FACES
— Faned: Garth Spencer. An art portfolio of character studies pubbed out of Victoria. (Details to be added).
“Not satisfied with being a first-rate fan writer & editor, Garth has branched out into artwork. The 14 page portfolio (which was likely only distributed to other fan editors he believed might be interested in his artwork submissions) is very uneven. The cover self-portrait and a cartoon showing him answering a long distance phone call from the shower are quite good, but the other illustrations are generally… well, better than I can do I guess, but then that’s why I collect rubber stamps. Needs work, Garth.” (RR)
1985 – (#1 – ? )
FAERIE
— Faned: (?) Quarterly digest-sized review of nonfiction commentary on Tolkein’s writings, put out by the ‘Club Les Hobbits’ in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Quebec, circa 1987. (GS)
[ See LA VEILLE LOBELIA ]
THE FANDOM ZONE
— Faned: Paul Young. At least 6 or 7 issues. Pubbed out of Victoria, B.C., in the early 1980s by the Vancouver Island Comic Club. #2 has a four page interview with David Sim, a comic/fan artist. (RR) Described as an “irregular comic art & comic review zine”. (GS)
1983 – (#1 – Feb) – “…features articles about comics, and an article about and interview with John Byrne.” – (GS)
– (#2 – ? ) – “4 page Dave Sim interview is the major feature of this issue. Typical comics clubzine — pretty amateurish.” – (RR)
1984 – (#4.1 – May) – “In addition to editorials, comic news, letters & amateur comics, this issue features a Mike Grell interview and an article on the preponderance of comic periodicals. Now in half-size format, which will be changing yet again.” (GS)
– (#6 – Aug?) – Writing in MAPLE LEAF RAG #7 (July 1984), Paul Young promised: “THE FANDOM ZONE will go through yet another format change with #6. It will be quite unlike any fanzine ever.” I faunch to know what he was talking about.
1985 – (V2#1 – Spring?) – “Printed oversize and saddle-stapled,, FZ runs about 36 pages; unlike PLASTIZINE, it’s far too long for what it has to say. There are two interviews (Ken Stacey & Steve Lafler), and the normal natter, review, & strips, but somehow, mostly in layout & editing, the quality of the contents suffers. However, it should be noted that there is some very nice comic art-work by the editor, Paul Young. Perhaps with time…” – (KS)
FANTARAMA
— Faned: Vaughn Fraser (though founded by his brother Rod). Semi-pro comic art newszine. A Pubbug Press Publication pubbed out of Richmond, B.C., from 1977 to fall of 1979, though an earlier version existed circa 1972. Volume 1 was a mimeozine. Volume 2 was in tabloid newspaper format. Volume 3 in magazine format. (Much more detail to be added.)
1971 – VOLUME ONE: – (#1 – Fall) – Faned: Rod Fraser.
1972 – (#2 – Mar) – In V2#2 Vaughn Fraser writes: “The original FANTARAMA was published by my brother, Rod Fraser, at the time we were both starting out in fandom. That zine was a small comics fanzine in the honourable tradition of mimeozines. Like most such ventures, it lasted as long as the enthusiasm & free time of its editor. Two issues were published… (A third issue had some nice stuff gathered and half its pages typed [a few printed, even], but was eventually given up on).”
1977 – VOLUME TWO: (#1 – Aug) – In his editorial Vaughn Fraser writes: “Thank you for buying this first (!) issue of FANTARAMA. This fanzine is being published to reach, to expand & to explore interests in the works of Science Fiction, Comic Arts and Fantasy in all media.” This is the first issue of FANTARAMA as revived by its new editor: Vaughn Fraser.
– (#2 – Sep) (#3 – Oct/Nov)
– (#4 – Dec?) – Christmas issue. Cover by Tim Hammell, ‘How To Contribute To A Fanzine’ by Lari Davidson; ‘History of Comic Art’ conclusion by Ron Kasman; ‘Marvelouse Marvin’ comic strip by Ted Nelson.
1978 – (#5 – Feb) (#6 – Mar/Apr)
Then VOLUME THREE: (#1/WN7 – Jul) – “This issue, which would have been #7 had the tabloid format been retained, sees the debut of FANTARAMA into the wraparound magazine class… It’s much better as a magazine than a tabloid. The Rick Corlett cover (of a demon being conjured by a startled sorcerer) done up in 2 shades of blue is perfectly adequate and may sell an ish or two on its own.”
“Inside, Vaughn Fraser & Barbara Przeklasa are almost fanatical about layout & design… the zine has no glaring faults and is much better than lots of others on the market.”
“A 3 page report with pix on VCON VI seems to cover the event, but it doesn’t sound like the reporter had much fun there. The H. Warner Munn & Georges Giguere comments add some of the missing zeal.”
“There is another semi-report on the local comics club Cedar Con 6… The meat of the issue is ‘Doc Savage Now’ (fictional interview of Doc Savage by Robert Brooks)… regular on-going columns fill the rest of the 32 pages…. some fine book reviews; and a further look at the roots of comics art by examiner Ron Kasman, (always interesting & illuminating)…. Somehow it all manages to come together into a very readable zine.” (LD)
– (#2/WN8 – Dec?) – “In this issue, there seems to be an attempt to emphasize a Tolkien theme… & the attempt fails. The lead article is billed as an introduction to the world of JRR Tolkien, but it leans too heavily on synoptic style plot summaries. These will be of little interest to the Tolkien fan, and will probably fail to convey the flavour of Tolkien’s writings to the neophyte…”
“…a short rambling interview with Seattle artist Bill Warren…The Bill Warren cover, and the illustrations accompanying the interviews, are quite welcome…Oddly enough, the combination of a very dark cover and several dark interior illustrations lends a sombre, if not downright dismal air to this issue”
“The final feature item is the 2nd part of an extremely well-written and interesting article on the comic art tradition. Ron Kasman’s writing leaves no doubt as to the extent of his knowledge and appreciation of his topic.” (EB)
1979 – (#3/WN9 – Mar) (WN9.5 – Jun) (WN10/11 – Summer/Fall) (Possibly further issues?)
