STRAIGHT UP - Vol. 1 No. 2 - March 1952

REGISTERED AT THE GPO
AS WASTE-PAPER.

 STRAIGHT UP

Straight Up is published monthly at 37 Willows Avenue, Tremorfa, Cardiff, Glam., S. Wales, G.B. and is edited by Fred. J. Robinson.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. To UK fans - 2/6d for 6 copies or 5/- for 12 copies. To overseas subbers ONLY 6 issues for a 35cent promag.

EXCHANGES. Exchanges with all fan magazines are welcomed.

ADVERTS. Adverts are accepted at reasonable rates given on request.

VOLUME ONE                                              NUMBER TWO

DEADLINES AND HEADLINES

The problems that beset a faned, particularly the editor of a news-zine, are many and varied, but undoubtedly the worst is the appearance elsewhere of a hot piece of news, a scoop, that has been carefully tended and built up until publication day. This is not merely an opinion, it is, I know to my cost, a very positive fact. I had the rough draught of no.2 ready for stencilling, only to have the headlines pulled out from underneath me by the appearance of many of my news items in another mag. Bang went the headlines, and with them my deadline, so, if this copy is a few days overdue by the time it reaches you please don't blame me too severely. I am sure you do not wish to read a mag full of stale news, therefore much of the contents of thish have been rewritten at the last second. With thish I'm very pleased to welcome to the pages of SU my friend, in fact everybody's friend, Walter Willis, the fan par excellance. His column will provide the mag with some really GOOD humor, as well as much really hot news. I offer apologies to Forry Ackerman. He sent his film article to Pete Glover for publication in Fandomain, unfortunately F. is still held up by the usual troubles, and it  was decided to run the article in SU rather than let it get stale. As the article in its original form ran to six 4to pages I had to cut out several paragraphs, limitations of time and space I'm afraid. The article has in an earlier form already appeared in the US in the promag IMAGINATION who paid Forry a substantial sum for it. Forry sent it to us FREE, a gesture of friendship which we both greatly appreciate, thanks Forry.

 Looking forward, in the next issue US faned Lee Riddle will appear with the first of a series of New York Letters, and book reviews will be by Arthur F. Hillman. Finally, thanks to all who subbed and wrote. Your suggestions and comments have been carefully noted, pleaso write again sometime. Items for SU and F are solicited urgently. Fancerely, Fred.

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COMEBACKS FROM ERIN

Giving the London Circle some respite from its incessant labours on the 1951 Convention Memory Booklet, old "Delayed AVC" Clarke has uttered another SNIFF, in which he expresses the fond hope that I shall drop dead. Just like the London Circle, trying to bring everyone down to their own level. Adding injury to insult, Mealy Mouth Clarke censors my letter prudishly. I'm sure that STRAIGHT UP, that virile organ of public opinion, would never sink so low ... I hear that a certain other notorious English faneditor was sent a pile of prozines to distribute among his fellow faneds. It's taking him quite a while to read them - about three months so far ... British fans, especially faneds, should note that 'periodicals and pamphlets' may still be sent to the US for 1d if under 2 oz. Just mark them "Printed Papers: Reduced Rate" ... Bill Temple, reporting on 'Ego' Clarke's EXPLORATION OF SPACE being chosen by the American Book Society, says that when Ego's agent told him this would make him famous, Ego replied that he had his tenses mixed ... I hear that Derek Pickles is busily engaged on the 1952 PHT, and that it is going to be an epoch-making issue full of unheard of refinements and luxuries like margins. There is no truth in the rumour that Derek is going to ask his readers to cut off the margins when they have feasted their eyes upon them and send them back to him for the printing of the OF Bulletin ... Results of the Q Fan Poll are:

Best Fanzine - QUANDRY 127, SLANT 112, FANVARIETY 33, SF NEWSLETTER 28, NEKRO 27
No. 1 Fan - Hoffman 104, Willis 75, Tucker 27, Keasler 25, Ackerman 21
Best Fan Artist - Hoffman 25, Rotsler 23, White 21, Burge 20
Best Drawing -  Bob Shaw
Mag with best artwork - Slant
Best Story - Jackson
Best Fiction Writer - Jackson 36, Banister 28, Oliver 19, Tucker 18
Best Fan Humorist - Willis 91, Hoffman & Tucker 43, Burbee 17, Bob Shaw 10
Best Columnist - Willis 107, Boggs & Warner 35, Elsberry 20, Tucker 19

 ...The unexpurgated version of Bill Temple's 1951 Convention speech has been published in the Rhodomagnetic Digest. There's a lot we didn't hear. His Convention Report has been salvaged from the Convention Memory Booklet (which can now be forgotten) and will appear in the coming Willis-Harris mag INC ... Bester's new spelling in GALAXY serial THE DEMOLISHED MAN may start new fan fashion. Condemned home of the Demolished Fen may now be referred to as The E% re ... Chandler just finished novel for Random Ho. - WAW

--------

Sequel to 'LO, by Fort; ---- 'BYE, by Shaw 

A die comes smashing down - a silver coin is born - the edges are rough and harsh to the fingers....

Mighty masses of papercutting machinery go into action - a prozine is born - the edges are rough and harsh to the touch.... Unrelated phenomena? Pure chance? A oneness, a unity.

In a dark lonely garret a figure crouches over strange tools. Beside him lie two heaps of silver coins. He carefully runs a sharp chisel over the edges of the coins - a thin sliver falls - another sliver falls. Soon there lies a heap of the precious metal - to be made into other coins.

A government official is worried at the way unscrupulous men are shaving the coins. He gets an idea. The milled edge comes into being. The thief is foiled.

In a dark lonely bedroom a figure crouches over strange tools. Beside him lie two heaps of prozines. He carefully runs a razor blade down the pages - a margin falls off -  another margin falls. Soon there lies a heap of the white stuff - to be glued on another magazine. A prozine editor is worried at the way unscrupulous faneds are shaving his mags. He gets an idea. The untrimmed edge comes into being. Derek Pickles is foiled...

