Volume 1 December, 1933 Number 4

OUR READERS SAY

"The November issue beats the first two by a mile! If this keeps up, I wonder what the tenth issue will be like? Sorry that I cannot send an English science-fiction column this month, as I haven't heard from the other side yet. Have written to South Africa on the stf situation there, but won't promise you anything on it. Will we have a story in the December issue? 'The Other Gods' beat 'The Kingdom of the Worm.'"--Bob Tucker

We cannot tell what the tenth issue of TFF will be like, but you can get a good idea of what the fifth will be like by reading our editorial. We are sorry we did not receive your foreign science-fiction column this month, and would be pleased to hear about South Africa. You will notice three stories in this issue of TFF. Which of the stories so far published is the best, is a matter of opinion. Further on in this department you will learn the varied opinions of their merit.

"What might be called the 'Anti-Ackerman' issue has just arrived. It looks to me like you ought to have advertised it as that, or run a streamer across the top. I think it would have doubled your subscriptions, so many people, it seems, would like to read something against me. Will you please tone down the remarks about my being the 'most active fan,' etc? That started with you. You can't say I ever had anything to do with it. Many people reading such statements will become antagonistic 'just because,' and though I'm going around begging people to like me, still there's no virtue in unnecessarily tipping away from you neutral parties."--Forrest J. Ackerman

The editor wishes to drop formalities for a brief paragraph in order to make a personal confession, and will therefore speak in the singular. Yes, Forrie, it has all been my fault. I was the one that called you "the world's most active fan," etc., and really had something to do with the animosity some of my readers have had toward you. Let me say that I want to apologize--I am very sorry for it. I meant well, but it didn't seem to have been interpreted the way it was intended. All those laudatory remarks were really said to let other readers know how much you have done to advance science fiction, but for certain peculiar reasons which can never be foretold, they weren't taken in the proper light. Frankly, this should teach us both a lesson--you and I. I should consider carefully every remark I make about anyone or his work, and you should become less prejudiced and vehement on any particular subject, and consider the question: "What's one man's opinion?" Your controversy with C. A. Smith is continued in this issue's "Boiling Point."

"I am highly pleased with your publication, and hope you can make a success of it. Glad to see you are printing Lovecraft's excellent article on 'Supernatural Horror in Literature,' and also his 'Other Gods.' Smith's tale was most entertaining."--R. H. Barlow (author of the 'Annals' series)

"TFF continues to improve, the November issue marking a new high, what with Lovecraft and Smith in the same number."--Allen Glasser

"I find the _Fantasy Fan_ very interesting and think it has a good future. Anybody ought to be willing to pay a dollar for the privilege of reading, for a whole year, the works of Lovecraft, Smith, and Derleth. I am glad to see that you announce a poem by Smith in the next issue. He is a poet second to none. Weird poetry possesses an appeal peculiar to itself and the careful use of it raises the quality of any magazine. I liked very much the department of 'True Ghost Stories,' and hope you will continue it. The world is full of unexplained incidents and peculiar circumstances, the logical reasons for which are often so obscure and hidden that they are lent an illusion of the supernatural."--Robert E. Howard

We wish there were more authors and fans that were enthusiastic over the future of weird fiction and _The Fantasy Fan_ as you and our other readers are, and were willing to support it. Yes, anyone should be willing to pay a dollar to read the works of the authors you mention for a whole year--and you are certainly included in that list, although you, of course, would not mention that fact. The opinions of such a popular weird author as yourself carry weight, and it is a supreme pleasure to have you as a subscriber and contributor. Our gratitude is unbounded.

"Delighted to see the November Issue. All the items and departments seem well calculated to interest the weird fiction devotee; and since there is no other magazine in this field, TFF ought certainly to be able to build up a solid clientele in the course of time."--H. P. Lovecraft

"Weisinger has done himself proud in both TFF and SFD. If he can only keep going! I wonder what would happen if Schwartz fell down?!! Lovecraft is O.K., and so is the whole issue; it is interesting. All I'm doing is praising your mag, but what else can I do?"--Kenneth Pritchard

Without Schwartz and Weisinger, science fiction fan material would receive a terrific blow from which it would never recover. We are glad to see that you are boosting our magazine; thanks for your enthusiasm.