FAN-TASMS
— Faned: E.B. Klassen. – A one sheet published by Month’s End Press self-described as “The first of a series reprinting odd, stumbled across stencils from bygone times.” It is stated that some of the content is from Taral’s DNQ #14 “A special hurry-up small issue…” except that I can’t find ANY of the content in that issue, which in any case is normal-sized. There is reference to one paragraph being from a hoax issue of DNQ. Perhaps ALL the contents derive from that (most likely the hoax #14 published by Mike Hall, Robert Runte & David Vereschagin circa Feb 1979, which was actually an issue of LAID. Unfortunately this archive does not possess a copy.).
Contents include Taral’s obituary for Saara Marr, his frequent co-editor of DNQ. (Being a rather furry alien, Saara’s actual existence is somewhat suspect to begin with.) Plus info re an art credit dispute at Asimov’s SF mag, an eclipse hoax, and assorted Worldcon bids. As a reprint, all a bit dated and a bit puzzling, lack of context. Klassen himself writes: “The problem with reprinting such materials as happen to fall into my hands like this, is that often the historical details are lost. Information is welcome.” I agree.
1986 – (#1 – ?)
FANTASY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
— Faned: Alastair Cameron. 52 page one-shot published in 1952 on behalf of the Canadian Science Fiction Association, whose St. Vital, Manitoba, members mimeographed and stapled all 500 copies. At the time Cameron was a student at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He later became a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard.
John Robert Colombo described the FCS as “the first theoretical work in the field of fantastic literature written by a Canadian… unique in Canada, and remaining so until the 1970s, which saw the publication of rigorous analyses by Dako Suvin of McGill University.”
Cameron slotted SF & Fantasy concepts into headings numbered from 00 to 90, each with subsections. Concepts such as: “Supernatural Beings; Extrapolations on Life and Mind; Extrapolations on Living; Supernatural Places and Things; Extrapolations on Space; Extrapolations on Technology; Extrapolations on Time; Distorted Powers and Themes...” etc.
Essentially a classification system designed to arrange a personal collection of SF literature in detail, more specifically “… to list the important fantastic elements, which enter in to the stories in the genre, in some sort of logical framework..”, it is similar in concept to those created by Jack Speer, Samuel D. Russell, A. Langley Searles, Everett F. Bloiler and others, but probably too complex to be useful. As Dick Eney put it: “Cameron’s has been praised as excellent coverage of the field, but leads to so many multiple classifications that it has never been adopted.”
Why did Cameron come up with the concept? He wrote (in VANATIONS #2) “My principal interest in fantasy lies in the analysis of its constituent elements.” A born academic, in other words. (JRC) (DE)
1952 – (#1 – Sep)
[ See CLASSIFICATION (OF FANTASY) ]
FANTASY PICTORIAL
— Faned: Nils Helmer Frome. Hektographed portfolio of Frome’s art pubbed out of Fraser Mills, B.C., in early 1938.
Sam Moskowitz & Will Sykora, prominent American fans, were planning a convention in Newark, New Jersey, to be held May 21st, 1938, and dubbed “The First National Science Fiction Convention” (actually the fourth SF convention held in the US). The hall rented for $3, but they needed more start up money. Moskowitz conceived of a kind of one-shot APA, wherein fans would send in 50 copies of special editions of their regular zine, or one-shots, and receive copies of all the others. One copy of their own zine, plus any excess copies if fewer than 50 fans contributed, would be sold to raise funds.
Now Frome had previously announced he was discontinuing SUPRAMUNDANE STORIES and would carry on with a zine of fantasy art he intended to call FANTASY PICTORIAL. When he heard of Moskowitz’s offer, it was a simple matter to pick out some of the material he had already selected, hektograph the 50 copies (which is near the absolute number of copies you can achieve with that process anyway — probably why Moskowitz picked that number, most fans using hektography in that era) and send them off as quickly as possible. In return he received a bounty of reading material, some 13 zines including: Marconette’s SCIENTI-SNAPS, Wiggins’ THE SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTIONEER, McPhail’s STF AND NONSENSE, Taurasi’s WONDER FICTION ANNUAL, Sykora’s THE SCIENTIFILMAKER and much else. Frome must have been thrilled when all that arrived in a single bundle at his Fraser Mills post office box.. A faned’s dream.
According to Sam Moskowitz: “It was 6 pages, hektographed in purple & green, and contained 7 illustrations & an untitled poem. Like other Frome publications, it was stitched on a sewing machine. We sold it for 5¢…. not his best either from the standpoint of the artwork or reproduction and did not even have a logo printed on it.”
Frome himself commented: “The booklet certainly wasn’t much. It was a long time before I could decide whether to send it.”
This could well be the last zine ever published by Frome as the second (and last) issue of SUPRAMUNDANE STORIES had already been published in February of 1938.
Frome did write to Moskowitz (in July 1938) strongly hinting at another FANTASY PICTORIAL project: “Your last letter decided me about getting out a booklet. I am getting the gelatin & some ink today. Might be profitable. I have recently done a beautiful nude, & I can see I can use it for this. It’s weird if not scientific — with a stone wall in the background with very living eyes & fanged mouth. I’m calling it ‘The Wicked Wall’. It’s the best nude I’ve ever done…” But in the same letter he expressed doubts: “I’m not sure I’ll get out the pictorial…I’ve done a few drawings, but I’ve lost my interest somewhat. Of course, I could get a lot of trashy drawings done, but I don’t want to…”
Evidently Frome never did self-publish again. But he remained active in fandom, if no longer functioning as a zine ed, in that he regularly contributed art to Croutch’s LIGHT and early issues of CANADIAN FANDOM through the early 1940s and was still listed in the Canadian fan directory in 1952.