----

EXTRACT FROM WORK IN PROGRESS (quoted in the absence of James White) "...Then I spied a pair of hornrimmed glasses and a familiar set of white teeth standing in a corner. It was George Charters, who had been the first Gael to blow in and still had the wind up a little. We went through the Stanley-Livingstone routine, but with brogues on, and I told him not to be shy. After all they were only human beings. He looked all round the room and asked me was I sure of that..." 

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 MISCELLANEWS

French weekly paper FRANCE DIMANCHE recently published a well written but femme-BEM illoed article on stf. Many UStf activities are mentioned in it. This paper is now printing 17 condensed translations of UStf stories. The first was by van Vogt, the second by Leinster and the third by Donald Wandrei.

Three cinemas in Paris are at present showing THE THING. One is the original American version and the other two are French language versions under the title, LA CHOSE D'UN AUTRE MONDE.

The above information courtesy of Lyell Crane, who comments, ..."with all this publicity, the only thing that can stop stf taking on in France is the unfortunate possibility that the people may not like it."

I recommend all those British readers who suffer from shortage of mags to contact Norman Wansborough who advertises elsewhere in the issue a new magazine library scheme slanted towards the avid reader.

Congrats to PEON editor Charles Lee Riddle on his recent promotion to PNCE, USN, Lee has now been posted to New York and his new address will be found under FANZINE REVIEWS.

Bradbury shortly (?) in ESQUIRE.

The Sydney Futurians, to help publicity on the recent Auslan Convention inserted propaganda leaflets in the Australian edition of the reprint aSF. This was of course done with the knowledge and co-operation of the distributors down under.

Well known Sydney fan Stirling Macoboy who has done several covers for Fantasy Advertiser is to leave Australia shortly to work in the USA.

There is talk of an NFF Yearbook for 1951.

Dave Cohen wishes to hear from fans in his area going to the Convention as he is organising a bus leaving Liverpool and travelling to London via Manchester and Bradford.

It is believed that the Operation Fantast Library, recently suspended owing to the indisposition of Mike Tealby, will shortly resume operation again under the management of Fred Fairless of Stockport.

In the March 1st. issue of Picture Post Arthur C. Clarke had an article on Interplanetary liners to carry up to 1000 passengers.

Via SFN I hear that Arthur Clarke is to leave for the USA at the end of April for an indefinate period. SU offers its congrats to Arthur on the choice of his Exploration of Space as the Non-Fiction Book of the Month in the USA, and its best wishes for his coming journey.

It may still not be history to some fans that the American Forces network is relaying the UStf radio programme 'Dimension X' on Monday nights at 7.30pm.GMT on the following wavelengths - 271 - 344 - and 549 metres.

--------oo0oo--------

 CONVENTIONS

This year the London Convention will once again be held at the Royal Hotel, Bloomsbury, and will, I'm told, be bigger, better and in every way superior to the International Con held last Whitsun. It will in fact be called The Second International S-F Convention. Dates are May 31st-June 1st.

The first Australian S-F Convention was held in Sydney on March 10th. It was a one day affair, commensing 10am. and concluding at 11pm. I hope to bring you a brief report in a future issue. 

 --------oo0oo--------

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HISTORY PROVES THAT THIS WORLD IS FULL OF WILLING PEOPLE;
SOME WILLING TO WORK, THE REST WILLING TO WATCH THEM.
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 BOOKS 

Firstly a correction. Last ish I stated that there was to be a Readers LIBRARY edition of Conquest of Space, this should of course have been Readers UNION edition.

Gnome Press are to put out a collection of Anthony Gilmore's famous Hawke Carse stories, and I understand the volume will contain a new story.

Shasta have bought rights to the Galaxy serial DEMOLISHED MAN for what is reported to be the highest price ever paid in the stfield.

Another Shasta activity is a forthcoming Juvenile series. Will F. Jenkins is to write 13 stories, the first of which is to be titled Space Platform.

A collection of Eric Frank Russell's shorts will be coming from Fantasy Press.

Edited by Fred Brown and Mac Reynolds, a collection of humorous stf stories titled THE SCIENCE-FICTION CARNIVAL is announced. It will contain 24 stories and run to 100,000 words, none of which have been anthologised before. Included will be Clive Jackson's piece from SLANT, SWORDSMAN OF VARNIS.

Bradbury's MARTIAN CHRONICLES is to be published in France and Danish rights have been sold ... SEEDS OF LIFE has been translated into French and GREEN MAN OF GREYPEC is to be published in Germany.

Spring schedules include - TEN COMPLETE SHORT SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS, all from Startling, at $4.95 ... A Heinlein anthology from Doubleday, due at any time, titled DESTINATION - THE STARS ... Donald Wollheim is to edit PRIZE SCIENCE FICTION STORIES OF 1952.

van Vogt 's VOYAGE OR THE SPACE BEAGLE is to be republished, as a PB under the new title of MISSION INTERPLANETARY. 

Forthcoming British reprints include - BEST SCIENCE FICTION STORIES - SECOND SERIES, at 9/6d ... ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE, at 9/6d ... POSSIBLE WORLDS OF SF, at 9/6d ... THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, from Rupert Hart-Davis at 11/6d ... GATHER DARKNESS at 9/6d ... and ROCKETS, MISSILES AND SPACE TRAVEL at 30/-. 

New British books include 'WRONG SIDE OF THE MOON by F and S Ashton from Boardman at 6/6d and a new Dennis Wheatley story titled STAR OF ILL OMEN, at 12/6d ... PATTERN FOR CONQUEST by George O. Smith at 9/6d. 

British readers might possibly not have heard that an anthology of stories from GALAXY is to appear, titled THE GALAXY SCIENCE-FICTION READER it will contain over 500 pages, a quarter million words and will sell for only $3.00. 

