Checkpoint 93

CHECKPOINT 93

Bill Kunkel cartoon Bill Rotsler cartoon

A fantastically special, all-fanzine issue, Checkpoint 93 (Feb/March 1979) is produced by Peter Roberts, c/o 38 Oakland Drive, Dawlish, Devon, UK. It's available for news, selected trades, fine old fanzines, or cash: 5/50p (UK & Europe), 4/$1 (America & Africa, airmail), or 6/£1 (Australia & NZ, airmail). Please pay in sterling, US dollar bills, or international reply coupons (one = 10½p to me): no foreign cheques or coins, please, or my wrath shall wax dreadful & yond. Cartoons are by Bill Kunkel and Bill Rotsler. Restormel Press Thingy: 137.


BRIAN LEWIS died on December 4th. Best known as an artist for Nova Publications (New Worlds, &c), Brian had in recent years become an enthusiastic convention-goer and a connoisseur of room-parties. He had a good fund of anecdotes too – he and I were on a 'Jim White Chat Show' a couple of Novacons ago – with stories to tell of his involvement with Yellow Submarine, The Muppet Show, and other strange projects and productions. Some of his excellent and most recent illustrations which originally appeared in fanzines and convention booklets have been reprinted in Colin Lester's International Sf Yearbook. British fandom will miss him.

RON GRAHAM died on February 11th. A veteran Australian fan (he had a letter in Amazing Stories for May 1928), he was best known in Britain as the financier and publisher of the Anglo-Australian sf magazine, Vision Of Tomorrow. His sf library, which has been willed to the University of Sydney, was vast and known throughout the world. (Information from John Foyster's CHUNDER!)

FRANK ARNOLD, fortunately, is still with us. Fears that he'd gone missing started with a police call to the manager of the One Tun, saying that the Guest Book (Frank being the long-time custodian of London fan meetings in the White Horse/Globe/One Tun) had been found, but that they'd been unable to trace Frank. It turned out, after some investigation, that he'd collapsed and had been in hospital and was suffering from amnesia. I understand that he's ok now and that the amnesia is wearing off – though Dave Rowe has asked me to check up on some fanhistorical matters (Frank being one of British fandom's main historians) which Frank Arnold can no longer recall. Anyway, it's good to see he hasn't vanished! (News from Martin Easterbrook & Dave Rowe)


FANZINES RECEIVED: We haven't had a fanzine column for some time, so there's a good stack waiting. The best thing to do is to list them fairly briefly; then I can pretend that this is a supplement to the Guide to Current Fanzines, still available from me @ 35p, etc, etc...

Great Britain:

Adsum 1: Mike Dickinson, Flat 7, 301 Chapeltown Rd, Leeds 7. (usual) Dreadful cover hiding a pleasant personalzine with a Silicon report from John Collick.

Arena 8: Geoff Rippington, 15 Queens Ave, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8AY. (50p, $1, or usual) Neat and improving sercon fanzine: contains an entertaining Danish interview with Kurt Vonnegut, plus reviews and articles by Stableford and Lupoff.

Benzine 1: Ben Burr, 7 Egerton Dr, Greenwich, London, SE10. (usual) A first fanzine, being a collection of whatever the editor could collect. The editor himself claims this issue is "crap", which won't exactly encourage his contributors. Anyway, I've seen worse.

Black Hole 15: Immo Huneke & Tony Berry, Leeds Univ. Sf Society, Leeds University Union, Leeds, LS1 1UH. (30p or usual) Neat clubzine, though with unexciting contents, apart from some excellent illustrations by Pete Smith.

Cidereal Times 5 & 6: Allen Boyd-Newton, The Gatehouse, Coombe Florey, Via Taunton, Somerset. (30p or usual) Two issues of a rather featureless local clubzine, with book reviews and odds & ends (no fiction, mercifully).

Deadloss 1: Chris Priest, 1 Ortygia House, 6 Lower Rd, Harrow, Middx, HA2 0DA. (whim) After twelve years, a thoroughly entertaining personalzine. Struth, I even feel moved to loc...RSN, boss.

Don't Panic 1: Graham England, 1 Fleet Way, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8BZ. (10p or usual) A newszine, no less, though mostly taken up with a convention list. Could this be a challenge to Checkpoint? Could I care, either way? Tune in again, next issue...

Dot 4 & 5: Kevin Smith, 7 Fassett Rd, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2TD. (usual) Two issues of a fine personalzine (which didn't win the Nova).

