Startoons is a paperback collection of science-fiction cartoons published by Playboy Press in 1979. I bought this book when I was but a wee lad, and had forgotten all about it until it turned up while I was moving.


As a young geek, I thought this book was hilarious. Today, what I find most interesting about it are the parallels between these creators (i.e. '70s-era Trekkies) and modern Star Wars fans. We're made of the same stuff, just separated by a generation. The contributors to Startoons had conventions and printed fanzines; Star Wars geeks of the '90s-'00s had Usenet, web forums, and blogs. (Though SW had printed fanzines too -- remind me to memorialize Blue Harvest someday.)

The book is edited by Joan Winston (the cover blurb gives her the dated label "the Erma Bombeck of Star Trek"). She also helped put together the very first Star Trek convention, and there's a nice essay, "In Praise of Joan Winston," to be found here.

In the foreward, Winston recalls how she "leafed and laughed through my humongous 'zine pile and contacted some of the artists you will meet on the following pages. I also sent a call throughout fandom, asking that any and all interested contributors get in touch with me. Well, that's one way to make up Ma Bell's deficit."

Winston sums it up with the following: "It is a real cross section of American fandom. However, they have much in common. Most of them are young, and all are bright and talented with a beautifully cultivated sense of the ridiculous. ... I felt it was time that these artists received some real recognition -- from a larger public than just the fanzine-buying one."

The best Star Wars cartoons in the book (like the one on the cover above) are by Gordon Carlton. His profile in the "About the Artists" section reads, "Gordie has been published in many fanzines as well as prozines, such as Starlog. He majored in studio art at Michigan State, where he met his wife Lori (also an active Star Trek fan). They now live in East Lansing, Michigan." Unfortunately I can't find virtually anything about Gordon Carlton on the net. This Return of the Jedi cartoon on Anthony Daniels' website (scroll down) indicates that he was active in fandom through at least 1983, but I haven't found any trace of his stuff in the decades since. Gordon Carlton, where are you?

The gags in the book are focused around late '70s sci-fi staples like Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Close Encounters, but I'm only going to post a few of the Star Wars cartoons.

Another one by Gordon Carlton. "Sith" was a very obscure term in 1979, so this was truly a joke for the geeks:


And you thought Chewbacca died in the New Jedi Order novels! Cartoon by Connie Fadden.


Could Steve Stiles be the first person in history to make this joke?


R2-D2 humiliated by (old-school Battlestar Galactica's) Daggit, by Gordon Carlton. Artoo's curse, "felgercarb," is one of the goofier terms invented for the original BG. Anyone know if they've ever referenced it on the current series?


R2-D2 romanced by one of the robots from Silent Running in another round of sci-fi mashup humor. Cartoon by Mike Braun.


R2-D2 takes even more abuse. By Mike Braun.


This appears to be a newspaper editorial cartoon, not a fan offering. It's evidence of the inescapable cultural phenomenon that was Star Wars in the late '70s. Creator unknown.


Gordon Carlton again, answering a good question.

This Gordon Carlton cartoon has a curious mistake -- the kiddie ride (a dewback) carries the label "Bantha Rides." Keep in mind that there was no Expanded Universe to speak of in 1979, nor any Essential Guides or sourcebooks, so it's not a stretch that even dedicated fans could get the two confused. It's funny, though, because Gordon Carlton got banthas correct in his Tusken Raider cartoon.

Love this one. Cartoon by Connie Fadden.

One more from Gordon Carlton. Han is one cold dude.


The book is just shy of 200 pages; I've only posted the tiniest fraction of it. Even better than the Star Wars cartoons are the Star Trek convention reports written and illustrated by Phil Foglio.

Startoons is long out of print, but it regularly pops up on eBay. Check it out if you're interested, since Joan Winston's sentiment is still true despite the passage of time: "I felt it was time that these artists received some real recognition from a larger public than just the fanzine-buying one."