Four more PBs in the Kemsley Press series of Fell reprints have appeared; Eric Frank Russell's SINISTER BARRIER, HUGO GERNSBACK's Classic RALPH 124C41+, LAST SPACESHIP by Leinster and GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE by Tweed, which is a politico stf story. 

Two more PBs have appeared in the Solon series of Vargo Statten novels. The titles are THE INNER COSMOS and THE SPACE WARP. 

--------oo0oo--------
Last night I held a little hand
so dainty and so neat;
I thought my heart would surely burst
so wildly did it beat.
No other hand e'er held so tight,
could greater gladness bring -
It was (the hand I held last night),
four aces and a king.
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MAGAZINES 

U.K. promags. 
AUTHENTIC S-F 17 featured Coming of the Darakua by F. G. Rayer. A "destruction of civilization" type story, it was, in my opinion, very drawn out and repetitious, not by any means one of Authentic's better stories. No. 18 proved to be the much rumoured satire on the Irish stfan with remarkable powers of deduction. In this story H.J. Campbell has abandoned his usual second person style of writing for the more conventional method and proves that he really is adept at it. There are many moments of rare humor in it for the fan who knows his fans. My only real criticism is with the end of the story, one has come to expect a strong if pessimistic end to a tale by Campbell, this time however although pessimistic the end isn't merely weak, it's paralysed. No. 19 out this month has a Roy Sheldon yarn, Space Warp. The issue sports a new style contents page, a slight change in cover design and most important, a new editor, Derrick Rowles. Also new in thish is a newsletter from the US by Forry Ackerman, in the above issue he tackles the latest films. It is reported that shortly AUTHENTIC will enlarge to the same size as NEW WORLDS and will feature interior illos plus the usual long story and features. 

NEW WORLDS March has a rather garish but nonetheless eyecatching cover by Clothier illoing a Syd Bounds novel, The Flame Gods, a post atomic story. Among the shorts is van Vogt's Enchanted Village, which has appeared in the US in Othor Worlds. Notable in the issue is a long article by Frank Arnold on the London Circle and its history, surely the most unique group in fandom. The May ish due mid April will feature Performance Test by John Aiken.  July NW will see the commencement of the mags first serial, The ESP World by James McIntosh. 

Nova's other mag SCIENCE-FANTASY will see its fourth issue this month and will include stories by John Christopher, Peter Hawkins, ABChandler and others, cover will once again be by Mrs. Reina Bull. I understand that in future issues accent will be on fantasy,  a policy which I heartily endorse. 

BREifs. 
SUPER-SCIENCE No 7 is available and this time contains both the original fan-column and book reviews ... Weird is now in its 14th reprint ... From the same publishers has come the 11th AMAZING and FANTASTIC ADVENTURES... Latest to appear is the second SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY which contains a novelet by Arthur C. Clarke ... March ish of the now monthly aSF reprints three stories from last September's US edition, now on sale is the April ish which features Harry Stine's Galactic Gadgeteers ... Atlas, the publishers of the BRE aSF are putting out a reprint of the popular FROM UNKNOWN WORLDS which appeared in the US in 1948, the price is 2/6d ... A new reprint mag is to come from a Glasgow firm, titled DYNAMIC SCIENCE STORIES it will feature reprints from US mags but the cover of the first ish is an original by Quinn. 

US Promags 
Recently recieved from Ken Slater is a review copy of the new US prozine IF, edited by Paul Fairman. It is rather reminiscent of both Amazing and Imagination in story type and general layout, though it appears to be rather better done than either of these mags. Fairman in his editorial to the first issue makes a very fair statement of policy which is a distinct change from the attitude so common in new editorials these days. The lead novel is by Howard Browne, other names on the title page are Ray Palmer, Ted Sturgeon and Dick Shaver. Various features are innovated, one being a guest editorial by a leading fan, the first is by Ken Slater who takes as his subject atomic war and makes some very good points which leave one feeling rather more confident in the future of the planet. The next will be by Taurasi. Another feature is a pen-pic of a well-known stf figure, the first being Bob Tucker, next will be Ray Palmer. Artwork is of fair quality, seemingly a cross between that in Amazing and that in Galaxy. Fairman has picked a whacky title for his letter column, The Postman Cometh. 

Feb aSF has a terrific cover by van Dongen illoing a Bill Tenn novel titled Firewater, supported by two novelets and three shorts. March issue sees the first part of a new serial called Gunner Cade, by Cyril Judd, the writing duo whose Mars Child was so popular in Galaxy last year. Cover is by new artist Pawelka. 

Feb Galaxy has a very striking and unusual cover by Powers which illos the two articles which open the issue. First of these articles is by de Camp, whose subject is the mistaken picture of the future appearing in old time stf mags. He is followed by Heinlein who paints a picture of the future from today's stand-point. As well as the second part of Bester's popular serial The Demolished Man the issue contains a novelet and three shorts. In his editorial Gold makes some pointed remarks about an unnamed mag who pinched his cover. He describes the mag as "our unsportsmanlike competitor". March issue runs a Heinlein novelet and the first of a regular series of articles by Willy Ley under the title of "For Your Information" in which he will answer readers science queries. 

Feb TWS tees off with a humorous novel by Jack Vance titled Abercrombie Station, two novelets, one by John Wyndham, four shorts, and the fifth in James Blish's series of articles on the Solar System complete the ish. April ish has a novel by Fletcher Pratt on the now popular theme of future crime. Title, Double Jeopardy. Among the other stories in the ish is one by Bill Temple. 

March Startling has a good old femme-BEM cover illoing a long Kuttner fantasy Well of the Worlds, April ish sees a de Camp fantasy set in ancient Greece entitled The Glory that Was.

Spring FSM features a those two classics by Weinbaum, Black Flame and Dawn of Flame, I imagine that this will become a collectors item in the not too distant future. 

FFM February has a rather Lost Horizon-ish novel titled Valley of Eyes Unseen by Gilbert Collins, and one short. April issue has a novel by Austin Small, The Death Maker. 

