The Fantasy Fan January 1934 Read online

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  THE FANTASY FAN

  THE FANS' OWN MAGAZINE

  Editor: Charles D. Hornig(Managing Editor: Wonder Stories)

  Published 10 cents a copyMonthly $1.00 per year

  137 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey

  Volume 1 January, 1934 Number 5

  IT'S UP TO YOU!

  The time has come when we must ask you a very important question.Do you want _The Fantasy Fan_ to remain a monthly, or would yourather have a bi-monthly or a quarterly instead? Now, don't answerthis question by sending in a written reply. The only way you cananswer it is by mailing to us a dollar for a year's subscription.Since the inception of _The Fantasy Fan_ it has been running at agreat loss. The cost of having the magazine printed is not small andthe subscriptions do not pay for one quarter of the total cost. Thisfact may astound you, but it is the truth. _The Fantasy Fan_ is youngand not many of the fans know of its existence, chiefly because of thelack of a good advertising mediums for the most part, and the refusalof Weird Tales, the only really good medium for advertising such a fanmagazine, to accept our ad for the second time. Perhaps you do notfind our magazine worth a dollar a year, and that weird fiction wouldget along just as well without a fan magazine. In this case, you needpay no attention to this editorial. But there are those of us whoreally like our magazine and would not like to see it go bi-monthly orquarterly and yet have not subscribed. Of course, those of our readerswho have, have all done their part and are under no obligation. Theeditor has created a considerable sinking fund for the cost ofpublication, and although the sinking fund is practically exhausted,we are not sunk! As long as he has an income, the editor is willing tosacrifice a portion of it to keep _The Fantasy Fan_ alive--but healone cannot keep it a monthly. You cannot lose by the deal. You willget full value for your money. Our magazine will not fail, but if itdid, every subscriber on our list would get back his money for thosenumbers he would not receive. So if the success of our magazine meansanything to you, subscribe at once--each dollar sent in will insure ashorter period between issues. If you have already subscribed, try toget some of your friends interested. Give subscriptions for yourfantasy fan friends. If your subscription runs out in a month ortwo, renew it now, ahead of time. Please send only dollar bills ormoney orders--no checks or stamps. _Are you faithful to fantasyfiction?_--then let's see action. I'm doing my part--are you doingyours? The February number will be the regular monthly issue, andprobably March, but future numbers will be bi-monthly unless you whohave not sent in your subscriptions do so at once! If you couldforesee the many rare treats we have in store for you, you would nothesitate a moment.

  Here's hoping we have many faithful readers.

  --The Editor

  INFORMATION

  Through the courtesy of Ralph Milne Farley, Donald A. Wollheim, DavidStolaroff, Ted Lutwin, and several other of our readers, we are ableto present this additional list of stories written by Edgar RiceBurroughs as an addenda to the list presented last month:

  The Outlaw of Torm The War Chief The Mad King The Girl From Hollywood The Tarzan Twins The Girl From Farris's The Mucker The Man Without a Soul The Pirates of Venus Lost on Venus Tarzan and the Lion Man Tarzan and the City of Gold The Apache Devil The Bandit of Hell's Bend The Moon Men The Red Hawk HRH the Rider Efficiency Expert

  All of the above stories are not fantasy fiction.

  * * * * *

  Come over to 'The Boiling Point' and join in the argument.

  SCIENCE FICTION IN ENGLISH MAGAZINES

  by Bob Tucker

  (Series Four)

  This month, the column is devoted entirely to a small Englishpublication knows as "Boy's Magazine." The particular issue indiscussion is one of late November, 1933.

  One of the two fantasy stories in this issue is "The Menace of theMonsters." The monsters, which are prehistoric nightmares of the past,invade England and proceed to raise everything they come upon,including a train, a couple of autos, etc. The story carried three penand ink sketches which were very well executed. One portrayed a hugestegosaurus uprooting a train of cars, tossing it into the air, andspilling people out of it right and left.

  Another illustration showed a tyrannosaurus in a death battle with agiant sabre-tooth tiger ... 'tis something to gaze upon, take my wordfor it!

