JOHN KEEL NOT AN AUTHORITY ON ANYTHING

October 1, 2009

“The Lunarite”

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 11:49 pm

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John published a science fiction fanzine, The Lunarite, in 1946.  As he recalled, he was then contributing a column to the local paper, the Perry Herald, and was able to get it printed on their presses.  The first issue appeared on a postcard; the second was a single sheet on light pink paper.  They were modest, but they were typeset; which made other science fiction fans (or, in the jargon of the time, “scientifiction fen,” or “stfans”), with their smudged mimeographs, jealous.

A couple of notes: Keel fans may be intrigued by his early mention of the “Shaver Mystery”  in that first issue.  A BEM was a “Bug Eyed Monster,” a cliche scorned by true stfans. In the second issue, Lena the Hyena was a cartoon of a hideous woman, drawn by Basil Wolverton for a contest in “Li’l Abner.”  Sarge Saturn was the fictional letters editor for the Standard line of pulps.  And the Weird Tales cover John mentions can be pondered here.

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John never sent Sarge Saturn his copy.  Maybe he decided it was time to put fandom behind him, and turn professional.

Wārāh

1 Comment

  1. […] as a footnote, here’s the teenage Keel complaining about Shaver in his fanzine (fancard?) The Lunarite.  For more on War Over Lemuria and Shaverology, please visit Richard’s […]

    Pingback by Shaverology « JOHN KEEL: NOT AN AUTHORITY ON ANYTHING — October 1, 2013 @ 11:03 pm

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