Difference between revisions of "FAPA"

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(Updated for 2023)
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[[File:FAPAlogo.jpeg|right|frameless]]
 
[[File:FAPAlogo.jpeg|right|frameless]]
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'''FAPA''' ("FAP-uh"), the '''Fantasy Amateur Press Association''', the oldest [[fan]] [[apa]] in the world, was founded in 1937 and still going as of 2023. It is, infamously, [[Where Old Fans Go to Die]].  
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'''FAPA''' ("FAP-uh"), the '''Fantasy Amateur Press Association''', the oldest [[fan]] [[apa]] in the world, distributing member-made [fanzine]]s to each other for nearly a century. It was founded in 1937 and is still going as of 2023. It is, infamously, [[Where Old Fans Go to Die]].
  
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Like other [[APA]]s, FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense. Members are required to be active in some way -- writing or publishing -- and produce at least 8 pages of [[minac]] a year. Mailings are quarterly.
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Like other [[APA]]s, FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members print publications, produced by its members in a variety of formats, at their own expense. Members are required to produce at least 8 pages of [[minac]] a year. Mailings are quarterly.
  
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To qualify for membership, one must have done one or more of the following within a year of applying: produced and distributed at least one issue of a [[fanzine]]; contributed material (written or artistic) to two fanzines not produced in the same metropolitan area; and/or posted contributions in two different electronic forums.  
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There are annual elections (August) of a [[secretary]]-[[treasurer]] and [[Official Editor]]; the two former are limited to two consecutive one-year terms. Other [[official]]s have included [[president]], [[vice-president]], [[Official Critics]], a [[Laureate]] [[Committee]], and ballot counters. The latter two positions were abandoned by the mid '40s, and the former two in 2009, but a teller for the annual officer [[elections]] continues to be appointed by the Secretary-Treasurer.
  
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There are annual elections (August) of a [[president]], [[vice-president]], [[secretary]]-[[treasurer]] and [[Official Editor]]; the two former are limited to two consecutive one-year terms. Other [[official]]s have included [[Official Critics]], a [[Laureate]] [[Committee]], and ballot counters. The first two positions were abandoned by the mid '40s, but a teller for the annual officer [[elections]] continues to be appointed by the Secretary-Treasurer.
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Members are usually called '''''Fapans''''', but terms such as '''''FAPAte''''' have been tried. [[Fanzines]] distributed through FAPA are '''''FAPAzines'''''. 
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According to FAPA's by-laws, to qualify for membership, must have done one or more of the following within a year of applying: produced and distributed at least one issue of a fanzine; contributed material (written or artistic) to two fanzines not produced in the same metropolitan area; and/or posted contributions in two different electronic forums.
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However, in practice, FAPA had no (or virtually no) new members throughout the 2010s and seemed destined for ultimate extinction. As a result, when membership suddenly started rising again in 2022, the primary way new members were added was by sponsorship or "franking" by an existing member.
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Thus, for the present, the way one become a member of FAPA is informal:
  
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Members are usually called '''''Fapans''''', but terms such as '''''FAPAte''''' have been tried. [[Fanzines]] distributed through FAPA are '''''FAPAzines'''''.
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*Send a check for $10; and,
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*20 copies of your zine to
 +
 
 +
Ken Forman
 +
2234 Marion County 7055
 +
Flippin, AR  72634
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 +
If your zine be accepted (no one has been rejected yet), you're a member so long as you maintain your 8-page minac requirement and the annual check to cover mailing costs.
  
 
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'''Fapans''' Fapate, Fapans, Faps.  All names designating members of FAPA. The second is that endorsed by usage (prob'ly by analogy with "[[fans]]") but really the first is correct; FAPA is an [[association]], so its members are associates.  
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'''Fapans''' Fapate, Fapans, Faps.  All names designating members of FAPA. The second is that endorsed by usage (prob'ly by analogy with "[[fans]]") but really the first is correct; FAPA is an [[association]], so its members are associates.
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{fancy1|text=
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'''FAPAzine''' A [[fanzine]] [[published]] thru the FAPA; sometimes a synonym for [[individ fanzine]]. The name was used as the official title of a thing by [[Elmer Perdue|Perdue]].  
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'''FAPAzine''' A [[fanzine]] [[published]] thru the FAPA; sometimes a synonym for [[individ fanzine]]. The name was used as the official title of a thing by [[Elmer Perdue|Perdue]].
 
