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Fan-Atic, v. 1, issue 2, March 1941

Page 5

FAN-ATIC, Vol 1, No 2. March 1941. Page 5.

Continued. TOO MANY FANMAGS by Art Widner Jr

As if that weren't enough, they have nerve enough to trade their puling papers for good fanmags that are established and really deserving of support, rather than having the added burden plunked on their struggling backs of having to waste a perfectly good copy in exchange for some nincompoops "wish realizer".
But the final straw is that they also have the colossal gall to charge five or ten cents for their shameful sheets, to that small group of never-to-be-praised-enough people who shell out actual coin of the realm for fanmags. Certain members of this group are getting sick and tired of being gypped, and if the practice continues, they are going to up and say to hell with the whole business. Then the good fanmags will take it on the chin along with the tripe purveyors.
But enough of this destructive sarcasm which doesn't get anybody anywhere. The biggest trouble in the whole affair is that there isn't enough good fan material to go around. Let's see if something concrete and constructive can't be done about the situation: I think something can be done. Several old time fans, including myself, are fairly drip with projects na ideas which we would like to perform purely for the good of fandom, with no thought of monetary return, or merely as interesting experiments of definite interest to certain portions of fandom.
Why don't we get busy? I can think of so many reasons, it makes my head ache, but to name a few: We are doing so damned many things now we haven't time to eat or sleep, let alone take on new projects. We haven't got the facilities. There are other things we would rather do first. We like to answer our mail.
Here's the idea. Instead of every new fan putting out a half-baked fan sheet as soon as he thinks he knows what it's all about, he should be heartily discouraged by those who have made his acquaintance thus far, and informed of the many fan projects just crying to be put over. He should then take his pick of whatever he would like to do, support, or help with, and go to work.
What are these projects? Well, Milton Rothman has one that could keep all of fandom busy for a year and then some. He wants to check up on all the STF stories written about the future and find how the prophecies check, and from these facts, extrapolate some sort of history of the future. For details, see THE VOICE OF THE IMAG-NATION #11, January 1941, or write to Milty himself. Needless to say this is a big job. And could keep any number of new fans and their hektos and mimeos busy for quite a while.
Another thing of which there is a very evident need, is a handbook, primer, or encyclopedia for fans, which would contain an explanation of all the mysterious things a tenderfoot fan runs across as he enters the field, and which sometimes dismay him sufficiently so that he quits before he starts.
The newly formed National Fantasy Fan Federation is in dire need of a trustworthy Secretary-Treasurer and somebody to edit and publish the official bulletin. Also a central fanmag agency or mailing bureau has been proposed.
There are probably many others of which I have not heard or which I do not recall at the moment.
After re-reading this article, I am struck with the similarity  between the new fan and the tradesman's apprentice. I think the whole difficulty in this excess of fanmags problem, is that the fact that the new fans are not content to serve their apprenticeships before striking out on their own as full-fledged craftsmen. Continued on the next page.

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FAN-ATIC, Vol 1, No 2. March 1941. Page 5. Continued. TOO MANY FANMAGS by Art Widner Jr As if that weren't enough, they have nerve enough to trade their puling papers for good fanmags that are established and really deserving of support, rather than having the added burden plunked on their struggling backs of having to waste a perfectly good copy in exchange for some nincompoops "wish realizer". But the final straw is that they also have the colossal gall to charge five or ten cents for their shameful sheets, to that small group of never-to-be-praised-enough people who shell out actual coin of the realm for fanmags. Certain members of this group are getting sick and tired of being gypped, and if the practice continues, they are going to up and say to hell with the whole business. Then the good fanmags will take it on the chin along with the tripe purveyors. But enough of this destructive sarcasm which doesn't get anybody anywhere. The biggest trouble in the whole affair is that there isn't enough good fan material to go around. Let's see if something concrete and constructive can't be done about the situation: I think something can be done. Several old time fans, including myself, are fairly drip with projects na ideas which we would like to perform purely for the good of fandom, with no thought of monetary return, or merely as interesting experiments of definite interest to certain portions of fandom. Why don't we get busy? I can think of so many reasons, it makes my head ache, but to name a few: We are doing so damned many things now we haven't time to eat or sleep, let alone take on new projects. We haven't got the facilities. There are other things we would rather do first. We like to answer our mail. Here's the idea. Instead of every new fan putting out a half-baked fan sheet as soon as he thinks he knows what it's all about, he should be heartily discouraged by those who have made his acquaintance thus far, and informed of the many fan projects just crying to be put over. He should then take his pick of whatever he would like to do, support, or help with, and go to work. What are these projects? Well, Milton Rothman has one that could keep all of fandom busy for a year and then some. He wants to check up on all the STF stories written about the future and find how the prophecies check, and from these facts, extrapolate some sort of history of the future. For details, see THE VOICE OF THE IMAG-NATION #11, January 1941, or write to Milty himself. Needless to say this is a big job. And could keep any number of new fans and their hektos and mimeos busy for quite a while. Another thing of which there is a very evident need, is a handbook, primer, or encyclopedia for fans, which would contain an explanation of all the mysterious things a tenderfoot fan runs across as he enters the field, and which sometimes dismay him sufficiently so that he quits before he starts. The newly formed National Fantasy Fan Federation is in dire need of a trustworthy Secretary-Treasurer and somebody to edit and publish the official bulletin. Also a central fanmag agency or mailing bureau has been proposed. There are probably many others of which I have not heard or which I do not recall at the moment. After re-reading this article, I am struck with the similarity between the new fan and the tradesman's apprentice. I think the whole difficulty in this excess of fanmags problem, is that the fact that the new fans are not content to serve their apprenticeships before striking out on their own as full-fledged craftsmen. Continued on the next page.