1938 – (#1 – ? )
(SM) [See FROME – NILS HELMER, SUPRAMUNDANE STORIES ]
FANTHOLOGY 76
— Faned: Victoria Vayne. An anthology of the best fanwriting of 1976, presumably culled from worldwide fandom, and published in 1977 out of Toronto, Ontario.
Writing for BCAPA in Feb of 1980, Victoria Vayne stated: “I’m most pleased, of all my fanzines, with FANTHOLOGY 76, which also had a best single issue FAAn nomination and a huge inventory of which still sits in my living room available for the benefit of TAFF, etc.”
Writing in Oct 1977, Taral stated: “Also available from Victoria Vayne is the FANTHOLOGY for 1976. Over a hundred pages of the best fan writing reprinted from their original publications with the original accompanying artwork. The appearance is excellent, and the reading varied. Articles range from faaaaaaaaaaaaanish to sercon reviews of Poul Anderson’s FireTime. Price is $3.00 and all profits go ultimately to fan charities: TAFF, DUFF and the FAAn awards.”
FAST-FORWARD
— Faned: Brian A. Davis, Fredericton, NB. Clubzine for the Fredericton Science Fiction Society/USS Hawking, which was a Student SF club at the University of New Brunswick. Davis also published FIXED LINK, a newszine which included FSFS info & notices. FF still being published in 1997.
1995 – (Vol. 2, #3 – Spring) – Can*Con ’95 Issue.
[ See FREDERICTON SF SOCIETY ]
FAT, OLD, AND BORING
— Faned: Ernie B. Klassen. Perzine out of Victoria circa 1984/1985. (More details to be added.)
1984 – (#1 – Mar) – “Bernie introduces us to plant-level awareness, mondo slanted typelines, the woes of being Garth Spencer’s printer, creative unemployment, ‘The Politics of Decadence’, the progress of CALLISTO RISING, and a fanpubber’s notes.” – (GS)
– (#2 – May?) – “Bernie reveals his swimming expedition (‘It was maybe forty feet back to the rafts, but the cold grabbed hold of me & I started to panic’), the ghosts of the sixties slipping under his defenses, a wonderfully-written story about liberating some clay from a park at night (‘As I bend down to pick up another piece of clay, a small chunk hits me in the side of the head. During the next 5 minutes, Dan & I re-create the bun fight from the end of DUCK SOUP’), some Victoria fanac, & other bits.” – (GS)
1985 – (#4 – ? ) – “…another Klassenzine detailing the incompetence of the so-called ‘doctors’ Bernie & Paula were subjected to, and the kind of goofy fun Bernie’s friends have..” – (GS)
FELTIPXINE
–– Faned: Ron Orr. Humour/cartoon zine pubbed out of Downsview, Ontario, circa early 1980s. (GS) Possibly called FELT-TIP XINE.
1981 – (#1 – Oct)
1982 – (#2 – Sep)
FEN AND THE ART OF FANZINE PUBLISHING
— Faned: Taral. 6 page one-shot perzine.
1978 – (#1 – Sep)
FICTONS FREE-FOR-ALL
— Annual Fictionzine by the members of the B.C. SF Association Writers Workshop pubbed out of Vancouver, B.C. from 1988 on. A ‘Ficton’ is a word coined by Robert Heinlein in his novel ‘The Number of the Beast’ to describe a fictional universe. These Fictons were distributed free to all BCSFA members.
1988 – (#1 – Dec) – Faned: Don H. DeBrandt. Digest sized, 27 pages. Front cover features a ‘No Gorillas’ sign. Back cover artwork by Peregrin depicts a wolf singing beside a lady playing a harp. Peregrin has three other illustrations within. Introduction by Don H. DeBrandt. There are 4 poems: ‘Wolfnight’ by Sara Brearley, ‘Dread’ by Daelos, ‘My Dear Cosmonaut’ & ‘Elliot’s Rose’ by Doug Finnerty.
Contains 6 short stories: ‘See The Dancing Martian!’ by R. Graeme Cameron, ‘Penal Rap’ by Joe King, ‘The Throwback’ by Vera Johnson, ‘Last Record’ by Steven A. Barclay, ‘Drifts’ by Katheleen Moore-Freeman, and ‘The Terminal Club’ by Don H. Debrandt.
1989 – (#2 – May) – Faned: Don H. DeBrandt. Digest sized, 27 pages. Front cover features artwork by Mike Jackson depicting a spacesuited figure sitting on a boulder in a barren landscape reading a book, his/her(?) crash-landed spaceship in the background. Back cover by Peregrin shows a young girl delightedly staring at something glowing in her hand. Introduction by Don H. DeBrandt. There are 3 poems: ‘Blue and Green’ by Jo McBride, ‘A Leary Tail’ by Donna Farley, and ‘Walking The Dark’ by Daelos.
Contains 4 short stories: ‘Artist In A Landscape’ by R. Graeme Cameron, with an illustration by Mike Jackson showing a half-melted robot pointing at the landscape art in question, ‘No Soliciting’ by Doug Finnerty, ‘Winterwere’ by Lisa R. Cohen with an illustration by Peregrin depicting the heroine wandering through a snow-draped forest, and ‘The Quicksilver Screen’ by Don H. Debrandt, with an illustration by Mike Jackson showing the protagonist watching said screen. Don expanded the story and it was published as a ‘Discovery’ novel (as in newly discovered first time author) by Del Rey books in 1992. He later went on to publish 3 novels for Ace Books: ‘Steeldriver’, ‘Timberjak’, and ‘V.I. Viral Intelligence.’ Who says writer’s workshops serve no purpose?
