The Fantasy Fan, September 1933: The Fan's Own Magazine

In Short

This publication marks the debut issue of an early fan magazine created by and for devotees of speculative fiction. Through editorial calls, member surveys, collecting guides, club rosters, and literary gossip, the volume establishes a dedicated space where readers interact directly with editors and authors. It captures the exact moment when pulp fiction readers transformed from passive consumers into an organized, articulate subculture. The issue endures as a vivid historical record of early science fiction fandom, showcasing the passionate debates, networking habits, and community building that laid the foundation for modern fan culture.

The Story

The issue opens with an energetic manifesto from editor Charles D. Hornig, who promises a publication fully controlled by its readers. He invites subscribers to participate by writing letters, submitting original work for payment in copies, entering monthly contests, and joining aggressive debates in a department called "The Boiling Point." Hornig positions the magazine as a collaborative home for lovers of weird and scientific tales, offering free answers to trivia queries and facilitating pen-pal exchanges during the height of the Great Depression.

Supportive letters from prominent figures immediately establish the publication's credibility. Author Clark Ashton Smith sends a dollar subscription along with warm wishes, while notable fans and editors including Allen Glasser, Conrad H. Ruppert, Mortimer Weisinger, Julius Schwartz, and Forrest J. Ackerman offer enthusiastic congratulations. The issue then shifts into educational and historical content aimed at deepening reader engagement. Julius Schwartz contributes the first installment of a guide on collecting fantasy fiction, advising fans to preserve current magazines like Weird Tales, Wonder Stories, and Amazing Stories, while keeping an eye on general pulp magazines for hidden genre gems.

A biographical feature highlights Allen Glasser's contributions as an organizer, campaign manager for "scientifilms," and fan editor. Club updates follow, announcing the reorganization of Glasser's Fantasy Fan's Fraternity without membership dues, alongside details from Forrest J. Ackerman on joining the British Science Fiction Club. Personal preferences take center stage in short pieces where Mortimer Weisinger praises Garret P. Serviss's apocalyptic novel The Second Deluge, while Glasser champions H. G. Wells's The Time Machine as the foundational masterpiece of time travel fiction.

Conflict erupts in "The Boiling Point," where Ackerman attacks Clark Ashton Smith's horror story "Dweller in Martian Depths," arguing that surreal, macabre tales belong in Weird Tales rather than science fiction venues like Wonder Stories. The magazine counters this hostility with lighter fare, including a news article about engineer Henry J. Kostkos writing speculative fiction for his children, a satire by Glasser depicting Ackerman turning away a real Martian for failing to match pulp tropes, and a rhyming "Science Fiction Alphabet."

The issue concludes with historical surveys and classified notices. Walt Z. Russjuchi examines why authors write sequels, citing famous works by George Allan England, A. Merritt, and J. U. Giesy. Ackerman catalogs his extensive collection of pulp magazines, original manuscripts, bound stories, and comic strips. Finally, the magazine previews upcoming contributions—including works by Clark Ashton Smith—and hosts classified ads where fans buy, sell, and trade rare magazines, bringing the inaugural issue to a satisfying, community-focused close.

How It Unfolds

The editor lays down the rules Hornig invites readers to take total ownership of the publication by submitting articles, voting on content, and engaging in lively arguments. He frames the issue as a communal effort designed to connect fans and advance the popularity of speculative fiction.

Celebrated figures send greetings Leading pulp authors and active fans write in to welcome the new venture. Clark Ashton Smith sends money to subscribe immediately, while influential fans offer words of encouragement for the magazine's future.

Collectors receive practical guidance Julius Schwartz outlines the fundamentals of gathering fantasy magazines, advising readers to store current issues and monitor general pulp publications for stray fantasy stories. He highlights Weird Tales as the gold standard for high literary quality in the field.

Fandom organizes into clubs The magazine details opportunities for readers to network, announcing the return of the Fantasy Fan's Fraternity without membership fees. Forrest J. Ackerman provides step-by-step instructions for joining international groups like the British Science Fiction Club.

A bitter debate breaks out Ackerman launches a fierce attack against Clark Ashton Smith's recent story, arguing that atmosphere-heavy horror has no place in science fiction publications. The editor explicitly invites readers and Smith himself to respond and defend the work.

Historical context and humor balance the issue Short pieces profile author achievements, explain the demand for story sequels, and poke fun at fan obsessiveness through fictional anecdotes and light verse. The issue wraps up with detailed collector lists and advertisements for rare pulp magazines.

The People

• Charles D. Hornig: The enthusiastic editor who launches the magazine to build a unified community of fantasy readers. He seeks to give fans absolute editorial control over the publication's contents and feature radical debates.
• Clark Ashton Smith: A celebrated author of weird and occult fiction who offers financial support and encouragement to the new magazine. His atmospheric, surreal stories become the central target of critical debate within the issue's opinion pages.
• Forrest J. Ackerman: An intensely active fan and collector who shares details of his massive library of pulp magazines, serials, and comic strips. He drives the magazine's main controversy by demanding that science fiction remain distinct from atmospheric horror.
• Allen Glasser: A prominent fan, author, and club organizer profiled for his pioneer work with early fan clubs and magazines. He contributes a rhyming alphabet, a humorous vignette about fan narrow-mindedness, and an essay praising H. G. Wells.
• Julius Schwartz: A knowledgeable collector who provides practical advice to readers looking to build complete archives of speculative fiction from newsstand pulp magazines.

In Its Own Voice

"The sole purpose of THE FANTASY FAN is to strengthen the bond between the fans, and advance the popularity of fantasy fiction in every way possible."

Editor Charles D. Hornig outlines the core mission of his publication in the opening editorial statement.

"I fail to find anything worth-while in an endless procession of ethereal lites, phantastic visions, ultra-mundane life, exotic paradises, airy vegetation, whispering flutes, ghastly plants, and dirge-like horrors."

Forrest J. Ackerman criticizes Clark Ashton Smith's surreal style in his controversial essay for "The Boiling Point."

"It is a peculiar, but nevertheless well-founded fact, that there is something magnetic in fantastic fiction that will attract the reader as no other type of fiction can."

Julius Schwartz explains the passionate impulse that drives fantasy enthusiasts to collect every magazine they can find.

What It's Really About

The issue explores the process of subculture formation and the search for literary legitimacy. Published during the Great Depression, it demonstrates how isolated readers used cheap print and personal correspondence to build a nationwide network. The text wrestles with questions of genre definition, debating where strict, technology-focused science fiction ends and atmospheric, macabre horror begins. By giving readers equal footing with professional authors, the magazine argues that fandom is not merely a passive audience, but an active, creative force that shapes the literature it loves.

Why Read It Today

This publication offers a fascinating, unvarnished look at the birth of modern fan culture. Readers interested in media history, print culture, or the origins of speculative fiction will enjoy its raw enthusiasm and historical immediacy. Reading it feels like opening a time capsule directly onto the desks of 1930s teenagers and pulp authors, complete with informal tone, passionate arguments, and small-town mail exchanges.

The text is straightforward and highly accessible, though modern readers must adjust to its period-specific jargon, such as "scientifilms" or "stf," and its heavy reliance on hyper-specific references to forgotten 1930s pulp stories. Its charm lies in its total lack of polished commercialism. The authentic passion of early enthusiasts who spent their spare dimes to build a community creates an infectious, memorable reading experience.

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