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Fanfile, issue 1, February 1942
Page 8
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FANFILE Page 9 Note [illegible] published. As then, dated May 3, a letter from Don Wollheim, editor of the deceased COSMIC STORIES. We had written him a letter on the advent of the first COSMIC -- our one and only letter to a pro mag. Herewith Don's note and a portion of our letter: I finally got your letter of several months ago into print but had to haul it out at the last minute for ad requirements. Seeing as how you Langelenos seem to have gone for this sort of crowded out stuff -- here you are -- page 120 of an issue of Cosmic Stories that will have only 114 pages! Now for the thrilling story of an evening in Los Angeles. Arthur Louis Joquel II of that city relates: -- It was Thursday night, and the members of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society were dispersing after the regular meeting in the Brown Room at Clifton's. My companion and I had said goodnight to 4sJ Ackerman and his party and were heading for my car, when suddenly from seemingly nowhere a blue-clad, be-goggled apparition loomed up before us. This specter, mothing inarticulate phrases, and waving what seemed to be a chunk of congealed rainbow in its hand, rushed by at an alarming speed, and we could only catch one brief phrase. But those words sent us racing to the car, to dash madly to the only place from which the speeding figure could have come -- a newsstand two blocks away. Arriving there, we leaped out and began madly to search the gleaming stacks for what we knew must be there. As we were alternately scanning the shelves and quizzing the bewildered proprietor, 4sj, Morojo, and the still gesticulating Paul Freehafer arrived and took up a similar search, utterly ignoring us. But I had the honor of spotting our quarry first. Seizing a handful of copies, I whirled around to face the astonished trio. The copies were snatched from my hands, and the atmosphere rang with exclamations and ejaculations. COSMIC STORIES HAD COME TO SHANGRI-LA!... (Ed. note: They do things in spectacular fashion in Los Angeles. But we sure appreciate that account and hope to hear from you again.) Silence for awhile, while the third FMZ DIGEST rolled off the mimeo. Then Harry Warner Jr. wrote us a letter of customary length (two pages) on May 15: ...I really should be mad at you. The cover paper I get for Spaceways comes in assorted colors, including black. Naturally, I don't use that color, so for over a year now I've been putting the black ones aside, until enough accumulate to do a whole issue with black covers and some sort of light ink, thus astounding the fan world. And you come along and scoop me! Scorpio is excellent, though; not quite up to Specula, of course, but well worth while. I assume you wrote most of it. Through the Alien Angle is best, I believe...Nostradamus article conveys a bit of information I hadn't so far seen; Book of Dzyan ditto; editorial good. I don't particularly care for stuff like Destiny...Duds in the issue were Dr. Xander's Cottage and The Devil in Gotham. The latter probably because I'm allergic to gangsters in fantasy yarns; but you seem to put your worst work under your own name and keep anonymous on the best! Specula: well on a plane with the last issue. I liked the short articles, and hope you continue using them -- but don't put the emphasis on anything but the fiction. No Gun Shall Speak: is yet another you might be able to sell with a bit of elaboration and dressing up. (Then, maybe, but not now.) As a rule, the very worst fan fiction is that in which the writer tries to plug some pet idea of his. You've evidently plugged a couple of yours here, but in spite or possible because of that, it's still good. Cosmic Parallel not so. Imitation of Science was rather well done -- but not by any stretch of the imagination science fiction. The Gorgon's Head better, for it at least deserved inclusion in a fan magazine the same as stories like
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FANFILE Page 9 Note [illegible] published. As then, dated May 3, a letter from Don Wollheim, editor of the deceased COSMIC STORIES. We had written him a letter on the advent of the first COSMIC -- our one and only letter to a pro mag. Herewith Don's note and a portion of our letter: I finally got your letter of several months ago into print but had to haul it out at the last minute for ad requirements. Seeing as how you Langelenos seem to have gone for this sort of crowded out stuff -- here you are -- page 120 of an issue of Cosmic Stories that will have only 114 pages! Now for the thrilling story of an evening in Los Angeles. Arthur Louis Joquel II of that city relates: -- It was Thursday night, and the members of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society were dispersing after the regular meeting in the Brown Room at Clifton's. My companion and I had said goodnight to 4sJ Ackerman and his party and were heading for my car, when suddenly from seemingly nowhere a blue-clad, be-goggled apparition loomed up before us. This specter, mothing inarticulate phrases, and waving what seemed to be a chunk of congealed rainbow in its hand, rushed by at an alarming speed, and we could only catch one brief phrase. But those words sent us racing to the car, to dash madly to the only place from which the speeding figure could have come -- a newsstand two blocks away. Arriving there, we leaped out and began madly to search the gleaming stacks for what we knew must be there. As we were alternately scanning the shelves and quizzing the bewildered proprietor, 4sj, Morojo, and the still gesticulating Paul Freehafer arrived and took up a similar search, utterly ignoring us. But I had the honor of spotting our quarry first. Seizing a handful of copies, I whirled around to face the astonished trio. The copies were snatched from my hands, and the atmosphere rang with exclamations and ejaculations. COSMIC STORIES HAD COME TO SHANGRI-LA!... (Ed. note: They do things in spectacular fashion in Los Angeles. But we sure appreciate that account and hope to hear from you again.) Silence for awhile, while the third FMZ DIGEST rolled off the mimeo. Then Harry Warner Jr. wrote us a letter of customary length (two pages) on May 15: ...I really should be mad at you. The cover paper I get for Spaceways comes in assorted colors, including black. Naturally, I don't use that color, so for over a year now I've been putting the black ones aside, until enough accumulate to do a whole issue with black covers and some sort of light ink, thus astounding the fan world. And you come along and scoop me! Scorpio is excellent, though; not quite up to Specula, of course, but well worth while. I assume you wrote most of it. Through the Alien Angle is best, I believe...Nostradamus article conveys a bit of information I hadn't so far seen; Book of Dzyan ditto; editorial good. I don't particularly care for stuff like Destiny...Duds in the issue were Dr. Xander's Cottage and The Devil in Gotham. The latter probably because I'm allergic to gangsters in fantasy yarns; but you seem to put your worst work under your own name and keep anonymous on the best! Specula: well on a plane with the last issue. I liked the short articles, and hope you continue using them -- but don't put the emphasis on anything but the fiction. No Gun Shall Speak: is yet another you might be able to sell with a bit of elaboration and dressing up. (Then, maybe, but not now.) As a rule, the very worst fan fiction is that in which the writer tries to plug some pet idea of his. You've evidently plugged a couple of yours here, but in spite or possible because of that, it's still good. Cosmic Parallel not so. Imitation of Science was rather well done -- but not by any stretch of the imagination science fiction. The Gorgon's Head better, for it at least deserved inclusion in a fan magazine the same as stories like
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