}}
 
}}
  
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=History=
 
=History=
 
==1930s==
 
==1930s==
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The Fantasy Amateur Press Association was founded in 1937 by [[Don Wollheim]] and [[John Michel]]. They were inspired to create FAPA by their memberships in some of the non-fan [[amateur press associations]] (“[[ajays]]”), which they learned of from [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. FAPA's original constitutional limit was 50 members to accommodate publishers using [[hektographs]]. There were 21 members listed on the roster of the first mailing in August 1937; it took until the November 1938 mailing to fill the 50-member roster. The membership limit was raised to 65 in 1944 and has remained at that level ever since.  
+
The Fantasy Amateur Press Association was founded in 1937 by [[Don Wollheim]] and [[John Michel]]. They were inspired to create FAPA by their memberships in some of the non-fan [[amateur press associations]] (“[[ajays]]”), which they learned of from [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. FAPA's original constitutional limit was 50 members to accommodate publishers using [[hektographs]]. There were 21 members listed on the roster of the first mailing in August 1937; it took until the November 1938 mailing to fill the 50-member roster. The membership limit was raised to 65 in 1944 and has remained at that level ever since.
  
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The early years of FAPA were stormy with [[Parties|party politics]] and [[sociological]] [[feuds]] (for details, see [[Jack Speer]]'s pioneering fan history, ''[[Up to Now]]''), and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]]. Thereafter the prophets of [[Third Fandom]] came into control.  
+
The early years of FAPA were stormy with [[Parties|party politics]] and [[sociological]] [[feuds]] (for details, see [[Jack Speer]]'s pioneering fan history, ''[[Up to Now]]''), and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]]. Thereafter the prophets of [[Third Fandom]] came into control.
  
 
===FAPA Campaign===
 
===FAPA Campaign===
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{{fancy1|text=
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Pronounced variously [efeipiei], [faepe], and [fapa]. The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by [[Wollheim]], and [[Michel]]. Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (changed to 65 in 1943). The FAPA's first year was stormy with [[Party|party politics]] and sociological [[feuds]], and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]]. Thereafter the profets of the [[Third Fandom]] came into control, and it prospered to become the longest-lived successful [[fan]] organization.  
+
Pronounced variously [efeipiei], [faepe], and [fapa]. The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by [[Wollheim]], and [[Michel]]. Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (changed to 65 in 1943). The FAPA's first year was stormy with [[Party|party politics]] and sociological [[feuds]], and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]]. Thereafter the profets of the [[Third Fandom]] came into control, and it prospered to become the longest-lived successful [[fan]] organization.
 
   
 
   
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It is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense. This it does by mailings every three months. Members are required to be active in some way, writing or publishing. There are annual elections in June of a president, vice president, secretary-treasure, and [[Official Editor]] (he also does the mailing), who cannot held the same post again for five years. Other officials are the official critics, laureate committee, and ballot counters. Red tape is at a minimum.  
+
It is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense. This it does by mailings every three months. Members are required to be active in some way, writing or publishing. There are annual elections in June of a president, vice president, secretary-treasure, and [[Official Editor]] (he also does the mailing), who cannot held the same post again for five years. Other officials are the official critics, laureate committee, and ballot counters. Red tape is at a minimum.
 
