on Voyager's trip to Saturn; Michael Smith previews the Disney Condorman movie; Suzanne Weyn profiles artist Walter Velez; Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene is the second blow of the one-two punch of Gerrold-Trimble this month, as she urges readers to write to politicians to get them to support space exploration; Bill Pearson and David Hirsch explore the miniature models used in the Flash Gordon movie; Ron Goulart goes "From Flash Gordon to Wash Tubbs" in part four of his "SF in the Comics" series; Alan Brender interviews Flash Gordon director Mike Hodges; David Hirsch's In Syndication column premieres, covering the syndicated world of genre programs; and Howard Zimmerman answers readers' criticisms of his negative take on Cosmos.

"The initial sequence saw Flash and Dale on Mongo being hunted as outlaws by the forces of Ming the Merciless, a price of 'a thousand gold mingols' on their heads. The first line Flash speaks sets the style for what is to follow for the next few years. As he pilots a rocketship, one-handed, toward a safer patch of territory, he says, with Dale perched on his lap, 'Alone at last!' Almost immediately, their ship explodes."
–Ron Goulart, writer, "SF in the Comics: Part IV: From Flash Gordon to Wash Tubbs"

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Starlog #45, April 1981: Buck Rogers' Swan Song

Inflation strikes back, as the cover price goes up 25 cents. There's a special four-page heavy-paper "3-D module kit" insert in this issue, but the price increase remains next issue, while the insert does not. Also, as noted last issue, David Houston's Visions column is no more, and now he has also finally been taken off the list of columnists in the staff box.

Starlog #45
72 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

John P. Hogan, the inventor of the 3-D model kit in this issue, is actually making at least his third appearance in the magazine. His modular paper designs rated a Log Entries item years earlier, and a couple years earlier he reappeared in an item about a Starlog solar t-shirt he designed (which publisher Kerry O'Quinn modeled in a photo).

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn touts his company's various products in his From the Bridge column; Communications letters include definitions of science fiction, questions about Space: 1999, comments on space war, and more; Log Entries short news items include a first look at the King Arthur fantasy Excalibur, ChesleyBonestell's reaction to real pictures of Saturn, a Christian science-fiction story (The Namos Chronicles), the imprisonment of Russian SF author Oles Berknyk, and more.

Alan Brender interviews Thom Christopher, who plays the new Buck Rogers character Hawk in that show's second and final season; Bjo Trimble answers readers letters about Star Trek; David Gerrold makes the case that mankind has to get into space; James H. Burns previews Kingdom of the Dwarfs, a new book from David Wenzel; Samuel J. Maronie visits the set of John Carpenter's Escape from New York, one of the great low-budget SF films of the past few decades; Robert Greenberger previews Panic Offshore, a made-for-TV monster movie; the four-page paper 3-D model kit is introduced with a short article on creator John P. Hogan; there's also (on page 66) instructions for assembling the kit; Joseph Veverka completes his "Voyager View of Saturn" space science article; Robert Greenberger looks at the phenomenon of science-fiction art books; Alan Brender interviews writer/director Peter Hyams about his new film, Outland; Quest features the artwork of Benjie Small and the short-short fiction of Phil Yahnke; Ron Goulart's "SF in the Comics" series covers the science-fiction boom in the 1950s; David Hutchison's SFX section looks at the Flash Gordon movie's mattes; David Hirsch's In Syndication looks at how the Planet of the Apes was packaged; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword column covers hopes for the space shuttle's inaugural launch.

"The Namos Chronicles is a filmstrip that has the makings of a science-fiction story. There's a planet, Namos, locked in battle against the evil Kaprians. There are spaceships and laser guns. Even alien monsters. What distinguishes Namos Chronicles from most other SF stories is that underneath the hardware are the parables of Jesus."
–Log Entries: "Scriptures in Space"

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Starlog #46, May 1981: The Original Clash of the Titans

Forget about the loud 2010 remake; Ray Harryhausen's final movie (so far), Clash of the Titans, takes center stage in Starlog #46.

Starlog #46
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Rather than continue the Year of Empire (okay, that name is wearing thin even on me, and I coined it), the editors reach back in time this issue to remember Star Wars: Episode IV with some cool pix.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn's on a roll lately with his inspirational, get-off-your-butt-and-make-your-dreams-come-true editorials, and he doesn't stop in this month's From the Bridge, in which he defines science-fiction fans as being the hope for a better tomorrow; Communications letters include reader reactions to Scanners and the revamped Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the new Doctor Who (Peter Davison), SF musical scores, and more; Log Entries short items include the big news that Star Trek is returning -- to television, first news of Heartbeeps, controversy behind the scenes of Altered States, George Lucas makes a big ($5 million) donation to USC, and more.

Alan Brender interviews star Harry Hamlin of Clash of the Titans; David Gerrold uses his Rumblings column to talk about science-fiction tarot cards (the art in them, that is); a four-page feature showcases some never-before-seen (?) color and black-and-white photos from Star Wars: A New Hope; Susan Adamo uncovers the special effects magic that makes William Katt's character fly in The Greatest American Hero TV series; Robert Greenberger previews Superman II (including a sidebar on the Superman II comics); Alan Brender interviews actress Blair Brown about Altered States; Jeff Szalay reports on Reach for the Sun, a PBS science-fiction special; Ron Goulart visits the science-fiction comics of the 1960s and 1970s in the final part of his SF comics series; Samuel J. Maronie interviews SFX and production Designer Joe Alves (Escape from New York, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Forbidden Planet); David Houston hasn't abandoned the magazine completely, as he shows with his SFX article on Monster Planet (I'm just thinking that Monster Planet would be a good name for a cable channel); Sharon Griner and Jerome Bixby each contribute short (in Bixby's case, ultra-short) stories to the Quest page; David Hirsch's In Syndication column looks at syndication via the public broadcasting stations; and, last but not least, Howard Zimmerman's Lastword column says he's underwhelmed by the new Buck Rogers, urges people to read Fangoria, and passes along news that Harlan Ellison will be writing a short story in the windows of a B. Dalton Booksellers in New York.

"The first draft of the script weighed in at 300 or so pages and would have made a six hour film. A second draft didn't do much better and when it came to revisions, [Mario] Puzo said he was 'all Supermanned out.' His interpretation of the Man of Steel was close to the James Bond films but with a lot of 'camp' elements, similar to the Batman TV series."
–Robert Greenberger, writer, "Superman II: The Adventure Continues"

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Starlog #47, June 1981: The Junior Varsity Team of SF Movies

The Starlog staff continues to change and grow, fueled not only by normal turnover but by continued growth at the Starlog publishing company, which was already publishing or within a few months would be publishing Starlog, Future Life, Fangoria, Fantasy Modeling, Comics Scene, Fight Game (a boxing magazine), Country Rhythms, Screen Greats, and probably some others I've missed. Anyway, the Starlog staffbox now includes names such as John Clayton (staff photographer), financial manager Joan Baetz, contributing editor Barbara Krasnoff, and an ever-changing lineup of designers and art staff.

