Flip through Starburst Magazine’s Fantasy Issue from December 1991 featuring Highlander II, Weis & Hickman, early Peter Jackson, fantasy novels, films, artwork, and more.
Oh, I've seen "Meet the Feebles".. I'd definitely say you've not seen it, or you have a very powerful memory shield! Starting back around 1999 or 2000, a friend of mine began hosting a weekly dinner and 'film seminar' dubbed "Waste of Your Life". Slogan: Guaranteed to be three hours of your life better spent doing anything else! There were a few exceptions of 'good' choices, but overwhelmingly they were rather outrageous and cheesy-awful selections. It pretty much felt like our own version of MST3K.
The color still from Meet the Feebles has addled my brain. A cow standing on a dirty mattress being spanked by a cockroach in a dingy basement? Chains? A strap-on udder? What in the Gollum was Peter Jackson thinking??
We who were familiar with Peter Jackson's early works were a bit surprised when we learned he would be directing the "Lord of the Rings" movies. I don't think many (any?) were really against the idea, more just surprised given his resume at that point. But even at that point, Internet usage was not as widespread and constant as it is in recent years, so it was mostly a deep footnote or quick aside on news reports. Most folks had no idea; some now may still not know about them!
Very nice tour through this issue of Starburst. I collect Starlog, Enterprise Files, Dragon, Different Worlds, and many other fantasy and RPG magazines and fanzines from the late 60s through the early 90s as the last gasp of written media as our “internet.” It’s difficult for a mind raised on ubiquitous always on connection to every opinion to understand that we had to WAIT to read anything about everything! We had to WAIT for movie previews. We didn’t have four teaser trailers, and then multiple trailers leading up to a “final” trailer. We didn’t have high production value film analysis released the week of the box office release. There weren’t spoilers for everything! And finding your people, your tribe was a mix of easy (it was actual living people in your high school) and hard (you could actually correspond by mail with superfans in other states! Literally comic book letter columns and other fanzines would publish the home address of fans that you could write a letter to and geek out together.) It was a different time… and it has been captured in the time capsule of ink on paper. It is now immutable. It isn’t a “feed” that will never be found again, or a wiki post subject to constant updating/revising. It has been CAPTURED in print and stands as written unalterable testimony to the corniness, awesomeness, fashion, vibe, heroism, wickedness, humor, political incorrectness, and honesty of that time period. Long live magazines!
Extremely well said, Andy! How times have changed, and how ephemeral most creations are these days.
So true how physical magazines do all that you say ("unalterable testimony to the corniness, awesomeness, fashion, vibe, heroism, wickedness, humor, political incorrectness, and honesty of that time period.")
I recently picked up some really old non-fantasy mags from the 1930s and am fascinated by them for the exact same reasons. Many of the ads, opinions, etc. would fit right in with today's society. Cycles repeat so regularly that it seems like nothing really changes except for the cast of characters and bit o' technology here and there.
I miss magazines. I hate that the world in the now is mainly pdfs, when purchasing online...sometimes POD, so that assuages my Luddite feelings. I just prefer to hold it in my hands.
Missed on the Feebles, lots of books I have seen back in the day in my wanderings among bookstores. Good Times, thanks.
"Ah, the sweet perfume of refined parchment and arcane printer ink fused sublimely through the exertions of the heaving printing press. The tactile juxtaposition of full smooth pages and chafing 'mail-me-for-more-information' cards nestled between the sexy, teasing, inviting veneer. The written proclamations of whispered titillations and promises is enough to break the resolve of the most stoic of scribes. Some like their magazines rough. Some like them dirty. Me? I'm more of a voyeur. I like to spread them open with my hands, reveling in the crescendoing revelations of the pleasures contained within." - "A Wanton Magazine Scribe". A new Romantasy coming this Fall by Heavy Cavalry
Oh, I've seen "Meet the Feebles".. I'd definitely say you've not seen it, or you have a very powerful memory shield! Starting back around 1999 or 2000, a friend of mine began hosting a weekly dinner and 'film seminar' dubbed "Waste of Your Life". Slogan: Guaranteed to be three hours of your life better spent doing anything else! There were a few exceptions of 'good' choices, but overwhelmingly they were rather outrageous and cheesy-awful selections. It pretty much felt like our own version of MST3K.
