THE FANTASY FAN THE FANS' OWN MAGAZINE Editor: Charles D. Hornig (Managing Editor: Wonder Stories) Published 10 cents a copy Monthly $1.00 per year 137 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey Volume 1 December, 1933 Number 4 OUR READERS SAY "The November issue beats the first two by a mile! If this keeps up, I wonder what the tenth issue will be like? Sorry that I cannot send an English science-fiction column this month, as I haven't heard from the other side yet. Have written to South Africa on the stf situation there, but won't promise you anything on it. Will we have a story in the December issue? 'The Other Gods' beat 'The Kingdom of the Worm.'"--Bob Tucker We cannot tell what the tenth issue of TFF will be like, but you can get a good idea of what the fifth will be like by reading our editorial. We are sorry we did not receive your foreign science-fiction column this month, and would be pleased to hear about South Africa. You will notice three stories in this issue of TFF. Which of the stories so far published is the best, is a matter of opinion. Further on in this department you will learn the varied opinions of their merit. "What might be called the 'Anti-Ackerman' issue has just arrived. It looks to me like you ought to have advertised it as that, or run a streamer across the top. I think it would have doubled your subscriptions, so many people, it seems, would like to read something against me. Will you please tone down the remarks about my being the 'most active fan,' etc? That started with you. You can't say I ever had anything to do with it. Many people reading such statements will become antagonistic 'just because,' and though I'm going around begging people to like me, still there's no virtue in unnecessarily tipping away from you neutral parties."--Forrest J. Ackerman The editor wishes to drop formalities for a brief paragraph in order to make a personal confession, and will therefore speak in the singular. Yes, Forrie, it has all been my fault. I was the one that called you "the world's most active fan," etc., and really had something to do with the animosity some of my readers have had toward you. Let me say that I want to apologize--I am very sorry for it. I meant well, but it didn't seem to have been interpreted the way it was intended. All those laudatory remarks were really said to let other readers know how much you have done to advance science fiction, but for certain peculiar reasons which can never be foretold, they weren't taken in the proper light. Frankly, this should teach us both a lesson--you and I. I should consider carefully every remark I make about anyone or his work, and you should become less prejudiced and vehement on any particular subject, and consider the question: "What's one man's opinion?" Your controversy with C. A. Smith is continued in this issue's "Boiling Point."