ISIS, UK

      Editor Derek Barker, with Tracy Barker.


      Established in 1985, ISIS (called 'DYLAN NEWS ISIS' until #8, then 'ISIS - DYLAN NEWS' until issue 124) ran as a printed fanzine during 37 years till its final paper issue #218 in July 2022. Professionally produced, large A4 format, glossy colour publication, "the magazine provides Dylan enthusiasts with a wide-ranging collection of writings on Bob Dylan."
     In issue #200 (December 2018), Derek Barker wrote:"The first 17 issues were little more than newsletters that I sent free of charge to my ever-expanding circle of Dylan acquaintances, until the photocopying got out of hand and postage became prohibitive". From issue #18, Isis became a real fanzine, made available to subscribers.
     ISIS was published approximately every two months, on glossy paper from issue #41, with a full colour cover from #73.
     #50 was a 70-page special issue ('50th Anniversary Edition').

      Mostly in the 1990s, there was a time when subscribers to ISIS got a News update tucked in with some copies of the magazine. These inserts consisted of four A5 pages on a folded A4 sheet; they were fairly informal and intended to fill the gap between the printing of the magazine and its distribution. These ISIS INSERTS are gathered here.


     Due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, the printing of Spring 2020 #207 was delayed; to 'help negate the lenghly delivery times', a 78-page bumper issue #207-8 was published in June 2020.
     Another bumper issue, #212-13 was published in March 2021.


     As annonced in issue 214, "a solution to escalading postal costs is to produce bigger/thicker magazines with more pages but with fewer mailings": four 'bumper issues' will therefore be produced in 2021-2022. This started with issue 215.

     As a consequence of the Brexit and the very confusing situation about VAT collected by EU countries (from nothing to 20€), a possibility to receive Isis as a printable .pdf file was offered to subscribers in September 2021.


     Unfortunately Brexit finally succeeded in killing the printed-on-paper ISIS: in a sad message on 18 July 2022, Derek Barker announced the end of the fanzine, after 37 years of activity: "issue 218 is the last magazine of this subscription year and the final magazine ever. It has been a tough decision, but events of the past two years – Covid, Brexit, and soaring costs worsened by Putin’s war – have combined to make running any subscription-based venture an absolute nightmare. Brexit has made it extremely difficult for us to sell to the EU, but all our reasons for quitting are explained in detail to our subscribers in the latest mag."

     ...but ISIS was not really dead, as it became an e-fanzine from its issue 219. This was announced on 22 August 2022. The digital issues are not noted on CW&C, 'the Bob Dylan Paper Site', but the e-version keeps the same high level of quality as the printed one. The front covers are now all identical, showing a painting by Brian West.




     ISIS was initially (#1 September 1985 - #17 December 1987) a rather confidential 5-page newsletter called 'DYLAN NEWS ISIS', then 'ISIS DYLAN NEWS', and finally just 'ISIS'. There were 17 issues and 2 supplements: one called #16 Supplement, and the other called Temples In Flames Tour Supplement.

isis #1 bob Dylan Fanzine
#01, September 1985
isis #2 bob Dylan Fanzine
#02, October 1985
isis #3 bob Dylan Fanzine
#03, November 1985
isis #4 bob Dylan Fanzine
#04, Xmas 85, Dec-January
isis #5 bob Dylan Fanzine
#05, March 1986
isis #6 bob Dylan Fanzine
#06, March-April 1986
isis #7 bob Dylan Fanzine
#07, May June 1986
isis #8 bob Dylan Fanzine
#08, July-August 1986
isis #9 bob Dylan Fanzine
#09, September-October 1986
isis #10 bob Dylan Fanzine
#10, Xmas 1986
isis #11 bob Dylan Fanzine
#11, January 1987
isis #12 bob Dylan Fanzine
#12, February-March 1987
isis #13 bob Dylan Fanzine
#13, April-May 1987
isis #14 bob Dylan Fanzine
#14, May-June 1987
isis #15 bob Dylan Fanzine
#15, July 1987
isis #16 bob Dylan Fanzine
#16, August-September 1987

isis #16 supplemeny bob Dylan Fanzine
'#16 Supplement', Aug-Sept
1987
isis #17 bob Dylan Fanzine
#17, Xmas 1987

isis temple in flames supplement bob Dylan Fanzine
'Temples In Flames Tour
Supplement', late 1987

