LOC for Tightbeam #331

The following is a letter of comment sent to George Phillies, editor of Tightbeam, commenting on #331.

Dear Mr. Phillies:

Jose Sanchez’s cover to Tightbeam #331 (April 2022) is amazing! Between this cover and Alan White’s recent cover for Eldritch Science, we’re really pulling out all the stops in terms of cover art in recent months. The back cover, while an older piece, is also impressive. Wonderful book ending, and what a joy to behold. I look forward to seeing more of Jose’s work.

    I like your use of the phrase “N3F Revival.” We are indeed enjoying fine days in terms of fanzine and apa activity. The migration of some material from Tightbeam to FanActivity Gazette makes total sense thematically, and we now have a proper newszine. I was sorry to hear that Silver Empire shut up shop. Hopefully, if rights to the works they published weren’t already held by the writers, the rights have reverted so we can see other publishers reprint and distribute their former catalog. I wasn’t familiar with them previously, so I don’t even know what I was missing. But “heroic, wondrous adventure fiction” sounds up my alley.

    Graham J. “GrayJay” Darling’s letter of comment on the mistaken origin of the unicorn and its cultural importance goes beyond my brief comments in response to Tightbeam #330, and I resonated with his reference to Physiologus and T.H. White’s consideration of the unicorn as an “ur-wild beast that could only be tamed by a gentle maiden.”

    While I was somewhat familiar with the recent scandal involving comic book and fiction author Warren Ellis, I was unaware he’d penned an anime, FreakAngels, as reviewed by Jessi Silver. Interestingly, it started as a Web comic and was later collected and published by Avatar Press, which has published multiple Ellis comics over the years. I might have to look for the Avatar edition before checking out the animated series.

    Thomas E. Simmons’s comic book reviews are a welcome addition, and we get reviews of three issues of Shogun Warriors! I have the third issue and another in storage and will have to return to the series based on Simmons’s comments. I hope to see more of his writing in the future.

    I appreciated Jon D. Swartz’s bio-bibliography of Frederik Pohl. His origins in the Futurians, fandom, and sf magazines are fascinating, and Mr. Swartz’s profile makes me want to return to his writing. I have a handful of his books cataloged in my personal library, including Alternating Currents, Shadow of Tomorrow, Space Merchants, and the anthology Star Science Fiction Stories No. 3. Which do you recommend I dip into first?

    Will Mayo’s short reviews are always welcome, and we end the issue with your recipe for Greek stew. I’ve yet to make any of the recipes offered in Cedar Sanderson’s column. Have any Neffers made anything in particular that they’d recommend?

    Thanks to all who submitted content to this ish of Tightbeam. It was well worth reading.

LOC for The National Fantasy Fan Vol. 81 #3

The following is a letter of comment sent to George Phillies, editor of The National Fantasy Fan, commenting on Vol. 81 #3.

Dear Mr. Phillies:

I received the March issue of The National Fantasy Fan (Vol. 81 #3) a few weeks ago, but it’s still the most recent ish on hand, so I still have time to comment. Phew! Kudos on undertaking the herculean task that is the Neffy Awards. You should still have my nominations from December; feel free to use as many of them as you see fit for the current categories. I am looking forward to the opportunity to vote on the best of 2021!

    What Facebook groups do you recommend members join? I’ve been enjoying the N3F Facebook and MeWe groups and have recently branched out to checking out a few others. Depending on a Neffers’ involvement and participation in fandom, folks might also appreciate and enjoy the FAAnEds, SF Fandom, Corflu 39, and Science Fiction groups—among others. I’d love to know which groups you recommend.

    Mr. Trainor, I would welcome the opportunity to buy an N3F T-shirt, perhaps screen printed with the illo in the top left corner of thish’s cover. That’s a mighty fine looking logo. Is it the work of Alan White? Even the older logo included on the N3F’s Fancyclopedia 3 Web page would make an excellent T-shirt. I continue to support the idea of an N3F gathering or mini-convention in Nevada next fall. Neffercon! I plan to wear my club T-shirt there.

    Welcome to new members Amy Brodhead, Tiffanie Gray, Lisa Nybaek, Lisbet Rasmussen, Ed Stapleton, Michael Williamson, Clark Wilson, Jami Wilson, Jagi Lamplighter Wright, and John C. Wright. I’m glad you joined.

