Spectrum is Scarlet (fanzine)

Spectrum is Scarlet is a printed fanzine, which was published in 1992 by Purple Unicorn Press/Mysterons Press, in association with the authorised Sylvia Anderson fan group.

It is a large anthology zine of 112 pages, printed in A4 format and contains fan fiction, poetry and art, before there was an internet to share these around.

The zine contains the following stories:

• Transition Point, by S. Armitage;
• End of the Line, by Jonathan Baxter;
• Powertrack, by Captain Silver;
• Between the Lines, by S. Armitage;
• The Seeking of XTC90, by Linda Chapple;
• Power of the Lion by Jay Felton;
• Midnight Mission, by Captain Silver;
• Slipstream, by Captain Silver.

As well as the following poems:

• Blue Shadow, by Jay Felton;
• Anyone can be Brave..., by Jay Felton;
• The Hardest Duty, by Jay Felton;
• Elegy in a Country Graveyard, by S. Turner.

Art for the stories and poems was provided by Jonathan Baxter, Elaine Thomson, Mike Adamson, Jackie Brown and Gill, and limericks were provided by Miss Teron.

A follow up, Spectrum is Blue, was supposed to be produced, but never came to fruition.

Behind Spectrum is Scarlet was Jay Felton, a dedicated as well as talented Captain Scarlet fan. People could buy the fanzine through mail, by writing to her. Throughout the year, Jay sent copies of the fanzine, at a very meagre price considering the size of the zine, and the fact that it included postage, and which possibly was barely enough to cover expenses. That shows how dedicated she was to the fandom. Sadly, Jay Felton passed away on 16 October 2018.

Over time, Spectrum is Scarlet has become an integral part of the Captain Scarlet fandom, and those of us who had the privilege of getting a copy of the fanzine should forever be grateful to Jay Felton for her contribution in its production.

The zine is a must-have for all Captain Scarlet fans who like fanfiction, as its content is well worth reading. However, it is now fairly rare to find copies of it. Spectrum is Scarlet can however be bought on occasion on the net, most notably on eBay and might eventually pop up on Marketplace. We recommend you acquire it as soon as it becomes available, or borrow a copy from a friend (if said friend does want to lend it!)

The short story Midnight Mission, by Captain Silver, was posted on Spectrum Headquarters as a small introduction to the Spectrum is Scarlet fanzine, and as a tribute to Jay Felton’s contribution – even though she wasn’t the writer of this story. To our knowledge, no other story from the zine was posted online, unlike many stories from other fanzines. So it now becomes difficult for new fans to read those wonderful stories contained in Spectrum is Scarlet.

If you are a writer or artist who participated in the production of Spectrum is Scarlet, and wish to see your story online, please drop us a line at spectrum_hq@hotmail.com. If you are not a writer or an artist involved with the zine, but are a friend of one who was, please mention this call to that person. By posting the Spectrum is Scarlet stories on Spectrum Headquarters, we’ll make these stories known and share them with a new generation of fans.

S.I.G.

Chris Bishop