Renascence (Starsky and Hutch zine)

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Zine
Title: Renascence
Publisher: Esperanza Press
Editor(s): Tabby Davis
Date(s): late 1995
Series?:
Medium: print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom: Starsky and Hutch
Language: English
External Links:
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front cover

Renascence is a gen and slash 241-page Starsky and Hutch anthology edited by Tabby Davis. The zine itself was contained in a decorated document folder.

The art is by June Bushnell, Jean C., J. Jones, Tabby Davis, Betty de Gabriele, Pamela Grove, and Evelyn Thomas. The zine also contains a number of screenshots in black and white and poems/quotes/song lyrics written by non-fan writers.

In 1985, Davis created a similar fanwork, Celebration.

The Editorial: "The Phoenix Factor"

I surprise myself. I had no serious aspiration to attempt another zine until a moment, a year or so back, around six a.m., Fourth of July time, in my kitchen, absorbing the first coffee or the day, when that SH friend voiced generous enthusiasm and encouragement for such a project. 'D0 IT!' she said.

So - here's the result. Has to be my positively Last Appearance...I thought of calling it 'Swansong'.

Like all fanzines, 'Renascence' owes so much to those who helped, in all sorts of ways, in its emergence : the artists and the story. tellers and the poets...the would-be readers and the general encouragers, all of them helping to sustain commitment. 'Names?' Starsky once insisted. well, those are listed on another page.

And, as in the past... I am truly grateful (as perhaps only a novice in these matters could be) for Linda Hansford's expertise and her invaluable advice on the technical aspects of producing a zine.

To everyone, for all the talent and for all the time - THANK YOU.

You know how it is? - when you're asked, maybe by a new fan, 'Do you have a copy of - whatever - that I could borrow?' And you begin the search, browsing through the accumulated store 0 two decades; and you open a few letterzines from the past and, among a lot of re-readable material, you come upon a few of those Doom-Gloom letters. You know the kind? 'SH -is this fandom moribund?' 'Is there anything more to discuss?' I suppose such questions mus~e prompted by individual experience at the time. But, twenty years on now, we know that Decline and Droop are false perceptions. To some of us, they were always funny questions, unrelated to SH realities.

Naturally, some years bring more 'action' than others - more zines, more Cons, more special occasions like last April's 20th anniversary celebrations here in London. The true SH quality doesn't go away. That phoenix quality of renascence always breaks through. Aren't we lucky!

'Why 'Renascence?' some have asked me. 'Why not "Re....aissance"?' But there's an important difference? That second version covers a certain period of European history -- which wasn't what I wanted here. What I wanted is 'renascence' in its plain, literal, lower-case meaning. I wanted that imagery of re-birth, of 'leaves are green' (as the song says) or the metaphor of that haunting line (as a celebrated SH poet wrote, more than a decade ago) -- 'we heard the morning sing.'[1] And we can hear it still.

True, as the song goes on, leaves may turn to brown. Yet we know that the SH values remain. And the green comes around again.

A 1995 Note on Progress

Tabby Davis is awaiting corrections on the last story into RENASCENCE, and hopes to have the zine out before years end. She wrote that the zine "is best described as a collection of stones recalling many aspect of the series some by writers long familiar in SH fandom, some introducing new talents, some S/H some not.... I want 'Renascence' to reflect the good memories and the enriching friendships which this fandom has brought. That was the starting-point in embarking on it." It will be around 200 pages. [2]

Contents


Unique Packaging

  • document folder

    document folder

  • cover and document folder

    cover and document folder

  • Rensh-1.jpg
  • Rensh-2.jpg
  • document folder

    document folder

Gallery

  • Rensh-4.jpg
  • Evelyn Thomas, a portrait of David Soul

    Evelyn Thomas, a portrait of David Soul

  • June Bushnell

    June Bushnell

  • Jean C. for "Realignment"

    Jean C. for "Realignment"

  • poem by Pat Massie, calligraphy is by an unknown artist

    poem by Pat Massie, calligraphy is by an unknown artist

  • J. Jones, one of two frontispieces

    J. Jones, one of two frontispieces

  • J. Jones, one of two frontispieces

    J. Jones, one of two frontispieces

  • J. Jones. The original art piece is titled "Lost in Love"

    J. Jones. The original art piece is titled "Lost in Love"

  • A photo of the original art piece was offered for sale on eBay in 2011 for $65. It is unclear if it ever sold. Art reproduction in fanzines often degraded the quality of the drawings as can be seen in this side by side comparison.

    A photo of the original art piece was offered for sale on eBay in 2011 for $65. It is unclear if it ever sold. Art reproduction in fanzines often degraded the quality of the drawings as can be seen in this side by side comparison.

  • Pamela Grove

    Pamela Grove

  • an early sort of photomanip, artist uncredited

    an early sort of photomanip, artist uncredited

  • an early sort of photomanip, artist uncredited

    an early sort of photomanip, artist uncredited

  • Betty de Gabrile (art), lyrics from a Queen song

    Betty de Gabrile (art), lyrics from a Queen song

  • Jean C., likely showing the two men standing by "Starsky's tree" from "Little Girl Lost"

    Jean C., likely showing the two men standing by "Starsky's tree" from "Little Girl Lost"

  • Rensh-10.jpg
  • Rensh-11.jpg
  • Rensh-12.jpg
  • Rensh-13.jpg
  • Evelyn Thomas

    Evelyn Thomas

Reactions and Reviews

"Renascence" arrived. This is a beautiful zine with lovely stories and artwork, also that 'Tabby personal touch", zebra-coloured paperclips are perfect!) All the stories are wonderful, especially "Realignment" by Miranda Brown which deals with my favourite "/" scenario, and uses Kira as a catalyst. "The Truth is Out There" by Joy Mancinelli, which could be subtitled "He went from plaid to polyester”, one of her many hilarious lines, and "Return Journey" by Jane. I also loved 'The Quilt" by Chameleon and "Dragon Drive to San Diego” by Linda Hansford. Excellent stories... maybe choosing favourites is a bad idea! [3]

My copy of RENASCENCE arrived safely, thank you. I've only read about half of it so far, just getting into the slash section -- which may be why I've bogged down? I like slash just fine in a couple of other fandoms, but for me it simply doesn't work in S&H. No criticism, just personal taste. But I can see this is another of your beautifully hand-crafted zines. Nobody else does 'em like that.

As to story content, I second your request for restraint on the sobs and tears. Again, just not believable for tough street cops. The other cliche that's been done to death is brushing the hair back from the partner's forehead (usually in h/c scenes.) In a zine I read recently, it happened so often I started visualizing them with calluses on their foreheads!

I did have to laugh at one item noted in the clipping you enclosed, the bit about them "jumping over car bonnets"; upon starting to rewatch the show a couple years ago, I was struck by the fact that never before or since had I seen a series that involved so much walking on cars! ANOTHER reason I would never let these guys near my Zen.[4]

References

  1. ^ This is possibly a reference to a poem in Celebration.
  2. ^ from Starsky & Hutch Adzine & Newsletter #13 (October 1995
  3. ^ from Frienz #36 (May 1996)
  4. ^ from Terri Beckett in Frienz #35
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