At some previous point in time, before a few of our readers were even born, a two-man industrial performance art group ventured along taxpayer-supported highways to a coastal state park, where they stashed valuables in various structural voids of their decrepit van and followed a trail to the beach. Along the sand a-ways strong flashes of light revealed a small stream that led from the ocean through a ravine into the coastal forest. And across the stream, nestled in an improbably shadowy but verdant glen, straddled a small cabin partly made of wood scavenged from the sea, painted a sky blue much weathered from the sea breezes and age. It had a central room with benches for sitting, some shelving, and two smallish sleeping lofts depending from either side reached by built-in ladders. On the shelves were a dozen books, Gibran, Ram Dass, Pirsig, and there, next to a dogeared mass market paperback of Gravity’s Rainbow (inscribed with a plea that it remain on the premises), was Chunga. Edited by Andy ([email protected]), Randy ([email protected]), and carl ([email protected]). Please address all postal correspondence to 1013 North 36th Street, Seattle WA 98103. Editors: please send three copies of any zine for trade. Available by editorial whim or wistfulness, or, grudgingly, for $5 for a single issue; PDFs of every issue may be found at eFanzines.com.

 Issue 23, February 2015

Tanglewood 1 an editorial

Chunga’s Revenge 2 by Randy Byers as Gregor Chunga was waking up from anxious dreams … Additional Art 6 D. West 8 Steve Stiles Ulrika O’Brien front & back covers 10 Marc Schirmeister Fawcette 5 12 Dan Steffan Stu Shiffman 25 14 Brad W. Foster Ray Nelson 27, 31, 32, 36, 38 16 España Sheriff One morning, One 18 David Thayer / Teddy Harvia Steve Stiles 29 Harry Bell 30 20 Motherly Love: Frank Zappa, Laurel Canyon and the Art of Cal Schenkel by Andy Hooper Alexis Gilliland 34

The Iron Pig carl juarez design 26 a letter column by divers hands

Contributors’ addresses have been redacted in this edition. Tanglewood Bring Me the Head of Peter Rabbit

ne of the highlights of being in London for the peaking of Worldcon, next year’s is in Spokane. Worldcon was encountering Teddy Harvia and España Spokane’s road to the Worldcon was a bit off-kilter, since Sheriff, and enjoying their eager anticipation of this issue to begin with it was a byproduct of the inability of Seattle of Chunga. This project asked rather more of them than the organizers to get another Seattle bid off the ground. Spokane typical fanzine, and it was delightful to see “artists” as excited apparently offered a solution to some of the logistical problems about the publication of an issue as “writers” typically are. I of holding a modern Worldcon in Seattle. Then the Spokane think the issue blurs that line thoroughly — there is as much bid faced competition from an inexperienced group bidding for textual content to these graphic stories as in our usual roster of Orlando and a last-minute bid for Helsinki that generated quite reviews, essays and trip reports. And perhaps even more satisfy- a bit of enthusiasm. In the end Spokane conquered the challeng- ing, I think this issue contains the more “fiction” than any issue ers, but it was a close thing. since the Celluloid Fantasia special. To say that Seattleites generally look down their noses at Such fancies are thick upon the ground in our electric age. Spokane is a bit of an understatement. Seattle is a hotbed of On Monday of the Loncon weekend, Carrie Root and I slipped liberalism that looks on Spokane as the embodiment of the away from the last day’s Worldcon program to visit the Royal rural conservatism of Eastern Washington. I’m not free of this Observatory at Greenwich with fellow Seattle fans Glenn Hack- attitude, and I was extremely dubious about the Spokane bid, ney & Kate Schaefer and Jerry Kaufman & Suzle Tompkins. We even though it would bring the Worldcon within driving dis- found that one of the galleries had been “taken over” by a cabal tance. Once Spokane won, however, I began to feel a creeping of “Steampunk” artists, who had created a protagonist known compulsion to help out in some way. My first thought was to put as “The Commodore,” and described his fictional non-discovery together a crew to run the newsletter, but ultimately I agreed to of longitude. Frankly, it seemed only slightly less ridiculous than run the fanzine lounge when Randy Smith asked. the long queue of tourists waiting to take one another’s pictures Being on a Worldcon committee, even at this low level, has standing on the prime meridian. The presence of the “origi- certainly been an eye-opener. I knew Worldcons had a lot nal” calculation of the meridian, visible on the roof a of moving parts to coordinate, but you really can’t appre- few yards away from the modern line, helped ciate the sheer amount of work that goes into orga- underscore how arbitrary the divisions of our nizing a Worldcon until you’ve seen the behind-the- world are. curtain staff email discussions. Holy cow. I’m deeply LonCon 3 was my first World convention in 18 impressed, but I’ve also had it reconfirmed that I’m years, and Carrie had not been since 1995. There no SMOF. Putting out a semi-regular fanzine is were certainly times when the unprecedented crowds complicated enough for me, thank you very much. around us contained almost no familiar faces, and That said, the Sasquan fanzine lounge should be a lot we questioned the energy and money we’d put into the of fun, and I hope those of you who come to the convention will trip. But there were other times when friends of long standing stop by. The high (ahem) concept here is to call it the Lost World appeared out of the maelstrom, libations were shared, subjects Fanzine Lounge, where dinosaurs of a bygone era gather on a of long fascination were discussed. Rob Hansen helped cre- secluded plateau. This idea was inspired by Ulrika O’Brien’s call ate that atmosphere, and helpfully identified bald, grayed fans for a League of Extraordinary Trufen — steampunk fanzine pub- whom I no longer recognized. Our Madison friend Hope Kiefer lishers. Anybody have a steam-driven mimeo available? took her son Griffin to the Hugo Ceremony, much to his displea- So far Ulrika, Andy, Suzle, Jerry Kaufman, Tom Becker, and sure, until he spotted a beaming David Tennant in the crowd, Kat Templeton (if she can make it to the convention) have and inveigled his signature onto a replica sonic screwdriver. As offered to help run the show. If you’d like to help out, let me he showed me the bold, black Scottish scrawl, “Filthy Pierre” know. Ulrika and I have been to Spokane once already to look Strauss began to blow a lively rendition of the theme from Gil- at the facilities with other concom members, and I have to say ligan’s Island on the legendary “Filth-o-Phone” in the echoing, I was impressed. The Davenport Hotel, which is the party hotel, hangar-sized vestibule. As I picked up a copy of the daily news- is a particularly amazing piece of marble wedding cake archi- letter, detailing Kansas City’s victory in the site selection voting, tecture. If you’ve been dubious about Sasquan yourself, I hope it truly seemed as though very little had changed. you’ll give it a closer look. Come to Spokane and drink some — An d y local beer and think like a dinosaur for a while. We’ll do our best to show you a good time. — R a n d y

Hawkingbot Warns Strong A.I. Could Threaten Humanity Chunga 23 1 Chunga’s Revenge by Randy Byers

It was also at the last Corflu that Jae Leslie Adams, under the influence of too much pirate rum, no doubt, proposed that paper fanzines were becoming delivery mechanisms for artwork. Yes, I’m slow on the uptake, but I’ve only lately begun to realize just how many really fine fan artists there are out there. We’ve made los give artists a chance to exercise their own wit and explore their own creative world, and indeed a beginning on recruiting some of them, but we need to do more. evolving into a round-robin comic strip about there are fan artists, such as Alexis Gilliland and I envision Chunga the late and much missed Bill Kunkel, who have no the adventures of a mutant gypsy vacuum cleaner and his small, interest in illustrating the work of others. wooden sidekick, Philip Kafka van Vogt. That should be around So we’ve done what we could to give our art- #1 ists full artistic license, but even cartoons end up — Editorial, Chunga issue number 23. having to compete with the text of other people’s articles (which is more or less D. West’s complaint, nd so the seed was planted for the whimsical act of time - since he feels that such unrelated cartoons only dis- ...bindingA (is there any other kind?) that is this issue of Chunga. tract our attention from the text). Thus the appeal From the beginning we’ve been interested in of that tossed off idea in the first editorial. What if showcasing the artwork of the many fine fan we handed a whole issue over to the artists, aban- artists who grace the pages of the world’s fan- don articles entirely and just run artwork? The zines. Too often, however, we throw articles at comic strip is the natural form for such an endeav- artists with a tight deadline and then nag them or, so let’s run with that idea. These days Greater mercilessly to produce something brilliant NOW Fandom seems to be all about comic books anyway, PLEASE!!! Even under the best of circumstances, so no doubt we’ll gain massive fame and glory and the header or illo that results is considered an a cosplay revue at the San Diego Comic Con in the adjunct to the main course, which is the article process. Screw the Hugo, let’s win an Eisner! itself. Most of us aren’t capable of knowledgeable The one major flaw in the original joking con- art appreciation, and the lettercol will confirm that cept, when taken as a serious blueprint, was the comments on art are few and far between and idea of doing this as a round robin. There was no much less involved than comments on articles. Fan way we could predict how long it would take to artists can’t get no egoboo compared to word-whip- complete a round robin, so if we wanted to stick pers. with doing it for issue #23 — and it wouldn’t be But as I say, we’ve tried our best to bring the proper timebinding if we didn’t do it in #23 — the artwork in Chunga to the fore, helped on by the timing of it was too tricky. One alternative to a fact that we have an artist as our graphic designer. round robin was to create a script and parcel out Not all the art is illustrative either. Aside from the parts of it to various artists, but not only would this covers (both front and back since issue #5), we run have been insanely complicated (none of us had a lot of cartoons and fillos that have nothing to do any experience with scripting comic strips), it also with the articles. This is actually a bone of con- seemed to contradict the intention of giving the tention with D. West, but as Brad Foster observed artists free rein. So the other option was to create a somewhere along the line our model in this is conceptual framework that would allow the artists magazines like The New Yorker. Cartoons and fil- to do whatever they wanted within a structure that

