Starlog (magazine)

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Starlog was a monthly print magazine devoted to science fiction film and television and was conceived in 1976 by Norman Jacobs and Kerry O'Quinn. David Houston, who came up with the concept with O'Quinn, became an editor for the magazine as well as a contributor with numerous articles and interviews. Originally published under the imprint "O'Quin Studios, Inc.", it was later accommodated in "Starlog Press" as the founders started to bring more publications into the mix, starting in 1979 with the horror/fantasy orientated magazine Fangoria. According to the web-master of The Starlog Project, their original intent was to put out a one-shot magazine covering Star Trek: The Original Series. On the urging of their distributor the magazine was enhanced with articles about other genre productions to make it appealing to a more general public. Still, its first issue, dated August 1976, featured The Original Series on its cover and over the years the magazine remained Star Trek heavy with frequently published Star Trek-related articles, features and interviews. Given the founder's original intention and the fact that it was launched shortly before its conception, coverage of Star Trek: The Motion Picture was particularly heavy.

The formula caught on with the readership, and within two years the magazine was upgraded from a quarterly magazine to a monthly magazine. Apart from being one of the earliest specific genre publications, Starlog has also been one of the longest running, outliving its contemporary Cinefantastique by three years.

In order to dampen the heavy Star Trek nature of the magazine, it was decided to split off the majority of the coverage for Star Trek from 1987 onward, when the spin-off television series went into production, into a number of officially endorsed "Official Star Trek Magazine" series publications, The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine, The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine, and The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine, each running for several years, with a couple of movie feature one-shots to boot.

As with the other publications of Starlog Press, Starlog, where its behind-the-scenes features were concerned, was notable for the reproduction of production material (quite often made available by the production staff themselves), rarely seen afterwards. Nevertheless, as far as Star Trek was concerned, Starlog, nor its "official" spin-offs, never quite achieved the wealth and the depth of the later 1990s volumes of Cinefantastique, a bit ironically perhaps, considering the original intent of the founders. Yet, what Starlog did do that set them somewhat apart, was giving attention to the more peripheral contributors to the franchise, such as guest actors, directors, writers, and people like novelization authors, as well as to lesser known production staffers and companies, that were rarely, if at all referred to in other publications covering the franchise

In April 2009, Starlog decided to temporarily discontinue publication of the magazine in a print format with its most recent issue (#374), choosing to go exclusively into digital format at "Starlog.com". When that site shut down, contents were accommodated on the website of its sister publication Fangoria.

Future Life

Very early on, from 1978 onward, real-world space exploration related articles were included as background articles for illustrative purposes. This gave O'Quinn and Jacobs the idea to launch a sister magazine Future Life that broached the subject from the opposite site of the spectrum; real world space exploration articles, lightened up with articles stemming from the realm of science fiction film and television. The magazine, featuring interviews with real world scientists such as Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clark, launched in April 1978 as a (bi-)monthly publication. The publication did not enjoy as near a success as it sister publication had, and publication ceased after 31 issues in December 1981, with a special released in October 2006, on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek. Three issues of the regular run, issues 9 (March 1979), 16 (January 1980) and 17 (March 1980), contained Star Trek-related material. The web-master of the above mentioned The Starlog Project has, nevertheless, cited accessibility, humaneness, being less dry, and realism as the strong points of the publication. [1]

Notable issues

As stated, Starlog has been very heavy on Star Trek throughout its entire run. However in many cases, content was restricted to short editorials, reviews, announcements and columns by staff writers. Listed below are those issues that contained larger and more in-depth articles and interviews.

