Interstat

Interstat is a Star Trek: TOS letterzine. It ran for 152 issues. The title comes from 'interstat communications," a form of communication mentioned in the TAS episode "The Terratin Incident."“Intersat? That's been out of use for two centuries.” Uhura, “The Terratin Incident,” Star Trek: The Animated Series.
The first issue of Interstat was published two months after the long-running The Halkan Council ceased publication.
 
The letterzine was small digest sized, center stapled and averaged around 24 pages. Covers were printed on colored paper and contained black and white line art by a variety of well known fan artists. Interstat began in 1977 by charging .50 cents per issue which then increased to $1 per issue by 1983. Overseas subscriptions were also available at a higher cost. 
The large amount of mail the zine received necessitated the addition of a section called "Thanks for writing...," a list of fans who wrote letters but space constraints meant they couldn't be printed.
While it contained very, very few ads, "Interstat" had a policy of not accepting zine ads for materials that required an age statement to purchase, a policy that was upheld in regards to zines with slash but was applied more sporadically to explicit het zines such as Rigel and R & R. 
Teri Meyer, the publisher and editor, has given Fanlore permission to quote from Interstat. Names of LoCers have been abbreviated to first name and last name initial. 
==Issue Contents==
Click on the links below to see more information about individual issues of Interstat.
Interstat Issues	Interstat Issues	Interstat Issues	Interstat Issues	Interstat Issues
Issues 001-010 	Issues 011-020 	Issues 021-030 	Issues 031-040 	Issues 041-050
Issues 051-060 	Issues 061-070 	Issues 071-080 	Issues 081-090 	Issues 091-100
Issues 101-110 	Issues 111-120 	Issues 121-130 	Issues 131-140 	Issues 141-152
==Editors== 
* Teri Meyer and Mary G. Buser for #1-15
* starting September 1979, Teri Meyer and Ann Crouch
==Regular Columns==
Regular columns (at various times): 
* Michele Arvizu: "There's Something I've Been Wanting to Say..."
* Dixie Owen, "Dixie's Clippings": Trek-related people and projects news from Daily Variety and Hollywood Reporter trade papers, starting in March 1979
* Kay Johnson: rumors; movie news, 1978-1979, wrote until December 1979
* Melinda Shreve: character commentary until September 1979
* Michele Arvizu: ST satires
* Alice Greene, "Starfleet Now"
* Cathy Strand, "Book Barn," announcing upcoming Star Trek books
* Leslie Fish and Mary Lou Dodge, point/counterpoint column staring October 1979
* Ken Gooch joins the Omaha staff in February 1979, he wrote "Reel Reviews"
Image:interstatrumor.jpg|an example of Kay Johnson's column, from issue #13
Image:interstattheres.jpg|an example of Michele Arvizu's column, from issue #13
Image:interstatinsight.jpg|an example of Melinda Shreve's column, from issue #13
Image:interstatbookbarn.jpg|an example of Cathy Strand's column, from issue #13
Image:interstat99starfleetnow.jpg|an example of Alice Greene's column, from issue #99
==Some Flyers==
Image:interstatflyerdelta.jpg|thumb|1977 flyer from Delta Triad #4 
 Image:interstatflyer1986.jpg|thumb|1986 flyer from Hypertension #5 
 Image:interstatflyer.jpg|thumb|1987 flyer for Interstat, from Datazine 
==Later Star Trek Letterzines==
Following the end of Interstat, three new Star Trek letterzines attempted to continue the tradition, with much shorter lifespans: Diachron (6 issues), Engage! (19 issues) and STARLink (35 issues).
For other fandom letterzines; see List of Letterzines.
==A 1979 Write-Up==
In 1979, Buser and Meyer were two of the guests of honor at Star TreKon in Kansas City. This is what was included in the program book for that con:
==From the Editors==
In the fourth issue, the editors wrote: 
In the ninth issue, the editors wrote: 
==Reactions and Reviews==
 
==Widely Known for Heated Discussion==
Interstat was famous for its sharp, and often inflammatory, letters. 