2 Chunga 23 "Comet Transport is the key to our survival," he tweeted Thursday. provided a connection between the various self- intentions! It’s hard to argue with the over-engi- contained contributions. neered part, but we couldn’t really see any other What we came up with, then, was a scenario way to do it. Maybe it would have been better if we based on that one sentence in the editorial. There had thrown fewer ideas/suggestions into the mix would be two characters: Gregor Chunga, a mutant and just presented the framework with a few com- Re e gypsy vacuum cleaner, and Philip Kafka van Vogt, ments suggesting the lack of restrictions other than veng his small wooden sidekick. As we wrote in the pro- the framework. Then again, maybe there’s no idea posal sent out to the artists: “The small, wooden that isn’t going to rub somebody the wrong way. sidekick is the author of the story. Because it’s Kafka, The other thing that was pointed out to me is Gregor Chunga has metamorphosed into a gypsy that “gypsy” is now a deprecated term (Romani mutant vacuum cleaner. Because it’s van Vogt, the or Rom are preferred), and that the whole exotic gypsy mutant vacuum cleaner is an immortal super- Gypsy camp mythos is a bunch of racist malarkey. genius who rules the sevagram. Because it’s PK Dick, I had to concede that point as well, but it seemed so there’s more than one sevagram, and it’s hard to tell baked into the concept that I didn’t see any way out which ones are real.” The other part of the frame- of it. It would have been great if somebody had sub- work was that each contribution would start and mitted a contribution critiquing the whole scenario, end with the same panel, with both characters in but that was probably an over-engineered bridge bed, waking up in the first panel and preparing to too far. Trying to escape one’s cultural blinders is a sleep in the last, so that each strip would fit together Kafkaesque nightmare in itself, isn’t it? with both the preceding and succeeding strips. The idea of the mutant gypsy vacuum cleaner Within this framework the artists were encour- comes, of course, from the liner notes of Frank Zap- aged to follow their whim. As we said in the pro- pa’s album, Chunga’s Revenge. As Andy explained posal: “The main idea is that instead of scripting in the sidebar along our editorial page in the first out an entire story and then parceling chunks out issue of Chunga, “The outer cover is noted for a to artists, we have a framework which allows each picture of Zappa in his signature mustache/goatee/ artist to tell their own story (although we’re happy ponytail with eyes closed and mouth wide open as to collaborate with you if you want suggestions) in if screaming — but both he and the photographer two-page chunks that can fit together in whatever confirmed that he was in fact yawning when it was order makes sense to us when we assemble the taken.” Yawning, not screaming could well be the thing. There is no through-story. The result will motto of our little zine, eh wot? Elsewhere in the be a bit like Winsor McCay’s strip, Dream of the current issue Andy has investigated the interior- Rarebit Fiend.” (Shamefully I completely mangled gatefold illustration by Cal Schenkel that accompa- McCay’s name in the original draft. Always learn- nied the description of the Gypsy mutant vacuum ing, always learning!) We threw out some other cleaner dancing in the firelight. That fanciful piece ideas and references that might get the creative by Schenkel was part of what I was riffing on in juices flowing, but we emphasized that anything my own editorial comment. and everything was allowed within the constraints described above. Our final note was this: “Just because Gregor Chunga and Philip Kafka van Vogt sleep to­gether doesn’t necessarily mean they’re lovers. Maybe they’re just best friends in the fine American literary tradition of Huck and Jim, Ish- mael and Queequeg, Batman and Robin, and Kirk/ Spock.” The proposal was sent out to around 30 art- ists who had either contributed to us before or had hy Philip Kafka van Vogt? That’s hard- indicated an interest in contributing. (We even er to say. I was probably in the middle of sent the proposal to Jose Sanchez, who has sent us Wmy van Vogt binge at the time, and was thereby generic sci-fi art several times, much like the sci-fi learning how much PK Dick owed to him. (David poetry that’s occasionally submitted to us without Hartwell once told me that the four major acolytes any apparent understanding of what we’re up to in of van Vogt were Charles Harness, Phil Dick, Phil Chunga.) Almost immediately we got a response Farmer, and Barrington Bayley, and of those four from one of our favorite artists declining the invita- only Farmer is not a favorite writer of mine.) That tion and telling us that the framework was over- would explain how I arrived at Philip K. van Vogt, engineered and too restricting. So much for best and Kafka no doubt seemed like a fittingly para-

"Galactic Beings have used comets as star taxis for eons." Chunga 23 3 ’m really not sure what strange beast has been hatched here. The greatest thing about the I comic strip is that it’s very weird and hard to get your head around. Everybody brings their own sensibility to the table, and yet certain jokes (screaming in space, Sea- gram’s) float between contributors seem- ingly of their own volition. Schirm, Foster, Stiles, Stef- fan, West, and Ulrika have been mainstays of Chunga all along, and without them this project would have fallen flat on its pretty face. Thanks for indulging us, guys. We’re so deeply in your debt by this point that we’re contemplat- ing hitting up the World Bank for a loan, although no doubt it means we’ll need to form a government with the opposition. Meanwhile, despite my com- ment in that first editorial that we needed to recruit more artists, we haven’t actually done a great job on that front. The closest to a new noid literary match for the K. As for why I put this artist in this bunch is España Sheriff, who makes a idea in the 23rd issue, that was a play on the 23 second appearance in our pages with her interest- Enigma attributed to William S. Burroughs by Rob- ingly sinuous style. Finally, Teddy Harvia returns ert Anton Wilson, which purports a mysterious cos- from gafiation with his first contribution toChunga , mic significance to the number 23. I’ve never read bringing a completely idiosyncratic approach to a any Robert Anton Wilson myself, but the idea had very iconographic sevagram indeed. been explained to me by carl back in college days, Anyone who thinks he can rule all the unique which is why my final comment in the editorial worlds created by these eight artists is delusional, was, “Right, carl?” which is probably the main take-away from this Yeah, right. Well, that’s the origin story for story. Living well — living at all! — was Gregor Gregor Chunga, but in the end Gregor Chunga has Chunga’s best revenge, but in the end he’s still just indeed had his revenge on us. He has taken on a another hand-drawn household appliance lost in life of his own, origins be damned. It isn’t the life the uncaring multiverse. we had imagined for him. I was hoping for a mini- mum of ten contributions to the comic strip, and ut enough pretext, context, and subtext. On I dreamed of 15. Gregor’s life only inspired eight with the show. The lights dim, the curtains chapters, counting Ulrika’s covers. That didn’t seem Bpart, and a stage is revealed within the proscenium like quite enough to fill a whole issue of the fan- frame… zine, and Andy and I had to have our say, so Gregor makes us eat our words, because this isn’t a total art issue either. So much for handing the keys to the issue over to the artists! The best revenge of all, however, is the freedom exercised by our contribu- tors.

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Alone, we toiled through the day, content and terrified. Chunga 23 5 6 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 7 8 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 9 10 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 11 12 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 13 14 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 15 16 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 17 18 Chunga 23 Chunga 23 19 Motherly Love: Frank Zappa, Laurel Canyon and the Art of Cal Schenkel

by Andy Hooper

had one of those moments of disorienting wonder at the events A significant community of artists once made of my own brief lifespan in December of 2013. Such feelings can come to their careers creating work that was primarily I you regardless of your age; I can remember the pangs of nostalgia and reproduced as the packaging for music, and many ennui that crept into my heart when I would haunt my old elementary school musicians took a deep interest in the images that playground, a year or two after going on to junior high. Perspective can disarm formed the “face” of their work. The artist most anyone. December 4th, 2013 was the 20th anniver- associated with the work of Frank Zappa is Calvin sary of Frank Zappa’s death in 1993. I’ll be turning Schenkel, who created art that adorned many of a sprightly 53 later this year; Frank was 17 days Zappa’s most iconic records, including Just Anoth- away from turning 53 when he succumbed to the er Band From L.A., Uncle Meat, One Size Fits effects of cancer. Zappa released more than sixty All, We’re Only In It For The Money and Chunga’s albums in his 35–year career in music, which Revenge. Schenkel produced art for many other would be prolific in any field; the fact that he has musicians, and has successfully marketed his own continued to release something close to an album work through mail-order for more than 30 years. a year since his death is enough to make the living But Zappa was so instrumental in starting Schen- feel inadequate. Or inordinately lucky if you hap- kel’s career, and Cal’s art such an integral part of pen to be a Zappa fan. Frank’s image in music and on film, their collabo- Note the use of the word “Album” to describe a ration continues to command attention nearly fifty commercially-marketed package of popular music. years after it began. In the 21st Century, music has escaped from the Schenkel was born on January 27th, 1947, in various means of duplication that made it so read- Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, a 19th Century sub- ily salable in the past, so the concept of an “album urb of Philadelphia. He cites comic books, comic cover” is rapidly becoming as obsolete as the wrist strips (especially Krazy Kat) and MAD magazine watch and the rotary phone. Music is still packaged as early influences on his artistic style. After gradu- with visual content, but it no longer sells itself with ating from High School, he attended the Philadel- the 12" square canvas that ruled the age of vinyl. phia College of Art, but would leave after only a

20 Chunga 23 Vast wheel-like constructions. They're especially adapted to semester there. The experience was valuable in that area, and tried to interest art Schenkel made acquaintances there he would con- and advertising directors in his tinue to know for many years, but his style was so eclectic portfolio. He began to rudimentary and primitive that he was never going make connections, into music to develop the technique that his instructors want- and the burgeoning under- ed to see. Cal is a passable cartoonist, but he cheer- ground press, and had a few fully admits that his own drawing hand produces enthusiastic boosters among something you might see scrawled on the outside his College of Art friends. One of a school notebook by a bored ninth-grader. He of these was Sandy Hurvitz, a has created some undeniably epic images anyway. singer who performed under He has always made use of assemblage and col- the name of Essra Mohawk. lage in his art, and his predilection for bringing After completing Freak Out! together unusual props and graphic elements made and touring to support it, The him an inventive art director for still or film pho- Mothers of Invention played a tography. Naturally, Cal did what any unemployed series of shows in New York 19-year-old artist would have done in the winter of City at the end of 1966, and 1966: He went to California. were offered a showcase at the Garrick Theater over Easter The Midnight Sunset weekend of 1967. This led to On his first pass at the West Coast, Schenkel kept a six-month residence in New having what might be called “encounters” with York City, during which Zappa Frank Zappa without formally meeting him. Zappa asked Essra Mohawk to join the was a frequent customer at Canter’s Delicatessen, band. After she began singing and Schenkel remembered seeing him there. Frank with the group, Essra asked to was sitting in the living room of a friend’s house show Cal Schenkel’s portfolio to when Cal came to visit, but no one introduced Frank, promising that the two of them. And on a night in mid-March, Cal was walk- them had a great deal in com- ing on Sunset Boulevard, when a “car full of girls” mon. Zappa agreed; he asked drove up and asked if he wanted to “go to a ses- Schenkel to develop ad posters for sion.” A band was making a record at a studio on the Mothers’ shows at the Garrick, the strip, and they had invited all the kids in to but soon he was working full make weird and wild noises. The band was The time on concept art for an album Mothers of Invention; musical director Zappa had tentatively titled “Our Man in told producer Tom Wilson, “I would like to rent Nirvana,” and commuting to $500 worth of percussion equipment for a session work at a studio in one room of that starts at Midnight on Friday, and I want to Zappa’s apartment. invite all the freaks from Sunset Boulevard in to do His first major project for the something special.” Mothers turned into the cover The cacophony that resulted was eventually of the album We’re Only In It mixed into the track titled “Return of the Son of For The Money. The assembly Monster Magnet” for the Mothers’ debut double of mannequins, photo cut-outs album Freak Out! Zappa was perpetually bitter that and costumed band members MGM had forced him to release the song with a was an open parody of the rudimentary drum track he had planned to replace photo-collage cover of The Beatles’ Sergeant Pep- ▲ Just Another Band with a much more sophisticated overdub, but few per’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. MGM was initially from L.A., bands ever had as many hours of studio time devot- skeptical of the project, thinking the Beatles would Cruising with Ruben ed to their first effort at recording. In early July of sue, but in the end it definitely helped sell the and the Jets, the same year, Schenkel was walking in Berkeley record. Schenkel had meticulously staged the live The Grand Wazoo and spotted the album in the window of a record photograph, and was frustrated when MGM asked store, with a distorted photograph of the band on him to “strip in” some less threatening images, the cover. “That guy!” said Schenkel. He was both including a photo of manager Herb Cohen’s daugh- delighted and amazed that the chaotic session had ter Lisa. been part of a real record. Schenkel also worked on the cover that would Having found little work in California, Schen- eventually grace the album Burnt Weenie Sand- kel returned to Willow Grove and the Philadelphia wich, and accompanied the band on their first tour