Issues 1-50

Issue	Cover	Contents
1, August 1976		"Star Trek, Past, Present and Future", David Houston, pp. 22-26 "Special Collector's Section: Star Trek in Color", pp. 27-42 "The Conventions as Asimov Sees Them", Isaac Asimov, p. 43 "William Shatner; Shakespeare to the Stars", Kirsten Russell, pp. 44-47 "Leonard Nimoy; The Man Between the Ears", I.K.Lindquist, pp. 48-51 "Complete Guide To Star Trek Episodes", pp. 52-63
2, November 1976		"Two men in one: Gene Roddenberry", Kez Howard, pp. 10-12 "The Star Trek movie: It's untitled, unwritten, and uncast-but it's about to go into orbit!", Jim Burns, p. 13 "Famous Trekkies- What they say about STAR TREK", pp. 14-15
3, January 1977		"Nasa unveils the Enterprise", p. 7 "The Star Trek Bi-centennial-10 Convention" (Special section), Joan Winston, Jim Burns, others, pp. 24-39
4, March 1977		"Arena", Fredric Brown, pp. 34-47 (original text with stills from the Star Trek episode)
6, June 1977		"To the Limits of the Imagination: Animating Star Trek", Malcolm C. Klein, pp. 43-47 "Complete Episode Guide: Star Trek Animated", Bjo Trimble (from the Star Trek Concordance), pp. 48-51 "Star Trek report", Susan Sackett, pp. 58-59 (First of her "reports", continued throughout every consecutive issue until issue 29)
9, October 1977		"William Shatner: Move Right Along", David Houston, pp. 46-48 "Star Trek Report", Susan Sackett, p. 50 "The Magical Techniques of Movie and TV Special Effects, Part IV: Magicam", David Houston, pp. 62-69
12, March 1978		"The Making of Star Trek II; A Conversation with Gene Roddenberry", Susan Sackett, pp. 24-29 "Star Trek Report", Susan Sackett, p. 30 "Special Report on the (New) Enterprise", David Hutchison, p. 31
17, October 1978		"Man of Light & Vision: Ralph McQuarrie", David Houston, pp. 36-41, 70 (includes work done on Star Trek: Planet of the Titans) "Gene Roddenberry:Star Trek - The Motion Picture", Joe Bonham (pseudonym for Ed Naha), pp. 42-43 "Star Trek Report", Susan Sackett, p. 55
As Future Life 9, March 1979		"The Remaking of Star Trek", Charles Bogle, pp. 28-29, 64
24, July 1979		"Star Trek Report", Susan Sackett, p. 31 "William Shatner", Barbara Lewis, pp. 32-33 "Star Trek" (color section), pp. 48-49 "Leonard Nimoy: He Is Spock", Barbara Lewis, pp. 66-69
25, August 1979		note: with Star Trek poster "Star Trek Report", Susan Sackett, pp. 24, 46 "Mike Minor: Illustrating the Future", David Hutchison, pp. 32-35, 61 "Lighting the Enterprise", Brick Price & Corey Faucher, pp. 38-39 "Progress Report: Star Trek The Motion Picture", Barbara Lewis, pp. 46-48 "SFX Special Effects, Part XIX: Careers, Chapter 3: Frank van der Veer", David Hutchison, pp. 56-60
27, October 1979		"The Model Makers at Magicam", David Houston, pp. 26-30 "Filming the Klingon's Destruction", Susan Sackett, p. 31
30, January 1980		"Director Robert Wise Talks about the Changes and Challenges of Star Trek: The Motion Picture", David Houston, pp. 16-21 "Chekov's Enterprise, Part I", Walter Koenig, pp. 28-33 "Rumblings: The Bottom line", David Gerrold, pp. 37, 63 "Production Designer Harold Michelson; Visualizing the New Star Trek", David Houston, pp. 42-46
31, February 1980		"Rumblings: Captain Kirk Surrenders", David Gerrold, pp. 23-24 "Chekov's Enterprise, Part II", Walter Koenig, pp. 28-31, 63
As Future Life 16, February 1980	File:Future Life issue 16 cover.JPG	"Star Trek The Motion Picture: A Phenomena Comes of Age", Ed Naha, pp. 18-25, 66
32, March 1980		"STAR TREK illustrator Maurice Zuberano - Imaging the V'Ger", David Houston, pp. 17-19 "Andy Probert Talks about the Lost Designs of Star Trek The Motion Picture", David Houston, pp. 26-33, 63 "Chekov's Enterprise, Part III", Walter Koenig, pp. 57-61
As Future Life 17, March 1980	File:Future Life issue 17 cover.JPG	note: cover, and interior art by Rick Sternbach "Lee Cole: Designing the 23rd Century", Ed Naha, pp. 44-47, 81
33, April 1980		"The Origins of Star Trek's Wormhole", Jesko von Puttkamer, p. 25 "Fan Scene: Introducing Bjo", Bjo Trimble, p. 29 "Bob Fletcher: Costume Designer, Outfitting the Crew of the Enterprise", Karen E. Willson, pp. 48-53, 71 "Ellisons reviews Trek", Harlan Ellison, pp. 60-63 "Star Trek: The Comic Book", Jim Burns, p. 64
36, July 1980		"Nichelle Nichols: Open All Hailing Frequencies", Karen E. Willson, pp. 24-28
37, August 1980		"An Interview with Star Trek's Deltan Navigator, Persis Khambatta", Karen E. Willson, pp. 48-52
38, September 1980		"Greg Jein: Inside the Mothership", David Hutchinson, pp. 18-22 "An Candid Conversation with a "Simple Country Doctor": De Forrest Kelly", Karen E. Willson, pp. 26-29 "Fan Scene: Aliens invade L.A.", Bjo Trimble, p.71
39, October 1980		"An Interview with Fred Freiberger" (on TOS Season 3), Nike Clark & Bill Cotter, pp. 49-52
40, November 1980		"Fan Scene: Ideas about Ideas" (on the earliest reference books, Bjo Trimble, p. 21, 61 "An Interview with Gene Roddenberry: The Man behind the Myth", Karen E. Willson, pp. 43-47 "An Interview with Fred Freiberger, Part II" (on his other work), Nike Clark & Bill Cotter, pp. 58-61
42, January 1981		"Rumblings: The Good Guys", David Gerrold, p. 23 "Mark Lenard, Star Trek's other Alien", Alan Brender, pp. 24-27 "Fan Scene: Equicon Filmcon Nostalgia", Bjo Trimble, p. 61
47, June 1981		"George Takei: Part I", Jim Burns, pp. 36-39, 62 "SFX, Part XXXVII: Star Trek-The Motion Picture Props", David Hutchinson, pp. 57-61
49, August 1981		"George Takei: Part II", James N. Burns, pp. 44-47