    The 17 first issues were later (1990-1991) re-published as ISIS DYLAN NEWS REVISITED #1/7, #8/9, #10/11, #12/13, #14/15 and #16/17, in order to make them available to the new subscribers:

isis #1-7 bob Dylan Fanzine
#1/7 [Sept 1985-June 1986]
June 1991
isis #8-9 bob Dylan Fanzine
#8/9 [July-Oct 1986]
June 1991
isis #10-11 bob Dylan Fanzine
#10/11 [Xmas 1986-June 1987]
October 1990
isis #  bob #12-13 Dylan Fanzine
#12/13 [Feb 1987-June 1987]
October 1990
isis #14-15 bob Dylan Fanzine
#14/15 [May-July 1987]
June 1990
isis #16-17 bob Dylan Fanzine
#16/17 [August-Xmas 1987]
June 1990

     It is only from issue #18 that ISIS became a real fanzine made available to subscribers, starting with a monochrome front cover with drawings and ending with full-colour photos on glossy paper.
     The subtitle 'DYLAN NEWS' disappeared after issue #124; from #51 to #124, it was on a vertical stripe on the left of the front cover with the issue number.
     After issue #172, the date was no more noted on the inner front cover; the reason is that ISIS used to be sold to Virgin, HMV... and as soon as the date had expired on the magazine it was removed from sale and asked for credit. The dates from issue 173 to 206, noted (into bracelets), are therefore approximative but close to accuracy. From #207-8 the dates are those of the reception of the issues.