roll through a gelatinous medium from planet to planet. Chunga 23 21 of Europe as their photogra- occupied by two groups of tenants. One was the pher. Schenkel and Zappa staff of a metaphysical magazine, The Oracle, and had had a common aversion attracted the likes of Timothy Leary, George Harri- to marijuana and the other son and Ravi Shankar, and minds were thoroughly recreational drugs that were expanded during their tenure. The other half was popular in rock music culture rented by two sometimes “roadies” named Carl at the time, which is probably Franzoni and Vito Paluekas, and between six and one reason they were fond ten teenaged, female members of their “dance com- of one another’s company. pany,” who were literally billed as “Vito’s Freaks.” Both tended to fancy them- Their most notable accomplishment to that selves outside observers of point had been touring with The Byrds, where “the scene.” When the bitter they were employed to dance and “break the ice, winter of 1967 drove Zappa bring a taste of real California Freak culture to the to return his entire opera- Midwest.” The dance was untutored, but the girl’s tion to California, Schenkel diaphanous costumes and commitment to the act would follow, albeit in a 1939 Plymouth which he made up for their lack of training. Franzoni was ▲ Uncle Meat, and two friends purchased for $75! They rolled up unapologetically predatory toward his tenants and Burnt Weeny Sandwich to Zappa’s new digs at “The Log Cabin” in Laurel employees; nicknamed “Captain Fuck,” he would Canyon, to find there was already literally a colony face jail for such conduct today. Some of the danc- of “freaks” living on the property. ers were runaways, reform school girls, or hippies who fled the souring of the scene in the Haight- The Laurel Canyon Ballet Company Ashbury after the summer of ’67. Others were The Log Cabin was built by silent-movie star Tom from the San Fernando Valley, driven by curiosity Mix in 1915, and originally intended as a “mas- and a desire to be part of the world of rock music. culine retreat” for the actor and his friends. After And Laurel Canyon had become the epicenter of Mix’s star sank, the property was held by a succes- that world. In addition to Graham Nash and Gram sion of owners, who rented the 75-foot long living Parsons, neighbors included Eric Burdon and Joni room to Beverly Hills residents for private parties. Mitchell, and visitors included Eric Clapton, Grace In the early 1960s, a woman named Violette LeB- Slick, John Mayall and Mick Jagger. eau ran a foster home for teenage girls on the prop- When Zappa and his family (including wife erty; when new owners began cleaning the 3.5 acre Gail and daughter Moon Unit) moved in, “Vito’s grounds in 1967, they found “one of the Barrymore Freaks” would be reborn as the “GTOs,” the origi- kids” living in a shack on the property. Immedi- nal “Groupie Band,” releasing the album Perma- ately before Zappa moved in, the property had been nent Damage on Zappa’s Straight Records label.

22 Chunga 23 In an interview with the New York Times, Waters said that he hoped the result would be “even more perverse Zappa set up his recording studio in the basement ber that year, increasing antici- of the house, and usually had tape rolling to cap- pation for a new touring band. ture any sociologically significant events that might Schenkel returned for a visit to occur. Cal Schenkel sublet one wing of the cabin Los Angeles in early 1970, and as his apartment and studio. He generated the Carl Frank immediately asked him Barks-like caricatures for the album Cruising with to design a package for the first Ruben and the Jets while living there, and staged studio album by the “new Moth- photographs that would be used in the covers for ers,” and Cal readily agreed. It the records Uncle Meat and Hot Rats. He also had was the beginning of a long a relationship with Sandra Leano, “Miss Sandra” of series of freelance contracts the the GTOs, which resulted in their daughter, Raven. two would complete together, The scene at the cabin was glorious chaos, but it and as noted above, Schenkel must have been difficult to work with a rock band continues to collaborate on and a dance troupe under the same roof. Schenkel new versions of those designs soon moved his work space to a studio on Ventura to this day. Boulevard. The office had been home to a dental (The haunting model in the practice for decades, and Schenkel found numerous cover of Hot Rats, Christine plaster casts of teeth and old books of photographs Frna, was a member of the illustrating healthy and diseased dentition there. GTOs, and Moon Unit Zappa’s These formed a major part of Schenkel’s design for first nanny. She also altered the cover of Uncle Meat. The illustration of a skull rock history by arranging for with the number “1348” in black type on its fore- her boyfriend Vincent Furnier to head has inspired much analysis, as 1348 AD was audition his Phoenix-based band the year that the Black Death really took hold over “Nazz” for Zappa’s new record Europe. But Schenkel swears that this was a coin- label in 1969. Zappa told the cidence, caused by his random selection of illustra- earnest young rockers to come tion 1348 from his book of dental photos. by the cabin at seven o’clock for an audition. They showed up at Fish Faces and Boyfriend Bands 7 am to greet a bemused Zappa During the same period, Schenkel began to cre- drinking his first cup of coffee. ate album covers for other artists represented by Although he had intended for Zappa’s manager Herb Cohen, including Tom Waits them to appear at seven that eve- and Tim Buckley, and perhaps his most memorable ning, he let them play anyway, design was inspired by Don Van Vliet, also known and signed them to a record con- as “Captain Beefheart.” For Van Vliet’s album Trout tract. Unfortunately, the name Mask Replica, Schenkel hollowed out a huge carp’s “The Nazz” had already been head so that all that remained was the outer skin. used by another of Christine’s This Van Vliet gamely donned for a two-hour photo “boyfriends,” Todd Rungren. So session. At one point, Van Vliet played a saxophone the band changed their name to through the fish’s lips, an act which Schenkel hap- “Alice Cooper,” a name which pily recorded for posterity on super 8mm motion Furnier eventually adopted as picture film. his own.) Just considering that the band now had nine Frank released two albums official members and numerous supporting person- of music primarily recorded by the original band’s ▲ Ahead of Their Time, nel including Schenkel, the Mothers would have lineup, Burnt Weeny Sandwich (named for one of Absolutely Free, had to sell a great many more records to make the Frank’s favorite meals: two split Hebrew National One Size Fits All operation profitable. Citing financial strain, Zappa hot dogs served on toast with mustard) and Wea- broke up the band in 1969. The departure of the sels Ripped My Flesh. Schenkel had originally cre- various members who had become his friends ated the design for the former as a potential post- made Cal decide to resign from Zappa’s studio as humous album by jazz instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, well. He helped design the striking cover of Zappa’s but was rejected as simply too weird by producer next solo album Hot Rats before returning to Alan Douglas. Weasels ’ cover was executed by the Pennsylvania, but was on the opposite coast when artist Neon Park (aka Martin Muller, 1940–1991), Frank began to select a new group of bandmates who was famous as the creator of most of Little in late 1969. The jazzy Hot Rats debuted in Octo- Feat’s album covers. The title had been suggested than the original, because it’s transforming innocence into a whole new kind of joyous, G-rated obscenity.” Chunga 23 23 ▲ Chunga’s Revenge to Frank by a teenaged fan and aspiring musician their first European tour, had a direct knowledge interior gatefold (detail) named Dan O’Brien, whose brother had found it on of much of what Frank wanted to present. Because the cover of a “men’s magazine.” O’Brien also pre- the movie was about the experiences of a band sented Zappa with a number of science fiction lyr- that had broken up and been replaced with new ics and scenarios for songs, including one featuring members in “real life,” it seemed only fitting that a being known as a “Chunga,” whom O’Brien saw Frank was played by Ringo Starr on screen. Wilfrid as the mutant offspring of victims of nuclear war. Bramble, famous for playing Ringo’s Grampa in A These notes largely inspired the project that Zap- Hard Day’s Night, was set to play another major pa gave to Schenkel in the spring of 1970, an eclec- role, but he failed to appear on the day of shooting. tic mix of guitar solos, instrumental compositions, New Mothers’ bass player Jeff Simmons was draft- and songs warning of the dangers of indiscrimi- ed into playing the film’s protagonist. It was the nate sex on the road. These were also an intention- first theatrical feature ever shot on videotape and al preview of Zappa’s big movie project 200 Motels, transferred to 35mm film, creating unique visual which was shortly to begin filming (and recording) effects. Frank ended up bringing “original” Mothers at Shepperton Studios in England. This was also Jimmy Carl Black and Motorhead Sherwood on set the first album in which Zappa collaborated with for some screen time, which gave a greater degree vocalists Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan and of “authenticity” to the production. bass player Jim Pons, all formerly members of The And just as he was about to get fully involved in Turtles. Because of contractual disputes, the two pre-production work for Motels, Schenkel produced vocalists had to perform under the names “The the cover and interior gatefold for Frank’s next Phlorescent Leech and Eddie,” and later simply “Flo album Chunga’s Revenge. Schenkel’s art shows the and Eddie,” well into the subsequent decade. effect of more than two full years working as an professional; his interior illustration is both whim- The Gypsy Canister of Dreams sical and “finished” with real depth of light and Schenkel had a great deal to do with 200 Motels shadow. It could easily have appeared in a mildly too: he was the film’s production designer, and depraved children’s book. because he had shared the band’s experience of Schenkel took Dan O’Brien’s post-atomic mutant,

24 Chunga 23 Your speciality appears to be staying violently alive. I would Stu Shiffman 1954 –2014

Most of you will no doubt have heard that our friend and frequent contributor, Stu Shiffman, died in November after two and half years of slow recovery from a massive stroke. Surely there is an alternate history where Stu submitted a comic strip celluloid fanta- sia to this issue, featuring a mutant gypsy vacuum cleaner and his small wooden sidekick in an adventure out of Wodehouse, by way of Lovecraft and the Bowery Boys.