Epsilon 5 & 6: Rob Hansen, 22 Llanthewy Rd, Newport, Gwent, Wales. (usual) Entertaining personalzine, with a bonus of excellent fannish covers.

Fanzine Fanatique 32 & 33: Keith Walker, 2 Daisy Bank, Quernmore Rd, Lancaster. (17p or trade) Appalling layout, abysmal typing, semi-legible, and choked with confused fanzine reviews. I can't see why Keith bothers to send copies out.

The Friends Of Kilgore Trout Magazine 3: Sandy Brown, 18 Gordon Tce, Blantyre, G72 9NA, Scotland. (30p or usual) A well-produced clubzine, but not very fascinating – though there's James White's GoH speech from Faircon among the contents.

Fusion 1: Jon Cowie, Univ.of Warwick Sf Soc, Arts Fed.Pig.Holes, Union Bldg, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL. (usual?) Clubzine with poor fiction and feebler than usual contents.

Gelatine 1: William Park, 102 Mickelfield Rd, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP13 7EY. (20p or usual) Gosh, now I know what "pseudo-intellectual" means... This contains nothing beyond some embarrassingly bad poems and oddments. Raleigh Evans Multog was funnier.

Gross Encounters 4 & 5: Alan Dorey, 20 Hermitage Woods Cres, St Johns, Woking, Surrey, GU21 1UE. (usual) Excellent and large personalzine (which did win the Nova). Ought to loc this one too. Heigh ho.

Knockers from Neptune 6: Mike & Pat Meara, 61 Borrowash Rd, Spondon, Derby, DE2 7QH. (usual) Mostly letters on this occasion, but the layout doesn't somehow encourage you to read them. KFN is more usually a personalzine.

Matrix 19: Andy Sawyer, 59 Mallory Rd, Tranmere, Birkenhead, L42 6QR. (BSFA members and trade?) It's a long time since I've seen anything from the BSFA and I'm amazed to see all this activity – a thirty six page news and comment fanzine, yet. Mind you, it's not exactly thrilling stuff, but I'd never expect miracles from officious organizations. At least it beats the N3F's dismal magazine.

Nabu 5 & 6: Ian & Janice Maule, 18 Hillside, 163 Carshalton Rd, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4NG. (usual) Neat fannish genzine with some bloody wonderful contributions. The general impression, however, is a bit antiseptic – though Ian's come out of the woodwork and written an editorial for the sixth issue.

The Once & Future Worm 7 & 8: Archie & Beryl Mercer, Lyonesse, Post Office Lane, Mount Hawke, Truro, Cornwall. (locs) A letterzine on all sorts of subjects, from Camelot to cats.

One Off 6: David Bridges, 130 Valley Rd, Meersbrook, Sheffield, S8 9GA. (35p or usual) Actually, I'm confused since this is a packet of four oddments – there's a booklet containing an account of a bicycle trip to London, another wallpaper-covered booklet with a handwritten account of Christmas holidays, yet another booklet of cartoons, and a couple of sheets of fanzine. I think I'd rather something a little less chaotic and a bit more readable.

O'Ryan 5: Paul Ryan, Flat G, 10 Springwood Rd, Oakwood, Leeds, LS8 2QA. (usual) Attractive personalzine – keep publishing, Paul.

Perihelion 2: Steev Higgins, 18 St Austell Ave, Tyldesley, Gtr Manchester, M29 7FY. (usual) New genzine – bit tatty, but has some amiable fannish moments.

Procyon 5: John Collick, The Goosewell Gallery, Westbourne Dr, Menston, Ilkley, Yorks. (40p or usual) A decent genzine – John promises the end of indecent fan-fiction with the next issue, which is a Good Thing.

Ragged Heroes 1: Kevin Easthope, 113 Abbey Rd, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 7SY. (usual) Single-sheet personalzine.

Scope 3: David Penn, The Hawthorns, University of Keele, Keele, Staffs. (usual) Fairly ordinary clubzine, though with Chris Priest interview and decent artwork by Gordon Wain & Paul Cogan.

Scottishe 76: Ethel Lindsay, 69 Barry Rd, Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. (50p or usual) A thin issue – not much more than letters and too brief reviews. Last haven of the Atomillo...

Seamonsters 2: Simone Walsh, 7a Lawrence Rd, Ealing, London W5 4XJ. (usual) Excellent fannish genzine. Must loc, very RSN, honest.

S:Film Fantastica 1: Keith Walker – see Fanzine Fanatique. (usual?) This is a collection of loose sheets having something to do with bad films. A mess.