isis #18 bob Dylan Fanzine
#18, February-March (?) 1988
isis #19 bob Dylan Fanzine
#19, April-May (?) 1988
isis #20 bob Dylan Fanzine
#20, June-August (?) 1988
isis #21 bob Dylan Fanzine
#21, September 1988
isis #22 bob Dylan Fanzine
#22, November 1988
isis #23 bob Dylan Fanzine
#23, February 1989
isis #24 bob Dylan Fanzine
#24, April 1989
isis #25 bob Dylan Fanzine
#25, July 1989
isis #26 bob Dylan Fanzine
#26, September 1989
isis #27 bob Dylan Fanzine
#27, October 1989
isis #28 bob Dylan Fanzine
#28, December 1989
isis #29 bob Dylan Fanzine
#29, February 1990
isis #30 bob Dylan Fanzine
#30, April 1990
isis #31 bob Dylan Fanzine
#31, June 1990
isis #32 bob Dylan Fanzine
#32, August 1990
isis #33  bob Dylan Fanzine
 #33, October 1990
isis #34 bob Dylan Fanzine
#34, December 1990
isis #35 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #35, February 1991
isis #36  bob Dylan Fanzine
#36, April 1991
isis #37  bob Dylan Fanzine
#37, June 1991
isis #38 bob Dylan Fanzine
#38, August 1991
isis #39 bob Dylan Fanzine
#39, October 1991
isis #40 bob Dylan Fanzine
#40, December 1991
isis #41 bob Dylan Fanzine
#41, February-March 1992
isis #42  bob Dylan Fanzine
#42, April-May 1992
isis #43  bob Dylan Fanzine
#43, June-July 1992
isis #44 bob Dylan Fanzine
#44, August-September 1992
isis #45  bob Dylan Fanzine
#45, October-November 1992
isis #46  bob Dylan Fanzine
#46 Dec 1992-January 1993
isis #47 bob Dylan Fanzine
#47, February-March 1993
isis #48  bob Dylan Fanzine
#48, April-May 1993
isis #49  bob Dylan Fanzine
#49, June-July 1993
isis #50 bob Dylan Fanzine
#50, August-September 1993
isis #51  bob Dylan Fanzine
#51, October-November 1993
isis #52 bob Dylan Fanzine
#52, December 1993-Jan 1994
isis #53 bob Dylan Fanzine
#53, February-March 1994
isis #54 bob Dylan Fanzine
#54, April-May 1994
isis #55 bob Dylan Fanzine
#55, June-July 1994
isis #56  bob Dylan Fanzine
#56, August-September 1994
isis #57  bob Dylan Fanzine
#57, Oct -November 1994
isis #58 bob Dylan Fanzine
#58, Dec 1994-January 1995
isis #59 bob Dylan Fanzine
#59, February-March 1995
isis #60 bob Dylan Fanzine
#60, April-May 1995
isis #61 bob Dylan Fanzine
#61, June-July 1995
isis #62 bob Dylan Fanzine
#62, August-September 1995
isis #62  bob Dylan Fanzine
#63, October-November 1995
isis #64  bob Dylan Fanzine
#64, Dec 1995-January 1996
isis #65 bob Dylan Fanzine
#65, February -March 1996
isis #66  bob Dylan Fanzine
#66, April-May 1996
isis #67  bob Dylan Fanzine
#67, June-July 1996
isis #68 bob Dylan Fanzine
#68, August-September 1996
isis #69 bob Dylan Fanzine
#69, October-November 1996
isis #70 bob Dylan Fanzine
#70, December 1996
isis # bob Dylan Fanzine
#71, February 1997
isis #72  bob Dylan Fanzine
#72, April 1997
isis #73  bob Dylan Fanzine
#73, June 1997
isis #74 bob Dylan Fanzine
#74, August 1997
isis #75  bob Dylan Fanzine
#75, October 1997
isis #76 bob Dylan Fanzine
#76, December 1997
isis #77 bob Dylan Fanzine
#77, February-March 1998
isis #78 bob Dylan Fanzine
#78, April-May 1998
isis #79 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #79, June-July 1998
isis #80 bob Dylan Fanzine
#80, August-September 1998
isis #81 bob Dylan Fanzine
#81, October-November 1998
isis #82 bob Dylan Fanzine
#82, Dec 1998, January 1999
isis #83 bob Dylan Fanzine
#83, February-March 1999
isis #84 bob Dylan Fanzine
#84, April-May 1999
isis #85 bob Dylan Fanzine
#85, June-July 1999
isis #86 bob Dylan Fanzine
#86, August-September 1999
isis #87  bob Dylan Fanzine
#87, October-November 1999
isis #88  bob Dylan Fanzine
#88, Dec 1999, January 2000
