Con-Quest

Con-Quest is a Transformers anthology fanzine. As one website described it: "By Raksha. Written and edited from a Decepticon point-of-view--short stories, essays, news, factoids..." 
The publisher's website described the zine: "Physically, CQ is a 50-page black-and-white magazine with cardstock covers and spiral binding. Most of its content is taken up by fanfics, some of which run over multiple issues. There's a scattering of artwork, character profiles, essays, letters pages, and occasional humor and info pieces. Every couple of years or so, there's a "Best Of" reprint issue that splurges on a color cover; now and again there are freebies for subscribers, too. Barring unavoidable circumstances, CQ comes out on a quarterly schedule, four times a year ... Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter". 
==Early Issues==
Some content can be found archived here.
*Issue #4, Summer 1993
*Issue 10, Winter '94/'95
*Issue 13, Fall 1995
*Issue #14, Winter '95/'96
*Issue #15, Spring 1996
*Issue #16, Summer 1996
*Issue #17, Fall 1996
*Issue #18, Winter 1996/97
*Issue 19, Spring 1997
*Issue 20, Summer 1997
*Issue 21, Fall 1997
*Issue #22, Winter '97/98
*Issue 23, Spring 1998
*Issue 24, Summer 1998
==Issue #25==
Issue #25 was published in 1999. Cover:"BlackArachnia Redeemed" by Dan Khanna
Fanfic
* Andraxus 5: Sting, Lord of the Far Worlds - the long-awaited part 2!
* Shadows from the Past - another long-awaited part 2
* Where Past and Future Meet - this one you can find on the web, as it's been in my Timeline for several months now....
Artwork
* Delta Star
Character Profiles
* Velocity (with picture)
* Trius (with picture)
Essays
* Fight At My Side - Gender Relations on Faraway Worlds
* The Merged Mind - on the nature of the gestalts/combiners
* Prisoners of War: Starscream - on the nature of Starscream
* The Way They Should Have Been - Raksha's Wishful-Thinking BW Decepticons (hey, correcting BW goes with the cover this time around....)
* I, Decepticon - on the nature of the Decepticons
Other Neat Stuff
* Starsceam Fanzine Guidelines
* BotCon Europe Registration Info
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Contributors include: Preston Carroll, Delta Star, Scott E. Kampa, Belinda Kelly, Dan Khanna, Killashandra, Matt Kirkby, Dan McCollum, Straxus, Burt Ward, and the representatives of BotCon and BotCon Europe. 
==Issue #26==
Issue #26. Cover - Cyclonus by M Sipher
Fanfic
* Honor Bound - Cyclonus vs. his look-alike brother Cain
* Andraxus 6: Raindance, Lord of Andraxus Minor - the latest installment of the long-running series
* Shadows from the Past, part 3 - continuing the Decepticons/Star Wars crossover
* Skyfire - the fate of a traitor
Artwork
* ToDo (comic)
Essays
* The Name of Respect - can a good character redeem a bad name?
* Prisoners of War: Cyclonus - what motivates this character?
Other Neat Stuff
* Make Deals, Not War - Classified ads!
* Decepti-Con Info - a new UK convention
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page. Below is the full-color version of the BW2 animation cel that was printed at the end of this section:
Concepts for Conjecture
*Beast Machines: Transformers for a New Millennium, or more of the same Beast Wars trash? 
Contributors include: Scott E. Kampa, Belinda Kelly, Matt Kirkby, Magic, Dan McCollum, M Sipher, Straxus, and the representatives of Decepti-Con. 
==Issue #27==
Issue #27 . Cover: The Magnificent Thunderwing, by Julie Wondra
Fanfic
* Honor Bound, part 2 - Cyclonus' look-alike brother Cain tries to take his place
* Andraxus 6: Raindance, Lord of Andraxus Minor, part 2 - the conclusion of the latest installment in the long-running series - time-travel and the nature of the ANDRAX revealed
* Shadows from the Past, part 4 - continuing the Decepticons/Star Wars crossover
Artwork
* Pretender to the Throne
Essays
* Poetic Justice - Decepticon Style - why Machine Wars isn't nearly all that bad
* Shockwave, his Motives and Loyalties - the title speaks for itself
Other Neat Stuff
* Thunderwing - character profile and history
* BotCon 2000 - the seventh annual Transformers convention
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Contributors include: Belinda Kelly, Matt Kirkby, Dan McCollum, George Morgan, Jim Sorenson, Julie Wondra, and the representatives of BotCon. 
==Issue #28==
Issue #28 was published in 2000. Cover Decepticons, Sgt.-Pepper-style, by Margaret C. Racine
Fanfic
* Recidivus - an old enemy of the Scrapitcons returns from the dead
* Shadows from the Past, part 5 - continuing the Decepticons/Star Wars crossover
* Kissing With Dry Lips - love and betrayal in the Decepticon diplomatic corp
Artwork
* Decepticons Lead the Way
Essays
* The Nature of Honor - how does one define the concept, and who lives up to it?