Tripe Pickers' Journal 1: Paul Kincaid & Mike Scantlebury, 20 Sherbourne Rd, Middleton, Manchester, M24 3EH. (usual) Interesting dual personalzine.

Twll-Ddu 13 & 14: Dave Langford, 22 Northumberland Ave, Reading, Berks, RG2 7PW. (25p or usual) Several paragraphs had me laughing out loud a few minutes ago – not in a fit of mock, either. Good going. Good personalzine.

Vector 88: David Wingrove, 4 Holmside Court, Nightingale Lane, London, SW12 8TA. (BSFA members, trade?) Consists mainly of an interview with Frank Herbert and book reviews; doesn't seem very enterprising for an official organ, but still.

Waif 2: Tom Jones, 39 Ripplesmere, Bracknell, Berks, RG12 3QA. (usual) Reminds me of how genzines used to be produced - rather scrappily. This even has a Bristol Eastercon report (1967)...

Wallbanger 1: Eve & John Harvey, 55 Blanchland Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5NE. (25p or usual) Main item in this genzine is the Roy Kettle interview from Skycon, which I thoroughly enjoyed (the interview, that is).

Wark 12 & 13: Rosemary Pardoe, Flat 2, 38 Sandown Lane, Liverpool 15. (30p or usual) Attractively produced reviews of fantasy and fringe publications.

Ycz 2 & 3: Richard Barycz, 16 Musgrave Rd, New Cross Gate, London SE14. (usual) R.I. may be the rich fan's Keith Walker, since he suffers from impossible layout which stifles reading; actually he can write quite well, but too whimsically for me. A letter supplement, Skraczes, came with these personalzines.


Australia:

Australian Sf News 1,2,3,4,5, & 6: Mervyn Binns, 305/307 Swanston St, Melbourne 3000. (10 issues/$5Aus, or usual) Locus-style, neat sf newszine.

Boy's Own Fanzine 6: Leigh Edmonds & John Foyster, PO Box 103, Brunswick, Vic 3056. (usual) A good deal of Australian fan history, plus an article on how to fly an Me 262, which should be useful. Strange stuff. Liked it.

Chunder! Vol 2/4,5,6,7,8,9, & 11; Vol 3/1: John Foyster, GPO Box 4039, Melbourne, Vic 3001. (8 issues/$1Aus or usual) Interesting newszine, with letters & discussion.

Fanew Sletter 98,99: Leigh Edmonds – see above. Newszine, now defunct.

Glass Keys (2): Perry Middlemiss, PO Box 98, Rundle St, Adelaide 5000. (40¢Aus of usual) University clubzine – has text of an Aldiss speech. Not bad.

Khalespheare 2 & 3: Irwin Hirsh, 279 Domain Rd, South Yarra, Vic 3141. (usual) Personalzine from ANZAPA.

The Mentor 24: Ron Clarke, 6 Bellevue Rd, Faulconbridge, NSW. (75¢Aus or usual) Unexpected return of a long-gone genzine. Boasts a Finlay cover.

Rataplan 19: Leigh Edmonds & Valma Brown (see above somewhere) ($1.20Aus or usual) Large fannish genzine – closely packed, but entertaining.

Sf Commentary 53: Bruce Gillespie, GPO Box 5195AA, Melbourne 3001. (5 for $5Aus, or usual) Thinner than usual issue of a good sercon fanzine.

Spectre 1: Perry Middlemiss (see above) (50¢ or usual) Fairly average genzine.

Wordy-Gurdy 3: Bruce Gillespie (see above) (usual) Personalzine from ANZAPA.


Canada:

The Apprentice 3: David Berman, 24 Seguin St, Ottawa, Ont K1J 6P3. (6/$5.50 or usual) D&D magazine – abominable fiction ("emptyless void"?) plus rule suggestions.

Borealis 1: John Bell & Alain Chabot, PO Box 3174 South, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3H5. ($1.75 or usual) Snazzy looking genzine.

DNQ 6,7,8,9,10,11,12, & 13: Victoria Vayne & Taral, PO Box 156, Stn D, Toronto, Ont M6P 3JQ. (3/$1US or usual) Variable & rather self-conscious fannish newszine. A couple of issues of Typo, a letterzine, came with these. Generally interesting.

Dream Vendor 3: Alan Sandercock, 44 Glen Rd (1009), Hamilton, Ont. L8S 4N2. (50¢, 25p or usual) Self-written genzine - previous issues appeared in UK and in Germany. Alan, however, is Australian. Is this a record?

Ish 2,3,4: Taral, 1812-415 Willowdale Ave, Willowdale, Ont M2N 5B4. (OSFic members, trade?) Local newszine – better than most.

