It's A Pulp World

Ghoulies and Ghosties

2009-10-03T22:39:00.009-05:00

Ghoulies and Ghosties, Long-Leggedy Beasties and Things That Go Bump in the Night. Humans have always liked a good scare (why I don't know) and the pulps were happy to oblige.

Weird Tales is probably the best remembered publisher of the spooky stories during the pulp era, giving readers tales by H. P. Lovecraft, August Derleth, Robert Bloch, Ray Bradbury, and many more. Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian first appeared here alongside stories by Clark Ashton Smith and Seabury Quinn. Editors during the pulp era were Edwin Baird, Farnsworth Wright and Dorothy McIlwraith (such an appropriate name). Illustrators included Margaret Brundage, Virgil Finlay, Hannes Bok and Lee Brown Coye.

While Weird Tales was not the only magazine to offer such delightful chills it is probably the most fondly remembered. Robert Bloch and Ray Bradbury started their careers here, for example. H. P. Lovecraft gained some popular acclaim in these pages along with Manly Wade Wellman and Fritz Leiber. Many regular contributors went on to gain some fame in literature while others were, for the most part, forgotten.

Many collections are available featuring stories that first saw print in Weird Tales, along with books and articles giving the magazine's history.

I have only a handful of issues of WT in my collection, but all are very readable with a good mix of stories, although I don't understand why they made a point of including Science Fiction stories when so many other titles offered them. Some readers complained in the letters page about the SF. But I digress.

I first encountered H. P. Lovecraft by stumbling over the Gold Key comic adaptation of the movie Die Monster Die. I discovered it was based on a story by one H. P. Lovecraft and tracked down a paperback collection featuring The Colour Out Of Space and a few other Lovecraft stories. I had also discovered Robert Bloch about this time and eventually found my way to Weird Tales.

Another pulp offering stories of the weird was Famous Fantastic Mysteries which reprinted stories mainly from the Munsey magazines and which managed to remain quite affordable, especially when compared to the early WT. Here I encountered the fiction of A. Merritt, some of which provided some spooky moments, and as a bonus featured illustrations by Finlay and Lawrence.

So, why do we enjoy being scared? I would imagine psychologists would trace it back to caveman days when early man told stories around the cooking fire. Stories of supernatural horror have been found from ancient Egypt (think living mummies), Greece and Rome. Stories of the Minotaur or search for the Golden Fleece can provide sufficient chills. The Nineteenth Century saw increased popularity of the genre thanks to Mary Shelly, E. A. Poe, John Polidori and Bram Stoker, among others. Charles Dickens could come up with a good ghost yarn and Arthur Conan Doyle enjoyed them, too. The Twentieth Century gave us the Horror films, allowing Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi to spook the audiences. Mainstream literature also provided quite a few chill-worthy titles. But some of the best work appeared in the pages of Weird Tales. To me the short story is the best format for the Horror tale. A novel can run on too long and lose grip on the reader, but the short can end leaving the reader wanting more. Of course Stephen King may be the exception to the rule, but I prefer his shorter works.

October brings us Halloween which has become one of the most popular holidays in the year. Large, temporary stores devoted to Halloween merchandise pop up everywhere. Most towns have at least one "Haunted House" attraction that pulls in good money each October. So in keeping with the spirits of the season grab a copy of WT or a similar publication, and get in the proper frame of mind. After all, they are lurking on your shelf just waiting for the opportunity to leap out and say "Boo!!". Now back to that spooky Bloch story I was starting to read.

The Movies Are Down The Hall

2008-09-25T21:10:00.003-05:00

In 1972-1973, when I first stumbled into Fandom movies were an event. No VCRs. Movies were on film stock and most cons I am familiar had two or three during the weekend. It was a treat getting to see Things To Come or Destination Moon. With the advent of video there were 24 hour movie rooms; a good place to crash if you didn't have a hotel room. Now, who needs movies at a con when it's possible to own just about anything you would want to see?

I was the resident movie geek in Nashville Fandom for several years, having an 8mm projector and bringing odd films to show at the NSFC meetings and Kubla Khan. We got to see Nosferatu, the 1925 version of She, the 1916 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. I also brought a short film titled The Possibilities of War in the Air (aka The Airship Destroyer). This short film was made in 1909, less than six years after the Wright Brothers conducted the first motor-powered flight. The story tells of an unnamed country (looking suspiciously Germanic) bombing an unnamed country (England) from a lighter-than-air craft. Our hero takes off in his biplane carrying what looks like a canon and saves the day. Again, this little gem was made just after the birth of manned flight.

It is this type of odd little film that is almost impossible to find on video, which is a pity.

To bring pulps into play, I obtained my first pulps (that I was able to keep) at a one-day minicon in Huntsville, Al, and shortly after encountered Rusty Hevelin at Kubla Khan Clave 1 and was hooked by his delightful assortment of wares. I have attended only a handful of cons in the last few years, but no one was carrying any pulps in the huckster room.

Cons have changed; Fandom has mutated. But what remains the same is the opportunity to meet old friends and swap lies about the great things we have done.

Forgive this little detour into nostalgia. Get out there and keep reading those pulps. And also give a thought to those movies that were like pulps projected onto a screen.

Until later.

Cthulhu Lives

2008-07-31T12:14:00.003-05:00

I had heard of an independent film of H. P. Lovecraft's Call Of Cthulhu and rented it through Netflix. Produced by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society it is a faithful translation of the story to the screen. The film makers decided to make this a silent film and in black and white. The results are outstanding.

Lovecraft has been brought to the screen numerous times and mostly disappoint. American International Pictures' The Dunwich Horror is pretty much a horror. Better was their filming of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, released as Poe's The Haunted Palace". Others have been filmed as blood and gore extravaganzas such as Reanimator, but with a certain touch of good humor. Dagon is actually a reasonable adaptation of The Shadow Over Innsmouth with copious amounts of blood and sex thrown into the mix. Not bad but not Lovecraft.

But The Call of Cthulhu is a movie HPL would have loved. It follows the story faithfully and looks like it could have been actually released in 1927. The cast is made up of unknowns but this works to its advantage. The acting is good and the cast well chosen. Many of the effects were created using modern green screen technology but it does a good job of simulating the technical abilities of the time. Cthulhu himself appears as a stop motion figure, and while not up to Ray Harryhausen's standards, the result is effective. The swamp set resembles the jungle on Kong's Skull Island in the 1933 classic. Costuming is good and the sets are impressive, especially after you see how they were constructed on the making-of featurette. The film is accompanied by an effective, original score which sometimes resembles Max Steiner's score for King Kong without being a blatant imitation.

While not perfect Call of Cthulhu is still a very good. The producers used their small budget to good effect and the final product looks as though it was made on a larger budget.

So, while I try not to get into advertising here, I do recommend this DVD to any fan of Lovecraft, silent movies, or period pulp fiction in general. It's well worth the time spent watching it.

For information on the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society and where to purchase the DVD go here: http://www.cthulhulives.org/toc.html

And Then There Were Three

2008-06-04T19:24:00.003-05:00

The end of the hunt draws near. I have found the March, 1942 issue of Startling Stories and now need only three issues to go. This is almost feeling exciting.

The cover is by Bergey, illustrating this issues novel. Advertisements in the front offered lessons for various musical instruments and the opportunity to bulk up and stomp the beach bullies flat. Sarge Saturn promotes the next issue and then gets to the letters. But we shall skip ahead and return to the letters somewhere below.

Tarnished Utopia by Malcolm Jameson (1891-1945) is the novel this time around. "Racked with Pain in the Torture Chambers of the Moon, a Brave American Plots a Terrible Death for Prince Lohan, Dictator of the Solar System." Lohan? The dictator is a descendant of a Hollywood starlet? Who knew? There is also a Princess Chen Chin, being one of the sillier names for a pulp character I have encountered for a while. The illustrations are by Wesso.

"Thrills in Science" by Oscar J. Friend is next. First he tells the story of Edward Emerson Barnard, the astronomer who discovered Jupiter's fifth moon. I found this especially interesting as Barnard was from Nashville, Tennessee, location of my present abode. Also covered are Gutenberg's development of movable type and the development of an improved oil lamp wick by Aime and Johann Argand.

The first short story is "Silent Eden" by Henry Kuttner. "A Superhuman Being Shackles Two Mortals in a Private World Where Only Thought-Power Can Triumph!" The illustration is unsigned.

"Science Question Box" deals with German dust bowls, the end of the world and how A Star Is Born (which has nothing to do with the movie of the same name). And then we come to the Hall of Fame selection, "Hornets of Space" by R. F. Starzl. "The 'Coward' of the Space Lanes Proves His Worth to the Interplanetary Police!" The illustration is unsigned. This first appeared in Wonder Stories for November, 1930. Roman F. Starzl was the editor and publisher of the Globe Post of Le Mars, Iowa. His son, Thomas Starzl performed the first human liver transplant in 1963.

"Mister John Doe, Earthman" by Joseph J. Millard (1908-1989) is the next short story. "A Cosmic Cloud Threatens to Destroy the Sun-and Only an Alien Visitor with a Nebulous Memory Can Save It!" The illustration is by Marchioni.

Mow we come to the letters. Paul Carter, Blackfoot, Idaho, nitpicks on Belarski. Norman Hempling of Brooklyn also complains about Belarski but approves of Millard and Wellman. Milton Lesser, also from Brooklyn, did not enjoy Wellman's "The Devil's Planet", did not like the cover or Gallun and Asimov shorts. Gerry de la Ree, Jr., Westwood, NJ, also complained about Belarski's cover (we seem to be detecting a trend here) but liked Millard's "The Gods Hate Kansas (as did I). Ernest R. Elliot, of Kikimo, Indiana, was quite happy with the November issue. Bee Helena Clark Leeds went on about astrology, which she taught, complaining the subject was being maligned. By the way, she was from San Francisco. Edward C. Conner, Peoria, announced the formation of a science fiction fan club and closed out this issue's letters.

"Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications", by Sergeant Saturn covered the following titles, all of which had been mentioned previously. Fantasy News, Fantasy Times Fantasy Fiction Field, Pacificonews (the newbie this time), Spaceways, Sun Spots, Ultra, Voice of the Imagi-Nation and Ackermaniac Presents Hoffmania. Thus another issue of Startling Stories goes back on the shelf and we shall go our merry way until next time. Any comments or questions will be welcome.

Space Opera Returns

2008-03-15T15:02:00.004-05:00

We abandon Startling Stories for a while to look at a new novel that will appeal to pulp fans.

Space Vulture is a new novel by long-time friends Gary K. Wolf and Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark. As young boys growing up in Illinois they were introduced to Science Fiction by a pulpy adventure novel called Space Hawk. Years later they decided to create their own pulp adventure for modern readers. Gary K. Wolf is most famous for creating the character Roger Rabbit, and his co-author is most certainly know for other endeavors altogether. Archbishop Myers provides a title rarely (if ever) seen gracing the cover of a Science Fiction novel, so the reader is intrigued even before opening the book.
The cast of the new novel includes Space Vulture, the most feared and deadly criminal in the galaxy; Galactic Marshal Victor Corsaire, the galaxy's most famous crime fighter; Gil Terry, minor criminal and conman; Cali Russell, administrator of a small colony; and Eliot and Regin Russell, her sons.
The book's three main characters leap out of the pages of pulps long-gone. Space Vulture could hold his own with Ming the Merciless and Blackie DuQuesne in a bragging contest, and Victor Corsaire would fit right in with Captain Future. Unfortunately we also have the bane of Science Fiction, terminally cute and super intelligent moppetts. The kids aren't as bad as they could be, but they can be a bit much. It could be the "Wesley Crusher Syndrome" where a kid is pretty much smarter than the adults he has to contend with.
The author's writing styles are smoothly blended throughout the book which makes for easy reading. The book could stand to be a little shorter, but it doesn't drag. The authors provide enough representatives of different alien races to create a goodly variety of action figures if someone was so inclined to put them out. I found the Lizardo especially fun and would enjoy seeing more of them. And don't forget the zombies.
The plot speeds along as characters are captured, escape, get recaptured and turn the tables on their opponents. The authors do not claim they are writing "Deep Thoughts" of the type to bog down an otherwise good story, but instead they deliver a fun adventure novel with plenty of action and pulp cliches. There are enough escapes, chases, fights and plot twists to make a 12-chapter for Republic in their glory days of the Forties. The authors also leave things open for a possible sequal and I would be more than willing to read it.
Check out Space Vulture. It's a fun Book.

Space Vulture, by Gary K. Wolf and Archbishop John J. Myers, a Sci Fi Essential Book, a Tom Doherty Associates Book, published by Tor, New York, March, 2008. Hardcover, $24.95. Cover illustration by Glen Orbik.

Leaping the Startling Gap

2008-01-09T08:12:00.000-06:00

We now come to the first gap in my collection, so we will just plunge ahead and fill in the holes later.

Earle K. Bergey provides the cover for the May 1942 issue of Startling Stories, illustrating the issue's novel Blood On The Sun. The issue then leaps into "The Ether Vibrates". Featured is an announcement from the Futurian Society of New York. "The Futurian Society of New York declares its unswerving sympathy and loyalty to the great struggle being carried on by four-fifths of the population of Earth, headed by the alliance of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and China, against the barbarian thrust of the Nazi-Facist-Japanese Axis. It makes this declaration in the firm conviction that the further progress of science and civilization, upon which the dreams and visions of science-fiction are mainly based, is dependent entirely upon an allied victory.The shape of the Future is being decided on the field of battle of the Present. Science-fiction readers, writers and enthusiasts have no other possible choice but to do all in their power to aid and speed the triumph of civilization over fascism. To this end, the Futurian Society appeals to all other science-fiction clubs, publications, and readers to issue similar declarations and to do all in their power to help the United States to absolute victory. John B. Michael, Director." (But, was he so concerned about the Nazis during the period following Hitler and Stalin signing the non-agression pact?)

Letters this time are from Paul Carter of Blackfoot, Idaho, faintly praising Bergey's cover for the previous issue. The letter writer also joyously immerses himself in Oscar J. Friend's Sergeant Saturn argot; Xeno galore. Ray Beebe writes from Butte, Montana, saying he was not impressed with Bergey's cover for the March issue, saying the hero "looks like a mattress ad". W. S. MacFarlane, Jr., from Mt. Vernon, NY, liked the March issue; Edwin C. Conner, Peoria, Ill., didn't like Bergey's cover. Thomas Regan, Jr., New Brunswick, NJ, calls for covers by Paul, Krupa, Finlay or Wesso. Harry Jenkins, Jr, (there are a lot of 'Jrs" this issue) Columbia, SC, gives thanks for the reviews of his fanzines. George Aylesworth, Lakewood, Ohio, compares and contrasts the January and March issues, especially praising Kuttner and Millard. LeRoy Tackett, Fountain, Colorado, expresses his dislike of Bergey, and Robert Sandberg, Chicago, likes Belarski.

The novel for this issue is Blood On The Sun by Hal K. Wells (any biographical information will be welcome) with illustrations by Virgil Finlay. "The Ancient Brain-Destroyers Prepare to Use the Bodies of Mankind for Their Own Sinister Purposes and Few Are Aware of the Threatening Menace!" You've got to love a story whose heroine is named "Amber Starr".

The first short story is "Alla-Beg's Genii" by Richard O. Lewis. "Alla-Beg, the Crooked Magician, Plays Abracadabra with the Wrong Dimension." The illustration is unsigned. This story would have made a good episode of The Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Or maybe even Amazing Stories.

Thrills in Science, Thumbnail Sketches of Great Men and Achievements by Oscar J. Friend now takes center stage. Covered this time are Dr. Thomas Morton and the search for painless dentistry; Sir Richard Owen successfully reconstructing the New Zealand Dinoris, a prehistoric bird, using only a leg bone; and Dr. John Boyd Dunlop invents the pneumatic tire.

Our next short story is Macrocosmic by G. L. Maddocks. "Jim Hughes is Resurrected from an Atom and a Drop of Water by the Massive Men of Rotana After His Body Absorbs the Entire Solar System!" The illustration is by Morey.

The Science Question Box tackles such questions as the lightest commercial metal, the expanding universe, using vitamins to restore color to gray hair and was powdered glass used as a poison.

The Scientifiction Hall of Fame story is The Making of Misty Isle by Stanton A. Coblentz 1896-1982). "In That Peaceful Generation before Pearl Harbor, Evil Men Strove to Turn the Pacific into a Seething Cauldron!" The illustration is unsigned. The story was first printed in Science Wonder Stories for July, 1929.

Closing out this issue is Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications by Sergeant Saturn. "Avast there, you space bugs!" The old Sarge became very annoying very quickly. Tom Ludowitz of Everett, Washington, begs a plug for his upcoming Science Fiction News Monthly. Sarge then mentions another forthcoming publication called Fan Editor and Publisher. Then he complains about something called The Damn Thing of which he received only pages five through twelve.

We get down to business with Fantasy Fiction Field (weekly) which comes from Julius Unger of Brooklyn. Fantasy News, William Sykora's weekly newspaper, comes from Elmont, NY. Fantascience Digest from Bob Madle, Rust E. Barron and Jack Agnew comes out of Philadelphia on a bi-monthly schedule (certainly a lot more sensible than weekly). Fantasy Times is James V. Taurasi's monthly publication out of Flushingm NY. Jinx is a quarterly publication by Harry Jenkins of Columbia, SC. Nova is published by Al Ashley of Battle Creek bi-monthly.

Science Fiction Fan is Olon F. Wiggins' monthly (?) zine from Denver. Southern Star is another publication from Columbia, SC, this one from Joseph Gilbert on a bi-monthly schedule. Spaceways is Harry Warner, Jr's well-known and respected zine, published eight times a year in Hagerstown, MD. Sunspots is a bi-monthly put out by Gerry de la Ree in Westwood, NJ. Universe Stories comes from Everett, WA, courtesey of Thomas J, Ludowitz. And closing out this issue is Voice of the Imagi-Nation, edited in Los Angeles by Forrest J. Ackerman and Morojo.

