Vol. 1, No. 3. June 2014. About the Artist Jose Sanchez was born and raised in Miami, Florida on March 10,1968,where he still lives today with his wife Aliana. At the age of six, he was introduced to fingerpainting. By first grade, he had picked up his first pencil, but it was not until the summer of 1977 when Star Wars hit the movie screens across America, that his imaginative spark was truly ignited! Like so many other people that were influenced by the cult phenomenon, he was too. So much so, that this led him to seriously explore and develop his talent for creating art further. As time has gone by and he has honed his skills, he has been notably influenced by the works of Science Fiction and Fantasy artists such as: Stephen Youll, Donato Giancola, Chris Moore, Tim White, Jim Burns, David B. Mattingly and Michael Whelan, to name but a few. He attended Lindsey-Hopkins Technical Education Education Center in Miami, Florida where he received a certificate in Commercial Art Technology-majoring in illustration and minoring in Graphic Design. Jose would ideally like to see himself one day working professionally in the motion picture industry as a Concept Artist. He had previously worked on a low- budget SF/Super Hero Animation flick titled: “Shadow Runner”, designing the individual character’s spaceships. “They tend to depend more on technology than they do on their own superpowers”. He is also interested in the publication and gaming markets. To one of his many credits, which have included several fanzine covers and one semi-prozine cover and interior artwork. Also appearing in the official LucasFilm Star Wars Insider magazines: “City Patrol”, was chosen for publication in the March/April 2006/issue #86. “Oil Bath”, “Artoo”, “Pair of Jawas” and “Land of the Rising Suns” in April 2014/issue #148 now being published by Titan Publications and online at starwars.com on the Jan.15,2014 Blog article: Bantha Tracks: Best of the Year, Online edition: “AT-AT Driver” and in the Blog article: Bantha Tracks: Art Galaxy, March 2014 “ Djas Puhr-Settling The Score!” Much of his art can be currently seen at efanzines.com. One of the problems with doing a fanzine while also being a college student, is that your ‘zine lives and dies (or is delayed) by the whims of your school schedule. In particular, I ended up learning the hard way that I was not able to put together a fanzine over the one week that I got for spring break. I could get all the articles written, but by the time all of that was done, I was out of time to do the important task of doing layout. So, at long last I’ve come to the third issue, and my initial plan of having this be a quarterly is somewhat out of whack. Further, I only really had time to read one novel over the past few terms - the urban fantasy novel Magic Bites, which has a review this issue. I’m also continuing with my anime & manga articles, with a discussion of some series which require a few pre-requisites in order for you to get the most out of them. As always, if you have fan-art you’d like to run in the fanzine, or you’d like to submit an article (or comment on one of my articles), feel free to shoot me a LoC at [email protected]. - Alexander Case Contents The Mailbag 5 Internet Reviewer Recommendations 8 Review – Captain America: The Winter Soldier 10 Anime & Manga 201 – Shows with Pre-requisites 12 Book Review – Magic Bites 19 The Mailbag Before I get started I do want to apologize for the delay. I had intended to send this as soon as I finished Breaking I didn’t have time to get an issue together over the week It Down #1, but #2 came out before I finished #1, so now of Spring Break. However, because of the delay, I have a I’m writing a combined LOC on both issues. bunch of Letters of Comment. The letters will be in bold, while my responses will be in plain text. I really enjoyed it Breaking It Down - I’m hoping there are many more issues to come. I’m really happy to First up is a letter from Jin Mowatt of the TransAtlantic Fan see someone significantly younger than me (I’m 40) Fund producing a fanzine, helping to ensure that the fans in my age group (Chris Garcia and James Bacon are also about Hello Alexander my age, I think) aren’t the end of the line for fanzine Loads of energy. fandom. Many congrats. I liked your idea of using anime programming and a connection with the local anime conventions in order to Will we see you at Loncon 3 this year? bring new blood into fandom. This got me to thinking about the conventions I attended in the early 1990s If so then please seek me out and I’ll buy you a pint. (before I had kids, and hence the last time I attended I have no love for anime but do like the energy in this conventions with any regularity), which in retrospect zine. There’s joy and exuberance. I see you met some seems to me like kind of a golden age for conventions. excellent folks. Jerry and Suzle and Ben Yalow are Fandom was big enough that they could organize decent- absolutely delightful people. sized conventions, but still small enough that all the different fandoms had to band together to produce a con. BTW please give some publicity to the Trans Atlantic Fan You’d go to a con and have RPGs, wargaming, literary Fund http://taff.org.uk. programing, a movie room, an anime room, a room A worthy cause and something that I suspect you will be showing nothing but Star Trek, etc., and everyone played running for yourself at some point in the future. well together. I think it would be good if we could find a way to return to that sort of inclusive fandom. Kind regards Warren Buff’s LOC gave me great hope for the future Jim Mowatt of fandom. I’m 40, and I’d gotten used to always being the “youngest guy in the room” where fanzines are Sadly, I won’t be able to make it to LonCon 3. It’s the curse concerned, but that didn’t mean I liked it. I’m glad to see of being a college student. Sasquan 2015 is a bit more people younger than me coming along publishing zines. likely for me. Having had the time to read up on TAFF, I feel (And doing a great job, too - I’m going to have to step up comfortable in saying that TAFF is awesome, and people my game!) reading this who have a few bucks (or Euros, or Pounds) to spare, should definitely chip in, as TAFF is certainly worth I really enjoyed your manga recs. Looking at the variety supporting. I’ll try to remember to bring up TAFF on my of manga available really plays up just how restricted the web show as well. subject matter of American comics is. One of my favorite manga is With the Light, about the challenges of raising As far as the anime thing goes, in addition to discussing SF an autistic child (a subject I’m all too acquainted with). and Fantasy anime and manga (and SF and Fantasy novels, It’s got really powerful writing - I can’t read more than naturally), I’ll also be bringing up a few SF and Fantasy one chapter at a sitting because I get overwhelmed with video games along the way as well (including a review this emotion. Also, did you know that two of the longest issue of Bioshock Infinite), so hopefully there’s something running manga are cooking manga aimed at young men? of interest for everyone, as well as, hopefully, something It’s true: Oishinbo and Cooking Papa. I’ve read several of new for everyone. the Oishinbo compilation volumes that Viz published and Thank you for reading, Jim! really enjoyed them. My only complaint was that they were thematic compilations; I’d love be able to read the Next is my first letter from Jason Burnett. whole series (though my wallet is probably glad I can’t). Hi Alexander! Take care, Jason Burnett first season, and it was on Star Trek. However, I doubt you’d find that on YouTube or anywhere else online…I With The Light is a manga I’ve really enjoyed reading as think TVOntario ditched the whole of season 1 as being well. I haven’t read Oishinbo yet, but I’ve added it to my a little too weird for an educational broadcaster. Nathan massive to-read list. I’d also recommend, for the foodies Madison’s loc…there are some pulp fans in the Toronto out there (particularly those who enjoy wine), the manga area, and there is a single-day pulpcon held here each Drops of God , which is basically a very well researched, year. The next one is coming up in May. We haven’t been drawn, and written manga about wine. While I understand to it for some time, but may go this year. Fandom now the segmentation of conventions, and why it has happened spans a wide range of ages and interests, and we’ve got (anime like Clannad, Genshiken, and manga like Crows to bring it all together at some point.