  The other science fiction story in the issue is named "The OceanCrater" and resembles _Astounding's_ "Telegraph Plateau" somewhat, inthe fact that a deep crater opens in the ocean and ships drop downinto it. This story has two illustrations, one showing a ship fallinginto the "ocean-pit" and the other portraying the destruction of anairplane carrier via "electric-arrow" rays from an overhead enemyplane.

  Another story in the issue, "Chin Ling's Ghost" was supposed to be asupernatural tale.

  (We hope to be able to present another article in this series in anearly issue.)

  THE BOILING POINT

  After five months, the Smith-Ackerman debate is still waxing hot.We open this month's column with another rebuttal from Ackerman:

  "Since the pros and cons on my Boiling Point article have changedaround to discussions of character, I wish to state that I do not likeH. P. Lovecraft's attitude. I was interested in his closing sentencein the second issue, and also in Mr. Derleth's. They were bothinteresting to analyze. But I resent Mr. Lovecraft's further uncalledfor remarks. If I am not qualified to judge any weird tales, he is notqualified to call names. It seems to me of late that his palsy-walsyClark Ashton Smith has been turning out an over-abundant amount ofliterature--but goodness! I don't think the man egotistic andattempting to draw attention to himself! The man likes to write, andso do I. Yet Mr. Lovecraft says of me 'peculiarly ridiculous', becauseI make absurd comments to focus people's eyes on me; and writevoluminously for the same reason, I take it. But I don't keep ascrap-book. That's not vary consistent with the nature described,is it? And ask Mr. Hornig what my answer was when he proposed a'Forrest J. Ackerman' issue of _The Fantasy Fan_. What a puffing upI should have gotten had I been _that_ sort of person: You tell 'emCharles--what I said: 'No!' Not that I see what difference it makeswho writes articles and how many of them there are in one issue, aslong as they're good--which I hope mine are. But people _will_ talk.And so I am not obliging with an autobiography of myself for the'Famous Fantasy Fans' feature either.

  "Furthermore, Mr. Lovecraft, you seem to have forgotten something. Ikeep my letters from famous writers. You say I once wrote you a verychildish attack on your work. But your answer to that letter was: 'Iwas very pleased to get your bright and candid letter this morning.'That is a different story.

  "I write these paragraphs in my behalf, because, being more of a weirdfans' magazine, I can't expect many voices on my side from _TheFantasy Fan_ readers. If you will see the third paragraph in theletter of C. Ferry and B. Rogers in the December _Wonder Stories_,however, you will find that the gentlemen are three times over asvehement and acidic as I. You might call them unknowing supporters.

  "To Robert Nelson, who says I must be daft or an imbecile or anotoriety-seeking clown and knave (and does it in one breath), I canonly answer that I thought it was a foregone conclusion that fantasyfans were 'daft' anyway, and that examination of the ratings of themembers of my alma mater graduating class might prove differentlyabout the second statement, and that I think I have cleared of thethird already.

  "Richard E. Morse's letter has impressed me as the one that really'says something.' His thought had not occurred to me before, and it isworthwhile considering.
_Weird Tales_ allows science fiction; whynot _Wonder Stories_ weird tales? As the science fiction fan I amalways eager to see stf in _Weird Tales_ and any other magazine. I seethat the process can easily be reversed. So Mr. Morse 'has' me. Theargument is settled.

  "Numerous Eyrie letters knock stf in _Weird_: I only did the same, butfrom the other side of the fence."

  H. P. Lovecraft also retaliates:

  "Glad you are giving the vociferous Master Ackerman a hearing--it'salways well to let both sides of a debate have an equal chance. But Ifear that Effjay the Terrible and his allies don't make out a verystrong case. The tirade to which exception was taken was not merely anassertion that Smith's 'Dweller in Martian Depths' is unsuited for ascience fiction magazine. It was a wholly gratuitous and intemperateattack on the story itself, written with a slap-dash extravagance andobviously sadistic gusto which plainly showed either a complete lackof analytical understanding and imaginative sensitiveness, or (as itwas probable) a mere boyish desire to show off and attract notice.However, Ackerman is young, as proved by his tendency to regardordinary civilized language as alien and incomprehensible. Now thathe's had a good barrage from the general public, it would be just aswell to leave him in peace. Five years from now he'll go beyond any ofus in laughing at his explosions of today."

