The Outlaw Trail

The Outlaw Trail is a an Alias Smith and Jones bi-monthly apazine and letterzine that was born from a Round Robin (one which was mailed three times a year). It contains LOCs, articles and "other goodies."
There were 28 issues. At its height, there were 35 subscribers.
The members of the zine were more loosely organized until about October when it was suggested the group go to an APA format. When two new members joined, the leader wrote: "...with the additional folks, we might want to think about taking this to an APA format in 1994. I wanted to describe it here and see everyone thinks. With an APA format, everyone would write a LOC, like they would for this round, but instead of circulating it around the country, you'd send 10 copies and $2.00 to me or Carole, and we'd collate them and then mail them back out so you get all the LOCs at one time. You'd read the LOCs and write another and send 10 copies and $2.00 again. The money is for postage, and you can do these bi-monthly without it taking up a lot of time. Or, we can keep it on a RR format. It's up to you. Express your opinion so we know! Oh, and the story would continue to rotate as a round robin story." from "The Outlaw Trail" #1
Discussion was very "family-oriented" and gen. The subject of slash was raised in issues #7-#11, and aside from the presence of some small ads for slash zines, it was never mentioned again.
==Changes in Definition==
* issues #1-#3 were labeled "apa"
* issues #4-#15 weren't labeled as anything
* issues #16-28 were labeled "news/letterzine"
==Issue 1==
The Outlaw Trail 1 was published around January 1994 and contains 51 pages. It contains letters dated February 1991, October 1992, March 1994, several from January 1994.
* a fan votes to keep the zine as a Round Robin: "Afraid I'll have to vote to keep the Round Robin as it is. It took several hours to read, but that's the whole point. Spending as much time as I can with you guys." Another fan votes for the RR format, despite her complaining about how long it is between mailings: "Still, the hiatuses notwithstanding, I like the Round Robin format just fine. It's a tad more personal and immediate than the APA format. There's more real communication which is why I wanted to hook up with this in the first place." A number of other fans vote to go to the APA zine format as it will speed letters along and people won't have to wait so long between mailings
* a fan offers to copy off 16 issues of Duel Memories, but warns that the cost is $44 for the xeroxing and postage
* a fan writes: "Can you get to internet from Prodigy? I know you can for CompuServe and GEnie. If so, I'm on the internet... I'd love to find more ASJ fans on the net, but time is limited and I've been avoiding the computer side of fandom."
* about the current round robin story: "As for the length of the progressive story... we'll just let it go it's own way. If it turns out novella or novel length, fine, or short story, too. If it's real long we can publish it as a stand alone ASJ novella! And speaking of the story, I broke it off the RR and sent it along in a separate envelope so no one will feel compelled to hold TOT while they work on the story. And a couple of folks didn't want to write."
* a fan comments on the RR story, and the possible new format of the zine: "As for whether this should remain a RR or go to an APA, I'm easy either way. It seems that the holidays might have slowed down some of our group (understandable). Looks like the pace is picking up since the first of the year. Perhaps if the response time is maintained at around 10 days, it will still work out okay. I guess time will tell..."
* a fan writes about her computer use:
* a number of fans write about how Pete Duel's suicide affected them and of the memories they have of when they heard the news; one fan says that "I'm definitely a Pete devotee. Devoted to the point of having attempted to hire a private investigator this year to try to find out for sure what happened on December 31, 1971 and why... Pete's death came at the time when it had the strongest possible impact on me -- I was 14 -- and I vowed then that when I was an adult, I would do everything possible to get all the information I could to settle my mind.... I'm still determined to find out what happened."
* fans write of the formativeness the show had on their development as young people; one fan says the friendship between the two became her role model and litmus test for how she viewed friendship in her adult life; another one writes that "I loved the way intelligence and creativity and uniqueness were celebrated on the series. As a teenager looking for my niche in the world, I got the impression from ASJ that there was a place for everyone, that everyone (even Kyle and Lobo) had something special to offer and would be welcomed into that gang for that special quality."
* a fan writes of her love of hurt/comfort:
* a fan writes that she wishes she still had all the ASJ stories she'd written in high school as they'd be fun to re-read; another fan writes that she has been a reader of ASJ fan fiction "for a couple of years, ever since I first heard about it. I was delighted to see that people were doing, right out in public, what I used to do so often in high school: my little circle [of friends] in high school did a lot of ASJ story writing."
* a fan explains that she wants to go to library school "so I can get busy preserving ASJ and my other beloved series and films for future generations who will give them the appreciation they deserve but never got in their lifetimes."