Avon Fantasy Reader 18 contains a hitherto unpublished story by the late Robt. E. Howard.. Two of the famous names among those on the contents page are those of Algernon Blackwood and William Hope Hodgeson.

The report in the last issue of the alteration in format of FANTASTIC ADVENTURES has now been reversed. Instead FA will continue as present and ZIFF-DAVIS will put out a new quarterly zine with the same features, digest sized, 35cents with coloured interior illos, title, FANTASTIC.

Publishers of the new fiction zine IF have also put out an new mag on the lines of FATE titled STRANGE. Although the cover is of the usual sort it is reported that the standard of reporting is of a somewhat higher standard than that in FATE. 

..................................................................................................................................
Two fans were discussing Bradbury when one asked the other what a third fan thought of him. "That guy", the first fan answered, "he's so dog-gone crazy about him they think he's got Ray B's." 
.....................................................................................................................................
Heard the one about the research scientist who couldn't get along with his fellow scientists - he went to live on an island by himself, in a hermitically sealed cave.

--------oo0oo--------

FANZINES 

Dave Cohen reports that ASTRONEER is very nearly ready, it is being duplicated for Dave's Nor'West Club by the Liverpool SF Club, another indication of the close co-operation between the two clubs. 

Ken Slater reports that the 1952 OF Handbook is well under way, this year it will run to nearly 40 pages of which at least six will be taken up by lists of fan clubs and fanzines. 

Ken has also passed on some information about a publication put out by the San Diego SF Society entitled THE BRADBURY REVIEW. It has 64 pages, is photo-lithoed and contains 3 articles and a story by Bradbury plus many items of interest about him and includes a full checklist of all his works. The price is $1.50. 

Derek Pickles is currently working on the NECON souvenir booklet and on Phantas 4 which should appear at any moment. It will as reported last time run to 40 pages and  will contain stories by E.R. James, H.J. Campbell, and Clive Jackson and will also have a five page poetry section by a professional poet and A BIG SUPRISE. This will I understand be the last duplicated Phantas. In future the mag will be printed, and Derek is fortunate here in having the assistance of two members of his Bradford club who are in the trade.

FANZINE REVIEWS 

OPERATION FANTAST No 11.
Thish has arrived in a new dress, slightly smaller overall and is photo-lithoed. Leading article by Paul Healy on Stfilms is interesting but hardly all inclusive, to name only two titles omitted in article which spring to mind, Dr.Cyclops and Unknown Island. There are rather more reviews than usual, mags by KFS and books by H. J. Campbell and Steve Gilroy. Vernon McCain writes a very straight article on Dianetics and Dr. John Aiken continues the Masters of Fantasy series with an article on S. Fowler Wright. The best issue for some time. 

SCIENCE-FANTASY NEWS March 1952. 
The third ish of the independent SFN came in just in time for review. Well, Vince Clarke and SFN  went over Wellin Kent, for it seems that old age or dry rot or something have set in at the Epicentre. No longer will the infamous Bulmer van be parked in Drayton. Anyway to turn from the gorblimey to the iniquitous SFN provides a feast of news and insults (in the letter column) for British fans at 6d a copy, Most interest to me is the mystery of THE THING, seems that there is trouble with saucers (flying) at top level. As well as the vast amount of up to the second news there is some unconventional fan humor colourfully presented by James White. I notice that SU is mentioned but I detect rather more of an odd note than the egoboo expected. Oh, by the way chaps SOME folk do like Vargo Statten. 

SLUDGE No 3.
With an excellent cover by Alan Hunter this is the first ish of Bob Foster's neat zine to be completely printed. It has 38 pages of stories, poems, articles and features. Unfortunately the general standard of writing is not up to that of the production. Of all the features the one I liked most was the last one (not the ad for SU) "Theft of the Space-Ship", unfortunately no credit is given for it. Nice work Bob but watch those authors. 

SCIENCE-FICTION NEWSLETTER  Jan 1952. 
Two beautiful young ladies of fandom grace the cover of this annual book number of "Fandom's Leading Newspaper". A feature of thish is the listing of all the hard cover stf pubbed in the US last year. The rest of the 16 pages are filled with the usual news and reviews.

SCIENCE-FICTION ADVERTISER  Jan 1952. 
Once again a photo-art cover by Morris Dollens draws attention to this well known fanmag, of which this in the first issue under the new title, which has been changed from FANTASY ADVERTISER. Full of excellent reviews and hundreds of ads make this one almost a must for the collector. It is announced that the reduced sub rate to UK subbers has now ceased and has reverted to the previous rate of 5/4d a year (to DELL.) 

THE LITTLE CORPUSCLE  Winter 1951/62  No. 2. 
The most striking feature of this mag is the number of different methods of reproduction contained in it. No less varied is the colour scheme, there are pages in purple, black, red and green, however it is all very neatly done and a special word of praise is in order for the art work. The cover is by Clyne and is really amusing. Inside are a fine selection of stories, articles and features, poetry too mostly of the a painful variety but nonetheless entertaining for all that. Editor Lynn Hickman has done a fine job on thish, and I for one look forward to future issues of similar quality. 

PEON Dec. 1951. 
It's aloha for the last time from Honolulu for editor Lee Riddle as he has now been transferred to New York.  This is the 21st ish of PEON and is one of the neatest yet, and that is saying something for a mag with PEON's reputation. The fine lead story is by Tom Covington and is titled Master, the usual features and columns make up the ish.  Lee has asked me to pass on a few items of general interest. There will be NO Feb ish of PEON. Instead the April ish which will be a special 4th annish will run to 50/60 pages and will contain material by many well known fans and pros, including H.L. Gold, Sam Mines, Jerry Bixby and Lee Hoffman. As this annish will take rather a heavy postal outlay Lee requests that all Anglofen send him in return for this one issue a copy of a UK promag.. This only applies to the annish and future issues will of course continue to be FREE on request to fen in the UK. Lee's new address to which all correspondence should be addressed is P.O. Box .463, Church St. Station, New York City 8, NY, USA. 

