The Premise and How STAR TREK Fans Created Fanfic as We Know It
For this week's Trek Tuesday , we're exploring how Franchise fanfic (including queer fanfic) paved the way for all of the fanfic we enjoy today.
Cover art: by Margaret Domenick for Spockanalia. Fan Fiction
Today, fan fiction, or 'fanfic,' is a popular way for fans to express their affection for their favorite works of published and onscreen fiction. Thanks to the internet, fanfic writers have been able to widely share their stories with other fans hungry for the same content.
Releasing a professional movie, show or prose story requires the approval of many individuals and organizations. This can result in the avoidance of certain topics that might be considered 'taboo' or 'controversial' by some (often very outspoken) individuals. Unfortunately, this means that LGBTQ+ representation is often left out of commercially released stories. However, one of the benefits of fanfic is that anyone with internet access can modify their favorite commercially released stories to include queer rep.
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Fanfic can mix together characters from different properties, rewrite continuity to better suit the individual creating the story and lead to innovative storytelling that feels different from any story that is commercially released. This can include veering into full-on 'adult content' territory. But fanfic doesn't have to be 'adult' in nature. For one example, fanfic can offer stories where beloved characters never died earlier in the series. And in some cases, fanfic simply offers additional stories that fit the tone and continuity of the commercially released stories on which it is based.
The prehistory of fanfic traces its origins back to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. However, modern fanfic cites its foundations in the fandom we all know and love: Star Trek. Spockanalia
The origins of Star Trek fanfiction, and thus modern fanfiction as we know it, came from the pages of Spockanalia. This Franchise fanzine was first published in September 1967. It was edited by Devra Langsam and Sherna Comerford. Over the course of three years, five issues of Spockanalia were published. It included fanfic stories, poetry, fanart and commentary. Because of this last inclusion, this very column is a descendant of Spockanalia as well.
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Furthermore, the Vulcan term 'Ni Var' originated in a story included in the first issue of Spockanalia. This was the lyrics for 'The Territory of Rigel' by Dorothy Jones Heydt, which was meant to be a song written by Spock. Decades later, Ni'Var became Star Trek canon in the Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 episode 'Unification III.'
Spockanalia had a significant effect on the Franchise. Many of those behind the scenes of Star Trek: The Original Series were aware of the fanzine. In fact, the likes of Great Bird of the Galaxy Gene Roddenberry and writer and script coordinator Dorothy Catherine 'D.C.' Fontana were among those who acknowledged the existence of Spockanalia. And according to many scholars, the fanfic that appeared in Spockanalia is the forerunner for all of the fanfic that populates the internet today. The Premise
While Spockanalia included some Star Trek fanfic, it did not include any stories that depicted Spock and Kirk in a romantic relationship. However, this subset of Franchise fanfic stories soon became one of the most popular types available.
This type of fanfic is known by many names. These include 'Spirk,' a portmanteau of the two characters' names. Another is 'K/S,' which has led to the term 'slash fiction,' which now describes any fanfic that pairs two characters romantically. And one of the oldest terms for Kirk and Spock fanfic is 'the premise.'
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Although Sprik has been heavily discussed for almost as long as Star Trek has existed, interest in the topic remains high. Surveying any online Star Trek space, you can easily locate Trekkies discussing the topic today.
True, a romantic relationship with Spock and Kirk may not be canon. At least not yet — you've got a chance here, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. However, the premise lives on through a plethora of fanfic and discussion among Trekkies.
STAR TREK: 5 Alternate Lives Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, StarTrek.com, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
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