A week or so ago I posted a throwaway question to r/startrek at nearly eleven at night, half expecting it to sink without trace. Would anyone, in 2026, actually want an old-school Star Trek fanzine? A few hours later it had thousands of views and a thread full of replies, and the thing that surprised me wasn’t that people said they’d read one. It was how many said they’d write for it, draw for it, and in one case dig out their mum’s old issues of Spockanalia for it. So the first question is answered. The appetite is real. So this is what comes next.
What we had, and what I miss
I’m 48, which means I caught the tail end of fandom when it still arrived through the letterbox. Before broadband, before forums, before any of us could hit like and move on, fandom ran on photocopied, stapled, lovingly imperfect fanzines. No adverts. No algorithm. Just fans sharing what they loved, arguing about episodes, reviewing the latest novel, showing off their artwork, and generally celebrating Star Trek together on paper you could hold.
The thing about a fanzine was that you sat with it.
You’d make a cup of tea, settle in for an hour, and read the whole thing properly. We’ve got brilliant websites, podcasts, and YouTube channels now, and I spend more time on them than I should. But everything is so fast. A fanzine felt different, and I’ve never quite stopped missing that.
What I’m trying to make
A deliberately old-school Star Trek fanzine. Around twenty to thirty pages to begin with. Simple layout, no adverts, free to download, and maybe printed and posted for a tiny fee that covers the cost and not a penny more. An editorial, an interview, a couple of guest articles, a retrospective, comic and book reviews, some fan art, and a proper letters page. The sort of thing you’d have found on a fan club table next to a box of old VHS tapes and a handful of enamel badges.
I’ve spent a fair bit of my life around this stuff. Years ago I was lucky enough to work as a comic writer and letterer, I’ve written Trek for Daily Star Trek News and edited for STARFLEET, and these days I spend far too much of my spare time building BoldlyTrek. Which is really just a long way of saying I know what goes into putting a publication together, and I’d love to do it again with other fans.
The plan is to have Issue Zero ready towards the end of 2026. I’m calling it Issue Zero on purpose. It’s an experiment. If enough people enjoy making it and reading it, it’ll earn an Issue One. If not, we’ll still have created something worth doing.
It won’t be called BoldlyTrek
The zine will have its own name and its own identity. BoldlyTrek is the workshop it’s being built in, not the badge on the cover. I haven’t settled on the name yet, which means there’s still time for you to help choose it. If something comes to mind, there’s a box for it below, and I’d genuinely love to hear what you’d call it.
Where things stand
The response from fellow Trek fans was far more encouraging than I expected. I’m working out the format and the identity, the name is still open, and I’m quietly gathering the people who want to be part of it. Issue Zero is the goal for later in the year. Everything past that depends on whether the first one is any good, which is exactly how it should be.
If you’d like to be part of it
If any of this stirs something, put your name down below. There’s nothing to send today and no commitment of any kind. I’m not asking for submissions yet, just for a flag so I know you’re out there and can keep you posted as Issue Zero takes shape. Tell me whether you’d like to read it, write for it, contribute art, or lend a hand some other way. Whether that’s a thoughtful essay, an episode or comic review, some artwork, a retrospective, or simply a letter to the editor, there’s room for every kind of fan. And if you’ve a name in mind for the thing, that box is yours too.
Fandom built itself on fanzines long before any of us had broadband. I’d like to find out if there’s still a bit of that left in us.
Going by the response so far, I think there is. I’d love for you to be part of it.
Updates on the project will also be posted here on BoldlyTrek, so even if you’re not ready to sign up, you’ll be able to follow its progress.