MEZRAB No. 7. 
Most interesting feature of thish to UK fen will undoubtedly be the first of a series of articles by Ken Slater. The first of these he has titled "The Bogy Man Will Get You", and in this and future articles in the series he discusses British and European mythology. To my personal taste one of the highspots of MEZRAB is the quality of the poetry published in it. The long and meaty letter section too provides much interesting reading. In the 30 pages you get both quality and quantity, a point which makes this a very strong contender for the title of Fanzine of the Quarter. The winner of this title will be announced in the next ish. Any mag dated between Jan and March or quarterly equivalent will be eligible and from the quarterly winners will be chosen an annual award winner.

QUANDRY No. 17. Jan-Feb 1952. 
With thish Lee falls down on her monthly schedule. The serious note I mentioned before is once again rathar marked too. In her editorial Lee has hit out at the LASFS and the lead article  by FTLaney is also on the same subject. To balance this serious stuff however WAW contributes many a laugh in his usual whacky column "The Harp", and this time it is even more funny (if this is possible) than usual. Ed Wood writes on Russ Watkins and CCF, and, as usual Bob Silverberg comes out of the Voodvoork with plenty of news items. Most of the remainder of the ish is filled by the letter column. Excellent quality but I feel personally that Q having gotten its reputation on strictly whacky grounds, is getting a wee bit too serious - leave it to the others Lee and lets laugh. 

QUANDRY No.18 March
A colourful ish, at least the paper is. In every way a much brighter ish that the previous two. Art Rapp plugs Fort, Silverberg slashes reprint story cutters, Tucker makes some strong comments on pros at convention time and WAW as usual sails away with The Harp. Together with a number of other articles, letters etc all this makes this truly "Fandom's Leading Monthly". 

COSMAG/S.F. DIGEST No 5 Jan. 1952. 
The combozine with two front covers has arrived. That on Cosmag being by Jerry Burge, and very neat too. Thish, the mag has increased in size from the previous 16mo to the more readable 8vo size. Tom Covington writes a neat short, The Pioneer, and Roger Dard has a humorous expose on how to write a stf story. Ken Slater tells of the troubles of dealers, and Pete Ridley has fun analyzing a poem from PUNCH. One of the best fanzine review columns in fandom and readers letters complete the ish. Turning over we find a superb cover by Davis on the SFDigest side of the mag. Most striking article in it is the second part of WAW's history of British fandom, which he has titled "The Immortal Teacup", the feature is almost entirely given over to a reprint of a letter written by Bill Temple to Forry Ackerman during the war. Among the reprint articles which the Digest specialises in are a fine article on the aSF-Galaxy rivalry by Wm. Young., and Bob Tucker guys fan polls. Finally SLANT, all six issues of it, are given THE TREATMENT, certainly no mag ever deserved more the praise bestowed. A very fine issue which has been exceptionally well photo-lithoed. 

SPACESHIP 15 December 1951 
Russ Winterbottom opens the ish with an article on how a comic strip was born. Bob Silverberg a lengthy history of aSF. A poor story by Fred Chappell does little to enhance the ish. Dave Ish makes a point (and a good one) that fans are neglecting stf for fandom. Rog Dard reports from down under and Norman Ashfield contributes a report on (of all things) the 1949 Loncon. There are also 3 items of mixed quality and a review of the year 1951 together with a checklist of all the promags issued during the year. 

--------oo0oo--------

FANCLUBS 

Contrary to the report in the last issue the Nor'West Club did not have an exhibition in conjunction with the showing of WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, but they did get free seats in return for publicity for the film. When the movie THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL was shown in Manchester the club had plenty of publicity through distribution of a publicity handout for the film with a printed ad for the club on it. This handout,  also used in Liverpool, was printed in the US in the form of a newspaper, "WORLD NEWS" and depicted scenes from the film as actual news. 

A new society has recently been formed. Named the BRITISH SCIENCE-FANTASY FEDERATION it was formed in Liverpool by members of the local sf Society, since then the Nor'West Club has joined it and their sec is Dave Cohen of the Manchester Club.

The Liverpool club mentioned above is swiftly gaining strength and there are now about twenty members. The secretary is Jeff Espley. 

The Bradford S-F Club under the able leadership of Derek Pickels now numbers about 14 members and holds meetings fortnightly.

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CENSERED
With so many religious radio programmes being broadcast one RC priest wonders if the result of all this radio-aotivity might be a critical mass. Credit - Terry Jeeves. 
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PROJECTIONS 

FANTASCREENOTES 
It has been revealed that the background "music" to THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL was played by the worlds first all electronic instrument orchestra. The score, by Bernard Herrmann (who was associated with Orson Welles in his memorable "invasion" scare programme) is described as, "not music as such but a combination of sound patterns".

In connection with the showing of DESS in various cities there have been a number of publicity schemes, most of which have included a "robot". In Manchester a remote control robot was used to answer questions and here in Cardiff a man dressed as a robot was used to "test furniture" in a large store in the city. This was done to the great enjoyment of best part of the schoolboy population of the city - and a couple of fans, yours truly too.

From British studios Renown comes news of two new comedies. One which will star Bela Lugosi will be titled "OLD MOTHER RILEY MEETS THE VAMPIRE" and the other to be made later is to be called "OLD MOTHER RILEY'S TRIP TO MARS" Currently going around the country is the latest Hollywood shocker entitled RETURN OF THE APE-MAN starring Lugosi and Carradine ... Disney is to make a live action picture of Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. It is reported that the film will stick closely to the original. It is incidentally to be shot in colour ... Starring Cary Grant a new Hollywood comedy will deal with a de-ageing love potion, title - DARLING I AM GROWING YOUNGER ... It is with some joy that I tell you that Abbott and Costello are to be LOST IN SPACE, Interstellar space I hope ... A newly announced film is to be titled FLIGHT TO THE FUTURE  ... The previously named CITY UNDER THE SEA will be re-titled PORT SINISTER.

