Alan P. Roberts

Fan
Name:	Alan P. Roberts
Alias(es):
Type:	Letterzine contributor
Fandoms:	Science Fiction, Fantasy
Communities:
Other:
URL:
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Alan P. Roberts was an early science fiction fan. Roberts, a 14-year Australian fan, wrote into an early issue of Voice of the Imagi-Nation, with an announcement that he was leaving science fiction fandom forever because no good science fiction was being published. He then became a regular feature of VoM for a number of months, arguing back and forth with bemused fans.

Early on there was speculation in letter columns that Roberts might be a hoax, but at least a few people took him seriously and wondered at his eventual disappearance. Several people claimed to be responsible for his letters. In 1941 Roberts, now 16, reappeared in VoM issue 18 after a year's absence. He gave no explanation, but mentioned the theories about his real identity: "I would like to nail to the counter the unfounded rumour that I am anyone else but Milton A. Rothman, Elmer Perdue, Vol Molesworth and Helmuth, speaking for Boskone. As you can see, I have quite a few dual personalities, employed on shift work— the one on duty now is called 'Slinko'." He finished by admitting that some science fiction was worthwhile reading.

English fan J. Edward Rennison wrote in a year later to say, "Roberts does exist. You will find mention of him in Aussie fanags now and then." Australian Colin Roden followed up with a letter confirming that he and the entire Futurian Society of Sydney had met Roberts and that he often corresponded with other Aussie fans.

A 1943 issue of the Sydney Daily Mirror contained a humorous short story credited to Alan P. Roberts.

Commentary

YOU R ALL WET DEPT: 'FANTASY NEWS' is damp when they say that the first issue of 'FANTASY DIGEST' would contain a poem by Alan Roberts, of Los Angeles. Roberts, my gay young editor, lives in the old AMAZING's favorite antipode: Austrailia.

Bob Tucker in Le Zombie issue 2 page 2 (January 1939)

In November of 1940, Tucker's friend Sully Roberds published a letter in Le Zombie titled "Dear Alan" in which he suggested that Alan might be his long lost brother who had vanished into the Australian bush in search of aboriginal words to add to his firm's dictionary. "Before me I find a voice in the wilderness, a startling syntax; expressed in your writings is the symbol of my long-lost brother!" wrote Roberds. "His weapon greater than strength was words, gigantic, colossal words of numerous syllables." In the event that Alan P. Roberts was not his brother, Roberds suggested that Roberts would be best off joining the army, "where we both, you know, 'can forget'."