KSX

KSX is a slash K/S Star Trek: TOS anthology edited by Gayle F.
There were two issues. A third issue was planned but not published. Gayle turned over the manuscripts and art, along with the permission of the authors and artists, to Kathy Resch, the publisher of T'hy'la. This material became the content of "T'hy'la" #9.As per the editorial in T'hy'la #8.
==The "X"==
A fan in 2007 explains: "The X refers to a third person in the K/S relationship. It was years before I was actually aware of that. Sometimes their influence on Kirk and Spock is barely felt, sometimes they are more intrusive." from Carolyn S in The K/S Press #126
==Cash Proposal==
The standard "payment" for fiction, art, and poetry received by zines was a free copy of the zine itself, a trib copy. Both Alien Brothers and KSX were unique in that the editor offered cash awards for art, poetry and fiction submitted.
While fans apparently did not have much reaction to Gayle F's proposal for KSX #2, the similar proposal with Alien Brothers was something that was the topic of quite a bit of fannish discussion regarding legality, fairness, and fannish customs and norms. For more on that, see Controversy Regarding Cash.
In 1988, Gayle F wrote a comment to Alexis Fegan Black's essay A Dangerous Trend?: 
==Issue 1==
KSX 1 was published in 1987 and contains 225 pages. Art by Gayle F, Maureen B., Vel Jaeger, Suzan Lovett, and Marilyn Cole.
From the editorial: 
thumb|left|front cover of issue #1, Gayle F -- "A young, idealized version of Kirk’s face in profile meshed with a frontal view of Spock with long hair. Strong faces. Features exaggerated to highlight differences and similarities. Beautiful." from The K/S Press #127 
* Voyeur by Jenny Starr ("Spock taking shore leave on Wrigley’s? Find that hard to believe? So does McCoy. The doctor dons a chicken suit to play spy.") (3)
* Shadow Play by Robin Hood ("Spock interrogates the M/U Kirk and finds out that he and his Spock are lovers, leading to a confrontation with his own Kirk.") (23)
* A Private Obsession by Kathy Resch ("The owner of a factory where Kirk and Spock work while stranded on an unknown planet becomes obsessed with Kirk and uses Spockʼs illness and Kirkʼs fear for him to make Kirk his lover.") (47)
* The Invitation by Vera Barga ("Kirk is invited to a dinner party at the home of his first officer. It's hard to play the game when you don't know the rules.") (59)
* All Our Tomorrows, poem by Ellen Kobrin, illo by Maureen B and Vel Jaeger (79)
* poem by Vivian Gates (84)
* From the Aftermath of Dreams by Vivian Gates ("After Kirk finds out that he had sex with a man while split by the transporter, he discovers that Spock is homosexual and decides to find out if they could be lovers by having another encounter with a man where he would be the submissive partner.") (85)
* poem by Natasha Solten, illo by Suzan Lovett, and Marilyn Cole, body jewelry inspired by Fawn (112)
* Cave of the Heart by Gayle F (Spock/McCoy) (119)
* On Wings of Ice by Alexis Fegan Black ("Stranded on a frozen planet when their shuttlecraft is sabotaged, Kirk and Spock share love as they wait for death.") (also in Speed of Light) (137)
* Tellus: From the Memories of a Romulan Anthropologist by Flora Poste ("Kirk meets a Romulan trying to pose as Vulcan while Kirk is posted on Earth and Spock is at Gol.") (147)
* Dancing on the Edge by Gayle F ("Spock is switched by the transporter with a Spock from another universe who has been raised on Earth, and who had a lovehate relationship with his own Kirk.") (179)
* The First Dream of the New Year by Lyon ("While Kirk is stranded on a planet during an ion storm, Spock is unable to sleep from missing his lover and decides to create a fantasy to make love to until Kirkʼs return.") (199)
Sample explicit art:
File:ksx1art1.jpg| Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized. Art from issue #1, page 19, Gayle F. - "Kirk and Spock are nude sitting side-by-side sharing an open-mouthed kiss. Spock is aroused, Kirk receptive. (Who wouldn’t be?) The background is filled with fanciful plants, a scene as lush and exciting as their passion." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art2.jpg|Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized. Art from issue #1, Gayle F., page 133 -- "Kirk, wearing only his bolero, is embraced from behind by Mirror Spock. Both figures sit upon a larger version of Kirk’s forehead. Okay, I know that sounds strange, but it’s really a portrayal of Kirk’s memories (fantasies?) made real. Different and memorable and perfectly suited to the story it illustrates." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art4.jpg|Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized. Art from issue #1, Gayle F., page 77 -- "Kirk and Spock face each other. Each is lovingly holding the other’s...er...equipment. Fireworks are about to start. And that almost looks like the background behind them. Gayle often drew these repeated patterns that tessellate (sorry, math teacher) connect in a mosaic pattern." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art6.jpg|Note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized. Art from issue #1, Gayle F., page 106 --"This one is more realistic than many of Gayle’s pieces. Spock is flat on his back on a bed. His eyes are closed, arms thrown over his head, face open and contorted with passion. Kirk sits astride him, taking Spock’s cock deep inside and avidly absorbing what he sees on his lover’s face. I love this piece. It goes so well with the story it illustrates and is filled to the brim with emotion." from The K/S Press #127 "Spock's surrender to pleasure on page 107 ... yum" quoted anonymously from an online mailing list (Nov 29, 2010) 
Sample non-explicit art:
Image:Ksx1artgayle-1.jpg|from issue #1
Image:Ksx1artgayle-2.jpg|from issue #1
Image:Ksx1artgayle-3.jpg|from issue #1
File:ksx1art3.jpg|art from issue #1, Gayle F., page 55 -- "A young half-clad Jim Kirk opening his pants to his lover (but not the man he loves. It illustrates “A Private Obsession”). It doesn’t quite look like Kirk’s face to me— off somehow, but beautiful nonetheless. The look in his eyes is knowing and even arrogant. His body is surrounded by a dark shadow; there’s evil here but it doesn’t touch what’s inside the figure or inside the man." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art5.jpg|art from issue #1, Vel Jaeger, page 78 -- "It’s amazing how much a good artist can do with simple black and white. Vel gives us Admiral Kirk as patches of white against a black circle. It looks almost like a wood cut. The mind provides the missing parts of the picture." from the K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art7.jpg|art by Marilyn Cole, from issue #1, shows how art and poetry were combined and portrayed -- "These two pieces illustrate two matching poems by Natasha Solten and form one whole. The first is a seated nude Kirk pictured with gulls. He is on Earth, separated from his lover. The second is a standing nude Spock set against the barren mountains and desert of Vulcan. Both figures face each other across the miles and the pages that separate them. The calligraphy that decorates the borders is beautifully done." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art8.jpg|art from issue #1, Suzan Lovett, page 114 -- "This is one of my all-time favorite illos. Kirk is on his back, head pillowed on Spock’s leg. Spock’s head is resting against Kirk’s hip. Spock’s arm is a bar thrown possessively over Kirk body and they are holding hands. Kirk’s other hand is caressing Spock’s hair. Their eyes are closed. It’s obvious they have just made love and are replete with satisfaction. This artist pushes every button I have." The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art9.jpg|art from issue #1, Maureen B., page 80 -- "A nude Jim Kirk astride a rearing white horse. The face is turned away from the viewer, but the hair, the lines of face and form could belong to no one else. Strength and power is revealed in every line." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art10.jpg|art from issue #1, Marilyn Cole, page 117 -- "Spock. Eyes closed. Long hair. Filigreed metal bands around wrists and biceps. Wearing body jewelry that pierces his nipples, adorns his chest and navel, frames his penis. Enough said." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art11.jpg|art from issue #1, Gayle F., page 185 -- "Similarly, this illo of the long-haired alternate universe Spock is specific to “Dancing on the Edge.” This is exactly how I pictured this character. Bare- chested and sensuous right down to the obvious outline of his genitals captured by black low-slung briefs. Yum." from The K/S Press #127
File:ksx1art12.jpg|art from issue #1, Vel Jaeger, page 82 -- My reactions to this piece may be colored by the accompanying poetry by Ellen Kobrin, but this Spock looks particularly determined. He has come to a decision. Are those stylized flames behind him meant to symbolize Vulcan? If so, he finally is turning away from them. He knows where his future will be and with whom." from The K/S Press #127
===Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1===
==Issue 2==
KSX 2 was published in 1988 and contains 225 pages. The front cover is by Chris Soto, the back cover is by Georgia Barnes, the inside front cover is by Caren Parnes, and the inside back cover is by Sherry Veltkamp.