* regarding pseuds: "I am disappointed that so many people uses aliases themselves when writing ASJ stories. I never thought even about it. I used my real and for true name (except once and I had a reason), I know why Carole [a pro writer] didn't do so, but most of the rest of us don't have to worry about their publishers getting wind of things. If you must use a pseudonym, please keep it consistent so we can get to know your writing, (I seem to have noticed a very good author 'Monkeying' around in the last 'zine. You know who you are.)"
* this issue has some clippings, an episode guide, a small bit of art
==Issue 2==
The Outlaw Trail 2 was published around May 1994 and contains 32 pages. There were 12 members of this zine, still an APA.
* some business: 
* more on this zine's format: 
* more on format from another fan: 
* a fan writes: 
* a fan writes: 
* regarding pseuds: 
==Issue 3==
The Outlaw Trail 3 was published around June 1994 and contains 35 pages.
* a fan writes: 
* a fan explains what an APA is to another puzzled fan: 
* a fan writes: 
* a fan is a bit unhappy with this zine's format choice: 
* a fan notices a fiction trend: 
==Issue 4==
The Outlaw Trail 4 was published in October 1994 and contains 27 pages.
* a fan is not a fan of the post office: 
* regarding the lost Round Robin: 
* a fan writes of MediaWest and the room lottery: 
* about the transformational nature of canon and its creators: 
* a fan writes of vids: 
* another fan comments on making vids: 
==Issue 5==
The Outlaw Trail 5 was published in December 1994 and contains 26 pages. Other than an editorial, it contains no other letters. Its content is comprised solely of clippings about the show.
* the editorial is mostly an apology for the lateness of this issue and includes this: 
==Issue 6==
The Outlaw Trail 6 was published in January 1995 and contains 49 pages.
* from the zine's "editor": 
* regarding some progressive stories: 
* the editor suggests, for the first time in this zine, a TOTM: 
* fans have discussed Pete Duel's suicide throughout this zine, always in a respectful way, often in the forms of dreams they have had about it, sometimes recounting what they remember about it as children, and this fan writes: 
* a fan writes of a bit of writer's block, and of an original character: 
* a fan has some comments about some vampire media offerings: 
* a fan describes a new purchase: 
* a fan explains music videos: 
* a fan describes another kind of video: 
==Issue 7==
The Outlaw Trail 7 was published in March 1995 and contains 59 pages. There are fifteen members. Each one is asked to make 20 copies of their submission for the zine.
* the editor suggests these two TOTM for the next issue: "Heyes and Curry settle down with ladies from other western series… who would they be?" and "What's your favorite fight scene and why?"
* a fan writes: 
* a tentative mention in this zine of slash, a testing of the waters (which seeing from subsequent letters, didn't go over very well) : 
* another fan addresses slash: 
* more on slash: 
* floppy disks!: 
* from a fan who has apparently not watched enough television to know that all plots are "borrowed": 
* a fan writes; 
* a fan wonders: 
==Issue 8==
The Outlaw Trail 8 was published in May 1995 and contains 43 pages.
* possible TOTM for the next issue: "The most unusual spot for the boys to hole up for a while?" and "If you could send the boys back in time, where and when would you send them, and why?"
* on music videos: 
* in response to a comment in the last issue: 
* regarding slash: 
* some other comments on slash: 
* another fan comments on slash: 
==Issue 9==
The Outlaw Trail 9 was published in July 1995 and contains 45 pages.
* this issue contains a movie outline written by a fan
* a fan wants to replace her computer: 
* a fan writes of a music video in a racy way that is quite unlike other comments in this zine: 
* regarding slash: 
* another fan comments on slash: 
* regarding slash: 
* regarding music videos: 
* a fan recounts some nasty fannish experiences: 
* a fan comments: 
==Issue 10==
The Outlaw Trail 10 was published in September 1995 and contains 55 pages.
* the editor writes: 
* this same fan writes: 
* regarding music videos: 
* a fan writes: 
* homosexuality as an unnecessary "element": 
* regarding music videos: 
* regarding some do-it-your-self canon preservation: 
==Issue 11==
The Outlaw Trail 11 was published in December 1995 and contains 30 pages.
* there is much chat about various round robin stories regarding their status and often demise
* a fan has written some original fiction she'd like to share: 
* a fan is still hoping Devil's Hole isn't filled with too much slash, and also makes a comment that illustrates how many fans of small fandoms openly offered and accepted photocopies of stories in mixed media zines: 
* regarding music videos: 
==Issue 12==
The Outlaw Trail 12 was published in January/February 1996 and contains 57 pages.
* some fannish cross pollination, and a desire to fill in the blanks: 
* a fan wants to know something: 
* regarding fandom wars and feuds: 
==Issue 13==
The Outlaw Trail 13 was published in March/April 1996 and contains 43 pages.
* each fan is different: 
* another fan writes of The Blake's 7 Wars: 
* a fan writes: 
==Issue 14==
The Outlaw Trail 14 was published in May/June 1996 and contains 54 pages.
