Empire Star

Empire Star is a media fanzine that was published between 1978 and 1981 and was edited by Australian publisher J.J. Adamson. It is focused on Han Solo, with fanfic, fanart, filk, meta, and instructional articles. 
An ad in Falcon's Flight #4 says it was the "first non-American SW fan publication."
==A Han-Centric Zine==
==A Planned Sequel==
"Empire Star" was, at one point, to have been succeeded by a zine called "Federation." From a blurb in "Empire Star" #4 in 1981: 
 
 Image:federationempirestar.jpg| flyer for "Federation" printed in "Empire Star" #4
==The Issues==
There were five regular issues, two reprints (issues 4 and 5), and two specials: 
* Blaster
* Empire Star Monthly News or simply "Empire Star News" (non-fiction counterpart)
There was a sixth regular issue proposed, but it was never published. From an announcement in issue #5: "...still on 'hold' pending the solution the reduction problem. (We think we have the answer now -- it just requires MONEY, and lots of same)... Contains: Ellen Blair's ODYSSEY, JJ Adamson's QUEST, Elyse Dickenson's WAITING GAME, Sam Blackley's STAR SLAVERS, Jenny McLean's REFLECTIONS, Mike Adamson's THE LAST CYLON and WHEN THE STARBUCK LUCK RAN OUT etc etc."
==Issue 1 (December 1978)==
Empire Star 1 (v.1 n.1) was published in December 1978 and contains 61 pages.
From the zine: "This publication was printed on the dependable NASHUA 1220-S... for very good reasons."
From the zine: "EMPIRE STAR, magazine for Adelaide STAR WARRIORS, Vol 1, No 1, December 8th 1978. Created by FUTURA PRODUCTIONS to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of STAR WARS in Adelaide. EMPIRE STAR is a periodical, published as top grade material becomes available. Our aim is quality: we will not print substandard items, thus, we cannot promise to print with any regularity. "
From the editorial: 
 
* Editorial (What this magazine is, and who we are.) (4)
* Star Wars II (All available info on the production of the sequel!) (5)
* Empire Rumbles (The Star Wars funnies by Wishbone) (8)
* Still, She's Got a Lot of Spirit, novelette by J.J. Adamson (Han Solo's latest scheme for making money! It should have worked, but....) (9)
* The Portfolio by J.J. Adamson and C.W.M. Adamson (Featuring the fabulous FUTURA artists in four quality prints suitable for mounting.) (19)
* The Critics Have Their Say (Just for fun, a collection of the crazy things the critics haves aid out our movie during its still short life!) (36)
* Constructing the MPC Kits (Tips for model builders from veteran model maker C.W.M. Adamson) (38)
* Just Let Me Live, Lord Vader (The Stormtrooper's Lament, words and music by J.J. Adamson.) (41)
* Empire Rumbles (The Star Wars funnies by Wishbone) (42)
* Flight of the White Falcon, novelette by J.J. Adamson (An undercover mission for the Rebels turns into a desperate fight for survival as Han, Chews and Luke take on the forces of the Empire -- alone.) (43)
* Yesterday's Gone, short story by J.J. Adamson (A long time ago in a galaxy torn by strife, a four year old war orphan foraged for fond in the hull of a wrecked freighter... and Destiny took a hand.) (55)
* Empire Rumbles (The Star Wars funnies by Wishbone) (58)
* Future Things (Empire Star Vol. 1 No. 2 is in production right now; lookout some of the included features!) (59)
* Comment (Communications Network -- your feedback channel.) (60)
* Classified (The perfect Sci-Fi-Fi Marketplace!) (61)
File:Empire1-1.jpg|from issue #1, Wishbone
File:Empire1-2.jpg|from issue #1, C.W.M. Adamson, "Stop That Ship!" -- "In a Mos Eisley Docking Bay stormtroopers fire on the Millennium Falcon as Han Solo and Chewbacca battle fiercly, returning their blaster fire to make an escape and head for Alderaan with Luke Skywalker, Obiwan Kenobi and the droids Threepio and Artoo on board. Original 32 x 20 cms black and white ink."
File:Empire1-3.jpg|from issue #1, J.J. Adamson, "Furry - Is Beautiful!" -- "Full scale black and white ink rendering of the 'Chewie" part of the detail from the original 20 x 30 inch oil painting, 'Han and Chewie' by the same artist. The complete painting took 76 hours to finish and was constructed from an original pencil rendering taken from many black and white photographs, thus it is quite unique."
