Charles Wells
(May 4, 1937 – June 17, 2017)
Charles Wells, an American fanzine publisher and fanartist, was primarily active in the 1950s and ’60s. He was a member of the Alien Science-Fantasy Club. He tried to popularize fay as an abbreviation for "fantasy" and he perpetrated a handstitched fanzine. His signature cartoon characters were the “Foofs.” He originated the Fan Awards Poll in 1962.
He published several fanzines: Fiendetta, Grey, and Hex in the 1950s, and then Cadenza and Trill. (the period is part of the title) in the 1960s.
Wells began his fan publishing career in Savannah, Georgia, with Fiendetta. At least 14 issues were released from September 1952 to 1956. In 1953, he was the guest editor of the last issue of Quandry, issue 30. In the Autumn of 1953, he published a single page newsletter (a snapzine), called Grey. At least 18 issues appeared, with #18 released in November 1954.
In June 1955, Wells published the first issue of Hex. Eight issues of this title appeared, the last in December 1964, and all eight issues are in the Liverpool University Library as part of the J. Michael Rosenblum collection.
In 1961, he returned to fanzine publishing with his title Cadenza, a mimeographed fanzine, published in North Carolina. 11 issues were released. After he married Jane Ely on December 28, 1962, she became co-editor.
In mundane life, Wells got his Ph.D. from Duke in 1965 and was a professor of mathematics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, for his whole career. While in Cleveland, Wells was a major influence on the young Jerry Kaufman's fanac.
- Cadenza [early 60s]
- Fiendetta [mid-50s]
- Grand Fenwick Gazette [1965] (one of four editors)
- Grey [1954]
- Hex [1955-1965]
- Lonely Mountain [1960s]
- Maelstrom [1950s]
- Off of this Planet Adventures [1952] (one of five editors)
- Quandry [1953] (Guest edited last issue)
- The Quatt Wunkery (for FAPA)
- STF-Stuff [1950s]
- Trill
- v
| Person | 1937—2017 |
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