Starlog #47
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

This issue features two big films that weren't as good as those that have gone before (yes, a personal judgment, I know, but it's my blog). Superman II wasn't as good as Superman -- The Movie, and Outland simply wasn't good. Harlan Ellison would soon take star Sean Connery to task in the pages of Starlog for accepting second-rate flicks like Outland, and in his column in sister magazine Future Life, Ellison would pick apart the movie piece by piece. So it's not just my personal judgment after all.

In his From the Bridge column, publisher Kerry O'Quinn describes meeting and interviewing George Lucas, which would see print beginning in the next issue; Communications letters include feedback on Altered States, ideas for supporting the space program, Buck Rogers critiques, and more; Log Entries short items include an update on the Heavy Metal movie (which is slated for an August release), a possible Man from U.N.C.L.E. movie, Britain's Hammer Films aims for the small screen, the SF musical-comedy Search for the Gods?, the new Harlan Ellison Record Collection, and more.

Alan Brender interviews Outland star Frances Sternhagen, who plays a doctor's role originally written for man; David Gerrold writes about moving beyond adolescence; Alan Brender reports on the Star Wars radio program made for public radio; Susan Adamo interviews Douglas Adams about his Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; James H. Burns interviews Sarah Douglas, who plays Kryptonian baddie Ursa in Superman II; Burns also talks with George Takei in part one of his interview; Martin J. Bower describes (in text and many photos) the miniatures used in Outland; Alan Brender interviews Buck Rogers' Dr. Goodfellow, Wilfrid Hyde-White; Michael A. Banks interviews David A. Kyle; David Hirsch's In Syndication looks at "The Return of Doctor Who"; David Hutchison explores the props used in Star Trek -- The Motion Picture; Quest features a fake final exam for Jedi students, some Jedi cartoons, and some space art from various readers; and Howard Zimmerman uses his Lastword column to praise The Greatest American Hero and to criticize the Oscars.

"Mark Hamill is especially excited about the radio show. In an interview with Starlog during the premiere at the Griffith Observatory, he comments: 'It appealed to me because it wasn't money-oriented. It sprang purely from the desire to help revitalize interest in radio."
–Alan Brender, writer, "Star Wars' Latest Incarnation: It's a Radio Play"

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Starlog #48, July 1981: Celebrating Five Years

Starlog ends its fifth year of publication with another bumper-sized issue. It was a year of pretty big changes at the magazine and of growth at the company itself, and the coming year would bring even more changes (just wait for it). Meanwhile, Starlog releases its latest photo guidebook: TV Episode Guides, spinning off into the trade paperback series one of its most popular signature features from the magazine.

Starlog #48
100 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $3.50

A personal note: I originally purchased this issue at the Manitowoc, Wisconsin, grocery store where my family did its weekly shopping, and my mother was somewhat taken aback by the cover price of $3.50 (hey, that was a lot in those days). When we got home and I started digesting the magazine page by page, article by article, I absorbed Kerry O'Quinn's special anniversary editorial and thought it perfectly illustrated why I liked the magazine so much. I presented the editorial to her and asked her to read it to understand why I'd pay so much for a science fiction magazine.

So, the rundown: Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge, "Keeping the Kid Alive," explains the importance of keeping a youthful enthusiasm and drive in your life; the Communications section features three pages of readers offering their anniversary greetings to the magazine; short news items in Log Entries include an update on Futuropolis (a winner of the magazine's 1978 short film search that has been expanded into a 30-minute film), Vonda McIntyre's Trek novel The Entropy Effect -- in which Kirk dies -- is one of the most eagerly awaited books of the year, Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits is coming, The Shadow is coming back into action, the brouhaha following President Reagan's attempted assassination led to the renaming of the lead character in The Greatest American Hero, and more.

James H. Burns interviews Harrison Ford for his second chat with the magazine in 12 months (this time, he talks Indiana Jones); David Gerrold takes on drug abuse in his Rumblings column; in part one ("A New View") of Kerry O'Quinn's three-part interview with George Lucas, the humble producer/director/genius talks about his influences and how he handles the work; Howard Zimmerman's "Starlust" poem is reprinted from issue #29.

In the special 36-page anniversary section, a series of SF films from the past year are reviewed via photos (The Empire Strikes Back, Altered States, Flash Gordon, Galaxina, Outland, Scanners); the first part of a three-part anniversary contest begins, with a cartoon find-the-oddities quiz; Robert Greenberger examines science-fiction comics; Greenberger also compiles the past year's Starlog article index; Greenberger -- again -- provides a "Sneak Peek at the Heavy Metal Movie"; Susan Adamo interviews science-fiction artist Vincent DiFate; Joseph Veverka returns with an article on plans for the Halley Comet flyby; Greenberger is back (what, did this guy lose an office bet or something?) with yet another article, this time a preview of science-fiction television programs for the coming year; David Hirsch previews SF games and toys; Hirsch also examines "Shuttles in Space: A Visionary Concept in Fact and on Film"; and wrapping up the anniversary section is a reprint of Howard Zimmerman's poem "Return" from issue #41.

Steve Swires interviews John Carpenter about Escape from New York and gets some information on his forthcoming version of The Thing; Bill Cotter and Mike Clark interview Lost in Space actor Bill Mumy; Sam Maronie reveals the special effects work of John Stears; Alan Brennert, a former Buck Rogers story editor, relates some amusing behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his time on the show; it's another four-page collection of anniversary greetings from science-fiction celebrities (including Arthur C. Clarke, Christopher Reeve, David Prowse, Douglas Trumbull, Mike Minor, Jesco von Puttkamer, the Brothers Hildebrandt, Harlan Ellison, and many more); Quest features a short story by W. Keith Brenton and space art by Gerhard Mros and Bruce Wildish; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword thanks all kinds of people who've made Starlog's five years a success.

"I don't want to upset your readers too much, but it's just a movie. It's no big deal. From a technical point of view -- my own point of view -- I don't think it's altogether that well-made a movie, because I was working under extremely difficult conditions."
–George Lucas, writer/director/producer, interviewed by Kerry O'Quinn: "The George Lucas Saga: Chapter One: A New View"

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Starlog #49, August 1981: Bond Is Back

Starlog kicks off its sixth year of life by focusing on the new James Bond flick and some of the biggest names in the industry (such as someone called George Lucas). On the merchandising side, the magazine releases its calendar for 1982, this time featuring paintings from the Brothers Hildebrandt's Atlantis.

Starlog #49
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Ever since Moonraker took James Bond into space, Bond has been an accepted member of the science-fiction community. He grabs the cover of this issue and is represented in the forms of much special-effects coverage (but little else) in #49.

In Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge column, the publisher challenges readers to imagine life without a god; Communications letters range from someone trying to get a job as an extra on Revenge (yep, still being called that) of the Jedi, to excitement over the space shuttle's initial launch (finally), to a Swede defending her country for rating The Empire Strikes Back so that children can't see it, to more celebrity anniversary greetings (Gene Roddenberry, Howard Weinstein, John Carpenter, etc.), and more; short news items in Log Entries include the Brothers Hildebrandt's Clash of the Titans movie poster (they were forced to make it more Star Wars-y), updates on some Disney movies, neon sculpture, an LP record of Carl Sagan's Cosmos, and more.

Steve Swires interviews Escape from New York stars Kurt Russell and Adrienne Barbeau; David Hutchison examines the storyboarding of the SFX in Raiders of the Lost Ark; Don McGregor interviews Bond special effects wizard Derek Meddings; David Hirsch's In Syndication column visits NATPE -- the National Association of Television Program Executives -- to learn about how producers are selling their shows to TV stations; Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene gives guidance on how to publish a fanzine; Don McGregor continues the Bond SFX coverage by penning a retrospective look at special effects for many past James Bond films; Michael A. Banks reports on the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia; it's part two of James H. Burns' interview with Star Trek veteran George Takei; an unbylined article previews the New World Pictures dark science-fiction film Mind Warp, including a photo of production designer James Cameron working on his designs for the movie; in the wake of Raiders of the Lost Ark's success, Peter Sullivan gives an overview of past movie serials; Kerry O'Quinn's second portion of a three-part interview with George Lucas explores the movie-maker's early life and his intentions for Star Wars; David Gerrold's Rumblings column once again urges readers to be heard in the debate over funding America's space program; part two of the magazine's fifth-anniversary contest features a trivia quiz; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword recounts how we finally got to the launch of an honest-to-goodness re-usable spaceship (the shuttle) and notes the military's plans to have a presence in space.

"I've reached that point where I want to be married, ... but I don't feel that I can impose the erratic nature of my lifestyle -- taking off at a moment's notice to another city on business for anywhere from a weekend to a couple of weeks -- on someone as the foundation for a solid relationship. I wouldn't want to drastically change myself because I don't see marriage as something you should have to alter yourself for. I want to have a partner with whom I could share, but unfortunately, there's no immediate candidate right now."
–George Takei, actor and author (Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe), interviewed by James H. Burns: "George Takei: Part II"

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Starlog #50, September 1981: It's Boba Fett Time

Putting Boba Fett on the cover of the magazine was probably a genius move. I wasn't aware until this issue came along that Fett -- who was, after all, a secondary character in The Empire Strikes Back -- had a fan base. But I bet his fan base grew even bigger because of this issue of Starlog. I don't know individual sales figures for issues of Starlog, but I'd be surprised if this issue didn't sell well, both on the newsstand and in back issue sales for years to come. In ancillary Starlog news this month, volume two of The Best of Starlog is released. But, hey, if you've been reading my Starlog Project all this time, then you already know everything that's reprinted in that special edition. In the staffbox, we see that Starlog has finally hired a circulation director, Richard Browne.

Starlog #50
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

My "Year of Empire" slogan was supposed to have ended an issue or two ago, but this issue of Starlog wouldn't have existed if it weren't for the Star Wars sequel. We get interviews with the movie's screenwriter, creator/producer, and one of its breakout actors.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn uses his From the Bridge column to give feedback on two very different movies: a re-release of Fantasia (positive) and Ralph Bakshi's new American Pop (negative); letters in the Communications pages praise Harrison Ford, rate Outland and Raiders of the Lost Ark, cast more light on actor Wilfred Hyde-White (from letter-writer and producer Richard Gordon -- by the way, brother to Fangoria columnist Alex Gordon), congratulate columnist David Gerrold, and more; Log Entries short news items include a sneak peek at the Andy Kaufman- and Bernadette Peters-starring Heartbeeps, first word on Looker, preview of The Powers of David Star (soon to be renamed The Powers of Matthew Star), report on the Superman II premiere, news of An American Werewolf in London, the Starlog staff visits the new Manhattan SF bookstore Forbidden Planet, and more.

Alan Brender pens the cover story, an interview with Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch, who describes the before/during/after of appearing in The Empire Strikes Back; David Gerrold's Rumblings column has a debate with his own mind about the ways some people make use of their membership in the world of science-fiction fandom; Robert Greenberger describes "The Heavy Metal Story, or The Trials & Tribulations of Bringing Printed Fantasies to Life on Screen" (including a sidebar discussing the music in the film); in her Fan Scene column, Bjo Trimble gives tips for appearing in a science-fiction convention's masquerade contest; James H. Burns interviews Lawrence Kasden about his two recent screenplays, for The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, in part one of a two-part interview; David Hirsch's In Syndication column recounts Hirsch's involvement in ITC Entertainment's Super Space Theatre packaging of telefilms; David Hutchison interviews Steven Spielberg about making Raiders of the Lost Ark; Andrew Mayfair covers a Sean Connery press conference where the actor talks about his work in Outland (and incurs the criticism of Harlan Ellison, as we'll see in a couple issues); David Hirsch recounts the Six Doctors Who; the final chapter of Kerry O'Quinn's interview trilogy with George Lucas is entitled, "The Revenge of the Box Office"; Robert Greenberger interviews actor Ray Walston, who discusses Mind Warp, Popeye, My Favorite Martian, and The Incredible Hulk; part three of Starlog's Fifth Anniversary Contest requires contestants to write a movie scene that could be used for a computer game; and Howard Zimmerman wraps it all up with a Lastword column roundup of recent movies (he liked Outland and Raiders of the Lost Ark).

"Question: Did you have trouble with the banality of the dialogue?
Sean Connery: No, I don't think it was that banal. But ... how banal?
Q: It seemed that every line was a cliche.
SC: But -- if you really think that, then ... how much do you get paid?
Q: A lot.
SC: No, how much?
Q: I don't think that's a fair question in front of my colleagues.
SC: All right, I see. If you think that's banal, then you obviously presume you can write better so why don't you write the screenplays and you can make a fortune.
Q: Yes, that's right.
SC: Have you tried to write one?
Q: Yes.
SC: Have you sold any?
Q: There's one that someone is interested in.
SC: One? Well, I hope they don't think it's too banal, otherwise you might be in trouble."
–Journalist and Sean Connery question-and-answer during press conference, by Andrew Mayfair: "Sean Connery Meets the Press"

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Starlog #51, October 1981: They're Still Calling It "Revenge" of the Jedi

Sooner or later, George Lucas changes his mind and decides that Jedi don't go in for lowly things like revenge, so he changes the final Star Wars film title to Return of the Jedi, but as of this issue (in 1981, that is), it's still Revenge of the Jedi. On the Starlog company front, this issue also features the first mention of an exciting new publication (one of my favorites) from the company, Comics Scene (advertised on page 17 for just $9.99 for six bimonthly issues -- buy now!).

