DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Scientifictionist, vol. 1, issue 5, June-July 1946

Transcribe
Translate

Scientifictionist, vol. 1, issue 5, June-July 1946

Page 16

Hall, as I remember; or at least one of these co-eds and someone else. [Bates and Hall apparently is the correct answer, confirmation coming from several reliable sources. -- ed.] Now find out who Vermyn Slinko is. -- Jack Speer, 4518 16th NE, Seattle 5, Washington.

Kennedy Still Likes Us!

Stfist #4 arrived in the morning mail about an hour ago. In case you don't know it by now, the mag is unquestionably one of the four top fanzines as far as quality is concerned. (the other three, of course, being Acolyte, Fsy Commentator, and Chanticleer.)

This issue seems about the neatest so far; the heavier paper and painstaking format added a lot (was the paper #24 pound? Where'd ya get it?). I liked the cover set-up, and the blue mimeoing of Bridges' column also proved effective. I'll list the material in order of preference in order to facilitate comments:

1. Stanley's AMONG THE CLASSICS. Norm's style of writing holds the reader's interest quite nicely; the story he mentions sounds slightly terrific -- gotta read the thing sometime. There are many first-rate tales in the older pulps, but also a heck of a lot of sheer tripe. Columns such as this should do lots to guide the beginning collector (or just a casual reader) to the best of the crop.

2. Bridges. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've read anything in a fanzine commenting on prozine slogans.

3. Letter section. Stfist has one of the better blatt columns, in my opinion. Paul Juneau's remark on politics in stf may be true, but such material can easily be overdone...and the fans too easily lose interest in material derived from the "concepts of stf" when such material is presented in huge, indigestible doses -- or have I said something like this before?

4. THE URBANATE. In writing quality, this would probably rate best in the mag, but I found Bridges' and Stanley's contributions of more direct interest. Technocracy's "drive-it-yourself" auto system sounds intriguing -- wonder if such a thing could be applied to rocker ships in the far future? There's material for an ASF novelet...I'll have to re-read this article more thoroughly when I get a chance; there is a lot of thought-provoking stuff in it. Incidentally, according to a recent VARA mag, there are chaps in Germany who marvel at the present virility of the US. According to H. Scott, the price system should've collapsed several years ago.

5. The Burbee piece. While indeed amusing, this Hemmel sortie doesn't seem quite up to the author's usual standard of hilarity. Burbee, by the way, says he's seriously considering sending one of the sorties to the Lemurian fanzine Maxin 96 to see if they print it! 

6. ESCAPIST OR REALIST. Somehow, this piece is a bit reminiscent of Keonig's LITTLE MEN, WHAT NOW? You brought out several good points. Still in all, I can't regard stf as anything more than an enjoyable hobby. The vastness of its concepts serves to add to this enjoyment. Why should fans struggle futilely to better the world? S-f tells us that in 1950 the Martians will invade Earth and blow us all to our basic molecules, and then what will all our effort avail us?

I do but jest.

7. Tucker's book review. I finally got to the volume, and am reading it at present. There doesn't seem to be a dull page in the whole book, and it's interesting to compare the recent ASF selections with such older tales as Keller's THE IVY WAR and Stone's CONQUEST OF GOLA. I was indeed glad, tho, that Conklin included Boucher's minor masterpiece EXPEDITION. There are a few too many save-the-earth stories, but this is a minor defect. Best I've read so far: van Vogt's THE SEARCH.

8. ATOMS, BOMBS, AND THE MOON. This rates last place not because of inferiority, but because of the excellence of the other material. The item was okay, and an example of the type of off-trail stuff worth reprinting -- Joe Kennedy, 84 Baker Avenue, Dover, New Jersey.

page 16

Saving...

Hall, as I remember; or at least one of these co-eds and someone else. [Bates and Hall apparently is the correct answer, confirmation coming from several reliable sources. -- ed.] Now find out who Vermyn Slinko is. -- Jack Speer, 4518 16th NE, Seattle 5, Washington. Kennedy Still Likes Us! Stfist #4 arrived in the morning mail about an hour ago. In case you don't know it by now, the mag is unquestionably one of the four top fanzines as far as quality is concerned. (the other three, of course, being Acolyte, Fsy Commentator, and Chanticleer.) This issue seems about the neatest so far; the heavier paper and painstaking format added a lot (was the paper #24 pound? Where'd ya get it?). I liked the cover set-up, and the blue mimeoing of Bridges' column also proved effective. I'll list the material in order of preference in order to facilitate comments: 1. Stanley's AMONG THE CLASSICS. Norm's style of writing holds the reader's interest quite nicely; the story he mentions sounds slightly terrific -- gotta read the thing sometime. There are many first-rate tales in the older pulps, but also a heck of a lot of sheer tripe. Columns such as this should do lots to guide the beginning collector (or just a casual reader) to the best of the crop. 2. Bridges. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've read anything in a fanzine commenting on prozine slogans. 3. Letter section. Stfist has one of the better blatt columns, in my opinion. Paul Juneau's remark on politics in stf may be true, but such material can easily be overdone...and the fans too easily lose interest in material derived from the "concepts of stf" when such material is presented in huge, indigestible doses -- or have I said something like this before? 4. THE URBANATE. In writing quality, this would probably rate best in the mag, but I found Bridges' and Stanley's contributions of more direct interest. Technocracy's "drive-it-yourself" auto system sounds intriguing -- wonder if such a thing could be applied to rocker ships in the far future? There's material for an ASF novelet...I'll have to re-read this article more thoroughly when I get a chance; there is a lot of thought-provoking stuff in it. Incidentally, according to a recent VARA mag, there are chaps in Germany who marvel at the present virility of the US. According to H. Scott, the price system should've collapsed several years ago. 5. The Burbee piece. While indeed amusing, this Hemmel sortie doesn't seem quite up to the author's usual standard of hilarity. Burbee, by the way, says he's seriously considering sending one of the sorties to the Lemurian fanzine Maxin 96 to see if they print it! 6. ESCAPIST OR REALIST. Somehow, this piece is a bit reminiscent of Keonig's LITTLE MEN, WHAT NOW? You brought out several good points. Still in all, I can't regard stf as anything more than an enjoyable hobby. The vastness of its concepts serves to add to this enjoyment. Why should fans struggle futilely to better the world? S-f tells us that in 1950 the Martians will invade Earth and blow us all to our basic molecules, and then what will all our effort avail us? I do but jest. 7. Tucker's book review. I finally got to the volume, and am reading it at present. There doesn't seem to be a dull page in the whole book, and it's interesting to compare the recent ASF selections with such older tales as Keller's THE IVY WAR and Stone's CONQUEST OF GOLA. I was indeed glad, tho, that Conklin included Boucher's minor masterpiece EXPEDITION. There are a few too many save-the-earth stories, but this is a minor defect. Best I've read so far: van Vogt's THE SEARCH. 8. ATOMS, BOMBS, AND THE MOON. This rates last place not because of inferiority, but because of the excellence of the other material. The item was okay, and an example of the type of off-trail stuff worth reprinting -- Joe Kennedy, 84 Baker Avenue, Dover, New Jersey. page 16