THE ZINE DIRECTIVE HAS MOVED

Please see our pinned post for a link to the new blog!

[thezinedirective-inactive]

THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER ACTIVE DUE TO BEING A VICTIM OF TUMBLR'S BROKEN AUTO-BAN SYSTEM

We have migrated to a new blog :

the-zine-directive

Please follow us there! Nothing else has changed, and we are looking forward to introducing new members of our team very soon :)

[thezinedirective-inactive]

To those who have sent messages regarding our most recent post: THANK YOU! Please keep them coming, but I'm going to be staggering my responses because I'm absolutely terrified of Tumblr mistakenly shadowbanning this blog as well. I'm not sure what lead to my main blog being restricted like it is, but I suspect it was too many messages too quickly, so I have to be extra careful. I will respond to everyone, I promise!

Once again, thank you <3 This community is so wonderful <3

-Kat

[thezinedirective-inactive]

! HELP WANTED !

Hello fellow zine lovers!

We're thrilled by how quickly this project has grown in just two short months. We've recruited people who've been contributing to the Star Trek fandom for decades, as well as some of the best artists/authors in modern fandom. It's like a dream come true!

Now that we have a great (though still not complete) lineup of contributors, it's time to move on to the next phase.

If you have the ability to do so, and a similar passion for fandom history, we could really use your help with the following:

Discord set up/mods: We need a "watering hole" for our contributors to mingle and receive information about the project. I (Kat) have set up a server the best I can, but to ensure it gets the attention it deserves, we'd like to have at least one more mod. Ideally someone who has some knowledge of the platform to help us get off on the right foot!

Editors/founders: Our initial four has, sadly, dwindled to two. We'd really love to invite the right person (people?) to be a part of the team making TZD happen. We promise that, although it's a commitment, we will never expect anyone to overextend themselves. Please message us if you're interested and we'll chat about it! Above all else we're having fun and dreaming big! To be clear, this is a leadership title. You will be listed as an official editor of the zine :)

Physical zine/design/artistry experts: While we have a great support system of knowledgeable people at our disposal already, we'd really love to have an official "consultant" on these matters. If you have any experience with graphic design, creating/distributing physical media, or other knowledge/skills you think might be relevant to us, please send a dm :)

This post is not made out of desperation, but rather a desire to make the best possible zine and experience for all those involved. The project will continue either way, but we'd love to expand our team and form a community as well <3

[spirk-trek]

First Time Fanzine | Shelley Butler (1994-98)

[self-made-purgatories]

Fun Fact! This incredible artist, Shelley Butler, is still creating gorgeous traditional pencil K/S art in 2025, most recently for the KiScon Spring Fever event in March!! I adore Butler's work for its incredible sensuality and tactile, lifelike appearance.

Several of Butler's pieces (including the most recent ones) are available to view on AO3, including charming little backstories in the artist's notes on some of them (cw: some pieces contain nudity and suggestive poses): https://archiveofourown.org/series/3560914

From the artist's notes:

"These were drawn in the days before digital. No scans, some internet, but unusable for source material. K/S artists would sometimes take pictures off the TV for source material! Me---I searched the gay porn magazines. These were only helpful a little because I didn't need lots of erect penises, only loving embraces, of which there weren't many in gay porn magazines. And then there was the matter of getting any reproductions for prints. Artists had to take their originals to printer shops and be faced with explaining what the artworks were about. Or trying to explain. Or not explaining at all."

My personal favorites are "Swimming with Spock," of which the artist says, "I love the idea that Spock, a desert-born Vulcan, would go into the water with his t'hy'la." AND ALSO THE LIGHT UNDERWATER OMG (cw: asscrack, https://archiveofourown.org/works/37758499) and "Cuddle," of which the artist says, "They are infinitely vulnerable with each other and infinitely in love" (https://archiveofourown.org/works/37757494).

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Fun Fact 2: Shelley Butler will be one of the artists contributing art for The Zine Directive!

