| CHECKPOINT 30 | 27 Jan. 1973 |
Checkpoint is a fortnightly news and reviews zine published by Peter Roberts, 87 West Town Lane, Bristol, BS4 5DZ, UK. Subs are 10/40p (2nd Class & Europe) and 6/$1 or 8/R1 (foreign airmail). Sample copy free.
Agents: (USA) Charlie & Dena Brown, 3400 Ulloa St, San Francisco, Calif. 94116; (Aus) David Grigg, Box 100, Carlton South, Vic. 3058; (RSA) Nick Shears, 52 Garden Way, Northcliff Ext. 4, Johannesburg, Transvaal.
News this issue from: Fred Hemmings, Nick Shears (RSA), Mike & Susan Glicksohn (Can.), and Pete Weston.
Restormel Press Publication: 74. mi 4 is a flier with this issue.
FULL OF EASTER PROMISE: (Some notes on the OMPAcon in Bristol, from Fred Hemmings) "As the con year enters its final three months, things move ever faster – to the extent that personal correspondence and even some items connected with the con slip slowly behind, to be caught up with even more slowly. Membership is in the 280s which makes it the second largest British con ever, even at this relatively early date. What has been pleasing to note is the international aspect we have been acquiring, not only in recent times, but from the very beginning. The membership includes fans from Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, and Sweden, within Europe, while from outside there are Australians, New Zealanders, and one from South Africa, as well as a large contingent from America. The latest enquiry comes from Turkey and will, I hope, eventually add another country to the list. Nor are these just people who have joined, for many of them have already booked their rooms; even the extra large hotel to be used this year is rapidly filling. All the single and double rooms have long since been filled so the choice now lies between twin and overflow – with all the irritation and time loss the latter entails.
"The programme has now reached the stage of final drafting which means that the process of obtaining speakers has begun, bringing another task to my already type-warn [sic] fingers. Some, however, have already agreed verbally, so that basis is laid. For the future: Progress Report number 3 has now been completed in rough, so, with any luck, it should appear some time towards the end of February, giving a lot more detail than can possibly find space here."
Membership, I should note, is 50p from Fred (20 Beech Road, Slough, SL3 7DQ, Bucks). The convention, of course, is held over Easter weekend – this year it's at the Grand Hotel in Bristol. Write to Fred Hemmings for further information. Note, incidentally, that the deadline for adverts in the Programme Book is fast approaching – February 28th.
ENERGUMEN ELIGIBLE: Mike & Susan Glicksohn have resigned from the TORCON 2 committee "in order to comply with the World Sf Society regulations concerning eligibility for the Sf Achievement Awards" – in other words, their fine fanzine, Energumen, can be nominated for a Hugo this year. "At TORCON 3 time," says Susan, "we'll take care not to be publishing anything!" They'll still be helping unofficially, of course.
Algol 19 (44pp:A4:p) Andy Porter, PO Box 4175, New York, NY. 10017, USA. (4 issues for $3) UK Agent: Ethel Lindsay (4/£1.25). Algol now boasts a sub-title, "A magazine about science fiction", as an indication of its new status as a semi-professional fanzine with news-stand distribution. To back this up there's a wrap-around, coloured Di Fate cover and a finely printed and illustrated interior with photos of contributors too. The contents are just as high-powered and present an impressive list of professionals: Ray Bradbury 'On a Book Burning', Fred Pohl on 'Sf as Social Comment', Bob Silverberg's 'Traveling Jiant' (in Guyana), Ted White with a column, George Turner on Australian sf, and Marion Z. Bradley with a long and somewhat rambling article; there's a good letter column too. With some luck Algol will find itself nominated for a Hugo this year – it's an impressive magazine and I'm sorry I can't do it justice here. Highly recommended.
Amoeboid Scunge 7 (4pp:A4:d) Jay Cornell & Seth McEvoy, 105 E. Wilson, MSU, E. Lansing, Mi. 48823, USA. (free) Not, perhaps, in quite the same league as Algol, but I must say I enjoyed it – particularly Seth's half. It's just a few idiot ramblings and comments, but they're good and daft.
Cowboy Angel 2 (20pp:A4:d) Doug Carroll, 1109 Paquin St, Columbia, Mo. 65201, USA. (25¢) A couple of oddments from Jim Turner and Roger Vanous, a poor editorial, and nothing much more make up this issue – there's a rather good letter column, however. It's mildly fannish overall.