Starlog #51
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

A cool issue. It's not often that a screenwriter gets a cover story in Starlog, or any magazine, for that matter. But Lawrence Kasdan in 1981 was the hottest screenwriter in Hollywood, having penned the screenplays for Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back -- both smash hits -- and directing Body Heat. So, even though this issue featured such giant names as Gene Roddenberry, William Shatner, and Ray Harryhausen, it's the nerdy writer who gets his mug on the cover. Now that's the revenge of the nerds.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn uses his From the Bridge column to solicit reader input on what kinds of science fiction films they like; Communications letters give feedback on Superman II, responses to Alan Brennert's behind-the-scenes article about his work on Buck Rogers, criticism of Arthur C. Clarke's pro-evolution comments in his fifth anniversary letter, and more; Log Entries includes short news items on a museum exhibit devoted to the work of Walt Disney, a different exhibit showcasing the work of space artist Bob McCall, an announcement of the upcoming launch of Comics World (soon to be renamed Comics Scene, but we probably can't blame that on the Fantastic Films folks, a la Fantastica/Fangoria), NASA news, Ross Martin's obituary, Caroline Munro's 'Last Horror Film,' and more.

The feature stories are kicked off with part one of Steve Swire's interview with William Shatner, "The Once and Future Kirk"; Howard T. Brody gives an update on an upcoming Batman movie (that would have involved Adam West); David Gerrold renames his column again, this time changing from Rumblings to Soaring, and he talks about other, more personal transformations; Don McGregor got the plum job of interviewing the great Ray Harryhausen, who talks about his career and Clash of the Titans; Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene talks up "The Ultimate Fanzine"; Susan Adamo interviews Alan Bean, a former astronaut who paints spacescapes; Jeff Szalay interviews Gene Roddenberry, who's in a bit of a purgatory after the middlin' response to Star Trek -- The Motion Picture, and is being kept at arms length by the producers of Star Trek II (the article includes a sidebar by Szalay in which he recalls getting the Enterprise model ready for display in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.); in another very rare foray into publishing fiction, Philip K. Dick's "Return Match" is reprinted, with illustrations by Walter Velez; Sam Maronie interviews Jerry Goldsmith, who wrote the film scores to such films as Alien, Star Trek -- The Motion Picture, and Planet of the Apes; James H. Burns interviews Raiders and Empire scripter Lawrence Kasdan; Quest publishes some extra-terrestrial art by John D. Sanders; and Howard Zimmerman gives mini reviews of Superman II, The Great Muppet Caper, and Escape from New York (not so hot on Supe, liked the other two) in his Lastword column.

"[Lawrence] Kasdan is working from a 'very rough first draft' script that George Lucas wrote. His screenplay is also being influenced by a week-long meeting he had with Lucas and Jedi's director, Richard Marquand (Eye of the Needle, Legacy) in San Francisco. 'Revenge of the Jedi's basic thrust is to wrap up the trilogy's story,' explains Kasdan. 'You can assume that Jedi's structure will be like that of Star Wars and Empire: cutting back and forth.'"
–James H. Burns, writer, "Lawrence Kasdan: Part 2: From Scripting The Empire Strikes Back to Writing and Directing Body Heat"

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Starlog #52, November 1981: Blade Runner Comes into Focus

In merchandising news this month, on page 65 of this issue, you can order your very own Starlog baseball cap (or separately you can order the Starlog iron-on patch). That's right, no new magazines, no new books or film ventures. A cap; a nice but not ground-shaking new development. Much like this issue itself: good SF movie/TV/art coverage, but it isn't going to knock your socks off. Still, because Blade Runner takes center stage for the first time, I've always considered this issue to be a special one nonetheless. And I never did get to order a Starlog cap.

Starlog #52
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

The cover features the long-anticipated Ridley Scott movie Blade Runner, adapted from Philip K. Dick's story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. It's great to see it get such prominent placement, but it's a shame that -- for a movie that featured such astounding visuals -- the cover photo is rather grainy and out of focus.

Now, the rundown: Kerry O'Quinn revisits some recent science-fiction conventions in his From the Bridge column; in the Communications pages, letters include comments on militarized space, David Gerrold's column about drug abuse, Escape from New York, and more -- most noteworthy is Harlan Ellison's letter taking to task Sean Connery for his treatment (in issue #50) of a film journalist who dared to question the quality of Outland; in Log Entries, short news items include a sneak peek at Swamp Thing, a report on the making of the Hubble Space Telescope, a preview of National Public Radio's fall lineup, a peek at the sitcom Mr. Merlin (whose young co-star Zach -- Clark Brandon -- looks a heck of a lot like the star of The Powers of Matthew Star, Peter Barton), veteran writer Sam Peeples is rewriting the script for the Star Trek sequel, Isaac Asimov announces a sequel to his Foundation series and Arthur C. Clarke announces a sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and more.

James Van Hise takes us behind the scenes and on the set of Blade Runner; David Gerrold's Soaring column explains some of his philosophical ideas behind story structure; Alan Spencer interviews Heartbeeps director Allan Arkush; Susan Adamo reports on the release of Distant Stars, an illustrated collection of stories by Samuel R. Delany; Samuel J. Maronie interviews Peter Barton, the hero of The Powers of Matthew Star; James H. Burns interviews Julian Glover (from The Empire Strikes Back, For Your Eyes Only, and Space: 1999); Mark Mutchnik visits New York's Museum of The Surreal & Fantastique (and the article is illustrated with a couple big H.R. Giger paintings); in part two of Steve Swires' interview with William Shatner ("I Am Kirk"), the actor swipes at Harlan Ellison for the latter's critical review of Star Trek -- The Motion Picture: "We don't seem to be that far apart. I don't quite agree with his adjectives, though. They're a little strong, but then so is Harlan Ellison -- he's little and he's strong"; Swires also previews the comedy The Creature Wasn't Nice; Helen Sargeant pens a short story about weird goings-on at the Starlog offices in the Quest pages, which also includes some Barry Jones model-making and comic strips by Ken and Paul Montgomery; David Hutchison's SFX section looks at the work of special effects animator Peter Kuran (Dragonslayer, The Empire Strikes Back, Galaxina); and Howard Zimmerman ends the issue with a look at the changing face of science-fiction television.

"Returning to the tube is ABC's Greatest American Hero, now joined by CBS' Mr. Merlin (a comedy) and The Powers of Matthew Star on NBC. ... [T]hese three shows point to another trend in the making. Ralph, Matthew and Merlin all have powers that are activiated by thought -- the powers of the mind. It seems as though TV is forecasting an end to the investigation of outer space in favor of exploring inner space. If these three shows prove successful, we may see shows featuring psychic cops, telekinetic gurus and the Jean Dixon Predicts hour."
–Howard Zimmerman, editor, Lastword

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Starlog #53, December 1981: Andy Kaufman & Heartbeeps

The biggest change this month is a staffbox change: Cheh Nam Low is no longer art director; his place is taken by Steven J. Plunkett. Trivia time: Cheh N. Low previously art directed Gallery magazine in the mid-1970s; Gallery was a Playboy pretender. After Starlog, Low would go on to eventually head up his own publishing company. Also: Comics World magazine, advertised two issues ago for the charter subscription price of $9.99 a year, is now listed in the subscription ad as costing $11.98, and they're still calling it the "special charter subscription rate." And and and: The magazine prints its postal statement of ownership and circulation this issue: The paid circulation for the issue closest to the statement's filing deadline is listed as 108,970 (down nearly a third from the previous year), including the number of paid subscriptions of 18,550 (down very slightly from last time).

