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Science Fiction Collector, v. 4, issue 3, whole no. 21, August 1938
Page 17
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--- S - F Collector --- Page Seventeen _____________________________________ dance always points to him, for he started it. What went out with FANTASY MAGAZINE? Well I'd say about everything. Science-fiction fan magazines today have lost the initial characteristics of initiative which marked the [illegible] hardier attempts. They do not even "hope" any longer that someday they may be printed, or that someday they will be mimeographed. For the large part, fandom published hectographed publications and when their subscription lists are full ( which they rarely are ), they close them and let it go at that. Not that I condemn the practise. I can see in some cases the necessity for it, but it is inexorably driving the interest out of the science fiction fan field. Leaving everyone compacently satisfied with their lot and the thought that attempts to improve are eternally destined to be frustrated. This was not the case two years back. I can still recall with clear-cut accuracy the eventful career of the late PLANETEER. How it started from scratch; and, particularly I can recall the youthful enthusiasm and eagerness of its editors. The person who held in his hand the first 16 paged, poorly hectographed, terribly illustrated issue of the PLANETEER, with a binding of one insecure straight pin, might well have predicted that this childish attempt would be laughed out before it even got started. Well, it got started all right. Went from hectographing to mimeographing in three issues, doubled its size and obtained some very fine professional material by the sixth, turned into a printed publication in the seventh issue -- then the funds gave out! The editors had made the sorrowful mistake of improving before their magazine warranted any improvement. They must have started their mimeographed issue with about ten paid sub-
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--- S - F Collector --- Page Seventeen _____________________________________ dance always points to him, for he started it. What went out with FANTASY MAGAZINE? Well I'd say about everything. Science-fiction fan magazines today have lost the initial characteristics of initiative which marked the [illegible] hardier attempts. They do not even "hope" any longer that someday they may be printed, or that someday they will be mimeographed. For the large part, fandom published hectographed publications and when their subscription lists are full ( which they rarely are ), they close them and let it go at that. Not that I condemn the practise. I can see in some cases the necessity for it, but it is inexorably driving the interest out of the science fiction fan field. Leaving everyone compacently satisfied with their lot and the thought that attempts to improve are eternally destined to be frustrated. This was not the case two years back. I can still recall with clear-cut accuracy the eventful career of the late PLANETEER. How it started from scratch; and, particularly I can recall the youthful enthusiasm and eagerness of its editors. The person who held in his hand the first 16 paged, poorly hectographed, terribly illustrated issue of the PLANETEER, with a binding of one insecure straight pin, might well have predicted that this childish attempt would be laughed out before it even got started. Well, it got started all right. Went from hectographing to mimeographing in three issues, doubled its size and obtained some very fine professional material by the sixth, turned into a printed publication in the seventh issue -- then the funds gave out! The editors had made the sorrowful mistake of improving before their magazine warranted any improvement. They must have started their mimeographed issue with about ten paid sub-
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