Frienz/Issues 01-02
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Frienz is a gen and non-explicit slash Starsky & Hutch letterzine.
They contain letters, want ads, con reports, clippings, flyers, and occasional fiction.
There were 50 issues (perhaps 51), plus two 1993 supplements, published between 1988 to 1998.
Issue 1 (November 1988)
Frienz 1 was published in November 1988 and contains 20 pages.
- this issue has some fiction by Ima Fool called "O'Horror Hotel"
- this issue has a con report for Zebra Con #9, by [L M], see that page
Issue 1: Sample Fan Comments
Carol Davis included an essay called "Art and the Single Fanzine" with the topic of fan art. An excerpt:
Fandom is, as probably more people than Tabby have pointed out (but Tabby always springs to mind), supposed to be for sharing. For enjoyment. For fun. Should one exclude the efforts of those who don't live up to our ideals of ART, be it in writing or illoing? If you think I'm going to state an opinion on that here, you're crazy. I don't know the answer. On the one hand, an ed tries to make her zine the best it could be. On the other, well, what is fandom all about, anyway? I'd be very interested in finding out what others feel should be done.
An essay by [Maria F] called: "The Starsky and Hutch Pilot -- Then & Now" — excerpt:
Now, I still get a thrill watching the episodes, thanks to my vcr, and am fortunate enough to have the Pilot presented, at indiscriminate hours of the day and night, at least once a year on tv, and of course, I still watch it (despite having it on tape—I get a kick out of seeing the guys on broadcast tv after all this time!); I still enjoy it and learn something from it with every viewing. Now, I better understand the quips, observations and sarcastic comments David and Ken tossed back and forth at each other; I have aclearer picture of just how important police work was to them; how, even then, all the injustices and grueling chases got them down; how the sometimes futile efforts and random violence disturbed them and especially how loyal each was to the other. I appreciate more each time their compassion toward the down-trodden and their honesty in dealing with situations. I also enjoy seeing them in the "unrefined" stages before they became more three-dimensional and were admirably, and individually shaped by Paul and David.
Some fan enthusiasm:
First let me say what a terrific idea I think FRIENZ is. There's nothing like a good letterzine to keep fandom alive and kickin'. With all the mumbling I've been hearing (or rather, reading) about how S&H fandom is dying out, I think that any new development, especially a l/z, is a positive step.
A fan explains why she thinks Starsky & Hutch fiction is so good:
Why spend the money? Because for the most part, S&H fans produce quality zines. The fiction seems to be better-written than in many fandoms. I think the reason is that many S&H fans did their journeyman writing in other fandoms; they come to S&H a little more seasoned than they were when they started. I think that's also the case of S&H artists. There's also a commitment to authenticity here; people research their subjects, whether it's gun calibres or physical trauma, and that research strengthens their product. Plot isn't often sacrificed for character, which makes for good reading. I spend money on cons because, with one exception, all my S&H friends live in far-flung places. Getting them all in one place is an absolute joy. There is a love and acceptance among fan friends that sometimes surpasses what one finds in mundane situations.
The original Starsky and Hutch letterzine, S and H:
FRIENZ is very good news, the latest in a long line of SH l/zs. Ten years on, and we still find the discussion, the exchange of views unexhausted-not really surprising with that material. So this is to be the reincarnation of the original S&H l/z? I still go back to read that one for its insights and for the detailed, substantial, series-related arguments with which various POV's were supported... I learned a lot about S&H from that first letterzine... Re-reading the first pioneer l/z is a reminder of all the people who gave me their time and kindness to enlighten me, provide information, addresses, zines, share with me, show me my way into SH fandom. The very word was new to me then. I could never forget all that, and I'll always be grateful for it.
The hurt/comfort genre:
...you can count me among the H/C ... aficionados. Maybe it's because it strips away all the socially necessary masks and lets us see what lies beneath. Or maybe it's because Starsky suffers so well - oh god those writhing hip movements - yeah grab for that thigh or that belly.
