Michigan Science Fiction Society

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For other uses of the term MiSFitS, see Misfits (disambiguation)

Fan Club
Name: Michigan Science-Fantasy Society
Dates: 1948-1969?
Founder(s): Art Rapp, Bill Groover, Ben Singer
Leadership: Art Rapp, Bennett Sims, Martin Alger, Howard DaVore
Country based in: Michigan, US
Focus: science fiction and fantasy
External Links: Fancylopedia3
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The Michigan Science-Fantasy Society, aka the MiSFiTS, [1] was formed in 1948 from the remnants of the Hyperboreans, another sci-fi fanclub operating in Detroit by Art Rapp and Bill Groover, with Ben Singer doing most of the organizing work. The club was a major influence in sci-fic fandom in the Detroit-Michigan region in the 1940s and 1950s, publishing a number of zines and organizing group outings[2] and trips to conventions. Meetings were held twice a month - one in Detroit and the other alternating between Windsor (in Ontario, Canada) and Saginaw (in Michigan) in the homes of club members[3].

The nickname "MiSFitS" was coined by George H. Young; sometime in 1948 Hal Shapiro claimed (despite objections) that the acronym meant "Michigan Instigators of Science Fantasy for Intellectual Thinkers Society."[2]

According to Fancyclopedia 3, the MSFS was responsible for bringing forward a number of phenomena specific to fandom:

  • "BEM" - aka "Bug Eyed Monster". The expression was coined by Martin Alger to refer to the "usual" monsters/aliens on the covers of sci-fi magazines[4][3]. The term was later incorporated into "mundane" dictionaries.
  • "Fanspeak". Used initially by Art Rapp in 1948 as part of a fandom glossary[5].
  • "Real Soon Now" (aka RSN). Coined by Martin Alger in 1950, it means "eventually", "when I get around to it" or "when hell freezes over"[6].
  • "Sexocracy". A philosophy advocated by Ray Nelson and Ray Higgs (described in Timewarp #6 as the "the two leading apostles of Sexocracy"[7]) it apparently espoused sex be available to all who wanted it[8]. According to the Con report provided in Spacewarp Issue 30, it was another MSFS member called Ralph Fluette who invented the "religion":
The down-ward trip was principally enlightened by Ralph’s missionary talk in behalf of Sexocracy, a religion which he formulated independently of Ray Nelson. Unfortunately, Ralph had no chance to present his doctrine to a wider audie nce at the convention, since he was called home only a few hours after our arrival by the sudden illness of his daughter.

 [9]

  • Helicopter Beanie. The classic item of nerd couture and a part of the stereotype of generations of geeks, the multi-coloured beanie with the propellor on top was created by MSFS member-to-be Ray Nelson in 1947[10].

Members

Pranks and Consequences

The MiSFitS were notorious pranksters. without much sense of proportion.

"The Blow Up"

The incident known as the "Blow Up" began in mid-1949, with one member, Fred Reich, setting off a noisy firecracker on the lawn of Norm Kussuth's house, after a meeting which had been held there. Norm refused to host any further club meetings because of this. However, in November 1949, Reich struck again, with Eugene Seger setting off a bomb of Reich's design on the front lawn of Art Rapp's house, causing property damage and bringing police and fire brigade to the scene. Art was less than amused and the next day resigned his membership of MSFS[11].

The Threatening Letter

Ben Singer, who was apparently notorious in fandom for his escapades, sent a fellow-MiSFit Norman Kossuth an anonymous threatening letter. Kossuth took the matter up with the FBI and when Singer confessed to Kossuth three months later, Kossuth promptly gave his details to the investigating officer. Singer, when question, told the FBI that he belonged to MSFS and that the members were Communists. Given this was in 1951 at the height of McCarthyism, this resulted in the MSFS and its president at the time, Bennett Sims, being investigated. Again, less than amused, Sims resigned as president.[12]

Consequences

As a result of these and other incidents, the club lost much of its momentum and began to slide into redundancy. The creation of a new club by George Young, the Detroit Science Fantasy League, led to loss of membership and with that loss came declining activity, while Rapp had joined with Ralph Fuette, Ray Nelson and others as the Wolverine Insurgents[13] in mocking the DSFL, further distracting things. In March 1952, a meeting was held to address the decline:

The Michigan Science-Fantasy Society (Detroit and environs), seeking to revive a moribund organization, held a "kill or cure" meeting last month and elected Martin Alger Its president. A stiff activity program was laid out, calling on members to earn so many credits per month to retain membership. The club also decided to revive THE MUTANT, long-defunct fanazine of the previous club. Other newly-elected officers are Roger Sims as v-p, Miss Agnes Harook the secretary-treasurer, Nancy Moore the editor, and Ed Kuss her art editor. The Michigan club has lately undergone harrowing experiences, with one former member arrested for possessing "obscene literature" and two others being quizzed by government agents. Some time ago a "bomb" exploded at the home of still another member, bringing police and firemen to the scene. (Michigan is never a dull place to conduct your fan activity.)

[14]

Despite these efforts, activity still palled, prompting Alger to declare the club defunct in a May 1952 publication called "MSFS Disbanded"[15]. In response, Hal Shapiro posted a response suggesting that if the activity requirements weren't working, then drop those rather than the club[16]. In August 1952, Howard Devore sent out a flyer called "The Rising Tide of Shapiroism" and in which he named himself president of the "Detergents (nee the Michigan Science Funny Society)" before the return of Shapiro to Detroit; he also extolled members not to "tell [Ben] Singer and [Nancy] Moore"[17]. Despite this, the club continued on under the leadership of DeVore and with the participation of Shapiro.

Over time the club slowly wound down, at one point becoming a bowling league in the late 1950s. The end of the Korean War and the subsequent return of a number of members led to a small upswing from 1953, culminating with Detention, the 17th Worldcon, being held in Detroit 1959.[18] In March 1969, DeVore and Richard Schultz started Harpies, the last of the club's zines as a counter to the inertia. Its last issue was published in November 1969[19].

Zines

References

  1. ^ See Harpies (1969)
  2. ^ a b Misfits - Fancyclopedia3
  3. ^ a b "Michigan Memories" by Chas Stuart Metchette; Spacewarp 42, page 72
  4. ^ "BEM" - Fancyclopedia 3
  5. ^ "Fanspeak" - Fancyclopedia 3
  6. ^ "Real Soon Now" - Fancyclopedia 3
  7. ^ Timewarp Issue 6/SAPS Issue 12, 1950
  8. ^ A specific definition of outline of what Sexocracy entailed has not been found with various searches, and the zines never actually say what it is! - article writer note, Jun 7/23
  9. ^ [https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Spacewarp/Spacewarp30.pdf Spacewarp #30, Sep 1949, p4
  10. ^ "Propellor Beanie" - Fancyclopedia 3
  11. ^ "Blowup" - Fancyclopedia 3
  12. ^ Odd, Issue 12, page 52
  13. ^ "Wolverine Insurgents" - Fancyclopedia 3
  14. ^ Science Fiction News Letter, Issue 24, page 6, Mar 1952
  15. ^ MFSF Disbanded, Issue 1, May 1952
  16. ^ MSFS Disbanded, Issue 2, May 31, 1952
  17. ^ MSFS Disbanded - The Rising Tide of Shapiroism, Aug 1952
  18. ^ "Michifen", Fancyclopedia 3
  19. ^ "Harpies" - Fancyclopedia 3
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