Stirring Science Stories/February 1941/The Fantasy World
Fantasy readers are strange people. Unlike the readers of Westerns and Detectives, fantasy fans insist on doing things. Just what things doesn't always matter just as long as they are doing something. Thousands of them collect their fantasy readings, accumulating huge quantities of amazingly interesting magazines, books, motion picture stills, clippings, and what not. Others write long letters to each other and to the editors expounding on every topic under the sun with an erudition that always amazes the outsider. Many form clubs, societies, leagues, international federations and so on. When that happens things really start rolling. Visits are made between fans and between fan groups, wrangles, ideas, a veritable microcosm of activity goes on. All this in the name of fantasy, in the name of science-fiction, in the name of weird-fiction.
This world of readers' thought, of fantasy life, we choose to term the Fantasy World. This column is here to do justice to the affairs, thoughts, and opinions of that world. If it weren't here, your editors would be deluged with letters and delegations until it appeared. Besides which we're all in favor of it; we're a part of that fantasy world and we love it.
The fantasy world has its own independent amateur press. Dozens of fan magazines, some monthly, some otherwise, usually mimeographed, reach all over the real world binding the active centers of the fantasy world together. Whether this column will endeavor to keep track of these publications will depend on a number of factors, principally the length of this department and the amount of interest that these magazines may contain.
The big affair in fantasy fandom in the past few years has been the nation-wide gathering that occurs annually. This gathering, the Science Fiction Convention, usually occurs during the summer, is usually sponsored by a fan organization and is awaited with, baited breath by writers, fans, and yes, editors all over the country. It serves as a grand opportunity to meet all the people whose stories, or whose letters you've read all year round or about whom you've heard or to whom you've something to say. In past years such conventions have been held with growing success in New York, in Philadelphia, and in Chicago. The 1940 gathering was at the latter city and it is of that that The Fantasy World will deal.
September second at the Hotel
Chicagoan saw dozens and
dozens of America's leading fans,
writers and enthusiasts, converging
at the second floor meeting hall designated
by the Illini Fantasy Fictioneers
as the place of the World
Convention.
They arrived from all parts of the country and by all manner of travel. Several fans—Forrest Ackerman, Paul Freehafer, Moro jo and Pogo (lest you readers go mad these are the noms-de-fantasie of Myrtle R. Douglas and her niece)—came by train from Los Angeles. Riding the dangerous way, underneath a freight train, came Denver's Olon F. Wiggins and Lew Martin.
Others came by car, by train, on bicycles, or just plain walked. Washington, Boston, New York City, Cleveland; Indiana and Michigan, Wisconsin and Wyoming, all were represented. One car full of fans turned over on the road; unhurt, they just picked it up, put it back on its wheels, and drove on to Chicago! Others almost starved themselves to make the trip, but they made it. When fantasy demands it, apparently nothing can stop the fans!
At the first session of the Convention, the assembly heard speeches of introduction from almost everyone there. Chairmen Mark Reinsberg, Bob Tucker, and Erie Korshak carried through the order in good style. Words were heard from Jerome Siegal (creator of Superman), Don Wilcox, Charles R. Tanner, J. Chapman Miske, John B. Michel, Helen Weinbaum, Lee Gregor, Jack Speer, Ross Rocklynne, Julius Schwartz, David Wright O'Brien and your editor.
A very interesting and odd motion picture was shown which had been literally scraped off a Hollywood cutting room floor. Titled "Monsters of the Moon," the film was made up of parts that had been cut out of a trailer announcing the film of that name. Ackerman and Bob Tucker were responsible for the work of salvage. The film itself is lost, now only this patchwork is left.
Dr. Edward E. Smith, Ph.D., gave a long and thought-provoking speech on the nature of the fantasy fan and his psychology. Ralph Milne Farley spoke, making observations on the quirks of science-fiction. Mort Weisinger and Ray Palmer, who edit a couple of our feeble contemporaries, also talked.
A masquerade and auction
marked the first night of the
"Chicon". Prizes for costumes were
carried off by Stirring's artist-author
David A. Kyle attired as Ming
the Merciless and Stirring's author
Robert W. Lowndes garbed as the
Bar Senestro, villain of "The Blind
Spot". Smash hits were made by
E. E. Smith in black leather and
carrying a real ray-gun in the character
of "Northwest Smith"; by Art
Widner as "Giles Habibula" from the
"Legion of Space"; and by several
fans dressed alike as Buck Rogers.
An auction of original covers and interior illustrations occupied most of the night and part of the second day. Bidding was heated; made literally so by Stirring's unrestrainable S. D. Gottesman, who, attired as The Invisible Man, went around giving intent bidders the hot-foot!
The second day was devoted to business, resolutions and determining the whereabouts of the next convention. After thorough discussion Denver was chosen as the Convention City for 1941—Olon F. Wiggins approved as Chairman.
Needless to say these are the barest outlines of the Chicago Convention. Letters were read from those who could not attend, valuable contacts were made, special issues of fan magazines were sold, fan feuds were dissolved and friendships made. When we left everyone was determined to meet again in Denver, July 4th, 1941.
Work on the Denver Convention has already been started. A Colorado Fantasy Society has been formed which seeks nation-wide membership to support the coming affair. A publication has been launched to keep up contacts, The C. F. S. Review, plans are being perfected, and the support has been gained of every major organization and publication in the country. Beyond a doubt, fantasy world interests will center around Denver this year and we would certainly urge those who want to get to know about things in fantasy to keep up with it.
Address 1258 Race St., Denver, Colo. Details of the Chicago Convention, and some of them are real funny and others real enlightening, can be had from several of the leading fan magazines and we recommend Le Zombie (Box 260, Bloomington, Ill.) and Spaceways (303 Bryan Pl., Hagerstown, Md.) for detailed accounts of the goings-on. Better send a dime along though as these boys are not sponsored.
Suggestions for this column will always be welcome. We had intended to make some remarks about our writers and our artists but the Chicon pushed that aside. Next time then. We had also in mind reviewing a few books, making remarks about some of the recent fantasy movies, and in general reviewing the various fan organizations and what they're up to. If those organizations and fan magazine publishers will keep us informed, we'll do our best to record everything that's Stirring in The Fantasy World.—DAW.