So, another issue of Startling Stories comes to a close. Join us next time when Sergeant says, "[L]et a kindly and benevolent old spaceman consult with a fresh jug of Xeno".

2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS

2008-01-01T15:37:00.002-06:00

A Detour From Startling
12/23/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Startling Flashback
11/21/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Let's Make This Into A Movie Someday
11/4/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Sure Looks Like Ming the Merciless
11/1/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A New Editor For Startling
10/24/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Babes and Bems
10/5/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Tarzan In Space...Sort of
9/8/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Enter the Sergeant
9/2/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Why Science Fiction?
8/26/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Somewhere in Time
8/20/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Llamkin's Travels
7/1/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Startling Debut-July 1940
6/1/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Basic Science Fiction Library from 1949
5/29/07 by Eric Jamborsky

The Lusty Month Of May-Startling Style
5/23/07 by Eric Jamborsky

1940 Continues, March.
5/17/07 by Eric Jamborsky

It has been over a month since I last posted. A ...
5/3/07 by Eric Jamborsky

1940 - A Startling Beginning
3/18/07 by Eric Jamborsky

True Pulp
3/11/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Look Back
3/1/07 by Eric Jamborsky

An Astounding BEM
2/16/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Astounding Hamilton
2/12/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Look Back
2/11/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Startlingly Good Year
1/25/07 by Eric Jamborsky

It was Startling that Fall
1/20/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Startling Robot Runs Amuck
1/17/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Startling The Third Time Around
1/15/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Fantastic! And Famous, Too.
1/11/07 by Eric Jamborsky

Still Startling The Second Time Around
1/7/07 by Eric Jamborsky

A Detour From Startling

2007-12-23T12:48:00.000-06:00

As 2007 creaks to a close we will be taking a detour from our coverage of Startling Stories for a short time. We have now come to the four issues my collection is missing, (four stinking, lousy issues!!!) so we shall digress for a little while.

When Worlds Collide, by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer, tells of scientists discovering two rogue planets entering the solar system. Calculations reveal that the larger of the two bodies, Bronson Alpha, named in honor of Sven Bronson, the astronomer who discovered them, will collide with the Earth. Bronson Beta, the smaller body, will take roughly the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Scientists, led by engineer Cole Hendron, rush to build a rocket to take a select group of people to Bronson Beta in an attempt to save mankind from extinction.

The novel was originally serialized in Blue Book from September 1932 to February 1933. A recent rereading shows that the novel is a bit creaky, showing its age, yet the story is still worth reading. It is especially interesting to note the authors' idea of who is worthy of being saved to populate the new earth. This is especially noted in the treatment of a mob who attack the scientist's camp. Still, the PC police shouldn't have too much to complain about. (But, given the opportunity, I'm sure they will.

Wylie and Balmer wrote a sequel, After Worlds Collide (catchy title), serialized in Blue Book November 1933 through April 1934. In many ways this is the better of the two books, but it is best to read them as one saga. The two ships carrying the refugees from the now-destroyed Earth, land on Bronson Beta, many miles apart. After reuniting they discover domed cities left by the planet's original inhabitants, and also find at least two other ships reached the new planet. One is from England and the other contains the obligatory bad guys. In this case they are a mob of dedicated Communists from Russia, Germany and Japan, intent on setting up a Worker's Paradise, with themselves in charge. They manage to gain control of the city that provides all power to the other domed cities on the planet.

The prose is not so florid in this book and the characters come across as more human. The sense of wonder created as the protagonists explore the empty cities alone makes this a worthy read. The authors continue to build up the plot very nicely as more secrets of the new world are revealed. The only flaw is, after a big build-up, the crisis is resolved too fast to believe. (I am reminded of a Mad parody of Gone With The Wind as condensed for Reader's Digest. "It looks like war, Miss Scarlet. Fiddle-dee-dee. Boom! I'm glad that horrible war is over.") Perhaps they ran over their word count. Still, it is good reading.

Paramount Pictures bought the rights to the first book, intending it for Cecil B. De Mille. There is a picture of De Mille next to an artist's rendering of the deluge striking New York. For some reason he never made the movie, which is too bad. This is the kind of story that was made for the De Mille treatment. The film did get made for Paramount by George Pal in 1951, With De Mille as the uncredited Executive Producer. While it has its moments, it isn't one of Pal's best films, but was a worthy follow-up to Destination Moon. Casting is good, and some of the visuals are excellent. However the footage at the end, representing the new planet, was intended to be for preview purposes, but Paramount rushed the movie into release, leaving the unsatisfactory ending in place. Still, it has its moments and the launching of the ship via a long ramp is very impressive. Other effects are also very good for the time, especially the various scenes of destruction.

A remake of When Worlds Collide has been announced, to be directed by Stephen Sommers, but it is still listed as in pre-production.

We shall return, maybe before 2008, but, no promises.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

A Startling Flashback

2007-11-21T10:45:00.000-06:00

This uncredited cover for the November, 1939 issue of Startling Stories pictures a Noah's Ark to Space. I have no way of knowing if it inspired the readers or not, but it may have inspired a prominent cartoonist at The New Yorker. Charles Addams has long been one of my favorite cartoonists, inspired in part by The Addams Family television series.

While playing archaeologist in my storage barn I excavated my copy of the Addams collection Addams and Evil. This collection, printed in 1965, featured cartoons first published from 1940 to 1947. I don't know what periodicals Addams read, or looked at, but, judging from the cartoon below, I suspect he may have seen this particular issue of Startling.

Of course this is merely speculation, but the similarities are there. Of course the

cover idea, no matter how well executed the theme is ripe for parody. And there was no one better than Addams to do the deed.

Science Fiction is ripe for parody and has often inspired some good stories and cartoons. Frederic Brown's What Mad Universe is a good example. The cartoons of Gahan Wilson are often inspired by the genre. Kelly Freas often used a sense of whimsy in his covers, making him one of the best loved artists in the second half of the century.

So, in honor of the humor of artists, think kindly of Charles Addams and his followers as you take part in the annual great turkey massacre, and smile. If nothing else, it will make everyone else wonder what you are up to.

Let's Make This Into A Movie Someday

2007-11-04T18:45:00.000-06:00

The November issue of Startling Stories would have appeared on newsstands in September of 1941. So it would provide suitable reading for a warm, end-of-Summer day. The cover, again by Belarski, illustrates the issue's novel, The Gods Hate Kansas by Joseph J. Millard (1908-1989). [I rember encountering Millard in the Sixties when he wrote the novelization of For A Few Dollars More.] "Curt Temple Pits His Slim Earth Knowledge Against the Most Perfect Intelligence In the Cosmos to Save the World-and the Woman He Loves! Doom Stalks the Earth When Xacrn, the Ninth Planet, Seeks to Enslave Humanity!" The only signature for the illustrations is totally inscrutible, but is very good pencil work.

In 1967 this novel was filmed in England as They Came From Beyond Space. While no classic, the producers did manage to follow the story pretty closely, other than moving the setting to England. Since the movie slipped into the public domain you can find cheap DVDs wherever movies are sold.

But, enough of the commercial. We then come to "Thrills in Science" by Oscar J. Friend. Issac Newton uses a prism to demonstrate that sun light is not just a beam of white light. Captain Hawthorn C. Gray became the first man to ascend into the stratosphere in an open gondola balloon in 1927. Finally he writes about Dr. Perrin Long's experiments fighting strep infections.

Our first short story is "Last Laugh" by Robert Bloch (1917-1994). "Angus Breen Exiled Martin Vail to a Death on a Runaway Planet-But His Ambitions Ran Away With Him." The illustration is unsigned,

Science Question Box tackles Chemurgy (science of the soil) and Hydroponics (crop production in a liquid medium); Monazite (source of thorium used in radio tubes); the Electronic Microscope; and the size of the Earth.

This issue's entry into the Scientifiction Hall of Fame is "The Boneless Horror" by Dr. David H. Keller. A tyrant seeks to regain his youth. (Sorry, no blurb from Oscar and I just don't have his flair for hyperbole.) The illustration is by Paul. This originally appeared in Science Wonder for July, 1929.

The final short story is "Trail's End" by John Broome (1913-1999). "Venusian Skill Gives John Kellie a New Face and Freedom-but Surgery Can't Change a Man's Heart When a Space Storm Strikes." The illustration is by Morey. Broom moved to DC Comics and worked there from 1946-1970.

The Ether Vibrates is next plugging the next issue and giving Sgt. Saturn more play than he deserved. In the letters Walter J. Daugherty from Hollywood, Cal., announces the next Worldcon would be in Los Angeles in 1942. D. W. Boggs, writing from Minneapolis, gives his view of the July issue and says he wants to see a book-length story by Issac Asimov. E. Earl Bielfeldt Thornton, Ill. submits a drawing of Sgt. Saturn. Sylvia Singer, from Glen Head, NY, writes her first letter to a magazine praising Jack Williamson's last novel. She also pleads for the magazine to go monthly. Edward C. Connor, Peoria, Ill., praises Friend's "Water World". Art Sealover writing from Zanesville, Oh., also requests monthly publication. Frank Shaney from New Albany, Ind., starts out by sounding like Sgt. Saturn and then faults Belarski's cover for the last issue. Paul Cox, Columbus, Ga., wants a short story and the crossword puzzle droped in order to expand the letters. Bill MacFarlane of Mount Vernon, NY, wants more scientific covers and also yearns for the days of the hard science stories. Katherine Baum writes from Oittaburgh dislikes Orban's illustrations and likes Friend's "The Kid From Mars". And that brings the letters to a close.

There is no crossword this issue, and it closes out with Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications. This issue reviews "Fantasy Times" by Taurasi, Moskowitz and Alex Osheroff; "Fantasy Fiction Field" by Julius Unger; "FMZ Digest" from Arthur Louis Joquel, 2nd; "The CFS Review" by Lew B. Martin, Roy V. Hunt and Olon F. Wiggins; "Fantasy News (Weekly) by Sykora, Taurasi, Moskowitz and Racic; "Fanart" by Henry Jenkins and Hugh Wm. Robinson; "Polaris" by Paul Freehafer; "Spaceways" by Warner and Avery; and "Ultra" from Eric F. Russell, Edward H. Russell and Ralph A. Smith, from Australia.

Another issue of Startling comes to a close. While not outstanding it does contain some good reading, including the only novel (that I am aware of) that made its debut here and was later filmed. If anyone knows of any others, please let me know.

Also, I will be skipping a few issues since we are coming to the gaps in my collection. Only four issues so we won't get too off track.

Sure Looks Like Ming the Merciless

2007-11-01T11:15:00.000-05:00

Startling Stories for September of 1941 features another Belarski cover with weird aliens, stalwart space soldiers, a real babe and Ming the Merciless's cousin lurking behind. It illustrates this issue's novel.

Making our way through the ads we see a new title added to the Better Publications stable, RAF Aces, for sale at the price of ten cents.

We leap into the novel The Bottom Of The World by John Coleman Burroughs (1913-1979) and Hulbert Burroughs (1909-1991), sons of the legendary creator or Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs. "Dan Norris Invades a Fantastic Realm Far Below the Surface of His Native Planet! Thousands Vanish When a Weird Kidnapper Snatches West Coast Cities Off the Map!" Illustrations are by John Coleman Burroughs and are very attractive.

"Thrills in Science give us thumbnail sketches of Alfred Nobel, Orville Wright and Henry Moseley, whose work was cut short by his death in the disatrous Gallipoli campaign of 1915.

Back to fiction we have our first short story "Prisoners In Flatland" by Frank Belknap Long (1901-1994), noted member of the Lovecraft Circle. "Against the Back-Drop of the Starry Void, a Mighty Drama of Human Struggle Is Played Out in the Asteroid Belt." The illustration is by William A. Kolliker. (See my updated note in the posting for July 1941.)

The Scientifiction Hall of Fame story was selected by Robert W. Lowndes, "Death From The Stars" by A. Rowley Hilliard (---). "He wanted to experiment with life...in a meteorite he found a strange disease." (The blurb is taken from its original appearance in 1931.) It was originally published in Wonder Stories for October 1931. The illustration is unsigned.

"No Heroes Wanted" by Robert Moore Williams (1907-1977) is the next short story. "Test Pilots Make News When they Test the Ships of Space-But Red Riley Makes History When A Spaceship Tests Him.!" The illustration is by Marchioni.

Science Question Box tackles electricity from the heart, precious gems, super gravity and chlorophyl.

The Ether Vibrates lurks on the next page, plugging The Gods Hate Kansas in the next issue. Sgt. Saturn also reports on the first Science Fiction convention held in Australia on April 13, 1941, with sixty-seven present. Then come the letters.

Frank Anderson of Seattle gripes about the way characters are clothed by the illustrators and complains about the recent stories by Fearn and Brackett. Flora Belle Mitchell of River Falls, Wisconsin praises the magazine. Walter Cadmus of Pittsburgh, Pa, just gripes about recent stories in general.David G. Miller likes the mag and wants to see more Virgil Finlay illustrations. Kay Duval, from Wellsboro, Pa., praises Sojarr Of Titan by Wellman and likes Bergey's art. R. D. Stathem of Australia is looking for someone to exchange magazines with since the Australian dollar has to be used for war materials. Theodore Lutz, no address given, wants a sequal to Friend's The Water World. Martin Alger, Mackinaw City, Mich., praises the magazine in general while Clifford Coleman from West Haven, Conn., likes Finlay and Bok, but not for Science Fiction; he prefers Schomburg, Wesso and others. Milton Lesser of Brooklyn lists all the novels in Startling to date in order of his preference. (Fans of this era certainly liked making lists.) Byron Kelham from Portland, Ore., fusses about a letter in a previous issue. Eugene L, Calewaert writes from Detroit likes Friend's novels and also likes Sergeant Saturn and mentions he may start his own fanzine.

C. Hidley from New York City contributes a very long letter about the artists, and cheers Wesso's improved illustrations. He also gives detailed opinions of several recent stories. Paul Carter. writing from Blackfoot, Idaho, complains that Belarski's cover did not properly illustrate Gateway To Paradise. In conclusion Joe J. Fortier, Oakland, Cal, writes to promote the Golden Gate Futurians and invites people to visit.

The Scientific Crossword Puzzle tempts the science fan with clues like "Chambered spore-bearing tissue within the closed sac of a gasteronycetous fungus".Looking at the answers in the back we see the word is 'Gleba'. I sure didn't know that one.

"Meet The Author" is missing from this issue, but we get to close out with "Review Of The Science Fiction Fan Publications". "Spaceways", a familiar title by now, leads the pack, written by Warner, Avery and Marconette. "Eclipse" comes from Detroit, edited by Richard J. Kuhn, Lynn Bridges and Rudy Sayn. "Snide" comes out of Salem, Oregon, written by Damon Knight and Bill Evans. The reviewer likes it very much, especially the parody of Captain Future. "Specula" is a Los Angeles 'zine, edited by Arthur Louis Joquel II and also receives kind words. "The Southern Star" is a rare fanzine from the South; Columbia, SC to be exact. Contributors are Joseph Gilbert, Art R. Schnert, Harry Jenkins, Fred Fischer, W. B. McQueen and Lee B. Eastman. "Fantasia" is from San Francisco and is edited by Lou Goldstone, George Cowie and Borrie Hyman. "Ultra" comes from Australia and is edited by E. F. Russell. And finally, Will Sykora's "Fantasy News" comes from New York. The reviewer calls it "A live-wire fan journal".

Another issue of Startling Stories comes to a close as we near the end of 1941. The war will soon intrude on the magazines the next year with rationing of paper, writers and readers joining the Armed Forces and the general disruptions of a world at war.

A New Editor For Startling

2007-10-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

Belarski created another excellent cover for the July, 1941 issue of Startling Stories. I am really starting to appreciate his work a lot more than I used to.

Oscar J. Friend takes over as editor with this issue, a post he will hold until the middle of 1944. The July issue leaps right into Gateway To Paradise, Jack Williamson's novel. The last issue featured a novel of an Earth submerged by the oceans. This time "America Becomes The Last Oasis In A Desert World That Rivals The Planet Mars". The illustrations are quite attractive, but are unsigned.

The first short story is "Calling of the Harp" by Maria Moravsky (1859-1947). "Two Men Burn Their Dimensional Bridges Behind Them-and Leave Themselves Hanging in Mid-Air." The illustration is by William A.Kolliker. (1905-1995) Kolliker was a native of Switzerland who settled in the U. S. in 1922. He also illustrated children's books and was a noted painter. His work is on permanent display at the El Paso International Museum of Art. (Thanks to Arthur Lortie and Steve Ericson for the information.)

Mort Weisinger's "Thrills in Science" follows with anecdotes about William Harvey and his studies of the circulatory system; Charles Parsons and the development of the steam turbine; and Edouard Benedictus and the development of laminated safety glass. As with previous installments, these little stories are entertaining and educational, and, one hopes, helped readers develop an interest in the science behind the fiction.

"Crossroads of the Universe" by William Morrison (pen name of biochemist Joseph Samachson, 1906-1980) is the next short story. "All's Fun at the Interplanetary Fair-Until McGovern Uncovers an Exhibit that Spins Him Onto a Universal Merry-Go-Round." The illustration is by Wesso. Morrison also wrote stories for DC Comics and created the Martian Manhunter.

Next comes this issue's Scientifiction Hall of Fame Story, "The Man-Beast of Toree" by Ralph T. Jones, selected by James V. Taurasi (1917-1991). "Man Need All Ten Fingers to Climb the Long Ladder to Civilization." The illustration is unsigned. The story originally appeared in Wonder Stories Quarterly for Fall of 1931. Ralph T. Jones is one author I have not been able to find any information on. Day's Index has this as the only Jones story listed.

