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FMS Digest, v. 1, issues 1-5, February - July 1941

v.1:no.1: Inside front cover

FMZ BY 4SJ
About 10 yrs ago, & 6 yrs after its inception, when the term "scientific-tion" became increasingly on the tongues & in the letters of science fiction fans, the abbreviation for scientifiction was suggested spontaneously. It came from fan-of-the-time, Linus Hogenmiller. Stf probably was pronounced "ess-tee-eff" by many fans, myself included, for some years. Til even ess-tee-eff semd too long for so oft-used an expression. It was my idea to give it the monosyllabic pronunciation, "stef." Similarly, many of us Stephans (stfans) automatically said Fapa to rime with Kappa the firstime we saw it, rather'n Fff-Aye-Pea-Aye.
Recently the need for a "fan magazine" abbreviation has manifested itself. "Fanmag" seems not to have been sufficient for some, or ill-sounding, so fans like Chauvenet & Rajocz set their minds to concocting new ones. Some seriously believe "fanag" better. This always strikes me as looking like a humorous typografical error. While fan rag has rather a contemptous ring to it. The coinage which has caut on best (except out West) - "fanzine" - it may be seen, tho admittedly more eufonious than any other, is longer than the "fanmag" it aims at replacing.
During this experimental stage - fanmag - fanag - fan rag - fanzine - LA has remaind strangely silent. No suggestions have been forthcoming from novacious Shangri-LA: but, notably, none of the new names for fan magazines have been adopted by imagi-natives. I can attribute this to but one thing: To our minds, they aint got oomph!
Then I pickt up the Feb Frontier, read Brazier's editorial column therein & found the breve I've been waiting for. We've really been waiting for - the fan field - I hope I may say. Simple as "stf," it's...fmz.
Now I have just one final improvement to recommend. Whereas it is my understanding that Donn proposes it be spoken "eff-em-zee," I would put forth the proposition that "fmz" be pronounced femmes. Fm (femme) for the singular and fmz (femmes) the plural.
Thus we have: The pro's & the femmes. Now, according to many fans (to parafrase an old Shakespearless saying) "The pro's by any other name woud smell-" But: Madge, Nell, Sally, Lylda - HOW THE FANS LOVE THEIR FEMMES!

A WORD OF EXPLANATION by the EDITOR
This is not an editorial. It is just a word of explanation.
F M Z DIGEST is simply a compilation of the best material appearing in science fiction fan magazines. There is so much poor & bad material appearing in fmz, we feel there is a real need for some place to preserve the best. There are digests for readers, science, facts, farms, health. Why not for fmz?
This issue, covering the months of January & February, is larger than the average will be. Hereafter, F M Z DIGEST will be monthly. Also, we will attempt not to repeat either authors or fmz in any single issue, so as to be truly representative. We will carry no advertising. We will greatly appreciate your comments, but will appreciate even more their brevity. Exchanges welcomed.

FMZ DIGEST is publisht monthly at 1426 W 38 St, Los Angeles, Cal. Editor, Arthur Louis Joquel, II. Price, 5c, 6 for 25c. No ads. Feb.-March, 1941, Vol. I, No. 1.

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FMZ BY 4SJ About 10 yrs ago, & 6 yrs after its inception, when the term "scientific-tion" became increasingly on the tongues & in the letters of science fiction fans, the abbreviation for scientifiction was suggested spontaneously. It came from fan-of-the-time, Linus Hogenmiller. Stf probably was pronounced "ess-tee-eff" by many fans, myself included, for some years. Til even ess-tee-eff semd too long for so oft-used an expression. It was my idea to give it the monosyllabic pronunciation, "stef." Similarly, many of us Stephans (stfans) automatically said Fapa to rime with Kappa the firstime we saw it, rather'n Fff-Aye-Pea-Aye. Recently the need for a "fan magazine" abbreviation has manifested itself. "Fanmag" seems not to have been sufficient for some, or ill-sounding, so fans like Chauvenet & Rajocz set their minds to concocting new ones. Some seriously believe "fanag" better. This always strikes me as looking like a humorous typografical error. While fan rag has rather a contemptous ring to it. The coinage which has caut on best (except out West) - "fanzine" - it may be seen, tho admittedly more eufonious than any other, is longer than the "fanmag" it aims at replacing. During this experimental stage - fanmag - fanag - fan rag - fanzine - LA has remaind strangely silent. No suggestions have been forthcoming from novacious Shangri-LA: but, notably, none of the new names for fan magazines have been adopted by imagi-natives. I can attribute this to but one thing: To our minds, they aint got oomph! Then I pickt up the Feb Frontier, read Brazier's editorial column therein & found the breve I've been waiting for. We've really been waiting for - the fan field - I hope I may say. Simple as "stf," it's...fmz. Now I have just one final improvement to recommend. Whereas it is my understanding that Donn proposes it be spoken "eff-em-zee," I would put forth the proposition that "fmz" be pronounced femmes. Fm (femme) for the singular and fmz (femmes) the plural. Thus we have: The pro's & the femmes. Now, according to many fans (to parafrase an old Shakespearless saying) "The pro's by any other name woud smell-" But: Madge, Nell, Sally, Lylda - HOW THE FANS LOVE THEIR FEMMES! A WORD OF EXPLANATION by the EDITOR This is not an editorial. It is just a word of explanation. F M Z DIGEST is simply a compilation of the best material appearing in science fiction fan magazines. There is so much poor & bad material appearing in fmz, we feel there is a real need for some place to preserve the best. There are digests for readers, science, facts, farms, health. Why not for fmz? This issue, covering the months of January & February, is larger than the average will be. Hereafter, F M Z DIGEST will be monthly. Also, we will attempt not to repeat either authors or fmz in any single issue, so as to be truly representative. We will carry no advertising. We will greatly appreciate your comments, but will appreciate even more their brevity. Exchanges welcomed. FMZ DIGEST is publisht monthly at 1426 W 38 St, Los Angeles, Cal. Editor, Arthur Louis Joquel, II. Price, 5c, 6 for 25c. No ads. Feb.-March, 1941, Vol. I, No. 1.