    For those of you who haven’t worked with the Writer’s Exchange Bureau yet, let me tell you: It’s worth it! Not too long ago, I sent in a short story for comment and feedback. Not one, but two fellow Neffers—Judy Carroll and Denise Fisk—spent time with my story and sent thoughtful, in-depth feedback that will be eminently useful as I revise and continue to work on the story. Thank you very much to those involved in the bureau. Revisiting the piece given your input could even lead to a submission to the annual short story contest! I appreciate your help and support.

    I bet Lloyd Penney’s right. In his letter of comment, he suggests that the old N3F Fische Bureau might have trafficked in microfiche. I know that well into the ’90s, as a university student, researcher, and journalist, I was often called on to use microfiche to access the archives of various newspapers. It would have made sense—and been future-thinking—at the time to reduce fanzines and other fannish materials to such a format. I wonder where all that stuff ended up! Just imagine a stockpile of old fannish microfiche. Shiver!

       Bob Jennings makes an excellent suggestion for next year’s Neffys: Offer separate categories for Best Novel and Best Anthology. That makes total sense to me. Bob, your update on the later Planet Comics reprints and revitalized series (Blackthorn, Pacific) was welcome indeed. And speaking of comic books, John Swartz’s shift from classic franchise characters to sf- and fandom-related comic book titles is a welcome transition. His profile of Mystery in Space inspired me to turn to the portion of my comic book collection that I’ve cataloged to see what I have on hand to read. Alas, I haven’t documented any from that series yet, but I do have two issues of Strange Adventures that I’ve cataloged. I’ll have to revisit them. The Interplanetary Insurance and Space Cabby stories sound interesting, if a little goofy and mundane. And your inclusion of Ron Goulart’s works in the Sources listing was poignant given his death in January (https://tinyurl.com/GoulartObit).

    A solid issue with plenty to explore and learn. Looking forward to the next ish!

LOC for Nice Distinctions #34

The following is a letter of comment sent to Arthur Hlavaty, editor of Nice Distinctions, commenting on issue #34.

Dear Mr. Hlavaty:

Thank you for emailing me Nice Distinctions #34. It’s been a while since we’ve exchanged zines or correspondence, and I didn’t quite know what to expect. What a delightful surprise. I see that ND is also available as a PDF, as mentioned on the Robert Anton Wilson Twitter account last month—and posted on eFanzines, no less. That’s slightly easier to read, but I quite like the lo-fi approach of a text-only email. Where do you post on social media? Facebook, I gather; I haven’t explored your LiveJournal in recent days. Regardless, two years between issues is a long time, though understandable given the pandemic. It’s good to have you in my inbox.

While I’m sorry to hear about your health concerns, I’m glad you’re relatively hale and hearty. Reading what you consider the best of your social media commentary is an interesting experience. It’s a free-flowing stream of consciousness, similar to my Common Book items in the weekly email newsletter Media Diet—or Dave Hickey’s Wasted Words and Dust Bunnies, books that collected his social media posts from almost a decade ago. The result is a fun and thought-provoking peek into what’s going on inside that skull of yours.

I enjoyed the random walk through your comments on technology, privacy, politics, science fiction, fanzines, Octavia Butler reprints, transgression, police brutality, the pandemic, gender and race, fandom, cover art, and other topics. I was intrigued by your comment on sf authors contributing to men’s magazines such as Playboy and Rogue. I’ll have to explore that further. I’ll also have to check out Outworlds #71—sounds like a bumper issue!

But mostly you added to my reading list: Isaac Asimov, Butler, Harlan Ellison, Robert A. Heinlein (I recently enjoyed The Door into Summer, which was… made into a movie!), Hugh Kenner, Roger Zelazny, and others. And I’m inspired to seek you out more on Facebook. You don’t always show up in the algorithm-driven stream.

Hope you’re well, and glad to see you continuing to publish. I’ve enjoyed remaining in your loop over the years.

LOC for Fadeaway #67

The following is a letter of comment sent to Robert Jennings, editor of Fadeaway, commenting on issue #67.

Dear Mr. Jennings:

Earlier this year, I received a copy of Fadeaway #67 through

the National Fantasy Fan Federation’s franking service. I

quite enjoyed the cover and other artwork by—and

information about—Arthur Radebaugh. His approach to

combining the fantastic and “designs for modern living” was

wonderful, and that picture of him in his converted van studio

suggests he lived the life of Riley. I’ll have to look for more

examples of “Closer Than We Think.” His work does work

well in newsprint!