From the editorial: 
* In Another Land, poetry by Kathy Resch (4)
* Bondage by Kathy Resch, art by Gayle F (M/U: A scattering of timelines and past lives.) (5)
* poetry by Natasha Solten (25)
* A Human Thing to Do by Vivian Gates, art by Gayle F (Kirk picks Spock up after Spock completes a mission where he had to pass as human, and spending the day together, Spock speaks of being seen and treated as a human-and the human things he would wish to do.) (27)
* The Faces of Love by Charlotte Frost (Spock returns from a diasterous leave on Vulcan, where he found that he and his parents still relate to each other as if he was a child. Sequel: Things Worth Celebrating.) (43)
* poem by Robin hood, art by Dragon (50)
* Begin and Begin Again by Vera Barga, art by Dragon (After becoming intimate while jailed for a diplomatic error, Kirk rejects a relationship with Spock under the mistaken belief that Spock would need a woman for his next pon farr.) (53)
* Leopard in the Snow by Yvonne de Chine, art by Gayle F (Spock finds his lover without memories and living as a primitive hunter months after Kirk is pulled from the transporter to a place unknown.) (79)
* Dear Joanna by Bonita Kale (In a nursing home, McCoy writes his daughter to tell her the true story of Kirk and Spockʼs deaths 10 years before.) (99)
* poem by Ellen Morris, art by Lily Renee (104)
* Microcosm by Jenny Starr, art by Gayle F (Kirk and Spock are reduced to the size of dolls and sold as toys on Earth after angering a magician on a distant planet.) (107)
* poem by Linda Frankel, art by Sherry Veltkamp (129)
* Out of Eden by Frances Rowes, art by Gayle F (Spock is unable to return Kirkʼs desire and even though it is almost unbearable, Kirk agrees to go with him on a planet survey of “Eden”.) (129)
* poems by Linda Frankel (201)
* Endings by Gayle F (A/U: Spock is bonded to McCoy, but in love with Kirk, alternative universe sequels to Cave of the Heart (207)
The artwork below has been uploaded with the permission of the publisher and, in some cases, permission from the artists.
File:ksx2begin1.jpg|example of a title page
File:ksx2begin2.jpg|example of text and font, from Begin and Begin Again
File:ksx2art1.jpg|art from issue #2, Gayle F, from Leopard in the Snow
File:ksx2art2.jpg|art from issue #2, Gayle F, from Out of Eden
File:ksx2art3.jpg|art from issue #2, Dragon, from Begin and Begin Again
File:ksx2art4.jpg|art from issue #2, Gayle F, from Bondage
File:ksx2art5.jpg|art from issue #2, Gayle F, from Microcosm
File:ksx2art6.jpg|art from issue #2, Gayle F, from A Human Thing to Do
File:ksx2art7.jpg|art from issue #2, Sherry Veltkamp
File:ksx2art8.jpg|art from issue #2, Dragon
File:ksx2art9.jpg|art from issue #2, Lily Renee
File:ksx2art10.jpg|art from issue #2, Dragon
===Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2===
==References==
Category:Star Trek TOS Slash Zines
Category:Kirk/Spock
Category:1987 Zines
Category:1988 Zines