A number of letterzines contained comments by readers patting themselves on the back in congratulations and relief that their publication wasn't like Interstat's tone and level of disagreement. One example is S and H. Fans in that letterzine wrote many times that they didn't want their publication to become another Interstat, that the flames and often harsh arguments were not to be emulated: In 1980, a fan wrote: 
In 1979, the editor of Spectrum wrote of Interstat's reputation as an arena for heated conflict:
A fan in 1982 wrote: 
Things were still heated in 1984, when a fan wrote: 
==The Necchi-Brady Letters==
===The Sandra Necchi Controversy (1984)===
In 1984, Sandra Necchi wrote a letter to "Interstat" that the editor refused to print, stating it was too mean and did not support Gene Roddenberry and Harve Bennett. Necchi claimed censorship, and instead distributed this letter, as well as Teri Meyer's response, to fans. 
See The Letter That Interstat Wouldn't Print. 
Three years later, Necchi (using the pseud, Kristen Brady) distributed another letter, this one much more scathing. 
===The Kristen Brady Controversy (1987)===
In 1987, Kristen Brady, a fan using a pseudonym, contributed a highly negative review of Interstat called Anatomy of a Letterzine to several zines, one of which was Power of Speech (her own zine). The review takes "Interstat" to task for two things: one, its "gnashing of teeth, the raking of claws, and the lashing of tongues -- not to mention the backbiting, mudslinging..." and two, the reviewer's belief that "Interstat" was nothing but a censored rag dedicated toward TPTB. She wrote: "In which one critic takes a look at the letterzine know as 'Bennett's Tenets,' also known as 'The Harve Bennett Fan Club Newsletter,' or, as it is more commonly called, "Interstat".... Unless you are stout of heart and rodinium-plated, do not remove the staple that holds the pages of Interstat together...for to do so otherwise would be to unleash hissing, spitting, growling, barking, and snapping such as no fan has ever encountered before." 
Excerpt from the review:
 
Joan Verba in Boldly Writing commented on this letter years later: "Interstat readers responded by rebutting it in the pages of the newsletter. As with other critical reviews of the letterzine, this review had no effect on Interstat's subscribers — most were satisfied with the product, and thought the criticisms were unfounded."
==The End==
From The Monthly in January 1991: "DEVASTATING NEWS: "The forthcoming issue of Interstat, #151/152 will be the last. Due to overwhelming home improvement Teri Meyer will not longer be able to continue to give us the fine issues of one of fandom's most favorite zines... history's of fandom's finest hours sadly close with the final issue of Interstat."
The editor signs off in the last issue: 
==Additional Reading==
*Jefferies Tubes #7: Remembering the Trek Letterzine, Interstat by Marie Jose and John Tenuto, dated June 6, 2013reference link.
*Interstat code entry at the Memory Alpha Wiki
*Interstat code entry at Star Trek.com
==Cover Gallery==
File:Interstat 1-2.jpg|cover of issue #1, M.S. Murdock
File:Interstat 2.jpg|cover of issue #2, Heather Firth
File:Interstat3.jpg|cover of issue #3, M.S. Murdock
File:Interstat4.jpg|cover of issue #4, Heather Firth
File:Interstat5.jpg|cover of issue #5, M.S. Murdock
Image:Interstat-6-200-web.jpg|cover of issue #6, Heather Firth
Image:Interstat-7-200-web.jpg|cover of issue #7, M.S. Murdock
Image:Interstat-8-200-web.jpg|cover of issue #8, Heather Firth
Image:interstat9.jpg|cover of issue #9, Mike Brown
Image:interstat10.jpg|cover of issue #10, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat11.jpg|cover of issue #11, Heather Firth
Image:interstat12.jpg|cover of issue #12, Mike Brown
Image:interstat13.jpg|cover of issue #13, design and stencil by Jude Huntsberger, silkscreened by Mary C. Buser
Image:interstat14.jpg|cover of issue #14, Mary Strand