Your commentary on the fate and future of postcards gave me food for thought. I still enjoy sending and receiving postcards, sometimes finding them too short for proper correspondence but useful for sharing places I’ve gone to with friends and family. (I also pilfer hotel stationery for use when it’s available.) When I receive a postcard, we usually post it to the refrigerator, and when we clear space for more, we set them aside. We have quite a sizable stock of postcards—used and unused—that we’ve accumulated over the years, and I’ve occasionally picked up sets related to The Onion, DC Comics, and the like. In fact, I’ve been tempted recently by a set issued late last year by Clarkson Potter: Dungeons & Dragons—Archival Art from Every Edition, an intriguing 100-card set. Per Diem Printing offers a fun set of 25 vintage comic book covers, as well as one featuring covers from Weekly World News. Must. Not. Acquire!

But I think the reason for the decline of postcards is clear: Texting, email, and social media. Usage of postcards has probably declined in step with general correspondence and letter writing as people have adopted new ways of communicating and sharing their experiences. I’d wager that below a certain age, perhaps indeterminate, people are more likely to post to Instagram or TikTok a highlight from their experiences than to send a postcard. Of course, such general sharing is more passive and less personal than sending someone specific a postcard intended just for them. So it goes. Personally, I prefer letters like this—even writing letters of comment as though I might mail them even if I email them as an attachment. I write differently in letter form than I do in an email. I’d be curious what Dale Spiers of Opuntia has to say—or has said—on the matter.

David M. Shea’s exploration of fans who write and why they stop also gave me pause. Over the years, I’ve pursued various forms of writing as a vocation and avocationally: journalism, professional writing, and different kinds of fan writing: reviews, columns, interviews, articles, even poetry. I’ve received multiple rejection letters from Asimov’s for poetry submissions and one from Weird Tales for a short story that I’m currently workshopping with the N3F’s Writers Exchange. I ended up publishing most of my rejected work in apazines, which is a fine outlet for me, but I might turn to sending work to other people for consideration for inclusion in their fanzines. One fan editor friend recently said, “Your poetry seems fine; I don’t know why Asimov’s would reject [it]. I’d be glad to get some of your poems.” There’s something rewarding and validating about someone else publishing your work even if it’s not paid. These days, I write for work, for a scholarly journal, and for apazines and fanzines. But fiction is something I’ve largely avoided. Stories take more time for me than other forms of writing, and as a dilettante, I often tire of story ideas before I complete a piece. Workshopping my rejected Weird Tales story is an attempt to push past that tendency.

As a relatively long-standing employee of Google, I was fascinated by Rob Imes’s analysis of changes in YouTube over time. I met the founders before the video platform’s acquisition, and I’m sometimes curious what they think about its evolution over time. I mostly dip into YouTube when I’m looking for something specific, like a movie trailer, music video, or an old cartoon. During the pandemic, I’ve been watching David Lynch’s daily weather reports with some regularity. And I briefly experimented with posting video blogs of comic book reviews in order to repost the transcriptions as reviews on my blog and elsewhere. That didn’t last long, but it was a fun spurt of creativity. (I even bought one of those halo lights and a decent microphone in my enthusiasm. Silly man.)

But I haven’t given as much thought to the evolution of the platform—or its video ecosystem—as Imes has through a fannish lens. His walk through of notable fandom-related content, including a mention of Ian Shires, came close to inspiring me to make notes of things I want to check out. But to be honest, video is not my preferred mode of entertainment or learning. I’d rather read or write. So I chuckled at his admission of not including links on purpose and might not even end up exploring any of what he commented on, despite the wide range of options related to fandom. Regardless, Imes’s commentary on YouTubers’ efforts to emerge as experts or people knowledgeable on a given topic is worth considering. If video—or podcasts, for that matter—become the most widely used mode of communicating information, what happens if the people making the videos or podcasts don’t know what they’re talking about? Other newcomers won’t be able to discern the quality of information they’re receiving. Robert Beerbohm’s concerns are valid: “You have a lot yet to learn if you think you can teach about the history of comics.” Somehow, leaving comments and posting response videos hardly seem adequate. Certainly, if online video’s your thing, there’s a ton to explore. That’s pretty cool.

