Musings from the Editor by R. Lee Brown

Episode 4 (Special Edition):
"Editing in Cyberspace ain't like dustin' crops, boy..."

     It's hard to believe we've put out six+ issues of  (including a supplement). It certainly seems like many lifetimes ago when we started this ship for the Core Worlds, from struggling to get the very concept up and running, to renaming her from something that even Jabba the Hutt couldn't pronounce, to introducing the "Emag Jag" format created by programmer Matt Hart (alas, for Windows users only), that let the true interactive elements of an electronic magazine start to shine through, to building upon that and finally producing a fully HTML version that everyone, regardless of computer platform, can equally enjoy.

     We've since gone out onto the World Wide Web, so that others could see what only CompuServe members (and the select few who had copies smuggled to them like so much Kessel spice!) have been able to grab onto so far. We've expanded our distribution past one CompuServe forum to include multiple forums on CIS, plus our Website and even cross service (eventually) to MSN.

     So our first order of business upon this expansion was to put together this "Special Edition:" the best of the best of our first five 1/2 issues, so that those not on that initial single CIS forum could see some of what they've missed. We've taken these articles out of their original formats, (no standard "Tower of Icons" look that has been prevalent among Windows Write newsletters to date) and emulated our more interactive, user-friendly "Emag Jag" format by re-presenting them in the new HTML style we introduced for Volume 2 Issue #1.

     Some of this material may be familiar to those of you who got our first Compendium, which was released when we launched on the web. We have included a few of those same articles in this Special Edition for any who missed that Compendium - this really is the best of our best. Herein, you'll find all the flavor that has made a success: Interviews with Star Wars authors like Tom Veitch, Mike Kube-McDowell, Archie Goodwin and Kevin J. Anderson; regular columns, including "Graphic Language" from professional Star Wars artist and our own Graphics Editor Jordi Ensign; previews, reviews, overviews; new Star Wars art and original Midi compositions, graphics and sounds, plus a very healthy dose of humor to round out the experience.

     Special note should be made of our cover, created by 3D artist Cory Churko, based on his original composition "Night Patrol." Cory has contributed the classy 3D R2-D2 for our regular Main Terminal section, and we're looking forward to more great original compositions from him!

     Our next regular issue (Vol 2, #2) is due out around the middle of February, and will be jammed tight with more fun, Star Wars news and merchandising information plus EXTENSIVE coverage of the Star Wars: Special Editions. Remember, there's only one, original  : accept no sound alikes, imitations or substitutions. We can't guarantee the bantha steak if you do.

     If you'd like to sign on in the fight to crank out future issues of  , we're certainly recruiting! You can Email me at screenwriter@compuserve.com . In case you feel like YOU'RE the next Kevin J. Anderson or Tom Veitch, with a Star Wars story that just MUST be told, be forewarned: we do not print fan fiction; this also goes for fiction presented as poetry. Satire and comedy is fine, and is in fact encouraged.

     That's about all from the Editor's cockpit. Please keep your letters and comments coming in, because we want to make  what you want to read. The crowd grows anxious with the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Editions in our galaxy, not to mention the long awaited New Trilogy dangling around out there somewhere around 1999 (Why do I hear the music of the artist who claims to be formerly known as "Prince?") I feel another Imperial deadline approaching... Chewie, get me out of here!

(Editor R. Lee Brown has earned whatever harrassing you might send him at screenwriter@compuserve.com)