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Phanny, v. 3, issue 4, Spring 1945

Page 6

6     PHANNY     6

THE FANTASY AMATEUR. -- The "illegal" issue. The contents were almost as confusing as the time and purpose of the special mailing. The cover I liked; I second Larry's thanks to Art.
DR. ASHLEY AND MR. LOWNDES. Lowndes accomplishes little save to reaffirm that the intent of the amendments was good, with which statement I agree--with reservations. But "intent" is not sufficient; it has to be backed up by such phraseology as will leave little or nor room for disagreement. The evidence seems to support the Ashley view.
STARBOUND. -- This should have preceded "Dr. A.and Mr. L." This little brochure is beautiful to look at, but hasn't too much else to reccommend it. It's appearance, in fact, would justify an "Editing and Publishing Award"--if only some editing had been done. Only "Castle Chillon," a fairly good weird; "Rapture;" and "A Bit of Relativity" seem worthy of mention.
ZIZZLE-POP. -- The only reason this is down here is its brevity; but its rating is unimportant, since SARDONYX is the real basis on which Russ's activity is measured. There is no waste of paper and stencils in Z-P, however; it is all worth while. The MICROMEGAS announcement is somewhat ambiguous.
ADULUX BESKAN. Well, only one half-sheet of paper wasted, anyway.
McSNOYD'S BULLETIN. -- "The "unrated" classification has nothing to do with the merit or lack of it. I just ca't see any basis on which to compare this with more orthodox pubs. Whether Larry was justified in publishing this contrary to Raym's expressed wish, is what might be termed "a moot point." Perhaps it helped to clear the air. 

----------------

February Mailing

FATINGS: A; Fan-Tods; Agenbite of Inwit; Sardonyx; Engarde; FAPA Index; B+; Toward Tomorrow; Yhos; Horizons; The Bedside Fassbeinder; Blitherings; Fantasy Commentator; a; Inspiration; Walt's Wramblings; Stf Comment; The Timebender;
B-; The Precipitant; Beyond; Outlandi; Fen; Chartreuse and Shocking Pink; Beowulf; Take-Off!;
C; Fandango (7-a) Aagh; Phantagraph (Nov. and Dec.); 21st Century; Science Fiction Savant; Number One;
D; Phantasphere; McSnoyd's Bulletin; "Because of Circumstances...."

FAN-TODS. -- This continues to top my list, because it has the type of material I like, presented in a style I like. Lots of it, too! -- I'd like to comment on "Triple Standard," but can't say much except that I think it very good. I suggest, however, that the test should usually be applied in reverse order; that is, test for "poetical" qualities first, since they are most prevalent, and indicate quickly whether or not the m tter under discussion justifies careful perusal for factual data, etc. -- "Yesterday's Ten Thousand Years" is, if possible, better than ever before. Dr. Sloane probably established a record low in the fine art of blurb writing. You omit one gem which I especially liked, although this was an answer to a letter, not a blurb. One fan said something to the effect that when "better stories are published, T. O'Connor will publish them." Sloane gravely replied that he had examined the records carefully, and that there was no such person as "T O'Connor" on the pay-roll. "The Universal Merry-Go-Round" has long held a very high place on my list of WORST stories; the blurb for it couldn't possibly be half as bad as the story.
"Revista" is, as usual, the best of the review columns, because, of course, it is so much more than a review. -- I think a small, highly cultured, highly mechanized culture lies close to the line of impossibility. The science-fictional dream of everlasting, self-repairing machines, would, perhaps, provide the physical means of such a civilization; but in that case, I think the people would degenerate into mere automatons themselves. -- The consideration of the cost of constant, excessive turnover should, in time, force all employers to the

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6 PHANNY 6 THE FANTASY AMATEUR. -- The "illegal" issue. The contents were almost as confusing as the time and purpose of the special mailing. The cover I liked; I second Larry's thanks to Art. DR. ASHLEY AND MR. LOWNDES. Lowndes accomplishes little save to reaffirm that the intent of the amendments was good, with which statement I agree--with reservations. But "intent" is not sufficient; it has to be backed up by such phraseology as will leave little or nor room for disagreement. The evidence seems to support the Ashley view. STARBOUND. -- This should have preceded "Dr. A.and Mr. L." This little brochure is beautiful to look at, but hasn't too much else to reccommend it. It's appearance, in fact, would justify an "Editing and Publishing Award"--if only some editing had been done. Only "Castle Chillon," a fairly good weird; "Rapture;" and "A Bit of Relativity" seem worthy of mention. ZIZZLE-POP. -- The only reason this is down here is its brevity; but its rating is unimportant, since SARDONYX is the real basis on which Russ's activity is measured. There is no waste of paper and stencils in Z-P, however; it is all worth while. The MICROMEGAS announcement is somewhat ambiguous. ADULUX BESKAN. Well, only one half-sheet of paper wasted, anyway. McSNOYD'S BULLETIN. -- "The "unrated" classification has nothing to do with the merit or lack of it. I just ca't see any basis on which to compare this with more orthodox pubs. Whether Larry was justified in publishing this contrary to Raym's expressed wish, is what might be termed "a moot point." Perhaps it helped to clear the air. ---------------- February Mailing FATINGS: A; Fan-Tods; Agenbite of Inwit; Sardonyx; Engarde; FAPA Index; B+; Toward Tomorrow; Yhos; Horizons; The Bedside Fassbeinder; Blitherings; Fantasy Commentator; a; Inspiration; Walt's Wramblings; Stf Comment; The Timebender; B-; The Precipitant; Beyond; Outlandi; Fen; Chartreuse and Shocking Pink; Beowulf; Take-Off!; C; Fandango (7-a) Aagh; Phantagraph (Nov. and Dec.); 21st Century; Science Fiction Savant; Number One; D; Phantasphere; McSnoyd's Bulletin; "Because of Circumstances...." FAN-TODS. -- This continues to top my list, because it has the type of material I like, presented in a style I like. Lots of it, too! -- I'd like to comment on "Triple Standard," but can't say much except that I think it very good. I suggest, however, that the test should usually be applied in reverse order; that is, test for "poetical" qualities first, since they are most prevalent, and indicate quickly whether or not the m tter under discussion justifies careful perusal for factual data, etc. -- "Yesterday's Ten Thousand Years" is, if possible, better than ever before. Dr. Sloane probably established a record low in the fine art of blurb writing. You omit one gem which I especially liked, although this was an answer to a letter, not a blurb. One fan said something to the effect that when "better stories are published, T. O'Connor will publish them." Sloane gravely replied that he had examined the records carefully, and that there was no such person as "T O'Connor" on the pay-roll. "The Universal Merry-Go-Round" has long held a very high place on my list of WORST stories; the blurb for it couldn't possibly be half as bad as the story. "Revista" is, as usual, the best of the review columns, because, of course, it is so much more than a review. -- I think a small, highly cultured, highly mechanized culture lies close to the line of impossibility. The science-fictional dream of everlasting, self-repairing machines, would, perhaps, provide the physical means of such a civilization; but in that case, I think the people would degenerate into mere automatons themselves. -- The consideration of the cost of constant, excessive turnover should, in time, force all employers to the