THE FANTASY FAN The Fans’ Own Magazine

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

137 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey Volume i 'October, ~i 93 3 Number z

EDITORIAL we certainly will continue to give ab­ sorbing columns, articles and departments You will note -several improvements’in that will make each issue well worth a this issue of THE FANTASY "jFAN dime to you. You won’t want to miss over the first number. The most not­ ■the rest of Schwartz’s “How to Collect iceable oae, of course, is the fact that Fantasy Fiction,” or Ackerman’s story there are almost twice as many pages as of his A-1 collection, or the Club News in the September copy. But our im­ -or the Famous Fans department, or the provements do not end there—not by a -Boiling Point, or Science Fiction in En­ long shot. Not only has the circulation glish Magazines by Tucker, or the super- been doubled, but we have a new policy. excellent material we have on hand be­ Starting with this issue, we will present sides—dozens of articles of humor, satire, a story every month(maybe more than -information, absorbing interest—the type one) by Clark Ashton Smith, H. P. Love­ of article that only the science fiction fan craft, August W. Derleth, and other -can derive full enjoyment from. So, while top-notchers in the field of weird fiction. THE FANTASY FAN will lean toward You science-fiction fans are probably won­ the weird angle, it wili be worth th* while dering by the import of the last sentence of every science fiction fan to continue to why we will not print science-fiction. be a reader. Furthermore-through years Well, here’s the reason. In the SCI­ of experience (well, a month, anyway), ENCE FICTION DIGEST we have we have learned that a great many weird a fan magazine for those scientifictionally fans—we could almost say a majority—are inclined, which also presents gems of this also readers 'of science fiction and vice type story by Arthur J. Burks, Ray Pal­ versa. After all, both science fiction and mer, and others. We feel that the weird weird tales are fantastic, aren’t they? fans should also have a magazine for They both are based on the highly im­ themselves — hence THE FANTASY probable, and they both stimulate the FAN. But don’t get discouraged, you imagination. It is a rare fan that does science-fiction guzzlers, we have dozens not like both. The scientifically inclined of excellent articles composed just for reader may not like weird tales; those you. Although THE FANTASY FAN that only want to be horrified and ter­ will present no science-fiction stories, rorized may not like science fiction; but ’+ THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933

those who want their imaginations stim­ OUR READERS SAY ulated like both. Let us remind you again, and inform “I have read the first issue of ‘The the new readeri, that this is primarily a Fantasy Fan’ with much interest. Good magazine for the fan*, of the fans, and work! I like your departments, and hope by the fans—the fan, the whole fan, and you will be able to expand them, part­ nothing but the fan. (We hope that by icularly those devoted to information about thii time you realize that we publish a fantastic stories. FAN magazine). But all foolishness a- “ ‘The Boiling Point’ is going to be ride, we want you to run thejmagazine. a great department. I was interested by Tell us what you like and what you the article on ‘Science Fiction in English don’t like. As many letters as possible Magazines’ by Bob Tucker. I predict will be published in “Our Readers Say”, that ‘The Fantasy Fan’ will be a success. department. We will always abide by With all best wishes—Clark Ashton Smith” the wishes of the majority, and very oft­ “Vol. 1, No. 1, looks to me very en act upon the opinions of a single much what the younger science fiction reader—try out bis ideas to see how the devotee want. Later on it might be a rest of the readers like them. Make be­ good idea to use matter of interest to weird lieve that you are an associate editor— tales enthusiasts—articles on the classics of criticize us “to the hairy limit”—or tell of weird literature, and information con­ us how good you think we are (we are cerning weird magazines. H.P. Lovecraft” not modest). If you feel as though you We’ll wager Mr. Lovecraft is well sat­ have the ability to compose surtabie art. isfied with this issue. It includes every­ icles for publication in THE FANTASY thing he asked for and then some. It is FAN, send them in for our considera­ no longer for the “younger science fiction tion, and if we find them acceptable, enthusiast,” but for all lovers of the you will be paid for them in copies of fantastic. THE FANTASY FAN—in cash as soon “I received the first issue of ‘The as possible. THE FANTASY FAN it Fantasy Fan’ this morning and was in­ still running on a deficit. Subscribe now, deed pleased with it. August W. Derleth” if you have not already done so, and “I recently received the first issue of insure yourself of a bigger and better ‘The Fantasy Fan’ and I want to con­ magazine in the future. gratulate you on your initial number. If The following departments: “This future issues live up to the promise of the Month’s Cash Contest”—“Penpals Want­ first one, you have nothing to fear. Your ed”—and the Questionnaire have been venture should be a successful one. discontinued because of lack of support “Being essentially a collector, I enjoy­ and enthusiasm on the part of our read­ ed the articles ‘How to Collect Fantasy ers. The “Cofcglamitorial,” and “A- Fiction’ and ‘Science Fiction in English bout Authors” and similar departments Magazines.’ I hope Mr. Tucker will be may be left out once in awhile to make a more ®r less constant contributor to place for material of greater merit. ‘The Fantasy Fan’ with information re­ (continued on page 31) garding stories in the English magazines. October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN *5

“I have only one fault to find with what happens from N to Z. Also, I the first number of ‘The Fantasy greatly enjoyed his ‘Earthling Spurns Fan’ and that's Forrest J. Ackerman. Martian,’ newspaper-of-the-future account Can’t you get along without him? Isn’t —but Efjay Akkamin for the terrestrial! it bad enough to find his letters appear­ From Ockermann to McKerman misspell­ ing in all of the other magazines without ings have ranged (and, yes, someone even having to endure more of him in ‘The addressed me Mr. Staples, once), but Fantasy Fan?’ Maybe he is the really—” Forrest J. Ackerman most active science fiction fan, but I wish “I enjoyed the first issue of ‘The Fan­ he would confine his activities to Calif­ tasy Fan’ very much, your features and ornia. If you simply have to have him, news items were well chosen and well please keep his outbursts to a minimum. written. There is little room for improve­ I wonder if the ‘World’s most, active ment, just more pages, better paper, and science fiction fan;’ ‘The demon letter stories, which will come in time.” writer’ realizes how tiresome and boring Philip Bridges his continual out-pourings may become. Mr. Bridges wishes have’also come true. “Once more permit me to congratulate "Just what I think of TFF:- every you on your efforts. I am looking for­ single word in it is GOOD—I can’t find ward with considerable interest to future a solitary thing to kick about. Its per­ issues. With best luck. H. Koenig.” fect. Superb. I’m sure glad I’m a You will be pleased to hear that Mr. subscriber.” Ted Lutwin Tucker has promised us a column on Eng­ No, readers, this is not a paid testi­ lish science fiction every month. The monial. Of course, we know the mag­ second in the series appear in this issue. azine is far from perfect or superb, but Of course, we cannot take sides with we are pleased to see that the greater you as to whether Mr. Ackerman’s ‘out­ part of our readers were not disappoint­ bursts’ are boring. That is for the read­ ed in it. ers to decide. Yours is the first unfav­ “Congrats on the first of the ‘Fan,’ orable comment we have had upon Mr. it’s darn good. The stf alphabet is sweil. Ackerman’s efforts, and we feel that the Tucker’s article and ‘Club News’ are majority of the readers enjoy his articles. good as are the columns. Am eagerly “Your first issue certainly satisfies! awaiting No. 2 issue. ‘The Fantasy Like Chesterfields, huh? Of course, I Fan’ is filling a long-felt need and I ex­ don’t know—I don’t smoke. But I’ve pect it to grow and prosper. Bon voy­ just read TFF thru, and it’s a dandy age.” Daniel McPhail first number. “Got my first issue of TFF other day. “A real good idea, that, of reprinting Best articles were ‘Science Fiction Alph­ the article about author Kostkos from the abet,’ ‘About Authors,’ and ‘Conglami- paper. He sounds a real stf’ist. torial.’ I thought the whole magazine "If you want to know, I think that was excellent.” J. Sam Smart ‘Science Fiction Alphabet’ poem by Allen " ‘Earthling Spurns Martian’ almost Glasser is great. I got a laugh out of sent me into a fit. ’Tis a good little every letter, and am interested in seeing mag. I hope you enlarge the size 16 THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933