We'll have more about Stu in a future issue. Meanwhile we'll dream of that lost world where he is still among us.

and converted it from a twisted human being, into Ed Caraeff and John Williams, would design pack- a twisted machine with human features. The ages for a majority of Frank’s albums for the rest “mutant gypsy vacuum cleaner” dances in the fire- of the musician’s life, and some later projects like light of the camp formed by the encircling wagons Playground Psychotics and Ahead of their Time of the gypsy clan. The setting recalls the bucolic showcase a pure cartooning style that would be surroundings of the Log Cabin, where many gyp- right at home on the cover of a science fiction sies gathered around the light of fires real and fanzine. The elaborate “battle” scene that adorns figurative. And the dancing vacuum cleaner must the cover of The Grand Wazoo would fit neatly be one of the “freaks” that Schenkel knew and into a collection of “wraparound” covers by the loved during those months in Laurel Canyon. The likes of Brad Foster and Teddy Harvia. But he has tiny, transparent skirt and gypsy beads that adorn also continued to “assemble” art and liner decora- the vacuum’s canister surely recall the sheer outfits tion from quizzical and occasionally disturbing and bangles the Canyon dancers wore to perform. sources, sometimes hitting tones of genuine won- The scene is framed by Frank’s mixing board, as der or horror that encased songs about rubberized if the camp were located inside a recording stu- pleasure bots and UFOS that hovered above Inca dio — again, a lot like the situation at the Log Cabin. roads. His art reflected the perpetual irreverence The photograph on the front cover — which and invention of Frank’s music, which often veered shows Frank yawning during a British promotional in unexpected directions from the concept and junket — was taken by British photographer Phil format originally proposed. Schenkel’s mash-ups of Franks, and one of the girls from the Log Cabin text, photo and diagram suggest a dossier perpetu- was responsible for its appearance as well. Franks ally under construction, a search without concrete showed them to GTOs ringleader Pamela Des object, and therefore without end. As Frank’s son Barres, who then made sure that Frank saw them, Dweezil keeps his music before the public with and one ended up on Chunga’s Revenge. Framed in Zappa Plays Zappa, and new fans discover his work, a blood red background, with Schenkel’s green late, Cal Schenkel’s art still helps illustrate the satiri- late show lettering, you know that something fun cal, sometimes cynical, and forever defiant attitude must lie inside. behind it. Few collaborations of our age have been Schenkel, with collaborators like photographers half as enduring, or a fraction as enigmatic.

go so far as to say you're something of a genius at it. Chunga 23 25 The Tracy Benton Having seen a thread go by on Randy’s media repro or historical costume are just doomed Facebook page that seemed to degener- to disappointment unless they have unlimited bud- ate into a strange mudslinging match, gets and/or time. But it gives us all an unbreak- and the Puppy Bowl being over, I write able bond, especially while drinking and relating Tracy Benton to you under the aegis of a rerun of Godzilla vs. what we would Like to Have Done If Only. I find it [email protected] Destroyah (1995), which offers almost no distraction hard to believe that she struck out at a thrift store to the task at hand. because I have seen that woman in a fabric shop On to shorter sentences! and she must have put a lot of points in the Item I always look forward to opening the Chunga Finding Skills column. envelope, but I am seemingly incapable of sitting I was of course disappointed not to see a photo down and writing a loc. Therefore I am now going of Ulrika’s completed steampunk “bits and piec- to go back, back, back to Chunga 19. It’s not only es” costume. The ability to put together a bits and my favorite issue so far, almost the entire zine pieces costume is a huge boon at a steampunk seemed to be written for me (and I secretly won- convention (by which I mean one where everybody dered whether everybody got a different version of dresses up for all three or four days). It’s one thing it tailored to their interests). to come up with one suitable costume, but when Ulrika’s “Dressing Up in Costumes” gets my you need two formal outfits, three day outfits, and attention immediately, and not only for the name- maybe a special event ensemble . . . things get mind- check/accusation she added! Ulrika, as I know from bendingly ridiculous. By Sunday afternoon you are previous online conversations, is an admirable by necessity wearing all the bits and pieces you costume purist — a.k.a. a somewhat disappointed forgot to pack into your luggage because they’ve costumer. People who really want to look Right in a already been hauled out to the car and you’re not going out there again dammit. I also loved her description of the lobby of a casino hotel, which made me laugh aloud and remember . . . well, every casino hotel I’ve ever stayed in (more than six at this point). Unlike Ulri- ka I do have a very bad sense of direction and with- out guidance might have to exist on free drinks and stray nachos for days while trying to find the coffee shop. Godzilla has now entered Tokyo Bay. Andy’s “Twilight in the Reading City” and Mari- lyn’s “A Buzzard’s Choice” made me sad — no blame to the authors, but Madison’s used book stores have nearly gone to dust in the last five or six years. I used to love a used-bookstore-crawl with the best of them, and now what am I? A traitor. Clear and simple. I mostly buy ebooks (when I can, through Kobo books, which gives a little cut to A Room of One’s Own bookstore, my local new-book haunt). Or I get books from the library, which was my tech- nique to break my previous $40-a-month Amazon habit (worked quite well, I must say, as I can now “That Daniel Day Lewis can play anything.” browse Amazon without buying anything at all). 26 Chunga 23 The notion of the dangerous dissident who so threatens the corrupt state that he or she must be iron pig

But I miss the fun of discovering that last Univer- respect is still based on personal opinion. sity of Chicago Press Judge Dee mystery you need Well, this has gotten kind of long, and Godzilla to complete your set, or that weird Ace Double you was frozen by the SPX fighter some time ago. I’ll thought your brother really needed. have to write on the current Chunga Real Soon It occurs to me that so far this letter is about Now. But my continuing felicitations on your zine, shopping. Sorry about that. I will fix it. which I very much enjoy. Kate’s “Hanging Out in Bookstores” strikes a Andy sez: Not having considered the contents chord with me, not about bookstores, but about of Chunga #18 for a year or so, I’m sort of how social groups melt, reform, change, and refo- startled to note that all that bookstore nos- cus over time. Hanging out with people who have talgia was published before Jo Walton’s novel interests similar to my own has always struck me Among Others, which makes so much of the as more appealing than, for example, the school power of literature, libraries and bookstores model of hanging out with those your own age, or in putting people together. Casting all those the neighborhood model of people who happen to wonderful, dusty volumes into a coming of age live near you. I find it a great effort to make friends, story really fixes the transformation that we so knowing I can at least start with a remark on go through on the way to adulthood, where Neil Gaiman without the other person saying social and intellectual experiences blend into “who?” is reassuring to me. But in any gathering something we will eventually identify as fan of fans (of anything), you always find some people activity. It also suggests to me that these sci- you get along with better than others. There are the ence fiction salons are supposed to be some- people you’d rather sit with and those you would what ephemeral in nature. If fans use the genre rather avoid. And it seems like this fracturing of to cultivate social interaction with people with a social group always leaves some people feeling similar interests, it’s inevitable that our zeal excluded. I hope that the invitation-only nature of for the literature must fade after it has provid- Vanguard didn’t lead to this, but I suspect it did, ed the gateway to richer and more nominally just from personal experience. Is there any way to “real” experiences. Which is not to say that we avoid this type of painful rupture? Maybe not. leave the reading behind, just the weekly book I can’t read The Drink Tank. I also can’t read discussions and critical articles in fanzine. Or Jules Verne. Why? dunno. Just can’t get into ‘em. some of us do, anyway. I am, however, unwilling to call anything I just