Confusion

From Fancyclopedia 3
Confusion (Vick)
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An early 1950s fanzine by Shelby Vick.[1] Vick came up with the idea of a fan fund for Walt Willis and promoted it in Confusion as WAW With the Crew in '52. Issues 2–13 and 15–16 ran Willis’ column "Plinth," which, besides other material, included installments of Willis Discovers America and The Harp Stateside.

Confusion became famous for the "Something Up Our Sleeve" feature of tipped-in inserts (indeed in the sleeve of a cartoon pony-tailed Chinese character), for example, the first issue had a colorful paper fan. There was also a regular column, "In The Midst of Confusion," and brief editorial notes at the bacover beside the address space, called "Back Talk."

In 1952, Vick published a one-off Confusion's Conception, explained inside as "… of Tasfic." It was something of a Worldcon cartoon special, serving as an advertisement for the regular Confusion.

At the start of the Tenth Anniversary Willis Fund, Axe 0 (April 1961, p. 2) announced: "Shelby Vick is reviving Confusion — the fanzine where the first Willis fund was promoted and proposed — for the occasion" as a fundraiser; however, this did not materialise.

In 2005, Vick revived his zine under a changed name as confuSon, subtitled "the Son of confusion."

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
Shelby Vick's fanzine which sparkplugged the WAW With the Crew in '52 campaign; but also the little character who appeared on the inside back cover with Something Up His Sleeve.
Issue Date Pages Notes
1 November 1951 18 ed. Tommy Lee Tracy (address in Florida); Shelby Vick listed as Art Editor (PO Box in same town; many illos, signed "vic"), J L Green as Poetry Editor. Slogan "WAW with the crew in fifty-two" at p. 3. Cover, unnumbered contents page, then pp. 1–12, two unnumbered and two as 13.
2 February 1952 2 "
3 1952 28 ed. is now Shelby Vick solo
4 1952
5 March 1952
6 1952
7 April 1952 38
8 1952
9 June 1952
10 June 1952 38
11 August 1952 36
12 November 1952 20 + AFTERwords (2 pages added to archive scan in 2005). Post-Willis ish, a. o. detailed list of WAW With the Crew in '52 contributions, profiles of the biggest donors and some relevant correspondence
13 November 1952 66
14 February 1953 46
15 May 1953 34
August 1953 6 ??
15P December 1953 4
16 February 1954 36
revival / new series as confuSon: the Son of confusion
1 September 2005 19 Now named confuSon
2 November 2005 34
3 January 2006 8 A tribute to Howard DeVore
4 May 2006 19
5 March 2007 20 A memorial to rich brown
  1. Publisher credit for several issues reads “Dick and Vick,” “Dick” being Vick's mimeograph of the A. B. Dick brand.





Publication 19511954
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