The TOTM:
I thought I'd address the suggested topic of Fan Angst—why do I bother with this, why do I spend the time, the money, etc.? Good question! I'm 37, and only found "fandom" in 1982, when I discovered Star Trek for the first time. I'm still a big ST fan, but about 3 years ago, I think it was, I'd run out of new K/S zines to read, so decided to try some H/J, loved them, so decided to try watching S&H, which was shown here then, since I knew the blond actor who was Johnny was also "one of those cops"—that's about all I knew of it, though. Well, it didn't take long for me to get hooked on S&H and S/H, and I've been enjoying this fandom very much ever since.
A fan invites others to join an APA:
To all S&H fans who would like yet another outlet for your creativity—how about joining us in the Starsky and Hutch APA? It's called "Tell Me Something I Don't Know!", and by the time you read this, issue #10 will be out. We "publish" every other month—letters, copies of articles on S&H or Paul and David that everyone sends in, etc. If you're at all interested, please SASE me—at this date, we could use 6 more participants (30 is out upper limit.) Spread the word! EDITOR'S NOTE: I love the APA! It has an energy, vitality, and sharing that brings me right back to the early days of S&H fandom. It's great to get one every other month with an original artwork cover and never seen articles and pics inside. You can't go wrong becoming an active part of it.
Another fan remembers a previous letterzine:
I got out the box containing all the old l/z's—disinterred it, to be more precise/ from the mountain of boxes at present lurking in our spare bedroom—just to refresh my memory. And several hours later, I surfaced amazed. What a vast amount of subjects were covered—so many views aired (sometimes forcibly, sometimes acidly, sometimes even vitriolic), so many opinions, ideas, discussions, often on the mast trivial of subjects. Looking back, was The Kiss in the Alley (or lack of one) such a big deal? I suppose it was, at the time. And S/H, far from being the Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name, nowadays rarely shuts up. I've heard the complaint that S/H has 'driven' people out of fandom. In a truck? Bus? Torino? But since no one is forced to buy zines, or read them, I can't see that this is a valid statement—unless it's the lack of straight stories that has led the non-S/H contingent to look elsewhere for their fix. This is possible. There's been a dearth of straight stories in the past year. There's been a dearth of any kind of story, but if I go on about that I'll get jumped on for undue pessimism- I'm hoping for a renaissance at Zebra Con. (Zines! Zines! For the love of God, give me zines!) [1]
The appeal of hurt/comfort:
I don't know why I like H/C. It isn't the pain & agony. In fact, that can get tiresome, as anyone who has suffered root canal treatment can testify. But the caring that the Hurt brings out—that's the anodyne. That, I would guess, is what most of us like about H/C. The 'C. And while, in S/H, there are a number of soi-disant stories which are nothing but catalogue of sexual gymnastics without plot or meaning, I don't know of any story is purely Hurt, with no Comfort. I may have missed something, mind. If there is one, maybe someone will enlighten me. But, like the 'how-many-positions-can-we-fit-on-one-page' perpetrators, there doesn't seem an awful lot of point to it. I have written the latter. I freely admit it. I've never written just Hurt. At least, not to my knowledge! I suppose I can sum it up by saying I do not like to see them suffer (they suffer so creatively!) but I want' the emotional arnica and bandaid too. You can't have one without the other.
