Horizon Letterzine

The Horizon Letterzine was published by the fan club of the same name, Horizon. 
The letterzine began at a time when interest in Blake's 7 was undergoing a resurgence, with all the episodes being released on VHS by the BBC.
It ran twenty-three issues, the last one was published nearly four years after its predecessor. 
==Overlay and Relationship with "Horizon Newsletter"==
Increasingly long gaps between appearances of the society's official newsletter, Horizon Newsletter, together with the need to edit letters of comment (LOCs) there for reasons of space, fueled a demand for a forum in which fans could discuss Blake's 7 at length without fear of being cut. 
As a result, the editor, Jackie Ophir, published edited versions of letters of comment sent to the letterzine in the newsletter. Fans who subscribed only to the newsletter saw truncated versions of the letters in the letterzine. In 1992 in the letterzine's second issue, Ophir wrote: 
Comments by Ophir in the third issue: 
A fan, Ros Williams, wrote in the third issue: 
==Sister Zines==
* The Horizon Interviews
* Horizon Newsletter
* Horizon (fiction)
==About==
The Letterzine was published on a roughly quarterly basis, with the first appearing in January 1992. Content consisted entirely of LOCs, with no internal art.
In its first 15 issues, the Letterzine ran almost 280 LOCs from 54 contributors. Issues typically contained about 20 LOCs and ran for about 60 pages. LZ 6 contained 23 LOCs, whilst LZ 7 ran to 66 pages plus cover page. LOCs ranged in length from a few short paragraphs to ten or more pages. Regular contributors included Pam Baddely, Brad Black, Neil Faulkner, Russ Massey, Lois Pierce, Judith Proctor, Caroline Robertson, Louise Rutter, Andy Smith, Kathy Swadling, Sondra Sweigman and Ros Williams. Discussion ranged across the whole spectrum of Blake's 7 fandom, including character and episode analysis, technical speculations, and the nature of fannishness. Humour was an important component, with many aspects of the series being gently (or not so gently) ridiculed. 
Fan fiction was, however, the single most discussed subject, with many of the contributors being Blake's 7 fanfic writers themselves and others becoming so after subscribing to the Letterzine. Many story ideas were debated in the pages of the Letterzine, some of them subsequently being developed into works that appeared in fiction zines. The Letterzine's enduring contribution to Blake's 7 fandom might thus be assessed as the inspiration it injected into Blake's 7 fanfic and the encouragement it gave to a new wave of B7 fan writers and editors.
A fan in 1992 wrote: 
==Editors and Production==
Production standards of the Letterzine were deliberately kept low to minimise cost and ease of production.
The first twelve issues were edited by Jackie Ophir using an Amstrad PCW and printed out on a dot matrix printer. Print quality was variable though never so poor as to become unreadable. LZ 11 and 12 were produced on a Sharp Fontwriter, with much improved clarity and readability. 
Increasing work commitments forced Ophir to stand down as editor after LZ 12, the editorial reins being passed to Neil Faulkner. LZ 13 (April 1995) and 14 saw a reversion to dot matrix print, with LZ 14 being particularly faint and photocopying poorly in places. Disagreements with Horizon over editorial policy prompted Faulkner to stand down after editing two issues, with Lucy and Dennis Collin taking over the editorship for LZ 15 (November 1995). The letterzine continued to #23.
==Declining Readership: Change in Management==
The size of the Letterzine, together with the number of contributors and subscribers, declined by about 30-40% after LZ 11. This might be in part due to Jackie Ophir announcing that she would no longer continue as editor.
==Declining Readership: No Slash Please==
Increasing discussion of slash fiction in the Letterzine may also have contributed to the decline. LZ 14 included a lengthy editorial statement from Diane Gies (co-ordinator of Horizon) discouraging - though not banning - future discussion of slash. This and other editorial restrictions prompted Neil Faulkner and Judith Proctor to consider publishing their own independent Blake's 7 letterzine, which subsequently appeared as AltaZine and ran for seven issues.
See The Blake's 7 Wars. See AltaZine.
==Issue 1==
Horizon Letterzine 1 was published in January 1992 and contains 54 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
From the first issue: "Members consent to their names being held on computer records."
It is stapled in the top left corner. Aside from the Horizon logo, there is no cover art.
The editor comments that so far, 45 members have joined the letterzine.
Most comments to this letterzine are responses and comments to Horizon Newsletters #24-27, as well as directing the show and characters. There is very few comments on fandom itself or fanworks.
From the editor: 
One comment regarding gender and media fandom: 
==Issue 2==
Horizon Letterzine 2 was published in April 1992 and contains 52 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
The cover features an illo of the Liberator (Blake's ship) with the power unit of the ship rendered as an overspilling mail bag, coupled with the emblem of the Terran Federation. This cover design was by Daniel Dresner, who had also designed the Horizon Fan Club badge and logo. 
The zine was titled as the Horizon Letter 'Zine (no issue number). 
The pages are held together by two staples down the margin, and this binding method subsequently became the norm for future issues.
Most of the comments are very canon-centric and focus on characterizations and motivations. Other topics in this issue: comments on The Mind of a Man is a Double-Edged Sword , the four banned Star Trek episodes in the UK, the lack of well-developed female characters, fan's Avon-centric views, the feasibility of a pro-written series of Blake's 7 books, and the beginning of the long-running "Ushtan watch" discussion (was the watch on the character, Ushtan, a continuity gaffe, an antique, or something more?).
 
