Scientifan
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| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Scientifan (or Stunning Scientifan) |
| Publisher: | FAPA |
| Editor(s): | Joe Fortier |
| Type: | |
| Date(s): | 1939-1942 |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Fandom: | Science Fiction |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | Several issues hosted online by fanac.org |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Scientifan was a science fiction zine published by Joe Fortier as part of the FAPA. It was called Stunning Scientifan for its first issue, but by the second issue it was renamed.
About
The first issue, possibly no longer extant, contained an article by Sam Moskowitz reviewing other zines. Some fans, including C.S. Youd, considered the article "thoroughly obnoxious" and insulting to other members of fandom.[1]
Reviews
"Stunning Scientifan" was greatly handicapped in its first issue by hasty presentation in places, poor typing, bad hyphenation of words, poor layouts, and a very badly-appearing contents page. The material presented in the first issue, considering the size, was good. Most important, however, is an editor's [attitude] toward his mistakes and toward criticisms. The editor of this magazine has shown a sincere and wise attitude upon this point, and a willingness to learn both from his own experience and the experience of others. The magazine bounds with enthusiasm, and, unless this be but a flash in the pan. future issues of Stunning Scientifan should show up well in the flood of publications going the rounds.Robert A. W. Lowndes in Scientifan issue 2 page 7 (January 1940)
I suggest you change the name to simply: THE SCIENTIFAN (and here we give the readers what they want). Mimeographing was poor, but that is expected from all first efforts,..The cover wasn't original (we think so) ... Suggest you "cleanup" contents page... certain portions of [Sam Moskowitz]'s article is practically word for word repetition for one in Ditky's Fantasy Digest...Doc Lowndes' story compares well with one of the finest he has ever written. I hope sincerely some gal fan copies the summer costume of FUTURISTIKOSTUMZ to wear to the Chicago Convention in 1940! .... "Nothing" was just that. It stinks... I liked Charlie Hornig's and Harry Warner's; I didn't care for Dale Hart's; Ackerman's and Jorgenssn's were readable, so what more can I do now but close?Bob Tucker, letter to the editor in Scientifan issue 2 page 21 (January 1940)
It's really better than I had suspected and expected, Joe. At least I never dreamed you'd manage to crowd so much into one issue — honestly, on reading; it, it seems as though you have about sixty pages contents ...As to Hill's story I'll merely say what I said to him: It should have sold to WT. Illustrations for it pretty good, but they seemed rather hurried to me (difficulties in tracing) Moskowitz's artcile should have been a very good one, but unfortunately he let his enthusiasm run away with him. and his prejudices drag him down. That is, a little more looking at the facts squarely, and a little less lookong at them the way he likes their editors, would have been appreciated. While at times he's right even in his prejudices, the fact remains that it is simply impossible that all of his friends have the good fan magazines and his enemies the bad ones However, the article was certainly worth reading, and he said some valuable things several times. But the comments about Scienti-Snaps and Tucker's mags rather my goat. [Ed.:] (me tooO I really thought that Lowndes' story was the best thing in the issue„Frankly, I shouldn't care to see any of the Burroughs Stories reprinted.... Hoy Ping Pong and Tycker have been better, but they are certainly readable. Ackerman extremely good... Hornig didn't say much, though it was well done. Sullivan is to be complimented.Harry Warner, Jr., letter to the editor in Scientifan issue 2 page 20 (January 1940)
Price- 15¢; Issued- bimonthly... The largest fan pub out. And every inch crammed full of the best material possible. Cover by Julian S. Krupa, and an excellent story (feature length), Horror's Cellar by Harry Warner, Jr.. The best article to date by Doc Lowndes. Yogi in another screwy theory. And a spescial supplement, MERCURY, free to all subscribers. Cover by Tom Wright. FUTURISTIKARS, MEET THE AUTHORS, LETTERS, a POLL, and dozens of other features. Not so good mimeo. J.J. Fortier edits it. 90 comets.The Fan Pubs; The Comet Vol. 1 #1, pg. 14. Jan.-Feb. 1940.
15 cents, 42 large mimeographed pages. Vol.I No. I. This is one of the most voluminous fan magazines ever to appear. Among the bountiful supply of material it presents is "The Finger" a long well done weird-fantasy by W. Lawerence Hamling; "Comes the Dawn", a long, comprehensive analysis of the present fan mag situation by Sam Moskowitz, and other above-average features by Robert W. Lowndes, Charles D. Hornig, Harry Warner, Bob Tucker, Forrest J. Ackerman; Hoy Ping Pong, Dale Hart and others. Art work done by Bush shows promise. This mag should be supported."The Manuscript Bureau" of New Fandom, issue 7 page 12 (April 1940)
References
- ^ C.S. Youd in Voice of the Imagi-Nation issue 5 page 6: "The first STUNNING SCIENTIFAN (wattaname!—) has a thoroughly obnoxious article by [Moskowitz], in which he casts nasty slights on everyone from Tucker to 4SJ, via Wiggins, and praises himself up to where heaven would be if I weren't in atheistic company."