"The Ether Vibrates" is next, promoting the next issue's novel, written by John Coleman and Hulbert Burroughs, sons of the creator of Tarzan. Letters this time are from Lynn Bridges of Detroit, listing his favorite stories; Vida Claire Schneider of Mount Vernon, NY, writing about her favorite stories, thankfully not a dry list; Edward C. Connor of Peoria, IL, rating his favorite stories; R. D. Chittock from England writes of the shortage of good fantasy stories due to the war and praised Eando Binder; Bill Adams of Santa Anna, Texas, praises Belarski and details why he has liked a number of stories; Jim McDonough praises Hamilton's A Yank At Valhalla and appreciates Bergey's covers; and The Denvention Committee, (Olon F. Wiggins, Lew Martin and Roy Hunt) give a convention update, guests to include Heinlein, Van Vogt, Rocklynne and Doc Smith. And that leaves the old space dog Sgt. Saturn to close the column. If Weisinger did create the Sergeant, Friend proves to be just as annoying in the role.

The Scientific Crossword Puzzle is next and then the Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications. It includes the usual contributors; "Spaceways" from Harry Warner; "Nepenthe" by Earl Singleton; "The Science Fiction Fan" by Olon F. Wiggins; Scienti-Comics by Phil Bronson; "Voice of the Imagi-Nation" from Forrest J. Ackerman; and "Zeus" by Ronald B. Levy, Bert F. Castellari and Roma A. Castellari makes its way from Australia.

Closing out this issue is "Meet The Author". Jack Williamson discusses some of the science and politics that have gone into his story.

In all, this is another good issue with a lot of good reading. The September issue is just around the corner.

Babes and Bems

2007-10-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

The May 1941 issue of Startling Stories features a great pulpy cover by Rudolph Belarski (1900-1981) illustrating the novel The Water World.

The Ether Vibrates starts things off with a preview of next month's novel. "...look forward to Jack Williamson's smashing novel of a world without water..." From one extreme to the other it seems. Letters this time are from Billy Holmes of New York("Hooray for Hamilton); Messers. Sawyer and Long (first names not given) of Shreveport announcing SFTPACOBEMOCSFP, the Society For The Protection And Continuation of Bug-Eyed Monsters on Covers of Science Fiction Publications; Alfred Edward Maxwell taking Wesso to task for illustrating Odin with two eyes; Leigh Brackett speculating on future wars and praising Chris Barton's debut in Startling; Katherine Baum of Pittsburgh complains about Wesso seemingly monopolizing the interior illustrations; Gerry de la Ree, Jr. (1924-1993) lists his favorite stories from Startling to date; Robert Mastell of Hibbing, Minn. contributes a poem entitled "On With Science Fiction", Robert Frost he isn't; Langley Searles of New York closes things out praising Bergey over Brown.

A turn of the page brings us to the issue's "Complete Amazing Book-Length Novel", The Water World by Oscar J. Friend. "Fate Casts Up Orphans of an Ancient Storm on a Shoreless Earth, Where Deluge Drowns the Continents in a Single Sea-and Men Dredge Food and Clothing From the Depths!" World War II finally makes it into a Startling story! Our hero Jefferson Reade and a beautiful Nazi spy (or is she?) wind up in suspended animation and awaken in the year 6940. The only land is the topmost 400 feet of Mt. Everest and people live on a series of floating islands. But doom, in the form of a new Ice Age (Al Gore lives!!) approaches. Unfortunately, too much of the story is wasted, not on plot, but on continuing explanations of how things happend and how things work. One of Friend's lesser works. But, one interesting thing, whether typo or deliberate, Hitler is called "the furor". The signature of the interior artist is hard to make out but it could be Paul Orban and appears to be in his style.

The Guest Editorial is by P. Schuyler Miller, "Counterfeiting a Golden Age", pondering how futute archaeologists might interpret science fiction works as a true chronicle of our times.

"Superhuman" by John Russell Fearn (1908-1960) is the first short story. "He Was a Giant Among Men, Not Only in Stature But in Brain Power-and He Planned to Usher in a New Era!" The illustration is by Hannes Bok (Wayne Woodard, 1914-1964). This is "Honey, I Blew Up The Kid" taken to extreme and demonstrates why scientists are often viewed with suspicion.

Mort Weisinger's "Thrills in Science" comes next, featuring stories about Alexander Graham Bell, William Herschel and Marc Isambard Brunel.

Leigh Brackett (1915-1978) contributes the next story, "Interplanetary Reporter". "The System's Ruthless Wars Kill Barton's Ideals-Till a Martian Girl Makes Him Fight for His Dead Beliefs!" The illustration is by Marchioni.

Science Question Box deals with the human body, synthetic food and life on Venus.

Then comes the "Scientifiction Hall of Fame Story", this time selected by Julius Schwartz (1915-2004). "The Literary Corkscrew" by David H. Keller (1880-1966) first appeared in the March, 1934 issue of Wonder Stories. "The Amazing Case of an Author Who Was Pained When He Couldn't Write-and Could Only Write When He Was Pained". The illustration is by Paul.

This is followed by the Scientific Crossword Puzzle and "Review Of The Science Fiction Fan Publications". Reviewed this time are "Spaceways" by Harry Warner, Jr., James S. Avery and Walter E. Marconette (Hagerstown, MD); "Polaris" from Paul Freehafer (Pasadena, CA); "The Science Fiction Fan" by Olon F. Wiggins (Denver, CO); "Fantasia" by Lou Goldstone, George Cowin and Borrie Hyman (San Francisco, CA); "Centaur" by Philip A. Schumann and Donn Brazier (Milwaukee, WI); "Midwest News And Views" from Erle Korshak (Chicago, IL); and "Fantasy News" from Will Sykora (NY, NY).

"Meet The Author" features Oscar J. Friend, who discusses the ideas behind his latest novel and brings the May issue of Startling Stories to a conclusion.

All in all, not a great issue, but a pretty good one. Belarski's cover definitely helped and there is enough entertaining reading between the covers to make the reader of 1942 feel as though he got his fifteen cents' worth.

It is interesting sixty-five years later to come across the names of fans who were still active when I first got into fandom in 1972. Other names are familiar from the fannish histories of Moskowitz and Warner. It makes it all seem so cozy in a way, But enough of that. More is yet to come.

Tarzan In Space...Sort of

2007-09-08T19:04:00.000-05:00

The March 1941 issue of Startling Stories was graced with one of Bergey's best covers yet. A figure, looking a lot like a cross between Johnny Weissmuller and Victor Mature fends of a three-headed critter looking like a vulture, while the obligatory Bergey Babe has conveniently fainted. The cover promised a lot.

The issue leaps into the novel of the month, Sojarr of Titan by Manly Wade Wellman. "When the First Flight to Saturn Crashes on an Alien Moon, the Robinson Crusoe of Space Clothes Himself in the Laws of a Strange Science to Win a New World." This read better than I thought it would (how could I have doubted Wellman?). There are some interesting concepts and it could be made into an enjoyable film. The hardest thing to buy is that a three-year-old kid can survive on his own in such a situation. Illustrations are by Wesso.

Now we come to the issue's selection for the Scientifiction Hall of Fame, "The Worlds of If" by Stanley G. Weinbaum, originally printed in Wonder Stories, August 1935, and selected by Ted Carnell (1912-1972). Illustrations are not signed. The story deals with the "what might have been" if someone had made a different decision, perhaps taken a different path or even arrived late. There were several films dealing with this concept recently, "Sliding Doors" being one.

"Thrills in Science" by Mort Weisinger covers Galileo's experiment at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Samuel F. B. Morse and the invention of the telegraph, and the last days of Greek geometer Erastosthenes.

Next comes another short story, "The Eternal Moment" by Robert Arthur (1909-1969). "Eons Must Pass Before the Future Can Answer the Riddle Bequeathed to It by a Forgotten Century." Illustration is by Marchioni. There are some very interesting ideas in this story and the ending is quite unsettling.

The final short story for the issue is "Over The Space-Waves" by Stanton A. Coblentz(1896-1982). "The Minor Planets Are Not Always Inferior." The Jovian tyrant Lerhitum (turn the name inside out and find Hitler) threatens to destroy Mars. Finally, current events are showing up here with increasing frequency. The illustration is by Marchioni.

"Science Question Box" tackles Aquatic Life, Helium, Sunspots and investigating the Stratosphere. Then we turn the pafe to discover the Scientific Crossword Puzzle. Jack Binder's "They Changed the World" feature is AWOL for this issue as well as the previous.

"The Ether Vibrates" as usual plugs the next issue's novel, this time The Water World. Horrid images of Kevin Costner leap to mind. Now we get to the letters. Bernard Eddings of Charleston, WV list his ratings for the stories published thus far; Harry Jenkins of Columbis, SC does the same; Arthur J. Burks, in an undisclosed location, praises Hamilton's novel for the last issue; Nate O'Neil, of the Hartford, CT O'Neils indulges in some nit-picking; Jerry Datlow also heaps praise on A Yank At Valhalla (I'm reading it right now and it's okay, but no classic); Sam Basham, Jr., from Bardwell, KY pleads for back issues; and Lee O'Connell, Dearborn, Michigan follows in the footsteps of Forry Ackerman by writing his first letter to a science fiction magazine at the ripe old age of thirteen; and Sergeant Saturn signs off as "the Old Space Dog".

"Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications" is made up of familiar titles, so I'm skipping names here. If you really want to know who is responsible you can find them in previous posts or drop me a note. Fanzines this time around are "Spaceways" by Warner, Avery and Marconette; "Pluto" by Manning(s), Paul, Gilbert "and others"; "The Comet" by Tom Wright and Jim Tillman, Martinez, CA; "Frontier" by Brazier and Deppiesse; and "Fantascience Digest" from Madle, Agnew and Fischer.

And, we close with "Meet the Author" where Manly Wade Wellman predicts "I, for one, am confident that the first attempted flight across space will take place in this century, and that many of us will live to see it..." He got that one right and it was probably sooner than he expected.

So until next time keep breathing in those pulp fumes.

Enter the Sergeant

2007-09-02T12:57:00.001-05:00

Perhaps the biggest controversy surrounding Startling Stories in its early years was the introduction of Sergeant Saturn. The Sarge, the creation of editor Mort Weisinger, was an old space dog charged with answering the letters. To be perfectly frank, Sergeant Saturn was seemingly aimed at thirteen-year-olds, and annoyed the older fans who complained loud and long. The view being Sergeant Saturn made Science Fiction and its readers look silly. It took later editor Sam Merwin, Jr., to finally kill off the character.
The January, 1940, issue starts out innocently enough. Bergey illustrates the issue's novel, A Yank At Valhalla by Edmond Hamilton. The Bergey Babe is still relegated to the background.
The Ether Vibrates starts off with a plug for next issue, then goes into the letters. But things are now different. Where previous letters usually featured no, or minimal response by the editor, letters are now answered by a refugee from bad space opera, previewing much of Weisinger's writing at Superman comics. Letters this time are from M. W. Gordon of Washington, DC; Harry Schmarje of Muscatine, Iowa; Parmer Farrell of Tunica, Miss; J. H. B., a letterhack who seems to crave anonymity, hailing from Fall River, Mass. (a relative of Lizzie Borden perhaps?); Charles Hidley of NY, NY; Max Israel from LA, CA; Alfred Edw. Maxwell of Opelousas, Louisiana; Broox Sledge from Eupora, Miss.; Charles Beling of Harrington Park, NJ; Sam Basham, Jr. from Bardwell, KY; Edward Sumers of Long Beach, NY; and Andrew P. Murphy of Brooklyn, NY. (Quite a few Southrons here.) A number of letters either attacked or praised Oscar J. Friend's Kid From Mars. And at the end of the column we first encounter Sergeant Saturn who just appears full-grown from Weisinger's head with no fanfare. But the sergeant was no Athena. We will hear much more of him later.
A Yank At Valhalla by Edmond Hamilton is this issue's "Complete Book-Length Novel of Amazing Adventure". "A Lone American Invades a Miracle Land That Time Forgot-and Finds a Wonder Realm That Is Forbidden To All Mortals." Illustrations are by Wesso and are pretty impressive because of the detail work.
"The Hyper Sense" by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach (1910-2003) is the first short story this time around. "What's the World's Biggest Headache? Professor Dinwiddie Finds Out!" The illustration is by Wallace Saaty (1899-1984), who, from what I have been able to uncover, did a lot of commercial art which certainly paid better than pulp illustrations.
Mort Weisinger again leaps to the forefront with "Thrills in Science", this time dealing with Albert Einstein, Otto Von Guericke and the use of an air-pump to create a vacuum, and Professor Paul Langevin and the development of sonar.
"The City of Singing Flame" by Clark Ashton Smith, is this month's entry into the Scientifiction Hall of Fame. The noted fan who selected this story was Harry Warner, Jr.(1922-2003). The story originally appeared in Wonder Stories, July, 1931. The illustration is by Paul. (This story is also known as "City of the Singing Flame.)
The final short story this issue is "The Demons of Darkside" by Leigh Brackett (1915-1978). "The Denizens of Mercury Ruled a Domain of Eternal Night-Until Barry Garth Invaded that Empire with Light!" The illustration is signed "WK". If anyone can identify the artist, please let me know. Brackett became a prolific writer in several fields and also worked as a script writer, including John Wayne's Rio Bravo and her final project, The Empire Strikes Back. In 1946 she married Edmond Hamilton.
"Science Question Box" deals with motion picture projection, the concept of a halo and gland grafting. "Meet The Author" has Edmond Hamilton on Norse Mythology.
"Review Of The Science Fiction Publications" is filled with familiar titles. Reviewed this time are "Spaceways" by Harry Warner, Jr., James S. Avery and Walter E. Marconette; "Frontier", Official Bulletin of the Frontier Society by Donn Brazier; "Pluto" from the short-lived Literature, Science and Hobbies club of Decker, Indiana, edited by Marvis Manning, Vincent Manning, Maurice Paul, Claude E. Davis, Jr., and William A. Sisson; "The California Mercury" from J. J. Fortier, Tom Wright, Jim Bush and F. J. Ackerman; "The Alchemist" edited by Lewis B. Martin, Charles Ford Hansen, R. V. Hunt and Joseph L. Nordlohne; and, closing out this issue, "Stardust" edited by William Lawrence Hamling, Neil DeJack, Howard Funk, Harry Warner, Jr., Chester S. Geier, Paul Quaiver and Herschel Jenkinson, Jr.
In all, it's a pretty good issue. Next time we look at the March, 1941 issue.

Why Science Fiction?

2007-08-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

Why Science Fiction? I have been prompted to go back to the editorial in the March, 1939, issue of Startling Stories and gave it another look.
"Why Science Fiction?" is an editorial by popular
author John Taine (Eric Temple Bell, 1883-1960) whose works included "The Greatest Adventure" and "The Time Stream". Mr. Taine suggests that Science Fiction is a way to introduce people to Science and to, perhaps, increase interest in Science among the general public. In other words, sugar coat a possibly unpopular topic. This idea was used by Gene Roddenberry a quarter of a
century later in using the Science Fiction setting of Star Trek to address contemporary issues regular dramas might want to avoid.
I did find particularly interesting his statement, "To sane men it is
obvious that science has improved our living conditions far beyond what the
most optimistic prophet of a hundred years ago would have thought possible.
Unfortunately, however, entire nations are being led by men who fear and
hate science because it contradicts their wishful fancies." Now, thinking
over the world situation in 1939 I have tried to figure out who he was
talking about. The usual totalitarian governments of Germany, the Soviet
Union and Japan, the likeliest suspects, were all on the science bandwagon
and the Western nations were also enjoying the fruits of scientific
advancement. The Industrial Revolution had certainly started something and
by the early 20th Century scientific advancement was coming at frightening
speed.
I watched the 1968 film Bullitt today. It is appropriately 39 years ago,
the same time represented by the 1939 publication date of Taine's editorial and the beginning of the 20th Century. Scenes shot in a hospital look primitive compared with modern medicine of 2007. Diagnostic tools we accept as common today are missing from the 1968 operating room. You wonder how we survived those days.
In 1968 Man had not yet been to the Moon. That would change a year later. In 1900 man had not flown a heavier-than-air craft. In 1939 aviation was on the edge of jet power. Practical rockets were in the development stage.
Many people in science have credited Science Fiction with pushing them into
the field. Writers such as Heinlein made the concept of space travel acceptable to a generation and helped spur developments in the field.
Perhaps someone reading that editorial in 1939 wound up entering the
sciences. I think that's what John Taine was getting at.

Somewhere in Time

2007-08-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

The November issue of Startling Stories rolled around, signaling the end of its second year. So far they had published some pretty good material and looked set to keep improving. Bergey once again did the cover, this time illustrating the issue's novel. This number opened with several pages of the usual ads and made its way to "The Ether Vibrates", again demonstrating a lack of consistency issue to issue. Letters time time around were by D. B. Thompson of Lincoln, Nebraska; Frank E. Lunn, Jr. from Wellsville, NY; Walter C. Liebacher of Chicago, who noted that a couple of character names in Oscar Friend's story of the previous issue were not-so-hidden names, Kcud Dlanod being Donald Duck backwards for example, and a popular show "Hades, with Popcorn" was a thinly veiled "Hellzapoppin"; Charles Hidley wrote from NY, NY; Jack Rabnelt popped in from Ontario; and Harry Schmarje of Muscatine, Iowa finished off the column.

We now leap to this issue's novel, A Million Years To Conquer by Henry Kuttner (1915-1958). "Earth's Second Satellite Harbors the Amazing Secret of an Eternal Quest." Or, to put it another way, an alien attempts to manipulate the development of human life on Earth. The illustrations are by Wesso. According to Wikipedia Kutner had stories published under at least 17 pen names, including shared house names.