File:Empire1-4.jpg|from issue #1, J.J. Adamson, "Swords of Light" -- "This is an original view of an already famous STAR WARS painting, the Tom Jung 'Sword Art.' There have been more redresses of this art than one can count, but this is novel, totally different, and we hope that we can say it adheres more closely to STAR WARS than any of the very diverse redresses done to date. Original 32 x 20 cms black and white ink."
File:Empire1-5.jpg|from issue #1, J.J. Adamson, "Chewie" -- "Photographic reproduction of the original 20 X 30 inch oil painting 'Chewie.' The painting took 30 hours to complete, and was constructed from an original pencil rendering not taken from any photograph."
File:Empire1-6.jpg|from issue #1, not credited
File:Empire1-7.jpg|from issue #1, J.J. Adamson
File:Empire1-8.jpg|from issue #1, C.W.M. Adamson 
===Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1===
==Issue 2 (March 1979)==
Empire Star 2 (v.1 n.2) was published in March 1979.
* Green Fire of the Rhil by JJ Adamson (Seldra Kaidel, J.J. Adamson's lady smuggler, goes to Han when her brother turns up missing.)
* KGK-45 (Leia saves Han's life.)
* other unknown content
===Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2===
==Issue 3 (May 1979)==
Empire Star 3 (v.1 n.3) was published in May 1979 and contains 90 pages. The front cover is by C.W.M. "Mike" Adamson and the interior art by Leonard May and Teanna.
From the editorial: 
* Editorial (1)
* Star Wars II (essay about rumors about the upcoming new film and Han Solo's death, urges fans to write letters in protest: "Han's death is bad news. His departure from the film and from the Universe of STAR WARS is a loss both to the fans who admire the Han Solo character and the actor who breathed life into him - and to the logistics of the STAR WARS Universe itself. Han was and is a 'unit of measure,' a yardstick against which we the viewers, can gauge the other characters; he is a rationalizing influence to the righteous and a pep-up to the pious. He provides a lunatic humour, the crazy free-spirit that Luke, Leia and the rest never could by simple reason hf their basic Idealism. He provides the raw, uncalculated courage of the partially insane which can off set the noble self sacrifice of followers of 'damned fool idealistic crusades, and allow us to see the idealism for what it is - not be totally blinded by the corona cast by the saintly halos of Jedis past and present. Subtract the smuggler and STAR WARS is left with a vale of innocents... no cynic, no sarcastic wise cracker, no mercenary - no 'kick.' And admire Luke as one may - one cannot help but admit that that film does not really seem to get started till the Cantina scene - at least, not if you want to see crazy Errol Flynn style swashbuckling, high adventure - thrills and spills at top speed. THAT is Han Solo's role in STAR WARS, to bring the fun and the danger, to pep-up the staid and philosophical sphere in which he revolves; and if he IS subtracted he will need to be replaced quickly by some other character who will provide the same service.") (5)
* Loner on Doomworld by C.W.M. Adamson (7)
* Portfolio by Leonard May (42)
* Battlestar Galactica, article about visiting the set, by Lee Hern (47)
* Musing on Star Wars, essay by The Muse (51)
* London Symphony Orchestra, article (52)
* What a Piece of Junk, fiction by C.W.M. Adamson (54)
* Nightmare, fiction by J.J. Adamson (59)
* The Aagan's Rim Universe, article by J.J. Adamsson, C.W.M. Adamson, and Jenny McLean (65)
* Hardware Wars, review (68)
* The Bush Pilot Blues, song by J.J. Adamson (70)
* Zine Review: The Mos Eisley Tribune, see that page (83)
* Comment (84)
* Kendo, article about Japanese sword fighting (88)
* End Run, about this zine taking a pause in order for the editors to publish Solo (88)
File:Bestempire-11.jpg|from issue #3, J.J. Adamson: "A pencil original by J.J. Adamson. The lady is Seldra Kaidell of GREEN FIRE OF THE RHIL (EMPIRE STAR 2), perhaps one of the smuggler's more 'special' friends, a jewel thief, Kheridi smuggler and probably the third best starpilot on the galaxy. (Han and Chewie qualifying for the top two places...)"
File:Empirestar3-1.jpg|from issue #3, C.W.M. Adamson
File:Empirestar3-2.jpg|from issue #3, C.W.M. Adamson
File:Empirestar3-3.jpg|from issue #3, J.J. Adamson
===Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3===
==Issue 4 (April 1981)==
Empire Star 4 (v.2 n.1) contains 128 pages. It was published in April 1981, which is what it says on the cover. The date of March 1980 (on the table of contents) is explained in the extremely convoluted editorial -- what appears to have happened (money, airline strikes, and errors in planning) caused the the zine to be over a year late as well as the contents of the last two issues switched. This last fact meant that any stories in parts (in this zine, and others) were now out of order, as well as making both tribbers and readers wait multiple years between segments.
