MERKEL ON MASTERS

Ditto-masters, that is, though it may well be the Norman Masters in the
forseeable future.

The Unknown hasn't changed, it's been completely done away with.  The only
thing carried over into the NEW UNKNOWN from it is Gordon Charles and his
"Nothing Could Be Finer" strip.

What, you may well be asking yourself, is that thing on the cover alongside the
well-known No-Eyed Monster?  It's IT, our NEMesis' Ulcer.  (Funny how the
initials come out NU, is it not?)

IT is the replacement for X, ? and o.  What mischief he and the monster can get
into remains to be seen.

What about Bob Howard?  As many of you have already guessed, I was Bob Howard,
writing under a pseudonym in order to have a name besides mine in the table of
contents.

Charles Pearson may be returning to these pages in the not too distant future
if he accepts the invitation I sent him.  What he'll have to offer is still in
question, though.

Now, to answer the question I can sense in the minds of any of you who have
been with us since at least last issue and had a view of the Unknown:  What
will be the difference between the Unknown and the NEW UNKNOWN, or is it just
three letters in the masthead?

I could give you the definition of new that is available in every edition of
the famous Webster's, but I prefer not to.

I promised you "Anyone for the Ace of Spades?" in this and the two folowing
issues.  I am sorry, but it won't be appearing.  All it was was another Merkel
attempt at super-hero-detective-spyguy combining, and not coming out very well.
Rather than start the NEW UNKNOWN out with the better part of three issues
being filled with material designed in the style of its predecessors (the
Unknown, Merkmag and Mystery, for any of you who are keeping score), I sent it
to the Normonster, and from him it will very likely go into a round file
emptied by his janitor every night.  (Referring to Mrs. Norman, natch.  Oops. 
Kathy, I thought you didn't read my half of the zine.  What are you doing here,
and why are you carrying those scissors?  Kathy?  Get away from my ribbon. 
Kathy...)

Fortunately, El Johnno keeps a spare on hand for these special little
occasions.  I'd hate to be any later getting this issue out than I already am.

What is this NEW UNKNOWN of ours going to be using to keep the cover about
forty pages from the back cover of everybody's (with one exception) Favorite
Monster-type zine?

What will be coming in future issues of this new look in the amateur rags known
to the outside world as science fiction fandom?  I couldn't tell you.  Even if
I could and did, how often has what Merkel said was coming actually appeared on
his pages?

The zine known as NEM/UX? is gone from the world, to be replaced by NuNem.

The Unknown has folded to make way for the NEW UNKNOWN.

I said I could give you the dictionary definition of the word "new."  I could,
but I won't.  I'll give you my own definitin of the word, right on these forty
pages, every time you rip off the wrapper to read them.

This is the NEW UNKNOWN, and by Charlie's Apollo, it's going to stay that way.

                                      LJO

                                    [pp. 2 - 4, THE NEW UNKNOWN #1, Winter 1966]

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