Other Neat Stuff
* BotCon 2000 Art Contest Rules
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Concepts for Conjecture
* Name Those Decepticons! 
Contributors include: Bremstrahlung X David Kohl Thing, Matt Kirkby, Margaret C. Racine, Straxus, and the representatives of BotCon. 
==Issue #29==
Issue #29 was published in 2000. Cover: Megatron and Nightbird - the Conqueror and his Mate, by Julie Wondra.
Fanfic
* Recidivus, part 2 - Baxstarris begins picking off the Scrapitcons, one by one
* Realization - what happens when Onslaught gets hold of Swindle after the events of "B.O.T."
* Shadows from the Past, part 6 - continuing the Decepticons/Star Wars crossover
Artwork
* Nova and Starscream
Essays
* Megatron's Alien Allies - not such a far-fetched possibility after all
Other Neat Stuff
* SpyForce - character profiles and background story
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Contributors include: Lorenzo R. Cortes, Stacey Fletcher, Matt Kirkby, Kathy Pulver, and Margaret C. Racine. 
==Issue #30==
Published in the winter of 2000. Cover: Shrapnel, by Cameron Booth
Fanfic
* Recidivus, part 3 - as the individual Scrapitcons struggle to escape their personal tortures, GlideDredger and Soundwave prepare for a final showdown with Baxtarris
* Shadows from the Past, part 7 - concluding the Decepticons/Star Wars crossover; will Talon return triumphant to his home galaxy?
* Goals - the long struggle has led to the ultimate success ... but...
* War on Charr - it's Shockwave vs. Galvatron, and the Decepticons must weigh their options and take sides
Essays
* The Best Thing That Could Happen - would be a Decepticon invasion of Earth!
* The Decepticon Goal - explained in detail
Other Neat Stuff
* Megatron Character Profile - as written by his player on Decepticon Dominion Mush
* Insecticon Profiles - again from the Decepticon Dominion realm
Concepts for Conjecture
*New Stuff on the Horizon: Robots in Disguise - the English-dubbed version of the Japanese Car Robots series, complete with toys, is said to be arriving in the Fall. Will it be a real Transformers series? Do you like the idea? Why or why not? E-mail your thoughts to Raksha for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
Contributors include: Brax Cardigan, Harri Jokinen, Margaret C. Racine, Talon, and Vindicator.
==Issue #31==
Published in 2001. Cover: Galvatron, by Will Homan
Fanfic
* Assassination - an assassination attempt gone wrong, brings new warriors into the Decepticon ranks and creates the opportunity for retaliation
* The Zero Conundrum - Soundwave's latest creation, Chasm, comes with an unexpected identity-crisis
* Too Little, Too Late - Galvatron returns to the planet where his brother Megastorm was killed
* Forge for a Blade - the origin and critical formative experiences of a Decepticon named Tempest
* Story Hour - Soundwave relates a tale of history to a group of young Decepticons
* The High Road - Thundercracker finds himself shot down in unknown territory
Artwork
* Ka
* Chasm
* Soundwave
Character Profiles
* Tempest
* Decepticon Jets
Essay
* Fantasy and Reality - the relative merits of each
Other Neat Stuff
* Name Those Decepticons! Contest Results - congrats to Greg Bishansky and Star Saber, who both won a free copy of CQ 30 for their response to the Issue 28 cover contest.
Contributors include: Nicholos Caudillo, Belinda Kelly, Magic, Nightwind, M.C. "Stormy" Pletsch, and Straxus.
==Issue #32==
Published in 2001. Cover: Nightbird - Reality Check, by Margaret C. Racine
Fanfic
* I Remember! - a mysterious warrior recalls her recent past, and hints at a more extensive history
* Enter the Nightbird, part 1 - Decepticon Dominion Mush's RP log of the episode. The action begins as the Decepticons bring Nightbird to their base - and fills in the missing pieces that weren't seen in the cartoon.
* Beyond the Obvious - while foolish Autobots and humans struggle against mindless drones, the real warrior is long since gone
Artwork
* Devastator
* Megatron and Nightbird
Character Profile
* Spinister
Essays
* Nightbird Revisited: A Response to Ignorance - recounting the facts of the Nightbird episode once again
* Galvatron: Personal Inspiration - one fan's account of his appreciation for (G1) Galvatron
Other Neat Stuff
* Make Deals, Not War - classified ads!
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Concepts for Conjecture
*RP Logs as Fanfic This issue saw the premiere of a roleplaying log formatted as a fanfic - a story with multiple authors. What are your thoughts on the technique? Is the format readable, intelligible, enjoyable? Would you like to see more logs in story form? (I can tell you there are some great ones out there....) Suggestions for changes and improvements? E-mail your replies to Raksha for inclusion in the next issue.