 
Fandoms: Star Wars, Star Trek: TOS, and Battlestar Galactica. 
* Editorial (A Sad Story) (4)
* The EMPIRE STARikes Back (a long discussion about The Empire Strikes Back -- e.g. "How did the Imperial Fleet find Hoth?" and "Where did they get taun tauns," with suggested answers from a handful of fans and responses from the editors) (6)
* Addendum to The EMPIRE STARikes Back by Angela Callender (44)
* There is a Way (45)
* ...Lady's Man for All Seasons by Sherry Magee (an article on Han's relationships with women in fanfiction)(reprinted with a slightly different title from Facets #4) (46)
* Perspective: A View of The Empire Strikes Back by Nikki White (a negative review of the movie) (54)
* Post Script on Empire and ES Review Ratings (57)
* Time Trap! A New Star Trek Tactical Game by JJ and Mike Adamson (a choose Your Own Adventure-style game) (Star Trek: TOS) (58)
* The Portfolio, art by Adamson and Adamson (58)
* A Corellian's No Fun When... by Dannell Lites (73)
* Rescue Mission & Rescue Mission II: Variations on a Theme, poems by Sheila Paulson (74)
* And He Calls the Stars His Masters, filk by Sherry Magee (based on "The Ways of Man" by Gordon Bok) (79)
* The Great Romance, filk to the tune of "Tom Dooley," by Dannell Lites (81)
* Confessional on an Odd Tuesday, poem by JJ Adamson (Star Trek: TOS) (83)
* untitled poem by Susan Matthews (it was reprinted in Organia with the title "Owen") (84)
* Coda, poem by Denise Sheets (Battlestar Galactica) (85)
* The Wild Colonial Boy, filk by Adamson and Adamson (Battlestar Galactica) (88)
* Portfolio for Hanatics Only, art by JJ and Martynn (89)
* The Captain's Verdict (Time Trap Solution) (Star Trek: TOS) (94)
* Important Announcement About ES's Next ish! (97)
* Young and Restless by Brenda Cunningham. How Han first won the Falcon off Lando Calrissian. (98)
* Phlegathon by Mike Adamson ("The Colonials investigate a long-dead planet and discover its robot defenders.)(Battlestar Galactica) (106)
* The Fanzine File (121)
* other art by JJ and Mike Adamson, Michael Avenhouse, Donna Ellison, Martynn and Debra Milsom
File:Hansoloman.jpg|from issue #4
File:Hansolomanart.jpg|from issue #4, Donna Ellison
File:Empirestar4-1.jpg|from issue #4, Michael Avenhouse
File:Empirestar4-2.jpg|from issue #4, first page of the game
File:Empirestar4-3.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson, a very early photo manip
File:Empirestar4-4.jpg|from issue #4, Michael Avenhouse
File:Empirestar4-5.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-6.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-7.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-8.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson (Alien)
File:Empirestar4-9.jpg|from issue #4, Martynn (reprinted from Falcon's Flight)
File:Empirestar4-10.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-11.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-12.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson (and the use of the term Hanatic)
File:Empirestar4-13.jpg|from issue #4, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar4-14.jpg|from issue #4, Martynn (reprinted from another zine)
File:Empirestar4-15.jpg|from issue #4, Donna Ellison
File:Empirestar4-16.jpg|from issue #4, Mike Adamson
File:Empirestar4-17.jpg|from issue #4, Mike Adamson
==Issue 5 (February 1982) ==
Empire Star 5 (v.2 n.2) was published in February 1982, has 131 pages, and contains mostly Star Wars, some Battlestar Galactica.