Next comes Jack Binder's illustrated feature "They Changed The World". This issue is devoted to "The Life Story of Sir William Perkin Who Discovered the First Coal-Tar Dye!" The first short story is "Island In The Marsh" by Thornton Ayre (John Russell Fearn, 1908-1960). ""Hart Crozier Uses Earthman's Science to Solve a Venusian Mystery!" The illustration is by Morey.

"Thrills In Science" by Mort Weisinger features Sir Issac Newton, Henry Bessemer (steel production) and Fred Banting (the development of insulin).

The "Scientifiction Hall of Fame" for this issue is the first to be selected by a well-known fan. In this case it's Sam Moskowitz (1920-1997) who chose "The Man Who Evolved" by Edmond Hamilton, originally printed in the April, 1931, issue of Wonder Stories. "Men of Today Glimpse Humanity's Future and Behold a Wondrous Cycle With No End". The illustration is unsigned, but looks like Paul.

Following is "Science Question Box" fielding questions about age and mental efficiency, Grylloblatta (a 'living fossil insect') and Phosphorescence. Turning the page we come to the "Scientific Crossword Puzzle" and then comes "Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications". 'Zines this time around are Stardust by William Lawrence Hamling, Neil DeJack, Howard Funk, Harry Warner, Jr., and Chester S. Geier; Spaceways by Harry Warner, Jr., James S. Avery and Walter E. Marconette; Pluto published by the Literature, Science and Hobbies Club of Decker, Indiana, edited by Marvis Manning, Vincent Manning, Maurice Paul, Claude E. Davis, Jr., and William A. Sisson (see Harry Warner, Jr.'s All Our Yesterdays pp 232-233 for more about the Decker Dillies); Science Fiction Forward by R. Van Houten, P. Duncan and Max Bart; Stars with verse by Lovecraft, Lowndes and C. A. Smith; Frontier, Official Bulletin of the Frontier Society by Donn Brazier; Horizons by H. Warner, Jr.; Voice of the Imagi-Nation from Los Angeles fandom; Le Zombie, edited by the legendary Bob Tucker; Ultra by Eric F. Russell, Edward H. Russe, Vel Molesworth and Ralph A. Smith, coming from Australia; and Fantasy News by Will Sykora.

Last and not least we have "Meet The Author" with Henry Kuttner on Time Travel stories.

Startling Stories wrapped up its second year in style but not really hinting at what was soon to come. We have not yet been introduced to Sgt. Saturn and the inanities that threatened Startling's stature as a respectable magazine. But that is still a few months away.

Llamkin's Travels

2007-07-01T12:51:00.001-05:00

I am beginning to suspect that Oscar J. Friend and Mort Weisinger were related. This is the second issue in a row with the cover illustrating one of his stories. This time around Bergey illustrates a scene from the issue's novel, The Kid From Mars. And Bergey doesn't disappoint. We have a Bergey Babe, threatened by a couple of BEMs, being rescued by a guy in a funky hat.

The September, 1940, issue of Startling Stories saves the filler for later and leaps right into the novel, The Kid From Mars by Oscar J. Friend (1897-1963). "The Visitor from the Crimson World Could Perform Miracles-but They Weren't For Sale." I suspect Friend had been to the movies lately and was hoping to sell this one to Preston Sturges because it reads almost like one of the screwball comedies of the Thirties and early Forties. An explorer from Mars comes to Earth seeking that which the Earthmen have and Martians lack; a sense of humor. X-two-three-Z-four-seven-nine-eight-nine, also known as Llamkin, arrives in the middle of a polo match (couldn't be a baseball game) and is mistaken for an advertising stunt. He falls for an actress, escapes Nazi spies (finally, someone realizes there's a war going on in Europe) and kidnaps the President and takes him to Mars. All is told with a quirky sense of humor that appears to be inspired by the screwball comedies or Thorne Smith. Llamkin almost comes across as a blueprint for the character Data in a later Star Trek series. Illustrations are by Alex Schomburg.

According to Wikipedia after the war Friend was approached by Walt Disney who was interested in filming this with Danny Kaye. Unfortunately, nothing was ever done. But, on the plus side, it never became a Jerry Lewis film.

Next comes a guest editorial, "The Ally of Science" by Arthur K. Barnes (1911-1969) telling how Science Fiction helps the public accept scientific advances.

Jack Binder's illustrated series "They Changed The World" features "The Life Story of Galileo who first used the Telescope". A turn of the page then presents us with the Scientifiction Hall of Fame story, "The World Without" which first appeared in Wonder Stories, February, 1931, written by Benson Herbert. "A Strange New Realm Beyond All Sense and Reason-but Not the Mind of Man".

"Thrills in Science" by Mort Weisinger features Sir Issac Newton, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier and Henri Becquerel. "Science Question Box" deals with color changing fish sounds like a magic trick), rotation of the Earth and the origin of the Moon.

The next short story is "The Machine That Had No Flaws" by Ray Cummings (1887-1957). "A Perpetual Motion Device Is Impossible-But Necessity Is the Mother of Invention". A king offers his daughter's hand to whoever can invent a perpetual motion device. Another short story follows, "Kingdom Of The Ants" by Gerald Bowman (1901-1967). Bowman wrote a series of stories with the character Clive Halloran. This story was a reprint, first appearing in "Modern Wonder" for February, 1939. "Mondern Wonder" was an English publication aimed at the boy's market.

The Scientific Crossword Puzzle follows; all answers being numbers. "The Ether Vibrates" announces the next six Hall of Fames stories will be selected by "scientifiction's most outstanding followers, men who have read every story published in the last decade". First up is Sam Moskowitz. Letters this time around are by Kenneth Bartlett, Harry Schmarje, Herbert T. Brown, Savid Glazer, Walter Grale, D. B. Thompson, Art R. Sehrert, Alfred Edward Maxwell and Charles Hidley.

"Meet The Author" features autobiographical note by Oscar J. Friend.

This issue closes out with "Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications." "Stardust" by Lawrence Hamling, Neil DeJack, Chester S. Geier, Paul Quaiver, Harry Funk, Harry Warner, Jr., and Herschel Jenkinson, Jr, coming out of Chicago leads the pack. Following are "Spaceways" by Warner, Avery and Marconette out of Hagerstown, MD; "Golden Atom" by Farsaci and Bernard S. Seufert comes from New York; "Polaris" by Paul Freehafer wings from Los Angeles; "The Comet" by Tom Wright is another California product, Martinez this time; Scienti-Comics by Philip Bronson of Hastings, Minn is described as "The saga of 'Robot Doom', in comic-strip technicolor"; "The M. S. A. Bulletin" comes from the Maine Scientifiction Association and is edited by Gerald W. Meader; "Horizons" is another Hagerstown product from Warner and Avery; "Cosmos" by Molesworth comes from Australia; Fantasy-News by the Nwy York team of Sykora, Taurasi, Moskowitz and Racic; and "Science Fiction Weekly" comes from exotic Brooklyn and the team of Lowndes, Wilson, Perri and Cohen. And this closes out yet another fun-filled issue of Startling Stories.

A Startling Debut-July 1940

2007-06-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

The July, 1940, issue of Startling Stories was heralded with the arrival of a new cover artist, Earl K. Bergey. His cover art for this issue depicted a scene from Oscar J. Friend's story "The Worms Turn". (I apologize for the quality of this installment's cover, but a previous owner used a lot of tape to attach a label right in the middle of the cover.)

This issue opens with a lot of the usual ads and then leaps to the novel, Five Steps To Tomorrow by Eando Binder and illustrated by Wesso. "Exiled to a mighty prison in the sky, Richard Hale revisits Earth to mete out scientific justice to the future's crime syndicate." The story, which begins in the year 2000, is a variation on The Count of Monte Cristo.

Next up comes Jack Binder's feature "They Changed The World". This installment concentrates on "Luther Burbank Master Of Plant Life". This is actually an enjoyable and useful series if extremely basic.

The Scientifiction Hall of Fame story first appeared in Science Wonder Stories, May, 1930. "The City of the Living Dead" is a novelet by Laurence Manning and Fletcher Pratt, illustrated by Paul. "A Machine World Yields the Secret of Its Doom and Foreshadows the Destiny of Man!"

"Thrills in Science" by Mort Weisinger offers thumbnail sketches of Blaise Pascal and geometry, Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleeff the Russian chemist and the invention of the stethoscope by Sr. Rene Laennec.

Next comes Oscar J. Friend's short story "The Worms Turn", a sequal to his earlier story "Mind Over Matter". "Deimos and Phobos Belonged to the Planet Mars But They Saved Earth From Destruction and Chaos". The previous story appeared in the January, 1940, issue of Startling. The unsigned illustration appears to be a stock clipart graphic.

Science Question Box deals with the mass of stars, origin of the moon and planetary orbits.

The Ether Vibrates announces the arrival of Earl K. Bergey. "Mr. Bergey has been illustrating covers for our various companion magazines for several years. And many of you have probably seen his work on the covers of such leading magazines as the Saturday Evening Post...Mr. Bergey is a newcomer to the field of scientifiction..." He had previously painted to cover for the Summer, 1940, issue of Captain Future.

Before we come to this issue's letters we first encounter the Scientific Crossword Puzzle and Meet The Author, featuring Eando Binder.

Review Of The Science Fiction Fan Publications reviews "Stardust" edited by W. Lawrence Hamling, Neil DeJack, Chester S. Geier, Harry S. Warner and Howard Funk; "Golden Atom" out of Rochester, NY, by Larry B. Farsaci; "1939 Yearbook Of Science, Weird and Fantasy Fiction" from Bob Tucker; "Spaceways" by the team of Avery, Warner and Marconette; "Science Fiction Collector" by J. V. Baltadonis; "The Alchemist" edited by Charles Ford Hansen, Lewis B. Martin and Roy V. Hunt; "Science Fiction Weekly" from Robert W. Lowndes, Dick Wilson, Leslie Perri and Chet Cohen; and "Fantasy-News" edited by Will Sykora, Jimmy Taurasi, Sam Moskowitz and Mario Racic, Jr.

At last we get to the letters from the readers. Billy Homes of Houston, TX, praises Wellman's "Twice In Time". Sam Moskowitz weighs in on praising Wellman's story while Charles Hidley, a New Yorker, praises the artists. Walter E. Marconette, Dayton, OH, joins in praise of Wellman. J. Pepper, Golden, Co, nitpicks Wellman's science, and Edward L. Corton, Jr. writes from Waterloo, Iowa, praising the Scientifiction Hall of Fame stories.

This issue closes out with a review by "C. S. S." of Will Garth's novelization of Dr. Cyclops. He liked the book and the movie both.

And once again we bid farewell to another good issue of Startling Stories.

A Basic Science Fiction Library from 1949

2007-05-29T10:35:00.000-05:00

The Winter 1949 issue of "The Arkham Sampler" was an all Science Fiction issue. The editors had approached a number of Science Fiction professionals and fans with the questions 1)What books, to the number twenty or less, do you believe essential to any Science Fiction library? 2) Why? The request was sent to writers Dr. David H. Keller, Lewis Padgett, P. Schuyler Miller, Theodore Sturgeon, A. E. Van Vogt, Donald Wandrei; editors Sam Merwin, Jr., John W. Campbell, Paul L. Payne, Raymond A. Palmer, Everett Bleiler; and fans A. Langley Searles, Forrest J. Ackerman and Sam Moskowitz. All responded except for Campbell and Palmer.

They arrived at seventeen titles which, from the number of votes, made up the first six places.

In first place with 9 listings was Seven Famous Novels by H. G. Wells. In second place with seven listings were Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon and Brave New Worlds by Aldous Huxley. In third place with six listings were The Short Stories of H. G. Wells, Adventures In Time and Space edited by Healy and McComas, and Slan by A. E. Van Vogt. Next with five listings each, The World Below by S. Fowler Wright and Strange Ports Of Call edited by August Derleth. In fifth place were To Walk The Night by William Sloane, The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sirius by Olaf Stapledon and Gladiator by Philip Wylie. In sixth place were Before the Dawn by John Taine, Who Goes There? and Other Stories by John W. Campbell, The Best of Science Fiction edited by Groff Conklin, Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon and Out of the Silence by Earle Cox.

I have to admit to having never heard of Earle Cox. I am familiar with William Sloane through his novel Edge of Running Water which was filmed in 1941 as "The Devil Commands". The World Below is an unfamiliar title although I am familiar with S. Fowler Wright through the pulp magazines. I've read several titles by John Taine but have not heard of Before the Dawn.

So, how many of these titles are as highly regarded today? I have to admit I have never read anthing by Stapledon and I've never read Brave New World, why I don't know. I think it's my reaction to having to read so many "Classics" in school. (Wuthering Heights is one sick book.) Some of the titles are no longer in print, for various reasons. The Wells volumes definitely belong on this list as does the Campbell title. The others, I can't say.

Individual selections by the participants are interesting. Van Vogt selected Slan and The World of Null-A (no false modesty here). He also chose Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (a personal favorite of mine). Ackerman and Van Vogt both selected Burroughs The Mastermind of Mars.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the absence of Stanley Weinbaum from the final list. Moskowitz did list The Dawn Of Flame and Van Vogt chose The Black Flame. Paul L. Payne's selections would never have made the pages of the magazine he edited, Planet Stories. Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness and The Shadow Out of Time made a few lists, but not enough to break into the finals.

Another title making a couple of lists is The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck by Alexander Laing. This was selected by Keller and Merwin. Many other titles show up on the different lists, some out of left field like Sturgeon's selection of Kinsey's now discredited Sexual Behavior of the Human Male. Heinlein's Space Cadet makes Miller's list.

In 1949 Science Fiction was about to make another mutation as the pulps were entering their last years. In another ten years only a handful of Science Fiction magazines would remain. The paperback was moving toward ascendacy and Science Fiction was taking another step toward the mainstream.

I think I'll search out some of these titles and see what all the excitement was about. Besides, The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck sounds fascinating.

The Lusty Month Of May-Startling Style

2007-05-23T15:17:00.000-05:00

In Europe the Sitzkrieg was coming to an end and Holland, Luxemburg, Belgium and France would soon be under the heel of Hitler's Wermacht and the Miracle of Dunkirk would take place. But in the snug world of pulps reality was not yet allowed to poke its head up. That would soon change.

H. V. Brown based his cover for the May, 1940, issue of Startling Stories on Manly Wade Wellman's novel, Twice In Time. Leading off this issue (other than the usual advertisements) is "Review Of The Science Fiction Fan Publications". Titles this time around are "Spaceways" by James Avery and Harry Warner, Jr.; "Golden Atom" by Larry B. Farsaci; "Ad Astra" from the team of Mark Reinsberg, Richard I. Meyer and Erle Korshak; "Stardust" by Hogie Carmichael and Johnny Mercer... excuse me, that should be W. L. Hamling. I was thinking of the other "Stardust". "Science Fiction Collector made its way from Philadelphia, Pa., courtesy of John V. Baltadonis. "The Scientale", by Thomas Hoquet and Bob Studley rounds out this column for the month. It contained material by Malcolm Jameson, Harry Warner, Jr., and W. L. Hamling. It also contained a piece by Mort Weisinger. Bob Studley also has a letter in this issue's "The Ether Vibrates". Could editor Weisinger be repaying a favor here?

"Meet The Author" features Manly Wade Wellman commenting on his novel for this issue. And, a quick turn of the page brings us to a very impressive Virgil Finlay two-page spread and starts Wellman's novel Twice In Time. Fact is, the illustration by Finlay and the cover by Brown look amazingly (or should that be Startlingly) alike. I won't try to guess who copied whom this time around. (Whom copied whom? Whom copied who? Whom cares?) "Leo Thrasher embarks on a thrilling excursion into the centuries of yesteryear when a time projector hurls him into the realm of the forgotten past!" He also encounters Mona Lisa and other notables of the Renaissance.

Jack Binder's illustrated feature "They Changed The World" is "The Life Story Of Thomas Alva Edison, The Greatest Inventor Of All Time." Omitted are the motion picture patent wars and the persecution of Tesla, but he only had two pages to work with.

The Scientifiction Hall Of Fame Story is Stanley G. Weinbaum's novelet "Valley Of Dreams". The only blurb it has (and needs) is "The Famous Sequal to 'A Martian Odyssey'". It originally appeared in Wonder Stories for November, 1934. The illustration is by Paul.

Next comes Mort Weisinger's "Thrills In Science. Thumbnail Sketches of Great Men and Achievements." The first tale is of Dr. Joseph Goldberger's experiments on 12 convicts, attempting to find a cure for the disease pellagra. Next Archimedes uncovers an attempt to counterfeit a crown. Finally Weisinger presents the story of Charles Goodyear and his experiments with India Rubber.

Oscar J. Friend contributes the next short story, "Glamour Girl--2040". "Tru-Depth Pictures combs the cosmos for a star--and a star is born!" The illustration is unsigned.

Dr. Miles J. Breuer contributes the guest editorial "The New Frontier", equating Science Fiction and Man's urge to explore.

The feature "science Question Box" deals with questions on Perpetual Motion, the Earth's rotation and chemical analysis.

"Nemesis From Lilliput" by Raymond Z. Gallun is the next short story. "Countless living worlds hang in the balance when an unearthly menace reaches from beyond the atom!" The illustration is signed with an indecipherable squiggle, possibly Wesso.

"The Ether Vibrates" a few pages later. The editor promotes the upcoming issues of Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories and Captain Future. Letters are from Dom Passante, Bob Studley, Harry Nowakowski, Wallace Riley, D. B. Thompson and Allan Keniston, Jr. This is followed by the final feature, the Scientific Crossword Puzzle.

