Catacombs Reference LibraryGenre Magazines
Starlog
Catacombs Reference LibraryStarlog magazine was launched in August 1976. Although the initial focus was Star Trek, it also covered Space: 1999 in many early issues. The only other science fiction film and TV magazines of the time were Cinefantastique, which was much more analytical (see more), and the monster magazines aimed at teenagers, especially Famous Monsters of Filmland (see more). Initially quarterly, Starlog quickly moved to 8 issues per year, and by 1979 became monthly.
The magazine was originally intended to be a one-off Star Trek magazine, and turned into a regular magazine to avoid royalty fees to Paramount. Starlog concentrated on news and interviews. Columnist David Gerrold and occasional political editorials generated some heat in the letters page, but criticism quickly disappeared from the pages. There was a long running special effects series which was moderately technical (spun off into a series of Photo Guidebooks). Starlog was well placed to cover Star Wars and the boom in science fiction movies and television.
By the 1990s and 2000s, the design became increasingly messy and the content felt superficial compared to other titles that had appeared.
Starlog ran until 2009, the last issue being numbered 374. The entire run is available online at archive.org.
Early issues of Starlog had features on space science and space artists, and some science fiction book content, content that was spun off into sister publication Future Life (1978-1981). The main spin-off magazine was horror-focussed Fangoria from 1979.
Starlog also produced numerous books or limited run magazines, starting with their Spaceship photo guidebook in 1977, leading to numerous photo guidebook titles. Other spin-offs include a Trivia book, a Communications Handbook and poster magazine. They also produced books and magazines for specific films and TV series, one of the first being the Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook in 1977.
From 1978 there was a Japanese edition. By mid-1978 it was distributed widely in the UK (shortly after a British competitor, Starburst, had launched). A British edition was launched in 2000 and lasted 27 issues until 2002, with a larger, more modern format than the US edition, and UK news. There was an earlier UK magazine called Movie which lasted 2 issues in 1992, reprinting Starlog articles.
With Space: 1999 still showing first run episodes in 1976 and 1977, it received good coverage in early issues. The first issue contained a 3 page article announcing the second series by editor David Houston. This was followed by a larger article, with episode guide, in issue 2, which featured a Space: 1999 cover. This second article coined the phrase MUF (Mysterious Unknown Force), which fans of the series embraced. All of the early issues in 1976-1977 (issues 1-7) mentioned Space: 1999 on the cover.
There was a regular Gerry Anderson column in the magazine from issue 15 to 41 in 1980. With the series now off-air, and with loads of new content to cover, Space: 1999 disappeared from the pages, apart from occasional interviews.
In 1981 Starlog ran a "fifth anniversary contest" with complicated rules; first and second prizes included Star Wars and Space: 1999 promotional books.
Starlog 2 cover (November 1976). Other cover art
The cover art for Starlog 2, by Dick Kohfield (1931-2012). "He and his 14 year old son, Glenn, are fans of Space: 1999". In October 2014, the painting (16.5 x 12", gouache on board, titled "Space 1999- Astral Quest") sold for $3500.
Starlog 2 special section, which an article by David Houston titled Recovering from The Mysterious Unknown Force and an episode guide which concluded with a special letters section titled The Conflict Rages.
Starlog 3 (January 1977) had a short article Catherine Schell here to publicize Space: 1999
Starlog 6 (June 1977) announced Moonbase Alpha ceases operation and in an article about special effects carried this page.
This Eagle article and blueprints appeared in Starlog 7 (August 1977). This was the Star Wars issue (with a striking photo cover); there were no more artwork covers.
In Starlog 10 (December 1977), David Hirsch wrote an article on early concepts for the series: Space Journey 1999
Below: Starlog 14 shows some behind the scenes photographs. Thanks to Jerome Wybon.
Starlog 15 (August 1978) began a monthly column by Gerry Anderson which first brought model maker Martin Bower to the world's attention and carried a an impressive examination of the Mysterious Unknown Force by David Hirsch.
Starlog 24 included a small Space: 1999 photo on the cover and a two page retrospective inside (along with congratulation notes from Barry Gray, Gerry Anderson, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Brian Johnson.
The Hawk article and blueprints appeared in Starlog 32 (March 1980)
The Altares article and blueprints appeared in Starlog 58 (May 1982)
Also...
Space: 1999 copyright ITV Global Entertainment