1990 – (#3 – ? ) – Faned: Don H. DeBrandt. Digest sized, 63 pages. The wraparound cover is by Warren Oddson. Taking place on a small asteroid with a star strewn sky, the 1930s style hero lies stretched out, having been knocked cold with a pipe by the half-clad heroine who is now walking off hand in claw with a snake-like alien. The captions read: “Alien Sex! Graphic Dismemberment! Cheap Laughs!” There are no interior illustrations or poems. Introduction by Don H. DeBrandt in which he explains all the stories share the same theme: combining myth with Science, magic with technology.
Contains 6 stories: ‘Avacado Avatar’ by Don H. DeBrandt, ‘Field Trip’ by Fran Skene, ‘African Rhythms’ by Jennifer Nordstrom, ‘The Hand That Gathers’ by Nancy Shelford, ‘The Flower Words Of Xochiquetzal’ by Vera Johnson, & ‘Year Of The Cat’ by Doug Finnerty and Joe King.
1991 – (#4 – ? ) – Faned: Fran Skene. Digest sized, 66 pages. Wraparound cover by Warren Oddson shows a realistic nude female stretched on her back, but with one breast a planet, an artificial heart visible, a strategically placed angry cat, and other surreal details. The main title is “Shipping Susan”, and features subtitles reading: “Androids from Hell!”, :Murder And Mayhem!”, and “Nightmares Of Bureaucracy!” Introduction by Fran explains the theme is ‘Shipping Susan’. Interior art is clip art, and each story and poem is introduced with a photo of and brief blurb about the author. Just 1 poem, ‘Shipping Susan COD’ by Vera Johnson.
Contains 7 stories: ‘Shipping Susan’ by Don H. DeBrandt, ‘Swarming Susan’ by Eugene James, ‘Ship’s Susan’ by Lisa Smedwoman (Smedman), ‘Susan, Shipped’ by Fran Skene, ‘Desperately Shipping Susan’ by Doug Finnerty, ‘Contents: One (1) Susan’ by Peter Tupper, & ‘When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Get There’ by Jim Pook.
Lisa Smedman has since turned pro with ten novels to her credit, including ‘The Lucifer Deck’, ‘The Apparition Trail’ and ‘Viper’s Kiss’. More proof that the idea that writer’s workshops are a dead end is a myth!
1993 – (#5 – ? ) – Faned: Fran Skene. Digest sized, 56 pages. Cover a woman’s profile dissolving in a swirl of graph lines into the background universe. Apparently clip art, as are the interior illustrations. No introduction. No poems.
Contains 8 short stories: ‘The Case Of The Raptrams Mole’ by Vera Johnson, ‘Rude Awakenings’ by Lisa Smedman, ‘A Better Weapon’ by Alan Barlclay, ‘Animal Lovers’ by Doug Finnerty, ‘The Cleverest Male’by Don H. DeBrandt (an excerpt from his then work-in-progress, the novel ‘Steeldriver’), ‘Burning Down The Barn’ by Peter Tupper, ‘traps’ by Fran Skene, & ‘Another’s Vengeance’ by Lisa Shepard.
1994 – (#6 -? ) – Faned: Fran Skene. Digest sized, 90 pages. Cover art by Gary Wildeman, which has to do with the theme, ‘a picture is worth 1000 words’. Each contributor had to include one or more items from a collection of images: the robot from the film Metropolis, a fractal pattern of a DNA spiral, a space ship cruising over an alien landscape, the fool card from the tarot deck, three young women drawn Japanamation style, an Incan Mummy, a winged creature, dinosaurs, a perforated mask, a man holding a beer stein, lightning, and a hole in a window that forms the frame for a planet. Wildeman depicts most of these in his cover art. Introduction by Fran? Interior illustrations are clip art. No poems.
Contains 8 stories: ‘The Boneman’ by Robert Bosshardt, ‘The Thousand Words’ by Allan Lowson, ‘A Question Of Loyalty’ by Lisa Smedman, ‘Surveillance and Countermeasure’ by Delphine Kelly, ‘Canis Mechanicus’ by Eugene James, ‘A Surfeit Of Suspects’ by Vera Johnson, ‘Fool’s Errand’ by Fran Skene, and ‘Queensnight’ by Lisa Shephard.
2000 – (#7 -? ) – Faned: Fran Skene. Digest sized, 111 pages. Cover art by Warren Oddson depicts five variations of female figure, a classic Venus nude (albeit smoking a cigar), another nude shown from the rear, human but for a bony fin, a women in uniform, another in a spacesuit, and the last in futuristic armour. There’s also a bubbling blob, and at the back, a reptile-like alien giving the V for victory sign. Interior illustrations are clip art. No introduction. No poems.
Contains 10 stories: ‘Where You Plant Bones… Ghosts Will Grow’ by Don H. DeBrandt, ‘Red Riding H.O.O.D.’ by Garry Owens, ‘Coup de Trompe’ by Allan Lowson, ‘The Fakir’ by Robert Bosshardt, ‘Revelations’ by Sylvia Skene, ‘Mars 2080’ by Fran Skene, ‘The Serpents of Eden’ by Vera Johnson, ‘Boxy Moulder and Ballfazer’ by Ken Strang, ‘Evolutionary Zero’ by Doug Finnerty, & ‘The Dream Weaver’ by Dave Manning and Eugene James.
200? – (#8 -? ) – A proposed 8th Fictons has seen a number of stories collected over recent years but has yet to be published.
FIE
— Faned: Harry Calnek. Pubbed out of Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia. A genzine, with much art contributed by Georgina Ellis of Calgary. Listed in CANFAN #22 (Sept 1954) as a member of CAFP (Canadian Amateur Fan Publishers).
Calnek drew some of his own art, but, in the words of Taral: “It was Gina who had talent… her crayon or pencil drawings for Calnek couldn’t be reproduced except by offset and dot-screen. On-stencil illos are less readily identified, and are somewhat in the ‘pretty’ style…”
1954 – (#1 – Feb) – Has a cover by Ellis, depicting 5 overlapping female visages, as seen from slightly different angles, one face’s lips serving as the eye of the under lapped face. The lip/eyes are convincing as lips, but as eyes are puff-lidded and alien.