I found the letter column rich and rewarding. Your exchange with Lloyd Penney on the culture wars encroaching on fandom (or as Bill Plott put it, “feud-dom”) was interesting, and Gary Brown’s recollection of the SyFy Channel’s rebranding made me chuckle. I winced, too, at the time, but the network was able to make a go of it. Imagine an alternate world in which it became the Skiffy Channel or Scientifiction Channel! I also enjoyed Plott’s remarks on Archie comics. I try to buy a digest or three whenever I see them at the grocery store—to do my part to help keep them firmly ensconced by the checkout. While it’s true that Archie has modernized many of the series leading up to and related to the television show Riverdale (Mark Waid had a hand in that), they seem to respect their history, even if they’re a bit uneven in terms of what decades they showcase. After all, old Archie is the best Archie. And I appreciated the back and forth on the uneven quality of Alpha Video’s film transfers. Last night, a friend and I watched The Red House on an Alpha DVD, and the transfer was actually quite good—at least better than many of the Mill Creek DVDs I’ve accumulated over the years.

While Alpha Video’s DVD covers rank among the most garish I’ve ever seen, Fadeaway’s back cover was a delight. Just imagine the gyroscope and accelerometer necessary to maintain the balance of such a vehicle! Preposterous and wonderful. Like all the best things in life.

LOC for MT Void #2210, 2211, and 2213

The following is a letter of comment sent to Evelyn and Mark Leeper, editors of MT Void commenting on issues #2210-2211, and 2213.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Leeper:

I recently received MT Void #2210, 2211, and 2213 via the

National Fantasy Fan Federation franking service. N3F

president George Phillies often distributes copies of the

fanzine, and it’s a welcome occasional presence in my

inbox. Thank you for publishing so consistently—weekly!—

and for reviewing and recommending so many interesting

books and movies.

In #2210, Joe Karpierz’s review of Catherynne M. Valente’s Comfort Me with Apples was intriguing enough that I’ve added it to my reading list. $18 feels a bit dear for a 100-page hardcover, and the book costs $11 as an ebook, but perhaps the library has it available. The description reminded me a little bit of the novels of Paul Tremblay (The Cabin at the End of the World), Shari Lapena (The Couple Next Door), and Liz Nugent (Lying in Wait). Grocery store book rack thrillers, basically, or any book with a title including “next door” or “across the street.” Good stuff.

Evelyn’s comments on the recent book discussion group selection, H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine made me yearn for a regular book group. I’ve dialed into a library sf discussion group across the country—and read its selected title twice—but I could use something more frequent with people I know otherwise through fandom or locally. Maybe that’s something I can explore through LASFS or the N3F. I’ve been enjoying the short fiction of Wells recently and highly recommend “The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes,” “The Crystal Egg,” “The New Accelerator,” “The Star,” “The Magic Shop,” “A Vision of Judgment,” and “The Queer Story of Brownlow’s Newspaper,” as well as the 2001 television miniseries The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells, of which I’ve only watched one episode. I’ll watch another.

Your comments on Severance in #2211 were my first indication that the show is science fiction! I thought it was just another sad workplace drama or satire. Didn’t even know it was set in Bell Labs Holmdel, which is an attraction in and of itself. I’ll have to reassess and consider watching. I’m surprised Cathode Ray hasn’t mentioned the show in his N3F TV column on sf, fantasy, and horror programs, “Rabid Ears.”

I applaud Mark’s enjoyment of Nightmare Alley. After watching the recent movie, I read the novel—which is a doozy. If you haven’t read it, it’s even sharper and more bleak than the film. William Lindsay Gresham sure could write. We also watched the original movie, which is more solidly noir than the new film, but the ending was a bit of a disappointment. Not at all what we expected, and while almost as bleak a turnabout at the end—returning to the beginning in a different way—it’s not at all true to the book. Still, all versions are highly recommended, especially the novel.

Even though Isaac Asimov’s End of Eternity might not have held up well over the years, I haven’t read it yet, so I’m curious about the time patrol and “basic state.” Having just read Robert A. Heinlein’s The Door into Summer and watched a recent film adaptation, time travel has its appeal in recent days. But I can understand books not aging well. For example, I never really read Tom Swift books when I was younger, but I recently turned to the first installment, Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle to see what all the fuss was about. I’m sure later editions smoothed out the racist portrayals, but holy crow, the first edition was enlightening in its inappropriate representations. There’s a new Tom Swift Inventors’ Academy series that I’m sure is much more vanilla and inoffensive.