==Issue 3==
Horizon Letterzine 3 was published in August 1992 and contains 52 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
The cover for issue #3 features Dresner's reworking of his earlier design. The Liberator is more detailed, with a cascade of envelopes spiralling out from the rear of the ship. An open face font (in upper case) is used to identify this issue as Letterzine 3.
This issue has much discussion about characterization and plot points. Plus, comments on Avon: A Terrible Aspect, fans' fascination with the character Kerr Avon, the lack of science fiction fans in Israel, info on the banned Star Trek episodes, the Sherlockians and the origin of the term canon, the viability for a market for tie-in Blake's 7 novels, and the bravery of putting a Blake's 7 window decal on your car. 
 
 
==Issue 4==
Horizon Letterzine 4 was published in November 1992 and contains 56 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
The only significant change for the cover of issue 4 is the adoption of lower case for the title. The title page format is thus established and remained unchanged thereafter.
As usual, there is much detailed discussion about plot lines and characterization. Some other topics discussed are favorite fanfics, fan clubs and their uses, pushing for a tie-in Blake's 7 market, members of the Horizon Fan Club giving Paul and Janet Darrow a microwave oven, tips for writing good fan fic, 
 
==Issue 5==
Horizon Letterzine 5 was published in March 1993 and contains 59 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
This issue saw the first appearance of a contents and it listed the names of twenty fans and the length of their letters.
As per other issues, the discussion was mostly about characters and characterization and plot points. Some topics: was Blake a terrorist, fan writing techniques, the feasibility of Blake's 7 tie-in novels, the Blake's 7 blooper reel.
 
==Issue 6==
Horizon Letterzine 6 was published in June 1993 and contains 55 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
There were 23 tribbers. One of them is a fan named Anne C who is asking for fans to contact her so she can interview them for her dissertation (topic: women in media science fiction).
Some comments include those about the fiction Horizon zines appearing in small parts rather than as novel-length single zine stories, the viability and desirability of "bookline" Blake's 7 tie-in books, a fan's humorous but critical skewering of fans of The Prisoner (in part due to a recent interview in "Radio Times" where a Six of One: The Prisoner Appreciation Society member had said that Prisoner fans were more intellectual than Blake's 7 fans), bad taste in many fans' mouths about the fic Trust Like the Soul with a specific emphasis on Jean Lorrah's self-promotion and perceived attitude revealed in a letter to Horizon Fan Club, unhappiness with the Beeb, mainstream attitudes regarding fandom and cult television, the change in the script for Blake from Blake's dying line, "Oh Avon. I didn't take any of them on trust... except you... you are my... only friend." to just "Oh, Avon!," the cold lesbian bitch as an overworked stereotype, a fan's statement that "the BSFA has an organised network of 'orbiters' for passing fans' work around, generating honest constructive criticism - a sort of postal workshop," and some comments about the early indoctrination of a wee Soolin'ater and her ability to overcome her assimilation. 
 
