Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Starlog Project: Starlog #90, January 1985: Hide the Womenfolk, It's Gene Simmons!

Gene Simmons and his band KISS would have a long relationship with Starlog. Simmons, apparently a science-fiction fan, is interviewed in this issue about his role in the movie Runaway. In the 1990s, Starlog Group would publish a number of official KISS special magazines. KISS (or at least its record company) was one of the first advertisers in Starlog magazine a number of years earlier. Anyway, he's back, freaky long tongue and all.

Starlog publishes its annual postal statement of ownership and circulation this month. The total paid circulation for the issue closest to the statement's filing deadline is listed as 190,699 (down from last year's 227,420), including the number of paid subscriptions of 13,408 (down from 18,100 last time).

Starlog #90
70 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.95

The Peter Hyams-directed sequel 2010 takes center stage, grabbing the cover spot of Starlog #90. And page 59 is a big ad for Starlog's official 2010 movie magazine (which, for the record, has a pretty cool cover). Also this issue, the two-page foldout poster is officially redubbed just "Poster" (as opposed to the "Science Fiction Classic Poster" or "Fantasy Classic Poster), so that saved the editors a lot of typing time each month. It features the classic Silent Running this month.

The rundown: Kerry O'Quinn's From the Bridge column is another "Grab Bag Notes," with comments on his new intern, the North By Northwest soundtrack album that O'Quinn produced, Isaac Asimov's visit to his office, and more; Communications letters include feedback on SupergirlConan the Destroyer, Sheena and Greystoke, a quick thank-you from Muppet-meister Jim Henson, and more; short news items in Log Entries include Robert Greenberger on the box office performance of genre films in 1984 (Ghostbusters and the Indy sequel were tops), David McDonnell on a V comic book from DC, a roundup of SF books from Chris Henderson, and more.

Chris Henderson interviews actor Joe Morton, star of John Sayles' The Brother from Another Planet; Lee Goldberg interviews actor Roy Scheider, star of 2010; Brian Lowry interviews screenwriter Stanley Mann (Conan the Destroyer, Firestarter); Lee Goldberg talks with Ewok Adventure director John Korty;  David Gerrold's column worries about "A Dilemma for Gods"; Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier interview Dune's Dean Stockwell; Adam Pirani talks with Jeannot Szwarc, director of Supergirl; Richard Robinson interviews KISS star Gene Simmons; Robet Greenberger interviews actress Karen Allen of Starman; Mike Clark interviews actor Michael Ironside of V; Edward Summer recounts the life and history of Pinocchio; and Howard Zimmerman talks 2001 and 2010 in his Lastword column.
"I used to publish my own magazine, Cosmos ... with the mimeograph machine down in the basement. It used to elicit letters from professionals. I got a letter from Isaac Asimov commenting on the magazine. Jack Gaughan, a famous illustrator for Amazing Stories, would write letters. Many of the guys who wrote in at the time as fans went on to become professionals. Fred Clarke used to contribute and he went on to publish Cinefantastique. And there was Marv Wolfman, who now writes for DC Comics."
–Gene Simmons, singer/actor, interviewed by Richard Robinson: "Gene Simmons: A Famous Monster Turns to Science"
To view previous Starlog issue descriptions, click on "Starlog Internet Archive Project" in the keywords below or visit the Starlog Project's permanent home.

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