later.”—David StolarofF ARGOSY FANTASTICS "Received my copy of your magazine (Courtesy Don Moore, Managing and liked it swell. Just what I’ve been Editor, Argosy) looking for! Your promise of some more new Clark Ashton Smith stories make it Fantasy Fans may be interested to know even more enticing. Good luck to you!” some of the forthcoming fantastic and —Duane W. Rimel weird stories scheduled for publication in Well, fans, just to show you that the Argosy, which has always featured thia above has not gone to our head, read type of fiction. In the November 4th what someone else says: issue, Ray Cummings has a novelette, "At present, ‘The Fantasy Fan’ isn’t “Terror of the Unseen,” in which a worth the time it takes to read it or the criminal scientist masters the secret of ink to print it. And same can be said electrical invisibility and throws a great about all the Science Fiction ‘fan’ mag- city into chaos. It is an exciting piece azines.”-B.K. Goree, Jr. of science fiction complete in this issue. Mr. Goree forgot to mention that The following week, November nth, "The Fantasy Fan” isn’t worth the Erle Stanley Gardner presents the second, paper it’s printed on. Ink is very of his series of stories about the Road­ runner, a lone wolf of the Mexican cheap. “The first issue is really good, but I border who has a strange faculty of think a great many improvements can be seeing in the dark-a scientifically possi­ made. I would suggest that you use a ble but rare phenomenon which leads him into unusual adventures. This stiff cover of some heavy paper, with a table of contents either on the front cover, novelette is. entitled “Border Justice. . as in the ‘Science Fiction Digest,’ or on Otis Adelbert Kline starts his second the inside of the front cover. A better ■novel of the red planet in the Novem­ grade of paper should prove of advantage. ber 35 th issue. “The Outlaw of Leave the size the way it is. Mars” is a full length novel of ad­ "Now for the articles themselves. venture in the weird world of canals, These were all good, especially Julius filled with amazing warfare and fantas­ Schwartz’s on the collection of science tic animals. fiction, Science Fiction in English Mag­ azines and Sequels by Popular Demand. you double your circulation in a few I do not care an awful lot for' Mr. months.’"—Oswald Train. Smith’s stories, but have read some dan­ We have made several of the improve­ dies by him. Some of his stories are a ments you mention, and will make others good cure for sleeping sickness, I agree in good time. Do you want a contents with Mr. Ackerman on some points in page, fans, or would you rther have the The Boiling Point, but on others—aw, space used for some interesting article? phooie, Mr. Ackerman! Because I just Give us your opinions on the current half agree with him, I think I will stay issue, and tell' us your likes and dislikes. neutral in the controversy. Best wishes We want to hear from you. to you in your new venture. I hope The Editor The Kingdom Of The Worm by Clark Ashton Smith

[Every fantasy reader knows Clark Ashton Now in his journeying Sir John Smith, and he needs no introduction. Maundeville had passed well to one side Not only is he the favorite of thousands, of that remarkable province in the king­ but his work has been said tc rival and dom of Abehaz which was called Hany­ even surpass Poe. Although, as a gen­ son; and, unless he was greatly deceived eral rule, we do not take sides, £ we admit by those of whom he had inquired the without,the slightest hesitation that we en­ way, could deem himself within two days’ joy Clark Ashton Smith's stales a {great travel of the neighboring realm of Georgia. deal more than we do Poe’s. Even those He had seen the river that flowed out that find Smith’s work altogether too fan­ from Hanyson, a land of hostile idolaters tastic mpst admit that no other author has on which there lay the curse of perpetual nearly as beautiful a vocabulary, and few darkness; and wherein, it was told, the have as great an ability to produce the voices of people, the crowing of cocks utterly weird effect as our present author. and the neighing of horses had sometimes He claims that “The Kingdom of the been heard by those who approached >ts confines. But he had not paused to in­ Worm” is one of his weirdest and most vestigate the verity of these marvels; since original of his tales, and we are inclined to agree with him. Let the story speak the direct route of his journey was through for itself.] another region; and also Hanyson was a place into which no man, not even the most hardy, would care to enter with­ FORWORD out need. However, as he pursued his wayfaring This tale was suggested by the read­ with the two Armenian Christians who ing of “The Voyages and Travels of Sir formed his retinue, he began to hear from John Maundeville,” in which the fan­ the inhabitants of that portion of Abehaz tastic realm of Abehaz and the darkness the rumor of an equally dread demesne, covered province of Hanyson are actu­ named Antchar, lying before him onjthe ally described! I recommend this colour­ road to Georgia. The tales they told ful fourteenth-century book to lovers of were both ’vague and frightful, andfwere fantasy. Sir John even jtells, in one of varying import: some said that this chapter, how diamonds popograte them­ country was a desolation peopled only by selves! Truly, the world was a wonder­ the liches of the dead and by loathly ful place in those times,'* when .almost phantoms; others, that it was subject to everyone believed in the verity of such the ghouls and’afiits, who devoured the marvels. dead and would suffer no living mortal to THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933 trepass upon their dominions; and still bling slowly into dust and taking shapes others spoke of things all too hideous to of wild horror and strangeness, of demon- be described, and of dire necromancies ry and Satanry as they crumbled. There that ^prevailed in Antchar even asr the were faces in the stone, having the sem­ might of emperors doth prevail in more blance of ghouls or goblins, that appear­ usually ordered lands. And the tales a- ed to move and twist as the travellers went greed only in this, thatfAntchar hadjbeen by; and Sir John and his companions within mortal memory one of the fairest wer«£troubled by . the aspect of these faces domains of Abchaz, but bad been utterly and by the similitudes which they bore laid waste by an unknown pestilence, so to one another. So much alike, indeed, that its high cities and broad fields were were many of them, that it seemed as if long since abandoned to the desert and their first exemplars were preceding the to such devils and other creatures as in­ wayfarers, to mock them anew at each habit waste places. And the tellers of turn. And aside from those which were the tales agreed in warning Sir John to like ghouls or goblins, there were others avoid this region and to take the road having the features of heathen idols, un­ which ran deviously to the north of Ant­ couth and hideous to behold; and others char; for Antchar was a place into which still that were like the worn^gnawed no man had gone in latter times. visages of the dead; and these also ap­ The good knight listened gravely to all peared to repeat themselves on every hand these, as was his wont; but being a stout in a doubtful and wildering fashion. Christian, and valorous withal, he would The Armenians would haye turned back, not suffer them to deter him from his pur­ for they swore that the rocks were alive pose. Even when the last inhabited vil­ and endowed with motion, in a land where lage had been left behind, and he came naught else was living; and they sought to the division of the ways, and taw ver­ to dissuade Sir John from his project. ily that the highway into Antchar had But he said merely, “Follow me, an ye not been trodden by man or beast for will ” and rode.onward among the rocks generations, he refused to change his in­ and pinnacles. tention but rode forward stoutly while Now, in the ancient dust of the un­ the Armenians followed with much pro­ used read, they saw the tracks of a crea­ test and some trepidation. ture that was neither man nor any ter­ Howbeit, he was not blind to the sun­ restrial beast; and the tracks were of such dry disagreeable tokens that began to de­ unwonted shape and number, and were so clare themselves along the way. There monstrous withal, that even Sir John was were neither trees, herbs nor lichens any­ disquieted thereby; and perceiving them, where, such as would grow in any whole­ the Armenians murmured more openly some land; but low hills mottled with a than before. leprosy of salt, and ridges bare as the And now, as they still pursued their bones of the dead. way, the pinnacles of the pass grew tall Anon he came to a pass where the as giants, and were riven into the like­ hills were strait and steep on each hand, ness of mighty limbs and bodies, some with pinnacled cliffs of a dark stone crum­ of which were headless and others with October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 19