As The Drink Tank moves through its final can’t get into “bad.” Drink Tank #365 appears to year, I still feel like the question of its suc- be entirely devoted to Twin Peaks. I watched Twin cess or failure is dependent on Peaks when it was first aired and was attracted, what you expect of it. If repelled, and baffled with the rest of the nation. you are expecting to see But still, I couldn’t get into the zine. Mark Plum- something in the mode mer’s musing on the Garcia/Bacon production was of Science Fiction interesting to me mostly because as someone who Review or Janus, is 75% gafiated, I feel like I’m not really allowed to you’ll find Chris a dis- point to a fanzine and say it is “bad.” I don’t publish appointment. If your anymore, hence no street cred, hence no respect expectations are set for my opinion? But Mark obviously publishes, and by a wide experience I can’t help but think that his delicate “fanzines of web logs and other deserve respect” sounds fairly reasonable . . . but e-publishing endeavors, I’m sure there are a few Twin Peaks fans out there Chris pretty much has it who worshipped #365 complete with cherry pie, so goin’ on. Frequency and physically eliminated is unfortunately an old-fashioned fantasy that no longer fits our sophisticated dystopia. Chunga 23 27 prolificity have a quality of their own, as Stalin there, just as the monolith as placed deep within or the late Dick Geis might have said. the moon for our eventual discovery . . . . Maybe This letter reminds me how much I miss if you loc that particular issue, it will open up a reading your writing in fanzines, Tracy. Some wormhole to their distant planet?) of us just can’t seem to grow up, I guess, May- Oooooo, dueling TAFF nominees in the editorial be you’ll indulge me by letting us publish some- section — who shall reign supreme? (Should have thing else by you next time . . . . gotten carl on Randy Smith’s team, then no matter who ended up winning the race, you could have Philip Turner said that Chunga always gets the winner!) Philip Turner I received Chunga 22 via the Brialey-Plummer I’ve always thought it would be a blast to see [email protected] distribution network at about the same time as a one of those over-the-top productions of “The Ring”, copy of the Masters of Cinema 2-DVD edition of though not sure I could put up with it for the hours Brad Foster Fritz Lang’s Die Nibelungen, which gets a mention required, and Randy’s article kind of confirmed PO Box 165246 in Randy’s article. There’s nothing very heroic or that I should probably stick with highlight reels. Irving, TX 75016 honourable about the characters in the film most I’ve found that, while I like all kinds of music, there [email protected] of the time, so he’s right about the divergence from are two musical forms that put me straight to sleep Wagner’s Ring cycle. as soon as the vocals start: Rap and Opera. Maybe William Breiding In Part 1, Siegfried comes across as a proper “I it’s just the way the words are delivered, but it all PO Box 961 want, I get” git with few redeeming qualities at sounds the same, and slightly odd, to my ear. Just Dellslow, WV 26531 first. Brunhild is a sociopath. Hagen of Burgundy is those two. And just the vocals. Odd, right? another and Kriemhild’s brothers show little under- Well, should get back to the drawing board. Plus, standing of honour and decency by standing by one of the few “reality” shows on tv worth watching him in Part 2. is coming up, Faceoff on (believe it or not) the Syfy To a science-fiction fan, Part 2 unrolls along the network. Actually shows truly creative people doing lines of Joe Straczynski’s Earth-Minbari war in the amazing things, and not trying to screw each other best TV SF series ever made — Babylon 5 (which is over, just doing the best they can. Great show! being shown on the TV channel Watch in the UK Randy sez: While none of us nominated Randy at the time of writing). The start of the war might Smith for TAFF, we’ll be working for him at have been borrowed from the King Arthur leg- Sasquan, since he’s Division Head for Exhibits, end but Delenn could easily be playing the role of which is over the the fanzine lounge. Hope to Kriemhild in Fritz Lang’s film and dead Dukhat is, see you there, you Guest of Honor, you. of course, the slain Siegfried. William Breiding Randy sez: The interesting thing about Lang and Harbou’s Die Nibelungen is that Hagen’s I did want to let Andy know that before I read his brothers do show honor in standing by him, film reviews I borrowed all the films under discus- but this very act of honor leads to the destruc- sion from the library so I could respond knowledge- tion of their people. The film is often seen as ably. I was dreading The Lone Ranger, but of all an expression of German nationalism (and it the films discussed it ended being my favorite, a was Hitler’s favorite movie), but Lang is actu- magic realist version of the Old Chestnut. And per- ally warning his countrymen (with amaz- haps because District 9 came so far from left field, ing prescience) that nationalism will be their and was so likable, I found Elysium utterly soulless. destruction. At the same time, he portrays the And surprisingly, I found Star Trek: Into Darkness self-destruction as heroic, so it’s a conflicted and Iron Man 3 joyful entertainment, particularly message, for sure. Iron Man 3. Superman (ie, Man of Steel) was good but too much a rehash of all that preceded it. Brad Foster Randy sez: Iron Man 3 was a rare superhero Latest issue #22 has arrived this week, and was movie that I actually really liked. Part of it is much enjoyed. (As usual.) And, came complete that Robert Downey Jr is perfect for the part with new scientific discoveries revealed: a fanzine of Tony Stark, but I liked this one better than on Mars! Of course, it will need further analysis to the first two, so it was more than that. It could find out if it is simply a crudzine, and thus proof be down to the involvement of writer-director of maybe a slightly lower level of “intelligence” on Shane Black, who made another movie with Mars. (Or, maybe it is not from Mars, but a fanzine Robert Downey Jr called Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from the alien masters beyond the stars, placed (2005) that is absolutely brilliant. Those two on the surface of Mars and waiting for our arrival seem to play well together. 28 Chunga 23 On the shore, some of the young watchers screamed out hysterically, pressing their Andy sez: More than a year after seeing it, I to Melville and Wagner, and I think “Ped Xing: still feel like The Lone Ranger was the most Fists of Fury” will stick with me for a while, but I’m intriguing “genre” movie of summer 2013, really writing to respond with admiration to Taral because it revisited material that cannot be Wayne’s “on the head of a pin.” shown to a contemporary audience without Well do I remember being involved with the some revision. And movies that are perceived Toronto BBS community as a wayward youth with as famous bombs are always more interesting a 300-baud modem on an Apple II, with a little than minor successes. I still feel like it owed book of regularly-called phone numbers. I wish I more to Thomas Berger than George W. Tren- could remember the name of the local BBS which dle. was devoted to creative writing, where the saluta- Charles Levi tion upon posting was “Moose!”, for reasons I also 9 Goddard Street Toronto Ontario Charles Levi no longer remember. We also had a picnic, once, CANADA How surprised was I to see Chunga in my mailbox? in Toronto, and it was reassuring to put names to M3H 5C5 Well, as I opened the door and was explaining my faces. I also remember attending a dinner for one incredulity to Hope, the two of us failed to notice of the BBSes at the Keg Steakhouse, at the age of that my security alarm was beeping, and in less 12, and stunning the older adults around me who than 30 seconds would go to full-on-alarm mode, couldn’t believe I was allowed to go out on my own a very loud and unpleasant experience to say the to such a gathering. It was a remarkable commu- least. Well, I recovered quickly enough to disable nity. We even ran some online Diplomacy games, or the alarm, but then forgot that I had not closed the tried to. garage either! It was completely disorienting, this And that “vinyl memory” Taral mentioned is new fanzine. also a sore point. I printed out much of the old cre- Now, I have to return the favour through letter of ative writing on daisy-wheel printers, and the ink comment, in my attempt to set the record for most is not good and is fading with time. And although letters of comment, lifetime, from a non-fan. (Hope I have great expertise in recovering data from 5.25 says I have already set the record with two, but I floppy disks (and have written about it, seeArchi - want to be sure about it.) It was nice to see tributes varia 72), that is only in a Microsoft environment. I