Image:interstat15.jpg|cover of issue #15, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat16.jpg|cover of issue #16, Heather Firth
Image:interstat17.jpg|cover of issue #17, Wilhelmina
Image:interstat18.jpg|cover of issue #18, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat19.jpg|cover of issue #19, Heather Firth
Image:interstat20.jpg|cover of issue #20, Mike Brown
Image:interstat21.jpg|cover of issue #21, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat22.jpg|cover of issue #22, Heather Firth
Image:interstat23.jpg|cover of issue #23, Mike Brown
Image:interstat24.jpg|cover of issue #24, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat25.jpg|cover of issue #25, Melinda Shreve-Reynolds
Image:interstat26.jpg|cover of issue #26, Mike Brown
Image:interstat27.jpg|cover of issue #27, Heather Firth 
Image:interstat28.jpg|cover of issue #28, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat29.jpg|cover of issue #29, Mike Brown
Image:interstat30.jpg|cover of issue #30, Heather Firth
Image:interstat31.jpg|cover of issue #31, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat32.jpg|cover of issue #32, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat33.jpg|cover of issue #33, Mike Brown
Image:interstat34.jpg|cover of issue #34, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat35.jpg|cover of issue #35, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat36.jpg|cover of issue #36, Heather Firth
Image:interstat37.jpg|cover of issue #37, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat38.jpg|cover of issue #38, Mike Brown
Image:interstat39.jpg|cover of issue #39, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat40.jpg|cover of issue #40, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat41.jpg|cover of issue #41, Ann M. Crouch
Image:interstat42.jpg|cover of issue #42, Heather Firth
Image:interstat43.jpg|cover of issue #43, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat44.jpg|cover of issue #44, Mike Brown
Image:interstat45.jpg|cover of issue #45, Ann Crouch
Image:interstat46.jpg|cover of issue #46, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:Interstat454547.jpg|cover of issue #47, Mike Verina
File:Interstat 48.jpg|cover of issue #48, Mike Brown
Image:Interstatunknown1981.jpg|cover of issue #49, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
File:Interstat 50.jpg|cover of issue #50, Heather Firth
Image:interstatunknown4.jpg|cover of issue #51, Ann Crouch
File:Interstat 52.jpg|cover of issue #52, Michael Verina
File:Interstat 53.jpg|cover of issue #53, Mike Brown
File:Interstat 54.jpg|cover of issue #54, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
File:Interstat 55.jpg|cover of issue #55, Heather Firth
Image:interstat56.jpg|cover of issue #56, Mike Brown
Image:interstatunknown3.jpg|cover of issue #57, Michael Verina
File:Interstat 58.jpg|cover of issue #58, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
File:Interstat 59.jpg|cover of issue #59, Heather Krause
Image:interstat60.jpg|cover of issue #60, Mike Verina
File:Interstat 61.jpg|cover of issue #61, Ann Crouch
File:Interstat 62.jpg|cover of issue #62, Mike Brown
File:Interstat 63.jpg|cover of issue #63, Sat Kam Kaur Keahey
Image:interstat64.jpg|cover of issue #64, Ann Crouch
Image:interstat65.jpg|cover of issue #65, Chris Grahl
File:Interstat 66.jpg|cover of issue #66, Heather Krause
Image:interstat67.jpg|cover of issue #67, Mike Verina
Image:interstat68.jpg|cover of issue #68, Ann Crouch
Image:interstat69.jpg|cover of issue #69, Mike Brown
Image:interstat70.jpg|cover of issue #70, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat71.jpg|cover of issue #71, Chris Grahl
Image:interstat72.jpg|cover of issue #72, Eric Stillwell
Image:interstat73.jpg|cover of issue #73, Merle Decker
Image:interstat74.jpg|cover of issue #74, Nan Lewis
Image:interstat75.jpg|cover of issue #75, Ann Crouch
Image:interstat76.jpg|cover of issue #76, Mike Brown
File:Interstat77.jpg|cover of issue #77
Image:interstat78.jpg|cover of issue #78, Chris Grahl