– (#2 – Jun) (#3 – Aug) (#4 – Dec)
1955 – (#5 – Mar)
[See CANADIAN CAPERS, CSF/FFA, DUTCHESS OF CANADIAN FANDOM & CAFP ]
FILKZINE
— Faned: Linda Bowland. A media/filkzine, pubbed out of Brampton, Ontario. (GS)
1980 – (#1 – Apr) (#2 – Aug)
1981 – (#3 – ? ) (#4 – ? )
FILLER
— Faneds: Norman G. Browne & “Art Wesley” Dean A. Grennell. A famous one-shot by N.G. Browne of Edmonton and D.A. Grennell of Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin (also known for his fapazine ‘GRUE’). Pubbed 1n 1953.
“FILLER is wanted for FILLER, the fanzine that will contain nothing but FILLER.”
FILLER consisted entirely of 527 numbered “filler” items such as tongue-in-cheek one-line statements (sort of a lino compilation), jokes, deft definitions, cute comments, etc., from various sources such as famous fans like Lee Hoffman, Joe Nydahl, Harlan Ellison, Robert Bloch, David Kyle, Walt Willis, Charles Burbee, & Redd Boggs, and also from Pros like Oscar Wilde, Walt Kelly, Milton Berle, Ambrose Bierce, Willey Ley, Wally Balloo & such.
The idea was for faneds, in order to conserve space, to just type in the appropriate number (like FILLER #75) and the readers would then turn to their own copy of FILLER to look up the witty quote being referenced. In order for this to work, both faneds and readers would need copies. It proved surprisingly successful and remains fondly remembered by many.
As Ted White commented in 1999: “FILLER was a brillant collection, primarily of interlineations.”
FILLER is also of vital interest because it was the first zine to make reference to an important fannish food, to whit Filler #378: “But if you don’t like crottled greeps, why did you order them?”
Browne openly invited contributions. In his VANATIONS #5 (Apr 1953) he stated the criteria: “Items must be less than six lines in length… must be accompanied by the Author’s name and source… Contributors sending twelve items or more will receive a free copy of the magazine when it is issued.”
Elsewhere in the issue he notes that local Edmonton fan Bill Stavdal is helping him work on the project.
In IZZARD #7 (Sep 1983) Harry Warner Jr. wrote: “It was a thick publication consisting of hundreds of bright remarks, each numbered. Apparently it was meant as an elaborate commentary on the excesses which fans were then committing on the craze for fillers…”
FILLER had to be ordered from ‘Art Wesley’ in Wisconsin, or purchased directly from Norman G. Browne or Jack Harness when they were flogging them at Philcon II, the 1953 World Convention in Philadelphia. Jack Harness was the artist who created the photo-offset cover made up of a mosaic of little (filler) drawings. FILLER consisted of 42 standard sized pages and cost 25¢.
In CANADIAN FANDOM #21 (Jun 1954) a single page insert designed to be mailed back to Browne (then living in Wilson Heights, Ontario) stated: “FILLER is wanted for the second issue of FILLER…. Who said FILLER was only a one-shot? FILLER is an annual! But we need material…”
The criteria has been revised: “Items must be either original or second-hand… need not be humorous or fannish in nature though these types are preferred… should not exceed five lines in length… Twelve or more ACCEPTED items and you receive a free copy… fifty or more items makes you an associate editor…”
Listed in CANADIAN FANDOM #22 (Sept 1954) as a CAFP (Canadian Amateur Fan Publishers) publication, which strongly indicates that Browne was doing it on his own. But, the mere fact of it being listed does not mean it was ever published. ESCAPE is also on the same list, and it never appeared. FILLER #2 was a project of Browne’s which likely was abandoned when he gafiated later in 1954 (or possibly in 1955).
The insert gives the following example as the kind of filler he was looking for:
“NOW AS IN 1943….? — Things are happening so fast in the NFF that this may be out of date when it sees print. I’ll take my chance, though, and state here my reasons for believing that liquidation of the organization is the only thing to do.” – Harry Warner Jr: LE ZOMBIE #54.
FINAL FRONTIER
— Faned: James P. Poon. “Also on editorial board: Chris W. Daly, Luke Fallon, Tapio Vocadlo, Emile Richard, all Montreal, PQ. This was a glossy clubzine published by this group as part of the revival of fandom in Montreal in the form of the Montreal Star Trek Association. The editorial board changed each issue, and the club changed name and direction into the Montreal Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, or MonSFFA (in Oct 1988). The club started up WARP as its clubzine not long afterwards.” (LP)
1987 – (V1, #1 – Dec)
1988 – (V1, #2 – Feb) (V1, #3 – Aug/Sep)
[ See MONTREAL SF SOCIETY, MONTREAL SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY ASSOCIATION, MONTREAL STAR TREK ASSOCIATION, WARP, IMPULSE ]
FIRST DRAFT
— Faned: Taral Wayne. Newszine. Mimeo. Pubbed out of Willowdale, Ontario.
“A locally distributed newsletter for what Taral called ‘The Unwriters Workshop’. Appeared monthly. #6 was the last issue.” (BEB)
1981 – (#1 – ?) (#2 – ?) (#3 – ?) (#4 – ?) (#0 – Dec)
1982 – (#5 – May) (#6 – Jul)
FIXED LINK
— Faned: Brian A. Davis. “The Newsletter For Maritime Canadian SF Enthusiasts” pubbed out of Fredericton, New Brunswick, in the late 1990s. “Brian Intended this zine to not only act as a newsletter for the fandoms in the Maritime Provinces, but also to inform the rest of Canada that Maritime fandom was well, alive and active.” (LP)
1997 – VOLUME ONE – (#1 – Spring) (#2 – Mid-Spring) (#2* – July) – KingCon Supplement, (#3 – Aug) (#4 – Oct)
FORESHADOWINGS
— Faned: Glenn Lisle. Gene Day fanclub newsletter pubbed out of Ottawa, Ontario circa 1978. Possibly many issues.
