The Third Alternative # 42 - Summer 2005
01/09/2005 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
magazine: UK publisher/editor address: Andy Cox, TTA Press, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2LB. Price: £ 4.00 (UK), $ 7.00(US), $10.00 (CAN). ISSN: 1352-3783. check out website: www.ttapress.com
The most striking aspect of this issue is its cover. As you can see, it hits you straight in the face. Though an image of horror and anguish, it's strangely compelling. Maybe you wouldn't want to be travelling in the train with this in your pocket and maybe you'd be too shocked to buy it from a news-stand, it's that controversial. You'd get it instead through the letterbox where only the postman can gawp at your assumed lack of taste. In our society today, I'd imagine this image is only just acceptable to the general consensus of public morality.
The artwork is by Camille Kuo. If you go into the TTA website you'll find a link which takes you to more of this artist's creations. (Ignore the Japanese symbol download which comes up.) Her work is quite stunning, weird and regardless of whether or not you like it, you'll be affected in some way or another. I'd even suggest that a few would find her work disturbing.
The cover also stands out because it's on good quality glossy paper. The magazine itself isn't stapled but bound together, making it appear more professional than some other publications of this genre but at £4 it's what you would expect. Then, when you open the magazine and look at the editorial, the second big shock comes - this is the last issue of 'The Third Alternative'!
Why? How? Where? What? When? Well, you're suitably informed in the editorial. As you will probably know, the publisher took on 'Interzone' a short time ago and has made a good job of its presentation and proliferation, so much so that it is safely on course for future survival. 'Interzone' has, in marketing terms, a good brand name. While 'The Third Alternative' was doing OK on its own, I think they decided that it should distance itself from 'Interzone' to provide an equally good brand name which was also a separate entity.
'The Third Alternative' was slightly fuzzy at times and some people weren't exactly sure what it was all about. This was because it had Science Fiction content to compete with 'Interzone' but now they're both in the same fleet, this isn't necessary and it can sail along with the other in the choppy and shark-infested seas of the publishing ocean where many others sink without trace.
That's the theory, anyway. After much deliberation and soul searching, the TTA Press people came up with the name 'Black Static'. The title of a short story by Paul Meloy which appeared in issue 40, the name conjured up the qualities they were attempting to grasp for the new look magazine. According to the editorial, the words 'black static' refer to the murmuring of the dead from haunted locations. 'Spurious talk from dark places and if that isn't a good description of fiction writing I don't know what is', TTA editor Andy Cox writes.
Apparently this change isn't going ahead without objections from others but we are assured that the content will still be of the same high quality as before. Reading between the lines, I think basically the publishing group decided to clearly define what they were selling and will go into the future with a Science Fiction magazine and a horror magazine.
Is this a good idea? Probably it is because it was true to say that TTA magazine lacked a specific identity and now it will have one. This is what sells, however care must be taken in case subject matter falls into the category encompassing black satanic fiction which would take it somewhere else. Apart from that, I recall the exercise where the British Post Office almost committed financial suicide a few years ago. In trying to create a new image they dispensed with the Royal Mail Post Office label to call themselves Consignia but nobody liked it and they had to spend a fortune going back to what they were originally.
Let's hope this doesn't happen with TTA and 'Black Static'. Personally, I think the contents will deteriorate but that's only because I'm not a horror fan. While some may drift away, probably others will be attracted to the new format. The price remains unchanged at £4 and there is the chance that more pages emerge so at least that's a good start.
Now, what about issue 42? Overall quality was very good. Stories of a literary nature appealed to me most and of these 'The Word Mermaid Written On An Index Card' by Douglas Lain seemed the best. It told the story of a rich mollycoddled man with some form of gulf war syndrome who is hell bent on suicide. I'm not letting anything out by saying he gets his wish - it's the content of the story which is strangely enigmatic. The poor joker, amongst many half-hearted attempts to do himself in, tries drinking whisky while underwater in the swimming pool. Now, I drink whisky and I like a little water in it but this is going over the score.
The main story was 'Dying In The Arms Of Jean Harlow' by Paul Meloy, mentioned earlier. I didn't particularly like this story, thinking it over long and difficult to come to terms with. At the end of reading this, I wished I hadn't bothered. The same can be said about 'The Vegetable Lamb' from Matthew Francis which didn't appeal much.
However, the other stories were all quite good. Particular reference must be made to 'The House Of The Rising Sun' by Elizabeth Bear and 'Reality Interrupted' written by Jason Erik Lundberg. I read both while sitting in the conservatory with torrential rain pouring down outside - there are worse ways to spend an hour or so.
While it may be of some acclaim to appear in the last issue of a magazine, it's probably better to be in the first. Let's hope 'Black Static' doesn't end up in a black hole.
Rod MacDonald |
|
Add SFcrowsnest.com daily news updates to your
own web site or blog - just cut and paste the code
below...
POST YOUR COMMENTS  CLICK HERE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
|