Issues 51-100

Issue	Cover	Contents
51, October 1981		"William Shatner Part I: The Once & Future Kirk", Steve Swires, pp. 18-20 "Gene Roddenberry: The Years between, The Years Ahead", Jeff Szalay, pp. 36, 40-42, 60 "Jerry Goldsmith", Sam Maronie, pp. 52-54
52, November 1981		"William Shatner Part II: 'I am Kirk", Steve Swires, pp. 44-46
53, December 1981		"Gene Winfield", James Van Hise, pp. 26-29, 64
54, January 1982		"The 'Star Trek' Bloopers, Part I", James Van Hise, pp. 48-49 (series continued in issues 55-56, 58)
56, March 1982		"Fan Scene: Being Atmosphere in ST:TMP", Bjo Trimble, pp. 26-27, 64 "The 'Star Trek' Bloopers, Part 3", James Van Hise, pp. 50-51
59, June 1982		note: with Star Trek poster "The Young and the Weightless", Ed Haha, pp. 30-33, 64 (on Kirstie Alley and Merritt Butrick in what was then still called "Star Trek: The Vengeance of Khan") "Fan Scene: My Part in the Second 'Star Trek' Film", Bjo Trimble, pp. 46-47
60, July 1982		"The Re-Making of Star Trek", Ed Haha, pp. 18-23 "SFX, Part XLII: The Matte Artist: An Interview with Albert Whitlock", David Hutchison, pp. 81-84
61, August 1982		"The Re-Making of Star Trek, Part II", Ed Haha, pp. 16-20 "Checking in with Chekov: Walter Koenig on Star Trek II", Steve Swires, pp. 22-24 "Soaring: Where Nomad Has Gone Before", David Gerrold, pp. 41-42, 65
62, September 1982		"The Charm of Khan: An Interview with Ricardo Montalban", Robert Greenberger, pp. 16-20, 65 "Where Have You Gone Gene Roddenberry?", Walter Koenig, pp. 21-23 "Fan Scene: Hollywood Answers Its Fan Mail", Bjo Trimble, pp. 26-27 "Jimmy Doohan", Robert Greenberger, pp. 43-44, 64 "Soaring: The Transformation of Spock (Part 2)", David Gerrold, pp. 58-59
63, October 1982		"James Horner, New Melodies for the Starship 'Enterprise'", Ton Sciacca, pp. 22-23 "Soaring: Star Trek Too?", David Gerrold, pp. 24-26 "Leonard Nimoy", Jeff Szalay, pp. 30-34, 65
64, November 1982		"Behind the Genesis Effect", David Hutchison, pp. 17-21 "The Star Trek Experience", David Gerrold, pp. 40-43 "Ultimate Fantasy Report", Martha J. Bonds, pp. 84-93 "From My Eyes Only", Kerry O'Quinn, pp. 94-96
66, January 1983		"Hollywood Babylon: Beauty and the Business", Ed Naha, pp. 22-23 (on Laura Banks and Nancy Rogers, Khan's female crew members)
67, February 1983		"Jack Sowards, The Man Who Killed Mr. Spock", Lee Goldberg, pp. 22-25 "Painting a New World for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", David Hutchinson, pp. 50-54 "Soaring: The Fan Who Molded Himself", David Gerrold, pp. 56-58
68, March 1983		"Harve Bennett, Beauty and Death in the World of 'Star Trek'", Martha J. Bonds, pp. 46-49
71, June 1983		"Judson Scott, The Phoenix Rises from the Ashes", Martha Bonds, pp. 14-15 "The Future is for Rent", James Duward, pp. 22-23 (on prop company Modern Props, Inc., who provided services for Star Trek II, albeit uncredited)
72, July 1983		"William Shatner, Schizoid Superstar", Ed Naha, pp. 50-53 "Through a Glass Lightly", Ed Naha, pp. 62-65, 87 (on SFX company Zenon Co., credited as Sam Nicholson for ST:TMP)
80, March 1984		"On the Set of 'Star Trek III'", Robert Greenberger, pp. 43-46
81, April 1984		note: with Star Trek poster "Alan Dean Foster, Master of Novelization", William B. Thompson, pp. 51-53, 67 "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, An Exclusive", David Gerrold, pp. 56-57
82, May 1984		"Christopher Lloyd, Call Him Klingon", Lee Goldberg, pp. 20-23
83, June 1984		"Robin Curtis in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock", Sal Manna, pp. 19-22 "A Universe Not Your Own: Writing Novelizations and Tie-Ins", Ann Crispin, pp. 41-43
84, July 1984		"Leonard Nimoy, Directing Star Trek III", Steve Swires, pp. 17-21
85, August 1984		"Dame Judith Anderson, What Becomes a Legend Most", Jan Goldberg, pp. 34-36
86, September 1984		"Mark Lenard, Father to Spock", Patrick Daniel O'Neill, pp. 30-31, 34
87, October 1984		"DeForrest Kelley Remembers 'Star Trek'", Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier & Julius Fabrini, pp. 18-20, 67
88, November 1984		"DeForrest Kelley, He's an Actor, Not a Doctor, Part II'", Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier & Julius Fabrini, pp. 22-23 "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Reviewed", Howard Weinstein, Arthur C. Clarke, A.C. Crispin, pp. 33-37
91, February 1985		"Walter Koenig, American Actor, Heroic Russian", Martha J. Bonds, pp. 40-41
94, May 1985		"James Doohan, Always on the Beam", Jim George & J. Cat McDowell, pp. 27-29
95, June 1985		"Merritt Butrick, The Search for David", Anthony Timpone, pp. 28-29, 72
100, November 1985		"Inside Gene Roddenberry's Head", Kerry O'Quinn, pp. 18-20 "Leonard Nimoy, Preparing 'Star Trek IV'", Steve Swires, pp. 54-56 "Nichelle Nichols, An Officer and a Heroine", Robert Greenberger, pp. 66-68