isis #89 bob Dylan Fanzine
#89, February-March 2000
isis #90  bob Dylan Fanzine
#90, April-May 2000
isis #91  bob Dylan Fanzine
#91, June-July 2000
isis #92 bob Dylan Fanzine
#92, August-September 2000
isis #93  bob Dylan Fanzine
#93, October-November 2000
isis #94  bob Dylan Fanzine
#94, Dec 2000-January 2001
isis #95 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #95,February-March 2001
isis #96  bob Dylan Fanzine
#96, April-May 2001
isis #97 bob Dylan Fanzine
#97, June-July 2001
isis #98 bob Dylan Fanzine
#98, August-September 2001
isis #99  bob Dylan Fanzine
#99, October-November 2001
isis #100  bob Dylan Fanzine
#100, Dec 2001- January 2002
isis #101 bob Dylan Fanzine
#101, February March 2002
isis #102  bob Dylan Fanzine
#102, April-May 2002
isis # 103 bob Dylan Fanzine
#103, June-July 2002
isis # 104
#104, August-September 2002
isis # 105 bob Dylan Fanzine
#105, October-November 2002
isis #106  bob Dylan Fanzine
#106, Dec 2002-January 2003
isis #107 bob Dylan Fanzine
#107, February-March 2003
isis #108  bob Dylan Fanzine
#108, April-May 2003
isis #109  bob Dylan Fanzine
#109, June-July 2003
isis #110 bob Dylan Fanzine
#110, August-September 2003
isis #111  bob Dylan Fanzine
#111, October-November 2003
isis #112  bob Dylan Fanzine
#112, Dec 2003-January 2004
isis #113 bob Dylan Fanzine
#113, February-March 2004
isis #114  bob Dylan Fanzine
#114, April-May 2004
isis #115  bob Dylan Fanzine
#115, June-July 2004
isis #116 bob Dylan Fanzine
#116, August-September 2004
isis #117  bob Dylan Fanzine
#117, October-November 2004
isis #118  bob Dylan Fanzine
#118, Dec 2004-January 2005
isis #119 bob Dylan Fanzine
#119, February-March 2005
isis #120  bob Dylan Fanzine
#120, April-May 2005
isis #121  bob Dylan Fanzine
#121, June-July 2005
isis #122 bob Dylan Fanzine
#122, September-October 2005
isis #123  bob Dylan Fanzine
#123, Nov-December 2005
isis #124  bob Dylan Fanzine
#124, January-February 2006
isis #125 bob Dylan Fanzine
#125, March-April 2006
isis #126  bob Dylan Fanzine
#126, May-June 2006
isis #127  bob Dylan Fanzine
#127,July-August 2006
isis #128 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #128,September-October 2006
isis #129 bob Dylan Fanzine
#129, Nov-December 2006
isis #130 bob Dylan Fanzine
#130, January-February 2007
isis #131 bob Dylan Fanzine
#131, March-April 2007
isis #132  bob Dylan Fanzine
#132, May-June 2007
isis #133  bob Dylan Fanzine
#133, July-August 2007
isis #134 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #134, September-October 2007
isis #135  bob Dylan Fanzine
#135, Nov-December 2007
isis #136  bob Dylan Fanzine
#136, January-February 2008
isis #137 bob Dylan Fanzine
#137, March-April 2008
isis #138 bob Dylan Fanzine
#138, May-June 2008
isis #139 bob Dylan Fanzine
#139, July-August 2008
isis #140 bob Dylan Fanzine
#140, September-October 2008
isis #141 bob Dylan Fanzine
#141, Nov-December 2008
isis #142 bob Dylan Fanzine
#142, January-February 2008
isis #143 bob Dylan Fanzine
#143, March-April 2009
isis #144 bob Dylan Fanzine
#144, May-June 2009
isis #145 bob Dylan Fanzine
#145, July-August 2009
isis #146 bob Dylan Fanzine
#146, September-October 2009
isis #147  bob Dylan Fanzine
#147, Nov-December 2009
isis #149  bob Dylan Fanzine
#148, January-February 2010
isis #149 bob Dylan Fanzine
#149, Marc-April 2010
isis #150  bob Dylan Fanzine
#150, May-June 2010
isis #151  bob Dylan Fanzine
#151, July-August 2010
isis #152 bob Dylan Fanzine
#152, September-October 2010
isis #153  bob Dylan Fanzine
#153, Nov-December 2010