heads of Typhoean enormity. And their supplicative arms from the sand that had shadows deepened between the travellers sifted upon the older gardens. And here and the sun, to more than the umbrage there were ruinous houses, with doors of shadows cast by rocks. And in the open to the high-diifting desert, and darkest depth of the ravine, Sir John and mausoleums sinking slowly in the dunes. his followers met a solitary jackal, which And here, as Sir John rode forward, , fled them not in the manner of its kind the sky darkened above him, though not but passed them with leisurely pace and with the passage of clouds or the coming bespoke them with articulate words, in of the simoon, but rather with the a voice hollow and sepulchral as that strange dusk of midmost eclipse, wherein of a demon, bidding them to turn back, the shadows of himself and his horse since the land, before them was an inter- were blotted out, and the tombs and , dictedgreaim. All were much startled houses were wan as phantoms. ■ thereat, considering that this was in­ Sir John had not ridden much further, deed a thing of enchantment, for a jack­ when he met a horned viper, or cerast­ al to speak thus, and being against nature, es, crawling toilsomely away from Ant­ was foreominous of ill and peril. And char in the deep dust of the road. And the Armenians cried jout, saying they the viper spoke as it passed him, saying would go no further; and when the with a human voice, “Be warned, and jackal had passed from sight, they fled go not onward into Antchar, for this is a after it, spurring their horses like men realm forbidden to al) mortal beings ex­ who were themselves ridden by devils. cept the dead.” Seeing them thus abandon him, Sir Now did Sir John address himself in John was somewhat wroth; and also he prayer to God the Highest, and to Jesus was perturbed by the warning of the Christ our Savior and all the blessed jackal; and he liked not the thought of Saints, knowing surely that he had ar­ faring alone into Antchar. But, trusting rived in a place that was subject to Sa- in our Savior to forfend him against all tanical dominion. And while he prayed harmful enchantments and the necro- the gloom .continued to thicken, till the ’mancies of Satan, he rode on among the road before him was half nighted and rocks till he came forth at length from was no longer easy to discern. And their misshapen shadows; and emerging though he would have still ridden on, thus, he saw before him a grey plain his charger halted in the gloom and would that was like the ashes of some dead land not respond to the spur, but stood and under extinguished heavens. trembled like one who is smitten with At sight of this region, his heart mis­ palsy. gave him' sorely, and he misliked it even Then, from the twilight that was nigh more than the twisted faces of the rocks to darkness, there came gigantic figures, and the riven forms of the pinnacles. muffled and silent and having, as he For here the bones of men, of horses thought, neither mouths nor eyes beneath and camels, had marked the way with the brow-folds of their sable cerements their pitiable whiteness; and the topmost They uttered no word, nor could Sir branches of long dead - trees arose like John bespeak them in the fear that came 20 THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933 upon him; and likewise he was power­ feeble was the light, for torch or-cresset, less to draw his sword. And they pluck­ too dim for any lamp; and Sir John ed him from his saddle with fleshless marvelled amid his faintness and terror. hands, and led him away, halfswooning But when he had drawn closer still, he at the horror of their touch, on paths saw that the strange gleaming was like that he perceived only with the dim the phosphor bred by the putrefaction -senses of one who goes down into the of a charnel. shadow of death. And he knew not Beneath the guidance of those who how far they led him nor in what di­ held him helpless, he entered the build­ rection; and he heard no sound as he ing. They led him through a stately went other than the’ screaming of his hall, in whose carven columns and or­ horse far off, like a soul in mortal dread nate furniture the opulence of kings was and agony: for the footfalls of those who manifest; and thence he came into a had taken him were soundless and ^e great audience-room, with a throne of could not tell if they were phantoms or gold and ebony set on a high Jdias,? ail haply were veritable demons. A cold­ of which was illumed by no other light ness blew upon him, but without the thau the glimmering of decay. And the whisper or soughing of wind; and the throne was tenanted, not by any human air he breathed was dense with corrup­ lord or sultan, but a grey, prodigious tion and such odors as may emanate creature, of height and bulk exceeding from a broken charnel. -those of man, and having'in all its over­ For a timb, in the faintness that had swollen form the exact similitude of a come upon him, he saw not the things charnel-worm. And the worm was a- that were standing beside the way, nor lone, and except for the worm and Sir the shrouded shapes that went by in John and those beings who had brought funereal secrecy. 'Then, recovering his him thither, the great chamber was senses a little, he perceived that there empty as?^a mausoleum Jof old days, were houses about him and the streets whose occupants were long since con­ of a town, though these were but scantly sumed by corruption. to be discerned in the night that had Then, standing there with a horror fallen without bringing the stars. How­ upon him such-as no man had ever en­ beit, he saw, or deemed, that there were visaged, Sir John became aware that the high mansions and broad thoroughfares worm was scrutinizing him severely, with and markets; and among them, as he little eyes deep-folded in the obscene went on, a building that bore the appear­ bloating of its face, and then, with a ance of a grreat palace, with a facade dreadful and solemn voice, it addressed that glimmered vaguely, and domes and him, saying: turrets half swallowed up by the lower­ “I am king of Antchar, by virtue of ing darkness. having conquered and devoured the mor­ As he neared the facade, Sir John saw tal ruler thereof, as weli as all those that the glimmering came from within and who were his subjects. Know then that was cast obscurely through open doors this land is mine and that the intrusion and between broad-spaced pillars. Too of •’ e living is unlawful and not readily October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 21

