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Voice of the Imagination, whole no. 30, March 1944

Page 11

IMAGI-NATION 11

and reality at all. You can argue about cosmic accidents giving rise to life till you are blue in the face but right back
of everything you've ultimately got to explain the origin of the
Cosmos somehow, and you can't explain that without reference to some superhuman power. Whether that Power is benevolent or not is of course a matter of opinion; but I personally choose to believe It is.  Sheer contemplation of the very order of the Universe seems to  afford the necessary evidence. Ponder on what a thin time we humans would have if there were no order, no predictability, associated with inanimate things! Such disorder as exists in human affairs is surely man-made, the result of stumbling attempts to climb the difficult ladder to greatness that has been erected. That ladder exists all right - it wouldn't be possible to discover a single law of nature if it wasn't intended that we should ior obvious reasons.

There's another point which leads me to believe that a strict materialism is mistaken. It is absolutely certain that there are manifestations and phenomena to be observed which cannot be accounted for by fakery, even under the strictest of scientific tests. Whether he likes it or not, your Materialist has to develop a philosophy that can accommodate the unexplainable in this connection. What is the difference between acknowledging that and acknowledging the existence of some other supernormal
power,  such as a God?

ROBERT ANSON HEINLEIN notes of #29:    A notable cover. This seemed like an exceptionally good number of VOM.    The letters seemed to make more sense than usual.
Most fan letters are pretty esoteric and can hardly be understood by one who is not
up to date on the latest quarrels, fads, feuds, etc.    But this one I found easy to read and very enjoyable. 

"from the garrett at . . . #10 ... 628 South Bixel Street . ... Los Angeles, 14, Calif ... on this day of our lord .  .  . February 19, 1944

To: The Voice of the
Smudgy Nation:  .  . . Dear Sir and Morojo----
In my last letter I made a few suggestions - so perhaps I should practice what I preach.    So I shall attempt to find if VOM'S doors are open to general comment on the fantasy field as it stands
today...............................
ASF's new format has raised considerable comment. Personally, I think its one of the best things that has hit the field for a long time - neater, handier, and much more respectable. I wish all the pulps would follow suit. For some reason, the small size even seems to vastly improve the appearance of their second-rate art work. Campbell has another problem now, i.e., what
to do with the material that formerly went in UNK.?Perhaps it would be a good idea for him to use the set-up Wolheim used in STIRRING SS,   with two separate sections. Put the stf in the larger, front section, since the far majority of the Street & Smith readers went for stf, and have a special section in back for two or three fantasy yarns, or a novellette. This would also add a little variety, as ASF tends to
become very monotonous at times.

How do you like the artwork Lawrence is doing for FFM? He doesn't seem to be quite as mature an artist as Finlay,   but on the whole I should say he is better. The covers are rather dull, though, but it may be that we are spoiled by Finlay's smooth brilliance. I just hope Lawrence doesn't develop into another pure hack. That's one big trouble with the pulps. Their demands are so heavy on an artist (or writer) that to earn a decent living he must turn out reams of junk, rather than concentrating for quality.   When FFM gets a good artist,
they bleed him dry.

That's one compliment I can give RAP.   He uses variety in artwork. One artist's work always looks much better if it is ste off by others with
different styles.

Along another line, don't miss the movie, LADY IN THE DARK - the dream sequences are marvelous fantasy - and in technicolor.   And the show as a whole is quite marvelous.   And then, the reviews of THE UNINVITED look quite promising. We might have something here far better than the run-of-the-mill horror.

How do you like the recent spurt of fmz? And a lot of us were predicting that fandom was about ready to collapse. C'est la Guerre, we were saying. Then the mags start flying thick and fast. VOM itself has been coming out rather rapidly lately. Diablorie,  I think is one of the best new fmz we've seen in a long time.   And this coming FAN SLANTS (#2) promises to be a mag, that will contend for top honors of all time.

Of course we mustn't forgot the constant flow of tripe that is still emmanating from a certain address in Newcastle, Inc. Gawd, what persistence!

To strike a slightly less sour note along this lines, the NFFF seems to be showing some real signs of revival. I hope.   Yes, I'm coming around to feel that their new program might really be good for fandom... so lets all get in and give it a shove...
sciencerely Jike [sp?]

AD: "SONGS FOR SORROW & BEAUTY" by the above gentlefan, very attractively got up by that justly famous getterupper of fine fan pamflets, Arturo Joquel, priced to sell at 15¢ per copy from 1129 N La Madera, El Monte, Cal, Contents include "Pantheon", "Distance", "Dolorosa", "Pledge", "Atlantis", "Into the Shadows", "Frustration". "In Passing", "Lin Chu", "Transient", "Fidelity", "Aquamarine", "First Love", "To John", "New Wine & Old".     When ordering, mention Vom, get a free verse.

