David

Star Trek fan

Umm, we’re on the same side of the fence here! Go back and look at many of the ST Comm. magazine interviews we did with actors, writers, etc. the last 2-3 years. We got to where we tried to get the personal pics for diversity. Photoshoots for each interview are not only expensive, but were impractical many times–but we could also fold in either personal pics, or exclusive “civillian” glam shots, etc. We got to where we insisted on it if at all possible. But the days of the REALLY old Starlog “official mags” with stale canned set shots over and over were already long dead.

As for newsstand sales–this actually extended the range of Trek for lay fans. Insiders yes would prefer a membership/subscription with perks, but overall it greatly expanded Trek’s reach once we got to Walmarts and Barnes & Nobles.

And yes, value added perks–always the ideal; reality finances intruded otherwise. A new club model would and will try again on that front.

And the ST: Off. Magazine? Yes, those were expensive, but were the long-sought US market entry promised that amortized the cost of that material (art/tech, not the news bits) that was really done first for the UK’s Official Fact Files partwork weekly magazine seen worldwide EXCEPT in the US. That’s why the STOM ended after 4 yrs–the techie, already done material was used up. That would have been double the per-issue copy (or more) had it started up from scratch as it did; never had enough subs to sustain that level further anyway. Sad but true.

RE: “online-driven, with an annual or semi-annual in print .”

First off, thanks for joining us and providing the info! My thoughts are that what you are suggesting (mostly online content with some exclusive semi-annually published material) sounds like a reasonable deal — as long as those semi-annually published magazines, etc were *fan club exclusives* and not available on newsstands, comic shops or bookstores. I quit subscribing to the former fan club because I could always (since at least 1988) pick up the magazine at my local comic shop. I didn’t see getting a fan club patch as much of an incentive.

If the club is resurrected it should strive to be something exclusive — for the real die-hards. Otherwise it’s no different than any other magazine out there. As for printed content, I *loved* Star Trek: The Magazine that was around during the late late 90s and early 2000s. The book’s design was awful but the content — all of it — was sublime! If the new club offered sporatically-published book or magazine premiums in this vein I’d be all over it!

#31. John_Sullivan brought up the possibility (facetiously I hope?) of ‘nude or semi-nude pictures of the actresses’ which is a bit brazen but it got me thinking — one thing I always disliked about most Trek actor interviews was the fact that the accompanying photos were mostly just their Trek-oriented publicity stills. It always gave the impression that a Trek interview (for Starlog, Communicator, ST: The Magazine, etc) was kinda less important than a “real” interview with, say, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide or any number of other non-Trek publication. Could it hurt to assign a real photographer to do a photoshoot with that actor to accompany said interview? If it is to be an exclusive fan club it’s members should expect and receive exclusive incentives.

I just don’t see the point in it. There already is an ‘official’ (CBS-Paramount approved) Star Trek Magazine — and much of its’ news is already very old by the time of publication.

@28–You are absolutely right on both counts. That’s why, since @ 2002, we were screaming to get online with a Fan Club/Communicator component (limited only by Decipher’s situation), and why our new club model pitches since 2005 were online-driven, with an annual or semi-annual in print . Truth is, web IS best for news and same-ol same-ol interviews… but there are SOME “Keeper” items you want on the shelf, on paper: blueprints, large art specs, large photos, memorial pieces, etc. It should be driven by a “best of (today’s) both worlds” proposition.

Sadly, the coming of digital cameras, and laxness around the set–and great Viacom licensing savvy– let us do a lot more in the in-depth vein the last 2-3 years of Communicator–only to have it all cut off thanks to Decipher’s game industry demise, followed by the flux of the “Viacom divorce” that changed so much re: Trek. But there’s still plenty of Star Trek old and new that’s never seen the light of day or been talked about.

As for now? Let’s see what’s out there …

This response is from the guy who LOVES Dan Madsen to death and thinks Star Trek would have been much better from the get-go if Eugene W. and not Gene would have invented Star Trek. Well, I’m a realist … I don’t even think EWR was born when Star Trek first aired … but Eugene seems to really have a concise and complete understanding of what makes the show so great, without all of those diversions into “the human condition” as if we’re really all that close to Daddy’s unrealistic utopian vision of humanity that borders or crosses the border into a genuine religion.

I am one of the few fans that waived the “refunds” due members when Decipher’s “Star Trek Fan Club” ran into trouble. Said to keep the “dues” as a tip for how much I appreciated the magazines received before the club folded with unpublished but paid-for issues.

Now, as to what the fans want: …

at least this one …

1) Publish nude or semi-nude pictures of the actresses. I was always a little disappointed that we would have to go off-campus to buy FMH or Maxiuum to see Linda Park or Jolene half-naked. If the actresses want to make a name for themselves to further their careers, let’s keep them on the home team.

2) Don’t publish merchandise by and for young fans who have obviously never been on a real date. An example is in a related story where there was a gypsy table set up by some man who obviously has never been on a date trying to sell overpriced merchandise to young geeks who will probably never be on a date. Gamers need to find a new game, if you know what I mean. Humanity can use the increased population on Earth resulting from their decision to boldly go where no Star Trek zealot has gone before … especially as in the future the Klingon and Romulan boys and girls won’t be underpopulated because the males have wasted their lives in fantasy games.

3) Get a little inventive. For instance, get Paris Hilton on board to sit in a lawn chair half-naked to discuss the brilliance of how matter and antimatter can solve the energy crisis.

4) Hire inventive writers. My resume will be on the way as soon as anyone asks for it.