to be condoned. The rashness and folly the beating of his own heart, which soon thou hast shown in thus coming here is became insufferably loud, and oppressed verily most egregious; since thou wert him like the noise and tumult of a great warned by the peoples of Abchaz, and throng. warned anew by the jackal and the viper Apalled by the clamor of his heart, which thou didst meet on the road into and affrighted by the thing which lay in Antchar. Thy temerity hath earned a perpetual silence beside him, and whelmed condign punishment. And before I suffer by the awesomeness and dire necromancy thee to go hence, I decree that thou shalt of all that had befallen him, Sir John was lie for a term among the dead, and dwell prone to despair, and scant was his hope as they dwell,, in a dark sepulcher, and of returning from that imprisonment amid learn the manner of their abiding and the the dead, or of standing once more under things which none should behold with the sun as a living man. It was his to living eyes. Yea, still alive, it shall be learn the voidness of death, to share the thine to descend and remain in the very abomination of desolation, and to compre­ midst of death and putrefaction, for such hend the unutterable mysteries of corrup­ length of time as seemeth meet to correct tion; and to do all this not as one who thy folly and punish thy presumption.” is a mere insensible cadaver, but with soul Sir John was one of the woithiest and body still inseparate. His flesh crept, knights in Christendom, and his valor was and his spirit cringed within him, as he beyond controversy. But when he heard felt the crawling of worms that went the speech of the throned worm, and the avidly to the dwindling corpse or came judgement that it passed upon him, his away in glutted slowness. And it seem­ fear became so excessive that once again ed to Sir John at that time (and at all he was nigh to swooning. And, still in times thereafter) that the condition of his this state, he was taken hence by those sojourn in the tomb was verily to be ac­ who. had brought him to the audience­ counted a worse thing than death. room. And somewhere in the outer dark­ At last, when many hours or days had ness, in a place of tombs and graves and gone over him, leaving the tomb’s dark­ centopahs beyond the dim town, he was ness unchanged by the entrance of any flung into a deep sepulcher of stone, and beam or the departure of any shadow. the brazen door of the sepulcher was Sir John was aware of a sullen clangor, closed upon him. and knew that the brazen door had been Lying there through the seasonless mid­ opened. And now, for the first time, night, Sir John was companioned only by the dimness of twilight that had en­ by an unseen cadaver and by those min­ tered the tomb, he saw in all its piteous- istrants of decay who were not yet wholly ness and repulsion the thing with which done with their appointed task. Himself he had abode so long. In the sickness as one half dead, in the sore extremity of that fell upon him at this sight, he was his horror and loathing, he could not tell haled forth from the sepulcher by those if it were day or night in Antehar; and who had thrust him therein; and, faint­ in all the term of endless hours that^he ing once more with the terror of their lay there, he heard no sound, other than touch, and shrinking from their gigantic 22 THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933

shadowy stature and cerements whose HOW TO COLLECT black, folds revealed no human visage or FANTASY FICTION form, he was led through Antchar along by Julius Schwartz the road whereby he had come into that dolorous realm. Part Two His guides were silent as before; and The next task is more difficult: the the gloom which lay upon the land was question of back numbers of the current even as when he had entered it, and magazines. Some back issues,are almost was like the umbrage of’ some eternal impossible to secure. However, be sure occultation. But at length, in the very to try the magazine publishers. If this place where he had been taken captive, fails, scour the second-hand book and he was left to retrace his own way and magazine stores. If they haven’t the is­ to fare alone through the land of ruinous sues, leave a standing order with them. gardens toward the defile of the crum­ (They’re eager for business and they’ll bling rocks. make an honest attempt to secure the de­ Weak though he was from his con­ sired issues for you.JScan the discussions finement, and all bemazed with the things columns. Readers often offer to sell or which had befallen him, he followed the trade back numbers. Then try the large road till the darkness lightened once more second-hand magazine dealers, such as and he came forth from its penumbral Carl Swanson, Washburn, North Dakota shadow beneath a pale sun. And some­ and the Smith Book Co., Box 661, where in the waste he met his charger, Lawrence, Massachusetts. wandering through the sunken fields that As‘ a last resort advertise. were covered up by the sand; and he That takes care of all magazines that mounted the charger and rode hastily are now being published. Now we have, away from Antchar through the pass of to contend with real difficulties. We’re the strange boulders with mocking forms going to trail down fantasy stories that and faces. And after a time he came were published in magazines no longer once more to the northernfroad by which sold at newsstands! Chief among these travellers- commonly, went to Georgia; defunct magazines is Astounding Stories, and here he was rejoined by the two Strange Taies, and Wonder Stories Quart­ Armenians, who had waited on the con­ erly. (More details are needed with these fines of Antchar, praying for his secure out-of-print magazines, so it’ll be given deliverance. whenever definite information is known Long afterwards, when he had re­ concerning them.) This periodical (As­ turned from his wayfaring m the East tounding Stories), a science fiction mag­ and among the peoples of remote isles, azine, first appeared on the newsstands he told"of the kingdom of Abchaz in the with its January, 1930 issue and was book^that ‘related his travels; and also discontinued but a short time ago, in he3wrote®therein concerning the province March 1933. Its companion magazine, of Hanyson. But he made no mention Strange Tales, published weird, fantastic of .‘Antchar,'that kingdom of darkness and fiction. Dates: September, 1931 to decayfcrulcd by the throned worm. ' ■ cd on page Z4) October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN

INFORMATION H. G. Wells (reprint); “The Golden Vapor” by E. H. Johnson; “The Puz­ (This department will answer any zle Duel” by Miles |. Breuer, M. D.; questionB about fantasy fiction. There and “The Terrors of, the Upper Air” is no charge, and you ’may use Jay Frank Orndoff. it freely.) 6. What were the stories in the first 1. When did Miracle, Science and Wonder Stories Quarterly?—J. Sam Smart Fantasy Stories come out, how long was jf‘The Shot Into Infinity” by Otto Willi it issued and what was the selling price? Gail (transacted from the German); “The —Con Pankevich, Jr. Artificial Man” by Clare Winger Harris; Miracle, Science and Fantasy Stories ap­ ‘‘The Hidden World” by Edmond Ham­ peared in 1931, There were only two ilton; and “The Gravitational Deflector” bi-monthly4issue,j;April-May which was by Harry D. Parker. on sale April 5th, and June-July, which 7. Please give me a list of the stories came out on May 15. Both issues had written by Nathan Schachner.J. Sam Smart been printed before the first one was on “Back to 20,000 A. D.”o Wonder, sale. It sold for 20 cents per copy. March, 1931; “The Death Cloud”o 2. How many Amazing Stories Annuals Astounding May, 1931; “The Dead- were there, and for what years?-Con Alive”o Weird, April-May, 193 1; “Ex­ Pankevich, Jr. iles of the Moon”o Wonder, Sept, Oct, The 1927 Amazing Stories Annual was & Nov, 1931: “Emperor of the Stars”o the only one published. Wonder, April, 1931: “In 20,000 A. 3. In what issues of Amazing Stories D.”o Wonder, Sept, 1930: “The Men­ did the Skylark stories appear?—J. Smart ace from Andromeda” o Amazing, April ‘•Skylark of Space,” by Edward E. 1931: “Pirates of the Goim” Astound­ Smith, Ph. D., appeared in the August, ing, May, 1932: “Revolt of the Mach­ September and October , 1928 issues of ines” o Astounding, July, 1931: “The Amazing Stories, and its sequel, “Sky­ Tower of Evil”o Wonder Quart., Sum­ lark Three” appeared in the same issues mer 1930: “Venus Mines, Incorpora­ for 1930. The former story was colla­ ted” o Wonder, August, 1931: “Slaves borated on Lee Garby. Dr. Smith is of Mercury” Astounding, Sept., 1932: now working on his third story in this “Emissaries of Space” Wonder Quart., series,^which^will jbe published; in^Amaz- Fall, 1932; “The Time Express” Won­ ing^some time^next year. der, Dec., 1932; “Memory of the A- 4. Who wrote “Cosmic Power?”—J, toms” Wonder, Jan., 19331 “The E- Sam Smart. ternal Dictator” Wonder, Feb., 193.3; “Cosmic Power,” in the April, 1931 “The Robot Technocrat” Wonder, issue of Amazing, was by John C. Dare March, 1933; a series of stories in the 5. What were the stories in the first April, May, and June, 1933 issues of Amazing Stories Quarterly?-}. Sam Smart Wonder, “The Revolt of the Scientists” “The Moon^of Doom” by Earl L. Bell; “The Great Oil War,” and “The Final “The "Atomic Riddle”- by Edward S. Triumph;” and “Fire Imps of Vesuvi­ Sears; “When the Sleeper Wakes” by us” Astounding, Oct. All storiesjmark- 24 THE FANTASY FAN October, 1933

ABOUT AUTHORS CONTEST RESULTS

Some fan, after reading one of Jules The winner of last month’s cash prize Verne’s tales in Amazing, wrote in claim­ contest is William Sy kora, 35‘S1 4Ist ing that he was a very promising author! St., Long Island City, New York. Here Charles Willard Diffin and C. D. Willard is his answer to “Why do you read fan­ is the same author...The fastest writer: tasy fiction?” Arthur J. Burks. The slowest: Edward “Why do I read fantasy fiction? I Eime Smith...P. Schuyler Miller became often wonder. The occult, the fantastic, a science fiction author as the result of a have always held me with supreme, al­ cover contest...You can’t call Raymond most unholy, fascination. I have found Gallun a half-pint, anyway. (How did that by constant practice, an all-exclud­ that pun get into this column?)...The ing, all-consuming concentration bonds question is still unsatisfactorally: WHO stronger than the strongest steel to al' is Anthony Gilmore???...Allen Glasser’s dismally horrible tales of the supernatural. “Captives in Space” in the July, 1932 The earthly ties that hold me mentally “The Time Traveller” is a rejected en­ and morally to a workaday existence, try of the November, 1929 Science are hypnotically rent asunder by a mes­ Wonder Stories cover contest...Two of merism born of steely sharp concentiation. the titles of H. G. Winter’s stories con­ Thus do I thrill—quake—and shudder tain the word “ice,” which seems quite with the delightful ecstasy of bizare ad­ appropriate...Sewell Peaslee Wright had a venture through the awful expanse of the story in Weird years before Astounding inconceivably terrible unknown universe, and I love it.” Information (continued from page 23) Because of lack of support, we will ed with o were collaborated with Arthur not present another cash prize contest, Leo Zagat, and “The Memory of the until enough readers ask for one. If Atoms” was composed with R. Lacher. we receive enough petitions, we will Mr. Schachner’s first story was “The take great pleasure in featuring another Tower of Evil.” in the near future. 8. What happened to the sequel to “Thru the Dragon Glass,” by A. Mer- How to Collect Fantasy Fiction ritt?--David Stolaroff. (continued from page 22) * For some unknown reason, Mr. Merritt January, 1933. Wonder Stories Quart­ never wrote a sequel to this story, al­ erly, science fiction, ran from Fall, 1929 though it could stand one very wAU. to Winter, 1933, publishing only inter­ Perhaps he will write one yet, even planetary tales in the last two years. after all these years, if his fans are per­ (Next month Mr. Schwartz describes sistent enough. Reprint copies of this the less known fantasy magazines.) remarkable story, A. Merritt’s first, can be purchased for ten cenrs a copy from Subscribe now and insure yoursef of a Robert Scarlet, Jr., 87-36 162nd St., monthly opy. Only a limited number Jamaica, Long Island, N. Y. ar’ r ' ted. October, 1933 7-.12. FANTASY FAN 25