FILM REVIEW 

FIVE 

Adult entertainment with a cap A. No punches are pulled in this story of five survivors of atomic devastation, a bitter young man, a middle aged negro, an elderly bank official, an egotistical mountaineer and general adventurer and a young woman who is pregnant. After various adventures they come to live in a hunting lodge in the hills near a city, which they are afraid to visit because of possible radio-activity. Over a period of months their feelings, loves, hates, dislikes, and jealousies veer this way and that resulting in the inevitable dispute, the end result of which is the break-up of the party, the death of most of them and finally, a new Adam and Eve.

I found the acting generally very good considering that none of the actors were "known", particularly worthy of mention was Charles Lampkin, the negro. Director Arch Oboler (see Forry Ackerman's article) has I  think done wonders with the limited budget and the three sets he had to work with. The photography was excellent and with this fine combination of direction and photography the full horror of the devastation in the city is well brought home.

One point in particular that I would like to praise, the way the action started straight away leaving all credits etc to the end of the film when they provided a few moments (strongly needed) to get over the emotional impact of the film. Generally the film had something of the hauntingly authentic atmosphere which is common a feature of the better continental films, sordid in parts maybe, but always realistic in the extreme. I very muoh recommend this film to the fan who is looking for something different.

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It's a duck in cricket, a birdie in golf, a foul in football, what is it in bowls ...... GOLDFISH

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FANTASY FILM FLASHES 

by 

Forrest J. Ackerman 

From A-MEN to ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE, the silver screen in 1952 is scheduled to be increasingly concerned witht the film of fantascience. 

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL now has a comic take-off in preparation THE DAY THE EARTH TURNED BACKWARDS. AE van Vogt's SLAN and THE SHADOW MEN are both receiving serious consideration as cinema sales, and L. Ron Hubbard's novella about THE TRAMP with mitogenic eyes is also being eyed for filmatic possibilities. In my column in the July '50 OTHER WORLDS I predicted that science-fiction best seller of the season (Geo.Orwell's "1984") would be a hit FILM in '5I. I am pleased to report that, while my prophesy did not materialise as rapidly as expected, the book has been optioned and should prove one of ths top productions of the year. Incidentally last summer when I was in Europe, I discovered "1984" in French, German and Dutch. 

Beware of SWORDS OF VENUS, a misleading title which, disappointingly, has nothing to do with stf, but an 'A' film with three stars has been annouced with the title ROCKET SHIP TO MARS - Academy Award winner John Ford has been mentioned in connection with a MAN FROM MARS, a BANDIT OF THE MOON is being bandied about, and this is the year that Abbott and Costello got to the moon. Charles Beaumont, prozine protege, may have a hand in the latter. 

The A-MAN mentioned in the opening paragraph will be the screen's first Cybernetics story. By Curt Siodmak. famous for his FLOATING PLATFORM No.1 , DONOVAN'S BRAIN and many other scientifilms. 

On the Burroughs front various Tarzan titles have been announced for filming - TARZAN THE HUNTED, TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION, and TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY. Also ERB's CAVE GIRL will cavort thru a new series. 

An atomic prophesy entitled 1965 is planned, and Paramount has a hush-hush project on the (atomic) fire titled THE ATOMIC CITY (formerly LOS ALAMOS). 

Jules Verne's MYSTERIOUS ISLAND has been brought up to date as a cliff hanger. LADY IN SPACE ... LOST IN SPACE ... MORNING STAR (by John Spencer Carr, not the H. Rider Haggard novel of the same name) ... TOMORROW ... THE DEAD PLANET ...PLAGUE (introducing Rene Lafayette's Ole Doc Methuselah) ... NO PLACE TO HIDE ... LAND OF THE MIST ... THE GAMMA PEOPLE (artificially created supermen) ((with Peter Lorre - Ed)) ... on and on the tide rushes. 

Arch Oboler is plannig a tour de force in SPEAR IN THE SAND a French novel about one real character stranded at 25 on a desert island. Accompanied only by the creatures his brain conceives, he lives in this imaginary world till his death at 90. And Oboler will make an even more daring leap into the fantastic when he does Lewis Padgett's famous TWONKY, about the servo-mechanism from the fourth dimension that slips thru a temporal snag into the present, and first serves, and then slays, the occupants of a house. 

CITY BENEATH THE SEA - don't confuse this with the new Tucker book. It's an 'original', tho how original remains to be seen. 

IT GROWS ON TREES will be a comedy about a horticulturalist who discovers a tree that grows that green stuff, money. 

J. Sheridan Le Fanu is up for filming with THE GREEN MAN ... Wm. Cox is preparing the script for a SCIENCE-FICTION TRIO. 

The title of I CONQUERED THE SUN, the spectacular solar scientiflm by Albert DePina, has been changed to I CAPTURED THE SUN. 

RUN FOR THE HILLS will treat the H-bomb humorously. In my opinion that should be spelled humously. 

Climaxing in a lost world where remnants of prehistoric monsters menace the cast, DESTINATION UNKNOWN will be presented in Technicolor. Original story by stf writer Albert DePina. 

And here we go again ... ROAD TO MARS ... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ... THE MAN WE FOUND ... JACK AND BEANSTALK ... LADY FROM VENUS ... SPACESHIP TO SATURN ... PENGUIN ISLAND ... MIRACLE FROM MARS ((completed - Ed)) ... PROJECT 7 ... PROFESSOR BAGGE'S PLANET ... FINIAN'S RAINBOW ... THE STRAY LAMB ... THUNDER FROM THE STARS ... THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN ... THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE ... THE 7 SOULS OF CLEMENT O'RILEY ... and THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR. T ... yes, all these have been announced for future (some near future) production. 