clenched fists to their faces, as they had done so often under happier circumstances. Chunga 23 29 have fretted silently when faced with a similar item Noteworthy were the nicely drawn and mildly from a Tandy TRS-80. And even the mirror files I amusing D. West covers front and back. If I had created while visiting those BBS sites are probably more patience, I might try enlarging a few cartoons lost to time now. It is hard to believe that we are in that manner, but it seems to me that the joke slowly losing large chunks of the 1980s to progress is rarely worth the added effort. In contrast West and neglect. enjoys drawing to the point where his illustration David Redd is the main point rather than any cartoon it might contain. David Redd I did like the outsider’s view of the Ring plus the This past Christmas I was gifted with the Met- [email protected] bonus plot-summaries. Fun. Three different illus- ropolitan Opera’s production of the complete Ring trators, I see, all great and with the Lesley Garrett Cycle, so that Randy’s article “The Ring And I” is Alexis Gilliland valkyrie inevitably just edging out the others. a natural comment hook. Happily my set of DVDs 4030 8th Street South Monster Culture Studies fascinating as always; provided the English translation of the operatic Arlington, VA 22204 I lean more towards Monsters than Federation. action, which meant that I could follow the story Glad to see Kowalski and VTTBOTS covered. I’ve as it wound its leisurely way through the Volsung always treasured in a masochistic way the pos- saga. It also helped that each opera could be taken sibly faulty memory of an episode called “Terror”, in one or two act segments, so that I made my way which title I interpret as “The Scriptwriter’s Fear of through the 15-hour opera cycle in about two weeks. the Deadline.” My favourite line of dialogue went As music critic Bernard Shaw observed, Wag- approximately, if I can produce a comprehensible ner’s music is better than it sounds, but being version, “I’ve a hunch this potted plant caused the pickled in Wagnerian brine for four successive unexplained disaster here — let’s carry it aboard the evenings is a daunting challenge, even with compli- Seaview!” You couldn’t make it up, except some- mentary tickets. For my money all the characters, body did. gods, dwarves, giants, Valkyries, Rhinemaidens, PED XING — must share this gem with people! and assorted humans, including the doomed lov- Oh, classic cover. Should have been on twil- ers and their idiot offspring Siegfried (who mar- t o n e . . . ried the first woman he met who was not his aunt), Randy sez: Not sure what those colors would were totally unsympathetic. However, in fairness have looked like on twiltone! to Wagner they were all differently unsympathetic, the men being megalomaniacs, mad scientists, and Alexis Gilliland jock bullies, the women being shrews, vixens, and Thank you for Chunga #22, arriving as I was com- cheerleaders. At least Hagen, son of Alberich and ing off a winter cold that was pretty bad for a few half brother to Gunther Gibichung, who was plot days. Alas that Lee seems to have picked it up from bound to recover his father’s ring or die trying, had me. the grace to seem a bit embarrassed about it. The translation also provided a few plot points, explain- ing, for instance, how the Tarnhelm not only enabled the wearer to change shape, but could also beam him up to the next scene. Not to mention the reason that the uncommonly well-informed Hagen needed to spear Siegfried in the back was that Brunnhilde had magically made him invulnerable in the front. We note also a Wagnerian bias against domes- ticity, although operas do tend to have unhappy endings. After going to all the trouble to build and pay for Valhalla, a sulking Wotan (his grandson Siegfried used the reforged Nothung to cut his staff of power in a symbolic castration that would make anyone sulk) cuts down the World Ash Tree from which his staff of power had been hewn and stores the logs inside Valhalla for a finale of domestic con- flagration. For her transgressions Brunnhilde was doomed to be married, clearly the direst of pun- “Well, obviously there’s some kind of design fault.” ishments, but Wotan puts her in a ring of fire so 30 Chunga 23 Mr. Nan, who was given a 10-and-a-half-year sentence for corruption and match fixing in 2012, saw a court take one year off it wouldn’t happen any time soon. When it finally Gwyneth Paltrow, at least in movies. happens, a reasonable person might suppose that But my favorite space adventure for the year was the first thing the joyously united Brunnhilde and Gravity, although there is always the thought that Siegfried would do is build a nice place to live. this was not science fiction or fantasy, even if they After all, the Ring of the Nibelung gives them all fudged details about where various space station the money they could need, while solving the ser- would be. It all seemed true to present day possi- vant problem. But no, Brunnhilde remains camped bilities. Of course, a story of survival can be either out on her rock as Siegfried sashays forth in search mimetic or fantastic. Gravity, I think, is borderline. I was pleased to see letters from Wilum Pugmire of new but unspecified adventures, which given Jerry Kaufman his armamentarium (Brunnhilde’s flying horse, and Steve Bieler in your letter column — it’s nice [email protected] the Ring, the Tarnhelm, Nothung, and his super when these cometary bodies cross our orbit. Steve said he is blogging, and I will have to look him up. strength) should be boringly easy. Hagen’s magical Joseph Nicholas potions that delete and restore Siegfried’s memory I subscribed to his music blog just as he announced [email protected] are the operatic equivalent of Kryptonite making it he was not posting there anymore. possible to kill the invincible hero as Wagner’s labo- I’m also glad to see you instilling doubt and riously evolved plot required. “Laboriously evolved?” uncertainty into the well-organized mind of Joseph It took the support of mad King Ludwig II of Bavar- Nicholas. ia to make such an evolution possible, given that Randy sez: Jerry followed up with a note that the four operas took 24 years to complete. he had discovered that there was an opera adaptation of Moby Dick by Jake Heggie. I Jerry Kaufman don’t know anything about that one, but I’ve I chuckled a little at the D. West covers, but did heard good things about Heggie’s opera adap- not laugh largely. Instead, I admired the work, the tation of the book (not the movie) Dead Man details, the subtle coloring. I like how the space- Walking. Also, there was a musical version of suits were the same model — where do you guys the Lord of the Rings staged in Toronto in 2006, buy them? But I hate having to guess which edi- but I haven’t heard much about it either. tor is featured on which cover. Could not D. have Regarding which Chunga editor is on which included some iconic feature to show us? (Wait, cover, I think the clues are there. The one on what are your iconic features?) the cover is the administrator of a fan award, Graham Charnock’s piece on Moby Dick leads and the one on the back is trying to get more me to several questions. If writers can do books vegetables into his diet. Meanwhile, the invis- from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the ible editor is invisible. West or Frankenstein’s creature, why not a story (in And speaking of Joseph Nicholas . . . more detail and at greater length) from the White Joseph Nicholas Whale? And has there been an opera based on the book? Many thanks for Chunga 22, which I enjoyed — It’s Randy on the Wagner Ring Cycle that especially D’s front and back covers — but about brought me to the second question above, and he also makes me wonder if anyone is working on an opera based on Tolkien’s Ring Cycle? It holds pos- sibilities, huge possibilities. Imagine the stage sets, the contrasting vocal styles, the opportunities for countertenors to sing hobbit roles. I couldn’t get interested in the doings of Taral’s old furry friends (or should that be Furry Friends), and John Purcell’s piece on fanzine reviewing tired me with all the Swedish-accented conversation. So I moved on to Andy writing about the various sci- ence fiction movies of the summer. I’m finding the recent Star Trek movies entertaining but utterly unmemorable. I can’t remember anything about the first one except a scene of two with Simon Pegg. I didn’t see Man of Steel or Elysium or The Lone Ranger. I did watch Ironic Man 3, and enjoyed it because Robert Downey does irony well. And I like his sentence in December for good behavior, including writing science fiction and receiving four patents, China Daily reported. Chunga 23 31 which I can think of strangely little to say. For want a more memorable protagonist than we example, although I read Randy’s piece on the stag- saw in Elysium. ing of Wagner’s Ring operas in Seattle, I am one Robert Lichtman of those who thinks that opera is unlistenable rub- bish — stuff that, to quote the famous newspaper D. West’s covers are both lovely — and the back line, one sings because it is too silly to say — and cover is a delicious and well-wrought fantasy mas- the piece has therefore aroused in me absolutely terpiece that should win a best artist Hugo if the nothing at all. I also read Rob Hansen’s trip report, universe was operating correctly, but perhaps at Robert Lichtman but have already made extensive comment in least a FAAn award. (But would Don accept the robertlichtman@ at least two other fanzines about the length and latter or disdain it like he did the Rotsler award?) yahoo.com unnecessary detail which seems to have attached Inside, Dan’s full-page heading for Randy’s article is itself to these things, and I’m sure you don’t want a lovely piece of work and my favorite interior illus- me to repeat myself here. tration. And Sue Mason’s and Steve Stiles’s work One comment in response to Andy’s review of accompanying the article also work well. Elysium, however. I enjoyed the film too, but the How interesting and fannish to see Randy and slight problem with it is that it pursues the same Andy each endorsing a different TAFF candidate theme as Blomkamp’s previous film, District 9 — on the editorial page? Truly Chunga is some sort i.e., it’s a metaphor for apartheid. Perhaps less obvi- of democratic institution open to varying points of ously so, in that in Elysium all the characters are view on such burning fannish issues of the day! I human whereas in District 9 one set of characters smiled at Randy’s reference to FAPA as “one of the is non-human, but both films are dealing with a granddaddies of the fanzine world.” Indeed it is, scenario in which one set of characters exists in and its official publication, theFantasy Amateur, is poverty and deprivation while the other has access the longest-running fanzine title ever (77 years and to all possible creature comforts. The obvious ques- counting). The runner-up is SAPS’s Spectator (67 tion, therefore, must be how long Blomkamp can years, also continuing). Third in line — but first for go on making (and remaking) the same film before having just one editor/publisher — is Harry Warner studios and audiences get tired of the results. Jr.’s Horizons, which saw 252 issues in the 64 years Randy sez: According to IMDb, Blomkamp’s between 1939 and Harry’s death in 2003. (Wow, next movie is called Chappie, and the plot is the stuff that creeps into a letter of comment!) As described thus: ‘After being kidnapped by two always, I mention (as FAPA’s Secretary-Treasurer) criminals during birth, Chap- that there are about thirty open slots on the mem- pie becomes the adopted bership list if anyone reading Chunga can still son in a strange and relate to fanac that takes place on a quarterly time dysfunctional family. lag. Contact me if interested. Chappie is preternatu- Rob’s Corflu Fifty report was, like the other sec- rally gifted, one of a tions already published, an enjoyable read. (And kind, a prodigy. He thanks for all the photos accompanying it!) In it also happens to be he writes, in connection with Hal O’Brien explain- a robot.’ ing he wouldn’t be at Corflu due to his job situa- tion, “I think my age cohort were the last for whom Andy sez: Apart- full-time salaried positions and affordable mort- heid is the particu- gages were the default.” I’m a little older than Rob, lar brand of injus- but also in that age range. If I hadn’t been lucky tice that resonates enough to get a government position with job secu- most personally rity, generous benefits (me and all four of my sons for a South African covered for medical and dental at no charge to me) filmmaker, but con- and a good pension plan, I’d be up the proverbial flict between afflu- creek myself. “I certainly know that if I was mov- ent and oppressed ing to London now on the (perfectly decent) salary elements of society I currently earn I couldn’t afford to live there. Not is a pretty universal only couldn’t I afford to buy, I’m not even sure I theme. I think you could afford to rent a London property these days.” could make quite I would be in exactly the same boat here in the Bay a few films around Area. My pension income definitely wouldn’t stretch the subject, but I far enough to rent much space in any sort of decent, 32 Chunga 23 Moore hedgehog than man, he cherished predictable rhymes and safe neighborhood — and forget about buying. Speech Movement would be founded. When Ishi It’s a Good Thing, I think, that John Purcell took off, his existing staff was insufficient to handle lives “far away from Oakland, California, and thus the press of orders. He checked around the fans liv- could not easily commiserate in person” with me, ing in the Oakland/Berkeley area and found three because the insights he gained from Ole Olaffson, who were happy to work for him: fringe-fan and “owner and bartender at the Big 12 Bar in down- Wobbly Vince Hickey, Ray Nelson . . . and me. Every town Bryan, Texas” are far more . . . well, insightful. morning Joe would drive in from where he lived in And I learned a lot about a piece of fan history of El Sobrante (about a dozen miles north of Berke- which I’d previously been unaware. I had no idea ley), scoop up and cram the three of us in his tiny there had been a fanzine called Swedish Science Fiat 500, and drop us off at work while he drove Fiction Review, let alone that it had had 74 issues. off to park his car. Eventually the book was so hot Perhaps John could persuade Ole to scan and post that we outgrew that facility, and the entire ship- at least some of those issues on efanzines for those ping department was moved to an abandoned Ford of us who missed them and are curious. assembly plant on the waterfront in Richmond that In reviewing The Lone Ranger. Andy writes that the university had purchased, But then, inevitably, “Tonto’s latter day existence as a living exhibit at the book’s sales peaked and then sank — and all the Golden Gate Exposition of 1939 reminded me of three of us (but not, of course, Joe) were out of a job. Ishi, the last survivor of California’s Yahi people. He It was fun while it lasted, and there was the perk lived the last five years of his life around the Uni- that we could help ourselves to damaged books in versity of California Anthropology Museum, where the press’s inventory. he was documented and befriended by Professor I’m not sure who are these “lots of people” who Alfred L. Kroeber, whom fans also recall as the “seem to be left cold about .pdfed zines” that Lloyd father of author Ursula K. Le Guin.” And her moth- Penney mentions. This seems contrary to his also er, Theodora Kroeber, had an unexpected best-seller noting that PDFs “keep e-zines accessible to most of book in 1961 when she wrote and the University fanzine fandom’s participants.” Where we part com- of California Press published Ishi in Two Worlds: pany, though, is what he writes next: “If we were to A Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North change these zines to a format read through Web America. At that time, old-time fan Joe Gibson was 2.0’s software and programmes, I know I wouldn’t running the shipping department of the UC Press be able to see them, not having a smartphone or out of a tiny building (now long gone) south of tablet, and not expecting to have one any time soon. Sproul Hall, the university administration building, Rather than choose higher versions that would on the steps of which just three years later the Free alienate some, we need to choose them all, and