}}
 
}}
  
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'''Order of Dagon''' In 1944 FAPA had become somewhat cumbered with deadwood and official resistance to change frustrated attempts to get the latter out by tightening [[minac|activity requirements]], etc. By December 1944 the [[Battle Creek]]-[[Bloomington, IL|Bloomington]]-[[Los Angeles]] Axis had plans for an ''anschluss'' in [[FAPA]] well in hand. The [[Futurians]] were to be quashed by a nebulous group, the '''Freedom Party''', standing for strengthened activity requirements and some miscellaneous projects which came to nothing. It was to be backed up by a secret self-perpetuating group known as the Order of [[Dagon]]; this started with the three plotters mentioned above ([[Al Ashley|Ashley]], [[Bob Tucker|Tucker]], and [[FTLaney|Laney]]) and included such folk as [[Walt Liebscher|Liebscher]], [[Jack Wiedenbeck | Wiedenbeck]], [[Oliver Saari|Saari]], [[Paul Spencer|Spencer]], [[Milt Rothman|Rothman]], [[Les Croutch|Croutch]], [[Elmer Perdue|Perdue]], and [[4E|Ackerman]]. The Order was to implement the Freedom Party program by bloc voting and by presenting all FP candidates for office, and successfully swung its first election. But the anti-[[Futurian]] aspect of the move was frustrated by the [[Little Interregnum]], when the [[Futurians]] abdicated their leadership and withdrew into [[VAPA]].  
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'''Order of Dagon''' In 1944 FAPA had become somewhat cumbered with deadwood and official resistance to change frustrated attempts to get the latter out by tightening [[minac|activity requirements]], etc. By December 1944 the [[Battle Creek]]-[[Bloomington, IL|Bloomington]]-[[Los Angeles]] Axis had plans for an ''anschluss'' in [[FAPA]] well in hand. The [[Futurians]] were to be quashed by a nebulous group, the '''Freedom Party''', standing for strengthened activity requirements and some miscellaneous projects which came to nothing. It was to be backed up by a secret self-perpetuating group known as the Order of [[Dagon]]; this started with the three plotters mentioned above ([[Al Ashley|Ashley]], [[Bob Tucker|Tucker]], and [[FTLaney|Laney]]) and included such folk as [[Walt Liebscher|Liebscher]], [[Jack Wiedenbeck | Wiedenbeck]], [[Oliver Saari|Saari]], [[Paul Spencer|Spencer]], [[Milt Rothman|Rothman]], [[Les Croutch|Croutch]], [[Elmer Perdue|Perdue]], and [[4E|Ackerman]]. The Order was to implement the Freedom Party program by bloc voting and by presenting all FP candidates for office, and successfully swung its first election. But the anti-[[Futurian]] aspect of the move was frustrated by the [[Little Interregnum]], when the [[Futurians]] abdicated their leadership and withdrew into [[VAPA]].
 
}}
 
}}
  
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1944 also saw a special election about [[racism]], spurred by obnoxious opinions of [[Jack Speer]].  
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1944 also saw a special election about [[racism]], spurred by obnoxious opinions of [[Jack Speer]].
  
 
At the beginning of 1945, withdrawal of the [[Futurians]], some of whom were officers, precipitated a [[Little Interregnum]] and during the next two years a series of [[officer]]s who failed to properly function plagued the group (see [[Blitzkrieg]]).
 
At the beginning of 1945, withdrawal of the [[Futurians]], some of whom were officers, precipitated a [[Little Interregnum]] and during the next two years a series of [[officer]]s who failed to properly function plagued the group (see [[Blitzkrieg]]).
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The '60s also saw more FAPA [[fan politics]]:  As recounted in ''[[Ratatosk]]'' #6 and #7, ten or so members of FAPA blackballed the ''entire'' [[waitlist]], apparently to protest the blackballing provision in the FAPA constitution, thus eliminating the entire waitlist. The Secretary-Treasurer of FAPA duly cleared the waitlist and then immediately invoked a precedent from the 40s when FAPA was short of members, and selected a group of [[fans]] to be on a ''new'' waitlist.  By coincidence, the ''new'' waitlist looked a very great deal like the old one....  In a similar vein, [[Rick Sneary]] proposed an amendment to the FAPA constitution that no member of [[The Cult]] (another [[apa]]) be allowed to be FAPA members. ''Someone'' arranged for all FAPA members who were not members of The Cult to be granted Honorary Membership in it -- and [[Dick Eney]] ran a large [[Fantasy Rotator]], ''[[Avanc]] 8'' through FAPA -- so that if the Sneary amendment passed, ''everyone'' would be thrown out of FAPA.  (It failed 24 to 6.)
 