From the editorial, regarding costs: 
From the editorial, regarding genre labels, disappointment, and The Empire Strikes Back: 
From the editorial, upcoming, and canceled zines: 
* Editorial (4)
* Ion Storm in a Tea Cup (lengthy LoCs, all of them about the lengthy discussion of The Empire Strikes Back in the previous issue: one of them: "We apply a cruel, relent less and unforgiving logic to any subject from fantasy to catechism: it means we don't get the same type of enjoyment from films, books, TV sc, as fen-at-large. By and large, English and Australians are a more pragmatic people than you Americans, and TESB was too much like a Christmas pantomime for our taste.") (6)
* Perspective: Reviews (19)
** Bombed Out in Space, review of "Dark Star" by Dan O'Bannon and John Carpenter by JJ Adamson
** Our Man in Their Future, review of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," by JJ and Mike
** The Almost War of '82, review of "The Hunting of Salyut 7," by Mike
** Music of the Spheres, review of "The Planets" by Holst, by JJ
** In Praise of Feathered People, review of the second season of Buck Rogers, by JJ
* Death Ship, story and art by Mike Adamson ("In the search for fuel, a scout Viper from the Galactica finds not only the precious ore but also a prize undreamed of—a derelict Battlestar, and it is there for the taking.") (28)
* Don't Jump to Conclusions, story by JJ Adamson, art by Mike Adamson ("A funny I t,ng happened on the way to Tatooine: responding to an emergency call, Han Solo found himself taking aboard astronaut Jack Scott of Apollo XTX, who swears, and declares that faster than light travel is not possible, and so the Millennium Falcon cannot possibly go anywhere!") (48)
* When the Starbuck Luck Ran Out, story and art by Mike Adamson ("He's a rambler, he's a gambler, he's a long way fron home, and there's no way in this story that he's going to get left alone! It was all in the name of fun. Or, revenge...") (51)
* Yesterdays Gone, story by JJ Adamson, art by Mike Adamson ("In the closing days of the Clone Wars, Corel was the scene of a telling battle: many cities were ruined, the spaceport among them. Littered with dead ships, it was a store house of free spare parts, and Jak Moonraker and his mate, Chewbacca, found their ship, the Millennium Falcon, in need of one. That part was not all they found.") (54)
* All About Postage (57)
* Wishbone Sends Up the "TV WEEK", text and graphics by Wishbone ("Television programming may never be the same again—the networks should hope they live through it, as Wishbone lets them have it with both barrels. Laugh your way through July 11th (year no object), with: lust in SPACE, SEARCH FOR YESTERDAY, ASK THE LAYABOUT BROTHERS, LIFE ON MARS. The memorable episode of STAR TREK, THE WAY TO EDEN. Be Scornful of the rubbishing JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD, thrill to the extravaganza, LUNE, while, in a daring scene they didn't think would make it by the censor, Twikki is exploding on BUCK ROGERS...") (58)
* Corellian Doorprize, story by Linda Shandle, art by S. Kaiafah ("Well, what would you do i f you were a Corellian smuggler and someone left a squalling infant at the bottom of your ramp?!") (60)
* A Case of Conscience, story and art by Mike Adamson ("You are a Terran jet fighter pilot, shuttling to meet your unit in the tropical hell of the Coral Sea. The hawkish alien fighters of the Ultimate War strike from space above and you go down. In the storm tossed, fang-filled terror of the open ocean your only allies belong to the most persecuted race in the galaxy. A tale from the early days of the HUNTER saga, circa 1998.") (74)
* Napalm in the Morning, original song, words and music by JJ Adamson, art by Mike (78)
* Too Late, story by Kay Crist, art by JJ Adamson ("Aboard Boba Fett's ship, Han Solo gathers his wits: his future is uncertain and his whole world has become danger. Where are his friends? Lost among his enemies, there is no way for him to know. Has Darth Vader had them put to death? What hope can there be? What is left?") (113) (discussed in Han and Leia in Fanfiction)
* Day of the Lead Cubit, story and art by Mike Adamson ("Colonial combat pilots wear no space suits, so what do you do when you crash land on an airless moon? You are trapped in your cockpit, perhaps miles, perhaps only inches from safety. Is Starbuck worried? You bet! And so is everyone else.") (113)
* A Good Blaster at Your Side, feature and art by Michael Avenhouse (126)
* The Fanzine File (131)
File:Empirestar5-7.jpg|from issue #5, Mike Adamson
File:Empirestar5-8.jpg|from issue #5, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar5-9.jpg|from issue #5, S. Kaiafah
File:Empirestar5-10.jpg|from issue #5, S. Kaiafah
File:Empirestar5-11.jpg|from issue #5, Mike Adamson
File:Empirestar5-12.jpg|from issue #5, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar5-13.jpg|from issue #5, the song
File:Empirestar5-14.jpg|from issue #5, J.J. Adamson
File:Empirestar5-17.jpg|from issue #5, Mike Adamson
File:Empirestar5-15.jpg|from issue #5, J.J. Adamson: Kevin Keegan (professional football player), Han Solo (professional scoundrel) and Luke Skywalker (farmboy and future Jedi) on the playing field; Kevin Keegan may have been the inspiration for one of of J.J. Adamson's many pseuds, Kathy Keegan. Keegan in this illo also looks a lot like Ray Doyle, though that might just be the hair talking.
