Universal Understanding

Universal Understanding is a Star Trek: TOS (with occasional other content) zine of fiction, articles, poetry, and reviews.
==Description==
From a 1980 ad in The Clipper Trade Ship #28: 
==So Much for IDIC!==
These zines trumpet the concept of IDIC in essays and editorials. They contain glowing reviews of Jean Lorrah's adult fiction in Night of the Twin Moons ("...every one is an example of the highest quality of fan fiction one can find. All stories are interesting, fit well within the Star Trek mythos, and show an originality and creativity the Star Trek paperback novels (non-Blish) fail to show." from issue #2 ) as well as an illo in issue #2 of a "girl in a bikini" (replaced later by Yoda!). 
The first issue, however, contains a harsh and shaming scold about K/S zines that is very jarring, and the antithesis of that philosophy: 
==Issue 1==
Universal Understanding 1 was published in January 1980 (copyrighted in 1979) and contains 50 pages. 
This issue has no interior art.
The zine's creator has a review of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization by Gene Roddenberry. A very interesting twist is that the fan's review was written on just the book without having had a chance to see the movie, and notes that the problems in the book may be "cleared up" when he does finally get to see the film. He explains that fans in Ohio on 1980 were at a disadvantage concerning the premiere of Star Trek: The Motion Picture: 
Crawford writes of Trekkies and terminology, and the purpose of the fan club: 
* Introduction by James T. Crawford (3)
* IDIC, essay by James T. Crawford (4)
* Analysis of Star Trek: Conscience of the King, by James T. Crawford (6)
* Analysis of Star Trek: The Corbormite Maneuver, by James T. Crawford (9)
* Star Trek Reviews (sort comments on these for-profit products: "The Official USS Enterprise Officer's Datebook 1980 Desk Calendar," "Star Trek Photos on Cereal Boxes," "Star Trek Make a Game Book," "Star Trek Game," "Make Your Own Costume Book," "Star Trek Speaks," "Star Trek Poster/Mag," "Star Trek Comic Book," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture Novel") by James T. Crawford (11)
* Apathy in Fandom (a combination scold/encouraging essay about lazy fans, public relations and exposure for one's fanac) by James T. Crawford (14)
* Change in Science, article by James T. Crawford (17)
* Life on Other Planets: Numbers and Physical Appearance, article by James T. Crawford (19)
* Star Trek Fanzines / Commentary (25)
** a review very positive review of Night of the Twin Moons, see that page 
** a harsh and shaming scold about K/S zines
* An Approach to the 20th Century: Springboard to the 23rd, article by James T. Crawford (26)
* Book Reviews by James T. Crawford (33)
* Film Reviews by James T. Crawford ("Starcrash" and "Alien" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers")(35)
* Entry 3-7, original science fiction by James T. Crawford (37)
* poetry by James T. Crawford. "Enterprise" and "Vulcans" and "Tribbles" (43)
* Room 305, original science fiction by James T. Crawford (44)
* Cincinnati: R.I.P., original fiction by James T. Crawford (45)
* poetry by James T. Crawford (47)
* classified ads (48)
==Issue 2==
Universal Understanding 2 (v.1 n.2) was published in March 1980 and contains 50 pages.
The art is by Lloyd Lawrence (front cover), Bob Wright (back cover and interior), Tom O'Reily and James T. Crawford (interior).
The article: "Involvement" -- 
* Introduction (1)
* Star Trek: The Motion Picture, a very negative review by James T. Crawford (2)
* Analysis of Star Trek: Who Mourns for Adonis by James T. Crawford (6)
* Analysis of Star Trek: The Enemy Within by James T. Crawford (8)
* Black Holes and Stellar Evolution, article by James T. Crawford (10)
* Wormholes, article by James T. Crawford (16)
* An Interesting Intellectual Exercise, an essay about the pragmatic scientific vs the mystical religious by James T. Crawford (18)
* The Day the Earth Stood Still: Does It Past [sic] the Test of Time? by James T. Crawford (21)
* Involvement (23)
* a reprinted letter to James T. Crawford from the American Astronautical Society thanking the club for the $5 donation (24)
* The Viking Fund, article by James T. Crawford (not listed in the table of contents) (25)
* artwork by Bobby Wright (27)
* An Approach to the 20th Century: Education: Springboard to the 23rd, article by James T. Crawford (28)
* Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris (television movie review) by James T. Crawford (36)
* Movie Review: The Black Hole by James T. Crawford (37)
* Star Trek Reviews (short comments on some blueprints, a punch-out book Mego action figures,and a spaceflight chronology) by James T. Crawford (38)
* Star Trek Memorabilia Reviews (these are actually very short comments/reviews of fanworks by James T. Crawford: 
** The Clipper Trade Ship
**Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans
** Mark Lenard International Fan Club
** T-K Graphics
** April Publications (This was Al Schuster's operation: "I myself have ordered twice from them, and on both times have had severe waits for items, having to write again. Both times I was told the items had been lost in the mail. Two times in a row? They eventually did sent the items but the hassle was not worth it.")