Saving...

IMAGI-NATION 11 and reality at all. You can argue about cosmic accidents giving rise to life till you are blue in the face but right back of everything you've ultimately got to explain the origin of the Cosmos somehow, and you can't explain that without reference to some superhuman power. Whether that Power is benevolent or not is of course a matter of opinion; but I personally choose to believe It is. Sheer contemplation of the very order of the Universe seems to afford the necessary evidence. Ponder on what a thin time we humans would have if there were no order, no predictability, associated with inanimate things! Such disorder as exists in human affairs is surely man-made, the result of stumbling attempts to climb the difficult ladder to greatness that has been erected. That ladder exists all right - it wouldn't be possible to discover a single law of nature if it wasn't intended that we should ior obvious reasons. There's another point which leads me to believe that a strict materialism is mistaken. It is absolutely certain that there are manifestations and phenomena to be observed which cannot be accounted for by fakery, even under the strictest of scientific tests. Whether he likes it or not, your Materialist has to develop a philosophy that can accommodate the unexplainable in this connection. What is the difference between acknowledging that and acknowledging the existence of some other supernormal power, such as a God? ROBERT ANSON HEINLEIN notes of #29: A notable cover. This seemed like an exceptionally good number of VOM. The letters seemed to make more sense than usual. Most fan letters are pretty esoteric and can hardly be understood by one who is not up to date on the latest quarrels, fads, feuds, etc. But this one I found easy to read and very enjoyable. "from the garrett at . . . #10 ... 628 South Bixel Street . ... Los Angeles, 14, Calif ... on this day of our lord . . . February 19, 1944 To: The Voice of the Smudgy Nation: . . . Dear Sir and Morojo---- In my last letter I made a few suggestions - so perhaps I should practice what I preach. So I shall attempt to find if VOM'S doors are open to general comment on the fantasy field as it stands today............................... ASF's new format has raised considerable comment. Personally, I think its one of the best things that has hit the field for a long time - neater, handier, and much more respectable. I wish all the pulps would follow suit. For some reason, the small size even seems to vastly improve the appearance of their second-rate art work. Campbell has another problem now, i.e., what to do with the material that formerly went in UNK.?Perhaps it would be a good idea for him to use the set-up Wolheim used in STIRRING SS, with two separate sections. Put the stf in the larger, front section, since the far majority of the Street & Smith readers went for stf, and have a special section in back for two or three fantasy yarns, or a novellette. This would also add a little variety, as ASF tends to become very monotonous at times. How do you like the artwork Lawrence is doing for FFM? He doesn't seem to be quite as mature an artist as Finlay, but on the whole I should say he is better. The covers are rather dull, though, but it may be that we are spoiled by Finlay's smooth brilliance. I just hope Lawrence doesn't develop into another pure hack. That's one big trouble with the pulps. Their demands are so heavy on an artist (or writer) that to earn a decent living he must turn out reams of junk, rather than concentrating for quality. When FFM gets a good artist, they bleed him dry. That's one compliment I can give RAP. He uses variety in artwork. One artist's work always looks much better if it is ste off by others with different styles. Along another line, don't miss the movie, LADY IN THE DARK - the dream sequences are marvelous fantasy - and in technicolor. And the show as a whole is quite marvelous. And then, the reviews of THE UNINVITED look quite promising. We might have something here far better than the run-of-the-mill horror. How do you like the recent spurt of fmz? And a lot of us were predicting that fandom was about ready to collapse. C'est la Guerre, we were saying. Then the mags start flying thick and fast. VOM itself has been coming out rather rapidly lately. Diablorie, I think is one of the best new fmz we've seen in a long time. And this coming FAN SLANTS (#2) promises to be a mag, that will contend for top honors of all time. Of course we mustn't forgot the constant flow of tripe that is still emmanating from a certain address in Newcastle, Inc. Gawd, what persistence! To strike a slightly less sour note along this lines, the NFFF seems to be showing some real signs of revival. I hope. Yes, I'm coming around to feel that their new program might really be good for fandom... so lets all get in and give it a shove... sciencerely Jike [sp?] AD: "SONGS FOR SORROW & BEAUTY" by the above gentlefan, very attractively got up by that justly famous getterupper of fine fan pamflets, Arturo Joquel, priced to sell at 15¢ per copy from 1129 N La Madera, El Monte, Cal, Contents include "Pantheon", "Distance", "Dolorosa", "Pledge", "Atlantis", "Into the Shadows", "Frustration". "In Passing", "Lin Chu", "Transient", "Fidelity", "Aquamarine", "First Love", "To John", "New Wine & Old". When ordering, mention Vom, get a free verse.