colophon

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a colophon is "An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts pertinent to its publication." As is often the case, sf fans got it backward and so generally put the colophon in the front of their fanzines. Wherever it's placed, it contains the editor/publishers' names, address(es) (sometimes telephone and/or fax numbers and/or email address(es)), the name of the fanzine, the issue number, copyright notice (if any) and anything else the zine editor may want to put in it.

"The idiot forgot to put a colophon in his fanzine!"

by rich brown August 11, 2004

5 by

Short for "5 by 5" meaning "loud and clear." Also used to mean "I'm okay" per Faith (Eliza Dusku), the dark slayer on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

"I hear you five-by-five."

"I'm five-by-five with that."

by rich brown August 13, 2004

akicif

Acronym used among sf fans for All Knowledge Is Contained In Fandom. The prase is tongue-in-cheek, of course, and was originally a little less egalitarian in that it was rendered as All Knowledge Is Contained In Fanzines.

So that's where Asimov got his three laws of robotics! AKICIF!

by rich brown August 11, 2004

afficionado

A non-fanatical enthusiast.

He was an afficionado rather than a fan.

by rich brown August 11, 2004

DNQ

Acronym used in sf fandom for Do Not Quote; see DNP. Something given to you with a DNQ attached means the information is for your eyes only and is not even to be talked about to your best friends.

"I want you to consider this DNQ."

by rich brown August 11, 2004

fanzine

Combination of fan and zine. Coined in 1940 by Maryland sf fan L. Russell Chauvenet to apply to the amateur publications put out by sf fans (as opposed to "prozines," the professional magazines). (Previously they had been called "fan magazines" but the new term was promptly adopted since "fan magazines" also meant professional magazines put out at the time about movie stars.) The term has since been coopted by any number of interest areas where amateur publications are involved, including but not limited to rock.

I used a mimeograph to publish my fanzine.

by rich brown August 08, 2004

ajay

Short for amateur journalism (or "A.J."); term used by hobby printers to describe their turn-of-the-last-century hobby. Formed the first amateur press associations (or "apas" for short) -- the National, United and American, or NAPA, UAPA and AAPA for which they published "papers."

As a publishing member of NAPA, he was involved in ajay.

by rich brown August 08, 2004