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Cyclops, v. 1, issue 1, 1941

Page 5

CYCLOPS    PAGE 5

Thus we come to that great fold of independent magazines which are operated for the sheer pleasure of the editors or for the group of publishers. It is interesting to note that this year a far larger proportion of these have broken even, though a few have gone greatly into debt in order to offer sensation material, and perhaps one or two have netted a very small profit through excellent handling and wise understanding of what the readers really desire.

In the spring of 1940 a great, great number of weekly news rags flourished (some every two or three weeks) and it looked like the journalistic end of Stf was here to stay. The opening of 1941 found the number back on the rocks once more, but it seems only fair to make some mention of these flounderers which will be done by quotation from the Marc 24, 1940, issue of Mercury as follows:

"Today there are more national science fiction news weeklies than ever before in the history of Stf activities. This can only mean a new era in sciencefiction fandom. Also, it can only mean the dropping of some. Either that, or an increase in sciencefiction newcomers which looks doubtful at first glance."

"Fantasy News, the oldest, was in its former days a great, unbiased, fantasy weekly. Today it has become prejudiced which could have been overlooked at the beginning if one new the editor's view-point. It now has a new editor, and, with no reason, he is carrying out the same old one-sided policy. Despite the fact that it represents New York very well, it must change or something is going to happen. And that same thing is self-evident.

"Le Zombie has been a good side-kick through thick and thin. Until now, it ranked well up into first place over all fanmags. Lately it has resumed its old policy of remarks and aspersions to swell-heads and so on. We have noticed that it has cast too many brickbats the way of innocent fans and that must stop or the inevitable will happen.

"PSFS News is a stable bulletin insofar as the club and surrounding vicinity goes. Unless it begins to see the rest of the world, it too is destined to flop. And it is too rank with some articles."

"Mid-West Fan News, (now Midwest News & Views) has shown its bright lights and nothing has turned it away from serving the Stfan - world faithfully yet. Good going. Then came Science Fiction Weekly, which is a great newspaper. It is at times one-sided, but puts its remarks in parenthesis so all is OK. Last of all, Mercury has appeared and has made no blunders yet and may be watched. Things happen tho, and it can fall too. TIME TELLS!"

"Time certainly does tell a lot of thigns. A new era most certainly has been heralded, but plenty of new rags have gone the way of rain water -- down the drain. Fantasy News seems to have been lost in the shuffle, and Le Zombie has shut down for a while, PSFS News no longer knocks at one's mail-box while Midwest is apparently in the last stages. SFW has been replaced by the inferior Fantasy Fiction Field; Mercury has even given up the ghost."

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CYCLOPS PAGE 5 Thus we come to that great fold of independent magazines which are operated for the sheer pleasure of the editors or for the group of publishers. It is interesting to note that this year a far larger proportion of these have broken even, though a few have gone greatly into debt in order to offer sensation material, and perhaps one or two have netted a very small profit through excellent handling and wise understanding of what the readers really desire. In the spring of 1940 a great, great number of weekly news rags flourished (some every two or three weeks) and it looked like the journalistic end of Stf was here to stay. The opening of 1941 found the number back on the rocks once more, but it seems only fair to make some mention of these flounderers which will be done by quotation from the Marc 24, 1940, issue of Mercury as follows: "Today there are more national science fiction news weeklies than ever before in the history of Stf activities. This can only mean a new era in sciencefiction fandom. Also, it can only mean the dropping of some. Either that, or an increase in sciencefiction newcomers which looks doubtful at first glance." "Fantasy News, the oldest, was in its former days a great, unbiased, fantasy weekly. Today it has become prejudiced which could have been overlooked at the beginning if one new the editor's view-point. It now has a new editor, and, with no reason, he is carrying out the same old one-sided policy. Despite the fact that it represents New York very well, it must change or something is going to happen. And that same thing is self-evident. "Le Zombie has been a good side-kick through thick and thin. Until now, it ranked well up into first place over all fanmags. Lately it has resumed its old policy of remarks and aspersions to swell-heads and so on. We have noticed that it has cast too many brickbats the way of innocent fans and that must stop or the inevitable will happen. "PSFS News is a stable bulletin insofar as the club and surrounding vicinity goes. Unless it begins to see the rest of the world, it too is destined to flop. And it is too rank with some articles." "Mid-West Fan News, (now Midwest News & Views) has shown its bright lights and nothing has turned it away from serving the Stfan - world faithfully yet. Good going. Then came Science Fiction Weekly, which is a great newspaper. It is at times one-sided, but puts its remarks in parenthesis so all is OK. Last of all, Mercury has appeared and has made no blunders yet and may be watched. Things happen tho, and it can fall too. TIME TELLS!" "Time certainly does tell a lot of thigns. A new era most certainly has been heralded, but plenty of new rags have gone the way of rain water -- down the drain. Fantasy News seems to have been lost in the shuffle, and Le Zombie has shut down for a while, PSFS News no longer knocks at one's mail-box while Midwest is apparently in the last stages. SFW has been replaced by the inferior Fantasy Fiction Field; Mercury has even given up the ghost."