The '60s also saw more FAPA [[fan politics]]:  As recounted in ''[[Ratatosk]]'' #6 and #7, ten or so members of FAPA blackballed the ''entire'' [[waitlist]], apparently to protest the blackballing provision in the FAPA constitution, thus eliminating the entire waitlist. The Secretary-Treasurer of FAPA duly cleared the waitlist and then immediately invoked a precedent from the 40s when FAPA was short of members, and selected a group of [[fans]] to be on a ''new'' waitlist.  By coincidence, the ''new'' waitlist looked a very great deal like the old one....  In a similar vein, [[Rick Sneary]] proposed an amendment to the FAPA constitution that no member of [[The Cult]] (another [[apa]]) be allowed to be FAPA members. ''Someone'' arranged for all FAPA members who were not members of The Cult to be granted Honorary Membership in it -- and [[Dick Eney]] ran a large [[Fantasy Rotator]], ''[[Avanc]] 8'' through FAPA -- so that if the Sneary amendment passed, ''everyone'' would be thrown out of FAPA.  (It failed 24 to 6.)
  
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By the '70s the waiting list became much smaller, and FAPA was sometimes called since the mid '90s has disappeared altogether. Additionally, the number of members has also shrunk as existing members died or otherwise dropped off the roster. As of May 2017, there were 19 active participants.
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==Decline and Fall==
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By the '70s the waiting list became much smaller, and FAPA was sometimes called since the mid '90s has disappeared altogether. Additionally, the number of members has also shrunk as existing members died or otherwise dropped off the roster. As of May 2016, there were 23 active participants; by May 2017, there were just 19. At the beginning of 2022, the nadir of the organization, there were only 13.
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 +
==Renaissance==
 +
In 2021, Erica Frank, a fan writer and member of the Hugo-nominated Fanzine Galactic Journey, made the intensive effort to determine whether the legendary FAPA still existed and, if so, how to join. It wasn't easy. Eventually, she got a hold of member Roger Wells, who put her in contact with Ken. Erica joined for the first mailing of 2022 (February).
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This sparked an inflow of people, all ultimately tracing back to her. Since then, a new member has joined every quarter, and the rolls now total 19 (one of them, Roger Lichtman, died in 2022, and is being kept on the rolls as a posthumous honor).
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Thus, the FAPA is undergoing a comparatively explosive revival while maintaining the timbre and tradition of the original organization. It is hoped that FAPA can reach its 65-member cap (and explore what to do then!) in time for it's hundredth anniversary
  
  
 
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("FAP-uh")  The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by [[Wollheim]] and [[Michel]].  Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (raised to 65 in 1943).  The first year of FAPA was stormy with [[Parties|party politics]] and [[sociological]] [[feuds]], and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]].  Thereafter the prophets of [[Third Fandom]] came into control.  At the beginning of 1945 withdrawal of the [[Futurians]], some of whom were officers, precipitated a [[Little Interregnum]] and during the next two years a series of officers who refused to function plagued the group (see [[blitzkrieg]]).  In 1947 [[Speer]] reformed the Constitution, and the [[Insurgents]] quashed the last inactive [[OE]], [[Perdue]].  Since then official troubles have not disturbed FAPA, and red tape has been held to a minimum.  The Constitution was again revised in 1958 (also by Speer) to incorporate amendments, bylaws, and practices adopted since 1947.  
+
("FAP-uh")  The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by [[Wollheim]] and [[Michel]].  Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (raised to 65 in 1943).  The first year of FAPA was stormy with [[Parties|party politics]] and [[sociological]] [[feuds]], and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the [[Interregnum]].  Thereafter the prophets of [[Third Fandom]] came into control.  At the beginning of 1945 withdrawal of the [[Futurians]], some of whom were officers, precipitated a [[Little Interregnum]] and during the next two years a series of officers who refused to function plagued the group (see [[blitzkrieg]]).  In 1947 [[Speer]] reformed the Constitution, and the [[Insurgents]] quashed the last inactive [[OE]], [[Perdue]].  Since then official troubles have not disturbed FAPA, and red tape has been held to a minimum.  The Constitution was again revised in 1958 (also by Speer) to incorporate amendments, bylaws, and practices adopted since 1947.
 