Another good issue from the folks at Better Publications. Of course a quiet revolution was taking place at Astounding, but it wasn't spreading throughout the field, yet. Next time we'll look at the July issue.

1940 Continues, March.

2007-05-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

The March issue of Startling Stories features a cover by an unidentified artist (who is also unidentified in Day's Index). It illustrates Oscar J. Friend's story "Station Death". I admit to being surprised how few Startling covers to date have illustrated the issue's novel.

Thumbing through the opening pages we are greeted by numerous advertisements that reek of nostalgia. Wilson Chem Co., Inc. has an entire page devoted to the fabulous items you can earn by selling jars of Cloverine Salve. Movie projectors, watches, a 22 cal. rifle and other tempting goodies. You have to wonder how many people were inflicting salve on their friends and neighbors. The product is still available today. And for a look at Cloverine's golden age, check out this site http://www.wtrn.net/wilsonchemicalcompany.htm

"Meet The Author" features an autobiographical note by Henry Kuttner, complete with photograph. "I was born in Los Angeles, to my intense satisfaction, and as a moppet spent most of my time sleeping under the counter of my father's bookshop."

Review of the Science Fiction Publications is next featuring "Spaceways" by James Avery and Harry Warner, Jr.; "New Worlds" from Ted Carnell and Arthur C. Clarke; "Golden Atom" by Larry B. Farsaci, J. Litz, Elmer E. Weinmann, Rosana Barson and Bernard A Seufert, marking its first issue. Next Jack Agnew and Robert A. Madle are represented with "Fantascience Digest"; "The Fantast" by C. S. Youd from Britain; "scientifan" from J. J. Fortier, Paul X. Savage, Robert Millar and James Bush; "Ad Astra" by Mark Reinsberg, Erle Korshack, Leslie A Croutch and Richard I. Meyer; "Fantasy News" comes from New York courtesey of James V. Taurasi, Sam Moskowitz and Mario Racic. "Science Fiction Collector" by John V. Baltadonis has "too much space devoted to petty political arguements between fans". "Luna" by V. Johsworth comes from Australia; another issue of "Fantascience Digest" is sent in by Madle, Agnew and Fischer; "Polaris" arrives from Pasadena and Paul Freehafer; and the final 'zine reviewed this issue is "Fanfare" by Francis Paro, William Zimmer and Harold V. Gruhn.

When New York Vanished by Henry Kuttner is this issue's novel. "Madness rules when the world's greatest city is catapulted into another dimension--while civilization ponders the enigma of a lost metropolis!" (I know that city was here a minute ago.) Illustrations are by Alex Schomburg.

Next, Manly Wade Wellman contributes a guest editorial on the human element of Science Fiction.

Jack Binder's illustrated feature, "They Changed the World" is "The Life Story Of Sir Issac Newton who discovered the Laws of Gravitation".

The Scientifiction Hall of Fame story is "The Phantom Teleview" by "Bob" Olsen. "Denker's Machine Could Work Miracles." It was first published in the November, 1929, issue of Science Wonder Stories.

At last we come to the Prize-Winning Letters. These were written in response to the cover illustration on the September, 1939, issue.The prizes were "big cash payments for the three best letters explaining the cover scene". First Prize, $25.00, went to Lewis A. Griffin, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Second Prize, $15.00, was awarded to Clarence Granoski of Browns Valley, Minn. (What's with Minnesota here? I smell a fix.) Third Prize, $10.00, went to Eleanor N. Hutchens of Philadelphis, Pa. Honorable mentions received one-year subscriptions to Startling Stories, and were awarded to Mearl F. Carson, Denver, Colorado; A. D. Adams of Helena, Ark.; W. K. Verniaud of Michigan City, Indiana; Fred W. Fischer of Knoxville, Tenn; and Homer C. Mitchell of Galveston, Texas.

The next short story is "Station Death" by Oscar J. Friend. "The Wilderness Held a Strange Scientific Secret--But the Black Jungle Doesn't Mix with White Man's Magic!" The illustration is signed with initials that look like JPD.

The Science Question Box fields the querries, "Will The Sun Die?", another wanting proof that the Earth is round, and a third about the concept of controlling the weather.

Mort Weisinger's feature, Thrills In Science, has tales of Jean Baptiste Perrin, Nobel Prize winner in physics; James Couch Adams and the discovery of the planet Neptune; and Edward Muybridge's experiments in photography.

Next comes "Guinea Pig, PH.D." by Alfred Bester, illustrated by Marchioni. "All Life's Secrets Are Revealed on Dr. Winter's Lab. Tables--But Then the Tables Are Turned."

The Ether Vibrates promotes the next issue of SS and Thrilling Wonder Stories. Letters this time are from Al McGrew, John Cunningham, Willard E. Dewey, James Doherty, Marie Bowell and Robert Foster.And rounding out this issue is The Scientific Crossword Puzzle.

All-in-all, another good issue, but the best was yet to come. Next time we will look at the May, 1940 issue.

2007-05-03T18:43:00.000-05:00

It has been over a month since I last posted. A very busy month, in fact. I just directed my first play with a theater company in Nashville, The Lakewood Theatre in the Old Hickory suburb. What does this have to do with pulps? Nothing, really, but I got to direct one of my favorite plays, Outward Bound, by Sutton Vane.

Outward Bound deals with seven passengers on a small liner who are all dealing with confusion over where they are going and why. All, but two, that is; Ann and Henry, a young couple, know their destination.

It transpires the passengers are all dead and on their way to judgment. They are Ann & Henry; Lingley, a stone-hearted businessman; Mrs. Cliveden-Banks, a snobby dowager; Tom Prior, a drunk; The Reverend Duke, a young cleric; and Mrs. Midgett, a charwoman. The only other person on board is Scrubby, the ship's steward.

Like many of his generation, English actor and playwright Sutton Vane, suffered from shell-shock during the First World War and later wrote Outward Bound to deal with the issues of life after death and whether life has any meaning. This was a common theme of the time, Spiritualism was nearing its zenith, and many either turned to religion for solace or turned from religion as a result of the horrors of war.

Vane first produced the play himself, being unable to find a producer willing to back the show. It was an unexpected success and moved to London's West End and then to Broadway in America. It was filmed twice, first as Outward Bound in 1930 and as Between Two Worlds in 1943. The latter film expanded the story and the cast and was a little too glitzy for my tastes. Except it had a superb score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It had several revivals over the years, including a production featuring a young Vincent Price. It was performed at least twice on television in the fifties and was, for many years, a staple of college and community theater. Now, not too many know about it, which is a pity.

In 1929 Vane adapted his play as a novel, which I am currently reading, thanks to alibris.com. It is interesting the approach he has chosen to take with the story in this form and he has provided some fascinating back stories for the characters. As a novelist, Vane had a somewhat pulpy style which makes it a suitable topic here. It was obvious that Vane felt very strongly for his characters, as even the worst of the lot deserves some sympathy.

I hope you, dear readers, get the opportunity to either see a production of the play, or to read the script or novel. It's a marvelous piece of work.

Next time, back to the pulps.

1940 - A Startling Beginning

2007-03-18T12:44:00.000-05:00

As 1940 opened Poland had been dismembered by Hitler and Stalin, Czechoslovakia and Austria had been aborbed by Germany and the forces of France and Britain faced the Germans during the Phoney War or "Sitzkrieg". Outwardly America was sitting back, but events around the world were being watched with interest and apprehension.

The pulps continued on their merry way with stories that had been bought long before the events in Europe unfolded, but even then, the writers were not oblivious to world events.

The January, 1940, issue of Startling Stories featured an uncredited cover, possibly Brown, illustrating Oscar J. Friend's "Mind Over Matter". Review Of The Science Fiction Publications opened the issue. Titles covered were "Spaceways" by James Avery and Harry Warner, Jr.; Cosmic Tales from Louis and Gertrude Kuslan; Mikros by Russ Hodgkins; Voice Of The Imagi-Nation from Los Angeles fandom; Fantasy-News, a popular news zine from Taurasi, Giunta, Moscowitz and Racic out of New York; Escape by Dick Wilson; The Science Fiction Fan from Wiggins, Wollheim, Kirby and James M. Rogers; and Science Fiction Collector edited by John V. Baltadonis. Missing were any fanzines from Britain, hinting of things to come for the next five years.

Right at the end of the review column was an ad for a new sister publication, Captain Future.

Meet The Authors was by Edmond Hamilton and gave the thinking behind his latest novel.

This issue's novel was longer than usual, taking up most of the issue, The Three Planeteers by Edmond Hamilton. "From Earth, Venus and Mercury, an intrepid trio of space travelers rocket out in a grim battle against the League of the Cold Worlds." This was Space Opera at its best by a master of the genre. The illustrations were by Virgil Finlay.

"They Changed The World", Jack Binder's illustrated feature, was "The Life Story of Benjamin Franklin, The First Of Amarican Scientists". All of us oldsters owe Ben a debt for inventing bifocals.

The Ether Vibrates anounced that the cover story contest winner would be revealed in the next issue and that Thrilling Wonders Stories was now monthly. Letters this issue were from Willard E. Dewey singing the praises of Virgil Finlay; W. C. Pelham and Gordon L. Springer both requesting a reprint of Weinbaum's "The Valley Of Dreams"; Thomas S. Gardner praising novels; Loretta Beasley telling of her fondness for the departments; Alan Saun favoring Hamilton; E. Earl Bielfeldt favoring Williamson; Langley Searles offering numerous comments; and R. Bayless commenting on the low standards of many readers.

"Science Question Box" dealt with questions about water in the Sun, weight of the atmosphere and the laws of chance.

"Mind Over Matter" by Oscar J. Friend is the issue's only short story. I have not been able to identify the artist. The plot involves a pair of Martian twins attempting to end Earth's wars, hinting at the current situation in Europe and Asia.

In all, it's another good issue, continuing along the path started back in January of 1939.

True Pulp

2007-03-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

Earl K. Bergey could certainly bring out the best pulpiness in his covers. And this time around he was illustrating Frederic Brown's novel What Mad Universe. This story was filled with all sorts of fannish references and in-jokes, probably confusing the average reader. I know if I hadn't read All Our Yesterdays previously I would have missed out on the goodies.

Wilson Tucker was famous for putting fellow writers and fans in his books. Kelly Freas placed fans on magazine covers; and H. P. Lovecraft and his circle were continuously killing each other off in the most gruesome fashion in their stories.

Are any Science Fiction and Fantasy writers doing this sort of thing today? To be honest, I don't read much of the modern stuff. It just doesn't appeal to me. And Fandom is fragmented into so many specilizations I don't know if it could work now.

Getting back to What Mad Universe, Brown created an interesting, and very warped, Universe based on the fantasies of a Fan who sees himself as a combination John Carter and Flash Gordon. Others propelled along for the ride are mystified by the strangely juvenile actions of everyone they encounter until the truth is discovered. Brown had a great sense of humor and he really employes it here in this story. I wonder what the odds are of it being reprinted. Probably slim.

Next time I'll try to get back to Startling Stories and look at the issues for 1940.

A Look Back

2007-03-01T08:25:00.000-06:00

The picture to the left was taken at Southerncon, the first, and almost last, media oriented con we attended. To say that things were badly run would be like saying George Custer had an off day at Little Bighorn. The person bringing the film program didn't show, many of the "workers" just hung around the stars, and the day was saved by local fans who helped fill in the holes.

It wasn't all bad, though. The guests, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew and Patrick Stewart (not Piccard, this was the kid from Battlestar Gallactica 1980) were a lot of fun to be around and we managed to have a good time.

The picture shows my wife Jean and me as we were back in the last century. I believe it was Sunday afternoon and we're smiling because the thing is coming to an end, so we are ready to head back to East Tennessee. The local organizers were left to take care of remaining business, such as paying the bills. Which they didn't. It hurt Science Fiction's reputation with local hotels, until the "mainsteam' fans were able to show a good track record with hotels since Kubla Khan started in 1973.

I'm a bit off my usual topics this time. I started working again last week and the intensive training was not conducive to fanac involving thought process. We are scoring creative writing papers for 4th graders from some other state. It is amazing what these kids can come up with. If some of them continue we will see some good writers in the years to come.

As for this weekend, I'm off to Pigeon Forge and the annual Winter Carnival of Magic where there will be magicians galore and dealers with all sorts of exotic paraphenalia. If you think Science Fiction Fandom can be weird, just hang around with a bunch of magicians for a weekend.

An Astounding BEM

2007-02-16T11:42:00.000-06:00

According to Harry Warner, Jr., Martin Alger coined the term BEM (Bug-Eyed Monster) in the early forties. The term referred to the monsters so loved by cover artists (or publishers) and often loathed by fans. Frankly I like BEMs. That's one of the things about pulps that first attracted me. Besides creating the sense of alienness, they are just plain fun to look at. Back several years before Spielberg filmed ET I concocted the idea for a television program about a young Jewish boy and his friend, an alien, to be entitled Gentile Bem. Fortunately Sanity prevailed and I left the idea to stay dormant until I could come up with an occassion to inflict on someone. Sad to say, it is you, dear readers.

Unfortunately, I have not read any of this issue. It is very fragile, missing the contents page and the back cover. It obviously had a hard life. Looking through the issue, though, the BEM in question appears to be illustrating "When The Moon Turned Green" by Hal K. Wells. Scanning the story has convinced me I am going to have to read it. It comes across like something Universal would have filmed in the fifties.

But, let's get back to BEMS. Earl K. Bergy concocted some impressive ones for the covers of Startling Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories. And the one pictured above is by Wesso, I believe. He did the interior illustration for the story. Hollywood almost never got BEMs really right, although they came close a few times. Paul Blaisdell's creatures for "Invasion Of The Saucer Men" (1957, and based on "The Cosmic Flame" by Paul W. Fairman) were quite impressive and "The Mole People" were suitably bug-eyed. The Metaluna Mutant from "This Island Earth" is one of the best, but the one that would be most at home on the cover of a pulp was the rat-bat-spider from the otherwise undistinguished "The Angry Red Planet".

With the technology available to film makers in the fifties it would be a real challenge to create some of the more impressive BEMs in a movie. Paul Blaisdell was amazing when it came to concocting monsters on a budget. His work is also visible in such epics as "The She-Creature", "It! The Terror From Beyond Space" and "The Beast With A Million Eyes." He also put out a pretty good monster magazine to compete with "Famous Monsters" for a while.

So, celebrate the lowly BEM and recall those entertaining covers of days gone by.

Astounding Hamilton

2007-02-12T13:10:00.000-06:00

"The Sargasso Of Space" is one of the better early stories I've read lately by Edmond Hamilton. His short novel, The Prisoner Of Mars (1939)was okay, but much too dirivative of The Prisoner Of Zenda. I couldn't get into The Three Planeteers (1940) but will try again sometime. So it was a happy chance that I stumbled on a forgotten magazine in my collection, The September, 1931, issue of Astounding.

I'll go ahead and say that Wesso's cover was pretty good, except for the background guy running through space. But the idea of a fight in the vacuum of space with glass helmets at risk was pretty gripping.

And Hamilton's story is pretty gripping, too. A freighter runs out of fuel on the run from Jupiter to Uranus, and is drawn into a part of space called "the dead-area", where the light gravitational pull of the outer planets doesn't reach. The idea is, obviously, based on ships being trapped in the Sargasso Sea on Earth. I can't say if the science is any good, but Hamilton has crafted a fine, exciting story. They enter a large junk field consisting of thousands of wrecks and decide to explore some of the wrecks to see if there is any fuel left. Then they encounter the survivors of a mutiny on another ship and wind up in a fight for their lives. All in all, it's a very satisfying story and one that revived my interest in Hamilton.

Next time I'll have another 1931 issue of Astounding.

A Look Back

2007-02-11T18:31:00.000-06:00

When I first got involved with the world of Science Fiction Fandom in 1972 I soon got to wondering just how long this sort of thing had been going on. Fortunately, I soon found a huckster with Harry Warner, Jr.'s excellent history of Fandom in the 40s. I also encountered some of these early fans, now pros, at some cons, starting with Kubla Khan I in Nashville, TN, in 1973. My first pros were Fred Pohl, Andy Offutt (a mere youngster at the time), Perry Chapdelaine (who lived in Franklin, TN) and Nashville's own Charles L. Fontenay, who recently passed away.

Of course I fell in love with the art auction, managing to snag an astronomical painting by Morris Scott Dollins (a name that features in Warner's book). As I later read All Our Yesterdays, something stood out. Original art from the old pulps by Bergey, Paul and others was often sold at con auctions during the decade. Whatever happened to those original cover paintings that were purchased at those auctions? Does any of it ever turn up at Worldcons, for example? What would a Paul bring at one of today's auctions? Certainly more than the two or three dollars they brought 60 years ago.

Fans and Fandom have changed in the passing years. Not many today have a great deal of interest in science, although I launched model rockets at one time. Also seemingly a thing of the past are the feuds so lovingly written about by Sam Moskowitz in his history of fandom The Immortal Storm. Today's fans seem to be a more mellow bunch. And they are, on the average, older. Maybe it's tired blood that keeps everything so peaceful

Fandom is much more splintered, too. There almost isn't general fandom any more, but it has become very compartmentalized. Anime attracts an astounding number of fans. Star Trek fandom seems to be dying to some extent. More Fantasy then Science Fiction is on store shelves today.

I'll get started on the second year of Startling Stories soon, so keep checking in.

A Startlingly Good Year

2007-01-25T08:42:00.000-06:00

Startling Stories rounded out its first year with the issue dated November, 1939, and sporting its most famous cover of that year. Howard V. Brown's cover was reprinted in all its glory in Science Fiction Art, The Fantasies of SF by Brian Aldiss.