** zines by Jean Lorrah ("I have bought all of them that are still in print and every one is an example of the highest quality of fan fiction one can find. All stories are interesting, fit well within the Star Trek mythos, and show an originality and creativity the Star Trek paperback novels (non-Blish) fail to show. You will be missing out if you do not at least sample her work.") (39)
* And the Earth Shall Be Barren, original science fiction (40)
* "Ode to the Astronauts," poem by James T. Crawford, "For C.S. Lewis," poem by by James T. Crawford, "V'Ger," poem by by James T. Crawford, "Lament," poem by Carol Besco, "Day of Thunder Day of Peace," poem by Carol Besco (41)
* In Silence Dwells the Guardian, original science fiction by James T. Crawford (44)
Image:universalunderstanding1-1.jpg| from issue #2, illo by Bob Wright
Image:universalunderstanding1-2.jpg| from issue #2, poems
Image:universalunderstanding1-3.jpg| from issue #2, illo by Bob Wright (When this issue was reprinted, it did not include this illo. It was replaced instead by an illo of Yoda. From a January 17, 1980 letter from the editor to a fan: "I am pulling the artwork of the girl in the bikini, since that is 1) not really good, and 2) not really UU material. At the time issue 2 was done, I had no other artwork to use at all, which is why I used that, so I'll use your Yoda material to replace it.")
Image:universalunderstanding1-4.jpg| from issue #2, article
==Issue 3==
Universal Understanding 3 (v.1 n.3) was published in June 1980 and contains 52 pages.
All content, except the artwork, is by James T. Crawford. The art is by Lillian Simpson, Bobby Wright, and Lloyd Lawrence.
From the editorial: 
* Peace (1)
* Analysis of the Episode: Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (2)
* artwork by Lillian Simpson (4)
* Analysis of the Episode: Balance of Terror (5)
* art work by Lillian Simpson (8)
* Does Star Trek Have a Philosophy: Part 1 (9)
* Philosophy for the 20th Century: Part 3 (11)
* An Interesting Intellectual Exercise: Part 2 (14)
* Involvement (15)
* Society Members (16)
* What is a Fact? (17)
* Terraforming (20)
* Outer Limits Analysis: The Man Who Was Never Born (22)
* False Dawn: A Review (book by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro) (24)
* Statistics of Interest, relating to science fiction films and box-office numbers (25)
* If They Don't Like It the First Time, Slap on Some Repairs and Maybe They'll Like It the Second Time Around, comments regarding the planned re-edited version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (27)
* artwork by Bobby Wright (28)
* Reviews: the soundtrack to ST:TMP, the soundtrack to "The Black Hole," an LP of "War of the Worlds" with Richard Burton spoken material, other spoken word albums by Caedmon (J.R.R. Tolkien novels, Nimoy doing "War of the Worlds" and "The Martian Chronicles," Shatner doing "Foundation, The Psychohistorians"), also "The Space Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, other short comments about 15 Star Trek non-fiction pro books, lobby cards, and cartoon collections (29)
* Humanoids from the Deep: A Review (33)
* Timespan: An Original Star Trek Story (35)
Image:universalunderstanding3-1.jpg| from issue #3, Lillian Simpson
Image:universalunderstanding3-2.jpg| from issue #3, Bobby Wright
Image:universalunderstanding3-4.jpg| from issue #3, Lloyd Lawrence
==Issue 4==
==Issue 5==
==Issue 6==
==Issue 7==
==Issue 8==
Universal Understanding was published in August 1981 and contains 20 pages. 
The pagination for issue #8 is perplexing. Oddly and without any explanation, the pages skip around. It starts with page 8, then 9-10-30-21-22-23...49-81-82-83-87. 
* An Interesting Intellectual Exercise, Part III
* Paranormality, Part 1, UFOs
* Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, a review of a The Prisoner episode
* Aliens in Science Fiction: Star Trek vs Space:1999, Part II
* The End of Tomorrow, original fiction
* Words, Cry, The Masses, three poems
* The Scientific Outpost on Ganymede, flyer for this zine, June 1981
Category:Star Trek TOS Gen and Het Anthology Zines
Category:1980 Zines