And from #2213, we also enjoyed Last Night in Soho. I am resonating strongly with your taste, which is a good indicator that future reviews and recommendations will bode well.

See you next week!

LOC for CyberCozen Vol. 33 #12 and Vol. 34 #1

The following is a letter of comment sent to Leybl Botwinik, editor of CyberCozen commenting on issues Vol. 33 #12 and Vol. 34 #1.

Dear Mr. Botwinik:

I recently received CyberCozen Vol. XXXIII #12 and Vol. XXXIV #1 through the National Fantasy Fan Federation’s franking service. In the December 2021 issue, I found your analysis of More Zion’s Fiction intriguing, particularly on the issues that are addressed—or remain unaddressed—in Israeli sf and the recognition that how people talk about Israel, the Middle East, Palestine, and the conflict is by nature political. I don’t know enough about the situation to have a strong personal point of view, per se, but I know it’s a sensitive matter—and I have Jewish friends with various opinions, so I’m mindful of that. The letter column is small but appreciated, and your recommended Web links offer interesting items to explore and learn more about. I’ll have to keep tabs on them in a more timely manner!

We’ve been thinking about our Jewish and other friends recently, lighting a menorah in our (non-Jewish) home in solidarity for Hanukkah at the end of the year, and noting the confluence of Easter, Passover, and Ramadan this spring. As a fellow Los Angeles-area resident, I appreciated Devra K.’s January 2022 commentary on the Skirball Cultural Center’s “Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds” exhibit. We didn’t make it to the center to check it out, so it was great to learn more vicariously. We missed out, for sure.

I’d be interested to learn more about the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy through the pages of your zine. Is it a club? What does it do? Do members meet? What are its activities like? I’m active in the N3F, LASFS, and SFABC (Science Fiction Association of Bergen County, New Jersey) and am generally curious about other such fan groups around the world.

And In recent days, I’ve been on a bit of a Moon Knight kick. The Disney+ streaming TV show’s still relatively new—I’m not sure if it’s available in your part of the world, but episodes first aired March 30, April 6, and April 13. I’ve watched the first three episodes—a new episode is expected today—and I’ve dug into the Moon Knight comic books I have on hand. One of the aspects that struck me about the comic book more than the more recent show is that Moon Knight as a character is Jewish.

That Moon Knight is Marvel Comics’s only explicitly Jewish superhero has garnered some media attention, including in Forward (https://tinyurl.com/3k2zpc8v), IGN (https://tinyurl.com/2p8zhyh2), and the Jerusalem Post (https://tinyurl.com/36mzbcm9). The character’s Jewish background plays a sizable role in the comic book as written by Doug Moench, but it plays next to no role in the TV show so far. There was even some controversy over the casting of the lead, who is not Jewish (https://tinyurl.com/33ftpefx). I’m curious whether Moon Knight has inspired any discussion among Society members or more generally locally.

Keep up the good work with CyberCozen. You have a reader and fellow fan in California!

LOC for This Here... #27, 32, and 51

The following is a letter of comment sent to Nic Farey, editor of This Here... commenting on issues #27, 32, and 51.

Dear Mr. Farey:

I had forgotten that I’d even written you that letter of comment way back when and was pleasantly surprised to see it show up in This Here… #27, which I’d missed when it first came out but found belatedly while trawling eFanzines for any of my old apazines that might still be floating around in the ether. I’d received #32 through the National Fantasy Fan Federation’s franking service and also recently read #51 so I was relatively up to date. Given the issue gaps in between, you can tell I’m not a dependable reader. As Justin E.A. Busch and John Hertz can attest, I’m an even less dependable correspondent, outside the pages of an apa.

Regardless, thank you for including me in the conversation of #27’s lettercol. I was flattered to earn the banner quote—“Now I want to read Van Vogt!”—and have belatedly located my Van Vogt books in storage so I can do so soon. Apparently, the inspiration was fleeting. (First up is finishing Larry Niven’s Ringworld before proceeding to Jack L. Chalker’s Midnight at the Well of Souls on the recommendation of a friend.) It’s a bit of cognitive dissonance to read about Mike Lowrey’s aborted TAFF ventures in “TAFFnessabeys” given that he’s just now posting trip reports after such a long delay (Ahoy! There he is in #51’s “TAFFnessabounds.”) So glad the man finally made it even if I was unsuccessful in connecting him with friends in Spain.