This issue opens with "Meet The Author", featuring Jack Williamson (1908-2006), which leads into the issues novel, The Fortress Of Utopia by Williamson. "On A Lifeless Mystery Satellite, Five Lone Mortals Summon Secret Forces of the Citadel of Science to Free the Earth From the Doom of the Dark Nebula." (Weisinger could certainly write a blurb that grabs the reader.) The excellent illustrations are by Wesso.

The guest editorial, titled "The Conquest Of The Impossible" is by Ralph Milne Farley, MA (Roger Sherman Hoar, 1887-1963). Among the "Impossibles" to be conquered are Perpetual Motion and Time Travel.

Jack Binder's feature "They Changed the World" is "The Life Story Of Heinrich R. Hertz Who Discovered Radio Waves."

The issue's first short story is "Three Wise Men" by Lloyd Arthur Eschbach (1910-2003). "A Time-Traveling Machine Explodes on a Millionaire's Doorstep." The illustration is unsigned.

"Thrills In Science" by Mort Weisinger offers "Thumbnail Sketches of Great Men and Achievements." This issue features Galileo, Allesandro Volta and Albert Abraham Michelson.

This issue's Scientifiction Hall of Fame Story certainly deserves inclusion; Stanley G. Weinbaum's "A Martian Odyssey". "A Dying Orb Yields Its Eternal Secret". The illustration looks like Paul.

The Science Question Box deals with such issues as X-Rays, Future Evolution, Giant Insects and Synthetic Pearls.

The Ether Vibrates plugs the upcoming novel by Edmond Hamilton, The Three Planeteers, as the genial hack continues to plunder classic literature for plots. Letters this time are by Gene Thornton Newsome, Louis Goldstone, Jr., Issac Asimov, Ray E. Gower, James E. Wilson, Donald Wandrei and August Derleth (announcing the publication of their first Lovecraft collection The Outsider and Others), Art R. Sehnert, and Samuel Simpson. The Scientific Crossword Puzzle is also found her.

Finally we have the Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications. Fanzines covered this issue are "New Fandom" from Moskowitz, Sykora, Racic, Taurasi and Van Houten; "Ad Astra" from Mark Reinsberg, W. Lawrence Hamling, Henry Bott, Julian S. Krupa and Richard I. Meyer; "Spaceways" from Harry Warner, Jr.; "Science Fiction Fan" by Olin F. Wiggins; "Science Fantasy Review" out of England by L. V. Heald, A. Bloom, J. F. Burke, Ron Holmes, E. G. Ducker, L. I. Johnson and E. L. Gabrielson; "Fantasy News" by James V. Taurasi, John Giunta, Sam Moskowitz and Mario Racic; "The Satellite" out of England by John F. Burke and David McIlwain; and "Future Fantasia" edited by Ray D. Bradbury.

As a side note, this issue has trimmed edges. Was it distributed that way or did a previous owner take a paper cutter to it?

As usual, comments, corrections and additions are welcome. Next posting we'll venture off to another topic for a while.

It was Startling that Fall

2007-01-20T12:20:00.000-06:00

The September issue of Startling Stories features a cover by Alex Schomberg, identified for me by Ed Hulse. This is either his first Sci Fi pulp cover or his first cover altogether. Thanks, Ed. The cover does not illustrate any particular story but is the subject of a story contest, "details on page 97".

This issue leaps to the Science Question Box with questions concerning meteors, perpetual motion and the discovery of radioactivity.

Next we leap to the "Review Of The Science Fiction Fan Publications". Titles reviewed here are "Yearbook Of Science, Weird And Fantasy Fiction" from Bob and Judith M. Tucker; "Fantascience Digest" by Robert A. Madle and Jack Agnew; "Spaceways" from the Hermit of Hagerstown, Harry Warner, Jr., with James S. Avery; "The Futurian" from England's J. Michael Rosenblum, H. Gottlife and E. Moss; "New Worlds", again from England, edited by Ted Carnell, Ken G. Chapman, Maurice K. Hanson, Frank Edward Arnold, Arthur C. Clarke, William F. Temple and Harold Kay; "The Fantast" (yet another from Olde Blighty) by C. S. Youd; "Voice Of The Imagi-Nation" from the Los Angeles chapter of the Science Fiction League; and "Fantasy News" by James V. Taurasi, Sam Moskowitz and Mario Racic. Shortly England would be at war with the Axis powers and British fanac would become unimportant in the war for national survival.

This issue's guest editorial is "Vanguard Of Science" by Jack Williamson (1908-2006), "Famous Scientifiction Novelist." (It is interesting to notice how both Science Fiction and Scientifiction are both in use throught the pages of Startling during 1939.) This is quite an interesting article that points out that atomic engines or time travel could not be patented in the U. S. since they have previously been described in Science Fiction novels and stories. As an example he uses Morgan Robertson, the inventor of the submarine periscope. His patent application was refused because Jules Verne had "already described exactly such a right-angeled rotating spy-glass."

The novel for this issue is The Bridge To Earth by Robert Moore Williams (1907-1977). "A Mysterious Blue Flash of Light is the Harbinger of a Doom that Ushers Men Out of the Confines of the World into the Unknown". Illustrations are by Wesso.

Jack Binder's feature, They Changed The World features "The Life Story Of Alfred Bernhard Nobel Who Invented Dynamite".

The first short story this issue is "Cosmic Stage" by Robert Arthur (1909-1969), illustrated by Virgal Finlay (1914-1971). "They Understand Einstein--but Cardante Baffles Them! A Great Illusion Unlocks the Gateway to Another World." The magician's name appears to be a blend of to popular magicians of the era, Cardini and Dante.

"BIG CASH PRIZES Awarded for the Most Interesting Letters Based on this Issue's Cover." Top prize was $25.00, good money for the time. The entrants had to write a letter of no more than 1500 words, with the winner getting the big cash prize and his story would be published in the pages of Startling Stories.

"Thrills In Science" by Mort Weisinger 1915-1978) covers Paul Ehrlich played by Edward G. Robinson in the film biography), Pierre de Fermat's theorum, and Louis Daguerre, inventor of the first practical photographic process.

The next short Story is "The Misty Wilderness" by John Russell Fearn (1908-1960). "Selton of the Spaceways Dares Uranus' Trackless Trails to Hunt Down Eboni, the Planetary Buccaneer." The illustration is by Wesso (at least that looks like his scribbled signature).

The Ether Vibrates has letters from Lawrence Hamling, George Aylesworth, Katherine Marcusson, Herbert Vincent Ross, Martin F. Bass, L. J. Stanton, James D. Tillman, Jr., Leonard Ramonette, Martin Alger and Allen R. Baker (plugging the newly-formed Cleveland S-F Club).

The Scientifiction Hall of Fame entry is by Edmond Hamilton (1904-1977). "A Sword of Damocles Hangs Over Earth". The illustration is unsigned.

The issue closes with the Scientific Crossword Puzzle, Forecast For the Next Issue and Meet The Author, this time Robert Moore Williams.

All in all, another good issue.

A Startling Robot Runs Amuck

2007-01-17T16:47:00.000-06:00

The fourth issue of Startling Stories features a marvelous rampaging robot by H. V. Brown, that could easily have been by Paul. The red background combined with the gold robot stand out making for an eye-catching cover.

This issue of Vol. 2, number 1, a rather odd sequence since this is only July of 1939. So a half year makes up one volume in Startling Stories universe.

The guest editorial this issue is "See Earth First" by Willey Ley, a name familiar to any Space fan growing up in the 1950s. Ley points out vast areas of the Earth's surface that were still unexplored in 1939.

"Giants From Eternity" is this issue's novel, penned by Manly Wade Wellman (1903-1986). "Five Geniusus of the Past Are Summoned to Face and Defy the Future's Challenge!" Illustrations are by Jack Binder (1902-1988) this time around.

The first short this issue, that inspired the cover, is "Robot A-1" by Oscar J. Friend (1897-1963), illustrated by Alex Schomburg (1905-1998). "The Metal Man Was On Trial for His Life--But the State Claimed He Didn't Have One."

Jack Binder returns with "They Changed The World", this month featuring 'Leonardo Da Vinci The Universal Genius'.

Then Scientifiction Hall Of Fame story is "The World Without Name" by Edwin K. Sloat, originally published in 1931. "Science Unlocks the Gateway to an Unknown Realm--Then Seals It Forever." The illustration is by Mark Marchioni. (Information supplied by Juri.)

"The Ether Vibrates" comes next with letters from Manly Wade Wellman, Thomas S. Gardner, George Aylesworth, N. Willmorth, Norman Birnbaum, Karl Klondike, Arnold Wood, Richard Irwin Meyer, Sam Yampolsky, Langley Searles, Jack C. Dean and Blaine R. Dunmire.

Mort Weisinger's (1915-1978) "Thrills In Science" features Dr. James Simpson who developed chloroform; Alfred Russell Wallace, a pioneer in the field of evolution; and George Westinghouse and the development of air brakes.

The next short story is "The Life Battery" by Eando Binder, illustrated by Paul. "An Elderly Doctor Harnesses the Forces of Science--and Dies Twice in a Lifetime.

Next come the "Science Question Box" and the crossword puzzle and continues with the "Review of the Science Fiction Fan Publications". Zines reviewed this time are Ad Astra, edited by Mark Reinsberg; New Worlds by Ted Carnell with associate editors including Arthur C. Clarke; Scienti-Snaps from Walter E. Marconette; D'Journal from Bob Tucker; Spaceways by Harry Warner, Jr.; New Fandom from Sam Moskowitz, William S. Sykora, Raymond van Houten, Mario Racic and James V. Taurasi; The Futurian Review edited by Fred Pohl; Fantasy News by James V. Taurasi; Science Fiction News Letter from Richard Wilson, Jr.; and , too late for review, The Science Fiction Fan by Olon F. Wiggins and Le Vombiteur by Robert W. Lowndes. The final feature is "Meet The Author", a self-portrait by Manly Wade Wellman.

Startling was in to the second half of its first year of publication and was showing s lot of talent in its writers pool. Greater days lay ahead.

Startling The Third Time Around

2007-01-15T13:33:00.000-06:00

The May, 1939, issue of Startling Stories featured a cover by H. V. Brown illustrating Edmond Hamilton's novel "The Prisoners Of Mars". Brown certainly utilized several Sci Fi motifs such as ray guns and robots. Interestingly, in the upper right corner, just under the Stories of the title are three disc-shaped craft. These guys would come into vogue in just under 10 years after Kenneth Arnold had his Washington siting of "Flying Saucers". The mechanical worms are new, however.

This issues guest editorial was "This Atom-Earth" by Ray Cummings, complete with a photo of the author. It's certainly enjoyable to be able to put a face with the name. Then we have Edmond Hamilton's novel, "The Prisoner Of Mars" with illustrations by H. W. Wesso. (Hans Waldemar Wesso, 1894-1961.) "A Mighty Martian Race Bridges Starless Space To Steal The Oceans Of Earth". Here Hamilton gives us a Sci-Fi take on The Prisoner Of Zenda with an Earth man discovering his Martian origins. The worms featured on the cover are used as transport in the deep sands of Mars. This story also features the earliest version I have yet encountered of a teleportation device.

Next we have Jack Binder's illustrated feature, "They Changed The World". This installment features Robert A. Millikin, the man who discovered the Cosmic Ray. His 1928 "Theory Of Cosmic Ray" formation provided more material for Science Fiction stories.

Scientifiction's Hall Of Fame story this time around is "Pygmalion's Spectacles" by Stanley G. Weinbaum. I believe I discussed this in an earlier posting. The illustrations are by Schomburg.

Mort Weisinger's feature, "Thrills In Science" features John Logie Baird, an early experimenter in television; Thomas Davenport, who invented an early electric motor: and astronomer Edmund Halley, of comet fame.

Next comes the "Science Question Box" fielding questions from the readers. Then, another short story, "The Lost Hour" by Alexander Samalman. "Earth's speed changes and the result is--The Lost Hour". It's an interesting take on the effects of time.

Next we come to the fan's domain, The Ether Vibrates. Letters in this issue are from Thomas S. Gardner, Harry Warner, Jr., George V. Calvert, Ralph C. Hamilton (plugging art by Finlay), Forrest J. Ackerman (as enthusiastic now as he was then, 68 years ago), Charles B. Hidley, Henry Boernstein, Seymour Kapetansky, Dewey V. Hale, Langley Searlws, J. Harvey Haggard, Jack Darrow, Richard Frank, Francis J. Litz, John A. Bristol, S. S. Sowers, Paul M'Cleave, G. W. Fensler and Sam Simpson.

Someone actually worked this issue's crossword. Better than I could do, looking at the clues.

"Meet The Author" features Edmond Hamilton, complete with photograph. He writes that as of this time he has written "close to two hundred stories, including a good many detective and mystery tales."

Finally, "Reviewing The Science Fiction Fan Publications" covers "The Satellite" (Organ of the Liverpool Science Fiction Association); "Yearbook Of Science, Weird and Fantasy Fiction" by our old friend Bob Tucker; "The Science Fiction News Letter" from Richard Wilson, Jr.; "Fantasy News" by Jamve V. Taurasi; and "The Science Fiction Fan" edited by Olon F. Wiggins, Donald A. Wollheim, Hayward S. Kirby and James M. Rogers.

"Forecast For The Next Issue" plugs a new novel by Manly Wade Wellman (who later wrote the first book devoted to the battle of the Alamo, and some other history works).

So, into the third issue Startling Stories continued with the promise of the first issue and it was obviously developing a good following.

Fantastic! And Famous, Too.

2007-01-11T11:23:00.000-06:00

Famous Fantastic Mysteries was created to reprint stories from the Munsey line of magazines such as Argosy. These included stories by some of the best authors of the era like Talbot Mundy. The author I have been reading most lately is A. Merritt. Thanks to Famous Fantastic Mysteries and its sister title Fantastic Novels I have been able to read "Seven Footprints To Satan", "Dwellers In The Mirage", "Burn Witch Burn" and, currently, "The Metal Monster".

Merritt created a truly alien life form in "The Metal Monster". A specialist in the "Lost Race" genre, Merritt certainly outdid himself in this novel. Sentient, metal based life forms in geometric shapes are the Metal Monster of this title. They can act singly or join together to create a gigantic creature. The appear to share a common intelligence like the Borg of Star Trek fame.

A bonus to these titles is the art. Most of the covers and interiors are by Virgil Finlay and Lawrence, an excellent Finlay clone. As a result Famous Fantastic Mysteries and Fantastic Novels have some of the best art of the era which make these magazines well worth collecting.

This issue is dated August, 1941, just a few months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The letters in this issue reflect oblivion to the world situation. Olon F. Wiggins, Lew Martin and Roy Hunt present a report on the upcoming World Con, Denvention, to be held July 4-6. (As a bi-monthly this issue probably streeted in June). The guest of honor was Robert A. Heinlein. (There were giants in the earth in those days.) Other letters are full of praise for A. Merritt, including a letter from one of the most infamous fans of the decade, Claude Degler.

The pulps make a good time capsule of the period through stories, letters and the various advertisements scattered through their pages. So, if you will excuse me, I'll go back to time traveling.

Still Startling The Second Time Around

2007-01-07T11:40:00.000-06:00

The second issue of Startling Stories was dated March 1939. The cover illustrates the lead story, "The Impossible World" by Eando Binder. The artist is not identified. The use of reds and yellows certainly make the cover stand out and it's possible to imagine how eye-catching it would have been on the newsstand. It would need to be, considering the competition.
This issue contains an editorial entitled "Why Science Fiction?" by popular author John Taine (Eric Temple Bell, 1883-1960) whose works included "The Greatest Adventure" and "The Time Stream". Mr. Taine suggests that Science Fiction is a way to introduce people to Science and to, perhaps, increase interest in Science among the general public. In other words, sugar coat an unpopular topic. This idea was used by Gene Roddenberry a quarter of a century later in using the Science Fiction setting of Star Trek to address contemporary issues.
We leap to this issue's novel, "The Impossible World" by Eando ( the team of Earl and Otto Binder), with a great splash page by Virgil Finlay. "Vandals of the void dedicated to the conquest of nine planets, reach across infinity with science-sped armada". If that doesn't hook the reader, nothing will.
Next comes Jack Binder's illustrated feature "They Changed The World". This issue's subject is "Madame Curie who discovered Radium". Scientifiction's Hall Of Fame features "The Man From Mars" by P. Schuyler Miller, later known as one of the best SF book reviewers. This was originally published in Wonder Story Quarterly, Summer1931. The illustration is by Marchioni.
Mort Weisinger's "Thrills In Science" features thumbnail sketches of mathmatician Evariste Galois (I admit I've never heard of him), bacteriologist Elie Metchnikoff (ditto) and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (Him I've heard of).
Edmond Hamilton contributes the next short story, "The Fear Neutralizer". The illustration is signed, but I cannot make it out. Another feature follows, "The Science Question Box" where reader's questions about science are answered. The Gernsback influence was still being strongly felt here. Next comes "Turnabout" by Will Garth (a house name, this time Mort Weisinger), a short-short on one page.
Page 118 features the Scientific Crossword Puzzle. At the bottom of the page is the notation, "The solution is on Page 125--if you MUST look." Well, in 66 years no one worked the puzzle in this particular copy. Finally comes "The Ether Vibrates", the letter column. Writers this issue are Amelia Reynolds Long, Jack Williamson, P. Schuyler Miller, Ralph Milne Farley, Burt Schuyler, Charles L. Cottrell, Paul H. Spencer, Mark Reinsberg, Edward P. Hinchley, Walter E. Marconette, James V. Taurasi*, John Eckhardt, J. J. Demaree, Jack Lancaster, William Warchol, Ralph Smith, Robert A. Madle*, Willard Dewey, Lester Anderson, Harry Warner, Jr*, Frank Bryab, Jr, Robert Mastell, Charles A. Picki, Sam Yampolsky, Julius Pohl, Ronald Carter and Russell M. Wood. (* indicates a well-known, to me at least, fan.) Startling was very generous in the amount of space devoted to the letters.
Reviewing The Science Fiction Fan Publications features Novae Terrae (listing Arthur C. Clarke and William F. Temple as associate editors); Scienti-Snaps edited by Walter E. Marconette; Imagination, from the Los Angeles chapter of The Science Fiction League; New Fandom edited by Sam Moskowitz, William S. Sykora, Raymond Van Houten and James V. Taurasi (prominent names indeed); Fantascience Digest edited by even more fannish legends, Robert A. Madle, Jack Agnew, John V. Baltadonis and Willis C. Connover; D'Journal from the recently departed Bob Tucker; and Fantasy News by James V. Taurasi. In those days there were giants in the Earth.
And finally we have "Meet E(and)O Binder, with comments by the authors of the issue's lead story and accompanied by photographs.
All in all, Startling was following along with the promising start of their first issue, although Stanley G. Weinbaum was a hard act to follow.
If anyone reading this can identify the artists I was unable to the information will be greatly appreciated. Also, I recall reading that Mort Weisinger edited these early issues, but the memory grows weaker over the years. If anyone can fill me in, I will appreciate it.