"One is inclined to believe that H. P. Lovecraft's 'The Other Gods' should now have cause to look down upon 'The Kingdom of the Worm,' as created by Clark Ashton Smith. The latter's tale, at best, was an inferior Smith writing, and truly, not one of his best. One must be logical and open-minded, you know. R. H. Barlow is deserving of praise for his 'Annals.' The gentlemen with the musical pen-name of Hoy Ping Pong produced an enjoyable article on 'How to Write a STF Story:' very amusing satire."--Robert Nelson

"I surely am delighted with the second issue of TFF--a big step forward from the first edition! By all means keep up the good work that you have started. This is just the thing we non-scientifictionists need. Lovecraft, Smith, Wandrei, Howard, and Quinn, I hope, will be your main contributors as they just about hold up the weird and fantastic candle. I look for big things from you! 'The Kingdom of the Worm' was quite light and weak and far below the Smith standard--he is my favorite author and I know what he can do as I have nearly all of his stories and poems. The idea of portrayal was novel but many more pages could have been written. It seemed to me that the climax came too quickly, and with a less startling denouement than is customary with Mr. Smith's work. However, I was gladly surprised to see the story in this new magazine's pages. 'Supernatural Horror in Literature' by H. P. Lovecraft is intensely interesting."--F. Lee Baldwin

One has his full right to like or dislike a story, and while you and the previous writer believed Smith's tale to be below his standard, many have written in acclaiming it one of his best. If the tale had appeared in _Weird Tales_, you might have thought so also, but seeing that TFF is only a struggling little publication, you might have "hypnotised" yourself into believing that it was not up to his average. And then again, you must be in the mood when you read weird stories. Reading them under unfavorable conditions may force a derogatory opinion of the tale upon you.

"The second TFF was good! Hope you will get more staff writers who are familiar with fantastic fiction as you go along. Glad to see Lovecraft's article. C. A. Smith's tale was fine. Keep up their publication in spite of the opposition which will be forthcoming of 'pure' stf addicts."--Lester Anderson

"The second issue was read with much interest and enjoyment. It showed considerable improvement over the first issue. The high spots were Clark Ashton Smith's story 'The Kingdom of the Worm' and the beginning of H. P. Lovecraft's article on 'Supernatural Horror in Literature.' Smith's story was splendid and I hope to see much more of his work in TFF. Lovecraft's article began very promisingly, my only criticism being that the instalment was much too short."--H. Koenig.

"I am glad to learn that TFF will be devoted henceforth to the weird in fiction, for I feel that truly fantastic literature, as distinguished from the merely pseudo-scientific, is entitled to the fullest support; a support hitherto given to the stf type. I feel certain that a large and appreciative following may be built up among the disciples of this branch of literature. My best wishes to the success of TFF."--Richard F. Searight

Following are two letters in direct contrast.

"I have read the October issue of TFF from cover to cover and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have one objection, though. Since TFF is a magazine devoted to the discussion of weird fiction, you should cut down on the stf stuff. You'll find plenty of readers who will enjoy it without having to add so much science fiction talk."--Emil Petaja

"Please keep on using the same kind of paper and add more pages. Was sorry to hear that TFF is leaning toward weird fiction. Why do you encourage superstition with all the pronouncements of science against it? I like the magazine fine, all except the weird part. I never have read a good weird tale. Why do they print the science fiction and interplanetary stories of Kline, Hamilton, and Williamson in _Weird Tales_, for weird tales, interplanetary stories are not weird."--Lloyd Fowler.

Now, considering the two above letters, what is the poor editor to do? For the present, we will continue to use both stf and weird material, leaning toward the weird and printing only weird stories--except, of course, in the January issue, which will be chiefly weird. By the way, we believe that the January number will have quite opposite effects upon Messrs. Petaja and Fowler. We are sorry to hear that Mr. Fowler has never read a good weird story. We must pity him. Has he ever tried a magazine known as _Weird Tales_ by any chance? But all kidding aside, we will take his suggestions into consideration.

For some reason known only to themselves, _Weird Tales_ has refused to accept the TFF ad for their January, 1934 issue. Perhaps they think they have competition! We had intended to make our January number entirely weird with 24 pages, but now find it inadvisable, because of the rejection of our ad. We find that it would be best to conserve the Fantasy Fan Fund for future issues, rather than put everything into one issue.

MY SCIENCE FICTION COLLECTION

by Forrest J. Ackerman