isis #154  bob Dylan Fanzine
#154, January-February 2011
isis #155 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #155, March-April-2011
isis #156  bob Dylan Fanzine
#156, May-June 2011
isis #157  bob Dylan Fanzine
#157, July-August 2011
isis #157 bob Dylan Fanzine
#158, September-October 2011
isis #159  bob Dylan Fanzine
#159, Nov-December 2011
isis #160  bob Dylan Fanzine
#160, January-February 2012
isis #161 bob Dylan Fanzine
#161, March-April 2012
isis #162  bob Dylan Fanzine
#162, May-June 2012
isis #163  bob Dylan Fanzine
#163, July-August 2012
isis #164 bob Dylan Fanzine
#164, September-October 2012
isis #165  bob Dylan Fanzine
#165, Nov-December 2012
isis #166  bob Dylan Fanzine
#166, January-February 2013
isis #167 bob Dylan Fanzine
 #167, March-April 2013
isis #168  bob Dylan Fanzine
#168, May-June 2013
isis #169  bob Dylan Fanzine
#169, July-August 2013
isis #170 bob Dylan Fanzine
#170, September-October 2013
isis #171  bob Dylan Fanzine
#171, Nov-December 2013
isis #172  bob Dylan Fanzine
#172, January-February 2014
isis #173 bob Dylan Fanzine
#173 (April 2014)
isis #174  bob Dylan Fanzine
#174 (June 2014)
isis #175  bob Dylan Fanzine
#175 (July-August 2014)
isis #176 bob Dylan Fanzine
#176 (September-October 2014)
isis #177  bob Dylan Fanzine
#177 (Dec 2014-January 2015)
isis #178  bob Dylan Fanzine
#178 (February-March 2015)
isis #179 bob Dylan Fanzine
#179 (May-June 2015)
isis #180  bob Dylan Fanzine
#180 (July-August 2015)
isis #181  bob Dylan Fanzine
#181 (September 2015)
isis #182  bob Dylan Fanzine
#182 (November 2015)
isis #183  bob Dylan Fanzine
#183 (December 2015)
isis #184 bob Dylan Fanzine
#184 (January 2016)
isis #185  bob Dylan Fanzine
#185 (April 2016)
isis #186  bob Dylan Fanzine
#186 (June 2016)
isis #187  bob Dylan Fanzine
#187 (August 2016)
isis #188 bob Dylan Fanzine
#188 (October 2016)
isis #189  bob Dylan Fanzine
#189 (December 2016)
isis #190  bob Dylan Fanzine
#190 (February 2017)
isis #191  bob Dylan Fanzine
#191 (April-May 2017)
isis #192 bob Dylan Fanzine
#192 (June 2017)
isis #193 bob Dylan Fanzine
#193 (July 2017)
isis #194 bob Dylan Fanzine
#194 (October 2017)
isis #195  bob Dylan Fanzine
#195 (December 2017)
isis #196  bob Dylan Fanzine
#196 (February 2018)
isis #197  bob Dylan Fanzine
#197 (May 2018)
isis #198  bob Dylan Fanzine
#198 (August 2018)
isis #199  bob Dylan Fanzine
#199 (October 2018)
isis #200  bob Dylan Fanzine
#200, (December 2018)
isis #201  bob Dylan Fanzine
#201 (February 2019)
isis #202  bob Dylan Fanzine
#202 (April 2019)
isis #202  bob Dylan Fanzine
#203 (August 2019)
isis #204 bob Dylan Fanzine
#204 (December 2019)
isis #205 bob Dylan Fanzine
#205 (January-February 2020)
isis #206 bob Dylan Fanzine
#206 (March-April 2020)
isis #207-8 bob Dylan Fanzine
#207-8, June 2020
isis #209 bob Dylan Fanzine
#209 August-September 2020
isis #210 bob Dylan Fanzine
#210 November 2020
isis #211 bob Dylan Fanzine
#211, January 2021
isis #212-13 bob Dylan Fanzine
#212-13, March 2021
isis #214 bob Dylan Fanzine
#214, June 2021
isis #215 bob Dylan Fanzine
#215, September 2021
isis #216 bob Dylan Fanzine
#216, December 2021
isis #217 bob Dylan Fanzine
#217, March 2022
isis #215 bob Dylan Fanzine
#218, July 2022
FINAL PAPER ISSUE


ISIS is now an e-fanzine,
presented as a .pdf file,
downloadable
and printable out
as a hard copy if needed.
isis #219 digital bob Dylan Fanzine
#219 is the first as digital,
(with a painting by Brian West)
The front cover changes
every fifth issue.

 

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