Image:interstat79.jpg|cover of issue #79, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat80.jpg|cover of issue #80, Merle Decker
Image:interstat81.jpg|cover of issue #81, Mike Brown
Image:interstat82.jpg|cover of issue #82 
Image:interstat83.jpg|cover of issue #83, Nan Lewis 
Image:interstat84.jpg|cover of issue #84, Fanti Dovener
Image:interstat85.jpg|cover of issue #85, Ann Crouch
Image:interstat86.jpg|cover of issue #86, Chris Grahl
Image:interstat87.jpg|cover of issue #87, Fanti Dovener
Image:interstat88.jpg|cover of issue #88, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat89.jpg|cover of issue #89, Merle Decker
Image:interstat90.jpg|cover of issue #90, Mike Brown
Image:interstat91.jpg|cover of issue #91, Nan Lewis
Image:Interstat 92.jpg|cover of issue #92, Fanti Dovener
Image:interstat93.jpg|cover of issue #93, Mike Brown
Image:interstat94.jpg|cover of issue #94, Chris Grahl
Image:interstat95.jpg|cover of issue #95, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat96.jpg|cover of issue #96, Merle Decker
Image:interstat97.jpg|cover of issue #97, Mike Brown
Image:interstat98.jpg|cover of issue #98, Nan Lewis
Image:interstat99.jpg|cover of issue #99, Fran Dovener
Image:interstat100.jpg|cover of issue #100 Chris Grahl 
Image:interstatart.jpg|cover of issue #101, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat102.jpg|cover of issue #102, Merle Decker
Image:interstat103.jpg|cover of issue #103, Mike Brown
Image:Interstat104.jpg|cover of issue #104, Fanti Dovener 
Image:interstat105.jpg|cover of issue #105, Nan Lewis 
Image:interstat106.jpg|cover of issue #106, Fran Dovener
Image:Interstat107.jpg|cover of issue #107 
Image:interstat108.jpg|cover of issue #108, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat109.jpg|cover of issue #109, Karen A. Bates
Image:Interstat110.jpg|cover of issue #110, Mike Brown
Image:interstat111.jpg|cover of issue #111, Merle Decker
Image:interstat112.jpg|cover of issue #112, Fanti Dovener
Image:Interstat113.jpg|cover of issue #113, Fran Dovener 
Image:interstat114.jpg|cover of issue #114, Nan Lewis
Image:interstat115.jpg|cover of issue #115, Pat Horowitz
Image:Interstat116.jpg|cover of issue #116, Merle Decker
Image:interstat117-118.jpg|cover of issue #117/118, Mike Brown 
Image:Interstat119.jpg|cover of issue #119, Fran Dovener
Image:interstat120.jpg|cover of issue #120
Image:interstat121-122.jpg|cover of issue #121/122, M.S. Murdock
Image:interstat123.jpg|cover of issue #123, Nan Lewis
Image:interstat124.jpg|cover of issue #124, Pat Horowitz
Image:interstat125.jpg|cover of issue #125, Fran Dovener
Image:interstat126.jpg|cover of issue #126, Mike Brown
Image:interstat127-128.jpg|cover of issue #127/128, Lana Brown
Image:interstat129-130.jpg|cover of issue #129/130, Pat Horowitz
Image:interstat131-132.jpg|cover of issue #131/132, Nan Lewis
Image:interstat133.jpg|cover of issue #133, Vel Jaeger
Image:interstat134.jpg|cover of issue #134, Fanti Dovener
Image:interstat135.jpg|cover of issue #135, Mike Brown
Image:interstat136.jpg|cover of issue #136, Vel Jaeger --Wesley Crusher
Image:interstat137.jpg|cover of issue #137, Vel Jaeger
Image:interstat138.jpg|cover of issue #138, Pat Horowitz
Image:interstat139.jpg|cover of issue #139, Mike Brown --portrait of Harve Bennett
Image:interstat140.jpg|cover of issue #140
Image:interstat141-142.jpg|cover of issue #141/142
Image:interstat143.jpg|cover of issue #143, Mike Brown
Image:interstat144.jpg|cover of issue #144, Vel Jaeger
Image:interstat145.jpg|cover of issue #145
Image:interstat146.jpg|cover of issue #146, Vel Jaeger
Image:interstat147.jpg|cover of issue #147
Image:interstat148.jpg|cover of issue #148, Nan Lewis -- Spock and a cat
Image:interstat149.jpg|cover of issue #149
Image:interstat150.jpg|cover of issue #150, Mike Brown
Image:interstat151-152.jpg|cover of issue #151/152
==References==
Category:Star Trek TOS Non-fiction Zines
Category:Star Trek TNG Zines
Category:1977 Zines
Category:1970s Zines
Category:1980s Zines
Category:1990s Zines