No. 1 - Cover by Stephen Sprinkles No. 2 - Editorial by James Bacon No. 3 - Art from Delphyne Woods This is a Fanzine. these subjects, do let us know. But it would be real nice to hear what you think That’s what it is. Many people in here are many of this zine. Did you like it? Was it what you expected? things, but there is one thing for sure, we are all fans Why did you download it? of some sort or another, and many who are profes- I was stunned into silence when Chris told me sional, are good enough to give their time, efforts art that a number of Drink Tanks have had over 10,000 and words for our altruistic craziness. For which I am downloads. Like... thats crazy, but yes,some issues on very grateful. Scribed have been downloaed 60 times and one 14,000. It’s great to be at 300. Bollocks, I haven’t edited Its pretty amazing. And thats just Scribd. Over on efan- 300 issues of Drink Tank, I am afraid that I would have zines we get good uptake too, but I just have to wonder to stop con-running to even get any where near that who the 30,000 people who looked at our fanzine win mark, but I have had a brilliant time editing the ones are... that I have helped edit. We have a system and it works My mom saw that Hugo Video. Initially I could real well for us, that’s for sure. see she was unsure, sorry for Chris. Later, she came to I like how we are suddenly empowered, the me. Hugo win was so unexpected. And then within about ‘Chris is such a really nice guy, isn’t he’ I could 10 minutes of the awards finishing, I was already tout- feel something in the tone. ‘yeah, a great fella mom’. ing for submissions for this issue. It was like we were ‘I noticed that he thanked his Mother and Fa- Chromed up, people very kindly agreed, and I love that. ther’ she said quickly followed be a ‘such a nice chap’. Most writers and artists, work so hard, and many do You see, even in winning, sometimes I lose. not earn a living, and I appreciate that they give their The Drink Tank is fun, Chris steamrolls on, at time for free for our fanzine. It’s our hobby, but it is so such a pace, and I come along as and when I do and nice to have such a wonderful mix of writers. generally I love it a lot. It’s a unique zine ,really, and for Sometimes, I just want to hear what someone all anything negative anyone can say, especially when we has to say, and that’s good enough for me, the unique- are having an acute bad spelling day, we make the time, ness of fanzines is that they can we find the time and we do it. be what they are, and with Drink We don’t talk about it, or pon- Tank, well, each one has been der it out or procrastinate. We very different. do it. Chris cannot procrastinate It’s always good fun easily, it’s an ailment, and I am though, and I am grateful to Chris mildly hyper, I expect. for having involved me to such a Its great to think that in large degree, I would never have many offices, probably after most suspected ten years ago, that people have left, a sneaky ream I would not only be doing this will be placed into the printer, amount of fan writing, but also and then, this Fantastic Fanzine editing, sourcing, seeking think- will get printed. I approve. ing reading and suggesting. I am especially pleased so It’s fun. many fans whom I hold in such Even as I type this, I high regard, as well as profes- should say, we are working on sionals, find themselves in these Journey Planet - we have 3 inter- pages. Some of the art is real esting issues - Sherlock Holmes, wish fulfilment. Blade Runner and Comics, so if But, do get in touch, do you feel the need to write on let us know what you thought, Comments? [email protected] and do check out Journey Planet, Ansible, File 770, that’s what The Drink Tank is all about. Chunga, Challenger, SFinSF, Procrastinations and, of So, I’m all over this issue, as I often am in these course, Bannana Wings. They are all excellent too. pages, so I don’t need to say much, but I do have to give thanks to a number of people who have made 300 issues possible at all. Bill Burns is one. If it werent’ for eFanzines.com, there’d be no Drink Tank, no CLaims Department, no eI, no Journey Planet, no Chris For TAFF, no nothin’! While fanzines in various other areas have all but died out, largely replaced by blogs, pod- casts and what have you, eFanzines.com has managed to keep zines a vital part of Fandom and not just allow- ing those who have always done zines to keep going, but even bringing in new folks with new material that’s awesome! Thanks Bill! Of course, I have to talk about James Bacon. At times, I feel bad for the guy because The Drink Tank is often so strongly associated with me that he gets over- looked. I couldn’t do much without him, and this issue proves that more than anything as he got about half of the submissions. It’s hard because I love The Drink Tank and with my methods, it’s not always easy to include James on things because I’m always full-steam ahead! I’m working on it though. Not hard, but working on it nonetheless. This issue has some amazing stuff and I’ve so loved reading everything. There’s stuff about Fandom, stuff about history, about art, about music, about ev- erything! We’ve got some fiction, which you don’t of- ten see in these pages, and there’s some poetry too! There’s even some Python code, which is something No. 4 - Editorial by I never thought I’d run! Folks from five countries (US, Christopher J Garcia UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) as well as more than two dozen folks who have never contrib- uted to The Drink Tank, whcih makes me happy. I love This issue is, whithout doubt, the biggest un- bringing in new folks and even if they never even read dertaking I’ve ever undertook. I mean really, it’s hard another issue, just having them around for this makes enough to put together a regular issue and it’s even me smile. tougher to get stuff for a theme issue and then to try Ultimately, this issue is a snapshot of a moment. and do a theme issue with 300 people involved, well, This is a zine full of folks who are around now, writ- that’s just nuts! Still, there’s nothign I love doing more ing about stuff that is around now. IT’s not a capture than putting together a zine. of what Fanzines of the Now are about, and it’s not a To me, it’s just about the most fun you can have capture of what fanzines mean. It’s a look at the people sitting at a computer. who are around and form a part of the lives of those It’s all about doing the zine to me. The act of around The Drink Tank. These are pieces that are from putting together a zine is the best part of zines in my people of fandom, from people in teh wrestling world, eyes, and that is not a widely held belief. I keep encoun- in the arts, in writing, in science fiction, the places tering folks who don’t get why I’m not big on spell- where James and I live our lives. That makes this issue checking or accuracy checks or even doing any real very special to me. editing, and I always answer teh same: to me, that’s no Even if it cost me several nights of sleep! fun at all. Fun is what I do just about everything for. And Let’s start with 2011 Hugo winner: Tara O’Shea No. 5 - Photo by Mo Starkey No. 6 - “A Passionate Love Letter to Raymond Chandler (Deceased)” by Tara O’Shea I spend a lot of time having to shamefully ad- art deco Financial district--but the world of 1930s mit to people in the SF community that I don’t actually Southern California was as exciting to me as John read science fiction. Carter’s Mars, or Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. It was alien I love SF media--and could wax eloquent for and strange, full of spiky plants and spiky people, cheap days if not weeks about series like FarScape, Star Trek, or boarding houses and smoke-filled local bars. Doctor Who. But when it comes to genre reading, I am a But best of all, Phillip Marlowe restored my faith pulp girl. Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan makes me happy in humanity. deep in my soul, as do Ray Bradbury’s short stories and I have a growing collection of The Saint that I’d probably When you dive headfirst into the works of grab before my laptop, in a fire. Hammett and Cain, after a while it drains you.