* a fan recounts some last minute zine production: 
* fans write of computer tech wishes and realities—one is saving up for a laser printer, there are many word-processing program woes, and this fan writes: 
* a fan asks: 
* a fan is happy to: 
* regarding fandom: 
* regarding fandom and its presence in "real life": 
* a fan writes of trading fannish goods, and of music videos: 
* regarding pro writers, fan writers, and a sort of fan casting: 
* regarding Mary Sues and happy endings: 
==Issue 15==
The Outlaw Trail 15 was published in July/August 1996 and contains 44 pages.
* something on tech: 
* regarding a fan's question in a previous issue: 
* explaining Pros fandom: 
* regarding fandom: 
* regarding fandom: 
* on gathering old stories: 
* a fan writes: 
* regarding re-vidding: 
==Issue 16==
The Outlaw Trail 16 was published in September/December 1996 and contains 64 pages. This issue notes there are 22 members. This issue lists, for the first time, several AS&J website addresses.
* a fan in England describes an event: 
* a fan is working on her dissertation in media studies: 
* a fan offers to tape shows: 
* another fan is eager to help: 
* a fan writes: 
* regarding hurt/comfort and one fan's thoughts: 
==Issue 17==
The Outlaw Trail 17 was published around January 1997 and contains 42 pages. The zine has 27 subscribers. One fan writes that the zine "more closely resembles a Manhattan phone directory than a letterzine."
Many fans are talking about "the Internet page." This is "The Alias Smith and Jones Tribute" site. It was created and maintained by Deborah Menikoff. The address: http://www.panix.com?~menikoff/alias.html.
* a fan mentions the upcoming AS&J forum, "the Email loop, shortly to become, I understand, a cybercreature known as a Listserve."
* a fan remembers the show's from when she was a child: 
* a fan comments: 
* a number of new members of this zine comment on how they only recently became involved in fandom and it was because of the internet—one fan writes: 
* a fan writes: 
==Issue 18==
The Outlaw Trail 18 was published around April 1997 and contains 29 pages.
* a fan in England asks others to keep her in mind: 
* a fan remembers: 
* a fan comments (and it is a bit of a what the future holds in terms of fannish communication and print zines): 
* a fan writes: 
==Issue 19==
The Outlaw Trail 19 was published around July 1997 and contains 48 pages.
* announcement: 
* a fan comments on the main ASAJ website: 
* a fan describes her path to this fandom: 
* another fan describes her journey: 
==Issue 20==
The Outlaw Trail 20 was published around September 1997 and contains 59 pages.
* this issue reprints an article from the February 22, 1977 "Daily Express" called "Learning to love-- with a little help from Starsky & Co." Subject: fandom and crushes and how they "teach" young girls about romance in a safe way.
* a fan writes: 
* a new subscriber writes: 
==Issue 21==
The Outlaw Trail 21 was published in November 1997 and contains 67 pages. The zine has 36 subscribers.
* this issues consists of a very, very long letter about the deaths of Princess Diana and of Mother Theresa, and of the fan's ear problems
* a fan contemplates: 
* Heyes and Curry's friendship as one of the strengths of the show?: 
* a fan writes of her future plans to buy a computer: 
==Issue 22==
The Outlaw Trail 22 was published around January 1998 and contains 21 pages.
* a fan wonders about fandom and gender: 
* a fan explains a term: 
==Issue 23==
The Outlaw Trail 23 was published in February 1998 and contains 20 pages. The membership has taken a large decline, and there are only 20 members.
 * a new member writes: 
* a fan writes of a popular online site/section of a site: 
* a fan comments on a Highlander con and her comments emphasize how new the internet is to fans: fandoms (as in the comment above) generally have only one main website, hence "the WEB page" terminology: 
==Issue 24==
The Outlaw Trail 24 was published in March/April 1998 and contains 14 pages.
* content is unknown after the editor's introduction
==Issue 25==
The Outlaw Trail 25 was published in May/June 1998 and contains 16 pages. It is a slim issue, only four letters.
* the editor writes: 
==Issue 26==
The Outlaw Trail 26 was published in July/August 1998 and contains 14 pages. It has just three letters.
* a fan comments: 
* a fan comments: 
* a fan writes of some fannish cross pollination: 
==Issue 27==
The Outlaw Trail 27 was published in September/October 1998 and contains 24 pages.
* from the editors: 
* a fan writes: 
* a fan joins in for the first time, but at the tail end of this zine: 
==Issue 28==
The Outlaw Trail 28 was published in November/December 1998 and contains 22 pages.
* a fan writes: 
==References==
Category:Alias Smith and Jones Zines
Category:1995 Zines
Category:APA