2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS

2007-01-01T15:39:00.001-06:00

Startling Stories - The Journey Begins Eando Binder, Eric Jamborsky, Frank R. Paul, Jack Binder, Otis Adelbert Kline, Otto Binder, Stanley G. Weinbaum, Startling Stories
12/21/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Zombie For A Day
12/15/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Fondly Frankenstein
12/14/06 by Eric Jamborsky

HOOHAH FOR HOLLYWOOD
12/11/06 by Eric Jamborsky

SHE-Who Must Be Obeyed
12/4/06 by Eric Jamborsky

A Very Short History of A Lost East Tennessee Fand...
12/2/06 by Eric Jamborsky

H. P. Lovecraft
11/29/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Space Rangers Of The World, Unite!
11/26/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Stranger Than Fiction
11/25/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Time Travel
11/19/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Flying In Space
11/19/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Happy Birthday, Forry!
11/17/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Bond Is Back
11/17/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Stanley G. Weinbaum Remembered
11/16/06 by Eric Jamborsky

How Bad Was That Movie?
11/15/06 by Eric Jamborsky

The Thing That Came From The Newsstand
11/14/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Influences
11/14/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Stepping Into the Stream
8/23/06 by Eric Jamborsky

Humbug!

2006-12-25T12:06:00.000-06:00

Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol is as close to perfect as anything created by a human can be. The characters are memorable and the humanity of the story remains with the reader long after it has been read. The story has also inspired some excellent film adaptations, and my favorite has to be Scrooge (1951) starring Alistair Sim. The film manages to capture the pathos of the original story without wallowing in sentimentality. Sim's Scrooge is believable as we see how he changes from a hardened miser into the loving man he started out as in his youth. Transformation is the key to the story and Sim's portrayal is believable. His Ebeneezer Scrooge is a real human being.

Over the years there have been many excellent actors in the role including Sir Seymour Hicks (who made a career playing the role on stage), George C. Scott, Albert Finney and the nearsighted Mister Magoo.

So take the time during the Christmas season to become reaquainted with Scrooge by reading the book or watching one of the excellent film adaptations.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Startling Stories - The Journey Begins

2006-12-21T14:57:00.000-06:00

Startling Stories began its life in 1939 and ran for 99 issues until the Fall issue of 1955. It joined the family of Better Publications including Thrilling Wonder Stories, Popular Western, Thrilling Mystery, Thrilling Western, Thrilling Detective, Thrilling Adventures, Thrilling Love, The Phantom Detective, Everyday Astrology and more, 26 titles in all. Startling would publish a novel in each issue plus a reprint story in the "Scientifiction's Hall Of Fame". Also in the mix were a science column, a "picture biography" of a great science figure and "The Ether Vibrates", the letter column.

Since the publication of Startling was hyped in the pages of Thrilling Wonder Stories, the first issue actually had letters to publish. Good wishes came from pros such as Edmond Hamilton, Otis Adelbert Kline, Manly Wade Wellman, Earl & Otto Binder and Arthur K. Barns.

Startling got off to a good start by publishing Stanley G. Weinbaum's "The Black Flame". Also in the issue was an appreciation of Weinbaum by Otto Binder. Other stories included "The Eternal Man" by D. D. Sharp (first published in Science Wonder Stories, August, 1929) the first entry into the Scientifiction Hall Of Fame, and "Science Island" by Eando Binder. The rest of the issue was taken up by features including a review of Science Fiction fan magazines; Prophets of Science, a guest editorial by Otis Adelbert Kline; They Changed The World - Albert Einstein, told in pictures; Thrills In Science by Mort Weisinger who later guided the fortunes of Superman for many years; Science Question Box; Scientific Crossword Puzzle and, finally, The Ether Vibrates. The cover art is not signed, but illustrates Eando Binder's story "Science Island". Since it resembles the interior illustration it is possibly by Wesso, but that is only a guess.

The issue led off with A Tribute to the late Stanley G. Weinbaum by Otto Binder. Weinbaum died at the height of his popularity and far too young. The Forecast for Coming Issues stories by Binder, Wellman, Kline and many others. It also plugged the upcoming issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories.

The first column is "Reviewing The Science Fiction Fan Publications", most likely by Mort Weisinger. Titles reviewed were "Tomorrow", from England, by Douglas W. F. Mayer and G. S. Airey; "Imagination" from the Los Angeles chapter of the Science Fiction League; "The Science Fiction Fan" by Olon F. Wiggins of Denver, Co; "Fantasy-News" from New York's James V. Taurasi; and "New Fandom", also from New York, by Sam Moskowitz, William S. Sykora, Raymond Van Houten and James V. Taurasi.

Otis Adelbert Kline ("Well-Known Scientifiction Novelist") contributed the first Guest Editorial, "Prophets Of Science". It praised the imaginations of those who write about the future.

The novel for this issue is The Black Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum, illustrated by Wesso. "Thomas Connor Pits Ancient Knowledge and Daring Against Immortals Who Have Ruled a Strange New World for Centuries!"

"They Changed The World" by Jack Binder presented the life of Albert Einstein in pictures. Einstein was certainly an apt subject, being the Number One Science Celebrity of the day.

"Scientifiction's Hall Of Fame" printed stories that "stand the test of time", and incidentally, were published in the Wonder Stories family of magazines. The series was inauguerated by D. D. Sharp's story "The Eternal Man", illustrated by Frank R. Paul. Weisinger didn't give us a blurb on this one, but the theme is man's search for immortality.

"Thrills In Science, Thumbnail Sketches of Great Men and Achievements" was contributed by Mort Weisinger. This issue featured Joseph Priestly and the discovery of oxygen; Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen and his experiments with X-Rays; Professor Max Pettenkofer's rash experiment with cholera germs; and amateur astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks predicting the transit of Venus across the face of the Sun.

The Science Question Box was intended to answer reader's questions about science. This issue fielded questions on absolute zero, how well do animals see, how would the Earth end and "Therbligs", described as hand motions used to perform different jobs. Obviously not a common term.

The second short story in this issue was "Science Island" by Eando Binder, illustrated by Wesso. "A Cold-Blooded Scientific Napoleon with the Brain of a Genius and a Body of Metal Threatens to Dominate Mankind!"

The Ether Vibrates was intended to be direct line of communication by the editor and the readers. Letters in this issue were from Arthur K. Barnes, Edmind Hamilton, Otis Adelbert Kline, Manly Wade Wellman, Earl and Otto Binder, Arthur J. Burks, Issac Asimov (just becoming a pro), John Giunta (later to illustrate comic books and Science Fiction magazines), Seymour Kapetansky, Grace Kobell, Charles Ward (from Los Angeles, not Arkham) and William Novak.

The final feature is the Scientific Crossword Puzzle.

All told, Startling Stories got off to a good start and it went on to have a respectable run. When it finally folded in 1955 it had been combined with Thrilling Wonder Stories and Fantastic Story Magazine. But that final issue bore the title Startling Stories.

Zombie For A Day

2006-12-15T10:08:00.000-06:00

A real treat for fans of the off-beat Horror-Comedy genre is Monogram's 1941 film King Of The Zombies. The reason for this is the presence of third-billed star Mantan Moreland, an excellent comedy player popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Perhaps he is best know as chauffeur Birmingham Brown in fifteen Charlie Chan films.

Moreland was born in Louisiana in 1902. He first appeared on stage and then in films. His character was often that of a frightened servant, but his character was no more a coward than Bob Hope and Lou Costello in similar movies. Moreland always managed to keep things in perspective, much like Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. Truth is, Mantan Moreland stole many a film from the nominal stars.
King Of The Zombies features a Nazi scientist working to create a zombie army for the Third Reich. Heroes Dick Purcell and John Archer, accompanied by valet Jeff (Moreland) crash on the mad doctor's island and start to uncover the secret plot. The mad doctor attempts to turn Jeff into a Zombie which leads to some of the funniest scenes in the movie. I won't spoil things by trying to describe them. Let's just say we
get to watch a comic master at work. It's also interesting to note that Jeff is the first
character in the film to realize skullduggery is afoot, putting him way ahead of the heroes.

Mantan Moreland deserves to be remembered for his great talent. Sadly, at the time, too many of his roles were beneath him, but his talent and on-screen good humor won him many fans of all races.

Moreland suffered a stroke in the 1960s which curtailed his career, but he kept working until his death in 1973. During his career he appeared in over 130 roles in film and television. His films are definitely worth seeking out.

Fondly Frankenstein

2006-12-14T16:02:00.000-06:00

The month of December figures in the history of Young Frankenstein. Terri Garr (photo left) was born on December 11 and just celebrated her 59th birthday (may she have many more). But this film wasn't her only brush with Science Fiction. In 1968 she had a prominent role in an episode of Star Trek entitled Assignment: Earth. In 1977 she played Richard Dreyfys's wife in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. But her performance as Inga remains my favorite.

But not all of December's association with YF are happy. The day after Terri's birthday, Peter Boyle, who played Frederick Frankenstein's creature, passed away. Boyle played many roles in film and television during his career, but his comic turn as the Monster was a high point.

Marty Feldman, the hunchback Igor, died on December 2, 1982. He had just finished filming scenes for the pirate comedy Yellowbeard. Madeline Kahn, Elizabeth, died December 3, 1999. She had been appearing in a regular role on Cosby.
Young Frankenstein is one of the two best horror spoofs ever made, the other being Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Both films use splendid casts to create classic entertainment and the pair would make a good double feature. So take some time to sit back and relive the great moments of comedy and again appreciate the splendid talents of Terri Garr, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman and Madeline Kahn. Not to mention all those other guys in the darn thing.

HOOHAH FOR HOLLYWOOD

2006-12-11T15:40:00.000-06:00

It is continually amazing how out of touch with the real world Hollywood continues to be. Latest example is last night's episode of Cold Case. A 2000 murder case leads to Nashville and two detectives are sent to work on it. Of course there is duscussion about who will go. "That's in a Red state, isn't it?" asks one of the tolerent members of the group. Another comments he "never goes south of the Mason-Dixon line'" Really open-minded, aren't they? When the detectives arrive at the Nashville police department they are met by a lieutenant of detectives who goes by the name "Big Daddy" and wears a cowboy hat. (The only "Big Daddy" I know comes from the north.) It's obvious the only knowledge of the South the writers have comes from old Tennessee Williams plays, and most of his were set in Louisiana.

This is all too typical of the attitude the media elite have toward "fly over" country. And it's why network viewership continues to decline each year. Well, they get what they deserve.

SHE-Who Must Be Obeyed

2006-12-04T15:34:00.000-06:00

H. Rider Haggard's novel about an immortal queen has been filmed many times. Probably the version closest to the book was the 1925 silent film starring Betty Blythe. Haggard himself wrote the title cards just before his death. Haggard was a prolific novelist, but not that many of his works have been filmed. Probably the most well-known is King Solomon's Mines.

The earliest filming of She was in 1899, titled Colonne de Feu. The next version was in 1908 by Edwin S. Porter, associate of Thomas Edison. A total of five silent versions are known to have been filmed.
The biggest production of She is undoubtedly the 1935 film released by RKO. Produced by Merian C. Cooper, who produced King Kong. It was designed to be filmed in color but the studio heads insisted on black and white. Looking at the film it is obvious that it needs color. Lansing C. Holden, who received co-director credit, was the designer and his work is outstanding. Visually, the movie is a treat, especially after entering the underground kingdom of Kor. Max Steiner (assisted by Berhard Kaun) composed an outstanding score.
Unfortunately the script is a major disappointment. The setting is moved from Africa to Siberia. A romantic subplot complicates things, too. But the greatest weakness of the film is star Helen Gahagan. She was a singer and Broadway actress, but on film she comes across as cold and aloof. Her performance is not bad, it is just that the camera does not like her. As a result, this was her only film appearance.
Other cast members are fine. Randolph Scott, before being type cast in Westerns is the stalwart hero and his mentor is Nigel Bruce, years before the bumbling Dr. Watson. Helen Mack, who had earlier appeared in Son Of Kong. But my favorite performer in the whole thing is German actor Gustav von Seyfferitz, as the queen's prime minister. Seyfferitz was a memorable silent villain, especially his Professor Moriarty opposite John Barrymore's Sherlock Holmes. Here he assays a sympathetic role and helps hold things together.
The highlight of the film is a ceremony preceeding a ritual sacrifice. Here everything comes together; design, set decoration, music, costumes, the works. Benjamin Zemach is the dance director and his work is outstanding. Most choreography for "barbarian" rituals tends to look pretty silly, but Zemach created a grand spectacle. Of course there are a couple of Busby Berkley moments, but they work One could only wish it were in color.
And in May, it will be available in color as colorized by Ray Harryhausen. I usually dread colorized films; the results tend to be pretty bad. But I have faith in Harryhausen and I doubt he would do a bad job. Now if they could just digitally insert Sophia Loren as She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed.

A Very Short History of A Lost East Tennessee Fandom

2006-12-02T09:18:00.000-06:00

My wife Jean and I became heavily involved in Nashville Fandom in 1972, working on the first two Kubla Khans among other activities. However, in 1975, the job market took us to Roane County, about 30 miles west of Knoxville. At first we attended a few club meetings in Knoxville, but found things a little dull after Nashville. So, thanks to Irvin Koch’s address book, we got in contact with some unorganized locals and started our own club in Kingston. Unfortunately, records are lost in storage, so this will be a very sketchy and incomplete record of that group.
We sent cards to several people on Irvin’s list and got our first response from Roger Caldwell. We also spoke with Janie Lamb who attended whenever her schedule allowed it. (Janie had been heavily involved with the National Fantasy Fan Federation for many years.) We started having meetings at the Kingston Community Center with about five people, most now forgotten, and dubbed the group The East Tennessee Science Fiction Association (ETSFA). At the same time I continued by activities with the N3F and published “Bar Stool” for the apa. Roger was also doing some publishing for comic apas and producing fan art.
By 1976 we had an active little group and planned a small con to be held in Harriman the following year, Harcon I (and, as it turned out) only. It was a small con held at the Harriman Holiday Inn with folks from Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and other points south attending; close to 80 people in all. Jeannie and I were co-chairs, Roger Caldwell, Janie Lamb, Ritchie Dean and a couple of others were the committee. We had a small film program, a few hucksters and a few panels. Our GoH was an aerospace instructor from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. We had a good time and planned another, but our date the next year was taken by CoastCon and the convention calendar was getting pretty heavy, so we just decided to be con attendees.
The club gained new members including Brad Clagg, Scott Young, Mary Ann Ennis and we wound up merging with a budding Trek group in Harriman started by Reese Bain. Interests expanded with the growing membership including film collecting (pre-video days) and war gaming. Meetings moved to a fine old building in Harriman and we drifted on a few more years.
Some members became regulars at the midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. We had some fun Halloween parties, and a bunch of us would travel to Kubla Khan and Chattacon. We had about three very active years in all.
Early in 1978 Jeannie and I became heavily involved in community theatre and gradually gafiated, except for a brief fling at working on Xanadu during its run. The ETSFA quickly fell apart as interests changed among the other members and Roane County’s organized fandom slipped into oblivion.
Still, a few of us kept up a few fannish activities such as attending cons and publishing. Jeannie and I joined X-APA (devoted to X-Men), along with Roger. Roger and I also published zines for CAPRA, the movie apa. I was involved with DAPA-M (mystery apa) and Roger was in a couple of other comic related apas. Scott became involved with film collecting. And all of us travelled en masse to Sci Fi movie showing. We became involved with a bunch from Oak Ridge, including Wayne & Claudia Walls and were involved with gaming (board and role playing). Keith Tarpley, last heard of as living in Knoxville, also became involved in the group and contributed computer skills which were fairly new at that time.
Now Jeannie and I have again become involved in Nashville fandom, and Roger Caldwell was still publishing zines for apas not too long ago. We worked on the last two Xanadu conventions of 2004 and 2005. And here I am, trying my hand a writing again.
I hope this sparks some memories in other folks and the record can be completed and probably corrected.

H. P. Lovecraft

2006-11-29T22:08:00.000-06:00

I discovered the works of H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) around 1963 when I came across a paperback edition of The Colour Out Of Space. Lovecraft is regarded as the father of the modern horror novel, although his approach often tended to be in a Science Fiction vein rather than in the supernatural. His works often succeeded in creating an atmosphere that was truly eerie, although he did tend to be a bit generous in his use of adjectives.

Very few of Lovecraft's stories were published during his lifetime, usually in the pages of Weird Tales, the first magazine devoted to supernatural fiction. Many of HPL's works appeared in amateur publications; his primary income was derived from ghost writing works for others, or at least revising weak stories.

