SCIENTIFICTION New Series #47 SCIENTIFICTION A publication of FIRST FANDOM, the Dinosaurs of Science Fiction New Series #47, 1st Quarter 2016 IN THIS ISSUE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES P. 1: Announcements To those who still have not yet paid P. 2: President’s Message their dues for last year (July 2015 - P. 3: Necrology / Birthdays June 2016), please send $15 right P. 4: Remembering Jack Robins away (checks payable to Keith W. P. 5: Original Member Spotlight Stokes) to: 14305 West 83rd Place, P. 6: Bob Peterson’s Photographs Lenexa, KS - 66215. We thank you! P. 6: SF-Related News Headlines P. 7: A Donation to the FF Archive ORIGINAL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT P. 8: Letters from Our Readers In this issue we present a look at Robert C. Peterson, whose s-f fan FIRST FANDOM AWARDS, 2016 activity dates back to the mid-1930s. Return completed ballots by no later than April 30th to John Coker, 4813 NECROLOGY / BIRTHDAYS Lighthouse Rd., Orlando, FL, 32808, or by email: [email protected]. We sadly acknowledge the recent passing of two long-time SF fans: Thanks to everyone for sending their David G. Hartwell and Jack Robins. nominations for this year’s awards. The list of April-June birthdays in this 2016 WORLDCON - KANSAS CITY issue is based on the information First Fandom will be presenting our originally compiled by Andy Porter. annual awards and participating in panel discussions. We will have our ACKNOWLEDGMENTS traditional historic display in the The following people contributed to exhibition area. We will have a Fan this issue: Joanne E. Brooks, Mike Table where convention-goers can Glyer, David Langford, Joe Martino, get copies of our newsletters as well Robert C. Peterson, Nick Ringelberg, as information about First Fandom. Jr., Lottie Robins, Steven H. Silver, Please let us know if you are coming Keith W. Stokes and Jon D. Swartz. to the Worldcon. We are looking for The next issue will be sent out by volunteers to help us with the set-up. early July. Please send book and We hope that everyone will come by film reviews, convention reports, and say ‘hello’ during the weekend. news items, interviews, photos and For information about Midamericon2, your letters of comment to the editor. please visit: www.midamericon.org. Take care, be safe and stay in touch. - John L. Coker III SCIENTIFICTION New Series #47, page 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BIRTHDAYS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES April Enclosed is a list of all the members 1 – Anne McCaffrey, Samuel R. Delany who are current on the dues. Thank 3 – Donald M. Grant 5 – Robert Bloch, Boris Strugatsky you for supporting this organization! 7 – Henry Kuttner, James White 8 – Ralph Milne Farley, Ted Carnell OTING OR HE WARDS V F T 2016 A 12 – Emil Petaja, Carol Emshwiller We have a strong slate of candidates 14 – Morris Scott Dollens for this year’s awards. Please return 17 – T. Bruce Yerke, Lloyd Biggle, Jr. completed ballots to me by April 30. 18 – Frank R. Paul, G.M. Carr 20 – June Moffatt NEED MEMBER CONTACT INFORMATION 25 – Fletcher Pratt 26 – H.L. Gold, A.E. Van Vogt We’re trying to reach John Dalmas, 27 – Frank Belknap Long Robert O. Adair, Sandra Sundstrom. 29 – Elmer Perdue, Jack Williamson May THE FIRST FANDOM ARCHIVE 2 – E.E. “Doc” Smith The First Fandom Archive began in 4 – Erwin “Filthy Pierre” Strauss the late-1950s. It consists of all the 7 – Walt Liebscher, Gene Wolfe material related to our organization 8 – Roy Tackett (publications, correspondence, and 9 – Philip Klass (aka William Tenn) official documents) as well as other 10 – Olaf Stapledon, Alex Schomburg items that have been donated from 18 – Laurraine Tutihasi members over the years (convention 20 – Gardner Fox books, fan magazines, photographs, 21 – Manly Wade Wellman letters, artwork, et.al.). The Archive 22 – Arthur Conan Doyle, Ed Earl Repp is currently housed in my library on 23 – James Blish 25 – Charles D. Hornig two bookcases and in several boxes. 26 – Robert W. Chambers, Howard De Vore As the organization evolves over the 27 – Rudolph Belarski, Harlan Ellison next few years, our members will 30 – Harry C. Stubbs (aka Hal Clement) help to decide where our Archive will June permanently reside. It will need to 2 – Lester del Rey, Robert A. Madle be regularly cataloged, maintained, 3 – Marion Zimmer Bradley, John Norman kept together and made accessible. 6 – Noreen Shaw Our interests are wide-reaching, and 8 – John W. Campbell, Jr., Roger Sims we are especially excited about any 9 – Lin Carter, Joe Haldeman 14 – William Hamling SF/fantasy/horror items related to 16 – Murray Leinster, Ted Dikty the 1920s-50s. We regularly receive 19 – Julius Schwartz requests from fans seeking material 20 – Lloyd Arthur Eshbach for their projects. Most often we are 22 – H. Rider Haggard, Leo P. Margulies able to provide some information and 26 – Elsie Wollheim, Hal Shapiro scans for them. We hope to soon 28 – Peggy Rae Sapienza have an updated description of the 29 – Ray Harryhausen, Michael Whelan FF Archive available on our website. 