The Fantasy Fan, February 1934: The Fans' Own Magazine

In Short

Edited by Charles D. Hornig, this February 1934 issue of The Fantasy Fan offers an unfiltered window into early science fiction and weird fiction fandom. Through reader letters, original short stories, critical essays, and poetry, the publication serves as a vibrant forum for genre enthusiasts. Highlighted by H. P. Lovecraft’s dream-tale "Polaris" and Clark Ashton Smith’s analytical review of M. R. James, the issue chronicles a pivotal moment when fans and iconic authors interacted directly, debating editorial choices, celebrating terrifying lore, and envisioning the future of speculative literature.

The Story

The issue opens with the lively exchange of "Our Readers Say," a correspondence column that sets the communal tone of the magazine. Readers debate the quality of previous issues, offer constructive critiques on story selections, and express relief or disappointment over recurring features. Editor Charles D. Hornig responds to the mail, explaining administrative decisions, addressing past typographical mistakes pointed out by fans like Forrest J. Ackerman, and accepting praise for maintaining an open space for genre enthusiasts.

Following the letters, Julius Schwartz shares a personal reflection on favorite fantasy stories, emphasizing that a reader's mood dictates appreciation as much as literary merit. The narrative heart of the issue arrives with H. P. Lovecraft's short story "Polaris." In this tale, a narrator gazes out his window at the Pole Star, falling into a hypnotic dream-state that transports him to the ancient, doomed city of Olathoe in the land of Lomar. Assigned to serve as a lookout in the watchtower of Thapnen, he must signal his fellow citizens if the barbaric Inutos attack. However, the malignant spirit of the Pole Star lulls him into an inescapable sleep. He awakens back in his modern stone house, tormented by guilt, believing he has betrayed his city to ruin, while those around him insist Lomar was merely a dream of a region frozen for thousands of years.

The issue shifts from fiction to speculative non-fiction and fan reportage. Brief news items under "Facts and Prophecy" report on modern scientific endeavors, including the feasibility of a rocket trip to the moon and a fuel-free motor intended for planetary travel. In "Howls from the Ether," a columnist going by "The Spacehound" shares industry trivia, printing blunders, radio adaptations, and literary gossip. Next, Marianne Ferguson offers a whimsical piece titled "A Visit to Jules de Grandin," detailing a fictional interview with the famous occult detective and his companion Dr. Trowbridge, which ends with an ominous, unexplained moan echoing through the house.

Original poetry by Richard F. Searight and William Lumley invokes ancient gods and atmospheric dread, setting the stage for Clark Ashton Smith’s detailed critical essay, "The Weird Works of M. R. James." Smith evaluates James's unique contribution to supernatural fiction, analyzing his casual prose style, his use of mundane settings as foils for horror, and his inventive, repulsive specters.

Following R. H. Barlow's prose piece "The Tomb of the God"—which tells of explorers who foolishly open an ancient mausoleum only to awaken the hibernating deity Lord Krang—the magazine turns to internal fandom business. The contentious "Boiling Point" department, marked by a fiery feud between Forrest J. Ackerman and Clark Ashton Smith's defenders, officially comes to an end. The issue closes with the fifth installment of Lovecraft’s historical survey "Supernatural Horror in Literature," Forrest J. Ackerman’s concluding notes on his sci-fi collection, book recommendations by Emil Petaja, fan profiles by Mortimer Weisinger, and classified advertisements selling vintage pulp magazines.

How It Unfolds

Voice of the readership The issue opens with a lively letters section where subscribers critique recent content, request more work by H. P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, and praise the magazine's role as a human, personal gathering space for fantasy enthusiasts.

Dreaming of Lomar H. P. Lovecraft's short story "Polaris" depicts a narrator mesmerized by the Pole Star, who slips into a vision of the ancient marble city of Olathoe, where he is tasked with guarding his homeland against invading forces.

Curiosities and fannish gossip Short feature columns highlight scientific predictions about rocket travel to the moon, recount industry trivia, and present a lighthearted fictional visit to occult detective Jules de Grandin and Dr. Trowbridge.

Critical appraisal of horror Author Clark Ashton Smith provides a scholarly examination of M. R. James's ghost stories, detailing how James uses mundane backgrounds and visceral imagery to construct haunting supernatural threats.