Energumen 14 (69pp:A4:d) Mike & Susan Glicksohn, 32 Maynard Av, 205, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 2Z9, Canada. ($1) This, the penultimate issue, is just bloody fantastic ... Artwork first: there's a printed Eddie Jones cover and an Atom backcover (return of the British artists, eh?); interior artwork includes fine stuff from Bill Rotsler, Grant Canfield, Jay Kinney, Lee Healy, and Tim Kirk; there's a mad cartoon from Derek Carter (a printed portfolio); a portfolio of 'Rotsler's Stuff'; and finally a folio of artists' interpretations of Silverberg's work – Canfield, Fabian, and Connie Faddis (with a signed, double-sized, foldout, two-coloured, silk-screen printed piece ...). Roughly half Energumen 14 is, in fact, devoted to its artists. For the rest, the issue is a special one devoted to Bob Silverberg; Terry Carr takes some 'Entropy Reprints' from his fanzine writings, Sandra Miesel considers Son of Man, and Susan, Mike, and Rosemary Ullyot devote most of their own columns to Silverberg and his work. Finally there's an entertaining and interesting fannish piece by Bill Rotsler and a fine letter-column. No one could expect much more – if this doesn't win a Hugo, the award itself will be devalued. Highly recommended, you may gather.
Fanews 59 (8pp:A4:p) Ralf Kleinschnittger, 5868 Letmathe, Theodor-Hürth-Str. 61, Germany. (10/4dm) Fannish, sf, and film news from Germany – both West & East – is best found in Fanews. But first must you German read. Competent.
Gannetscrapbook 1 (38pp:¼o:d) Robert Jackson, 21 Lyndhurst Rd, Benton, Newcastle on Tyne, NE12 9NT. (trades or locs only) Now here's a nice thing for me to find in the post. There's nothing quite like a fanzine from people you know and like and, much as I enjoy and admire – say – Energumen, it's not really the same as a fanzine from friends you've met. Gannetscrapbook is a compendium of personal zines from Gannetfandom, the first issue containing material from Henry Pijohn (good), Thom Penman (uh... typical), Ian Maule (writing like Ian Williams), Rob Jackson (ho-hummy), Ian Williams (haphazardly fine), Gray Boak (good & vicious), Harry Bell (ok), & Mary Legg (ditto). I enjoyed it as a whole, but I can't guarantee that an outsider would.
Inworlds 1 (4pp:A4:d) Bill Bowers, PO Box 354, Wadsworth, Ohio 44281, USA. (5/$1) UK Agent: Terry Jeeves (5/40p). This is the first issue of a new monthly 'review of Fanzines' & letter-substitute – quite a good idea, I'd say, and it doesn't seem that the prestige publication, Outworlds, will suffer for it. This issue is mostly introductory, though there are a couple of reviews and a rather angry letter from a failed trader.
Locus 131 (8pp:A4:d) Charlie & Dena Brown, 3400 Ulloa St, San Francisco, Ca. 94116, USA. (12/$3) UK Agent: Pete Weston (10/$3.50). This is now the standard newszine for the sf field – this issue's lead story is Sam Moskowitz's intended revival of Weird Tales; other items include magazine and fanzine reviews plus suggestions for Hugo nominees. Also noted, incidentally, are the deaths of Mrs. H. P. Lovecraft and Mrs. Clark Ashton Smith. Locus is recommended.
Lurk 4 (36pp:¼o:d) Mike & Pat Meara, 61 Borrowash Rd, Spondon, Derby, DE2 7QH. (50p – sample copy free) Lurk is very much the traditional fanzine – an editorial at the beginning, a couple of articles, book and fanzine reviews, and a letter column to finish up with; it's not bad, but not particularly exciting either. This issue has James White's speech from Novacon '71 and an interview with Larry Niven, Fred Pohl, Brian Aldiss, Harry Harrison, Bob Shaw & Don Wollheim from Chessmancon '72 as its highlights.
Prehensile 6 (53pp:A4:d) Mike Glyer, 14974 Osceola St, Sylmar, Calif. 91342, USA. (35¢) This is the first issue I've seen of Prehensile, but it looks fairly good, if, perhaps, somewhat heavy. By this I mean that there's a large review section (books, films, & records), yet another article on Bob Silverberg (by Paul Walker), and Perry Chapdelaine on telepathy. What I found entertaining, however, was a long article on Tom Digby (a rather fine, but obscure fan writer) by Dan Goodman and an editorial on the LAcon – the letter column's not too bad either. It's well worth looking at, anyway.
