The Fantasy Fan April 1934 Read online

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  THE FANTASY FAN

  THE FANS' OWN MAGAZINE

  Published Editor: Charles D. Hornig 10 cents a copy Monthly (Managing Editor: Wonder Stories) $1.00 per year

  137 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey

  Volume 1 April, 1934 Number 8

  OUR READERS SAY

  "Some of us have seen Paul's illustrations so long that we can't getused to Morey's or Wesso's or anyone else's. I would suggest that THEFANTASY FAN have a _different_ artist to illustrate a _different_ kindof picture in a _different_ way. We don't want that stereotyped kind ofillustrating we are getting in the other magazines. And we don't wantthat stereotyped kind of writing that is being done so much lately."

  --Art Skold

  It will probably be quite some time before THE FANTASY FAN can afford to have its stories illustrated, for it is an expensive proposition. Weird stories such as we print should have illustrations by artists who know how to draw _weird_ pictures such as Hugh Rankin and Brosnatch.

  "The March THE FANTASY FAN looks like an excellent issue--typographicalimpression improved. But may I ask that some extremely misleadingmisprints in my letter be corrected? One is especially bad, givinga direct contradiction of what I really wrote--this being thesubstitution of AN for NO in the phrase meant to read '_no_ especialmorbidity.' (Your Views department). Other errors are 'prospection'for 'perspective' and the omission of 'g' from the word judgment.

  "Glad to see the interesting tale by Robert E. Howard and the powerfulpoem by Clark Ashton Smith."

  --H. P. Lovecraft

  We are very sorry about the typographical errors in your article and our printer has promised to do better proofreading in the future.

  "I enjoyed the February issue. 'Polaris' carries off the honours. Iliked very much the poem by William Lumley and hope you will print moreof his work. Barlow's fifth 'Annals of the Jinns' is another gem.

  "I am sorry that the argument in 'The Boiling Point' has aroused anyill-feeling. Perhaps you are wise to discontinue the column and startone on a more abstract intellectual basis. Later on, I may have alittle to say on the problems broached for discussion.

  "I look forward to seeing the stories announced for future publication.More power to TFF!"

  --Clark Ashton Smith

  "The 'Our Readers Say' is always interesting, and I'm glad you'reincreasing the length of Lovecraft's article in the next issue. LesterAnderson's article was good, as well as humorous, and so is Hoy PingPong, as usual."

  --Kenneth B. Pritchard

  "The March THE FANTASY FAN was a wow!--hope it keeps improving!"

  --Bob Tucker

  "The March issue is very interesting. Howard's story is both unusualand well-written, and any poetry of Smith's is predestined toexcellence."

  --R. H. Barlow

  "I read 'Polaris' and especially liked the Pole Star's poetry--theten line rhyme in the center of the story. I found Miss MarianneFerguson's 'Visit to Jules de Grandin' the most interesting article inthe February issue, while the Spacehound's column was very good. I lookforward to the stories you forecast."

  --Forrest J. Ackerman

  "The tales in TFF are clever and entertaining little things, andnow and then one is a classic, like 'Polaris' by Lovecraft in thelast issue. Also the other features of the magazine--entertaining,provocative of thought, and withal interesting and divertive. Whateverothers thought of it, I thought the hot-fire 'debate' between Ackermanand C. A. Smith highly amusing. Best wishes to TFF, and I hope yourdire predictions of bi-monthly-ism do not come true."

  --Eando Binder

  "Glad you substituted 'Your Views' (a prosaic heading) for 'The BoilingPoint.' The readers' department is sometimes too long, but your storiesare short and excellent. Lovecraft's article has always been too short.'The Ghoul' was _great_. Barlow is consistently good. About the bestthing in the February issue was Smith's article on M. R. James. I hopeyou can persuade Smith to write some articles on Machen, Blackwood,Bierce, etc. They are highly informative."