I shall have to pay attention to Radio Winston on an ongoing basis. Every week, friends and I gather to share songs online via Jqbx and Spotify, effectively a collective radio show, and I post weekly playlists of music that’s tickled my ear drums. You can see—and hear—a recent example at https://tinyurl.com/MD20220416. Your recommendations might even make it to my song sharing with friends! Thank you for that. Between RW and the classical music conversations in APA-L, my ears shall certainly stretch.

In transcribing my previous letter, you seem to have done a pretty decent job scrying my scribbly handwriting, and I appreciate the effort. Hopefully this emailed attachment—as good as a properly mailed letter, perhaps!—is easier to decipher. I’ll have to check out BEAM #15, as the cancel culture discussion continues, with occasional political skirmishes showing up even within the N3F membership, a decidedly vocal conservative portion currently contributing many of the reviews to The N3F Review of Books, and occasional comment threads online that border on outright bigotry. There’s room for speculative politics in science fiction, but is there room for science fiction in mundane politics? We shall see.

Having just signed up as a supporting member for May’s upcoming Balticon, you inspired me to check on my supporting membership for Corflu 39. Indeed, I signed up in late March. Phew! #27’s lettercol featured a lively and impressive cast of characters, and as an infrequent letterhack at that point in time, I was in fine fettle and good company.

That brings me to #32, which was distributed to Neffers in two sections. I found Lloyd Penney’s comments on his letterhacking process intriguing. I’ll have to look for his LiveJournal archive and consider repurposing my LsOC as blog posts over at my infrequently tended to mediadiet.net. Recently for my LASFAPA apazine, Faculae & Filigree, I included some LsOC I’d sent in to various comic books as reviews of a sort. And it made me think about my apahacking process. Like Lloyd, I tend to read through once, then skim again looking for comment hooks for the Comments section of my apazine. It seems reasonable that writing LsOC to fanzines requires a similar approach, though fanzines—even with the best lettercols—are less discussion oriented. (Your practice of interspersing editorial comments throughout the letters argues against that point of view. I like it!) Some members of LASFS’s APA-L and LASFAPA would go so far as to say that comments are the whole point of apae. To paraphrase Fuzzy’s Law, you’ve got to give comments to get comments. So kudos on the ongoing health of This Here…’s lettercol.

In that ish’s lettercol, Leigh Edmonds asks, “​​As a technical aside, since so little of this issue is written by the editor, is it a perzine or a genzine?” In my opinion—and others might have already hashed this out in greater detail given my late reading—it’s less whether a lettercol dominates a fanzine that makes the distinction, but the kind of content the editor contributes. For example, a fanzine of mostly personal comments and news, even if eclipsed by a lettercol, could still be considered a perzine, while a fanzine of more formally structured articles, essays, interviews, reviews, and stories all written by the same person might be considered a genzine. (Though, that could also be a sercon fanzine, I suppose.) It might not be who the contributors are, but the kind of content offered. I’ll defer to older fans, but it could be as simple as perzine = one person writing and genzine = general contributors (outside of letters). It might not even matter, but it’s sure fun to think about!

Onward to This Here… #51, which helps makes this letter less dated. “FAAnWank” considered a controversy I’d entirely missed out on, though The Incompleat Register recently alluded to it. Arguably, podcasts can be published, because they’re posted (published) on the Internet and syndicated through distribution services, even as simple as RSS. Regardless, I’d still argue they’re not fanzines. They’re podcasts. And perhaps they deserve their own category to be grouped with other podcasts rather than with fanzines. Apples to apples. Oranges to oranges. But I wonder how fen handled such matters back in the days of tape trading and earlier forms of audio. At one time, the N3F had an active Tape Bureau that, according to Fancyclopedia, “stockpiled authors’ readings from cons. Ann Ashe was buhead in the mid-1960s, and Joanne Burger beginning in 1969. Ann published at least five issues of the N3F Tape Bureau Newsletter from 1965–67. A separate taping bureau read and recorded books for the blind.” In that historic example, the tapes themselves were not fanzines, but the newsletter would have been. Outside of sf fandom, the closest I’ve come to this was an old punk mixtape fanzine called Troop Librarian. It was a regularly issued tape series, structured and compiled like a fanzine, but I don’t know that it would have been considered a fanzine. Would the radio program Hour of the Wolf be considered a fanzine? Probably not. That might be a better standard.