A long-time, BNF fan explains the appeal of the show and compares it to Star Trek:
Why do I bother with this anyway? I'm into SH for entirely different; reasons than I was into Trek. In the old days of ST random, you were in it for the dream, and for the purpose of keeping the dream alive and hoping to get Trek reincarnated in the form of a TV show or film. Now that the fans have achieved those goals, there's something different about the fandom. It could be that after more than ten years, my enthusiasm has slowed considerably but you do get the feeling that the driving need to keep ST on the mind of the public and the studio just isn't there anymore. ST was a cause and to support that cause you did zines, went to cons, wrote letters, etc. SH fandom is another world. It's smaller, but I happen to like it that way. Makes me feel we're a rather select group of people with very good taste. It doesn't have the lofty feel of Trek—we are unabashedly into the 'scenery' of the show (those buns...those thighs...) and though there is some philosophy in the world of SH, questions relating to violence and integrity, and the philosophy of a beautiful love relationship, it doesn't ask the burning questions Trek does about the future of mankind. But that's why I like it. A writer can get deeply into the motivations of a character and see how his actions impact on his partner. Without all the sf folderol, SH seems a deeper, more introspective world, one that I find very challenging to write about. And if it's really the individual that is important in our world, then the feelings and philosophies of Starsky and Hutch do respond to those burning questions of mankind's future. I feel my writing in this fandom is more sophisticated, more mature. That could be because I've now been writing longer, but I also feel it's the subject matter that we're dealing with here.
Sometimes, h/c seems to have acquired a negative connotation in this fandom, and that irks me a bit. "Judge and Jury" was bad h/c, yes. And "Mojave Crossing" was excellent — but saying all the same things in another story doesn't repeat what Faddis did so well. Yet nearly all SH has elements that can be called h/c — and what's wrong if it's subtle for a change? I can get Hutch giving Starsky a cup of coffee because he knows he's upset about Helen's death. I'd love to see SH fiction delve into h/c a little more.
Issue 2 (February 1989)
Frienz 2 was published in February 1989 and contains 20 pages.
- some TOTM questions were: "Do you have a 'first impression you'd like to share with us? When did you first see S&H? What was it like? How did you feel?" And: "Song lyrics. Send me your fave S&H song lyric... Do we need fan awards? Do they serve any purpose beyond possibly being popularity awards... Do they acknowledge 'the best'?" Episode to discuss: "Running."
- "Smithereens," Paula Smith's regular column, is about conventions that are not fannish (dog shows, ex-drug abusers, computers)
- the column, "Forum" is by Tabby Davis and entitled "Further Reflections on the Single Fanzine, a reference to to "Art and the Single Fanzine" by C. Davis is the previous issue—the topic is about editing, putting together a zine, "sharing" in fandom, and feedback
- it has an essay by MRK called "First Impressions: Gee, Even the Hit Man Seemed to Know
- it includes fiction: "Night Bridge" by Leah S
- it includes a poem, "Touch" by Pat Massie
Issue 2: Sample Fan Comments
A new fan is very enthusiastic (and gets scolded in the next issue):
A S&H letterzine is just what I need! I only 'discovered' fandom not more than a year and a half ago - Blake's 7. Fanzines! Holy cow! Went totally crazy and, quite literally, caught up on 10 years worth of B7 fandom in about 10 months. Not bad, eh? But not that hard, either, since B7 is a growing and relatively new (so far as being wide-spread) fandom. Burned out on B7 and cast about for something new.What did I find? You get it, frienz, Starsky & Hutch! I remembered that I adored the show the first time it was on, but it wasn't until I got some copies of the episodes that I realized just how much! So this is - what? - maybe two months ago and here I sat, totally insane over the series and nowhere to go. Bummer. Guess you can see why this l/z is such a breath of fresh air for me.
And reading over the letters from issue #1 it looks like I've fallen in^o a batch of kindred souls. I, my dear fen, am a world-class wallower. Ask anyone who's ever read my stories in other genre and you'll find at least some - more likely a lot - hurt/comfort in everything. Ohboyohboy do I love a good smarmy story. Let's face it, there has been a lot of "buddy" series' on TV, and a lot of them had the potential for an enormous amount of smarm, am I right? Simon & Simon, for example, or even the perennial favorite, Star Trek. Sure, we see great relationships between the characters but how much of that openness - that wonderful caring - do we really see? Zilch. And after all, isn't that what zines are for? We've built the relation ships we want for these people, oftentimes from scratch.
