Dear Art:
A fine annish. Your all nonfiction policy, I think, makes for a much meatier mag. # Nelson's delightful cover brings to mind something I've long wondered -- which do you do first? the hektoing or the mimeoing? [Hekto] # It's good to see T HE FANZINE SCOPE again. Certain of the memoirs about Joquel were uproarious. The quotes from "Miss Jay Gibson" will probably send every male fan on the Atlantic seaboard scampering to Jersey City; but I see by the latest DAWN that Joe Gibson -- former Californian and VoM cover artist -- is now residing in that town. The strong fragrance of a rodent is evident. # Well mebbe I will look into HUMAN DESTINY if I get the chance, tho I believe Dr. Tom Gardner once gave a long speech before the Esfa, r efuting Du Noüy's evidence. # Redd's review was smoothly written as always. # Here's bottoms up to the next three years! # Regards --- JOKE #
why S? What the hell is this all about anyhow? Doesn't anybody know why we are floating down this river of piss in a blue-enameled bedpan? I just woke up myself to the situation. A while back I thought the river was soda pop and we were riding in the Q ueen Mary, but there's a certain air about the whole thing that gave it all away. # LooK! There's someone swimming toward us. No. My mistake. It's only Warren Baldwin. His faith in Ghod will keep him afloat. Warren, would you care to say a few words for t he radio audience? # "Yes. As I stand ... I mean float ... here, and look out over this majestic river flowing onward into eternity, my faith grows still greater than it was. There must be some vast meaning to it all, some great human destiny. This r iver must have started somewhere. There must have been in some distant past, a creator of all this. That creator was none other than Gho .. gasp .. gag .... gurgle .. gurgle .. blub .. blub .. blub." Thank-you-and-good-night-Warren Baldwin. # RAY NEL SON
Dear Art,
Gee, looking back, I see that I haven't written you for two whole issues. Wonder what was the matter with me? And I see by the latest WARP, just arrived, that my abstinence has not failed to leave its mark. I see that QS? has been cut to almost nothing , which is not surprising when one considers that you did not have one of my superb letters to build it around. Yes. Howsoever, let us hope that this epistle is helpful in remedying this grievous situation. # Before I begin commenting specifically on the Annish, though, I would like to make just one comment on the zine in general as it will appear under the new editorial policy. I have no objection to your giving over most of the mag to articles, columns, book reviews, etc., (and I don't say this because I think objecting would be entirely useless. I don't.), as it would be a sacrilege to Roscoe to let manuscripts like "The Purple Dawn" and "Fanzine Scope" molder in your files. But please, Art, how about just one little piece of fictio n per ish to break the monotony? Even a one-page one would do. Maybe I'm just a sentimentalist, but I hate to see WARP break completely away from the lovingly amateurish -- yes, you might even say simple and childish -- fan epics which were so much a part of WARP's early life. Ah, nostalgia. # Now onward, ever onward! Nelson's cover was a masterpiece. And on my copy, at least, the hekto color hit just perfectly on the mimeo outline. May Nelson always have the good fortune of having Roscoe smile on him. [T here, Ray; now aren't you ashamed of yourself for tearing into Warren so viciously?] # There really seems nothing to add to Boggs' article. He seems to have covered everything noteworthy in the early days of WARP with a completeness almost remarkable. And , as usual, the unique, fresh way Boggs has of writing was not unhelpful in making "The Purple Dawn" an outstanding success. That title was pure, unadulterated, inspiration. I think Redd must have put in a good deal of time and research on this to make it so good; if not, his memory must truly be that of a slan. # Ah yes, Watkins has touched on a subject in the better half of his column which is always open to controversy. Can the stffen really influence the type and quality of fiction appearing in the prozines? I believe I touched this topic briefly in one of those ghastly things I sent you a while back -- "The Stereotyped Sirens of Stf," if I remember aright. On the whole, I think TEW has the right idea. I agree with everything he sa id, and his description of the antagonistic non-fan darn near took the words right out of my mind. I think he should have added Nebraska to "the great stf desert." # Boggs has competition. Laney has a style almost as fresh, but more versatile. I t may seem that way to me because I can't remember having read anything of his before, at any rate nothing so long as his column, but I think Redd is going to have to keep on his toes to keep ahead of this boy. Redd is one of those columnists who delight in taking pokes at everybody, and one is liable to become used to his politely-worded stabs (once in a while it is hard to decide just what viewpoint he is taking.) Laney, on the other hand, seems inclined to give more credit where credit is due, w hich is a delightful switch, though I will admit it leaves less latitude for one to pick a FrANdly feud with him. As for Laney's material, itself, while it was extremely enjoyable (especially his descriptions of Joquel's dramatic entrances and exits, and his manner of poking sly fun) I feel hardly qualified to try and pick