THE VICARION is the invention that supercedes films and TV -  is a natural, this is a book that sold 16000 oopies (well above today's average stf hit) a quarter of a century ago when it was first published, it was then translated over the world. And the author, Gardner Hunting, has now revised it and brought it up to date. 

METROPOLIS may be refilmed by its original director, Fritz Lang. Morris Scott Dollens is preparing a technicolor tour of the solar system called FAR HORIZONS. 

Your big-name favourites are getting breaks. Under consideration at Universal, I understand, are Jack Williamson's "THE HUMANOIDS" and "LEGION OF SPACE", Lester del Rey's "NERVES" is being read around Hollywood. I'm told Murray Leinster's "MURDER OF THE USA" has been optioned. A picture titled INVASION USA has been announced, whether this is a retitling of the novel or an entirely different picture I have not at this writing been able to ascertain. 

The British now have up their sleeves an invasion of Earth film, L.D. 100. The Invaders for a pleasent change, turn out to be amicable. Lippert will produce MISS 2000AD and a quickie called 3000AD has been completed. 

Jack Vance's vegetable menace short, HARD LUCK DIGGINGS, has been bought for expansion into a film. WOMAN HATER, a comedy about the last batchelor in the world, will be a starring vehicle for Geo. Brent. 

MA AND PA KETTLE GOT TO HEAVEN -  on a meteor ... THE LEFT HAND OF GOD, a Tibetan  fantasy novel, to be filmed in Mexico ... THE CURSE OF THE CAT will be shot in Egypt for American release ... the list becomes endless, but who's complaining. 

BRIGHT TOMORROW, described by Weaver Wright as "a kind of rich man's THINGS TO COME" is a futuristic script which has been prepared by Jacques Fresco with amazing models created by the Scientific Research Laboratories of Southern California. A documentary type history of  the future which might interest the United Nations as backers. 

ATLANTIS rides the waves again in a re-make scheduled from France of SIREN OF ATLANTIS (which starred the late Maria Montez) which was a remake of QUEEN OF ATLANTIS ( talking, French, starring Brigitte Helm) which was a remake of (silent, French) L'ATLANTIDE. I think I've got the chronology of this film right. 

In Paris I had the extreme pleasure to view (at the old Moulin Rouge, now converted into a cinema palace) THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, an outstanding colour production. 

WAR OF THE WORLDS is under way at Paramount; the Martians, rather than being super slugs, will, an inside source of information reveals to me, be midgets. A pal of mine, Ray Harryhausen - the chap who animated MIGHTY JOE YOUNG - on his own hook (prior to Pal's purchase of WAR OF THE WORLDS) has animated one of Wells' Martians in technicolor, and all may not be lost as another studio is interested in Harryhausen's animation for an original interplanetary yarn. 

FLASH -- How last minutish can you get? Just as I completed this column I had a phone call and had read to me the story outline of a serious film of the year 2060 that knocked my eardrums for a loop. If the right producer can be found for it you'll see something sensational in....THE CREATION. 

THE END IS NOT YET.

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 THE GIVEN POINT 

Sir.
You couldn't even write about turn.

D. U. M. Kopf..

Dear Fred,
Keep up the good work, and don't let the fact that you lose your job, friends, girl friends, all your money, all your time etc, in fanning ...

Lyell Crane, Paris. 

Dear Fred,
STRAIGHT UP (or is it Puthgiarts) received and very much appreceiated by me (I read the lot at one sitting) it held me all the way through and you didn't do it on fly paper either. Yes, congrats on another welcome addition to British fanmags (you have definately plugged a LEEK.)

Tony Thorne ... Gillingham, Kent. 

STRAIGHT UP 1 was a good start and had plenty of meat on its bones. (?)

Wm. N. Austin ... Seattle, Washington. 

Dear Fred,
I like the neat format. Pause while I try to think of something else I liked ... I wish you luck, and brother if you start making cracks about Irishmen in your columns, you're going to need it ... So that's the reason for the editorial angle, you're trying to take the rise out of WAW 'arose'. I can now appreciate this attack on gravity, and he may fall for it, but don't beleive in the feudal system myself. SFN is above such things.

Vincent (one of the o'Clarke bhoys). 

((And your fears were unfounded Vince as the letter from WAW shows. Fred - one of the O'goshwowboyoboys.)) 

Dear Fred,
This will shake the Epicentre down to the Clayton Astoundings. ((Evidently it has - F)) A monthly newszine. I can hear the gnashing of deadlines at Drayton Park from here.  I can imagine the scene. Ken Bulmer stumbling in with the mail, white as a sheet. "Whassermar", enunciates Vince, "ceiling fall in again?" "Worse", says Ken, "the bottom has dropped out of everything. A rival newszine!". He extends it with shaking fingers. "Ghod", says Vince, " the Celtic fringe has gone lunatic. Everyone knows it's impossible to pub a regular newszine. Never mind a  monthly one. Of that we're kenvinced".

WAW ...O'blique House. 

Dear Mr Robinson, ... May I stress through your columns, the fact that "THE LONDON CIRCLE" has NO dues or subscription, is not connected with any professional magazine or any other organisation, and was formed on this basis in order to become a focal point for fandom in Britain, so that it would not capsize under the weight of debts for producing fanmags etc. As you probably know we encourage initiative in the youngsters and those with bents in particular directions. New pro-mags have much to thank the London Circle for, financial backing and a wealth of suggestions from its members. Many new authors and artists have come from our ranks. As we have become better known, our meeting house has been honoured by representatives of the press, the film world, and the BBC. 

But in spite of this, we exist simply and solely as a central point for British fandom, and visitors are assured of a warm welcome on any Thursday evening at the White Horse Tavern in Fetter Lane, London E.C. 4. We do not deny our doors to any one, whether they are male or female, rabid fans, enthusiastic collectors, or simply research scientists in search of a beer or lemonade.

Fred C. Brown ... London. 