Karen Babich I enjoyed the amusingly captioned covers featuring those nattily dressed faneds. And in color, too. So in return here is an image from the past of my own far-off land, Illinois . . . But seriously, what a sad, silly example of “interprestive” from an historic site. Yeah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, even (sigh). OTOH, D West can draw in more than 1 color, who knew?

a ridiculous woolen hatte but nonetheless wrote sum thinges. Chunga 23 33 a few fans from a distance), made “Digger Stew” a time or two, and so on. My attention to fanzines and fandom, especially the SF aspects of it all, was pretty minimal at that point. I kept up my FAPA membership with annual minac, and gradually got cut off the mailing lists of all the fanzines except for the ones I really wanted to see — which wasn’t that many, and I don’t recall mention of Star Trek in them. Andy writes, “I had been publishing for about three years when I read an exchange between rich brown and Art Widner, wherein the latter worthy was most apologetic and contrite because he had trimmed a letter of brown’s in a way that omitted one of his arguments.” I can just imagine, because ask faneds to choose as many different formats as something similar happened to me. I accepted an they can access, and make their zines as available article from rich (“The Ultimate Marvel Comic,” as possible. There’s few enough participants; don’t which appeared in Trap Door #8 back in 1988) take fanzines out of reach for anyone.” To me this that came to me in the form of a typed manu- sort of imposes a potential burden on fanzine pro- script — this being back in the primitive days before ducers to feel that they must go to the expense and the now-customary word processor file attached trouble of converting their fanzines to electronic to e-mail had come into being as the preferred formats they may not have themselves and, for that medium for transmitting fan articles. In the course matter, may not care to have, all in the service of of typing it up, I inadvertently dropped a line — and reaching people who don’t feel their fanzine read- somehow its absence didn’t disturb the flow when I ing should any longer be downward-compatible. I’m read it over before sending a copy off to rich for his not sympathetic. approval and any further thoughts about revision. In her letter Hope Leibowitz writes, “As to Licht- I also made a couple of other, very minor changes man’s loc, of all the people I know in fandom, he’s that seemed reasonable to me and that didn’t dis- the last person I’d think would have a diabetes turb the flow and/or meaning of his piece. I wasn’t scare.” I suppose she thinks this is the case because ready for the heated blast of invective I received in I’m slender. But as I made clear in that letter, I was return, in which among other things he thought my creeping into the pre-diabetes range — and after “corrections” meant that I considered him a “very I retreated from it in the next test, I once again minor would-be contributor” and so he was think- entered it with the latest one. This time I learned ing he should withdraw the article and send it to that in addition to excess sugar intake as a cause, another fanzine where the editor would not have excess carbs also contribute — and I do love my the audacity to mess with his prose. We did work it bread, pasta and rice. I’m getting a between-reg- out over a few exchanges of correspondence, but it ular-physicals retest in August, and hope that by left a bad taste in my mouth. So I was happy when, moderating my intake of those beloved foods I’ll be years later, he sent me another article (“Smokes” in back on the good side of the line again. #21, which can be read online) and I ran it without She also writes of me: “And it is amazing that he incident. wasn’t aware of the existence of Star Trek! I didn’t Randy sez: Yes, processed grains can be a prob- think that was possible, even if one had no TV.” lem for blood glucose levels. One of the books I That show aired in the second half of the ‘60s, and read after I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic was although I had a TV it was a small portable that The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes: The I kept stashed in a closet unless there was some- Definitive Guide to Managing Diabetes Using thing to watch that was recommended by friends. the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index refers Not all of those friends were fans, and the ones to the rate at which different carbs are con- that were perhaps assumed that of course I’d be verted to glucose by the human digestive sys- watching Star Trek. Also, I moved to San Francisco tem. The idea is that carbs that convert more in 1965 and got caught up in the cultural winds of slowly are better for you, because they don’t the time there to the extent that, for instance, I was cause a glucose spike that your body then in the Psychedelic Shop on Haight Street the day responds to with an insulin spike, which spik- it opened, went to the Human Be-In (where I saw ing can eventually lead to insulin resistance. By 34 Chunga 23 We have complained a great deal. At least we are not so dull as to have the this measure, then, brown rice is preferable to Con, and some slunk around trying not to be seen. white rice, and breads that use less-processed The one I did meet seemed uncomfortable with grains are better than white bread, etc. Not talking with anyone, let alone me. We’re more and everybody is on board with this theory, and the more comfortable behind the keyboard, and we are dietician I saw after my diagnosis pooh-poohed losing our face-to-face social skills. it. However, I think it’s gaining ground, and I’ve Paul Skelton asks a question I ask myself fairly altered my diet in a number of ways based on regularly . . . do I need to loc every issue? I probably what I learned from reading the New Glucose don’t have to, but I choose to. It keeps my sched- Revolution. ule fairly regular, and I do want to participate. I do Andy sez: Your connection to Theodora Kroe- have a question . . . is there a reason why loc writers Lloyd Penney ber’s book about Ishi was delightful, even more don’t seem to be included in the category of fan 1706-24 Eva Rd. so because Ray Nelson was part of your work writers? If nerds and geeks have conquered the Etobicoke, ON CANADA M9C 2B2 detail. The concept of “The Last Wild Indian in world, have they revealed any plans for it? [email protected] North America” is fascinating in itself. Mod- Andy sez: As long as we’re asking Paramount ern legends of uncontacted people tend to be to make the next Star Trek program to our set in Brazil or the Philippines, but I’ve often Marlin Frenzel specifications, I’d still like to see some further PO Box 122856 thought there are places in Minnesota, Mon- experiences of some of the characters from San Diego CA 92112 tana, and especially Alaska, where one could Deep Space Nine. I know Michael Dorn was effectively lose any connection to the outside trying to develop a show with the working title world. Perhaps the lost Neanderthals and Big- of Captain Worf about two years ago, but I feet and Mandan people are all hanging out don’t think it got any traction. Frankly, I think with Elvis and Judge Crater in an inaccessible we’re most likely to get something animated valley somewhere . . . . next – something with the voices of the surviv- I frequently miss rich brown; there are ing members of the original cast, and Patrick events going on in fandom today that cry out Stewart, Robert Picardo, etc. for his perceptive analysis. But I admit that I’m I don’t know what to say on the subject of slightly relieved that I’ll never have to sweat writing a letter to every fanzine you receive. It out the re-typing and publication of one of his may be my imagination, but my impression is letters again. He didn’t suffer typos (my spe- that I am WAHFing you less in the zines that I cialty) gladly. publish than I did some years ago. So perhaps my answer is “Don’t stop now!” Lloyd Penney The Journal of Federation Studies . . . well, I’d put out Marlin Frenzel the idea that a new Trek programme is long over- Ah! Chunga #22. Great front & back cover art by due. To be honest, JJ Abrams can keep his reboot D. West . . . definitely makes the ish a thing of beauty movies; I’d want to go to the end of the last TNG and funny as well. movie, Nemesis, and then say, “And what hap- Highlight of #22 for me was Randy’s article pened after that?” I’ve read all kinds of ideas for an on Wagner’s Ring Cycle. I have most of his operas original Trek continuation, some good and some now on either cassette or CD . . . I had read several bad, but at this point, I’d like the original timeline biographies of Nietzsche and was interested in and the TNG backdrop. Anything like that would F.N.’s reasons for the rift between them . . . mostly be carried by CBS or any Paramount channel there religious . . . Nietzsche became anti-Christian and might be at the time. The Outer Limits . . . I didn’t Wagner’s view of Christ was definitely anti-Semit- much like the original, but I did like the new stuff. ic . . . brought out in grandson Siegfried Wagner’s Of course, there’s The Twilight Zone, the original, autobiography . . . He was playing in the attic and the 80s remake and the 2000 re-remake. Loved the discovered several photos of his parents cavorting first two, and actually didn’t see much of the third. with Der Führer on various occasions . . . Siegfried is Wired life may be the death of us yet. We must now persona non gratis at the Bayreuth Festivals . . . go faster and faster, and slower things are relegates Although I enjoy much classical music, I can’t to the sidelines, slower things which should be see myself sitting thru a live opera . . . I was privi- too important to simply drop. As much as I enjoy leged to view Aaron Copland conduct some of his Facebook, and spend far too much time on it, I am works free in Prospect Park, Brooklyn in the mid- finding that social media consists of far too many ’60s, and I saw the Kronos Quartet in a park in San anti-social types who hide behind assumed names. Francisco. (O yeah! and nice art from Dan Steffan I agreed to meet with some FB friends at Costume- & Steve Stiles decorating Randy’s piece.) delusion that we know just exactly what it is that we are complaining about. Chunga 23 35 I’m reading Ivor Keys’ 1989 bio of J. Brahms, a really does become a problem if you feel (as Skel contemporary of R. Wagner . . . He could only sit obviously does) that not only do you owe the com- thru Das Rheingold and thot most of the arias bor- position of a loc your best effort, but that you really ing — of course our criticisms are no reason not to ought to respond to each issue or risk not seeing enjoy the brilliant highpoints of Wagner’s music! the next, and that you are trying to do this with Please make a couple of corrections to my last half a dozen or more fanzines at a time. ‘But surely letter — Macabre was by William Castle, not Roger it can’t be that hard’, the editor thinks, after all Corman (my mistake!) and it was Larry Fischer you’re putting together an entire fanzine (and in the who did the video promo for the Rugburns, not Steve Jeffrey case of FLAG or Taral’s Broken Toys, writing most Billy Mumy! I don’t want to be sent to the cornfield! 44 White Way of the issue as well). For some of us, like me and Kidlington OX5 2XA Steve Jeffery Skel, it is. And probably the reason we stick with [email protected] locking rather than editing fanzines of our own. In Many thanks for Chunga 22, sandwiched between my case, time is one constraint. I stare at a computer and betwixt a brace of “brilliant as usual” D. West monitor all day at work. When I come home, I really covers. No, really. I particularly liked the car- don’t feel like switching on my own PC, so respond- nivorous greenery of the back cover painting and ing to emails and locking gets relegated to the week- promise not to make the mistake of asking D what ends, which are also taken up by more mundane software he uses for colouring. Some of us still chores like shopping, cooking and cleaning. remember when colour could be applied out of I did like Skel’s observation that his bed was little pots or foil tubes (even if mine still remain manufactured by the Porlock Bed and Mattress unopened in top drawer of the filing cabinet.) Company, and I suspect they also made my bath, Skel sums up the dilemma of the locsmith per- since I’ve composed some brilliant opening para- fectly. It’s hard work writing a loc that attempts to graphs in my head while soaking there, only to be entertaining and reasonably free flowing so that nod off and forget them entirely by the time I’ve it doesn’t become an item by item list of ‘liked that’, dried and dressed. I tried writing notes in the bath, ‘liked that’, ‘this didn’t do anything for me’. Editors but the nodding off bit is invariably accompanied can break their zine into sections and articles, but by finding a soggy sheet of A4 floating in the suds the ideal (and therefore largely unrealized) letter when I wake. And making notes while on the bus of response should be a seamless whole. And that to and from work is no better. My handwriting is difficult to decipher at the best of times, and it’s not helped by trying to write while the Stagecoach S1 rattles along the series of connected potholes that purport to be the road between Oxford and Witney without any evidence of working suspension. So when I come to review my brilliant insights days later, it looks like a drunken spider has scrawled inky feet across the page. This is not helped by the fact that, as many peo- ple have observed, I tend to write in miniscule left- handed script that is only resolvable with a mag- nifying glass (or possibly an electron microscope). Even by me, nowadays: as I get older, I find I need to crank up the font size on the computer screen a couple of points in order to read comfortably, but my hand hasn’t got the message and will still cram an entire paragraph in a space the size of a postage stamp. I used to draw like that too, though not quite to the extent of Taral and his unnamed rival artist trying to see which of them could cram as much detail into the smallest possible figure in ‘Head of a Pin’. In a craft store in Texas once, I came across my dream drawing pen, with a nib rated at a near hairline 0.05mm. But even with that, I doubt I could render anything recognizable into a couple of millimeters.

