Solar Spectrum

Solar Spectrum (subtitled 'Alternative Australian Science Fiction') was a fanzine of Spaced Out, the Melbourne-based LGBT+ science fiction club. Its co-editors were Miriam English and Geoff Allshorn.
It featured original (usually queer-related) science fiction and fantasy material that was written by members or allies.
Solar Spectrum was envisaged as perhaps an annual anthology, but it only lasted two issues before a changing club culture and other circumstances made further issues impractical.
== Issue 1 ==
Solar Spectrum Issue 1 was published in January 2001. It contains 67 pages plus a membership application form at the back. "Maybe, in the future, people will look back upon our club and its publications and wonder what the fuss was about: why were they necessary? In reality, it is appropriate for GLBTs to be involved in such a club. Any glance at history (even recent history) will demonstrate that GLBTs have been regarded as alien, different, deviant. We still do not enjoy equal rights in so many ways. Therefore, it should not be surprising that science fiction is a popular forum for GLBTs. It is a form of literature that speculates on difference, variety, and the truly alien. It postulates possible futures, and GLBTs claim a positive place in those futures."
- From the Editors, p. 5.Artists: Stephen Stonewall (1 picture); NASA photo (1 picture); all other artwork by Miriam English.
Contents:
* From the Editors - Geoff and Miriam.
* Today (poetry) - Adrian Gaetano.
* Alien Odyssey Part 1: The Unconventional (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall - "Presented in honour of the 30th anniversary of Apollo 11 and in recognition of Aussiecon 3."
* Starry Dream (fiction) - Miriam English.
* A Night at Rainbow Nebula (fiction) - Will Gauvin
* Why 2K? (fiction) - [[Geoff Alshorn|Stephen Stonewall
* Tortured Thoughts of a Boy in Love (fiction) - Alan Duncan
* The Share Market (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Love of the Mind (fiction) - Will Gauvin
* the meaning of life is fortran too (poetry) - Adrian Gaetano - later republished on Humanist blog in 2021 and on Space Science and Fiction website in 2022.
* Whirled Enough and Time (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Seed of Salvation (fiction) - Michael A J Jordan
* Cherry (fiction) - Miriam English
* Fate (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* The Sign of the Technocrat (poetry) - David Hanneford
* Sky Sanctuary (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Pre Millennial Tension (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* Virtual Confinement (fiction) - Miriam English
* The Enemy Below (fiction) - David Hanneford
* Alien Odyssey Part 2: Out Among the Stars (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* About the Contributors
* Spaced Out: Countdown to the Future: Our Ten-Point Charter (adopted at the third meeting of Spaced Out, Melbourne, 13 August 1999)
* Membership Application Form
== Issue 2 ==
Solar Spectrum Issue 2 was published in June 2002. It contains 118 pages. "The theme of [Issue #1] was an examination of difference, of being an alien in society... Such a theme was a wholly appropriate one for the premiere issue... The content of this anthology reflects wider diversity. Some stories have queer characters, some stories have none. Within these pages, the occasional queer protagonists form a variety of characters - from hero to villain, from victim to avenger. Such is the way of real life."
- Editorial, p. 6. Artists: Stephen Stonewall (1 picture); various NASA photos; all other artwork by Miriam English.
Contents:
* Editorial - Geoff and Miriam
* An Open Letter to Parents of a Science Fiction Fan (letter) - Geoff - later updated and republished on Humanist blog in 2021
* Homo Apollo (poetry) - Stephen Stonewall
* Ex-Gen, Next-Gen (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* Defective Gene 11257 (fiction) - Will Gauvin
* The good fight (poetry) - Miriam English
* Tri Again (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Redemption (fiction) - Alan Duncan
* Want (poetry) - Miriam English
* Full Circle (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* Evolution/Devolution? (poetry) - Jack B Nimble
* An Angel's Shoulders (fiction) - Aaron A Hughes
* Sodom and Tomorrow (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* The Unclaimed (fiction) - Sue Isle
* Future Stock (poetry) - Jack B NImble
* Grace (fiction) - Miriam English
* Child to Man (poetry) - Geoff
* Destination: Low Earth Orbit (non-fiction) - Kate Doolan - non-queer article commemorating the 30th anniversary of the end of the Apollo missions
* Apollo: T plus 30 years (poetry) - Stephen Stonewall
* Ladies' Day (fiction) - Helen Patrice
* Jetsam (fiction) - Kerry Greenwood
* Trans-Formed (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Hell (fiction) - Miriam English
* Priscilla, Drag Queen of the Nebula (fiction) - Will Gauvin
* Aster Nought (fiction) - Stephen Stonewall
* Cemetery, Sleeping Ground (fiction) - Jack B Nimble
* Don We Now Our Gay Apparel (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* History Inspiratum (poetry) - Stephen Stonewall
* Space Journeys! (fiction) - Adrian Gaetano
* About the Contributors
* Spaced Out Information
Category: Club Zines
Category: 2001 Zines
Category: 2000s Zines