   
 
   
−
FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense.  This it does by mailings every three months.  Members are required to be active in some way -- writing or publishing -- and produce at least 8 pages of activity a year.  There are annual elections (August) of a president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and Official Editor; the two former cannot hold the same post again for five years.  Other officials have included [[Official Critics]], a [[Laureate Committee]], and ballot counters.  
+
FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense.  This it does by mailings every three months.  Members are required to be active in some way -- writing or publishing -- and produce at least 8 pages of activity a year.  There are annual elections (August) of a president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and Official Editor; the two former cannot hold the same post again for five years.  Other officials have included [[Official Critics]], a [[Laureate Committee]], and ballot counters.
 
   
 
   
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FAPA was the stronghold of the [[Brain Trust]] during [[Third Fandom]], and has always been the most influential [[general fan organization]]; in fact, such [[APAs]] are the only [[general fan organizations]] that are really active.  
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FAPA was the stronghold of the [[Brain Trust]] during [[Third Fandom]], and has always been the most influential [[general fan organization]]; in fact, such [[APAs]] are the only [[general fan organizations]] that are really active.
 
}}
 
}}
  
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* [[Bernadette Bosky]] -- ''[[Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report]]'', ''[[Wizard Music]]'', ''[[Your Tentacle Touched My Heart]]'', ''[[Teller Story]]'', ''[[W.A.S.T.E. Paper]]'', ''[[Bobbing for Golden Apples]]'', ''[[Lynx]]''
 
* [[Bernadette Bosky]] -- ''[[Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report]]'', ''[[Wizard Music]]'', ''[[Your Tentacle Touched My Heart]]'', ''[[Teller Story]]'', ''[[W.A.S.T.E. Paper]]'', ''[[Bobbing for Golden Apples]]'', ''[[Lynx]]''
 
* [[Phil Bronson]] -- ''[[Wudgy Tales]]''
 
* [[Phil Bronson]] -- ''[[Wudgy Tales]]''
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* [[Velma Bowen]]  
+
* [[Velma Bowen]]
 
* [[Marion Zimmer Bradley]] ''[[Gemini Fapa]]'', ''[[Allerlei]]'', ''[[Catch Trap]]'', ''[[Astra's Tower]]''
 
* [[Marion Zimmer Bradley]] ''[[Gemini Fapa]]'', ''[[Allerlei]]'', ''[[Catch Trap]]'', ''[[Astra's Tower]]''
 
* [[David Bratman]] -- ''[[Girabbit]]'', ''[[Private Enterprise Rabbit]]''
 
* [[David Bratman]] -- ''[[Girabbit]]'', ''[[Private Enterprise Rabbit]]''
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* [[Mel Brown]] -- ''[[Fan Slants]]'', ''[[Venus-Con]]''
 
* [[Mel Brown]] -- ''[[Fan Slants]]'', ''[[Venus-Con]]''
 
* [[Charles Burbee]] -- ''[[Burblings]]'', ''[[Get Them Out on Time]]'', ''[[The Best Loins Are on the Floor]]''
 
* [[Charles Burbee]] -- ''[[Burblings]]'', ''[[Get Them Out on Time]]'', ''[[The Best Loins Are on the Floor]]''
−
* [[Stan Burns]]  
+
* [[Stan Burns]]
 
* [[Jason K. Burnett]] -- ''[[Hexagon]]'', ''[[Placeholder]]'', ''[[All Sinking, No Power]]''
 
* [[Jason K. Burnett]] -- ''[[Hexagon]]'', ''[[Placeholder]]'', ''[[All Sinking, No Power]]''
 
* [[David Burton]] -- ''[[Catchpenny Gazette]]''
 
* [[David Burton]] -- ''[[Catchpenny Gazette]]''
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* [[Miriam Carr]] -- ''[[Klein Bottle]]''
 
* [[Miriam Carr]] -- ''[[Klein Bottle]]''
 
* [[Terry Carr]] -- ''[[Diaspar]]'', ''[[Klein Bottle]]'', ''[[Entropy (Carr)|Entropy]]'', ''[[Atomica]]''
 
* [[Terry Carr]] -- ''[[Diaspar]]'', ''[[Klein Bottle]]'', ''[[Entropy (Carr)|Entropy]]'', ''[[Atomica]]''
−
* [[Lee Carson]]  
+
* [[Lee Carson]]
 
* [[Jim Caughran]] -- ''[[A Propos de Rien]]''
 