File:Empirestar5-16.jpg|from issue #5, Mike Adamson
 
Image:empirestar5-1.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
Image:empirestar5-2.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
Image:empirestar5-3.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
Image:empirestar5-4.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
Image:empirestar5-5.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
Image:empirestar5-6.jpg|from issue #5, a page from the film discussion
==Issue 4 (April 1985 reprint)==
Empire Star 4 (reprint) was published in April 1985 and contains 52 pages. It contains much of the content from the original issue #4 excerpt for flyers printed in the back, the two art portfolios, one of the poems, and the debates section. 
From an ad in Syndicated Images #3: 
* Editorial by JJ Adamson (3)
* Han Solo, Ladies' Man for All Seasons by Sherry Magee, art by Donna Ellison (4)
* Time Trap, game and art by JJ and Mike Adamson (11)
* Rescue Mission by Sheila Paulson, art by Martynn/Donna Ellison (16)
* The Wild Colonial Boy by JJ and Mike Adamson (20)
* The Captain's Verdict by Time Trap Solutions (21)
* Young and Restless by Brenda Cunningham, art by Donna Ellison (24)
* poem by Susan Matthews (32)
* Confession on an Odd Tuesday by JJ Adams (33)
* And He Calls the Stars His Masters by Sherry Magee, art by JJ Adams (34)
* Phlegathon, story and art by Mike Adams (36)
* The Fanzine File (50)
* The Aussietrek Adelaide Con Poster (52)
==Issue 5 (September 1985 reprint)==
Empire Star 5 (reprint) was published in September 1985 and contains 61 pages. It contains only three stories from the original issue #5.
This issue contains no editorial or letters of comment. 
From an ad in Syndicated Images #3: "This issue has been cut down from the original 150pp to make it just about affordable. All the stories but for Deathship are included... Art by Adamson & Adamson and S. Kaiafah."
On its table of content page: "EMPIRE STAR is not an authorised or official edition of any publication. No attempt is made to supercede copyrights held by: George Lucas, Twentieth Century Fox. Lucasfilm, Glen Larson, Universal or the ABC Network."
* Day of the Lead Cubit, story and art by Mike Adamson (Battlestar Galactica (1978) (3)
* Corellian Doorprize, story by Linda Shadle, art by S. Kaiafah (Star Wars) (16)
* Too Late, story by Kay Crist, art by JJ Adamson (Star Wars) (30)
==The Best of Empire Star (1981)==
The Best of Empire Star was published in mid-1981 and contains 223 pages. The art and cartoons are by Leonard May, Mike Adamson, J.J. Adamson, and Wishbone.
It was advertised in issue #4, with a caution that there were very few extra copies printed: "Represented in this EMPIRE STAR Super Special are the stories and artwork from the first three issues of EMPIRE STAR Magazine, which comprised the now out-of-print Volume One."
* Introduction (4)
* Chart: Principal Star Systems of the Galactic "Arm of Aagan" (5)
* Vendetta by J.J. Adamson (also published as the zine Vendetta)(6)
* Loner on Doomworld by Mike Adamson (80)
* Still, She's Got a Lot of Spirit... by J.J. Adamson (115)
* Empire Rumbles, cartoons by Wishbone (135)
* Just Let Me Live, Lord Vader, song by J.J. Adamson (140)
* Flight of the White Falcon by J.J. Adamson (141)
* KGK-45 by J.J. Adamson (153)
* Green Fire of the Rhil by J.J. Adamson (188)
* What a Piece of Junk! by C.W.M. Adamson (Mike Adamson) (200)
* Nightmare by J.J. Adamson (205)
* The Bush Pilot Blues by J.J. Adamson (211)
File:Bestempire-1.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, starchart
File:Bestempire-2.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J Adamson
File:Bestempire-3.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J Adamson?
File:Bestempire-4.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J Adamson?
File:Bestempire-5.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Mike Adamson
File:Bestempire-6.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Mike Adamson
File:Bestempire-7.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Mike Adamson
File:Bestempire-8.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Wishbone
File:Bestempire-9.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Mike Adamson
File:Bestempire-10.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J. Adamson
File:Bestempire-11.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J. Adamson: "A pencil original by J.J. Adamson. The lady is Seldra Kaidell of GREEN FIRE OF THE RHIL (EMPIRE STAR 2), perhaps one of the smuggler's more 'special' friends, a jewel thief, Kheridi smuggler and probably the third best starpilot on the galaxy. (Han and Chewie qualifying for the top two places...)" from the artist in "Empire Star" #3 where this art was first printed 
File:Bestempire-12.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, J.J. Adamson
File:Bestempire-13.jpg|from The Best of Empire Star, Mike Adamson
==References==
Category:Star Wars Zines
Category:Multimedia Gen and Het Zines
Category:1978 Zines
Category:1970s Zines
Category:1980s Zines