The Fantasy Fan, Volume 2, Number 6, February 1935: The Fan's Own Magazine

In Short

This volume serves as the final installment of The Fantasy Fan, a monthly publication dedicated to the study and appreciation of weird and speculative literature during the mid-1930s. It functions as a hybrid of a literary journal and a community bulletin, featuring critical essays by seminal authors alongside short fiction and news of the burgeoning fan scene. The magazine occupies a significant place in literary history for its role in fostering early intellectual discourse on horror and fantasy, providing a rare record of the dedication required to sustain such a niche community before the digital age.

The Story

The magazine begins with a poignant farewell from its editor, Charles D. Hornig, who announces the permanent closure of the publication after eighteen months. He explains that despite the dedicated efforts of contributors and the generosity of a printer who worked at a loss, the venture has proven financially unsustainable. The editorial tone is one of weary resignation, acknowledging that there simply were not enough readers willing to support the magazine's existence. This closure carries a heavy weight, as it necessitates the premature termination of H. P. Lovecraft’s serialized essay, "Supernatural Horror in Literature," and requires the return of various unpublished manuscripts to their authors.

Beyond the administrative finality of its own demise, the issue provides a rich survey of the genre's landscape in 1935. It continues Lovecraft's scholarly exploration of New England’s influence on weird fiction, specifically focusing on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables and the subsequent rise of writers like Fitz-James O’Brien. The text moves from these high-minded critical reflections into the more immediate, informal world of fans and collectors. Correspondents share updates on their favorite authors, such as M. P. Shiel and Bram Stoker, and exchange information about rare, out-of-stock publications.

The fiction included within these pages leans heavily into the macabre and the uncanny. One story follows two psychic investigators who discover a literal "shadow" of a missing man trapped in a mirror, only to witness his bizarre demise. Another tale features a desperate legal case where a man signs a document hours after his own death, while a third chronicles the grim retribution visited upon a sorcerer and an arrogant emperor by a cursed, magical mirror. Interspersed with these stories are glimpses into the era's pop culture, including a radio interview where Boris Karloff playfully discusses his screen persona.

The issue concludes on a note of transition. While the magazine itself ceases to exist, it points its readers toward the future, suggesting that they redirect their attention to other publications like Fantasy Magazine. The final pages are filled with advertisements for rare books and back issues, serving as a reminder that even as one chapter of fan history closes, the underlying culture of collecting and literary analysis persists, anchored by a network of enthusiasts who treat these stories with as much seriousness as any classic text.

How It Unfolds

The closing remarks The editor announces the final issue, detailing the financial struggles that led to the magazine's collapse after a year and a half. He offers guidance to subscribers regarding refunds and the return of submitted materials, marking the end of a collaborative experiment.

A scholarly survey H. P. Lovecraft continues his analysis of weird literature, offering a deep, atmospheric reading of Hawthorne’s work and the architectural Gothicism of New England. He contextualizes this legacy by highlighting the influence of Poe and the subsequent contributions of writers like Fitz-James O’Brien.

Community dispatches Contributors share news about their favorite authors, including glowing appreciations of M. P. Shiel and Bram Stoker. These sections reveal a tightly knit group of readers who trade recommendations and maintain personal correspondences with prominent writers of the day.

Tales of the macabre The magazine presents several short stories that explore themes of supernatural occurrences, cursed artifacts, and spectral visitations. These narratives range from grounded investigations of psychic phenomena to more surreal, mythic accounts of ancient sorcery and retribution.

A transition to the future The issue concludes by directing its audience toward other publications and booksellers, ensuring that the community remains connected despite the loss of its primary platform. The advertisements emphasize the enduring value of the material that the magazine helped to catalog.

The People

Charles D. Hornig, the magazine's editor, acts as the steady, pragmatic hand behind the project. He is motivated by a genuine love for the genre and a desire to provide a space for serious criticism, yet he ultimately accepts the reality of the magazine’s insolvency with grace and professional responsibility.

H. P. Lovecraft appears not just as a contributor but as the intellectual anchor of the magazine. His writing on Hawthorne reveals a man deeply concerned with the "cosmic fear" and historical roots of horror. He acts as a bridge between the classic literary past and the modern fan community.

August W. Derleth, F. Lee Baldwin, and other contributors represent the active readership. They are the "fans" themselves—investigators of the weird, collectors of rare volumes, and correspondents who take pride in their knowledge of obscure authors like M. P. Shiel or the legendary Clark Ashton Smith.

The characters within the short fiction—such as Follansbee, the psychic investigator, or the unfortunate Emperor of Yondath—serve as archetypes of the genre. They are often defined by their curiosity, their hubris, or their encounters with forces that lie beyond the grasp of ordinary logic, reflecting the themes that the magazine’s writers were most interested in exploring.

In Its Own Voice

"This, the February 1935 number, is the last issue of THE FANTASY FAN."

The editor delivers the opening, somber news regarding the magazine's permanent closure.

"The overshadowing malevolence of the ancient home--almost as alive as Poe's House of Usher, tho in subtler way--pervades the tale as a recurrent motif pervades an operatic tragedy."

Lovecraft analyzes the atmospheric weight of the house in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables.

"I shall create a Monster like Frankenstein's."

Boris Karloff playfully summarizes his film career during a radio interview featured in the magazine.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the attempt to legitimize fantasy and horror as a subject worthy of serious academic study. By placing discussions of Hawthorne and Shiel alongside amateur fiction, the publication argues that the "weird" is not merely pulp entertainment, but a legitimate literary tradition with deep historical roots. There is also an underlying meditation on the nature of legacy—how stories, curses, and memories persist long after their originators have died. The magazine serves as a vessel for this preservation, asserting that the value of these tales is not found in their commercial success, which the editor admits was lacking, but in the enduring atmosphere and intellectual stimulation they provide to a dedicated community of readers.

Why Read It Today

Today's readers will find this volume deeply moving as a historical artifact. It offers a rare, unmediated look at the origin of fan culture—a world defined by physical letters, 10-cent issues, and a fierce devotion to authors who were often ignored by mainstream critics. Reading it feels like stepping into a private conversation between enthusiasts who are aware that they are on the fringes of the literary world, yet entirely confident in the importance of what they are discussing.

The prose reflects the period’s high, formal style, particularly in Lovecraft’s essays, which can be dense and highly idiosyncratic. Readers accustomed to the rapid pace of modern digital media may find the deliberate, contemplative rhythm of these articles challenging, but those who appreciate the history of the genre will be rewarded by the sheer depth of the scholarship. The short stories, while sometimes brief, capture a specific, eerie sensibility that is quintessential to the "weird tales" era. Ultimately, this magazine is for those who enjoy the process of literary discovery; it captures a moment when the boundaries of fantasy were being mapped by fans themselves, and it reminds us that every major cultural movement begins with a small group of people who simply want to talk about what they love.