==Issue #33==
Cover: Motormaster, by Cameron Booth
Fanfic
* Lords of the Earth - The Stunticons defend all they love with all they have.
* Enter the Nightbird, part 2 - Nightbird begins to make her place in the Decepticon ranks, growing closer to Megatron.
Character Profiles
* Motormaster
* The Stunticons
Essay
* Untransformable - For a mythology like the Transformers, it's tremendously damaging to muck with it too much; but the recent "official" TF elements are trying to do just that.
Other Neat Stuff
* Serpent's Eye: The Key to Vector Sigma, part 1 - review and commentary on the episode
* BotCon 2002 - info on the convention and art contest
* Con-Tacts - the ever-fascinating letters page
Concepts for Conjecture
*On the Wrong Side: Are there any members of one faction whom you could realistically see switching to the other? Someone who’s just glaringly out of place? Someone who deserves better than to wear an Autobot brand? And, is there any way it could be done without being the most deplorable form of treason? Send in your thoughts, and I will print them as space allows. E-mail your replies to Raksha for inclusion in the next issue.
Contributors include: Beast Warrior Ratbat, 3H Enterprises, Tom Parrott, and the collective staff and players of TFDD Mush. 
Contributors include: George Bernal, Greg Bishansky, Charlotte Brogden, Magic, and the collective players of TFDD Mush.
==Issue #34==
Published in the spring of 2002. Cover: Chasm, by Margaret C. Racine
Fanfic
* Andraxus 7: Starscream, the Lord Commander - In the long-awaited final chapter to the Andraxus series, Starscream searches for the cause of his madness and uncovers the dark secret of his origin.
* Enter the Nightbird, part 3 - Nightbird volunteers for a dangerous mission, but treachery from within may be her undoing.
* On the Wrong Side: Countermoves - Decepticon Counterpunch is in fact a deep-cover agent working for the Autobots - or is he?
Artwork
* Motormaster
Character Profiles
* The Dinobots
Essay
* Redemption of the Dinobots - Why the Dinobots should be Decepticons.
Other Neat Stuff
* Serpent's Eye: The Key to Vector Sigma, part 2 - review and commentary on the second half of the episode.
Concepts for Conjecture
*The Dreamwave Comic: Is it a worthy successor to the pre-Movie G1 era, presenting the characters with respect - or is it just another pathetic, poorly-conceived, mis-characterized and maladjusted attempt to re-write a story that has already been told elsewhere far more honorably? (Gee, can you tell what I think?) What’s your opinion? Send in your thoughts, and I will print them as space allows. E-mail your replies to Raksha for inclusion in the next issue.
Contributors include: Belinda Kelly, Josh Miller, M.C. "Stormy" Pletsch, and the collective staff and players of TFDD Mush.
==Issue #35==
Issue #35 was published in 2002
Fanfic
* Darkness of Time - One loathesome posturer is dealt the fate he so richly deserves.
* Andraxus 7, part 2 - Starscream reveals the secrets of Andraxus, all the way back to the origin of the Transformers themselves.
* Enter the Nightbird, part 4 - After Nightbird falls to treachery from within, the afterechoes play themselves out.
Artwork
* Honor Guard: Tempest & Megatron
Character Profile
* CatsCradle
Essay
* The Road Well Traveled - A retrospective on 10 years of Con-Quest.
Other Neat Stuff
* Racing the Night - the full story of how Nightracer the fanfic character became Nightracer the first-ever female Decepticon toy. Special color section!
* Decepticons - acrostic poem
* The Adventures of Mittentron - parody script
* Make Deals, Not War - classified ads!
* Con-Quest Trivia - quiz
==The Best Of...==
The Best of Con-Quest 3 was published in the summer of 2000. Re-printing the Con-Quest material from the last several years, as voted upon by the subscribers. Color cover "Best Decepticons Stand Together," by CHI.
Best Fanfic
* The Horror from Beneath the Sea - by Lizard
Best Character Profile
* Jhiaxus - by Raksha
Best Cover
* Sound of Silence, issue 21 - by Magic
Best Artwork
* The Four Horsemen - by Margaret C. Racine
Best Essay
* Nightbird: Preaching to the Converted - by Burt Ward
Best Humor/Misc
* Shockwave for President - by Urac Sigma
New Stuff
* A Better Breed of Hero - editorial
* Commanders on the Cover - character profiles for Megatron, Thunderwing, Deathsaurus, and Colossus
* Decepticon Dominion MUSH - announcing the opening of a brand-new Mush!
* Cybertron's Origin and History - from the Decepticon Dominion Theme Files
* Decepticon Word Search - slightly modified from the Transformers Super Activity Book
==Calendar==
The 2000 Decepticons Calendar was shipped to Con-Quest subscribers along with issue 27. An online version can be found here. 
Category:Transformers Zines
Category:1990sCategory:2000s