==Issue 7==
Horizon Letterzine 7 was published in September 1993 and contains 66 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
The editor notes that the letterzine now has 74 subscribers and that this issue is the biggest yet. She begs fans not to "all send in LOCs, otherwise the Letterzine would have to be published in several volumes!"
The table of contents lists 18 tribbers, less than the last issue, but their letters are much longer. 
Some comments were about: fans of The Prisoner and recent comments in a publication called "Radio Times," the Blake's 7 role-playing game being developed by Horizon Fan Club, B7 role playing in general, a frustrated fan's appeals regarding zines ordered from Ashton Press, the zines Checkers and Jabberwocky Collected, is Blake's 7 escapist, the topic of slash is VERY tentatively mentioned, are science fiction fans socially dysfunctional, there is more ragging on Star Trek, and a sly reference to a secret handshake. 
==Issue 8==
Horizon Letterzine 8 was published in January 1994 and contains 62 pages. It was edited by Jackie Ophir.
There are 19 letters. 
Some topics discussed: waiting for a zine delivery by Ashton Press, sexism in Blake's 7, many remarks on Blake's 7 avatars and the pro book Kill the Dead, how to solve the letterzine length/postal problem, and finally, the "Ushton Watch" question is answered.
==Issue 9==
Horizon Letterzine 9 was edited by Jackie Ophir.
==Issue 10==
Horizon Letterzine 10 was edited by Jackie Ophir.
==Issue 11==
Horizon Letterzine 11 was edited by Jackie Ophir.
==Issue 12==
Horizon Letterzine 12 was edited by Jackie Ophir.
==Issue 13==
Horizon Letterzine 13 was edited by Neil Faulkner.
This issue is when slightly stiffer card covers are introduced.
==Issue 14==
Horizon Letterzine 14 was edited by Neil Faulkner.
==Issue 15==
Horizon Letterzine 15 was published in 1996. A comment by a fan in Lysator on May 7, 1997 stated that the letterzine "had recently switched editors." . It was bound in stiff blue cardstock. It was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin.
==Issue 16==
Horizon Letterzine 16 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin.
==Issue 17==
Horizon Letterzine 17 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin.
==Issue 18==
Horizon Letterzine 18 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin.
==Issue 19==
Horizon Letterzine 19 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin.
==Issue 20==
Horizon Letterzine 20 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin. It was published sometime after August 1997.
==Issue 21==
Horizon Letterzine 21 was edited by Lucy Collin & Dennis Collin. A fan in December 1997 gave a passive aggressive poke regarding its lateness: "Now that Neil has completed AltaZine #6, what about Horizon Letterzine #21? Has anyone in the UK seen it yet? If not, has anyone spoken to Debbie Marshall about when she expects to have it ready?" Sondra Sweigman at Lysator (December 13, 1997) 
==Issue 22==
Horizon Letterzine 22 was to have originally been published in roughly July or August 1998. 
In September 1998, several fans on Lysator asked where the final issue was -- one waiting a month before her query: 
 
There was talk of continuing it under new management.
==Other Letterzines/Apas With Much Blake's 7 Content==
* Pressure Point (1987-1989)
* The Terra Nostra Underground (apa, 1989-1993)
* Liberation Letters (1991-?)
* The Neutral Arbiter (1991-1993, with a single 1994 outlier)
* Rallying Call (apa, early 1991 to at least 1998)
* Horizon Letterzine (1992-1998)
* Dandruff Droppings (apa, 1992-?)
* Battle Stations! (apa, 1994-not much longer)
* Strange Bedfellows (apa, May 1993-November 1997)
* The Way Forward (apa, 1995-ongoing)
* AltaZine (1996-1997)
 
Also see: List of Letterzines.
==References==
Category:Blake's 7 Zines
Category:Club Zines
Category:1990s