Awakening the ancient god In R. H. Barlow's tale "The Tomb of the God," greedy explorers unseal a desert mausoleum carved from blue stone, accidentally reviving the monstrous Lord Krang from his eons-long slumber.

Cooling the debates The editor officially cancels the controversial "Boiling Point" section to foster unity among readers, while H. P. Lovecraft's serialized essay traces the historical origins of weird fiction from ancient folklore to Elizabethan drama.

The People

• Charles D. Hornig: The managing editor who oversees the magazine, answers reader correspondence, takes responsibility for unsigned content, and strives to maintain a welcoming, personal community for fantasy fans.
• The Narrator of "Polaris": A frail, studious man in the ancient city of Olathoe who is assigned to watch for an enemy invasion from a high tower, but succumbs to a hypnotic slumber induced by the Pole Star and wakes up trapped in the modern world, wracked with guilt over failing his duty.
• Alos: The commander of the forces in Olathoe and friend to the narrator of "Polaris," who trusts the narrator with the crucial task of guarding the citadel.
• Jules de Grandin: A famous fictional detective visited in a fan narrative, known for his sleek blond hair, artistic hands, silver-topped sword cane, and eight-year career investigating gruesome occult cases.
• M. R. James: The Provost of Eton College and author whose supernatural short stories are analyzed by Clark Ashton Smith for their originality, casual prose style, and inventive specters.
• Lord Krang: An ancient, monstrous brown leathern entity from a distant planet who ruled the world in primordial times and reawakens to feed when foolish explorers open his tomb.
• Forrest J. Ackerman: A prominent science fiction fan and columnist whose controversial critiques spark intense debates among readers, and who documents his extensive collection of genre memorabilia and sound discs.
• Clark Ashton Smith: A celebrated author and contributor who defends his literary style in the debate columns, writes critical essays on weird fiction, and offers his self-published booklets for sale.

In Its Own Voice

"You have been able to offer a welcome medium of expression and interchange of ideas to us devotees of the fantastic in fiction..."

In the reader mail column, subscriber Richard F. Searight captures the primary purpose of the publication as a shared community hub for fantasy lovers.

"The goblins and phantoms devised by James are truly creative and are presented through images often so keen and vivid as to evoke an actual physical shock."

Writing as a literary critic, Clark Ashton Smith praises the visceral, sensory impact of M. R. James's ghost stories in his featured essay.

"I have failed in my duty and betrayed the marble city of Olathoe; I have proven false to Alos, my friend and commander."

In H. P. Lovecraft's "Polaris," the distraught narrator laments his inability to stay awake at his post, believing his slumber allowed the enemy to capture his beloved home.

What It's Really About

At its core, The Fantasy Fan is an artifact of early fan culture and the collaborative shaping of a literary genre. It captures the exact historical moment when science fiction and weird fiction were transitioning from scattered pulp magazine stories into a self-aware community with its own canon, history, and critical standards. The issue explores the boundary between reality and imagination—whether through Lovecraft’s tragic narrator who cannot distinguish his modern life from an ancient dream, or through fans treating fictional characters like Jules de Grandin as living friends. Furthermore, the issue wrestles with the nature of horror itself, asking why readers are drawn to sinister tales of evil, and evaluating how writers like M. R. James and Lovecraft construct fear out of atmospheric dread and ancient mysteries.

Why Read It Today

This issue offers a fascinating, unvarnished look at the birth of modern fantasy fandom. Reading it feels like stepping into a time capsule where legendary figures of speculative fiction—such as H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, August Derleth, and Forrest J. Ackerman—are simply regular correspondents trading letters, arguing about story quality, and sharing their personal book collections. It holds immense appeal for literary historians, horror enthusiasts, and anyone curious about how subcultures organized before the internet era.

The reading experience is breezy, nostalgic, and pleasantly eclectic, bouncing rapidly from dramatic fiction and formal prose poetry to energetic editorial arguments and amateur journalism. Readers should be prepared for the fragmented, casual nature of a 1930s fan magazine, which includes abrupt endings to installments, period-specific science trivia that has since been outdated, and intense squabbles over pulp magazine stories that may seem petty today. Yet, the genuine warmth, intellectual curiosity, and deep passion for weird literature that radiate from every page make it an endearing and historically significant text.