1978 – (#3 – Fall?) – “The layout, design & artwork we are always raving about (sometimes maniacally) is almost non-existent in FORESHADOWINGS. So what. The newsletter is produced only for those who are fans of the indomitable Geni of Gananoque: Gene Day.”
“Mostly, Gene ‘tells’ of his many projects (how many clones does he have?). Editor Glenn has his say too.”
“Not much to say about FORESHADOWINGS really. If you’re a fan of Canada’s premier pro artist, you’re sure to find the newsletter interesting — and more artwork is promised in the future.” (DH)
FORMERLY FTA/PHOENIX
— Faneds: Anonymous. Spoofzine one-shot pubbed out of Victoria, B.C., in 1984. Claims to be a SFAV publication. Judged by Robert Runte to be largely unamusing and low brow:
“This takeoff of the FTA/PHOENIX, Garth Spencer, motherhood & apple pie should manage to offend just about everybody… The only bit which isn’t obscene (and consequently is amusing) is the loc supposedly from yours truly. Pretty juvenile stuff, and a complete waste of a lot of talented people, if you ask me. But they enjoyed themselves, so what the hey….”
Presumably ‘they’ were members of SFAV, the Science Fiction Association of Victoria, B.C. Given that 3 pages are devoted to making fun of Bruce V. Kalnins in a manner typical of his gonzo-style humour, there exists the possibility it was Kalnins who put this together. (Details to be added)
1984 – (Vol Loud #Uno – Sept)
[ See UP THE TUBE(S), SFAV, FROM THE ASHES, PHOENIX, PHOENIX & FTA, & FTA/PHOENIX ]
FREEFAN JOURNAL
— Faned: Samuel Wager. A fannish anarchist/libertarian zine pubbed out of Toronto circa early 1980s. (GS)
1981 – (#1 – Oct) – “An anarchist’s fanzine. #1 consists of a reprinting of Michael Moorcock’s “Starship Stormtroopers” a politically critical essay on SF.” – (BEB)
1982 – (#2 – ?) – “The second issue has reactions to Moorcock’s essay plus other articles of interest of a feminist/anarchist perspective.” – (BEB)
– (#3 – Apr) – “Digest-sized booklet. 40 pages. Letters & ‘Larry Smilie is Dead’.” – (BEB)
1983 – (#4 – Feb)
FRIGHT & FANTASY
— Faneds: A. Buchbinder & S. Shulman. Possibly a semi-pro zine, devoted to Horror & Fantasy films, pubbed out of Toronto. At least one copy was displayed at an OSFiC meeting. Its cover featured an artwork or photo of Peter Cushing. 48 pages.
1974 – (#1 – ?) (#2 – ?) (#3 – ?) (#4 – ?) Possibly further issues.
FROM THE ASHES
— Faneds: Gary Harper, Paul Delaney, Rebecca Reeves, & Kris Snyder. One version of the newsletter of SFAV, the Science Fiction Association of Victoria, B.C., pubbed in the early to mid-1980s.
[ Note: History of SFAV publications as follows: First Stan Hyde pubbed 2 issues of UP THE TUBE(S) in 1978. Then both PHOENIX & FROM THE ASHES start up in late 1979. Then both zines are combined into one zine titled PHOENIX & FTA in Feb 1982. The title is changed to FTA/PHOENIX in Dec 1982. Publication ceases Dec 1983. 2 revival issues titled FROM THE ASHES appear Feb & Mar 1985. A revival FTA/PHOENIX comes out Sept 1985. Another revival FTA/PHOENIX appears May 1986. Possibly further issues? ]
1979 – Faned: Gary Harper – (V1#1 – Sep) (V1#2 – Nov)
Problem: V1#3 of FTA states: “You’ll notice that the name has been changed from PHOENIX to FROM THE ASHES. This is to distinguish between the newsletter & the fanzine (which is coming along nicely…)” Yet the 1985 Fanzine Bibliography lists the first 2 issues under the title FROM THE ASHES at the dates above. Perhaps they came out on those dates, but were called PHOENIX? Except it also lists PHOENIX’s first 2 issues as appearing Nov 79 & Apr 1980!
To complicate matters further, V1#3 in the minutes of a Nov 10th meeting stated: “Our first newsletter in 2 years was handed out to the members present.” & V1#4 (Jan 1980) says: “By the time this is read, I hope everyone has a copy of PHOENIX (the big numero uno of SFAv publications delve into fanzines)..Remember, the deadline for V1#2 is 15 March..”
Here’s what I suspect is the case. Roughly 2 years after Stan Hyde’s UP THE TUBE(S), SFAV produced a newsletter called PHOENIX (V1#1) in Sep 1979 (possibly Oct) & a second issue of that title in Nov 1979. Then they decided to change the newsletter’s title to FROM THE ASHES and the third issue (V1#3) came out in Dec. Meanwhile the first issue of the fanzine, called PHOENIX, & numbered V1#1, was printed in late? Nov (possibly Dec), but not distributed till late Dec or early January. V1#2 of PHOENIX appeared in Apr 1980.
In other words, the first two issues of the FTA newsletter, even though titled PHOENIX, have nothing to do with the slightly later club fanzine called PHOENIX, but are, to all intents & purposes, simply the first two issues of FROM THE ASHES. Clear as mud?