holes. I sometimes feel sadly handicapped by not knowing more about the history of fandom and some of its legendary characters. # By the way, while I think of it, you might announce som ewhere that NEBULA is defunct. I still get an occasional card requesting the first ish. # You were a little late with the Conquest of Space review. Sort of an anticlimax after the way it has been hullaballooed in all the prozines and fanzines. Not to say the review wasn't good. It was -- well written, complete. I like the way he enumerated the picture plates. Rather surprised to see my review there. I know I was late as hell with it, and it wasn't nearly as good as I had wanted it to be, but when I tried to write up the book I found it unprecedentedly difficult. # -- Oh, something I forgot to mention back under general comments: the mag sure looked queer without any inside illos or ads. Didn't miss the ads, but the page after page of solid print was an unfamiliar sight. The way your authors are going hog-wild in length, you need about a fifty-page WARP to have enough room. A fifty-page WARP -- gad! What a dream! # Conner seems hopped up on the subject of OTHER WORLDS. Can't say as I b lame him, though, as it certainly does begin to look like it will become the realization of every fan's dream: a perfect prozine. Wonder what the fen will do then? Trimmed edges, the authors they want, the artists they want, the kind of letter column they want, everything they want. There won't be anything left for a fan (outside of those few who wouldn't be satisfied, regardless) to holler about. I myself think that a perfect prozine would be too good to be true. By his very calling, a fan must possess s omewhere inside him a stubborn streak to his nature, a part of him which rebels at the idea of perfection. He would get more pleasure from striving for perfection without attaining it, than he would from achieving it in actuality. It will be intere sting to observe what happens if Palmer does attain this goal in OTHER WORLDS. He's doing all right with it now, but it must be noted that the mag is as yet still in the process of being shaped. Conner needs glasses or a later model head. The Thorne Smith books he mentions as being listed by Capt. Slater are listed under the heading of "Books" on the mimeoed sheet. There was a separate classification for paperbacks on the second page where, I am sure, Slater would have listed them if that were t heir correct place. If he will note (Conner, i. e.) the blurb says "available in a new reprint." (My underlining.) # Kennedy treats lightly a topic worthy of more serious consideration. It is a pity fandom is not a more unified class. The production of a good, acceptable-to-fans movie would be a task full capable of testing the mettle of one of the larger and more affluent fan organizations, such as the LASFS or the New York group. Surely there must be a few photography bugs in fandom who would pant with joy over such a chance to make use of their abilities or to find out if they do have any ability. Would like to get a gander at that surrealistic job they did. T'would no doubt be reminiscent of the days of "the flickers" . Afraid such an undertaking by fen would get no farther than the paper stage, tho. It would stop there for squabbling over who would get to direct the thing. Imagine so, anyhow. WARREN BALDWIN # P.S. When does WARP start coming out at the first week of t he month again? In a nationwide survey, 25 million doctors agreed 50 to 1 that a steady diet of fingernail-food is not conducive to normal health. Awright, so I'm not normal. # WARREN BALDWIN
Dear Art:
The March Warp arrived on time, and was regarded with reverent awe for its declaration of third anniversary and the pix of Roscoe, in whom all fen believe. Also the commercialism for the Fan Artisans in the lower left corner. # A bring to attention that you missed being sues by a close margin. Laney's vicious attacks on fan personalities in his bit of skullduggery provoked a Futurian war here. We were ready to back up Kepner if he chose to fight Laney and you for printing the comments Laney voiced . But he knew that Laney has been doing that for quite some time, and that it is useless to try to get back at him by legal means. My own opinion is that FTL is the slimiest thing to crawl from under a rock in my four years of fan activity. If he wants to take someone apart who'll fight back, let him try me. I'd be willing to supply him with Metchette's version of Ah, Sweet Idiocy and let the feud wend its course from there on. Laney isn't a fan anymore (see his own comments in M arch Warp) so let him get out and leave us fans indulge in our idiocy. I personally like it, and Laney is welcome to a fight to the finish if he desires one. Some one has to crawl all libellists like him periodically or their complacency outgrows cautio n, and they become fan editions of Goebells, McCormick of the Chicago Tribune, and Hearst of world renown. # Put Fanzine Scope into early retirement; it doesn't merit publication in anything but the fan version of Keyhole or Whisper. # T his Warp looked like a fugitive from leftovers. Everything was either a serial article or a column. Boggs, Baldwin, Timber, Kennedy, McConnell and the cover just outbalanced Laney's propaganda, Conner's dullness, and Watkins ineffectuality. For an anni sh, you certainly gave a representative cross section of past Warps! # STEWART METCHETTE
Don't forget the NORWESCON! Have you joined yet?
