Pushin' the Odds

Pushin' the Odds is a 150-page gen and slash Starsky and Hutch anthology. The art is by Freda Hyatt, Susan Wyllie, Casey, Jeff Dixon, Ruth Kurz, Maureen Burnside and Chris Ripley. 
The first (only?) print run was 300.
==Submission Requests==
The first ad asking for submissions was in S and H #31 in April 1982: "'Pushin' the Odds' is alive and well and under new management. Wanted: stories, poetry, artwork about what happens to S&H after "Sweet Revenge." Quality only to count, all themes welcomed, security guaranteed."
From an ad in Universal Translator #20: "What happens to Starsky and Hutch after the last episode? Plenty! Some S/H material."
==The Unique Production: A Zine to Be Read Through a Red Piece of Plastic==
In the end, the slash stories were printed in blue ink on a reddish background. The zine came with a sheet of red plastic the reader was to put over the page to make it legible. The editor also required a signed "statement of compliance," numbered the copies, and used coded hole-punches on the pages, supposedly to identify the purchaser of any copy that "fell into unauthorized hands." These machinations were all an attempt to keep the zine, one of the first slash fanworks, from being dispersed and read by those (including some fans who'd threatened to send it to the studio and other TPTB) who were not supporters and would do the genre harm.
A fan in 2004 said: 
 File:Pushingodds redpage.jpg| example of one of the red pages. Artist: Marie A. 
 Image:oddsholepunch.jpg| example of one of the coded hole punch; this issue was Joanna Russ' copy
Image:pushincompliance.jpg|the editor's demand for a "statement of compliance"
In 2017, Leslie Fish said in an interview: 
==Background: Slash and Fear of Exposure==
When this zine was published, there was much fan discussion of slash -- legality, censorship, the underground nature of the genre, cliques, TPTB, fear, violating the fourth wall, and defiance. Most of this discussion took place over the phone, in private letters between fans, and at cons. Some of these conversations, of courses, spilled onto the pages of the letterzine of the time, S and H.
In December 1981, Code 7 was in limbo, a proposed slash zine had been canceled, and Trace Elements was in the works. See Code 7, Trace Elements, and some issues of S and H for more on this topic.
Leslie Fish, the editor of "Pushin' the Odds," wrote a controversial LoC in response to what she felt was a retreat by some fans to publish what they wished. The letter generated many responses, some of which are excerpted here. 
The original letter from Leslie Fish:
 
Some responses:
 
 
 
 
==A Proposed Zine by the Same Title==
Note: a gen zine by this title had asked for submissions in very early 1981. Issue #22 of S and H had an announcement that the fan, [D D], had cancelled it due to time constraints and her professional life.
==Contents==
From the editorial: 
Summaries in parenthesis are from the title page:
* Code Blue, poem by Frannie Moore-Kyle ("a hospital death-watch") (gen) (3)
* The Only One, fiction by Donna Hutt ("between worlds, Starsky meets Terry again") (gen) (4)
* The Ferryman's Fee, poem by Franny Moore-Kyle, poem ("thoughts on considering the death of a best friend") (gen) (8)
* Waiting, poem by Susan Wyllie ("the title says it all") (gen) (10)
* Loser, fiction by Theresa Librande ("after the shooting; Hutch on the edge of giving up") (gen) (11)
* Like Lazarus, poem by Pat Massie ("for Starsky; walking away from the tomb") (gen) (16)
* One More Time of Almost, fiction by Susan Wyllie ("on getting out alive") (gen) (17)
* Double Dutch, fiction by Roberta Rogow ("Starsky and Hutch meet Cagney and Lacey") (crossover with Cagney and Lacey) (gen) (19)
* Sweet Revenge Quartet, fiction by Pat Massie ("matching feelings on escaping the Reaper") (gen) (37)
* Echoes, Part One of Three, fiction by Nancy S. Hopson ("back in action, Starsky meets the LA Creeper") (gen) (39)
* Walls, poem by Delaineh ("considering how to keep your friend safe when it's impossible") (gen) (79)
* Jive Talkin, poem by Billie Phillips ("telling deep secrets to the bartender") (slash) (80)
* Over the Line, fiction by Harriett Stallings (dark revelations hinted to a self-deafened ear") (slash) (81)
* Little Boy Blue, fiction by Sue-Anne Hartwick ("a simple statement of loving") (gen) (93)
* Fall With Lucifer, fiction by Jennie Mai Butkis ("sequel to a grim tale ["Requiem"] in Code 7 #1, 'Starsky learns'") (slash) (94)
* The Beginning of "We", poem by Susan Wyllie ("a happier, wiser homecoming") (slash) (137)
* Coming Home, poem by Susan Wyllie ("shortly thereafter, Starsky point of view") (gen) (140)
* Velvet Forever, poem by Sue-Anne Hartwick ("a nightmare with a happy ending") (slash) (142)
* Fountain of Sorrow, fiction by Eileen Roy (partner rape) ("another version of the Infamous Brass Bed Story" (Note: this is a rebuttal fic, see "Surrender" in Strokes) (slash) (143)
* The Wish, poem by Sue-Anne Hartwick ("another soliloquy on safety, freedom and happiness") (slash) (149)
* Don't DO That!, poem by Leslie Fish ("fun and games in the Torino") (slash) (150)
==Gallery==
Image:pushingtheoddsmariea2.jpg|interior art by Marie A
Image:pushingtheoddsburnside2.jpg|interior art by T.J. Burnside
Image:pushingtheoddsfreda1.jpg|interior art by Freda Hyatt
Image:pushingtheoddslacy.jpg|interior art (Lacey by Susan Wyllie) for "Double Dutch"
Image:pushingtheoddscagney.jpg|interior art (Cagney by Susan Wyllie) for "Double Dutch"
Image:pushingtheoddsfreda2.jpg|interior art by Freda Hyatt
Image:pushingtheoddsmariea.jpg|interior art by Marie A
Image:pushingtheoddsburnside.jpg|interior art by T.J. Burnside
Image:pushinone.jpg|frontispiece, editor's statement regarding "statement of compliance", art by Ruth Kurz
Image:pushin2.jpg|interior art by Freda Hyatt
Image:pushin4.jpg|interior art by Casey
Image:pushin5.jpg|interior, slash poem in red
Image:pushin6.jpg|interior art by Chris Ripley
Image:pushin7.jpg|interior art by Susan Wyllie
Image:pushin3.jpg|interior, sample text, gen story 
Image:pushin8.jpg|interior, sample text, slash story 
 Image:Pushingtheoddskurz.jpg| last page in zine, art by Ruth Kurz
==Reactions and Reviews==
 
1983: 
 
1984: 
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1986: 
 
1987: 
==References==
Category:Starsky & Hutch Gen Zines
Category:Starsky & Hutch Slash Zines
Category:1983 Zines