– (V1#3 – Dec) – 6 single-sided dittoed sheets. No art. Minutes of two meetings, with the interesting note: “Did you know that SFAV has held 84 meetings since its inception in 1974?” David Thomson reviews the film ‘Time After Time’ : “a flop”, Paul Delaney reviews ‘Meteor’: “..the acting was very good… the special effects were quite poor..”, & Gary Harper reviews ‘Dawn Of The Dead’: “…about the worst movie I’ve been to in a long time…” Winds up with a list of coming books & films. A bit thin compared to UP THE TUBE(S), but then, FTA was only a newsletter. The ‘good stuff’ was reserved for PHOENIX.
1980 – Faned: Gary Harper – (V1#4 – Jan) – only 4 single-sided sheets. Minutes of meetings, film news, award news ( “The Academy of SF, Fantasy & Horror films Voted ‘Battlestar Galactica’ best TV program”? Arrgh!), & a short account of a club bowling night.
– (V1#5 – Jan) – Pleas for new members & more contributions, minutes of meetings ( “Cattlefarm Galactica was heard on tape. This is a spoof done by the Calgary SF Club…” ), club news ( “Chucky, the beaver, the BCSFA mascot, has been kidnapped and a ransom note for $1,000 received. BCSFA is having an auction to raise the money…” ) & film news. David Thomson reviews ‘Starship Invasions’ — “Canadian made movies are usually of poor quality… I can only say that if Canada produces more movies of this type, there may be hope for the Canadian film industry…” Arrgh!
– (V1#6 – Feb) – 4 single-sided sheets. Having realized “only 4 members are bearing the load of the bi-weekly meetings” Harper has looked into assorted recreation centre possibilities. Anywhere from $2.50 to $12.00 per hour. Minutes & news ( “Ted White, longtime editor of ‘Amazing’ & ‘Fantastic’ magazines has become editor of ‘Heavy Metal’… Be sure and meet Ted White at VCON 8…” )
– (V1#7 – Feb) – Meetings now in rented facility at Windsor park, members kicking in 50¢ each.
Three reviews of ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’, by Paul Delaney: “I’m a Trekker and proud of it”, by Gary Harper: “I was not taken in and impressed by all the local hype…the two things that left a lasting impression were the special effects & the film score…”, and by Mr. Paul (taken from Variety): “the expensive effects are the secret of this film… would appear to justify the whopping budget.”
– (V1#8 – Mar) – Minutes of several meetings (radio tapes played, dinner with the UFCST, swimming parties — an active club!), Delaney review of ‘The Martian Chronicles’ TV series: “Apart from Rock Hudson, the acting was fair..”, his review of ‘Saturn 3’: “ranks as one of the all time worsts…”, & D. Thomson review of same: “had an aura of a low budget thriller…”
– (V1#9 – Apr) – A kind of supplement, with all material provided by Stan G. Hyde. 12 single-sided sheets titled ‘Newsfront: a column of information, opinion & critical rumblings.’ Stan discusses the state of SF films: “the quality of an SF film is now predictably by the number of spaceships & more ships — the poorer the film”, reviews the Herzog ‘Nosferatu’: “Colour may have been a mistake…seems to leech away the mystery of the expressionistic shadow…perhaps, in colour, subtlety is impossible”, reviews Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’: “…rendered incoherent by the confused screenplay that creates more questions than it answers at every turn of the plot”, & devotes many pages to film news: “A.E. Van Vogt, who claims that ‘Alien’ is a steal from his ‘The Black Destroyer’ will probably settle out of court with 20th Century Fox.” He also urges everyone to contribute to “The Viking Fund, a private funding attempt to keep the Viking spacecraft alive and working on the surface of Mars.”
– (V1#10 – May) (V1#11- Jul) (V1#12 – Aug)
Then Paul Delaney as editor: (V2#1 – Oct)
Then Gary Harper as editor: (V2#2 – Nov) (V2#3 – Dec)
1981 – Faned: Gary B. Harper – (V2#4 – Jan ) – “The usual coverage of local club news plus a new column by Rebecca Reeves, ‘Left of Andromeda’, in which she discusses SF merchandise & organizations…. Stan Hyde’s occasional column on films is missing but will undoubtedly return… Substituted a film column by…well, they forgot to say who wrote it, but it was probably Dan McDonagh.” – (RR)
– Then Paul Delaney as editor: (V2#5 – Mar ) – “…experiments with colour ditto (black & green). A good clubzine.” – (RR)
– Then Paul Delaney & Gary Harper as editors: (V2#6 – Apr) (V2#7 – May)
Then Rebecca Reeves as editor: (V2#8 – Jun)
Then Kris Snyder as editor: (V2#9/10 – Aug)
Then Rebecca Reeves as editor: (V2#11 – Sep)
Then Kris Snyder as editor: (V2#12 – Nov)
Then combined with PHOENIX to become PHOENIX & FTA.
1985 – James Dean Waryk as editor: (V?#? – Feb) (V?#? – Mar)
[ See PHOENIX, PHOENIX & FTA, FTA/PHOENIX, SFAV, FORMERLY FTA/PHOENIX & UP THE TUBE(S) ]
THE FROZEN FROG
— Faned: Benoit Girard. Perzine pubbed out of Guillaume-Boisset, Cap-Rouge, Quebec, in the 1990s.
“According to issue #1, Benoit found out lots about fandom by attending 3 Worldcons, and decided that it was fanzine fandom he wanted to join. In 12 issues, he made a sizable impact on fanzine fandom, & long after his divorce & gafiation, I am asked by many American faneds if I know where Benoit had gone to. Every issue had a wide selection of fandom’s busiest fan artists.” – Lloyd Penney.
