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Fantasy Fan, v. 1, issue 5, January 1934

Page 76

76     THE FANTASY FAN   January, 1934

OUR READERS SAY

S.M. White, one of our New Zealand readers is not altogether satisfied with science fiction in general:
"The Fantasy Fan is of great interest to me. I hope that it keeps on going. I have two objections to scientifiction-I. There is too much 'blood and thunder.' 2. Not enough originality in plots. Thus too much spoils the flavor. But there are several themes on which few of your authors have touched. I. A story with lots of science. 2. A story concerning that which comes after death(if anything) 3. A really humorous story. 4. None of the authors except H. G. Wells has tried to solve the problem of labor vs. capital. Stories often end up:"Workers of the world, you are free!" Free to what? Technocracy? NRA? Vanderbiltism? These four ought to keep writers busy."
The hardest job of an editor is trying to please everyone. As this is an impossibility, all they can do is to please as many as they can. When a majority voice a suggestion, he must take it into serious consideration. We find that the underused plots you have mentioned have been used quite often, except that which is not for science fiction, but has been overdone in weird stories.
"I keep forgetting that each month I am going to receive a copy of The Fantasy Fan so that, when it does come, it is such a pleasant surprise. As a regular feature, I enjoy Bob Tucker's report on the English stf magazines best of all. 'How to Write a Stf Story' was so funny." Forrest J. Ackerman.
"The November TFF is decidedly improving and I look forward to future issues with much interest. I wonder how many collectors there are that can discriminate between the trash that seems popular and the best in Fantasy?"
R. H. Barlow "The November issue of TFF was magnificent! What got the cake was 'How to Write a Stf Story' by Hoy Ping Pong. By the way, Editor, who is this Hoy Ping Pong? Anyway, regardless of who he is, he seems to be humorously inclined, so let's have more from him. No periodical is exactly good without a touch of humor."
Ted H. Lutwin
There's no use in concealing the identity of Hoy Ping Pong. It is none other than Bob Tucker, author of the English science fiction series, and more Hoy Ping Pong articles to come. 
"I liked the November issue very much and hope you'll publish more of Smith's poetry." Robert E. Howard.
"I was certainly disappointed to hear that the Neconomicon, Book of Eibon, and the Nameless Cults had no existence except in the fertile imaginations of Lovecraft, Smith, and Howard. That's not illusion of reality. Anyone could quote books and authors that never existed. To me, it is plain fabrication. According to Joseph McCabe, the monks of the middle ages were adepts at it. I must say, however, that it was quite a help in giving an illusion of reality to Lovecraft's stories, and Smith's. It won't be now, though, because the cat is out of the bag. But what about 'Yog Sothoth[[?]]' and 'Sattaquo' and 'Thule.' Surely, there must be a legend of some sort to account for them, or does their ancientness go no farther than 1924? Were they born about the same time as Weird

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76 THE FANTASY FAN January, 1934 OUR READERS SAY S.M. White, one of our New Zealand readers is not altogether satisfied with science fiction in general: "The Fantasy Fan is of great interest to me. I hope that it keeps on going. I have two objections to scientifiction-I. There is too much 'blood and thunder.' 2. Not enough originality in plots. Thus too much spoils the flavor. But there are several themes on which few of your authors have touched. I. A story with lots of science. 2. A story concerning that which comes after death(if anything) 3. A really humorous story. 4. None of the authors except H. G. Wells has tried to solve the problem of labor vs. capital. Stories often end up:"Workers of the world, you are free!" Free to what? Technocracy? NRA? Vanderbiltism? These four ought to keep writers busy." The hardest job of an editor is trying to please everyone. As this is an impossibility, all they can do is to please as many as they can. When a majority voice a suggestion, he must take it into serious consideration. We find that the underused plots you have mentioned have been used quite often, except that which is not for science fiction, but has been overdone in weird stories. "I keep forgetting that each month I am going to receive a copy of The Fantasy Fan so that, when it does come, it is such a pleasant surprise. As a regular feature, I enjoy Bob Tucker's report on the English stf magazines best of all. 'How to Write a Stf Story' was so funny." Forrest J. Ackerman. "The November TFF is decidedly improving and I look forward to future issues with much interest. I wonder how many collectors there are that can discriminate between the trash that seems popular and the best in Fantasy?" R. H. Barlow "The November issue of TFF was magnificent! What got the cake was 'How to Write a Stf Story' by Hoy Ping Pong. By the way, Editor, who is this Hoy Ping Pong? Anyway, regardless of who he is, he seems to be humorously inclined, so let's have more from him. No periodical is exactly good without a touch of humor." Ted H. Lutwin There's no use in concealing the identity of Hoy Ping Pong. It is none other than Bob Tucker, author of the English science fiction series, and more Hoy Ping Pong articles to come. "I liked the November issue very much and hope you'll publish more of Smith's poetry." Robert E. Howard. "I was certainly disappointed to hear that the Neconomicon, Book of Eibon, and the Nameless Cults had no existence except in the fertile imaginations of Lovecraft, Smith, and Howard. That's not illusion of reality. Anyone could quote books and authors that never existed. To me, it is plain fabrication. According to Joseph McCabe, the monks of the middle ages were adepts at it. I must say, however, that it was quite a help in giving an illusion of reality to Lovecraft's stories, and Smith's. It won't be now, though, because the cat is out of the bag. But what about 'Yog Sothoth[[?]]' and 'Sattaquo' and 'Thule.' Surely, there must be a legend of some sort to account for them, or does their ancientness go no farther than 1924? Were they born about the same time as Weird