((May I say that I am glad and proud to print the above. It has been my experience that everything that Mr.Brown has said is very true indeed. On the odd occasions that it has been my privelege to visit the London Circle I have always received a most cordial (if not stronger) welcome, and any time that I am in the area I would not think of going past without calling in to see my many friends of the Circle, the finest bunch of fans in fandom.))

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Does your system get clogged ?
Are your satelites, sootelites ?
You Have Cosmic Dust
Eliminate this nuisance -
For sale - One Genuine Vacuum cleaner.
Write Box 12C41- enclosing 65 beerbottles* and receive by telekinesis this amazing bargain.

* FULL of course.

STF FANS

Would YOU like to read 20 USA Pro-mags per month for only £1-2-6d plus postage?

Further details 6d. postal order (no stamps) returned with first deposit.

N.G. Wansborough, 84 Wyke Road, Trowbridge, Wilts. 

Members will be put into groups of four. Each group member will receive five mags per week or 20 mags per month.

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Flashes and glimmers ... From March 31st Capt Ken Slater will have a new address - Capt K. F. Slater RPC, No. 38. PCLU Detachment, BAOR 89 ... In addition to the British reprints of US hardcover books mentioned earlier add the possibility that Asimov's I ROBOT will come from Grayson and Grayson at 8/6d ... From the same publishers comes news that the first issue of BEST STF STORIES was so successful that they are running off a second impression ... A new Arthur C. Clarke novel described as a juvenile is to be published in September or October ... Just heard that Mike Tealby will come out of hospital very soon, I am sure all fans will join with me in wishing Mike all the very best and a swift convalascence.

Our Welsh film correspondent Sell U. Lloyd reports that a Welsh company (North of course) is to produce an epic entitled GNOK GNIK which will, he says, be nothing more or less than KING KONG shot backwards. Somebody is making a big monkey out of somebody. 

Finally I would like to thank all those who have sent in fanzines, they are now beginning to arrive in large numbers, too late for review in thish unfortunately. If any of you know anyone who might like a trial copy of SU please let me know and I will gladly send on a copy of the next ish. Thanks are also due to all the folk who sent in items of information on all sorts of subjects, you are the people who really make this magazine. All the books and mags mentioned in thish are (or will be) available from Ken Slater at the above address for the usual reasonable rates. I was rather disappointed that only one fan sent in a joke (?) for the competition, with so many witty people around I was suprised that I did not get a flood of jokes both poor and unprintable. How about some this month hmm? Ta. Hold It - OVER 

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FROM US TO SU. 

Sometime ago I was invited by Fred Robinson to do a regular column for Straight Up, giving the latest news developments from New York City. At the time I accepted, I was living there, but since then, my lord and master (the U.S. Navy) has transferred me to New London, Connecticut, about 140 miles away. However, I shall attempt to bring you in the future (unless requested otherwise by the editorship of SU or its readers) some choice bits of gossip, with a few news items of late happenings thrown in now and again. If you have any comments, suggestions, etc., I  would be happy to hear from you.. Address at the bottom of this column.

-oOo-

America's biggest sensation in previous years, Frankie (the voice) Sinatra, is making big news in the stf world. Not because he's written a story or published a fanzine, but because his television program will be taken off the network on 1 April 1952, and replaced by a hour long science-fiction show. The show, which was tried out last fall and met with a reasonable amount of success, will be called "Out There". This makes the second nationwide stf show now being seen. The other one is called "Tales of Tomorrow", and leans to the soap-opera type. However, its treatment is not juvenile in any means. 

That science fiction club out in Berkeley, California, has gone and done it again. This time, the Elves, Gnomes, and Little Men's Science Fiction, Chowder, and Marching Society have filed claim, through the legal department of the United Nations, to mining rights on about 2,250 square miles of the moon. With the Little Men filing this claim, and the convention committee in Chicago giving away moon craters to its members, perhaps the first man to set forth on the moon will be hauled into court for trespassing on some fan's property! 

-oOo- 

The long-smouldering (and not so quiet) feud between H. L. Gold of Galaxy and John Campbell Jr. of Astounding has been settled peacefully, I have been informed by a highly reliable (but anonymous) source. I'm not at liberty to divulge the reasons and how it was done, but in the event that clearance could bse secured, it should make an interesting chapter in fandom's history. 

WITH THE PRO WORLD. The semi-fantasy magazine, Suspense, has been temporarily suspended by its publishers who are going into a different type of publication. The Winter 1952 issue is still on the stand, and rumors hath it that this will be the last ... two new stf mags will hit the stands soon. The titles are not known exactly, but they will revolve around "Space" and "Rocket". These two new ones will be published by a girlie magazine company, so perhaps the days of the old "Marvel" are back with sexy science fiction. That's for me! Speaking of sexy stf, read "Hellflower" in the May Startling for a good treatment of the sex problem. Highly recommended ... The Standard Publications Co. will soon give a face-lifting to three of their mags, Startling, Thrilling Wonder and Fantastic Story Mag. They will adopt the what is known now as Galaxy-type cover (using cover painting without wording on) ... Galaxy Novels has just adopted a new type of cover also, to keep it from being confused with the mag proper. The first ish the new type cover (9) is now on the stands with "Four Sided Triangle' ... Ray Palmer's plea to fans to pledge $5.00 subs to Other Worlds has evidently paid off in a big fashion, for after the next three issues (June, July, & Aug, skipping Sept) Other Worlds will reach Stands every four weeks instead of the usual six or seven. 

A PERSONAL ITEM: I still have a few free subs to my mag PEON left to the first few British fans who write for them. The 4th. annish will be out latter part of April. If you would like a copy go ahead and write for one. Well this concludes this issue's column. I repeat, I will be happy to receive your comments on it.

Charles Lee Riddle, PNCA. USN. US Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory, Fort Trumbull, New London. Connecticut, USA. 

( (Thanks Lee - Fred) )