1992 – (#1 – Jan ) – “Book & movie reviews, details on Benoit’s employment (environmental R&D), notes on gaming & an article on Benoit’s first Worldcon, Chicon IV in Chicago in 1982. Only issue 5.5×8.5 digest size, all others 7×8.5.” (LP)
– (#2 – Mar) – “Book & movie reviews, article on a trip to Peru, further on the environment, fanzine list & locs.” (LP)
– (#3 – Jun) – Cover, ‘Kangaroo In Spacesuit’ by David L. Russell. “Editorial, article on bookaholism by Valerie Bedard, article on French-language fanzine BLANC CITRON (including, paper-clipped inside, the mini-issue #74 of BLANC CITRON (Anglicized to Lemon White)), zine listings & locs, plus final article by David Palter on the passing of Isaac Asimov.” (LP)
– (#4 – Sep) – Cover, ‘Frog Charioteer’ by Linda Michaels. “Article on misanthropy by Marc Ortlieb, another on C.J. Cherryh’s Faded Sun trilogy by Chris Shea, locs.” (LP)
1993 – (#5 – Jan) – Cover, ‘Sex Blurb’ by Charles Montpetit. Of thish Steve George wrote: “I haven’t seen a SFzine from Quebec in ages, and this one is in English, which means not only do I get to enjoy the layout but I get to read it, too! Benoit Girard talks about the wonders of discovering fandom, the weirdness of getting letters from people you don’t know, and all that. I think this guy likes pubbing… He even does surveys, which gives him more to write about….mostly SF stuff. He’ll probably get over having 40 contributors in each issue, or his zine will become Canada’s STET. Time will tell.”
“Comments on Benoit’s expanding collection of frogs, a semi-advertisement for an anthology of stories about sexual awakenings, locs & survey results.” (LP)
– (#6 – Mar) – Cover, ‘Frog Hockey Players’ by Philippe Labelle. Of thish Steve George wrote: “I knew it would happen! I predicted it! THE FROZEN FROG has turned into Canada’s STET…. only worse! There’s nothing in this issue but letters. Letters, letters, letters. Well, little else. A short editorial, one book review, a classical CD review, and letters. By my count, 25 published letters and 69 WAHFs. I don’t know whether to call this laziness or dedication….”
“Editorial about the Quebec Nordiques, book reviews, lots of locs.” (LP)
– (#7 – Aug) – Cover, ‘Tadpole In Drink’ by Pekka Allan Manninen. “The idea of collectable Fan Artist cards is tossed about. Book reviews, fanzine reviews, some fiction, lots of locs.” (LP)
1994 – (#8 – Jan) – Cover, ‘Frog In Arctic’ by Steve Stiles. “Some fiction, comments on zine titles, including some from Walt Willis, lots of locs.” (LP)
– (#9 – May) – Cover, ‘Map Of Frog Prince Kingdom’ by Lynn Margosian. “Book reviews, article on the American comics industry, and the French/Quebecois bandes dessinees, locs galore.” (LP)
– (#10 – Oct) – Cover, ‘Frog Driving Train’ by Joe Mayhew. “Collectors discuss how to manage your fanzine collection, the genesis of the World Wide Party, more on the American comics industry, book reviews & locs.” (LP)
1995 – (#11 – May) – Cover, ‘Frog In Hell’ by Steve Stiles. “Comments on Benoit’s getting on to the internet, admission that it’s become a letterzine, and lots & lots of locs to prove it.” (LP)
1997 – (#12 – Aug) – Cover, ‘frogs’ by Bridget Hardcastle. “Editorial on why so long to wait for this issue, article on what fandom would have been like if it had been active in the 17th century, article on the character Cybersix, lots of locs, and an obituary of Benoit’s aunt Irene.” (LP)
THE FROZEN FRONTIER
— Faned: S. M. Campbell. Possible one-shot pubbed out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. “S.M. created this word processing document, photocopied it & stapled it as a zine to distribute at the 1994 Worldcon in Winnipeg.”
1994 – (#1 – Sep) – “Articles on Sfnal heroines & female SF writers, the privatization of NASA, & 12 books to take to a backwater colony.” (LP)
FTA/PHOENIX
— Faneds: Garth Spencer, Paul Gerber, James D. Waryk & Tami Hayes. One version of the newsletter of SFAV, the Science Fiction Association of Victoria, B.C., pubbed in the early to mid-1980s.
[ Note: History of SFAV publications as follows: First Stan Hyde pubbed 2 issues of UP THE TUBE(S) in 1978. Then both PHOENIX & FROM THE ASHES start up in late 1979. Then both zines are combined into one zine titled PHOENIX & FTA in Feb 1982. The title is changed to FTA/PHOENIX in Dec 1982. Publication ceases Dec 1983. Two revival issues titled FROM THE ASHES appear Feb & Mar 1985. A revival FTA/PHOENIX comes out Sept 1985. Another revival FTA/PHOENIX appears May 1986. Possibly further issues? ]
Summing up Garth’s career as editor during the 3rd incarnation (V3#3 to V4#6), Robert Runte wrote:
“The combined newsletter & clubzine of SFAV, with the usual combination of news, editorializing about the local fan zine, articles & fiction by members, and a pretty good letter column. Garth managed to expand the mailing lists and attract enough out-of-town contributors to keep FTA/PHOENIX from becoming too insular. The only thing keeping this from becoming Canada’s ultimate clubzine was the hard-to-read ditto reproduction.”
Garth stepped down as the Information Officer for SFAV with the Dec 1983 issue (in order to concentrate on THE MAPLE LEAF RAG & THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARTH), and the fanzine essentially disappeared with his leaving. (More detail to be added.)
1982 – Faned: Garth Spencer – (V3#6 – Dec)
1983 – Faned: Garth Spencer – (V4#1 – Feb) (V4#2 – Apr) (V4#3 – Jun) (V4#4 – Aug) (V4#5 – Oct) (V4 #6 – Dec)
1985 – Faned: ? – (V4#7? – Sep)
1986 – Faneds: Paul Gerber, James D. Waryk & Tami Hayes – (V5#1 – Nov/Dec) Possibly further issues?
[ See PHOENIX, FROM THE ASHES, SFAV, FORMERLY FTA/PHOENIX & UP THE TUBE(S) ]