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Damn Thing, v. 1, issue 5, May 1941

Page 8

PAGE EIGHT                            THE DAMN THING
__________________________________________

       FUTILE AND PURILE ASSOCIATION FAPA

                Fitmore Katel
 
   There was undoubtedly a good idea behind the formation of the Fantasy Amature Press Association, commonly known as the Fapa, though some of its hidebound members insist upon wasting breath and time by syllibating each letter.

   In fact, they're just wasting their time and breath. 

   When Fapa was organised, it undoubtedly contained the germs of a wonderful idea. (Everything carries germs, though.) Here would be an organisation devoted to the advancement of fantasy journalism that would really accomplish something. Oh, my yes! Just think! All the top fans—the very upper crust would be members. Indeed, membership would be limited. Fapa would be veddy, veddy exclusive.

   Well, Fapa is some years old now, and just what has it accomplished?

   To our slightly jaundiced eyes and moribund outlook, Fapa is one of the biggest time- and money-wasters in the entire fan field.

   To begin our recital, let us consider he quarterly mailings. Quarterly? Wellll—let's be generous. We realise that fans are notoriously late—but just think, for such a wonderful project as this, the contributors surely could get something out on time for a mailing. Do they? Well, alright, don't answer then. And because no one can or will produce their mags on time, the mailings are held up, and as a result, any slight degree of timeliness any Fapa material might have is completely lost on its arrival six months after date. 

   And the mags that appear in the mailings! Look at them. Go on, you look! I did, and what I saw induced slight nausea. With one of two exceptions, the contents of the mailings are the most poorly written, poorly mimeod, (not to mention hectoed—though if anyone could read the hectoed pubs, they might find something of worth) slammed-togather, hodge-podge illegible, insignificant and immature pieces of tripe libeling the fan publishing profession (sic!) that we have ever seen. Appearantly all material has been discarded from fan mags before, or else it is a review. 

   Ah! A review! Heaven help us! In the last Fapa mailing, a huge percentage (we won't say how much—it might embarass someone—of the aggregate material consisted of reviews of the mags appearing in the previous mailing. My God, if this goes on, it won't be long before the entire Fapa mailing will consist of review upon review of the reviews of the last mailing.

   Fapa as it is now is a disgrace to the fan publishing field. Some of the rising editors, who are putting out worthwhile magasines, would be wise not to accept any invitation to join this pot-pouri of flotsam offered by the Fapa. The magasines might suffer too much by the contact.

   And why does this condition continue? One: Because fans are too lazy to put out a worthwhile mag for the Fapa. All they need is something in the mailing to maintain their membership. Two: Because the avid collectors, who want to get a copy of everything issued by fandom, continue their support and thus contribute to this disgrace to fan publishing and fandom in general.

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PAGE EIGHT THE DAMN THING __________________________________________ FUTILE AND PURILE ASSOCIATION FAPA Fitmore Katel There was undoubtedly a good idea behind the formation of the Fantasy Amature Press Association, commonly known as the Fapa, though some of its hidebound members insist upon wasting breath and time by syllibating each letter. In fact, they're just wasting their time and breath. When Fapa was organised, it undoubtedly contained the germs of a wonderful idea. (Everything carries germs, though.) Here would be an organisation devoted to the advancement of fantasy journalism that would really accomplish something. Oh, my yes! Just think! All the top fans—the very upper crust would be members. Indeed, membership would be limited. Fapa would be veddy, veddy exclusive. Well, Fapa is some years old now, and just what has it accomplished? To our slightly jaundiced eyes and moribund outlook, Fapa is one of the biggest time- and money-wasters in the entire fan field. To begin our recital, let us consider he quarterly mailings. Quarterly? Wellll—let's be generous. We realise that fans are notoriously late—but just think, for such a wonderful project as this, the contributors surely could get something out on time for a mailing. Do they? Well, alright, don't answer then. And because no one can or will produce their mags on time, the mailings are held up, and as a result, any slight degree of timeliness any Fapa material might have is completely lost on its arrival six months after date. And the mags that appear in the mailings! Look at them. Go on, you look! I did, and what I saw induced slight nausea. With one of two exceptions, the contents of the mailings are the most poorly written, poorly mimeod, (not to mention hectoed—though if anyone could read the hectoed pubs, they might find something of worth) slammed-togather, hodge-podge illegible, insignificant and immature pieces of tripe libeling the fan publishing profession (sic!) that we have ever seen. Appearantly all material has been discarded from fan mags before, or else it is a review. Ah! A review! Heaven help us! In the last Fapa mailing, a huge percentage (we won't say how much—it might embarass someone—of the aggregate material consisted of reviews of the mags appearing in the previous mailing. My God, if this goes on, it won't be long before the entire Fapa mailing will consist of review upon review of the reviews of the last mailing. Fapa as it is now is a disgrace to the fan publishing field. Some of the rising editors, who are putting out worthwhile magasines, would be wise not to accept any invitation to join this pot-pouri of flotsam offered by the Fapa. The magasines might suffer too much by the contact. And why does this condition continue? One: Because fans are too lazy to put out a worthwhile mag for the Fapa. All they need is something in the mailing to maintain their membership. Two: Because the avid collectors, who want to get a copy of everything issued by fandom, continue their support and thus contribute to this disgrace to fan publishing and fandom in general.