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Sun Spots, v. 3, issue 4, whole no. 12, November 1940
Page 4
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November, 1940. SUN SPOTS Page 4 Editorial "By Way of Introduction" By Gerry de la Ree, Jr. First thingI want to say is, THIS editorial is not for fans or science fiction readers, just for thoes that read Sun Spots, and no little or nothing of science fiction or S-f fandom. I know it for a fact that many people who read SSp, especially right here in Westwood, are not Science fiction fans. Thus I have taken it upon myself to explain, if possible, just what we are, and what we are doing. Somebody might think we are communists or Nazis, but I am now assuring you, we are not. SSp is one of the many Science fiction fan mags which are circulating about the United States today. There are well over 50 all told, ranging from two to 70 pages, mimeographed, hectographed or printed. First I'd better tell you what Science fiction itself is. It's a type of literature dealing with future events, science, and fantastic happenings. The first science fiction was written many years ago, probibly by Jules Verne, and more latly by H.G.Wells. Even Edgar Allen Poe turned to science fiction for some of his writtings. Perhaps the most famous writer of S-f today, know outside of our own select circle is Edgar Rice Burroughs. To you who are reading this, Edgar Rice Burroughs will mean Tarzan, but to a science fiction reader, his name will bring to your mind, John Carter of Mars, or Carson Napier of Venus. But I am straying away from my point. Today there are about 15 pulp magazines on the market, entirely composed of Science fiction. The best known are: ASTOUNDING, AMAZING, STARTLING, THRILLING WONDER STORIES (TWS), and I could list many more. At any rate, our fan mags are the outgrowth of these"pro-mags", as they are called. There must be a thousand or so of these fans, amny of whom write letters, print fan-mags, or belong to science fiction clubs or societys. The Science Fiction League, alone, has near 5,000 members. This is one of the several large national organizations sponcered by a pro-mag. The Solaroid Club, our local active club, has near 50 members, making it at least one of the 5 top clubs in size in the U.S. These 50 members are spread througout 15 states, and Sun Spots circulation is spread through an equal number of States. Fan mags were orignatly started to give the average reader a chance to give his own views, but since the coming of the first one, have become more than just that. We now print fan-fiction, articles by different top rank fans, humorous stories, which make fun of popular Science Fiction charactors, fans, and authors. Speaking of authors, the most popular S-f ones are among the following: Otto Binder, Manly Wade Wellman, Edmond Hamilton, E.E. Smith, Robert Heinlein, Nelson S. Bond, Hank Kuttner, and many others. Westwood, we are happy to say, is the home of one of these top rank authors, namely Manly Wade Wellman, who regularly attends Solaroid Club meetings. Again I am straying from fan-magazines. Maybe I ought to name several of the top flight fans. Well there's: Forrest J. Ackerman of Hollywood, Sam Moskowitz of Newark, Bob Tucker of Bloomington, Ill, Doc Lowndes ofN.Y.C. and neumerous others including your three editors. In closing I'd just like to point out that science fiction is by far the most active of any type of pulp literature printed today. Did the air, love, western, detective, or anyother of these types ever hold an annual convention?Science fiction always does! Who else but S-f fans print fan mags? I'll tell you. -No one!!---Boost Science F.
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November, 1940. SUN SPOTS Page 4 Editorial "By Way of Introduction" By Gerry de la Ree, Jr. First thingI want to say is, THIS editorial is not for fans or science fiction readers, just for thoes that read Sun Spots, and no little or nothing of science fiction or S-f fandom. I know it for a fact that many people who read SSp, especially right here in Westwood, are not Science fiction fans. Thus I have taken it upon myself to explain, if possible, just what we are, and what we are doing. Somebody might think we are communists or Nazis, but I am now assuring you, we are not. SSp is one of the many Science fiction fan mags which are circulating about the United States today. There are well over 50 all told, ranging from two to 70 pages, mimeographed, hectographed or printed. First I'd better tell you what Science fiction itself is. It's a type of literature dealing with future events, science, and fantastic happenings. The first science fiction was written many years ago, probibly by Jules Verne, and more latly by H.G.Wells. Even Edgar Allen Poe turned to science fiction for some of his writtings. Perhaps the most famous writer of S-f today, know outside of our own select circle is Edgar Rice Burroughs. To you who are reading this, Edgar Rice Burroughs will mean Tarzan, but to a science fiction reader, his name will bring to your mind, John Carter of Mars, or Carson Napier of Venus. But I am straying away from my point. Today there are about 15 pulp magazines on the market, entirely composed of Science fiction. The best known are: ASTOUNDING, AMAZING, STARTLING, THRILLING WONDER STORIES (TWS), and I could list many more. At any rate, our fan mags are the outgrowth of these"pro-mags", as they are called. There must be a thousand or so of these fans, amny of whom write letters, print fan-mags, or belong to science fiction clubs or societys. The Science Fiction League, alone, has near 5,000 members. This is one of the several large national organizations sponcered by a pro-mag. The Solaroid Club, our local active club, has near 50 members, making it at least one of the 5 top clubs in size in the U.S. These 50 members are spread througout 15 states, and Sun Spots circulation is spread through an equal number of States. Fan mags were orignatly started to give the average reader a chance to give his own views, but since the coming of the first one, have become more than just that. We now print fan-fiction, articles by different top rank fans, humorous stories, which make fun of popular Science Fiction charactors, fans, and authors. Speaking of authors, the most popular S-f ones are among the following: Otto Binder, Manly Wade Wellman, Edmond Hamilton, E.E. Smith, Robert Heinlein, Nelson S. Bond, Hank Kuttner, and many others. Westwood, we are happy to say, is the home of one of these top rank authors, namely Manly Wade Wellman, who regularly attends Solaroid Club meetings. Again I am straying from fan-magazines. Maybe I ought to name several of the top flight fans. Well there's: Forrest J. Ackerman of Hollywood, Sam Moskowitz of Newark, Bob Tucker of Bloomington, Ill, Doc Lowndes ofN.Y.C. and neumerous others including your three editors. In closing I'd just like to point out that science fiction is by far the most active of any type of pulp literature printed today. Did the air, love, western, detective, or anyother of these types ever hold an annual convention?Science fiction always does! Who else but S-f fans print fan mags? I'll tell you. -No one!!---Boost Science F.
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