THE WSFA JOURNAL (The Journal of the Washington S. F. Association) Issue Number 84: December, 1974 Copyright © 1974 by Donald L. Miller AH rights reserved for contributors. Views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect those of WSFA or the editors. Published by The WSFA Press TWJ-84/3 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE..........................................................................................................Page 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................... Page 3 COLOPHON........................................................................................................ Page 5 STAFFING ..........................................................................................................Page 5 '73 WRAPUP: The Year In Review— THE "BEST" ANTHOLOGIES: 1973 by Richard Delap............ Page 9 THE "ORIGINAL" ANTHOLOGIES: 1973 by Richard Delap . Page 17 1973 SF/FANTASY MAGAZINE WRAP-UP by Richard Delap Page 26 DEVILS, DEMONS, AND ASSORTED DAMNATIONS: A Review of 1973's Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films by Richard De lap................................................................ Page 28 SCIENCE FICTION IN GERMANY by Frank Flugge............... Page 34 SCIENCE FICTION IN JAPAN IN 1973 by Takumi Shibano . Page 36 1973 COMICS—THE YEAR IN REVIEW by Kim Weston .... Page 39 TV IN 1973 by Beth Slick............................................................. Page44 BONNIE'S BEASTIES— Art Folio by Bonnie Dalzell..................... Page47 FAN FICTION — YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN UNTIL YOU'VE COME BACK HOME AGAIN by Joseph T. Mayhew............ Page 57 THE MASTER OF HIS FATES by Alexis A. Gilliland ............ Page 62 BOOKWORLD— Editor's Column by David Weems..................................................... Page 64 Reviews— AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISIONS by Richard De lap............... Page 67 BITS AND PIECES: SCIENCE FICTION IS EVERYWHERE by Richard Delap ............................................................................ Page 82 WILLIAMSON AND THE ACADEMIC REVIEWER by Sam Moskowitz ......................................................................... Page 87 Review of Wandering Stars; An Anthology of Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy by Jim Goldfrank.......................................Page 89 Three reviews by Michael Walsh: Wandor's Ride .......................................................................Page 91 Worms of the Earth.................................................................Page 91 The Book of Weird.................................................................Page 91 Four reviews by David Weems: The World of Null-A and The Players of Null-A. Page 92 The Nothing Book; Wanna Make Something of It? . Page 93 The Fall of Colossus..............................................................Page 93 Star Trek Log One.................................................................Page 94 TWJ-84/4 Table of Contents (continued) BOO KWORLD (continued) Two reviews by Barry Gillam: The Glory Game...... ..........................................Page 95 Herovit's World....................................................................Page 98 Review of The Crystal Man by Michael Walsh........................... Page 100 Review of The Crystal Skull by Trina King................................. Page 101 Review of The Coming Dark Age by Michael T. Shoemaker „ Page 102 FANZINES AND FANAC— FANZINE FRICASSEE: FANZINE REVIEWS by Michael T. Shoemaker .................................................................Page 105 ('Zines reviewed: Maybe: Worlds of Fandom; Notes from the Chemistry Department; Dynatron; Godless; Cypher) FANSTATIC AND FEEDBACK; Lettercolumn— LoC's from: Mike Glicksohn....................................................................Page 111 Martin Williams....................................................................Page 111 Robert Smoot ..........................................................................Page 111 Avedon Carol..........................................................................Page 112 Harlan Ellison .......................................................................Page 113 Darrell Schweitzer..............................................................Page 114 Stephen Gregg......................... Page 116 Richard Delap ................................................ Page 117 Don D'Ammassa ....................................................................Page 117 ETCETERA: And All That Fits.... Letter and Recipe by Jim Goldfrank.......................................Page 118 A SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE DISCON II COMMITEE_____ Page 120 FLUX DE MOTS; Editors' Pages (Don Miller) ..........................................Page 121 INDICIA; INDEX TO VOLUME 12 OF THE WSFA JOURNAL (^'s 67-72) . Page Wl 1 With Supplemental Issues CREDITS: Front Cover by Chris Bassford; Back Cover by Walt Simonson; Inside covers by Michael Weems. Interior 111 os: for the Fiction Section—the Mayhew story illustrated by Ray Ridenour, diagram inked by David Weems — the ilIo at the end of Alexis Gilliland's story by unknown artist 'DVJ'; other illos—Alexis Gilliland (43, 46, 66, 86, 103, 109, and LoC column's logo); Bergeron (6); David Weems (16); and Walt Simonson (81). Offset pages typed by David Weems, Wayne Piatt, and Bill Hixon. Most lettering and logos done by David Weems. Offset publishing by the WSFA Press with the kind assistance of Chick Derry. Mimeographed sections typed and published by Don Miller. Thanks also to anyone we have inadvertently forgotten, if any. TWj-84/5 TWJ is published irregularly (for now at least). This issue is priced on the following basis: For continental subscribers—2$ per printed page rounded upward to the nearest 25<^ (see the editors' page for the exact price and explanations); for foreign subscribers getting TWJ only, the price is 4 issues for $6. TWJ is still normally available as part of the SOTWJ sub, prorated against the subscription of the Son in 25$ increments. The SOTWJ rate is 8 issues for $2 (Don will have an editors comment in the Son about the rates). Ads accepted for SOTWJ, but not for TWJ. Both 'zines are free for published contributions; trades by arrangement only or by Trade/Sub. Editorial address is that of Dan Miller (see staffing below). Deadline for material for #85 is 1 February 1974. STAFFING: The WSFA Press consists of the following personnel — Editor-in-chief and Publisher: Donald L. Miller 12315 Judson Road Wheaton, MD, USA, 20906 Associate Editor and Publications Manager: Bill Hixon 870 Quince Orchard Blvd. #T2 Gaithersburg, MD, USA 20760 Associate Editors, Section Editors, and Publishers: David W. Weems Wayne V. Piatt P. O. Box 309 P. O. Box 309 Oakton, VA, USA 22124 Oakton, VA, USA, 22124 Art Editor: Alexis Gilliland 4030 S. Eighth Street Arlington, VA, USA 22204 SECTION EDITORS: David W. Weems — Bookworld Wayne V. Piatt — Articles and Prozines Bill Hixon — Fiction and Lettercolumn Kim Weston — Comics and Films Don Miller — Features, News, Bibliographies, Indexes, Fanac and Fanzines, and TV and Radio Staff Reviewers: David Weems, Don D'Ammassa, Jim Goldfrank, Michael Walsh, Michael T. Shoemaker, Richard De lap, Les Mayer, Bill Hixon, Wayne V. Piatt, Kim Weston, and Jim Lawson. Staff Artists: Alexis Gilliland and Ray Ridenour. Overseas Agents: AUSTRALIA—Robin Johnson, GPO Box 4039, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia; GERMANY—Frank Flugge, 5868 Letmathe, Eichendorffweg 16, West Germany; JAPAN — Takumi Shibano, 1-14-11. O-kayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan; S. AFRICA—A. B. Ackerman, Cheshire Home, 890 Main Rd., Moseley, 4001 S. Africa; U.K. —Eric Bentcliffe, 17 Riverside Cresc., Holmes Chapel, Cheshire GW4 7NR England. BER&CKObi '73 WRAPUP The Year In Review TWJ-84/9 THE "BEST" ANTHOLOGIES: 1973 by: Richard Delap The Best Science Fiction of the Year #2, edited by Terry Carr (Ballantine 03312- $1.25; 370pp.; 1973) ' The 1973 Annual World's Best SF, edited by Donald A. Wollheim; with Arthur W. Saha (DAW UQ1053; 95p; 253pp.; 1973) hardcover: SF Book Club; $1.98 Best SF: 1972, edited by Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss (Putnam; $5.95; 254pp.- 1973) paper: Berkley 02381; 95<: Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year, 2nd Annual Collection, edited by Lester del Rey (E. P. Dutton & Co.; $6.95; 251 pp.; 1973) Best Science Fiction for 1973, edited by Forrest J. Ackerman (Ace 91360- $1 25­ 268 pp.; 1973) We're down one volume from last year's six, as DAW Books has apparently dropped the Richard Davis horror anthology. So here are five new books to help us gain an over­ view of last year’s SF output, and, as expected, quite a selection of works have been culled from the original anthologies in addition to the magazines. And if readers were depressed by the astoundingly low quality of last year's stories, they won't be much en­ couraged by the majority of this year's efforts. While each volume has a share of good stories, only one can claim that its contents adequately represent the variety and high points of excellence in a year of heavy publication. The rest range from passably good work to incredible ineptitude both in selection and presentation of stories. Eight stories are printed twice in this year's books, two of which even seem to deserve the distinction and have in addition collected Hugo awards. In this year's race to present us with the best, Terry Carr has left all competition far behind with his selection of sixteen stories that Ballantine has presented in 370 meaty pages for the delightfully reasonable