Arturo --
Thanx for the information on Foo-Foo and Ghu-Ghu. I have seen enough of these false religions to recognize Roscoism and the true way to salvation. I even had a vision about Roscoe, and I know that it was authentic because he revealed the secret of hi s eyes to me. I suppose you know that when Roscoe is in a peaceful benevolent mood, his eyes are a light, spiritual shade of blue. When he is leading his devoted followers to battle against Foo-Foo or Ghu-Ghu, his eyes are a brilliant, royal blue. When his anger has been aroused, or when he is dealing out punishment to the followers of the false ghods, his eyes are an impressive navy blue, almost black. By this revelation from Roscoe Himself I know that his is the true religion. # By the way, I don' t want to get involved in anything, but will you kindly inform Redd Boggs that he is laboring under a misapprehension concerning his remarks anent the alleged misuse of convention funds by the Cincy group. If I remember correctly, he accused the Cincy bu nch (of which I was one) of walking away from the convention with approx. $300.00 that the fans "contributed, in good faith". He admits that he slept through most of the meeting. If he had been awake he would have been aware of the fact that in his fina ncial report Don Ford accounted for every cent of the membership money (down to a 15¢ expenditure for scotch tape) in what was termed "the most businesslike financial report of any convention." The money our group got came, not from the money contri buted by the fans, but from the main auction, which netted quite a fabulous amount, about $900.00 or something like that. Scuse me if I sound kinda vehement, but being a member of the group he was maligning, I didn't like it, and didn't know how to get i n touch with him. So if you see or hear from him, pass on the above info. If he has any reply, would be interested in hearing it. # Apart from his comments on the above subject, I like the material he writes very much. Tell me, how do you manage to g et writers that sound adult and sensible (most of the time) when most of the fanzine slush is just that -- slush? The March issue of Warp inspired the above remarks. The cover, as a loyal Roscoite, I will treasure above all of my material I have accumul ated so far. Laney's article was superb. Joquel must be quite a character. >From what I gather the west coast has more than its share of (shall we say?) unusual people. I'm looking forward to this next con with great interest. I have long been a Snea ry fan, and hope he will be there. I ran across one of the letters he used to write to Startling Stories, and dashed out to the nearest second hand zine store to search for more. Unfortunately their stock was low, and so was my bankroll, so I didn't get many. However, he impresses me as being sincerely interested in fandom, and as one of the comparatively few fen who do any thinking. You and he and a few others are really trying to bring the N3F up in quality, and for the first time I'm beginning to h ave hopes for it. # That's all for now, as the hour grows late. # BEA MAHAFFEY
Dear Art -
Thanks to you and Laney for the word portrait of Arthur Louis Joquel II. It brings back my faith in the existence of the legendary colorful fan. There should be more like him. # Hope future issues of SPACEWARP are up to this. # Sincerely, WRAI BA LLARD
Dear Art -
Soon, if fanzine editors in general give me a hand, there will be one more fanzine in the field. This one will be a little different. # The best way of explaining is to give you its title. This infant will be called "The Fanzine Editor." As the na me implies, this 'zine will be directed to the poor worried fanzine editor. The magazine will look at science fiction through the eyes of the editor ... it will discuss and, I hope, solve his problems ... it will amuse him by showing that there are other s that get in similar situations as himself ... it will give him a chance to talk with others that have a common interest, publishing. # As it is with all the Quinn publications, TFE will be free. It will ask as a subscription price, your participation . # Sincerely yours, LEE D. QUINN
Dear Rapp:
If you know of any fans that would like to get a fanzine at the lowest cost in fandom (a 2 cent stamp) let them contact me. I publish a small zine every month and the cost for it is a stamp. Tell them to write to ...
AD-O-ZINE
2058 E. Atlantic St.
Philadelphia 34, Pennsylvania
The last edition of the zine went out to 125 fans. # W. C. BUTTS
Text versions and page scans Judy Bemis
Data entry by Judy Bemis
Updated June 19, 2015. If you have a comment about these web pages please send a note to the Fanac Webmaster. Thank you.