36 Chunga 23 In a million years, neither Wallace nor I would have guessed that our creative endeavors A lot of interesting responses on the topic ment in any straightforward description of their raised by Lilian about web based fanzines. I agree attempts. So many editors seem to have hunkered with Claire that it should be the editor who has themselves down into near obscurity by taking final charge over of the look and content of their this attitude. Others, very strangely, see praise in fanzine (irritating though it sometimes is to find a drubbing down of lack of imagination. Good your three pages of agonizingly-crafted response reviews are the ones that sort the good zines from relegated to an isolated sentence in the WAHF col- the ones to avoid at all costs. This is important umn). Although, at least in my case, that’s not the whether you’re Star Trek or Game of Thrones — Te r - point; a loc is primarily directed to the editors as ry Pratchett or Harry Potter — and, er, you might a thank you. If part of it gets published that’s an not be actually looking for The Ring Cycle in Andy Robson 63 Dixon Lane Leeds egoboo bonus. And I’m not really sure I’d want all Chunga but other items could be in your specific LS12 4RR my responses published unedited and entire every brackets of interest. That zine on formation danc- United Kingdom time I posted them. It’s a salutary exercise to scroll ing, river fishing and vector analysis is unlikely to through the pages of comments on most blogs. Few be ever opened by myself. Johan Anglemark of them add anything substantial or meaningful to Andy sez: You’re close to recognizing an essen- [email protected] the topic under discussion and it only takes a page tial truth of fan-writing here, which is that or so for many of them to degenerate into pointless critics and reviewers offer as much insight bickering and flaming between different contribu- into themselves as they do into the works they tors. So there definitely needs to be a degree of consider. Some fans never completely lose their selection and moderation if an e-zine is modeled dependence on this symbolic language. We also on a blog engine. Plus — going back again to Skel’s heard from: point — the best locs are often a response to the Johan Anglemark Bruce Townley fanzine as a whole, rather than isolated comments I liked the cover. On a balance, I’d go with the sec- I particularly enjoyed on each topic. I’m not sure how that works with Steve Stiles’ and Harry ond thought of the astronaut, the present publica- Bell’s “I’m with Stupid” Web 2.0 at present, which seems to have granted tion being an exception, of course. Of course in and Joseph Smith/ Warhol’s “15 minute of fame” to everyone with a these the latter days of fanzine fandom, there are Valentine’s Day cartoons. web browser. (Warhol was optimistic; in Web 2.0, fewer crudzines around. Sturgeon’s law no longer you probably get more like 15 seconds before some- Ray Nelson applies to fanzines. Bizarre. The Lone Ranger is one one comes along to overwrite or flame you.) I’m afraid my only comment on the Mopey of many imaginary Andy sez: One might argue that the best let- Dick’s rant is cause by the final line, which made persons who have become real, what ters of comment barely respond to a fanzine at me think of a well-known Sidney Morgenbesser are called in Tibetan all, but pursue a completely tangential line of anecdote, the one where professor Morgenbesser Buddhism “tulpas”. discourse that leads the next issue in a differ- put his pipe in his mouth as he was ascending Paul Di Fillippo ing but complimentary direction. I’m always the subway steps. A policeman approached and #22 provided much comfortable with people responding to only told him that there was no smoking on the sub- pleasure & stimulation. part of a fanzine, as long as it’s the part that way. Morgenbesser pointed out that he was leav- (Only the non-X-rated I wrote. Seriously, I think it’s much better to ing the subway, not entering it, and had not yet lit kind!) reply to points that actually interest you, rather up. The cop replied, “If I let you do it, I’d have to John Hertz than responding to every single page. And we let everyone do it.” To this professor Morgenbesser I notice John Purcell can’t do try to print more than a single line if you asked, “Who do you think you are — Kant?” and count to four — oops, I’m starting to write a LoC. send us a letter several pages long. was hauled off until the misunderstanding could be cleared up. Rob Jackson Andy Robson Great article on the Wagner performances and Hey. I should stop writing little bits of loc on e-lists. Many thanks for Chunga 22. Are white space suits the Ring cycle. As an old fan of JRRT I have to look suitable for Mars? They tell us there are lots of dust up Jamie McGregor’s Mythlore article. Did you ever James Bacon storms there which form the giant ‘canals’. Wouldn’t read Stephan Grundy’s two fantasy novels based on Must say that John & Rob’s pieces were you end up looking like an Egyptian potato after a these legends; Rhinegold (1994) and Attila’s Trea- excellent and I enjoyed couple of minutes? sure (1996)? Quite good, I’d recommend them. Andy & Randy’s pieces The radio had just been promoting an Everly Reading John Purcell I’m glad to see he’s been too! Brothers special and I was humming ‘Til I Kissed seeking out old Ole Olaffsson (who on once being Ya’ on the way to the postbox when I was passed by asked why he spelled Olaf with two f’s famous- a big open-top convertible with the number plate ly replied, “I just do it för laffs”). I still treasure ‘KISS YAR’ — couldn’t believe it! my complete run of the Swedish Science Fiction Fanzine reviews are strange animals — some Review. Ole is a tricky guy, but I think he’s entirely people easily take umbrage and find scathing com- correct on the value of fanzine reviews. Reviewing would take this route but after such a long journey we arrive at this significant moment. Chunga 23 37 is an art form and a commentary, not just consum- carl sez: As it turns out I can irrefragibly refute er information. any assertion that last ish’s covers held any Randy sez: Johan, you should translate those self-referential imagery. Replacing the “cover old issues of Swedish Science Fiction Review image” of the front cover with an actual image so that those of us who are limited to English of the back cover shows significant differences can share in the fun! It would be a good project (see illo). Note also that the humor of the front for the long Nordic nights of the coming winter. cover is considerably dulled by the collapse of reference into mere reiteration and is thus Murray Moore unlikely to have been the author’s intention. Murray Moore murrayamoore@ New Look, soft colour, D West front and back cov- Andy sez: Patience is pretty much a prerequi- gmail.com ers: who, I wonder, besides myself, observed that site for being a Chunga editor. All three of us the blurry image on the back of the fanzine held by are likely to admit additional months to the Lilian Edwards Space Suit on Mars (front cover) is the image filling process of putting the fanzine together. Once [email protected] the back cover (Space Suit on Venus)? we sign off on the contents, carl retreats to Worth the cost of the colour printing and the the laboratory, and with a series of thunderous heavy stock covers, says the reader who paid for reports and giant flashes of static electricity, his copy with a no-cost-to-him letter of comment. another Chunga draws its first rasping breath. Which reminds me of the sign I saw in a lawyer’s office: I quasiquote: All I Have to Sell You Is My Lilian Edwards Time. Well as part of my declared commitment to Andy recommends music to which to listen instant wow feedback I’ll just write and say that while reading The Iron Pig. WHEEEEEE never in my thousand year long fan- You have seen and heard Wag- nish history has anything I’ve ever written gar- ner’s Ring Cycle. You (Randy) nered so much comment, I think. Farewell cul- don’t mention the distance turally sensitive travelogues of evolving legal from your seat to the front of jurisdictions — from now on it’s Julie Burchill all the stage. I like live theatre in the way! small spaces. I need to see the And Steve Bieler, your love is absolutely faces of the actors and I am returned. Please tell me you also look like Benedict willing to pay for premium Cumberbatch and embrace bikram yoga. My ova seats, for proximity. A couple are in the post (metaphorical post of course!). of years ago Mary Ellen and I Andy sez: Isn’t it remarkable, how much plea- attended an excellent Alice in sure there was to be had in the slowly-accu- Wonderland in the new build- mulated replies to an article in a traditional ing which is the home of the fanzine? I like getting people’s immediate feed- National Ballet of Canada. But back too, but you’re seldom going to see the we were in the cheap seats, kind of letters we get here in the comment box i.e. furthest away, such that of a blog post. As ever, it is the writer, rather we might have been watch- than their medium, that determines the quality ing through reversed binocu- of the read. lars. Opera, unlike ballet, is big sets and big voices and colourful costumes, thus, I am thinking, closeness to the singers is less necessary. A shout out to the man behind the curtain, by whom I mean, carl. I am ▲ detail of Chunga 22 struggling with an unnecessary, time-consuming, front cover: as printed, voluntary layout for Fanthology 2013, because I and with back cover think it will look good. (John D Berry is to blame, image inserted because of his Corflu XXX progress reports, includ- ing the generous white space.) Chunga’s two- and three-column layout would be a nightmare, from my experience. The photos, the cartoons, the head- ers. Patience must be one of your virtues, carl.

38 Chunga 23 It was decided to leave the dogs with their owners, but on condition that they were no longer used for impersonation. A Brief Cognitive History of the Chunga 23 Covers

any months ago, I got an intriguing envelope in satisfied with the concept, did nothing whatever about it the mail. It appeared to be from the Chunga Boys, for a very long time. but it was the wrong size, at least unless the lads had bor- Fast forward to the early part of this spring, when Ran- rowed a page from Bento. The contents turned out to be dy and I were sharing the long drive to and from Spokane an illustrated invitation, sent out a number of notable to take in a Sasquan committee meeting, and over the fanartists, and me, to contribute two comic-paneled pages course of several days’ rambling conversation to kill drive to the very Chunga you now hold. The surreal story of time and down time between meetings, Randy eventu- Gregor Chunga and his iterative Groundhog Day was an ally asked me how my Chunga contribution was coming alluring one and I set myself immediately to brainstorm- along, and I confessed that I had this idea which I had ing approaches for tackling the project. Gregor’s wooden sat on long enough that I didn’t realistically think I would companion should be a hobby horse, of course, or perhaps have time to execute it. Randy asked me if he thought I a pull toy duck, and rather than a literal vacuum cleaner would be able to use the idea to do front and back covers (which I felt no confidence in my ability to draw engaging- in time for the issue instead of a full two page strip. I said ly, or even reliably) Gregor would be more of a metaphori- I thought I could handle that. cal vacuum cleaner — an anteater, or an aardvark — and Ho ho. There is no such thing as too pessimistic an the whole rendered in the style of Tove Jansson’s inven- estimate for how long it will take me to get around to an tive Moomin comic strips serialized in the UK by Bull’s in art project for Chunga. So once the guilt and the nagging the 1950s and ’60s. I did some doodles sketching pull toy and the recriminations and the threats of gafiation had ducks. But the story line. I needed a story line. It had been at long last done their work, and I finally got down to an age since I read The Weapon Shops of Isher (if indeed I inking a front cover concept I thought I would sent Ran- ever had) and I’ve never been a huge Kafka or PKD fan, so dy regular proof that progress was, at last, being made. I needed to refresh my mind as to what references to draw And so I took a picture of the cover each night with (steal) in telling this graphic story. my phone, and mailed it to him as a sort of non-verbal, The first thing I googled was “Rule the Sevagram,” and “See? See? I’m Doing Stuff!” And I made an interesting found the Fancyclopedia 3 article that claims that “seva- discovery. Looking at the photos I’d sent the next morn- gram” is just Hindi for “village.” Well. Once you have ing, in full screen mode on my desk top, I was intrigued Phil Dickian surrealism and a village, especially a village to find that looking at a photo of the drawing actually where the protagonist wakes up disoriented from strange showed me things that looking directly at the drawing dreams, clearly we’re in The Prisoner territory. Obviously did not. Areas that needed more black, or white, curves I ought to do a strip as a Prisoner pastiche. In the style of that needed attention, all popped out much more starkly Aubrey Beardsley. Don’t ask me where the Beardsley came in the photos. I don’t know that I will use this method all in, other than I’ve always admired his strong black-and- the time, but it’s a mighty useful discovery and for those white graphic style (and I don’t think it’s just for the giant of you who draw, if you haven’t tried this yet, you might penises) and my own work, whatever its strengths, has not give it a shot, and document your work as you progress, often been accused of a strong black-and-white graphic because it really does lead to a whole new way of seeing. sensibility. So yes, The Prisoner in the style of Aubrey Be seeing you. Beardsley. I was quite satisfied with that idea, and being — Ulrika O’Brien

"Thy orders are laws: thou shinest in impetuous ´elan and rapid chamois." Chunga 23 39