SUPERNATURAL HORROR IN are always with us, and sometimes a cur­ LITERATURE ious streak of fancy invades an obscure by H. P. Lovecraft corner of the very hardest head; so that no amount of rationalism, reform, or (Copyright, 1927 by W. Paul Cook) Freudian analysis can quite annul the thrill 1. Introduction ol the chimmey-cbrner whisper of the The oldest and strongest emotion of lonely wood. There is here involved a mankind >s fear, and the oldest and psychological pattern of tradition as real strongest kind of fear is fear of the un­ and as deeply grounded in mental experi­ known. These facts few psychologists ence as any other pattern or tradition of will dispute, and their admitted truth mankind; coeval with the religious’feeling must establish for all time the genuine­ and closely related to many aspects of it, ness and dignity of the weirdly horrible and too much a part of our inmost bio­ tale as a literary form. Against it are logical heritage to lose keen potency over discharged all the shafts of a materialistic a very important, though not numerical­ sophistication which clings to frequently ly great, minority of Our species. ’ felt emotions and external events, and a Man’s first instincts and emotions form- naively insipid, idealism which deprecates' his response to the environment in which the aesthetic motive and calls for a di­ he found himself. Definite feelings based dactic literature to “uplift” the reader on pleasure and pain grew up around the toward a suitable degree of smirking op­ phenomena whoses causes and effects he timism. But in spite of all this oppos­ understood, whilst "around those which be ition, the. weird tale has survived, deve­ did not understand—and the universe teem­ loped, and attained remarkable, heights of ed with them in ‘ the early days--were perfection; founded as it is., 011 fa pro- naturally woven such personifications; mar­ found and elementary . .principle whose velous interpretations, and sensations of awe appeal,- if .-.not always universal, must ne­ and fear as would be hit upon by a race cessarily be poignant and permanent to having few and simple ideas and limited minds of.the requisite.sensitiveness. experience. The unknown, being like­ The appeal of the spectrally macabre wise the unpredictable,' became for our is • generally narrow because. it. demands primitive forefathers a terrible and omni­ from the reader a certain degree of im­ potent source'of boons'and calamities vis­ agination and a capacity for detachment ited upon mankind for' Oryptfdr and wholly from everyday life. Relatively few are extra-terrestrial reason's, and thus clearly free enough from the. spell of daily rout­ belonged to a sphere of existence whereof ine to respond to rappings from outside, we know nothing and wherein'’ive have and tales of ordinary feelings and events, no part. The phenomenon of dre’aming or' of common sentimental distortions of likewise helped to buildup the notion such feelings and events, will always take of an unreal or "spiritual world;“ and in first place in the taste of the majority; general, all the conditions of saVage dawn- rightly, perhaps, since, of course, these life so strongly conduced to a" feeling of ordinary’ matters make up the greater part the supernatural, that We need' not won- of human experience. But the sensitive def at the thoroughness with which man’s 26 THE FANTASY FAN October, 19 j j

TRUE GHOST STORIES retunred with greater confirmation. An­ other sound. Edwin C. Hill talks on various sub­ Any thoughts but of the supernatural jects every night on the Columbia Broad­ were out of the question. jThis time casting System. Ont evening he devot­ it was footsteps—but what footsteps! Not ed his program to ' ghost stories abou* human—not animal! They were padded London that are supposed to be true. sounds—something like bare feet. Nearer They sound very convincing and have and nearer. many witnesses. We leave it to the Suddenly they stopped, and the door reader whether to accept them aa truth, opened. Slowly—and there was revealed or discard them aa merely hallucinations. to their terrified senses the most horrible However, they are extremely intereating, menstiosity imaginable. It could not be nevertheleaa. of this earth! Once, two aailora were roaming around One crazed sailor jumped past it and London and came upon an old, but flew down the stairs, out of the house, handsome, mansion. and screamed in mortal terror into the “Funny no one lives here,” said one, streets. “This shack seems too good to be left He told his story—and the next day vacant.” the body of his companion was found But the two sailors didn't intend to (continued on page 31) leave it vacant that night. They had no money, and thus could not pay for (continued from previous page) lodging, so they entered the old house, very hereditary essence has become sat­ intending to spend the night there. urated with religion and superstition. After climbing to the second floor and That saturation must, as a matter of plain finding a fireplace, they built a blazing scientific fact, be regarded as virtually fire with some wood they had secured. permanent so far as the subconscious mind Curling up in some ’old clothes, they and inner instincts are concerned; for went to sleep beside the roaring fire. though the area of the unknown has been Suddenly, after many hours, (one of steadily contracting for thousands of years, the sailors awoke, half-conscious of some an infinite reservoir of mystery still en­ noise. There it was again! It sounded gulfs most of the outer cosmos, whilst a like a door being closed. Yes—that’s vast residuum of powerful inherited as­ what it must have been. A few pieces sociations clings around all the objects and of wood to bring the dying fire to re­ processes that were once mysterious, how­ newed activity gave him some courage, ever well they may now be explained. but he woke the other sailor anyway. And more than this, there is an actual He had hardly time to explain to his physiological fixation of the old instincts friend the reason for his disturbance, in our nervous tissue, which would make when the noise was repeated. them obscurely operative even were the “It’s the wind,” said one, and they conscious mind to be purged of all sourc­ accepted that explanation, preparing to es of wonder. go to to sleep again, but instantly their (continued next month) October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 27

THE BOILING POINT ing proscription. "Let me recommend to Mr. Acker­ You will remember the terrific out­ man, and to others like him, a more burst Forrest J. Ackerman made upon scientifically open and receptive attitude Clark Ashton Smith’s stories and weird of imagination. If Mr. Ackerman were tales in general in last month’s column, transported to some alien world, I fear Shortly after the issue went to press, that he would find the reality tar more we received the following postscript to incredible, bizarre, grotesque, fantastic. his article which he requested to have Horrific, and impossible than any of my printed at the beginning of this month’s stories. column. "In regal d to ‘The Light From Be­ “I could as well pick on John Taine yond,’ .1 cannot see that this tale is any —a favorite author, mind you—for ‘The more fantastic and unreal than others deal­ Time Stream’ in Wonder Stories, an­ ing with unknown dimensions or planes other story considered doubtful science of hyper-space. Physical entry into such fiction. My only interest is to keep stf. planes is improbable, but form, an allur­ in the stf. publications, and let fantasies ing theme for fictional speculation. and weird tales appear in the magazines “It is curious ‘that Mr. Ackerman featuring that type. should profess to like ‘Flight Into Super­ “It is to be hoped that Mr. Smith Time,' a story which is wilder, if any­ will discover many of his admirers thru thing, than, than the ones he has de­ the writings of readers caring to present nounced. I might also add that it was arguments..” written as a satire on time-travelling, and It is only fair that Mr. Smith himself should not have been read too seriously. should have the first blow against Mr. “Of course, it is Forrest Ackerman’s Ackerman’s argument, in defense of his privilege to dislike my stories, and to ex­ own stories. He calls his defense press his dislike whenever he chooses. "Horror, Fantasy and Science.” ' Sj I have merely tried to point out that he "Mr. Ackerman’s fervent and ebulli­ is in error when he condemns them as ent denunciation of my stories, followed being inherently unsuitable for a scienti- by Editor .Hornig’s invitation to join the fiction magazine.” melee, is not to be resisted. H.P. Lovecraft also defends the wei.d "I infer that Forrest J. Ackerman con­ tale: siders horror, weirdness and uuearthliness “As for Ackerman’s ebullition, I fear beyond the bounds of science or science he can hardly be taken seriously in mat­ or science fiction. Since horror and ters involving the criticism of imaginative weirdness are integral elements of life (as fiction. Smith’s story was really splen­ is well known to those who have delved did, except for the (cheap ending oh beneath the surface)and since, in all like­ which the Editor Wonder Stories insisted. lihood, the major portion of the universe Ackerman once wrote me a letter with is quite unearthly, I fail to understand Savery childish attack on my work—he the process of logic or syllogism by evidently enjoys verbal pyrotechnics for which be has arrived at this truly amaz- their own sake and seems so callous to 28 THE FANTASY FAN October, 193^