Kratophany 11: Eli Cohen, 2236 Allison Rd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1T6. ($1 or usual) Attractive and interesting genzine.

Laid 6: Michael Hall, 24-477 Wardlaw Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3L 0L9. (whim) Local fannish newszine.

Lulu Review 3: Pubbug Press, 11220 Bird Rd, Richmond, BC, V6X 1N8. (8/$3 or trade) Fanzine reviews, including comics stuff.

Pit Rot 1: Steve George, 94 Brock St, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3N 0Y4. (25¢ or usual) Personalzine.

Requiem 22,23,24: Norbert Spehner, 1085 St-Jean, Longueil, PQ, J4H 2Z3. ($1.50 or usual) Sercon fanzine in French. Has fiction, so beware. Useful for keeping up with Francophone sf.

Rothnium 5: David Hull, PO Box 471, Owen Sound, Ontario, N4K 5P7. ($1.25 or usual) Attractive genzine – I got two, slightly different copies which is a bit bizarre.

Simulacrum 8: Victoria Vayne – see DNQ. ($2.50 or usual) Large & attractive genzine – Victoria is intending to make future issues specifically fannish, which can't be bad.

Winding Numbers 5½ & 6: Randy Reichardt, 58 Penrose Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2J 1S1. (usual) Small personalzine.


New Zealand:

Noumenon 22/3,24,25,26: Brian Thurogood, Wilma Rd, Ostend, Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf. (10/£3 – UK Agent: Keith Walker) Regular and useful sf news and information


CoAs:
Mike Scantlebury, 45 Brighton Grove, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5JG
Nick Shears, 63 Northwold Rd, Stoke Newington, London N16 7DS
Joyce Scrivner, 2408 Dupont Ave, Apt 1, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Milt Stevens, 7234 Capps, Redesa, CA 91335
Rich Coad, 781 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Dan Steffan, 823 N Wakefield St, Arlington, VA 22203


THE PIT: chucked in this time (unless they send cash or other fascinating things) are: Bernard Earp, Keith Freeman, John Steward, Michael Turner, and Roger Waddington.

WEIRD TALES: Top of the pile is a Turkish postcard from someone who seems to be looking for a correspondent. Drop him a line if you are interested; the address is Cem Kilic, Kiziltoprak, Feneryolu Sok. 16/5, Istanbul, Turkey. He says "I like to Science Fiction. I think, so you." Well, at least his English is better than my Turkish. // Graham England (address elsewhere) is trying to produce a "Fans Directory" which will list UK fans willing to host overseas fans (at Seacon time) plus overseas fans looking for hosts. If you fall into either category, contact Graham. // Recent marriages include Rob Jackson & Coral Clarke, Janet Small & Bob Wilson, and Patrick Hayden & Teresa Nielsen. Best wishes to all concerned.

CONVENTIONS: A few progress reports have drifted in. There's SFANCON 10 which is being held in Antwerp this year; GoH is Anne McCaffrey, Fan GoH is Anne-Marie Kindt. The dates are April 27th/28th. It's a few years since I've been to a Sfancon, but that part of the continent is within easy reach of London and there are usually quite a few UK fans over there. Contact Lou Grauwels, Lange Kievitsratte 27, 2000 Antwerpen, for details. // EUROCON 5 isn't until 1980, but the Italians have put out a PR with an English section if you're interested. It's usually a pretty serious & constructive event, but might be worth a look if you're holidaying in the area. The location is Stresa, but they don't give the date in English – it's 1st-4th of Maggio, 1980. Hell, I can only guess – my Italian is little better than my Turkish. Anyway, contact Eurocon 5, c/o Editrice Nord, Via Rubens 25, 20148 Milano, for details. // SEACON 79, the Brighton worldcon (Aug 23rd-27th), has its third PR out, together with the Hugo Nomination forms. If you haven't yet joined it'll now cost you £11 or $20 – the address is: Seacon 79, 14 Henrietta St, London, WC2E 8QJ. There are hosts of agents as well: note that Ernesto Vegetti (who sent the info on the Eurocon above) is Seacon's new Italian agent (Gian Paolo Cossato retiring through pressure of professional work) and that Judy Blish is our Greek agent and Matjaz Sinkovec is our Yugoslav agent. This may be the first real world convention yet... More recent info next time.


Less exciting than Adam Bede! Thinner than The Bible!

It's...

CHECKPOINT 93

from:

Peter Roberts
38 Oakland Dr
Dawlish, Devon
UK

Printed Matter Reduced