  --Lester Anderson

  "H'ray and so forth! I've discovered a magazine that isn't published inN'Yawk--namely THE FANTASY FAN. Well, be that as it may, I must tellyou that I enjoyed your February issue. I like such a page as you havewherein the readers can have their sayso about stories and authors andwhatnot that fills a magazine. I always look for such a page in anymagazine, and I was both surprised and pleased to find that you featureyours on the first page. Boy, I must admit that I liked that tale by H.P. Lovecraft, 'Polaris.' I enjoyed Miss Ferguson's visit to Jules deGrandin (hope she reads this)."

  --Gertrude Hemken

  "I hope that your future issues will be as good as this February issuewas and is. All of the articles were very fine, and the stories werevery good, too."

  --Fred John Walsen

  "I enjoyed the February issue of THE FANTASY FAN thoroughly.Lovecraft's story was fine, as usual, and I particularly like C. A.Smith's article about M. R. James. Could you persuade him to writefurther articles about other famous fantasy writers? Your list ofstories to come looks very good."

  --Emil Petaja

  "Those poems by Richard F. Searight and William Lumley in the Februaryissue are great and certainly have a touch of the bizarre that gripsone. I am looking forward to the verse by Clark Ashton Smith in muchanticipation. The story by Lovecraft hits the bull's-eye for February,but is closely followed by the excellent series by Barlow, 'The Tomb ofthe God' in the 'Annals of the Jinns.' I hope, like the rest, that thefuture instalments of Lovecraft's 'Supernatural Horror in Literature'will be longer. I just about get interested when I read 'continued nextmonth.' I'm all for THE FANTASY FAN and hope it gets better and better!"

  --Duane W. Rimel

  "I liked Lovecraft's 'Polaris' even better than 'The OtherGods'--beautifully told--like a sweet-scented wind from the taintedunknown."

  --Robert Nelson

  "The February issue of TFF was the best of the issues up to date.The choice of material was much better than usual and there was morevariety which is a very strong factor. Keep it up! Of course, I knowyou get that song and dance from all quarters, but I may as well addmine, too. 'The Weird Works of M. R. James' was a very fine review.This is what makes a magazine. I hope it will be possible to have Mr.Smith write one of those fine columns every month."

  --F. Lee Baldwin

  "I was delighted to see the bibliographical note on 'The Time Machine'by R. H. Barlow in the last issue. Similar short items on some of thebetter known stories should prove of extreme interest to the readers. Ihope to see many more of them.

  "May I take the liberty of adding a bit of information for the benefitof collectors of Wells' works? The college magazine 'The ScienceSchools Journal' was founded by Wells in 1886. In the April, May andJune, 1888, issues Wells contributed and published his serial entitled,'The Chronic Argonauts'--the main idea being one of time-traveling.As Mr. Barlow points out, this story was the first version of thetime-machine. Collectors of Wells, however, will find that copies ofthe Journal are extremely rare and almost impossible to obtain becauseabout 20 years ago, Wells purchased all of the back numbers stillin stock and destroyed them. I have no doubt that Wells did this inorder to prevent book dealers and others from cornering the supply andselling the issues at a high premium.

  "Howard's story and Smith's poem were both splendid and I am indeedglad to learn that you intend to lengthen the instalments ofLovecraft's article."

  --H. Koenig

  Let's hear what you think of the April issue, readers. In this number you will find the fir
st weird fiction attempt of Eando Binder, famous science fiction author. Next month we will give you the sixth 'Annals of the Jinns' by R. H. Barlow, 'The Flower-God,' and 'Phantom Lights' by August W. Derleth.

  Here's big news! Beginning next month, we are presenting a brand new newsy fantasy column by those super-snoopers supreme, Julius Schwartz and Mortimer Weisinger.

  _Fantasy Magazine_ will have a change of Editors with its June number. Chr is retiring because, he says, "I'm going to be too busy with the printing, and besides that, Julius Schwartz will do a much better job, I won't be missed a little bit."