Three fannish things

[kathleen_dailey]

1. Sometimes when I'm faffing about on AO3, I accidentally discover an old story by a new (to me) author and then wonder why I'd never heard of them before. That happened recently when I found "Even Archangels Get the Blues" by RevDorothyL. The author says that this was their first fanfic, and I am impressed--not just because the story touches on some of my favourite themes (theology, eschatology, the rebirth of heroes) but because the characters' voices are interesting and fun. Recommended for fans of Xena, Buffy, and/or metaphysics.

2. While purging a storage closet, I came across a surviving copy of an old letterzine that I once subscribed to. The editors of letterzines would collect typewritten submissions, paste them up, photocopy them, and mail the finished zines out to subscribers several times a year. This was how we exchanged LOCs, reviews, illos, opinions, and personal news with other fans across the country and around the world. Rediscovering the letterzine made me remember how enjoyable it was to see this type of fannish ephemera turn up in the actual, tangible mailbox.

3. I'm sad that Pretty Hard Cases won't be returning for a fourth season. It took me a little while to warm up to the show, but Adrienne C. Moore and Meredith MacNeill brought such realism and chemistry to their characters and their relationship that I became quite invested in them. Many of the episodes were pretty standard police procedurals, but the characters and the settings made the show entertaining and multilayered. Add this to the long, long list of Shows I Miss So Much.

Comments

[labingi]

Regarding print zines, a friend of mine was lamenting the other day that zines have largely gone away and how she wishes they would come back. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see some degree of resurgence of zines in this era of AI, Ao3-fail, and general internet overwhelm. There's something calming about looking at a zine. :)

[kathleen_dailey]

Agreed. Reading a story in paper zine format is such a different experience from reading the same story online (or even as a printed PDF). Calming, as you say, and engrossing. Maybe it's the three-dimensionality of the bound volume, or the physical act of turning the pages, or the visual gravitas of edited, typeset, intentionally designed text--regardless, I hope you're right and that printzines will make a reappearance. They would truly represent labours of love. :-)