"What Fan Magazines?"
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| Title: | "What Fan Magazines?" |
| Creator: | Robert W. Lowndes |
| Date(s): | January 1940 (published) |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Science Fiction |
| Topic: | Different categories of fanmags |
| External Links: | In Ad Astra issue 5 |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
"What Fan Magazines?" was an article published by Robert W. Lowndes in issue 5 of science fiction zine Ad Astra. It defined different types of fanmags and predicted which type would be most prominent in the future.
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The time has come when the simple term "fan magazine" can no longer describe aptly the general outlay of amateur publications issued by active lovers of imaginative fiction. Mainly, this is because there are now several distinct types of amateur publications issued by these "fans" and that the original concept of the "fan mag" has greatly changed.What was this concept? It was, roughly, an aid to the professional magazines. The original "fanmag", not counting those organs of pioneer science correspondence societies which dealt mostly with experimental and scientific articles, dealt in biographical sketches of stf. writers,editors,artists, etc., occassional stories, by these writers,"service departments" where oldtime "Argosy" etc stf was listed, forecasts on current policies, lineups,and acceptances of the various writers and general chatter about authors and in reference to their-better-known stories. There were, as well, semi-scientific articles. These original fan magazines were entirely dependent upon aid subordinate to professional magazines. They were real scientifiction magazines.
When, however, the situation in professional magazines became such that their quality was greatly reduced and they were irregular in appearance, this function of the amateur fan publication, began to wither away. It did not completely die, but it did gradually begin to be replaced. And , while fiction by imaginative fiction enthusiasts appeared to a greater extent , the accent gradually fell upon organizations of these fans. Thus, we had the 2nd type of magazine, one which was primarily an aid to some particular fan-organization. It did,very naturally, cater to the professional publications, but was not dependent upon them. Whereever the professionals failed them, there was ample material in the organization and activites of the enthusiasts themselves. These magazines were real "fan" magazines.A subsidiary of this general type was the magazine issued by a single fan, independent of any particular organization. These consisted of fan-chatter, controversies, personalities, service departments, discussions of the professional magazines. But these amateur publications were by no means dependent either upon the professional magazines, nor upon any particular fan organization. The last type to appear was, the amateur publication, in the FAPA, mostly, issued by an enthusiast of pseudo-scientific and or weird-fantastic fiction which ignored the professional magazine entirely and fan-organizations... as well. It was really an independent magazine, good, bad, or indiferent depending upon the editor's capabilities both in the technical field and in obtaining material.
There were, and are, publications which combine to a certain extent all these main features. But, the most interesting thing is this: there is not today one single fan mag that is dependent upon the continued existence of professional stf and/or fantasy magazines, and very few which are dependent upon any particular fan-organization. Thus, the original "fan magazine" is a thing of the past. As this writer sees it, there are in existence now three general typos of these amateur publications (these types somewhat similar, but not equal to, the original fan magazines). And, of course, there are the in-betweens, those things which analysts find so deucedly annoying and wish that tbey could safely ignore.
First: the "catholic fan magazine", This type covers science fiction and/or fantasy, from as far back as possible to date,caters to no particular publication, covers the field in every possible way: books, leaflets, articles in non-stf magazines, comics, etc. No possible source of imaginative exploitation is closed to it.Prominent example: Spaceways. Second: the "fan news-gossip magazine". This is devoted primarily to the individual fans or fan-groups, and, while running news of the professionals,can get along very well without them.Prominent example is: "Le Zombie".
Third: the independent literary magazine,offered for subscription,published for the sheer purpose of exploiting the editor's urge for creation. It features stories, poetry, articles, and whimsy by other enthusiasts of imaginative fiction, has little or no interest either in professional publications or in fan organizations. Examples: "The Fantast", "Escape", "Sweetness and Light", "Futuria Fantasia", and "Polaris". ' While none of these examples are as yet full-breed in this type, they most closely resemble it and they are, I believe, fore-runners of that type of "fan magazine" which will most endure.