Thank you, Shelley, for being a part of this with us. My personal favorite by her is this piece:

Kaleidoscope Fanzine, 1996

At least, it's my favorite that Tumblr will allow me to share here ;) I'm also a big fan of "Baptism."

Do you have a favorite drawing by the legendary Shelley Butler? Don't forget to show her some love on ao3!

-Kat

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Contributor Spotlight: OneDamnMinuteAdmiral!🪐🌴🛸

As many of you know, a fanzine is only as good as its contributors. On no front is this more true than securing writing talent, which is why we're SO PLEASED to announce that the primary fic being produced for our zine will come from the author of Sha Ka Ree @onedamnminuteadmiral!!!! (therebewhaleshere on ao3)

Even more exciting, it will be set in the Sha Ka Ree universe! If you haven't read this fic yet, it's a must. If you have, then you know why.

* . · . * ˚ ao3 link ˚ * . · ˚ . *

We can't wait to travel back to the ancient world Jim and Spock found themselves stranded on once again to see more of their story.

And every zine needs some long haired Spock, am I right?

Shellie Whild, 1986-89 (source)

Thank you again @onedamnminuteadmiral for working with us. We're so happy to have you!

[thezinedirective-inactive]

The Zine Directive FAQ

We will update this information periodically, but wanted to "put some words on the page" so to speak. If we missed your question, please DM us!

So, what's going on here?!

Will the zine have a theme?

Will it be explicit?

What is the timeline?

How much will the zine cost?

How can I get a copy?

How do I become a contributor/Why wasn't I asked to contribute?

I was asked to contribute, but I haven't heard anything. Should I be worried?

How else can I help/get involved?

So, what’s going on here?!

We're making a fanzine with one mission: To pay homage to those who came before us in this wonderful, timeless fandom that is Star Trek. The goal is to produce something that will be directly comparable to the fanzines of old; Typed on typewriters, printed & copied at a print shop (yes, even those pages), bound by hand, and sent to recipients in the mail. There are some aspects that may not translate to the 2020s, but we will try our best to be as authentic as possible. Luckily, we've secured involvement from several of the lovely women who were actually there making zines in the 70s, 80s, and 90s to guide us :) More on this will be announced soon!

Will the zine have a theme?

Not exactly, but it will exclusively feature Star Trek: The Original Series (+ films). This is not done to exclude AOS, SNW, or other Treks, but rather to celebrate the one that started it all. However, it will be a K/S slash zine (mcspirk also welcome!) so if you're not into seeing Kirk and Spock smooch, this one might not be for you ;)

Will it be explicit?

Yes :) How explicit will depend entirely on our artists and authors. Purchase age will be strictly 18+.

What is the timeline?

The 60th anniversary of Star Trek is September 8th, 2026. So while the official release is TBD, it will be around this time. Fics (and other writing, like poetry) will need to be finished earlier than artwork so we have time to organize companion illos. We also need ample time to type everything by hand on our typewriters, leaving room for broken equipment and/or user error (both of which are equally likely to happen). We expect assembly to take several months since us editors are doing this for the first time and also have jobs/families/school to think about. Once we have a more concrete timeline, that will be shared directly with our contributors to include deadlines and check-ins.

How much will the zine cost?

To be perfectly clear, this project is 100% nonprofit. That is very important to us not just for legal reasons, but moral ones. This means the cost of the zine will not exceed what was put into the materials, assembly, postage, etc. Similarly sized zines in 1970 were in the range of $3-$5, which is about $25-$40 today. We will do everything in our power to keep the price as low as we possibly can.

How can I get a copy?

We will make several announcements leading up to sign ups. As of right now, it is very likely we will have to limit the zine to < 200 copies. After some time has passed we will release it digitally, so don't fret if you're not able to get your hands on one! If there’s enough interest we may also do a second publication :)

How do I become a contributor/Why wasn't I asked to contribute?