Starlog #53
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Heartbeeps was a quirky little film starring Taxi's Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters. I've only seen short clips of it, and it was quickly forgotten by pretty much everyone. But I do remember that my best friend in junior high school was excited to buy this issue, because he was a big Peters fan, so he was probably one of the seven people who paid to see the movie. Thus, it was probably not a great cover story choice for a magazine relying heavily on newsstand sales.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn turns over his From the Bridge column to a reader, who relates his troubled childhood and how his interest in science fiction saved him; Communications letters include feedback on the Heavy Metal movie, reaction to O'Quinn's "imagine there's no god" editorial, an open letter to George Lucas, and more; short news items in Log Entries include a preview of the cave-man film Quest for Fire, a gallery in New Jersey that showcased SF and fantasy paintings, the Rocky Horror Picture Show sequel Shock Treatment, news that Nicholas Meyer has been selected to direct Star Trek II, a box office report on the summer genre films, and more.

Jeff Szalay examines the special effects of the robot-comedy Heartbeeps (including a sidebar profile of SFX artist Jamie Shourt); in her Fan Scene column, Bjo Trimble writes about Special Friends, a family effort to provide support at the Special Olympics; James Van Hise profiles Gene Winfield and his custom prop design work for Blade Runner and other films; in the first part of James H. Burns' interview with Greatest American Hero co-executive producer Juanita Bartlett, the Hollywood veteran discusses the decision-making behind the quirky series; Jeff Szalay interviews the great Ray Bradbury about The Martian Chronicles TV adaptation and other works; Joseph Veverka explores "The Tenth Planet" in a space science article; Suzanne Weyn interviews fantasy artist Jill Bauman; David Gerrold tackles world hunger in his Soaring column; Steve Swires interviews Patrick MacNee about Avengers and The Creature Wasn't Nice; David Hutchison explores the go-motion techniques used in the new film Dragonslayer; Jeff Pollizzotto's science-fiction models are featured in Quest; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword column talks up some more recent books.

"But is there a real tenth planet out beyond the orbit of Pluto? Peculiarities in the motion of Uranus led to the successful search for Neptune, and, in turn, peculiarities in the motion of Neptune motivated the search for Pluto. But it now turns out that Pluto is much too tiny to affect the motion of any of its neighbors in any significant way. So if there really are peculiarities in the motions of Neptune and Uranus, and the presence of Pluto can't explain them, are there perhaps planets beyond?"
–Dr. Joseph Veverka, scientist and writer, "The Tenth Planet"

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Starlog #54, January 1982: Comin' at You in 3-D

Starlog #54 might have been produced in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression (only to be outdone, of course, by the recent and ongoing economic crisis), but that doesn't mean Starlog's going to stop thinking big. The magazine announces plans for a feature film -- no, not the one it announced a couple years previously. That, as publisher O'Quinn explains, died a miserable death, the tale of which would probably be fascinating to hear. This new movie -- also ultimately unrealized -- is announced in this issue. And never heard from again. Oh, and they've finally renamed Comics World as Comics Scene, though it's still published by Comics World Corp. and would be for its entire run.

Starlog #54
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Starlog looooooves 3-D. In its past six years, it has published several articles on the technique, and would eventually produce a photo guidebook trade paperback on the topic. This issue, 3-D takes the cover spot (with a painting by Walter Velez), and is also represented inside with several articles and lots of photos. Readers were told last month to order their free (with a self-addressed stamped envelope) pair of 3-D glasses, an offer repeated in this issue.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn tells readers that the recent survey he took (results of which appear in the Communications section) will help him inform Hollywood big-wigs about what types of movies fans actually want, and that he'll also use the survey feedback to launch the magazine's own movie; Communications letters include a cartoon by Don Goodman starring Howard Zimmerman, feedback on the William Shatner interview, praise for Bjo Trimble's recent columns, results of the SF Movie Survey (59 percent say lavish costumes and special makeup "sometimes" are essential to enjoying a movie), and more; Log Entries short news items include a preview of SF feature films for 1982 (Dark Crystal, Battletruck, E.T. and Me -- as it's called -- etc.), a computer SF adventure game created by author Michael Berlyn, a call for more support for the space program's exploration of other planets in our star system, Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back are auctioned for television, fans (over-)react to news that Spock will die in the new Star Trek film, some tantalizing news about Disney's upcoming Tron, and more.

Don McGregor interviews Robert Culp about his role in The Greatest American Hero and why he was reluctant to return to television series work after I Spy; Robert Greenberger interviews Connie Selleca, another Greatest American Hero star and the wife of Buck Rogers star Gil Gerard; Bjo Trimble explains "filk-singing" in Fan Scene; Steve Swires interviews Leslie Nielsen about Forbidden Planet and The Creature Wasn't Nice; David Everett, the Fangoria co-editor, writes "3-D: The Second Coming," which explains the different 3-D processes used in films; the centerfold describes three ways to view 3-D photos without using glasses -- something I was never able to accomplish, despite practically memorizing the descriptions and trying for quite some time; there's a page of red-blue 3-D photos; John Rupkalvis writes about the 3-D images of Mars sent back by the Viking lander; James H. Burns provides an episode guide to the first season of editor Howard Zimmerman's new favorite show, The Greatest American Hero; Steve Aubrey writes "Scale Control in Stereo Photography" (how-to information for photographers); four more pages of 3-D photos, including lots of behind-the-scenes Hollywood pix, a couple Starlog office photos, and an original cartoon by Howard Cruse; James H. Burns' conclusion of his two-part interview with producer Juanita Bartlett explores her non-Greatest American Hero work, including Gene Roddenberry's The Questor Tapes and Genesis II; James Van Hise gives us a look at the famous Star Trek blooper reel; David Gerrold uses his Soaring column to talk with Terry Gilliam about Time Bandits; David Hutchison looks at the special effects of Raiders of the Lost Ark (including Toht's melting head, shown in full color); Quest features Jan L. Margut's Star Trek Christmas poem; and Howard Zimmerman gets all moody during an airplane flight in Lastword.

"I am personally going to use this [reader survey] information in launching (TA-DAA!!!) Starlog's first major motion picture for theatrical release. ... Just to make certain that there is no confusion, this upcoming movie is not the Intergalactic Picture Show that was advertised over a year ago. Sad to say, that project died a miseable death in lawyers' offices and will never make it to the screen. So much for harsh and expensive lessons."
–Kerry O'Quinn, publisher, From the Bridge: "Here's What you Want ..."