Lovecraft certainly attracted a large number of followers, young writers who wrote similar works. Robert Bloch was one of these, as was August Derleth, who eventually teamed up with Donald Wandrei to create Arkham House Publishers in order to keep Lovecraft's work in print. They have since published a large number of excellent works in the realm of Science Fiction and the supernatural.

A number of Lovecraft's works have been filmed; usually quite badly. The Colour Out Of Space was filmed as Die, Monster, Die with Boris Karloff. The Dunwich Horror looked more like a bad LSD trip, wasting a good cast. The Case Of Charles Dexter Ward was fairly faithfully filmed (try saying that three times fast), but was released as Edgar Allen Poe's The Haunted Palace. Vincent Price was very good as Ward, a man becoming possessed by an ancestor. The Shadow Over Innsmouth was adapted into Dagon and filmed in Spain. It did follow the story reasonably well but was pretty weak overall.

Currently Arkham House has all of Lovecraft's fiction in print in three volumes. They have also published five thick volumes of his letters (his output of letters was unbelievable), and, at one time, published a volume of his poetry. To see what is currently available, go tho their web site at http://www.arkhamhouse.com/.

In the series of stories that make up the "Cthulhu Mythos" HPL wrote of two races, the Elder Gods and the Great Old Ones. These beings inhabited Earth long before the advent of Man, and await the opportunity to return. Lovecraft regarded them as neither good or evil, just so different as to be beyond mortal comprehension. When young writer August Derleth started writing his own stories for the Mythos he interpreted the cosmic struggle to be between the forces of good and evil. Derleth's influence held sway for many years until later writers started paying more attention to the original sources.

(I have usually found Derleth's Mythos stories to be generally inferior, but when creating original stories, either supernatural or mysteries, he was quite excellent. He needed to emerge from Lovecraft's shadow to show what he was capable of. Derleth also wrote pastiches of Sherlock Holmes featuring a detective named Solar Pons. While not up to Doyle, they are quite enjoyable to read.)

So as we near the 70th anniversary of Lovecraft's death he is still with us, kept alive by his writings and by the many authors he inspired; writers like Derleth, Frank Belknap Long, Robert Bloch and Brian Lumley, to name only a few.

In closing, back when I attended Farragut High School I was the first person to do a book report on Lovecraft, as well as Metropolis and The Phantom Of The Opera. Some of my teachers wondered about my tastes in literature. Happily, they haven't changed.

Space Rangers Of The World, Unite!

2006-11-26T12:27:00.000-06:00

The Fifties were great years to get introduced to Science Fiction. Numerous studioes were turning out some good movies and television also did its part. The first Sci Fi television I saw was Tom Corbett: Space Cadet. It was probably the last season for that series. Another I watched regularly was Science Fiction Theater with host Truman Bradley. But the series that hooked me was Rocky Jones, Space Ranger. It had uniforms a kid could copy; tee shirts with a patch, and baseball caps. The rocket was the epitome of the sleek deep space ship of the era, familiar from many a magazine, and the settings were (for want of a better term) out of this world.

Richard Crane was the stalwart hero and Sally Mansfield was the lovely blonde crewmember Vena Ray. There was also an elderly, absent-minded genius, Professor Newton portrayed by Maurice Cass, Winky the co-pilot played by Scotty Beckett (former Our Gang member) and Robert Lydon as Bobby, the youngest regular cast member. Biff was played by James Lydon, the movie's Henry Aldrich (no relation to Robert). Guest performers included Ian Keith, Henry Brandon (Barnaby in Laurel & Hardy's March Of The Wooden Soldiers) and John Banner (later Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heroes).

Stories were relatively simple but featured some interesting concepts. The bad guys resembled the Soviets; no surprise since this was the Cold War and that Nazis were old hat. The cast members and guest cast were all established professionals and the acting was pretty decent for a kid's show.

Several feature films were cobbled together from related episodes. Crash Of Moons involved a gypsy moon zipping through space, threatening to collide with an occupied planet. The special effects were pretty good and looked better than in some low-budget flicks of the Fifties.

Rocky Jones was the direct descendent of the pulps, but not quite Space Opera. It's worth giving it a look and drifting back to a time when things were simpler and the bad guys were the same baddies you saw in a Western on Saturday afternoon. Orbit Jet, away!

Stranger Than Fiction

2006-11-25T20:44:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is after Thanksgiving and I continued my tradition of staying away from the malls on Friday. I still have a little sanity left.

Interesting things come in the mail. Today I received an advertising flyer from Direct TV. Nothing unusual in that except the thing was in Russian. As far as I could tell, it is promoting a Russian channel. I guess they decided I must be Russian. Actually my background (on my father's side) is Hungarian and Slovokian and neither of those nationalities would care to be called Russian.

Next post I'll get back to pulps or something similar.

Time Travel

2006-11-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

It's fun going through old pictures taken at cons. It's like traveling back in time to a less complicated world. Here I am about 20 years ago with Ladonna and Lisa, two fans from East Tennessee at the time. This may have been aChattacon. Last time I saw them was in Atlanta in 1990 just before I pretty much gave up cons for a while.

We had a small, but active group back in Roane County. I still see a couple of the guys from time to time, Roger and Scott. I haven't seen any of the rest of the crew since about 1984.

The last Chattacon I attended was in 1984, the year of the Great Ice Storm. Roger and I went down for Saturday only. It started snowing as we started home and was getting very enthusiastic by the time we made it to Kingston. That night the temperature plummeted to below 0 and the roads from Chattanooga were a skating rink. The return for some folks from Chattanooga, which is normaly a 90-minute drive, took eight hours. Nashville fans had to contend with Monteagle Mountain going home.

Some of my old friends from those days are gone now. Irv Koch and Dave Shockley for example. Bob Tucker just a few weeks ago. Many others I have just lost track of as I drifted away from Fandom. Maybe we'll encounter each other again. If anyone who remembers reads this, drop me a line.

Flying In Space

2006-11-19T12:03:00.000-06:00

This is a rather unusual cover for Bergey; no damsels in distress or horrid space monsters. In fact it's a lovely space scene featuring a nice Sci Fi element; an astronaut flying through space with a PPD, a personal propulsion device. I suspect he painted this cover to show his critics what he could do if given the assignment. It was also about the time Startling was attempting to become a bit more respectable. After all, Astounding was leading the field in quality under editor John W. Campbell. Amazing and Fantastic Adventures under the editorship of Raymond A. Palmer (RAP) were heading the other way, publishing a series of stories by Richard Shaver, allegedly true, warning about an underground race threatening humanity. (Those stories eventually cost Palmer his job, so he founded another magazine to promote thw stories, defending them until his death in 1977.)

While still publishing good Space Opera Startling and Thrilling also published Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein and Philip Jose Farmer. In fact Farmer's story, The Lovers, was quite daring for its day, dealing with inter-species romance. Eventually the line that included Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, Space Stories , Wonder Story Annual and Fantastic Story was unable to compete in the restricted market of the 1950s and the magazines ceased publication with the Fall, 1955, issue of Startling, combined with Thrilling Wonder and Fantastic Story. It was a mere 114 pages featuring a cover by Emsh and stories by James E. Gunn, Robert F. Young, Mack Reynolds. Interior illustrations were by Virgil Finlay and Emsh. In all, it wasn't really a bad way to go out.

If anyone out there reading this has any particular pulp and Sci Fi related stories they would like to share, I would be happy to hear from you.

Happy Birthday, Forry!

2006-11-17T21:30:00.000-06:00

Forrest J. Ackerman, life-long Science Fiction fan, editor, writer, agent, creator of the term Sci Fi and promoter of all good things Fantastic, celebrates his 90th Birthday on Saturday, November 18. I have had the pleasure of meeting him several times and his enthusiasm for Science Fiction is contagious.

Have a Happy Birthday, Forry.

Bond Is Back

2006-11-17T18:07:00.000-06:00

James Bond is back on the screen in the form of actor Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. He is the best Bond since the golden days of Sean Connery. But he would not have managed this without a good script by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis. Direction is handled with suitable style by Martin Campbell.

The script is the true saving grace of the franchise because Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan were betrayed by poor scripts. Roger Moore was capable of playing Bond, but the producers opted for bigger gadgets, absurdly indistructable villains and weak story lines populated with smarmy humor. Dalton, a good actor, lacked something as Bond and Brosnan's high-pitched voice just did not fit the role.

This film avoids the outrageous gadgets that began to populate the films starting with Thunderball. It still offers some excellent stunts and action scenes, especially the chase in Madagascar early in the film. Wisely the story backtracks to where Bond first earns his 00 designation. It creates some interesting conflicts in the character that I hope get explored in later titles.

But, there is one big negative. The bloody thing goes on far too long. At 144 minutes (it felt longer) it gets hard to sit through the last act. The set-piece sequence at Miami airport, while exciting, could easily be cut without having a negative impact on the film. By the time the big poker game (no sissy Chemin De Fer for this Bond) at Casino Royale ends, the audience is ready to go home. Sadly, the movie overstays its welcome.

Performances are good. Mads Mikkelsen, as villain Le Chiffre has a face that looks like a blend of a young Peter Lorre and Henry Silva. And what he does with that face is marvelous. Eva Green is impressive as lead Bond girl Vesper Lynd and handles the part with ease. The score by David Arnold sounds a lot like John Barry's work earlier in the series and it is the best score since Barry left the series. Other technical credits are also very good.

It would be interesting if the producers would consider remaking some of the earlier titles. Moonraker and Man With The Golden Gun both deserved better than they got and Diamonds Are Forever was very weak, too.

So pack your survival gear and head to your nearest multiplex and welcome James Bond back to the big screen.

Stanley G. Weinbaum Remembered

2006-11-16T09:46:00.002-06:00

Science Fiction has long been regarded as providing a window into the future, although this may be more wishful thinking than anything else. Yet many of the earliest writers were scientists. Ray Cummings, for example, worked with Thomas A. Edison for a number of years before he began his writing career, but one of the best of the early writers dropped out of college. Stanley G. Weinbaum (1902-1935) created the most alien of aliens in his story A Martian Odyssey (1934). His alien acted and thought in a way different from humans and the story has been considered a classic since it was first published.

Weinbaum's story Pygmalion's Spectacles appeared in the June, 1935, issue of Wonder Stories (pictured). In it a scientist has created a new form of motion picture in which the viewer dons a pair of spectacles that allow him to intract with the filmed drama. In other words, Weinbaum predicted Virtual Reality! The story's protagonist is asked to try the spectacles and shortly finds himself in a garden world where he encounters a young woman and her guardian. He is able to hear, smell and touch this world. He becomes a part of the world for the duration of the "motion picture". Of course Weinbaum doesn't use computers; his methods are chemistry and electricity. "I photograph the story in a liquid with light-sensative chromates. I build up a complex solution...I add taste chemically and sound electrically. And when the story is recorded, then I put the solution in my spectacles--my movie projector.I electrolyze the solution, break it down; the older chromates go first, and out comes the story, sight, sound, smell, taste--all." Still, what he describes in the story is Virtual Reality.

Weinbaum wrote 24 short stories and several novels before his death from throat cancer at the age of 33. It is indeed sad to contemplate his loss at such a young age. The stories he had yet to tell are lost forever, but he left behind some excellent works. Every now and then some get reprinted and he is discovered by another generation. If you have not read any of his works, seek them out.

As a final note, in 1973 Stanley G. Weinbaum was honored by having a crater on Mars named after him. It is a fitting tribute for a very creative writer.

How Bad Was That Movie?

2006-11-15T14:19:00.000-06:00

It's interesting how some really bad Sci Fi movies can have some of the more interesting concepts. I just finished watching PHANTOM PLANET (1961). The plot is simple. A roving asteroid collides with several Earth ships. An expedition to find said asteroid makes a soft landing and the surviving astronaut encounters Liliputians. Actually, the inhabitants who live in the interior of the asteroid, are small due to heavy gravity and other technobabble. The astronaut shrinks to their size, fights a duel meets girl and destroys monster before the inhabitants help him return home.

Yes, it is pretty convoluted, but the idea of an asteroid being used as a space ship has hardly been touched on by films. I have encountered it in a few stories and books over the years. Actually, the concept is pretty good for story telling. I recall a juvenile book using the idea by Joe Green many years ago. Heinlein's "Orphans Of The Sky" introduced the concept of a universe ship, where the inhabitants don't realize they are in a ship. The only time I am aware of this particular idea being used was in a Canadian series entitled "The Star Lost". Sadly it was pretty cheesy and not nearly as much fun as PHANTOM PLANET. (Ben Bova and Harlan Ellison wrote some pretty good tales based on their experiences with the series.)

So if you have some time to kill and want to park your brain, watch PHANTOM PLANET. It could be worse; you could be watching "The Star Lost".

The Thing That Came From The Newsstand

2006-11-14T18:35:00.000-06:00

Bright colors, threatening monsters and scantily clad girls made up the cover themes for the pulps over at Standard during the 1940s. Earl K. Bergey became the primary cover artist for both Startling Stories and its companion publication Thrilling Wonder Stories. A veteran of the Good Girl Art (GGA) school Bergey's art had graced the covers of magazines for some years before he was hired to attract readers to Startling and Thrilling Wonder.

The covers became fodder for the letter columns. Some praised the art while others complained about being ashamed to be seen reading such stuff. But Bergey did his job and his eye-catching art graced these titles until his death in 1952.

By the time I began reading Sci Fi the pulps were a thing of the past and the surving titles Analog (formerly Astounding), Galaxy, The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction, and others sported more respectable covers featuring excellent work by Frank Kelly Freas and Ed Emshwiller, among others. Spacecraft began to look a bit more realistic and the art still conveyed Sense Of Wonder.

It took me a while to get into the magazines. I read paperbacks by Heinlein and Bradbury, but I approached the magazines slowly. Then in 1973 I discovered the pulps and fell in love with the stories of the 30s and 40s. After all, the pulps were the predecessors of my early favorite TV shows like COMMANDO CODY, JET JACKSON (the syndicated title for Captain Midnight) and ROCKY JONES. Not to mention the wonderful Sci Fi flicks of the 1950s from Universal and Columbia. I also developed a fondness for the giant bug movies of Bert I. Gordon, a man who could work wonders on a small budget. And, the Republic serials were now showing on TV with titles like KING OF THE ROCKETMEN and ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE (which featured a young Leonard Nimoy as a Martian).

I have almost completed my collection of Startling Stories. I need only five more issues. Then I'll go after more Wonder Stories in its various incarnations. Classic stories? Maybe a few, but mostly not. But the writers could certainly tell a story and take you into the future for a couple of hours.

Influences

2006-11-14T10:41:00.000-06:00

Growing up in the 1950s I was exposed to a lot of fun Science Fiction and Monster movies. That is where I learned to love the entire genre. Probably the movie that grabbed my attention the most was The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad, with effects created by stop-motion genius Ray Harryhausen (the good-looking guy standing to my left in the picture). Ray Harryhausen was an early Science Fiction fan (along with folks like Ray Bradbury and Forrest J. Ackerman). He fell in love with King Kong (1933) and learned the techniques of special effects artist Willis O'Brien. Years later Harryhausen worked with O'Brien on Mighty Joe Young.

His career started taking off about the time I was old enough to go to the movies. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, Earth Vs The Flying Saucers, 20.000,000 Miles To Earth, and, of course, The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad were favorites. (The latter film introduced me to the music of Bernard Herrmann, but that's another topic.)

We got our first television in time for me to catch the final season of Tom Corbett Space Cadet. Rocky Jones was another favorite series, and my sister and I never failed to watch Science Fiction Theater. I can even remember listening to the radio version of that series.

Interests changed over the years but I kept drifting back to Sci Fi, eventually joining the Nashville Science Fiction Club in 1972. I have had varrying levels of activity over the last 34 years from helping run conventions, publishing fanzines or even running away from it all at times. Now I have drifted back into the fold and have started going back into my collection and reading the wonderful pulp magazines from years past.

For anyone stumbling on this blog who is unfamiliar with the term, pulp referred to the cheap wood pulp paper these magazines were printed on. At one time there were literally hundreds of fiction magazines in just about any genre you could want; Science Fiction, Detective, Western, Romance, Western Romance, Horror, Sports, Railroads. You name it there was probably a magazine on that subject. Writers did not become rich writing for the pulps Some titles (very rarely) might pay five cents a word; many paid as little as 1/2 cent a word when they got around to paying. Still, a prolific writer could make a living by writing for as many markets as possible.

Part of the appeal of the pulps (and sometimes the opposite) were the often-lurid covers by artists such as Frank R. Paul, Earl K. Bergey and Virgil Finlay. I'll show a few of these in later postings. But as the 1950s rolled around the magazines tried to be less lurid and less sensational covers were used. However the age of the pulps was coming to a close. Paper costs, distribution problems, and the rise of the paperback book took their toll. Astounding went to digest size, new titles appeared in the same format with better paper and more respectable covers. These and other factors brought an end to the pulp era (which, oddly enough, was roughly the same time span as the motion picture serials).

So, this was the era in which I was introduced to Science Fiction, but somehow I managed to backtrack from the respectable digest magazines and into the world of the pulps. But then again, I grew up during the birth of rock and roll but I prefer big band music. Go figure. So check back from time to time and see what sort of lurid covers I post here.

Stepping Into the Stream

2006-08-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

There are a couple of good things about getting old. First, there are senior discounts. Take 'em while you can.
Second, it's easier to get away with being a grouch. And there are a lot of things to be grouchy about today.
So, by way of introduction, I was born a little bit before the middle of the last century, avidly read about the coming scientific marvels, and I still wonder whatever happened to the personal helicoptors they promised us for every garage. Where are our colonies on the moon or Mars, for example? Nope. We're still trapped in the same mundane world. But, it beats the alternative I guess.
So, let's just try to have fun where we are. And, by the way, happy 86th Birthday to Ray Bradbury.