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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 9, Winter 1945-1946
Page 221
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 221 Allen Glasser returned to some activity in The Fantasy Fan, possibly feeling that any aid given the magazine would help it show the rival Science Fiction Digest in a bad light. He even plugged the Fantasy Fan Federation now that one faction of the Scienceers had affiliated with it. His sporadic contributions to Hornig's sheet was not a true index of continued interest in fan activities, however; as a matter of fact, the true state of affairs was expressed by an advertisement in the very first number, where Glasser offered his science-fiction collection for sale. Nevertheless, it was not until 1938, when his personal life of The Time Traveller was put up for sale, that most people felt that Glasser was retiring from fandom permanently. Bob Tucker commenced journalistic activity in the first (Sept., 1933) number of The Fantasy Fan. His initial contributions concerned "scientifilms", which he was well acquainted with, and British science-fiction. In those days Tucker was a strait-laced bibliophile; a year later, however, with his "How to Write a Weird Tale" he had launched upon a campaign of tomfoolery as "Hoy Ping Pong" that was to earn him his present reputation as a humorist. In a department entitled "The Boiling Point" The Fantasy Fan provided a medium of expression for readers wishing to air their pet gripes. This department ran for but six issues, being discontinued because of the ill-feeling aroused. As might therefore be guessed, debate waxed hot and furious throughout the half-year periode. Forrest J, Ackerman initiated the verbal hubbub by claiming Clark Ashton Smith's "Light from Beyond" to be a sorry example of science-fiction, although he at the same time expressed admiration for the author's "Flight through Super-Time" and "The Matter of the Asteroid." He was promptly pounced upon by both Smith and Lovecraft, who, with verbal pyrotechnics and glorified name-calling proceeded to pummel him soundly. It is the opinion of this writer that their actions were unbecoming to their statures as intellects and authors; Ackerman was definitely entitled to his opinion, which he expressed intelligently. It happened to be his misfortune, however, to be defending science-fiction as preferential to weird fiction in a magazine catering to the supporters of the latter, and also to be labelling as poor the work of a then very popular writer. One of the very few readers to come to his support summed up the situation as follows: It seems to me that young Forrest J. Ackerman is by far the most sensible of the lot. Instead of intelligently answering his arguments, Mssrs. Smith, Lovecraft, Barlow, etc., have made fools of themselves descending to personalities. As a real help to the lover of weird and fantasy fiction Hornig's magazine reigned supreme in the field at that time. Superb fiction and excellent poetry by H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, August Derleth, Eando Binder, Dr. David H. Keller, Robert E. Howard and Robert Bloch was featured. Competent articles and bibliographical material concerning such masters as William Hope Hodgson, M. R. James, Robert W. Chambers, H. Rider Haggard and Charles Williams appeared in its pages. (Indeed, it was in The Fantasy fan that H. C. Koenig began his twelve-year-long campaign to gain recognition for Hodgson that has proved to be so successful in recent years.) Lovecraft's scholarly essay, "Supernatural Horror in Literature," was published serially, but unfortunately was never completed. There were fine regular columns on many phases of fantasy, too, the best of which---"Weird Whisperings" by Weisinger and Schwartz---claimed credit for doubling the magazine's slim circulation. Almost every weirdest of importance in fandom was at one time or another represented in its pages. And as a love-feast for such fans it has never again been equaled. Much of Hornig's salary went into publishing the magazine, but despite its sterling contents and attractive format no more than a pitiful circulation was ever attained. Finally, when well-paying jobs began to monopolize more and
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 221 Allen Glasser returned to some activity in The Fantasy Fan, possibly feeling that any aid given the magazine would help it show the rival Science Fiction Digest in a bad light. He even plugged the Fantasy Fan Federation now that one faction of the Scienceers had affiliated with it. His sporadic contributions to Hornig's sheet was not a true index of continued interest in fan activities, however; as a matter of fact, the true state of affairs was expressed by an advertisement in the very first number, where Glasser offered his science-fiction collection for sale. Nevertheless, it was not until 1938, when his personal life of The Time Traveller was put up for sale, that most people felt that Glasser was retiring from fandom permanently. Bob Tucker commenced journalistic activity in the first (Sept., 1933) number of The Fantasy Fan. His initial contributions concerned "scientifilms", which he was well acquainted with, and British science-fiction. In those days Tucker was a strait-laced bibliophile; a year later, however, with his "How to Write a Weird Tale" he had launched upon a campaign of tomfoolery as "Hoy Ping Pong" that was to earn him his present reputation as a humorist. In a department entitled "The Boiling Point" The Fantasy Fan provided a medium of expression for readers wishing to air their pet gripes. This department ran for but six issues, being discontinued because of the ill-feeling aroused. As might therefore be guessed, debate waxed hot and furious throughout the half-year periode. Forrest J, Ackerman initiated the verbal hubbub by claiming Clark Ashton Smith's "Light from Beyond" to be a sorry example of science-fiction, although he at the same time expressed admiration for the author's "Flight through Super-Time" and "The Matter of the Asteroid." He was promptly pounced upon by both Smith and Lovecraft, who, with verbal pyrotechnics and glorified name-calling proceeded to pummel him soundly. It is the opinion of this writer that their actions were unbecoming to their statures as intellects and authors; Ackerman was definitely entitled to his opinion, which he expressed intelligently. It happened to be his misfortune, however, to be defending science-fiction as preferential to weird fiction in a magazine catering to the supporters of the latter, and also to be labelling as poor the work of a then very popular writer. One of the very few readers to come to his support summed up the situation as follows: It seems to me that young Forrest J. Ackerman is by far the most sensible of the lot. Instead of intelligently answering his arguments, Mssrs. Smith, Lovecraft, Barlow, etc., have made fools of themselves descending to personalities. As a real help to the lover of weird and fantasy fiction Hornig's magazine reigned supreme in the field at that time. Superb fiction and excellent poetry by H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, August Derleth, Eando Binder, Dr. David H. Keller, Robert E. Howard and Robert Bloch was featured. Competent articles and bibliographical material concerning such masters as William Hope Hodgson, M. R. James, Robert W. Chambers, H. Rider Haggard and Charles Williams appeared in its pages. (Indeed, it was in The Fantasy fan that H. C. Koenig began his twelve-year-long campaign to gain recognition for Hodgson that has proved to be so successful in recent years.) Lovecraft's scholarly essay, "Supernatural Horror in Literature," was published serially, but unfortunately was never completed. There were fine regular columns on many phases of fantasy, too, the best of which---"Weird Whisperings" by Weisinger and Schwartz---claimed credit for doubling the magazine's slim circulation. Almost every weirdest of importance in fandom was at one time or another represented in its pages. And as a love-feast for such fans it has never again been equaled. Much of Hornig's salary went into publishing the magazine, but despite its sterling contents and attractive format no more than a pitiful circulation was ever attained. Finally, when well-paying jobs began to monopolize more and
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