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Starlog #55, February 1982: Blade Runner, Time Bandits and Quest for Fire

It's extra-treat time again, as Starlog for the third (and final) time includes a bind-in record with an issue of the magazine. This time, one side of the vinyl 33-1/2 rpm record features excerpts from the Starlog Records LP First Men in the Moon, and the other side features excerpts from an upcoming (and, I think, the final) Starlog Records LP, The Avengers. Also this issue, the magazine's former space art advisor, Ron Miller, joins its lineup of columnists. Meanwhile, do you like all the color in the magazine? Enjoy it ... while it lasts.

Starlog #55
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $3.50

Time Bandits, the great Terry Gilliam film is a ... what? Dark fantasy? Science Fiction? Historical romance? Whatever. It's one of his finest, and it's got pride-of-place on the cover and contents page this issue.

The rundown: In his From the Bridge column, Kerry O'Quinn has a response to people who worry about violence in science-fiction media; Communications letters include a library that is subscribing to Starlog, praise for Lawrence Kasdan and Harrison Ford, pleas for Spock's life, descriptions of Starlog staffers' lunches, and more; short news items in Log Entries include a preview of the muppetastick Dark Crystal, publication of a book on Scrooge McDuck, CBS bought rights to Star Wars: A New Hope -- but couldn't get The Empire Strikes Back, rumors about Star Trek II (called at this point "The Uncharted Continent"), plans for a Universal theme park in Florida, and more.

Part two of James Van Hise's look at the Star Trek bloopers reel takes up a page; an unbylined page has info about the music on the bound-in record; James Van Hise interviews Philip K. Dick about Blade Runner; David Gerrold discusses writer's block in his Soaring column; Ed Naha returns to Starlog's pages with a look at the new Quest for Fire movie (Naha's been keeping mostly to Future Life for the past couple years, so one might surmise that this article was originally intended for that magazine, which had just ceased publication); the winners of the Starlog fifth anniversary contest are listed; Bjo Trimble keeps up the pressure by urging support for the space program in her Fan Scene column; Kerry O'Quinn and David Everett interview studio executive Alan Ladd, Jr., who talks Alien, Star Wars, and Blade Runner; Don McGregor finishes his two-part interview with The Greatest American Hero's Robert Culp; a three-page feature showcases color photos from Time Bandits; David Hirsch interviews UFO's Ed Bishop; David Hutchison goes on location with Doug Trumbull to talk about his movie Brainstorm; Ron Miller's Futures Past column debuts, with a look at Hugo Gernsback's 1911 SF novel Ralph 124C41+; the science-fiction paintings of Stephen Schwartz are featured in Quest; and in Lastword, Howard Zimmerman belatedly presents his third-annual Zimmerman Awards (which, among other things, awards That's Incredible the "most mind-boggling weekly SF-TV series" prize).

"I asked for a copy of the latest screenplay [for Blade Runner] and they sent it over last week. This is the February '81 version by David Peoples. Now there's no problem. Now I can quite sincerely say that I am terribly enthusiastic and it won't be just the special effects because there will be a coherent storyline. There's an excellent storyline. Peoples did a terrific job."
–Philip K. Dick, author, interviewed by James Van Hise: "Philip K. Dick on Blade Runner"

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Starlog #56, March 1982: Triffids and SFX Secrets

I said there'd be a big change this year (1982) at Starlog, and here it is. Previously, Starlog had carried about a 50-50 mix of coated (glossy) pages that could show full-color images and uncoated pages for just black-and-white. With this issue, Starlog replaces about half of its color pages with more black-and-white ones, presumably to contain costs. A year ago, the magazine's cover price had risen from $2.25 to $2.50, but a $2.75 cover price would be awkward (not unheard of, but awkward and unusual nonetheless). Whether it was an attempt to hold on until they could make the eventual leap to a $2.95 price, or if costs were just rising too fast, or if it was due to some reason altogether different, I don't know. But the reduction in color was noticeable. Oddly, this was the first issue I received as a new subscriber; I ludicrously entertained the thought -- very, very briefly, mind you; I wasn't simpleminded -- that subscribers received this lesser version of the magazine, and somehow newsstand buyers were still getting the normal Starlog in all its multi-colored glory. But a couple minutes later, I wised up and accepted the economic facts of life. On the other hand, this issue sees the first in a series of two-page posters in the magazine, a feature kicked off with a shot from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Starlog #56
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Despite the presence of fewer color pages, it was still the same Starlog. Still the same writers and editors and artists covering movies and TV and authors. But alas, this issue comes up weak for a different reason: there just weren't strong articles. The cover story was a collection of short "special effects secrets" about 10 movies, but a good rule of thumb for magazine readers is that articles based on lists are often a crutch for editors. They are usually easier to prepare than those that require research and interviews. Oh well, it was an excuse to put Darth Vader on the cover.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn checks in with his pal Chesley Bonestell in his From the Bridge column; Communications letters include followups to David Gerrold's column on ending world hunger, a note from Leonard Nimoy disputing reports that he had asked for Spock to be killed off in the Star Trek sequel, views of The Greatest American Hero, and more; short news in Log Entries includes a report that Isaac Asimov's Foundation stories have been optioned for the big screen, news that Sheena, Queen of the Jungle was getting ready to invade multiplexes, a roundup of cable TV SF programs, and more.

Bill Pearson and David Hirsch report on a new BBC production of The Day of the Triffids; Sam J. Maronie provides a retrospective of Zardoz, a Sean Connery-starring film from 1974 that sounds tailor-made for Mystery Science Theater 3000; David Gerrold brings back his quote-meister Solomon Short, only to kill him off; James H. Burns interviews Ken McMillan about Hearbeeps; Bjo Trimble recounts being part of a roomful of extras (along with David Gerrold and former Starlog columnist Susan Sackett, among others) on Star Trek -- The Motion Picture; an unbylined article profiles the art of painter Steven Vincent Johnson; the centerfold is filled with the "Starlog Science Fiction Classic #1" poster of 2001: A Space Odyssey; David Hutchison and David Everitt spill the beans on short special effects secrets from Forbidden Planet, The Time Machine, This Island Earth, War of the Worlds, The Thing, The Empire Strikes Back, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Invisible Man, The Black Hole, and Things to Come; James H. Burns interviews Ken Shapiro, the director of the Chevy Chase comedy Modern Problems; Sam J. Maronie and Scott Davis pen a two-page retrospective of the original Day of the Triffids; part three of James Van Hise's Star Trek bloopers article features both classic Trek and The Motion Picture era; Ron Miller's Futures Past column looks at Jules Verne's works; and Howard Zimmerman wraps it up in his Lastword column by asking readers to "Leave Nimoy Alone" about the whole killing-off-Spock thing.

"The oatmeal was whipped up on a Friday and set aside so that the effects crew would be able to shoot the scene first thing on Monday. What Warren and Chang failed to take into consideration was the weather. Over the weekend, the temperature soared and the oatmeal consequently fermented."
–David Hutchison and David Everett, writers, "Effects Secrets from 10 Classic SF Films: The Time Machine"

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Starlog #57, April 1982: Mega-what?