As of right now, we do not have an open submission process. We would love to include EVERY piece of art, but with a physical zine we are limited by physical space, so we will have to be more discerning than we might like. As time goes on and the table of contents is decided we will announce more opportunities to contribute, so follow the blog to be aware of those! You can always feel free to DM us if you're interested, but we can't guarantee there will be room for everyone who does this. If your idea doesn't fit exactly, we'll try our best to find a way for you to be a part of it.

I was asked to contribute, but I haven't heard anything. Should I be worried?

No!!! We are working diligently to get everything set up, we promise. We have not forgotten about you <3 Kat (spirk-trek) is dealing with difficulties on Tumblr at the moment, in that she's unable to send or receive messages. If you're trying to get ahold of her please do so through this blog or on discord (katruyck) until further notice.

How else can I help/get involved?

First of all, thank you for asking. This kind of question really warms our hearts! If we decide to take donations of any kind, we will share that further down the line. This would be to cover costs only, and any excess would be donated to fanlore or other archival efforts. We won't do this if we don't have to, and would really rather not. If you're interested in taking a more involved position in the process, please message us about becoming a mod, especially if you're good with discord, have experience making physical zines, have a working typewriter, or are really passionate about fanzine history like we are!

Thank you for reading, and for being here at the start of our journey :)

[novice-crow]

How else are you supposed to use a typewriter if not to honor the foremothers with a Star Trek slash fic?

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Studies have shown this is the best way to provide your typewriter a long and fulfilling life.

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Are you ready to go where no fanzine has gone before?

Stay tuned.

[gaytricorder]

so how do i get in on this

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Stay tuned.

[thezinedirective-inactive]

This is Courtney. She was "born" in 1965, and yesterday I bought her from a lovely woman in a parking lot for $45. I explained to this unsuspecting woman what fanzines are, as well as some of the culture behind them, then- at her insistence- proceeded to show her a gallery of explicit Gayle F fan art until we got too cold to continue.

I named her after a gone-but-not-forgotten Trekkie by the name of Tim Courtney. I think of her often despite being born 26 years after her passing in 1970. Here is a short biography written fondly by Bjo Trimble:

"Tim's father wanted a boy, so he named his only child—a girl— Timothy! A person of fantastic energy and verve, Tim went from top honors in college to modeling, world travel and nursing. Completing her nurse's training, Tim went to Africa and started a clinic there. She returned to the U.S. in time to see Star Trek on TV, and fell in love with Mr. Spock. During the long nights on Special Duty, Tim learned to draw, and naturally drew more pictures of Mr. Spock than anything else. Soon she was amusing young patients, who clamored for her artwork. Friends encouraged her to send art to fanzines, also. Then tragedy struck; Tim died of cancer in early 1970. She left these Spock illustrations as her legacy to Star Trek fandom."

-Kat

Typewriter naming tradition inspired by Julia Howarth & Randy.

[thezinedirective-inactive]

Are you ready to go where no fanzine has gone before?

Stay tuned.

[thezinedirective-inactive]

WE'RE BRINGING FANZINES BACK.

* . ✵ * . · ˚ . * ˚ ✦ * ✧ ⋆ ˚ ˚ ✫　˚ ·

ART you can touch.

FICTION written on typewriters.

LOVE between every page.

* . ✵ * . · ˚ . * ˚ ✦ * ✧ ⋆ ˚ ˚ ✫　˚ ·

Created in the 2020s, at home in the 1970s, The Zine Directive will be a publication that could travel back in time without disrupting the space-time continuum. A fanzine assembled, organized, and created with the same love that started it all.

Distribution will begin summer of 2026, just in time for the 60th anniversary of Star Trek. Contact us at [email protected] with any inquiries, suggestions, concerns, or just to show some love!

Updates on the process will be posted to this blog. Join us :)

Editors: ✧ @margottrek (Margot) ✧ @spirk-trek (Kat)