Rataplan 10 (24pp:¼o:d) Leigh Edmonds, PO Box 74, Balaclava, Vic. 3183, Australia. (40¢) Rataplan nowadays is a loosely-constructed FAPAzine – a rambling editorial interspersed with locs; it isn't outstanding, but it is quietly readable.
Sanders 21 (6pp:fscp:x) Dave Nee, 254 College Av, Apt B, Palo Alto, Calif. 94306, USA. (4/$1) Before Locus moved to San Francisco, Sanders was The West Coast Newszine – what its status is now, I'm none too sure. Most of the news is dated, partly the fault of seamail, partly because Sanders has just been resuscitated – it covers books, comics, & cons in this issue; there's also a two-page article on comics & modern myth by Paul Moslander. The layout is unusual: sideways foolscap, yet.
Sepulchre 1 (24pp:A4:d) Keith Walker, 3 Cromer Grove, Burnley, Lancs. (free?) Keith has an unhappy knack for making his fanzines look unsightly, and while Sepulchre is legible, the typing is done for quarto and the paper used is A4; the duplicating isn't central, so the top two or three inches of the fanzine are simply blank. There are some terrible drawings too. The contents, however, are fairly interesting to monster fans: the whole issue is devoted to articles on the Loch Ness Monster and sundry sea-serpents. Keith intends to continue Sepulchre with similar thematic issues... a fairly good idea.
The Middle Earthworm 19 (20pp:A4:d) Archie Mercer, 21 Trenethick Parc, Helston, Cornwall. (free) This is a letterzine for Tolkien and fantasy fans – the discussions are various, but range from dissecting the LoTR to considering cats (not vice-versa, however). Interesting and often amusing – even to a non-addict like myself.
::::: : : : : ::::: | Last issue if crossed, marked 'S' (sample) or 'R' (review within); a number indicates the last issue before your sub expires. |
SARF EFRICAN NEWS: (Nick Shears) "The South African con-committee has decided that support for the con has been insufficient, so it's indefinitely postponed! Instead there'll be a more intimate minicon at Nabcomspruit (which is as silly as it sounds) later this year. If it's successful, plans for a proper con may be formulated.
"Before all this was decided, I resigned as Vice-President of both SFSA and the concom because of their lack of purpose and direction, lack of interest and activity by members of both the club and the committee, and the importance of my own studies this year. It seems to have started a chain reaction – I believe Niels Christianson, chairman of both committees, has resigned as well. New members have been seconded to the SFSA committee – Pat Ball and Tex Cooper. And now? It certainly seems as if SFSA is going the way of the NFFF and BSFA – absolute apathy and divorced from fandom. A pity.
"On the other hand, we're putting on an exhibition in the foyer of the Johannesburg Public Library from March 1st to the 18th. There'll be six showcases, two book showcases, and numerous pinboards, and the theme of the exhibition will be 'What is Sf?' Subjects covered will be Africaans Sf, Fandom is South Africa, Sf Comes True (moon landing, etc.), magazines and pulps, Isaac Asimov, international fanzines, Clarke & Heinlein, and various sf & fantasy film posters. Centrepiece of the exhibition will be a huge BEM, or perhaps a triffid, built by Trevor Watkins (who'll probably rope me into doing half the work).
"Postal Diplomacy here progresses comfortably, with a new zine, Down Alien Skies, produced by Greg Lee and myself, to cover a number of games, and Bernie Ackerman starting a new game in Foreign Office Report.
"Africapa is frozen at the moment, a couple more members being needed to make it worthwhile. All going well, the first mailing should be in March."
TIM DAVEY, TURKISH PRISONER: Pete Weston urges faneds to send along copies of their zines to Tim c/o The British Consulate, Instanbul [sic], Turkey. He's interested in sf and has already been known to send a loc (to Madcap, in fact). The Brum Group, incidentally, were the first to get in touch, following up a reference to sf in a film interview with Tim.
from
Peter Roberts
87 West Town Lane
Bristol, BS4 5DZ
United Kingdom
Printed Matter Only
Printed Matter Only.