Crazy that I don't have any recollections of this. You're probably right - there's some memory shield put upon my person by some nefarious villain!
That's a great memory of your weekly dinners & films, Nick! I would have loved that. Thanks for sharing.
The color still from Meet the Feebles has addled my brain. A cow standing on a dirty mattress being spanked by a cockroach in a dingy basement? Chains? A strap-on udder? What in the Gollum was Peter Jackson thinking??
We who were familiar with Peter Jackson's early works were a bit surprised when we learned he would be directing the "Lord of the Rings" movies. I don't think many (any?) were really against the idea, more just surprised given his resume at that point. But even at that point, Internet usage was not as widespread and constant as it is in recent years, so it was mostly a deep footnote or quick aside on news reports. Most folks had no idea; some now may still not know about them!
Good points, Nick!
LMAO, Brian!!! Your comment has cheered me up tremendously. I'll be revisiting it every time I need a good laugh. 😂
Very nice tour through this issue of Starburst. I collect Starlog, Enterprise Files, Dragon, Different Worlds, and many other fantasy and RPG magazines and fanzines from the late 60s through the early 90s as the last gasp of written media as our “internet.” It’s difficult for a mind raised on ubiquitous always on connection to every opinion to understand that we had to WAIT to read anything about everything! We had to WAIT for movie previews. We didn’t have four teaser trailers, and then multiple trailers leading up to a “final” trailer. We didn’t have high production value film analysis released the week of the box office release. There weren’t spoilers for everything! And finding your people, your tribe was a mix of easy (it was actual living people in your high school) and hard (you could actually correspond by mail with superfans in other states! Literally comic book letter columns and other fanzines would publish the home address of fans that you could write a letter to and geek out together.) It was a different time… and it has been captured in the time capsule of ink on paper. It is now immutable. It isn’t a “feed” that will never be found again, or a wiki post subject to constant updating/revising. It has been CAPTURED in print and stands as written unalterable testimony to the corniness, awesomeness, fashion, vibe, heroism, wickedness, humor, political incorrectness, and honesty of that time period. Long live magazines!
Extremely well said, Andy! How times have changed, and how ephemeral most creations are these days.
So true how physical magazines do all that you say ("unalterable testimony to the corniness, awesomeness, fashion, vibe, heroism, wickedness, humor, political incorrectness, and honesty of that time period.")
I recently picked up some really old non-fantasy mags from the 1930s and am fascinated by them for the exact same reasons. Many of the ads, opinions, etc. would fit right in with today's society. Cycles repeat so regularly that it seems like nothing really changes except for the cast of characters and bit o' technology here and there.
I miss magazines. I hate that the world in the now is mainly pdfs, when purchasing online...sometimes POD, so that assuages my Luddite feelings. I just prefer to hold it in my hands.
Missed on the Feebles, lots of books I have seen back in the day in my wanderings among bookstores. Good Times, thanks.
"Ah, the sweet perfume of refined parchment and arcane printer ink fused sublimely through the exertions of the heaving printing press. The tactile juxtaposition of full smooth pages and chafing 'mail-me-for-more-information' cards nestled between the sexy, teasing, inviting veneer. The written proclamations of whispered titillations and promises is enough to break the resolve of the most stoic of scribes. Some like their magazines rough. Some like them dirty. Me? I'm more of a voyeur. I like to spread them open with my hands, reveling in the crescendoing revelations of the pleasures contained within." - "A Wanton Magazine Scribe". A new Romantasy coming this Fall by Heavy Cavalry
Hey, I would love to connect! Check out my book's main protagonist, Welsh-African Warrior Princess GWEN, in my new character art reveal post:
http://feliciasalber.substack.com/she-expected-an-enemy-he-gave-her