Presentation PA #50

This issue celebrates not only our fiftieth issue, but also our tenth anniversary. Our first, unofficial issue was released in November 1987 and our first real issue was released in Spring 1988. Ten years! It is incredible to see how we have evolved during this time and how the anime industry has developed since then too. And we witnessed it all...

We have decided to dedicate this issue to Robotech (and to its related shows like Mospeada, Southern Cross and, of course, Macross -- and by extension Macross 7) because there lies our origin. One day my friend Alain Landry told me about this great show he was watching on an American TV channel. He convinced me to look at it ("at 7 a.m. it's better be good!") and it was love at first sight. Robotech was a GREAT show and, despite what some people might say today (young fans that know nothing about how the show was produced), Carl Macek did a good job on it considering the time and the circumstances. I began reading the comics and talked about the show to other friends, and we started playing the Role-Playing Game. Someday, I proposed to start a fanzine (I was already making one about science-fiction, Samizdat). Several people helped, at the beginning, to create the magazine: Alain Dubreuil (now a teacher; hey! Alain, if you're reading this, give me a call sometimes!), Michel Gareau (went back to his military career), Jean Carrières, Paul Berthiaume (now a dentist), and Yvon Maillé Jr. (now a Radio Shack manager) -- just to name a few. We wish to thank them all (even those we have not named).

So, Protoculture Addicts (as the name indicates -- it was a reference to Khyron's addiction to protoculture's leaves) began as a Robotech fanzine (the "Robotech fanzine of Quebec Quadrant" to be precise) in November 1987. After one issue and some legal problems (only in America!), we "chose" to become the Official Robotech fanzine (in fact it was the only way Harmony Gold would let us continue publishing). After our first Official issue (April 1988), we decided to upgrade to a color cover in order to be distributed by Diamond (Fall '88). At that time, the regular staff was Alain Dubreuil, Michel Gareau and myself and we were incorporated as Ianus Publications. We moved our "office" from the University dorms to a young business incubator and, after issue #10 (in February '91), felt that we had said all we could about Robotech and PA became a magazine about Japanese animation in general.

In Summer '91, we moved our offices to a large loft that we shared with New Order, that had just released the first issue of Mecha Press. When Alain and Michel left the magazine to go on with their life, Ianus merged with New Order, headed by Pierre Ouellette. With issue #16 (January '92), PA switched from comic book format to a small magazine format (the same as today) and a new layout (designed by Pierre Ouellette). The company then ventured into comics books (but our Gates of Pandragon and Tim Eldred's Cybersuit Arkadyne had not much success) and into gaming. The gaming division (Dream Pod 9) rapidly grew and produced licensed supplements for Cyberpunk (1992), Teenager From Outer Space, Mekton II (1993), wrote sourcebooks for Palladium's Macross II RPG, and also started producing its own material (1994-95): Heavy Gear Fighter, Video Fighter, Project A-ko RPG and, finally, Heavy Gear. However, in November '95, it was decided to split the company into its two divisions in order to facilitate production. Ianus was no more, DP9 & PA parted ways, but both gained strength in the process.

In January 1996, with issue #38, Protoculture Addicts (now published by Protoculture Enr. and produced by Martin Ouellette and myself) started a new era. Now, two years and twelve issues later, the magazine has more pages, some color, a growing number of collaborators (we want to thank them all, particularly Miyako Graham, James Taylor, Soichiro Yuasa, Sylvain Durand, and Aaron & Keith Dawe) and we are also venturing into the importation of anime videos and manga (check our catalog!). We have improved the magazine a lot since the beginning and we intend to continue making it better. However, if we have been able to make it all that way, despite the difficulties, the obstacles, the delays, etc., it's only because of the support of our readers (yes, YOU!). Thanks for believing in us and to appreciate our work. So, Happy Anniversary to PA, yes, but also Happy Anniversary to all our readers! We tried to make this issue a little special. We hope you will like it.

Claude J. Pelletier

Next Issue: Our mecha special! Gundam 0083, Tekkaman Blade, Godzilla, Alexander and more!