Look at Blake 7. Now that's a stretch. Not that we've ever let that stop us, right ladies? But now, finally, we can see the caring and love between the characters. And - my goodness! - the hurt/comfort too! I mean actually see it instead of having to fill in the blanks later. Watched Miami Vice lately? Those' cheaters take us right up to the brink of a smarmy scene and go to a commercial. The finks.
But Starsky & Hutch not only carried it through, they carried us through, bless 'em. And yes, I am looking for every zine and episode in existence on the show. I've hung all my other fandoms out to dry 'till then. Not that's hooked.... I think you may have just hit the nail on the head about the comment that S/H has "driven people out of fandom." No one has to buy or read anything, but there does seem to be a dearth of straight stories wherever slash becomes the 'in' thing. As for myself, there is nothing I enjoy more than a straight hurt/comfort story. But the latest SNITCH seems to be listing 100% slash zines or mixed. Now, as I'm new to this fandom and know next to nothing about it, is this the norm these days? Or is S&H, like the Professionals, almost exclusively slash?
There is much discussion regarding hugging:
I never thought about the guys' first hug! Good question. I see two scenarios: The first deals with their first Christmas as partners. Perhaps one invited the other to his place (if they weren't working that day); they shared dinner, exchanged gifts, then spontaneously embraced. Or! maybe one of them was going home for the holidays, the other drove his friend to the airport and they hugged before S or H boarded the plane.The second possibility could have occurred the first time one went under cover without his partner. The case was particularly dangerous, with more than a slight threat to the inconspicuous officer's life, that the Partner especially worried, was so relieved when the case was successfully cracked and his friend safe, automatically hugged him when they met up again.
I have a question for anyone interested to answer: When was the first time one or both knew the other was his best friend? That he loved him and would give his life for the other?
Regarding the appeal of hurt/comfort:
[J] raised a point with her honest 'I don't know' on why we like h/c. I don't know either.But I thought back over my favourite shows and discovered the ones I remember best all had some element of h/c in them. No, I won't give examples, that'd date me too accurately.... I think it's be cause I like emotions up front. We are conditioned not to express our feelings too openly—and repression is not good for the soul. So h/c allows a vicarious escape-hatch? We can exercise our imaginations on how it would feel to be in that situation, without experiencing any of the genuine pain or anguish involved. And anyway, we knew it was just make-believe, so it was okay.
I don't know anyone who gets off on real suffering, or real h/c, as we see it on the news. That's an invasion of privacy, and we are embarrassed and offended by it. But the fictional stuff is acceptable to us, because we know it'll all be all right in the end.
A fan is a fan of One More Mountain:
"One More Mountain" is my all-time favorite story ever! And I do mean ever! That story is my prime example of exactly what we were talking about - that caring that the hurt brings out. That's the big thing. I've read stories, ostensibly h/c, but all I remember about them was the hurt. Very little comfort. Hated them. I tend to skim over the hurt myself - kind of a fade to black thing - and go straight for the comfort. Purely wish there were more stories of that type. Never could get enough.
Another fan wants to know where all the "straight" zines are:
I agree about the lack of straight stories lately. We had a discussion (it was not a panel) at Spectrum, a local media con. Quizzed about all-time favorite zines, almost everyone chose straight zines. The most popular was Zebra Three #1, but also mentioned were Strange Justice and LA Vespers. If everyone loves the ones done in the past, why aren't more being done?
A fan's conversion:
It was a hot day in Phoenix (it being August) of 1986 ... being an avid K/S fan (yes, I too started out as one of The Maniacs!), I had heard from a reliable source that there was more to life than K/S! Can you believe it?! Thinking this as just a treasonous attempt at converting me to another lifestyle, I ignored the temptation for a time.But even the strong weaken given enough time. So, in August, two years ago, I turned on one of our local stations that was playing the Treason called Starsky & Hutch. I figured to remain aloof to their charms and avoid getting seduced-- I lasted about 12 seconds into the opening credits... I was transfixed -- fascinated--reborn-- captured for all time! I hadn't even seen one second of the show yet-- so I stayed glued to my TV, as helpless and as captivated as anyone had ever felt going into a series. The episode being aired that day was "Moonshine" -- certainly not one of their best, but it was Really Something Else to me!! I loved it all -- the scene in the Smoky Mountain Inn was so funny. I laughed through it. And, afterwards, when Hutch had to be the one to drive them home--with his partner's feet sticking out of the window! It was so beautiful watching a show that gave you such a warm feeling throughout!
