THE FANS' OWN MAGAZINE
Editor: Charles D. Hornig
(Managing Editor: Wonder Stories)
| Published | 10 cents a copy |
| Monthly | $1.00 per year |
137 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey
| Volume 1 | December, 1933 | Number 4 |
OUR READERS SAY
"The November issue beats the first two by a mile! If this keeps up, Iwonder what the tenth issue will be like? Sorry that I cannot send anEnglish science-fiction column this month, as I haven't heard from theother side yet. Have written to South Africa on the stf situationthere, but won't promise you anything on it. Will we have a story inthe December issue? 'The Other Gods' beat 'The Kingdom of theWorm.'"—Bob Tucker
We cannot tell what the tenth issue of TFF will be like, butyou can get a good idea of what the fifth will be like by readingour editorial. We are sorry we did not receive your foreignscience-fiction column this month, and would be pleased to hear aboutSouth Africa. You will notice three stories in this issue of TFF.Which of the stories so far published is the best, is a matter ofopinion. Further on in this department you will learn the variedopinions of their merit.
"What might be called the 'Anti-Ackerman' issue has just arrived. Itlooks to me like you ought to have advertised it as that, or run astreamer across the top. I think it would have doubled yoursubscriptions, so many people, it seems, would like to read somethingagainst me. Will you please tone down the remarks about my being the'most active fan,' etc? That started with you. You can't say I everhad anything to do with it. Many people reading such statements willbecome antagonistic 'just because,' and though I'm going aroundbegging people to like me, still there's no virtue in unnecessarilytipping away from you neutral parties."—Forrest J. Ackerman
The editor wishes to drop formalities for a brief paragraph in orderto make a personal confession, and will therefore speak in thesingular. Yes, Forrie, it has all been my fault. I was the one thatcalled you "the world's most active fan," etc., and really hadsomething to do with the animosity some of my readers have had towardyou. Let me say that I want to apologize—I am very sorry for it. Imeant well, but it didn't seem to have been interpreted the way it wasintended. All those laudatory remarks were really said to let otherreaders know how much you have done to advance science fiction, butfor certain peculiar reasons which can never be foretold, they weren'ttaken in the proper light. Frankly, this should teach us both alesson—you and I. I should consider carefully every remark I makeabout anyone or his work, and you should become less prejudiced andvehement on any particular subject, and consider the question: "What'sone man's opinion?" Your controversy with C. A. Smith is continued inthis issue's "Boiling Point."
"I am highly pleased with your publication, and hope you can make asuccess of it. Glad to see you are printing Lovecraft's excellentarticle on 'Supernatural Horror in Literature,' and also his 'OtherGods.' Smith's tale was most entertaining."—R. H. Barlow (author ofthe 'Annals' series)
"TFF continues to improve, the November issue marking a new high, whatwith Lovecraft and Smith in the