If my entry for the previous issue, #56, was a bit of a negative one, rest assured the magazine was back on track with this issue. The designers adapted to the loss of half of their color pages quite well, and this issue is a bright and even colorful magazine. The contents page was re-jiggered to fit the new printing realities, and they did it well.

Starlog #57
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

Artist Ron Cobb is the cover feature, and the cover painting is cool but old; we've literally seen it before (either in Starlog or Future Life; I forget which). Then again, if they hadn't chosen a Cobb cover, I think we might have come dangerously close to having a Megaforce cover, and that would send us spiraling back toward despair.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn writes his From the Bridge column while sitting in a cliffside home in St. Thomas, and he compares that tropical paradise's advantages and disadvantages with his skyscraper canyon paradise of Manhattan; Communications letters include a response to O'Quinn's editorial on SF violence, more on Bjo Trimble's filk-singing column, readers correct real bloopers in the special Star Trek bloopers articles, additional thoughts on killing Spock, and more; Log Entries short news items include info on the Scott Baio sitcom The Wiz Kid, a preview of Ed Naha's book The Films of Roger Corman: Brilliance on a Budget, a peek at Barbara Krasnoff's book Robots: Reel to Real, a 1981 box office report, and more.

Anthony Clarke reports on "The French Connection," a 10-day fantastic film festival; Jeff Szalay previews Megaforce, a movie suffering from serious 1980s hair; David Gerrold's Soaring tips his hat to fans who make a difference in the world; Michael Glyer assembles a six-page "Directory to Science Fiction Fan Clubs"; Ron Miller's Futures Past column looks at "Prophecies that Failed"; James Van Hise and Dennis Fisher interview Ron Cobb in an article illustrated with many of his production paintings for Conan, Alien, and other productions; the centerfold is a two-page poster featuring AT-AT's attacking on Hoth (with an inset photo of the model-makers at ILM at work creating the scene); Mike Clark and Bill Cotter explore the Robot from Lost in Space (including profiles of designer Bob Kinoshita and actor Bob May, and a description of how the robot spoke); it's not an article, but it would become one: The Ultimate Fantasy, a promised giant SF convention to take place in June in Houston, is advertised; a photo spread celebrates the second flight of the space shuttle Columbia; Quest features artwork from model-maker Allen D. Coulter and a poem by Bonnie E. Tuggle; an unbylined article updates us on space artist grand master Chesley Bonestell (and includes a bibliography of his work); Steve Swires interviews actress Caroline Munro; Bjo Trimble explores pro-space conventions in her Fan Scene column; and Howard Zimmerman rounds off the issue in his Lastword column with a plug for Greenpeace.

"Marshall Foch said in 1910 that the airplane was 'all very fine for sport, you know. But the airplane's no use to the army.' Our own Franklin Roosevelt, in 1922: '...it is highly unlikely that an airplane, or fleet of them, could ever successfully sink a fleet of Navy vessels under battle conditions.' In Germany, until 1926, airplane patents were filed under the same classification as children's toys and shooting galleries!"
–Ron Miller, columnist, Futures Past: "Prophecies that Failed"

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Starlog #58, May 1982: Blade Runner and Spock

A great issue. Blade Runner on the cover, John W. Campbell's classic short story reprinted, more death-of-Spock commentary, spaceship blueprints, and more. On the Starlog merchandising side, we have the announcement on page 59 of the first edition of the Starlog Scrapbook, a collection of photos from science-fiction TV and films. The cover photo is the same Star Trek photo (showing Spock and Kirk in front of a warping Enterprise) used on the cover of Starlog #30, except the photo is flipped from left to right.

Starlog #58
70 pages (including covers and fold-out inside front cover)
Cover price: $2.50

Past controversies in the pages of Starlog have often included much huffing and puffing, angry words, broken friendships, much tears and shattered glass (well, you get the point). But the controversy over whether the character of Spock should be killed off in the new Star Trek movie is of a different sort; it's a matter of story integrity, studio money, and emotional bonds fans had built toward the character over the previous decade and a half. David Gerrold dives right into it this month in his column, and he does a great job of exploring the meaning and implications of such a move.

The rundown: Harrison Ford's Blade Runner character, Rick Deckard, is once again gracing the cover of Starlog, but this time, unlike issue #52's cover, the photo isn't blurry (moody, yes); the foldout inside front cover features a full-page photo and a two-page blueprint of The Altares, a spaceship from Gerry' Anderson's The Day After Tomorrow (by Martin J. Bower and Stephen Corbett); Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge discusses overcoming your own doubts so you can pursue your dreams; Communications letters include an Australian's thoughts on Star Trek, support for Bjo Trimble's pro-space columns, a comic strip by Ken Montgomery, a contrarian view of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and more; short news items in Log Entries include Atari's new games, Obi-Wan Kenobi will be in Revenge (yes, still Revenge) of the Jedi, people working on space colonization, William Shatner (Hooker) and Leslie Nielsen (Police Squad) are headed to television, and more; and Barbara Krasnoff pens a Spotlight page devoted to the Robotorium store in Manhattan.

Steve Swires interviews Bill Lancaster, screenwriter of John Carpenter's The Thing; James Van Hise interviews veteran voice actor Walker Edmiston; Van Hise also interviews Blade Runner screenwriters Hampton Fancher and David Peoples; Ron Miller's Futures Past explores "The Evolution of the Spaceship: Part One"; a two-page spread revisits Battlestar Galactica with some color and black-and-white photos (and a rumored third attempt to make the series work); the centerfold is a two-page Starlog poster showing Galactica's Captain Apollo from the original movie; Ed Naha interviews designer Syd Mead on his Blade Runner vehicle designs (an article illustrated with many Mead images, as you'd expect); David Gerrold's Soaring explores the meaning of Spock's death in the Star Trek movie; part one of the reprint of John W. Campbell Jr.'s "Who Goes There?" -- the basis of John Carpenter's The Thing remake --is illustrated by Nicola Cuti and sprawls across seven pages; David Hirsch describes the background of the Antares spaceship shown on the inside front cover; James H. Burns looks at some holographic creations of Michael Frankel; Wendy Rathbone and Della Van Hise provide an April Fool's (the May issue was on sale in April 1982) edition of Star Trek bloopers; more April Foolishness in Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene, which features Robbie the Robot dancing (today, we'd put him on Dancing with the Stars); Quest features the work of three readers (a model maker, a writer, a cartoonist); and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword talks about the secrecy behind E.T. (more on that in a few issues) and the John Campbell short story in this issue.

"It was Ridley's vision ultimately that we were serving. I think it's terrific and important that Philip K. Dick likes the end result -- I mean it's his baby. Without him there's none of this. This is where it comes from. It's terrific that he was happy, but he really gave me much more credit than I deserve."
–David Peoples, screenwriter, interviewed by James Van Hise: "The Blade Runner Screenwriters: Hampton Fancher and David Peoples"

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

Starlog #59, June 1982: Governor Schwarzenegger with an Axe

Arnold Schwarzenegger was just starting to hit it big with this starring role in Conan. It's also his first of many cover appearances on Starlog. Here he's pictured shirtless, holding his budget-cutting axe.