ANNALS OF THE JINNS True, other* mated with the people of the glen, yet it is not considered a thing by R. H. Barlow to be proud of. The very Burgomaster “..Thither Ganigul often retired in had"a gnome none. too far back in his the daytime to read in quiet the mar­ lineage, which was expressed in the velous annals of the Jinns, the chronicle* coarse features of his evil countenance. of ancient worlds, and the prophecies But a satyr! The righteous citizens a- relating to the worlds that are yet to be voided Castor scrupulously, and the dis- born..” Wm. Beckford like’was mutual. So it was he contin- — “Story of Prince Barkiarokh” ued^on his silent”trips unheeded. 1 - The Black Tower What he did there, so often not known At the head of the winding river O- but the seasons came and went and the laee, nearby the fragrant forest, stands the winfer merged into spring and"in time it Black Tower of the Southlands. High was Walburgas Eve. That night the town into the air rise its bleak stone walls, gates were tightly closed and bolted and piercing the sunset with slender spire. all cowered behindllocked doors. Strange For eternity it has been there; by the shapes flew screeching through the air sluggish waters on which float great bloat­ and sniffed most horribly at the doorsteps. ed crimson lillies, and for eternity will That night Castor went to the tower it be there. The peasants of the nearby as had become his habit, though his better village know not whence it came nor sense warned him to stay home abed. His why ’ tis there, and wisely avoid it when satyr ancestry openly rebelled, but the the moon is on the wane. Few dare witch proved stronger. As he stole tim­ visit the colourful forest of evil or the orously through the wood he heard sounds treacherous river, for strange and unholy 'of high revelry from within the castle. things dwell therein. Therefore, he was quiet as he hesitated Some tell of how on the dark of the before the foot of the long unopened door. moon there comes from the great star Queer things were abroad though he dared Sirius a growing speck of flame ultimat­ not return home alone through the forest, ely losing itself in the eternal midnight still more did he fear to remain within of outer space. However this may be, reach of the Things of the' tower. As it is certain strange and alien beings built he deliberated on the course to take the this ebon tower in the dawn of the great door swung silently open and a crab world, for purposes not understood by like claw lovingly encircled his waist mortals; sealing the door long ages since. and drew him in. There is a tale the old wives spin, And he was seen no more by the villagers. saying; One of the adventurous villagers, Castor by name, took undue interest in (continued from preceding page) the tower and was frequently seen slip­ imaginative impressions.” ping furtively to and from it in the dusk. August W. Derleth liked everything in Of all the people of the town he had “The Fantasy Fan” except the letter iu the least savoury ancestry, his father be­ this department from Forrest J. Ackerman ing a satyr, his mother a witch-woman. [co--' ' ’ n page 31] October, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 2 9

SCIENCE FICTION MY SCIENCE FICTION IN ENGLISH MAGAZINES COLLECTION

(Series 2) by Forrest J. Ackerman by Bob Tucker Part Two

What England needs is a good science The foregoing covers approximately half fiction mag. The present ones are thrill­ ' of my set. The remaining portions of my ing, but small and cheap. They have stf collection are more to be looked at than swell titles, but often the story falls short. read. My stf books and magazines lie be­ On the other hand, that’s an old Amer­ hind sliding panels. These panels are de­ ican custom. Believe it or not, but just corated with various original stf illustra­ 653210987600 stories have been written tions. Two are by an artist friend show­ under the title “The End of the World” 1 ing the rocketship STF-i over a foreign (Editor’s note: Mr. Tucker, I think world, and the other a city of the future. you exaggerate. I haven’t seen half that One is by Morey. There is a Tarzan many.). And if you scintifictionists want jig-saw puzzle, and one of the mighty 56 some darned good arguments over any­ foot prehistoric ape, King Kong, engag­ thing scientific, just give this fellow a ing in a battle with a flesh-eating allo­ line: Dennis Gilbert Smith, 521 Bear­ Baur. £From “The Swordsman of Mars” wood Road, Smeethwick, Staffs., Eng­ comes another drawing. Two striking land. He is a student of theology. Paul illustrations are prominent, one being Talk about a swell picture!—Wesso or what I consider one of his very best: the Paul should look at the illustration of the inside drawing for “The City of Singing moon-men attacking a giant army tank Flame,” picturing the towering black and way back in the April 1st issue of “Tne ivory edifices of that weird world. Buck Skipper,” an English mag that makes a Rogers in his interesting costume with specialty of science-fiction. rocket pistol smiles down. And Elliott Freaks in the raw: An English mag Dold, Jr. has autographed his original front­ printed a story of a kid (age about 14) ispiece for Miracle Stories’ first issue, ‘The who had magnetic hands, and could draw Midnite Mail takes off for Mars.” Paul’s metals to him by merely extending his original Wonder Stories’ cover for “The fingers—well, the kid, instead of captur­ Dust of Destruction” hangs on a side wall, ing the earth by pulling out its magnets (Next month Mr. Ackerman describes with his fingers, as would usually be done his science fiction autographs.) does nothing but play tricks with scales, making water buckets dance in the air, more. How about the N R A?) An­ etc—darn dumb, some of these authors. other mag by the name of “Modern “Red Raiders of Mystery” is a future Boy” prints about two series of inter­ air-war story in “Weekly Boy’s Maga­ planetary stories a year concerning the zine, while another “The Rover,” print­ adventures of Captain Justice. Blood and ed “Britain Invaded,” this time by Chin- thunder. George Ward, 91 Milton Road ese—what, again?...well, times are hard Margate, Kent, England, would like to everywhere... (Editor’s note; not any hear from some American fans. THE FANTASY FAN October, 193^