In Bob Jennings’s LOC, he mentions BFFs. “Big Fucking Fanzines”? If so, I love it. Were we to apply traditional standards to it, perhaps a BFF is a fanzine so thick that a standard staple (fine wire) is insufficient to keep it firmly bound. BFFs require medium or heavy wire staples.

As ever, the lettercol is a joy. You come to This Here… for the face that is Nic Farey, perhaps for Radio Winston and commentary on all things FAAnish, and you stay—and return—for the lettercol.

The new Brad W. Foster illos are absolutely delicious.

Monsters

As little children,
    we learn soon
        of the horrors
            that go            bump
            in the night:

Of Whitcomb Riley’s gobble-uns,
    and Herr Hoffman’s Struwwelpeter,
        (Edward Scissorhands, perhaps)
    Ed Gorey’s tiny Gashlycrumbs,
    the Bogeyman—and Twyla, too,
        freshman at Monster High—
    and the haunted dictionary in the guest room
                                                                               closet.

(I thought it was a Bible.
    The pen is indeed mightier.)

The wind blows cold and strong along the rivers.
Stray headlights throw muntins and mullions along our walls.
Tree branches fingernail the panes.
Breath, heavy, underneath our beds.

The floors
                    creak.

Walls shift.
Foundations settle.

Yet though we thrust our fists against the posts,
the monsters are also asleep.

They,
    too,
        tire.

They serve in the Senate.
They work in industry.
They head households.
They live on Nextdoor.
They captain the Neighborhood Watch.

Their mirrors are no different than ours.

In the bright light of day,
they see,
    not monsters,
        but men
even though the Four Horsemen run payroll.

Conquest fears the community.
War shrinks from peace.
Famine bristles at plenty.
And Death clocks in the moment we first draw breath.

Their jobs are easy.

    We do their work for them.

Draft Band Names for the Musical Group That Became Known as Animal Collective

By Matt Aron, Jez Burrows, Mike Carney, and Heath Row

Bunch of Bunnies

Crowd of Cows

Fattoush of Fish

Fort of Frogs

Goulash Plate of Guinea Pigs

Group of Grubs

Hoard of Horses

Parcel of Puppies

Pile of Pandas

Rack of Raccoons

Slew of Salmon

Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf #1 (Titan, December 2021)

Doctor Who fen also have a plethora of transmedia options available to them. Regardless of whether it's the ongoing television show -- with Jodie Whittaker's stint as the 13th Doctor coming to an end this year -- earlier series streaming on Pluto TV, the monthly magazine, Big Finish's audio dramas, media tie-in novels, or the comic books published by Titan Comics, Doctor Who fen have plenty of outlets to choose from. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF is a fine recent example of non-TV approaches to the Doctor Who franchise. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF #1 (Titan, December 2021) features the Eighth Doctor (modeled after Paul McGann) and Eleventh Doctor (modeled after Matt Smith, who recently starred in the excellent LAST NIGHT IN SOHO), Rose Tyler, and a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (modeled after David Tennant). So it's a bit of a mash up -- written by Jody Houser and drawn by Roberta Ingranata -- sure to please fen of multiple Doctors and seasons. The gambit of the series is that Tyler is stuck in an alternate timeline, happily married to a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (named John Smith) -- and a mother. After having an intense vision, she disappears and wakes up on an unknown shore. Meanwhile, Empress Rose, "glorified as the Bad Wolf Empress" in an alternate timeline and in need of assistance, sends D'Pau to find the Doctor. The Eighth Doctor arrives in the Tardis in 20th century London, where he encounters a group of Sontarans. "That's not right," he says, before leaving and meeting Tyler, whom he doesn't remember because "things in my life can happen in an odd sort of order." The Eleventh Doctor, then, is on holiday, where he also sees a group of Sontarans about to engage in battle -- and is found by D'Pau, to be brought to Empress Rose. There's a lot going on, and it's all setting up the storyline, but there's plenty to work with: a case of mistaken identity, disappearing armies, old friends meeting anew, and a world in danger. To be honest, DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF would be a bit of a mess of a read if the characters weren't so familiar and the new pairings -- a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor, father to Tyler's child? -- so much fun. It'll be even more of a hoot when the two Doctors come together, as portrayed on David Buisan's cover. The issue ends with a Reader's Guide offering thumbnails of collections featuring the Ninth through Thirteenth Doctors. There's plenty to dive in to; why not start with DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF?

Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #5 (Dynamite, November 2021)

Fen of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs have been able to enjoy quite a number of ERB-related comic book series and titles thanks to Dynamite Entertainment in recent years. The recent DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER series that publishing company's penchant for tie-in series that build on and expand ERB's writing. DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER #5 (Dynamite, November 2021) is no exception. Written by skilled tie-in scribe Dan Abnett and drawn by Alessandro Miracolo, the series pairs Carter and Thoris rather than positions them against each other. The issue opens with a bang, "sociopathic mastermind" Rotak Gall conferring with "primordial entities from outside time known as the Longhorn" via ancient arcanotech. The two-page spread featuring the sheer scale of the Longborn reminded this reader of Jack Kirby character design, even if not artwork. The gist of the story is that the Longhorn seek to colonize Barsoom and are manipulating Gall, an expert in cloning, to procure host bodies. Meanwhile, Carter and Thoris are searching for Gall in his palace -- a veritable maze in time, with each chamber located in a different age of the locale -- to obtain the key needed to get out. They encounter what might be a Tyrannosaurus Rex, portrayed on a delightful full page, as Gall embodies the Longhorn in two of his standard clone bodies, which begin to decay more quickly than expected, rather than Carter's hardier body (due to his superhuman genetics). Carter and Thoris battle the dinosaur over the course of several pages before encountering a new clone of Gall, who wants vengeance after his betrayal at the hands of the Longborn. Carter presses the attack to the Longborn, and the issue ends with him realizing that he, himself has also been cloned -- setting up the events of the next edition. Abnett's writing doesn't quite capture the tenor and tone of ERB's original stories, but that's not the point here: Continued adventures of much-loved characters. Miracolo's artwork is well done, and the issue is worth getting for the two-page spread of the Longborn in their original form, as well as the dinosaur. This issue of DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER also includes house ads for Dynamite's VAMPIRELLA/DRACULA: UNHOLY, EVIL ERNIE, and SHEENA: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE series, giving the reader a sense of what else the publisher has in the works. Recommended for ERB fans.

Deep Beyond #10 (Image, November 2021)

If you enjoy aquatic and kaiju-adjacent stories such as THE SHAPE OF WATER and CLOVERFIELD, be sure to check out the Image comics series DEEP BEYOND. I recently read DEEP BEYOND #10 (Image, November 2021), and the storyline -- even though it's near the end of its 12-issue run -- is quite promising. Written by Mirka Andolfo and David Goy, and drawn by Andrea Broccardo, DEEP BEYOND details a world in which there's a deadly contagion, monsters, various factions and autonomous groups as people try to reconstitute a working society, an underwater element (though much of the tale takes place on terra firma), and perhaps even clandestine aliens. The primary conflict is between the Trans-Colonial Council, the newly reformed government, and the Defeatists -- deemed by some terrorists -- who don't want to live underneath protective domes. (But whose politics are otherwise unclear.) The issue largely focuses on a character named Clover, ex-girlfriend of Trent, who now leads the rebel forces and is infected, his life sustained by machines. With a group of friends, rescued by an older man in a submarine, she intends to locate the mysterious B-34 Colony, determine whether the Council is hiding amphibious aliens and a gateway to another world, and rescue her friend Paul -- as well as one of the aliens. Highlights of DEEP BEYOND include the threat of monstrous creatures -- of which the reader sees only glimpses in this ish -- the contagion, which was probably explained in previous issues; and the high technology, some of it alien. But this late in the series, those aspects mostly serve as window dressing as the storyline comes near its conclusion. The writing is impressive -- the comic book is chock full of ideas -- and Broccardo's artwork ably captures the utopian and dystopian aspects of the emergent society. DEEP BEYOND is a good read. The first six issues were collected in a trade paperback last September, and the second volume is expected in March 2022. I'd expect it's a great read all in a row, if not just in longer spans.