Starlog #59
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

This is more or less a classic movie preview issue, with Tron, The Thing and Stark Trek all featured and all destined to become favorites of millions of fans.

The rundown: Publisher Kerry O'Quinn, a libertarian in the Ayn Rand mode, uses his From the Bridge column to mark her recent death and explain her philosophy; letters in the Communications pages include an attempt to explain how Indiana Jones stayed on the German sub, thoughts on Star Trek, a Zardoz correction, and more; Log Entries short news include an attempt to bring Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron to the screen with a script by Harlan Ellison, Gene Roddenberry's speaking tour, Pioneer 10's decade in space, and more; and in the one-page Spotlight this month is Disney's Tron.

Ed Naha previews John Milius' Conan the Barbarian; Naha also looks at Paul Schrader's The Cat People; and Naha -- again -- interviews Kirstie Alley and Merrit Butrick, the two young newcomers to Star Trek: The Vengeance of Khan (as it was being called at that point) (and, for those keeping score at home, on page 33 in that article, a photo of the Enterprise is published upside down); the centerfold is the fourth Starlog "Science Fiction Classic" two-page poster, this time featuring Spock's extra-vehicular exploration of V'Ger from Star Trek -- The Motion Picture; Steve Swires interviews Dean Cundey, cinematographer for John Carpenter's The Thing; part two of John W. Campbell's "Who Goes There?" short story covers six pages; Bjo Trimble relates her involvement with the Star Trek Khan film; Paul Mandell writes the SFX article this issue, focusing on the special effects career of David S. Horsley (The Invisible Ray, This Island Earth, etc.); David Hirsch previews fantasy film Krull; Ron Miller's Futures Past column continues his look at "The Evolution of the Spaceship"; David Gerrold's Soaring column relates "Chtorran Jokes," referring to his upcoming epic series on the war against the Chtorr (of which we'll see much in future Starlogs); and Howard Zimmerman turns over his Lastword column to writer Norman Spinrad, who pens an obituary for Philip K. Dick, who had recently died at the age of 54.

"Why spurn the fantasy film crowd, one of the largest movie audiences in the country? ... 'We didn't want to court the horror movie crowd,' explains [Cat People director Paul] Schrader, ' because The Cat People is not a horror movie. It's an erotic fantasy."
–Ed Naha, writer, "The Cat People Conspiracy"

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

From WEIMAR WORLD SERVICE

Starlog #60, July 1982: Sixth Anniversary Issue

Upon completion of its sixth year of publication, Starlog celebrates with another of its 100-page special issues, chocked full of extra pages, features, and color. In news about the Starlog brand, this is a busy month: The company releases the third edition of The Best of Starlog this month, complete with Spock's photo on its cover. Also out this month is the second edition of the TV Episode Guides photo guidebook, the first edition of The Bloody Best of Fangoria, three new licensed film magazines (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Annie, and Rocky III), and the latest (and last, I think) Starlog Records release, The Avengers. Whew!

Starlog #60
100 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $3.95

The cover's another blocked-photo design, so there's no one photo that dominates (after all, the main message is that this is a "SCIENCE FICTION SPECTACULAR -- More Pages! More Color! Bonus Surprises!" as the roof text shouts). But the contents page is a departure from past anniversary issues: there's no Howard Zimmerman-created collage; instead, there's a big photo from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge editorial, "Finding Your Telephone Booth," is another in his series of inspirational columns, though this time it's illustrated with a black-and-white drawing by O'Quinn, showing a nude man (nothing salacious, kids); Communications letters include a remembrance of Philip K. Dick, feedback on Zimmerman's Greenpeace column, news from Leonard Nimoy's fan club, a reprint of a Trek-themed Bloom County strip, and more; short news items in Log Entries include a note about computer ads featuring William Shatner (Commodore) and Isaac Asimov (Radio Shack), the news that Trek II has changed its title to The Wrath of Khan from The Vengeance of Khan, a sneak peek at E.T. and Poltergeist, Norman Spinrad's novel The Iron Dream re-issue was banned in West Germany, feedback on the audience previews of Conan the Barbarian, and more.

Ed Naha explores "The Re-Making of Star Trek"; Bjo Trimble introduces her family in Fan Scene; Steve Swires interviews The Thing's director, John Carpenter, who talks Thing, El Diablo, Halloween II, and more; and Susan Adamo and Bob Greenberger provide an overview of toys and games for the year (including the oh-so-1982 sidebar, "Pac-Man Gobbles up a Nation").

The special color anniversary section kicks off with photo reviews of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Time Bandits, Superman II, Heavy Metal, Quest for Fire, Escape from New York, Outland, Clash of the Titans, and Heartbeeps; Eddie Berganza compiles a three-page index to Starlog articles for issues #47 through #58; Robert Greenberger reviews SF TV for the past year; David Everett profiles English fantasy illustrator Chris Achilleos (with some of his colorful paintings displayed, of course); Ron Miller's Futures Past column continues its look at the spaceship's evolution; four pages of anniversary greetings include everyone from Isaac Asimov ("In six days God created the Heaven and Earth. In six years, the staff of Starlog, with somewhat lesser powers, has managed to create a magazine that fills a niche no other does. On the seventh day, God rested, but I have a feeling that Starlog will keep right on going.") to Robert A. Heinlein ("... Only six years old? It feels to me as if I had always been watching the mail for the new issue of Starlog, then reading it at once while more stodgy magazines waited until I felt up to it. ...") to Buster Crabbe ("You've done a magnificent job. Keep it up.") and more; Robert Greenberger interviews director Ridley Scott about Blade Runner; in his Soaring column, David Gerrold imagines Starlog in the year 2001 (let's just say he got his predictions wrong); the three-part reprint of John W. Campbell's "Who Goes There?" short story concludes; David Hutchison previews the new Disney film Tron; David Hutchison interviews Academy Award-winning matte artist Albert Whitlock (Ghost Story, The Hindenburg, Diamonds Are Forever, The Birds, etc.) in the SFX section; Michael A. Banks looks at more "Hi-Tech Games"; several artists and wits have their talent showcased in Quest; and Howard Zimmerman's Lastword talks Blade Runner.

"Described as an electronic science-fiction fantasy, Tron is the story of a young computer game wizard, Flynn (Jeff Bridges), whose computer game programs have been stolen by Ed Dillinger (David Warner), the executive vice-president of ENCOM. ... Dillinger's Master Control Program has become so powerful that it is now using Dillinger rather than the other way around."
–David Hutchison, writer, "Tron"

This is a work in progress. Check back regularly for the rest of my ongoing compendium of Starlog -- the complete run, nearly 400 issues of the science fiction film/TV/books/etc. magazine.

In the meantime, as I continue adding them on this site, you can see the up-to-date project on my blog.

Copyright © 2010 John Zipperer, except for Starlog images and text, which is the property of Starlog.