I was officially hooked at the very start. As with all Deep Loves, every show that I saw only made stronger my initial impression of Starsky and Hutch being the TV series that I had been waiting for my whole life ... and I still feel that way about it...
The "hugs" Universe has always been very intriguing to me. ALL of the series' that would get me hooked had this exact aspect to them— Man from U.N.C.L.E. -- Star Trek etc. But Starsky and Hutch are the ultimate example of a "tactile-oriented" Universe. I always tended to look for this in my TV, or movies, or even relationships that I had — none had this to the degree that S&H had — even today! That first one that I remember them sharing was the "alley scene" at the end of The Fix. What a hug! I've always loved that scene ...
Another convert from K/S writes:
I'm also an obsessive personality, I think. Does it ever scare you how fast you can fall away from a treasured obsession? I was a rabid K/S fan, and now I can hardly bear to read the stuff. I refuse to even examine other fandoms now, because I don't have any desire to leave SH. Is that silly, or what?
Regarding fan awards:
Personally, I'm not crazy about them. What is gained by receiving them? I know that it makes the artwork from a zine more valuable, and it makes the author or editor feel good. But is there anyone who would say that the awards consistently go to the best in fandom? Should they? What about encouraging new faces? If you don't get one, does that mean you're no good? I think that the opportunity for abuse is more than the benefits gained by the recipients. I don't know if you want to discuss whether it benefits the readership to review the zines produced each year. Maybe we could do that in a non-competitive way.
Regarding awards, specifically the Huggy Awards:
...there could be as many reasons for voter's choice as there are voters. Voting for a friend's production could well be one influence -- could be because it's the friend's zine which has been read. It's doubtful that every voter has always read every eligible entry. Doubtful, too, that every dedicated SH fan sends in a ballot paper. An imperfect system. But would one want to end the tradition? Can't see that happening somehow. There's always that fascinating distinction between "favourite" and "best". For example. Dotty Barry's poem, "Non constans", a marvelous piece of writing. One might well vote it "best". I could never vote it "favourite". I'd find it hard even to read it again; it's so alien in its coldness and indifference, to the way I see SH. I'd be unhappy confronted with the editorial decision whether to include it in a SH zine. But the views of potential readers would be relevant - could one deprive them? No, I don't think one could.
Regarding fan awards:
My experience shows me that this sort of thing varies from fandom to fandom. I have long stopped paying attention to most fannish awards, as in one case they seem to be popularity contests and in another case, although begun with excellent intentions, their original intentions have been somewhat distorted.Based on what I've seen the past two years, the Huggies seem to be handled pretty well, are above board and tend to reflect my personal tastes.
Are fan awards necessary? I don't know. One could reason that they encourage writers and artists to do their best, and yet this is all supposed to be in the name of fun, right? It's a very thin line to walk. If we do the work for awards, then we run the risk of having worked for nothing, and taking it all much too seriously (IMHO). If we do the work only for the fun, there's very little to lose — unless some clod walks up to you and tells you point blank they think your work is worthless; then again, if it's done in fun and the writer/artist enjoys the execution, other folks' opinions won't carry much weight, will they? For myself, I tend to participate in fan-ac for the fun, certainly it would be lovely to have my work acknowledged by my peers, but I won't be devastated if I don't have a fan award to adorn my abode. I think the real rewards come from the heart: your own, with the satisfaction of having completed a project you can be proud of; and others', who, if they've enjoyed your work, are generous enough to tell you so.