SEQUELS-BY POPULR DEMAND THE SCIENCE FICTION ALPHABET by Walt Z. Russjuchi

by Allen Glasser Part Two

Part Two - Conclusion Ray Cummings’ first story, in 1919, N is for Newton, the Gravity King, “The Girl in the Golden Atom,” prac­ Whose laws, in our mags, just don’t tically shrieked to the skies for a sequel, mean a thing. f and Cummings obliged a year later with O’s for Ourselves, who read science-fiction “The People of the Golden Atom.” We know what we like, and there’s no Then, in 1921, Austin Hall, and ' dereliction. J Homer Eon Flint collaborated to write P’s for the Princess that’s always on hand: that remarkable story, “The Blind Spot,” To wed the brave Earthman who visits and what a fervor that created! The mystery of the “Blind Spot” was left her land. Q is for Quinn, the weird-story writer; unexplained, loopholes were hanging in If he’d do science fiction his fame'might the air, and it had one of the most un­ be brighter. satisfactory endings of them all. Readers R is for Robot, of whom much is said; entreated and implored the editor andfthe For many an author his antics have fed. authors for a sequel. But alas! Justla- S is for Starzl, Schachner, and Sloane; bout this time Homer Eon Flint died, And let’s not forget Doc Smith and and it wasn’t until II years later that Miss Stone. the fans read Austin Hall’s sequel, “The T is for Time, a favorite theme Spot of Life.” Which never grows stale—or so it would Ralph Milne Farley’s “The Radio seem. Man” created another sensation when it U is the Unknown, which writers employ appeared in the 1924 Argosy-All Story, Whenever they need some death dealing toy and it' was"'followed by seven “radio” V is for Venus, which belonged to one novels' (only three of which, however, Kline are related to the original story.) Until Mr. Burroughs took over that line. “The Face in the Abyss” by A. W’s Wonder, a changeable book; Merritt was received mildly by the read­ You never can tell how it’s going to look. ers of the same magazine in 1923. It X means “okay” when written “All X” wasn’t until Amazing Stories Annual re­ A term which has brought Doctor printed this story in 1927 that a sequel Smith many checks. was asked for. Ironically enough, though Y’s for the Yarn which will suit every­ these readers where responsible for. the one; sequels, “The Snake Mother,” being We hardly believe it can ever be done. written, it appeared in Argosy in 1930. Z is for Zagat—whom else could it be? With the publication of Edward El­ It’s lucky for us his name starts with Z! mer Smith’s “The Skylark of Space” in 1928, the editorial offices of Amazing Come over to “Our Readers Say” and Stories were - amped with beseechings “The Boiling Point” and have a word. ( ! - I on page 31) October, 1933 .iE FANTASY FAN 3>

Editorial Sequels—By Popular Demand (continued from page 14) . (continued from page 30) The feature of next month’s issue will for the further adventures of the Skylark. be “The Other Gods,” by H.P. Love­ Dr. Smith obliged with “Skylark Three” craft—a picturesque and weird story well in 1930, and according to the discussions up to the standard of Lovecraft’s best, columns the readers won’t object to the and far surpassing the general run of third in the series, which is now being weird tale. We are extremely fortunate written. [Part three, next month, will in being able to secure such stories. The be the the conclusion of this article.] November issue will also contain a poem by Clark Ashton Smith, the continuation The Boiling Point of all continued in this issue (including (continued from page 28) another one of the “Annals of the Jinns” “Who,” he says, “while usually quite and will present many new and inter­ interesting, nevertheless has the unpleas- esting features. ant^habit^of trying to make everything Yours for spreading the gospel of over^into^his owm imagine.” weird and science fiction. R.H. ^Barlow gives an open reply to The Editor Mr. Ackerman in defense of Clark Ash­ ton Smith. True Ghost Stories “To my mind you are deplorably (continued from page 26) lacking in imagination to so condemn some mangled on the ground. He had leap­ of the finest work of the greatest living ed out of a second story window. fantasy writer. Must you be so literal, Another story tells the tale of a man physical, in your interpretation of imag­ walking through a London park at day­ inative literature? Clark Ashton Smith, break on the bank of the Thames. whom I have the honor of knowing, is While passing a bridge, he spies a wo­ primarily and foremost a poet, his work man jumping into the river, and he takes having received the highest commendation off his coat preparing to save her, but a of such persons as Edwin Markham, hand touches his shoulder. An officer. George Sterling, etc. “Truly, his col­ “It’s no use,” he said, “You could ourfully nightmarish visions are far super­ not save her. She is not a living wo­ ior to the“conventionalj*|type||. of—forgive man. Return tomorrow at this time and me—trash—printedjjn the’average mercen­ you will see her repeat her ghastly act.” ary scientiliction. magazine. " The^J mere The bewildered man did so, and the fact that a few helpless ray-projectors, next morning was but a repitition of the heroine consisting mainly of lipstick and one before. legs, and a dastardly villain, are not “You see?” said the officer, “She dragged in by the nape of their respect­ does that for seven consecutive mornings ive necks certainly does nothing to im­ each year. Today is the last one this pair the excellence of his dulcet prose, year. She died here a long time ago.” but rather is an agreeable relief.” (This article will be concluded Come, on, now, everybody join in next month) the battle! 3 2 THE FANTASY FAN October, 193 3

THE EDITOR’S SWAP DEP’T.: CLARK ASHTON SMITH presents I will exchange one year’s subscription THE DOUBLE SHADOW to THE FANTASY FAN for any per­ AND OTHER FANTASIES fect issue of Weird Tales dated 1923 a booklet containing a half-dozen imagin­ or 1924 (except March, April, and ative and atmospheric tales.—Stories of May-June-July); also a six month sub---- exotic beauty, glamor, terror, strangeness, scription for any 1925 issue beside Sep­ irony and satire. Price; 25 cents each, tember and October. Other issues need­ [coin or stamps J Also a small remainder of ed for 1926-1927-also May, 1930.- EBONY AND CRYSTAL If you are interested, please communicate a book of 114 prose-poems published at with me.—THE EDITOR

$2.00 reduced to gi.oo per copy. For Sale: Back numbers of all science­ Everything sent postpaid fiction magazines. Send for free list. Clark Ashton Smith, Auburn, California Charles’ Book Haven, 238 Seventh ANNOUNCING: Avenue, New York, N.Y.

UNUSUAL STORIES SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST A new monthly magazine of science-fic­ Presents tion. First' issue contains a long story by Dr. Miles J. Breuer, dealing with a Interesting articles by ‘different’ Martian invasion of the earth. leading authors and fan writers Also: “The White Sybil,” by Clark PLUS Ashton Smith; “On Board the Space- COSMOS Ship Terra,”, by L.A. Eshbach, and the stupendous Interplanetary Novel many others. Reprints also planned. Selections determined by readers. Nearly by Seventeen Foremost Masters a" hundred pages of best fantasy stories of SCIENCE FICTION obtainable. NOT MIMEOGRAPHED! and other fine fiction by Send in your subscription and selection Arthur J. Burks Raymond A. Palmer for reprints today. 20 cents an issue. L. A. Eshbach P. Schuyler Miller Trial subscription: three months-50 cents and many others Eight months-gi.po. No Stamps. Not YOU will receive: Sold On Newsstands. TRY IT! Three months for 25 cents UNUSUAL STORIES Six months for 50 cents 122 Water Street One year for $1.00 Everett, Pennsylvania A sample copy may be obtained for the sum of 10 cents. For Sale: Weird, fantastic, and scientific stories from old Argosies—ail dated be­ Send your subscription to: fore 1922! Write for complete list— Science Fiction Digest Co. Allen Glasser, 1610 University Avenue, 87-36 162nd Street New York. N.Y. T ’ . Mew York