DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Fanfare, v. 1, issue 5, December 1940

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Fanfare, v. 1, issue 5, December 1940

Page 7

any STARDUST. Damn it! Do the Strangers think I am a walking mint? That I can lay over $75.00 per issue on the line out of my own pocket? Hell no! Here is the whole and final story:
STARDUST was founded to fill a niche long vacant in fandom. That of a printed, de luxe fan magazine. To do this a number of things had to be accomplished. I knew that I would have to attract a larger audience than immediate fandom to meet expenses. I did. My 1,000 subs, if the MIT wizard can multiply, are equal to about $75.00 per issue. This money, with an occasional hd bit, has to pay for the publication mailing, (which comes to $20.00 alone) and advertising. I am not making money. I never intended to make money. I don't ever intend to do so with the magazine! I can't!!
STARDUST has published the best of the materical at its command. It has been impossible for me to do more than this. I have tried to give fandom a magazine it would cherish. I have tried to raise the atmosphere to our great organization. I have tried to please both the active fans and passive fans. The passive fans demand stories, the active fans demand articles. I give you both. I give you illustrations, science articles, fan pictures and biographies. What teh hell else can I give!
And further, to go even beyond STARDUST. I also published the 1940 CHICAGO CONVENTION PROGRAM BOOKLET. It was a damn nice job if I say so. What did I get out of it? Not a damn red cent. What did my printer (who I am in partnership with) get out of it? A loss. You laugh, eh? Well boys, here are some facts about that financial situation, which the sly cattle from the back-room hint around at so delicately in their editorial about me.
Mark Reinsberg went to Conrad Ruppert before he came to me, for a price on the booklet. Connie quoted him around $65.00. Mark promptly trotted over to the shyster who offered to do the job with a silver cover for $37.00. A price that didn't even cover the press cost: I gave my time, the printer gave his. We made nothing. But the Convention Committee made an average of $20.00 apiece clear profit. Which makes me more of a damn sucker than anything! Further, I am publishing BIZARRE for Jack Miske. This magazine is being done at a cost on the red side of the margin as far as I am concerned. Why do I do these things then?
BECAUSE I AM A FAN! I AM TRYING TO DO WHATEVER I CAN FOR FANDOM. MONEY DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME -- I'M LOSING IT! And what do I get called for my labors? -- a shyster!!!!! You fellows ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Could you do what I am doing? If not, shut up.
Anyway, the pickle barrel brine spreaders won't have to groan when they see its nicely printed pages and colored covers. They won't be seeing it any more for a while. Not because of money. Because of a number of other things: My University education, my general health which is not too good at times, and because attitudes like those of the Strangers, the uplifters of fandom, make me sick. Why should I bother if you don't want it? (But of course, that you indicates only a very few. About one out of 500.) STARDUST is not dead, it is merely being suspended for a while. I know this comes as a shock to most of you, who have given me your very best wishes and kind applause for my endeavor, but please rest assured that your fan magazine, STARDUST, is far from dead. It just happens that present circumstances beyond my control, dictate my actions.

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any STARDUST. Damn it! Do the Strangers think I am a walking mint? That I can lay over $75.00 per issue on the line out of my own pocket? Hell no! Here is the whole and final story: STARDUST was founded to fill a niche long vacant in fandom. That of a printed, de luxe fan magazine. To do this a number of things had to be accomplished. I knew that I would have to attract a larger audience than immediate fandom to meet expenses. I did. My 1,000 subs, if the MIT wizard can multiply, are equal to about $75.00 per issue. This money, with an occasional hd bit, has to pay for the publication mailing, (which comes to $20.00 alone) and advertising. I am not making money. I never intended to make money. I don't ever intend to do so with the magazine! I can't!! STARDUST has published the best of the materical at its command. It has been impossible for me to do more than this. I have tried to give fandom a magazine it would cherish. I have tried to raise the atmosphere to our great organization. I have tried to please both the active fans and passive fans. The passive fans demand stories, the active fans demand articles. I give you both. I give you illustrations, science articles, fan pictures and biographies. What teh hell else can I give! And further, to go even beyond STARDUST. I also published the 1940 CHICAGO CONVENTION PROGRAM BOOKLET. It was a damn nice job if I say so. What did I get out of it? Not a damn red cent. What did my printer (who I am in partnership with) get out of it? A loss. You laugh, eh? Well boys, here are some facts about that financial situation, which the sly cattle from the back-room hint around at so delicately in their editorial about me. Mark Reinsberg went to Conrad Ruppert before he came to me, for a price on the booklet. Connie quoted him around $65.00. Mark promptly trotted over to the shyster who offered to do the job with a silver cover for $37.00. A price that didn't even cover the press cost: I gave my time, the printer gave his. We made nothing. But the Convention Committee made an average of $20.00 apiece clear profit. Which makes me more of a damn sucker than anything! Further, I am publishing BIZARRE for Jack Miske. This magazine is being done at a cost on the red side of the margin as far as I am concerned. Why do I do these things then? BECAUSE I AM A FAN! I AM TRYING TO DO WHATEVER I CAN FOR FANDOM. MONEY DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME -- I'M LOSING IT! And what do I get called for my labors? -- a shyster!!!!! You fellows ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Could you do what I am doing? If not, shut up. Anyway, the pickle barrel brine spreaders won't have to groan when they see its nicely printed pages and colored covers. They won't be seeing it any more for a while. Not because of money. Because of a number of other things: My University education, my general health which is not too good at times, and because attitudes like those of the Strangers, the uplifters of fandom, make me sick. Why should I bother if you don't want it? (But of course, that you indicates only a very few. About one out of 500.) STARDUST is not dead, it is merely being suspended for a while. I know this comes as a shock to most of you, who have given me your very best wishes and kind applause for my endeavor, but please rest assured that your fan magazine, STARDUST, is far from dead. It just happens that present circumstances beyond my control, dictate my actions.