Regarding fan awards:
I think they're an interesting tradition, not only in SH but in ST as well, but I'm not at all sure they are a very accurate way of measuring worth...or the best of what has been produced in a fandom. It's something like Pulitzer Prize winners, most of them are not the authors who have produced enduring classics. The non-nominees are something of a who's-who of literary figures, starting with Hemingway.The same thing was true in Trek. A number of the 'classics' of ST fanfic, that people still remember 10 years later, are not usually the ones that won fan awards. I'm not saying that awards never show true worth, I'm just saying it's not always the case...
I'm not against fan awards. They're often fun, and a way of acknowledging people's work. But do they really reward the 'best'? Even trying to define 'best' can open an entire other can of worms. Does it mean the most polished prose, the most technically adept artwork, or something that grabs people around the heart and yanks hard? Or is it something that yanks a little lower? Ten people might have ten separate definitions So what does 'best' really mean?
More on awards:
Do we need Fan awards? Need — not really, I suppose. We buy the zines and enjoy the art and read the stories and poems and that's the core of fandom. But Awards are at least a way of saying 'thanks' to a favourite writer or artist. Even if we never write LOCs, never get to speak to them, we can express our appreciation by voting for them. From the other side -- as a recipient myself -- I can say that it's enormously gratifying to be so recognized. And I'd hope that if all my friends did vote for me, they did it because they enjoyed what I wrote, not our of friendship. Awards may not acknowledge 'the best'— we all like different things, and one fan's best' is another fan's dreck—but yes, they do serve a purpose.
Regarding Songtape Collections:
... songs that remind us of the boys? I have a zillion faves, with unfulfilled songtape plans for many of them.
An example of a comment regarding song lyrics and SH:
My all-time favorite song that best describes my feelings for Ken and David is "Still the One", by Orleans. I also hold dear: "In My Life by the Beatles, of course; "Through the Years", Kenny Rogers; "You Are So Beautiful To Me", Joe Cocker; and, "You're in My Heart", Rod Stewart. "You've Got a Friend" (sung by James Taylor; written by Carol King) has always been my S&H theme song.
A fan is wondering if she has missed something:
This next question, I know is going to qualify as the neo question of the month, but having only recently come into SH fandom and never having seen the last l/z I must ask Terri about something she mentioned in her letter, to it: Terri, as kiss in the alley? WHAT kiss in WHAT alley??? I'm not looking to open up an old can of worms (a distasteful metaphor all by itself) but gad, what'd I miss?
A fan addresses another's comments from the prior issue:
I wanted to comment on your remarks regarding writing SH. You mentioned that you found your own writing more sophisticated and mature than the writing you've done in Star Trek fandom, and that SH allows you to get more into character as opposed to dealing with earth-shattering issues and 'sf folderol'. In some ways I definitely agree with you. I'm not just referring to your writing (although I agree with your assessment of your own stuff), I'm talking about the writing in the fandom in general.
Based on what I've read, SH fan-fic definitely lends itself to a much more careful sort of writing. I think that this stems from it being set in our here-and-now as opposed to some far-flung future where every problem has an answer based on whatever kind of super technology the writer can concoct.
Of course there is character-based fan-fic in ST; that's the main attraction, and when it's done well it's breathtaking. Unfortunately this doesn't happen very often anymore. Yet, because SH is set in our present, in a world we know intimately, there seems to be an attempt by writers across the board to be as true to that world as possible.
Writing Trek certainly allows us to let our imaginations run wild and there is merit there. But what some Trek authors sometimes forget, and what becomes a basic tenet of writing SH, is that consistency and believability are necessary for the creation to work, otherwise we, the readers, who know this world so very well, will sit back and say "No, that's not right, I don't buy it" and the construct comes crashing down around us. the writing in SH is better and stronger because the authors know that the reader must be convinced This being the case, I think we're all pretty fortunate. It's rare that I've been disappointed in a new SH zine. Any thoughts?
References
- ^ from Frienz #1