Issues 101-150

note:This list is currently incomplete.

Issue	Cover	Contents
106, May 1986		"Leonard Nimoy: A View from the Bridge", Steve Swires, pp. 52-54, 64, 74
107, June 1986		"Alexander Courage and the Music of "Star Trek"", Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier, pp. 16-18
112, November 1986		"The Hit and Myth of "Star Trek"", Allan Asherman, p. 23 "The Writers of Star Trek", Edward Gross, pp. 36-37 "Gilbert Ralston: Mourning for Adonais", p. 36 "Art Wallace: An "Obsession" with "Assignment: Earth"", p. 37 "In salute; William Shatner", Dan Madsen, pp. 44-45, 85 "At the salute; Leonard Nimoy", pp. 46-47, 85 "At the salute; DeForrest Kelly", pp. 48-49, 87 "In salute; James Doohan", Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier, pp.50-51 "In salute; George Takei", John Adcox, pp. 52-53, 87 "At the salute; Nichelle Nichols", pp. 54-55, 88 "At the salute; Walter Koenig", pp. 56-57, 88 "The Novel Adventures of "Star Trek"", Robert Greenberger, pp. 63-67 "From the Notes of "Charlie Star Trek"", Charles Washburn, pp. 69-73 "On Location; "Star Trek IV"", Gigi Porter
132, July 1988		"Special Effects: The Next Generation", David Hutchison, pp. 54-57, 77 "Video Log: Final Treks Launched", David Hutchinson, p.89 "The Guest of Trek", Bill Florence, pp. 92-93 "Lieutenant Who?", Kathleen M. Gooch, p. 93
146, September 1989		"James Doohan: Daredevil of the Skies", Kathryn M. Drennan, pp. 53-56, 58 "George Takei: Real Anticipations, Eternal Frustrations", Ian Spelling, pp. 59-62