30 – Sam Moskowitz SCIENTIFICTION New Series #47, page 3 NECROLOGY Jack Robins First Fandom original member Jack David G. Hartwell Robins passed away on December “David G. Hartwell (1941-2016), 23, 2015 after a brief illness. Robins major US sf editor at Tor Books was a science fiction (SF) fan who (formerly Signet, Berkley/Putnam, belonged to the International Gregg Press and Pocket/Simon & Scientific Association in the 1930s, Schuster/Timescape) who received a was a founding member of the great many Hugo nominations as famed Futurian Literary Society of Best Editor and won three times, Greater New York, and attended a died on 20 January; he was 74. number of early SF conventions, including the first Worldcon in 1939. Among many other achievements he was the publisher and a founding Robins was born February 17, 1919 editor of The New York Review of in Elizabeth, NJ. After he left the SF, and won two World Fantasy Futurians, he earned a Ph.D. in Awards, one for his colossal horror physical chemistry from the Poly- anthology The Dark Descent (1987).” technic Institute of Brooklyn, but he maintained an interest in SF his (Written by David Langford and originally published in Ansible 343, February 2016) entire life. He was married to his wife of sixty-six years, Lottie. They enjoyed photography, listening to classical music, reading and writing. David G. Hartwell (Photograph by John L. Coker III) Jack Robins I REMEMBER DAVID G. HARTWELL Jack Robins was inducted into the (BY JOHN L. COKER III) First Fandom Hall of Fame and I met him 25 years ago at a World made a N3F Life Member, both in Fantasy Convention and he was a 2012. He was a genuine enthusiast giant figure, even back then. David who knew many of the early fans knew a lot about rare books and the and was present as history was history of SF, as well as most of the unfolding. Jack pursued his dream people in the field. Over the years of going to college and becoming a he critiqued a couple of my projects working scientist. His accounts and and gave some advice about editing. photographs have become an David accomplished quite a lot in his important part of the record of the lifetime. We extend our sincere early days of science fiction fandom. sympathy to Kathryn and the family. (Prepared by John L. Coker III and Jon D. Swartz) SCIENTIFICTION New Series #47, page 4 REMEMBERING JACK ROBINS In 1956, when their children were 3 (BY MRS. LOTTIE ROBINS) and 5, Jack returned full-time to Dr. Jack Robins, Ph.D., was born in college. He attended the Brooklyn Roselle, NJ February 17, 1919. At Polytechnical Institute on a Fellow- age sixteen he graduated from Boys’ ship, receiving his Ph.D. as an High School in Brooklyn, NY, a pres- inorganic chemist. Robins was an tigious high school that each year employee for 25 years at Atlas accepted only 350 students out of Chemical Industries in Tamaqua, 5,000 from all of the five New York Pennsylvania. Jack was named boroughs. He graduated in 1935 Chemist of the Year several times in with Merit Awards in Math, French recognition of his inventions and the and Chemistry. work he did with computers. After a productive career, he retired in 1982. In February 1940 he graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York Jack was a life-long science fiction City College, eventually working at enthusiast. He was a founding night for the Vanadium Corporation member of the Futurian Science Lit- of America in Niagara Falls and erary Society in 1938. For many taking the bus to the University of years he belonged to the National Buffalo during the day to earn his Fantasy Fan Federation. And, in M.A. in 1948. 2014, he was elected by his peers to the First Fandom Hall of Fame. During his lunch hours at Atlas Chemical Industries, Jack wrote a science fiction novel which was never published. He also wrote several SF-related plays and four volumes of his memoirs. Jack was Lottie’s inspiration to enroll in writing courses. He wrote sonnets and many poems to her for all occasions. Jack loved working with tools and he built a bicycle shed which turned out to be a small house. He constructed Jack and Lottie Robins a customized cabinet for their stereo In July 1949, while working in Brook- equipment and many bookcases. lyn as a chemist for the Board of Jack and Lottie were married for 66 Transportation, Jack met Lottie years, and after a brief illness Jack Levin, a Medical Assistant, at an Arts passed away on December 23.