  William H. Dellenback also has something to say:

  "I am not a Weird Man; indeed, I have read _very_ few weird storiesthat I have considered really good. Therefore, this is not so much adefense of Smith (who, I believe, is absolutely wrong in trying tolink weird fiction with science fiction), as a rebuttal to Ackerman.However, first let me say that I think you are making a mistake,Editor, in publishing, and readers, in writing, letters which make toopersonal remarks. Aside from the fact that they are not true, theBoiling Point is for arguing about principles and not for callingantagonists names.

  "But on with the dance--Forrest says that 'Dweller in Martian Depths'and 'The Light From Beyond' should not have been published in _WonderStories_. He also calls 'The Time Stream' doubtful material for a stfpublication.

  "Point 1--In regard to Forrest's dislike of Smith's excessivevocabulary, I will say this is purely a matter of personal opinion.And I respect his opinion (which is more than do Messrs. Lovecraft,Barlow, and Nelson) even though I don't agree with him. As a changefrom the average run of stf stories, I enjoy Smith's wonderfullanguage; I believe I have read very few stories as beautifully toldas 'The Light From Beyond'. And though I don't like his weird stories,nevertheless, his manner of telling seems to me admirably fitted toweird fiction.

  "Point 2--I agree heartily with Mr. Crawford; science fiction wouldindeed be dull, if it consisted of nothing but the ideas Mr. Barlowlists. Fantasy is an integral part of stf; and while the three abovementioned stories were, for a large part, fantasy, they also containedthe elements of strict stf.

  "Point 3--Finally, if no other explaining will suffice, I can onlyoffer this last fact: Such stories provide variety, and there are manywho will like them. So, if you don't, Forrest, just forget about it.Stf can not be composed of all interplanetar yarns, or all medical,or all of any other type."

  We hereby give notice that the Smith-Ackerman debate will be concludedin the February issue. It has just about run its course. If you haveanything to say, you'd better say it now. It's your last chance. Innext month's column, Clark Ashton Smith presents a rebuttal to thevociferous letter of D. Alexander's in our December issue. Mr. Smithis glad to know that Ackerman is being given an even break. We hopethat this friendly argument has been well-taken by all concerned andwill cause no hard feelings.

  The Ghoul

  by Clark Ashton Smith

  During the reign of the Caliph Vathek, a young man of good repute andfamily, named Noureddin Hassan, was haled before the Cadi Ahmed benBecar at Bussorah. Now Noureddin was a comely youth, of open andgentle mien; and great was the astonishment of the Cadi and of allothers present when they heard the charges that were preferred againsthim. He was accused of having slain seven people, one by one, on sevensuccessive nights, and of having left the corpses in a cemetery nearBussorah, where they were found lying with their bodies and membersdevoured in a fearsome manner, as if by jackals. Of the people he wassaid to have slain three were women, two were travelling merchants,one was a mendicant, and one a grave-digger.

  Ahmed ben Becar was filled with the learning and wisdom of honorableyears, and withal was possessed of much perspicacity. But he wasdeeply perplexed by the strangeness and atrocity of these crimes andby the mild demeanor and well-bred aspect of Noureddin Hassan, whichhe could in no wise reconcile with them. He heard in silence thetestimony of witnesses who had seen Noureddin bearing on his shouldersthe body of a woman at yester-eve in the cemetery; and others who onseveral occasions had observed him coming from the neighborhood atunseemly hours when only thieves and murderers would be abroad. Then,having considered all these, he questioned the youth closely.

  "Noureddin Hassan," he said, "thou hast been charged with crimes ofexceeding foulness, which thy bearing and thy lineaments belie. Isthere haply an explanation of these things by which thou canst whollyclear thyself, or in some measure mitigate the heinousness of thydeeds, if so it be that thou art guilty? I adjure thee to tell me thetruth in this matter."

