DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Scientifictionist, v. 1, issue 4, April 1946

Transcribe
Translate

Scientifictionist, v. 1, issue 4, April 1946

Page 16

assertions. (Or maybe I am, here) Anyway, there are very few new inventions that wouldn't put money in industry's pockets, so why should we throw them away!
[Calling all Technocrats!-- ed.] As for tubeless radios, there's the granddaddy of them all, the crystal receiver. But you don't see them replacing the conventional type and I doubt if you ever will. They just aren't practical.

DEDUCTION wasn't too good, and I'm sorry to say, Henry, that this issue as a whole was not as good as the others. -- Andy Lyon, 200 Williamsboro St., Oxford, North Carolina.
▯Speaking of Classics. . .▯
A word or so on #3 Scientifictionist. That thing by Wranek had no place in your otherwise excellent magazine. Every single fault he finds with other stf is not only a fault, it's a CRITERION of anything by Burroughs. Anybody gets a stab out of ERB, fine. But they should realize that other stuff exists, and even if they like ERB better they shouold try to dig up some logical reasons. Or else shut up.
And this matter of classics. I was rather astonished when you omitted the ONE thing that a story has to have to be a classic, AGE. I'll agree with you that emotional impact is probably the thing that make a story remembered, but it is the length of time it is remembered that makes it a classic, neo-classic, or just a potentiality. An example or two by way of clarification: I'd say the Baldy series is potentially classic; SLAN or most of the Heinleins, neo-classic; and THE METAL MONSTER classic. Since stfzines have been in existence only about two decades, comparatively recent stuff must be admitted to the classical fold, but surely a story would have to be at least five years old AND REMEMBERED, before it deserved even a neo-classic tag. Anything 15 years old or older WHICH IS STILL REMEMBERED would, it seems to be, deserve the appellation of classic. This time limits, obviously, apply to the magazine stuff only. In the case of books, I'd list pre-Verne as primitive; Verne, Wells, and other contemporaries as classic; PEOPLE OF THE RUINS or HAMPDENSHIRE WONDER as neo-classic; and anything written during the past quarter century as potential classics only. These dates are, roughly: primitive, pre 1860 or 1870; classic, 1870-1910; neo-classic; 1910-1925; and so on anyone who gives the matter some serious thought can make a much better ser-up; this is admittedly rough draft and batted off at standard typing speed. -- Francis T. Laney, 1005 W. 35th Place, Los Angeles.7, California
▯Condensed Comments▯
Current ish of Stfist an improvement over preceeding ones -- and they were good. Especially liked ART OF THE SUN -- primarily because I've read so much tripe about surrealism, etc., thatn it is refreshing to see a statement of the other side of the question. Lynn's piece is interesting, although he falls into the same error that he criticizes in the pros -- that of writing almost wholly in terms of current methods of warfare.
Coslet displays what may be accomplished thru assiduous reading and collecting, when backed up by a good system of mote-taking and filing.
Oh, yes, -- the A.R.S. article stirred me up to the point of writing a card of inquiry, something I've been putting off for a long time. I'll probably join. -- D.B. Thompson, 1527 Levin St., Alexandria 5, La.
▯A Word or Two From the Sage of Seattle▯
Up to the war, I favored the British Interplanetary society over the American Rocket Society, Now that interplanetary flight is an expected event, perhaps it doesn't make so much difference that the ARS for years refused to acknowledge that objective. Anyway, isn't the first space-flight more likely to be undertaken by a government or big corporation than by any association!
Wranek is a bit behind the times in at least one of his criticisms. The exaggeratedly urbanized world is definitely passe in stf, or relegated to the comics and the cheaper pulps. Perhaps our authors should have been quicker.
page 16

Saving...

assertions. (Or maybe I am, here) Anyway, there are very few new inventions that wouldn't put money in industry's pockets, so why should we throw them away! [Calling all Technocrats!-- ed.] As for tubeless radios, there's the granddaddy of them all, the crystal receiver. But you don't see them replacing the conventional type and I doubt if you ever will. They just aren't practical. DEDUCTION wasn't too good, and I'm sorry to say, Henry, that this issue as a whole was not as good as the others. -- Andy Lyon, 200 Williamsboro St., Oxford, North Carolina. ▯Speaking of Classics. . .▯ A word or so on #3 Scientifictionist. That thing by Wranek had no place in your otherwise excellent magazine. Every single fault he finds with other stf is not only a fault, it's a CRITERION of anything by Burroughs. Anybody gets a stab out of ERB, fine. But they should realize that other stuff exists, and even if they like ERB better they shouold try to dig up some logical reasons. Or else shut up. And this matter of classics. I was rather astonished when you omitted the ONE thing that a story has to have to be a classic, AGE. I'll agree with you that emotional impact is probably the thing that make a story remembered, but it is the length of time it is remembered that makes it a classic, neo-classic, or just a potentiality. An example or two by way of clarification: I'd say the Baldy series is potentially classic; SLAN or most of the Heinleins, neo-classic; and THE METAL MONSTER classic. Since stfzines have been in existence only about two decades, comparatively recent stuff must be admitted to the classical fold, but surely a story would have to be at least five years old AND REMEMBERED, before it deserved even a neo-classic tag. Anything 15 years old or older WHICH IS STILL REMEMBERED would, it seems to be, deserve the appellation of classic. This time limits, obviously, apply to the magazine stuff only. In the case of books, I'd list pre-Verne as primitive; Verne, Wells, and other contemporaries as classic; PEOPLE OF THE RUINS or HAMPDENSHIRE WONDER as neo-classic; and anything written during the past quarter century as potential classics only. These dates are, roughly: primitive, pre 1860 or 1870; classic, 1870-1910; neo-classic; 1910-1925; and so on anyone who gives the matter some serious thought can make a much better ser-up; this is admittedly rough draft and batted off at standard typing speed. -- Francis T. Laney, 1005 W. 35th Place, Los Angeles.7, California ▯Condensed Comments▯ Current ish of Stfist an improvement over preceeding ones -- and they were good. Especially liked ART OF THE SUN -- primarily because I've read so much tripe about surrealism, etc., thatn it is refreshing to see a statement of the other side of the question. Lynn's piece is interesting, although he falls into the same error that he criticizes in the pros -- that of writing almost wholly in terms of current methods of warfare. Coslet displays what may be accomplished thru assiduous reading and collecting, when backed up by a good system of mote-taking and filing. Oh, yes, -- the A.R.S. article stirred me up to the point of writing a card of inquiry, something I've been putting off for a long time. I'll probably join. -- D.B. Thompson, 1527 Levin St., Alexandria 5, La. ▯A Word or Two From the Sage of Seattle▯ Up to the war, I favored the British Interplanetary society over the American Rocket Society, Now that interplanetary flight is an expected event, perhaps it doesn't make so much difference that the ARS for years refused to acknowledge that objective. Anyway, isn't the first space-flight more likely to be undertaken by a government or big corporation than by any association! Wranek is a bit behind the times in at least one of his criticisms. The exaggeratedly urbanized world is definitely passe in stf, or relegated to the comics and the cheaper pulps. Perhaps our authors should have been quicker. page 16