  Now Noureddin Hassan arose before the Cadi; and the heaviness ofextreme shame and sorrow was visible on his countenance.

  "Alas, O Cadi," he replied, "for the charges that have been broughtagainst me are indeed true. It was I and none other, who slew thesepeople; nor can I offer any extenuation of my act."

  The Cadi was sorely grieved and astonished when he heard this answer.

  "I must perforce believe thee," he said sternly. "But thou hastconfessed a thing which will make thy name hence forward anabomination in the ears and mouths of men. I command thee to tell mewhy these crimes were committed, and what offense these persons hadgiven thee, or what injury they had done to thee; or if perchance thouslewest them for gain, like a common robber."

  "There was neither offense given nor injury wrought by any of themagainst me," replied Noureddin. "And I did not kill them for theirmoney or belongings or apparel, since I had no need of such things,and, aside from that, have always been an honest man."

  "Then," cried Ahmed ben Becar, greatly puzzled, "what was thy reasonif it was none of these?"

  Now the face of Noureddin Hassan grew heavier still with sorrow; andhe bowed his head in a shamefaced manner that bespoke the utterness ofprofound remorse. And standing thus before the Cadi, he told thisstory:

  The reversals of fortune, O Cadi, are swift and grievous, and beyondthe foreknowing or advertence of men. Alas! for less than a fortnightagone I was the happiest and most guiltless of mortals, with nothought of wrongdoing toward anyone. I was wedded to Amina, thedaughter of the jewel-merchant Aboul Cogia; and I loved her deeply andwas much beloved by her in turn; and moreover we were at this timeanticipating the birth of our first child. I had inherited from myfather a rich estate and many slaves; the cares of life were lightupon my shoulders; and I had, it would seem, every reason to countmyself among those whom Allah has blest with an earthly foretaste ofHeaven.

  Judge, then, the excessive nature of my grief when Amina died in thesame hour when she was to have been delivered. From that time, in thedire extremity of my lamentation, I was as one bereft of light andknowledge; I was deaf to all those who sought to condole with me, andblind to their friendly offices.

  After the burial of Amina my sorrow became a veritable madness, and Iwandered by night to her grave in the cemetery near Bussorah and flungmyself prostrate before the newly lettered tombstone, on the earththat been digged that very day. My senses deserted me, and I knew nothow long I remained on the damp clay beneath the cypresses, while thehorn of a decrescent moon arose in the heavens.

  Then, in my stupor of abandonment, I heard a terrible voice that bademe rise from the ground on which I was lying. And lifting my head alittle, I saw a hideous demon of gigantic frame and st
ature, with eyesof scarlet fire beneath brows that were coarse as tangled rootlets,and fangs that overhung a cavernous mouth, and earth-black longer andsharper than those of the hyena. And the demon said to me:

  "I am a ghoul, and it is my office to devour the bodies of the dead. Ihave now come to claim the corpse that was interred today beneath thesoil on which thou art lying in a fashion so unmannerly. Begone, for Ihave fasted since yester-night, and I am much anhungered."

  Now, at the sight of this demon, and the sound of his dreadful voice,and the still more dreadful meaning of his words, I was like to haveswooned with terror on the cold clay. But I recovered myself in amanner, and besought him, saying:

  "Spare this grave, I implore thee; for she who lies buried therein itdearer to me than any living mortal; and I would not that her fairbody should be the provender of an unclean demon such as thou."

  At this the ghoul was angered, and I thought that he would have doneme some bodily violence. But again I besought him, swearing by Allahand Mohammed with many solemn oaths that I would grant him anythingprocurable and would do for him any favor that lay in the power of manif he would leave undespoiled the new-made grave of Amina. And theghoul was somewhat mollified, and he said:

  "If thou wilt indeed perform for me a certain service, I shall do asthou askest." And I replied:

  "There is no service, whatsoever its nature, that I will not do forthee in this connection, and I pray thee to name thy desire."

  Then the ghoul said: "It is this, that thou shalt bring to me eachnight, for eight successive nights, the body of one whom thou hastslain with thine own hand. Do this, and I shall neither devour nor digthe body that lies interred hereunder."