* [[Jim Caughran]] -- ''[[A Propos de Rien]]''
 
* [[Jack Chalker]] -- ''[[Interjection]]'', ''[[Viewpoint]]'', ''[[Mirage]]'', ''[[Oh Yeah]]''
 
* [[Jack Chalker]] -- ''[[Interjection]]'', ''[[Viewpoint]]'', ''[[Mirage]]'', ''[[Oh Yeah]]''
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* [[Dale Cozort]] -- ''[[Science Fiction Adventure Magazine]]''
 
* [[Dale Cozort]] -- ''[[Science Fiction Adventure Magazine]]''
 
* [[Ed Cox]] -- ''[[The Best Lines Are on the Floor]]'', ''[[Fafhrd (Cox)]]'', ''[[Maine-iac (Cox)]]'', ''[[A Fanzine In...]]'', ''[[Not This August]]''
 
* [[Ed Cox]] -- ''[[The Best Lines Are on the Floor]]'', ''[[Fafhrd (Cox)]]'', ''[[Maine-iac (Cox)]]'', ''[[A Fanzine In...]]'', ''[[Not This August]]''
−
* [[Burton Crane]]  
+
* [[Burton Crane]]
 
* [[Dick Crain]]
 
* [[Dick Crain]]
 
* [[Leslie Croutch]] -- ''[[Light]]''
 
* [[Leslie Croutch]] -- ''[[Light]]''
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* [[Chan Davis]] -- ''[[Blitherings]]''
 
* [[Chan Davis]] -- ''[[Blitherings]]''
 
* [[Donald B. Day]] -- ''[[Fan-Scent]]''
 
* [[Donald B. Day]] -- ''[[Fan-Scent]]''
−
* [[Claude Degler]]  
+
* [[Claude Degler]]
 
* [[Gerry de la Ree]] -- ''[[Beowulf]]''
 
* [[Gerry de la Ree]] -- ''[[Beowulf]]''
 
* [[Gary Deindorfer]] -- ''[[Balderdash]]''
 
* [[Gary Deindorfer]] -- ''[[Balderdash]]''
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* [[Tom Feller]] -- ''[[The Road Warrior]]''
 
* [[Tom Feller]] -- ''[[The Road Warrior]]''
 
* [[Mike Fern]] -- ''[[Fan Slants]]'', ''[[Eccentric's Orbit]]''
 
* [[Mike Fern]] -- ''[[Fan Slants]]'', ''[[Eccentric's Orbit]]''
−
* [[Ken Forman]]  
+
* [[Ken Forman]]
 
* [[Joe Fortier]] -- ''[[Scientifan]]''
 
* [[Joe Fortier]] -- ''[[Scientifan]]''
 
* [[John Foyster]] -- ''[[Notes on a Son and Brother]]'', ''[[Candiru]]'', ''[[Where are You Going, Where Have You Been]]'', ''[[The Day I had Gout and Other Stories and Other Stories]]''
 
* [[John Foyster]] -- ''[[Notes on a Son and Brother]]'', ''[[Candiru]]'', ''[[Where are You Going, Where Have You Been]]'', ''[[The Day I had Gout and Other Stories and Other Stories]]''
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* [[Dian Girard]] -- ''[[Cacoethes]]''
 
* [[Dian Girard]] -- ''[[Cacoethes]]''
 
* [[Mike Glicksohn]] -- ''[[Xenium]]''
 
* [[Mike Glicksohn]] -- ''[[Xenium]]''
−
* [[Jenny Glover]]  
+
* [[Jenny Glover]]
−
* [[Steve Glover]]  
+
* [[Steve Glover]]
−
* [[Mike Glyer]]  
+
* [[Mike Glyer]]
 
* [[Seth Goldberg]] -- ''[[Hawai'i]]''
 
* [[Seth Goldberg]] -- ''[[Hawai'i]]''
 
* [[M. E. Goldhammer]] -- ''[[The Smurf Bashers' Gazette]]''
 
* [[M. E. Goldhammer]] -- ''[[The Smurf Bashers' Gazette]]''
−
* [[Dan Goodman]]  
+
* [[Dan Goodman]]
−
* [[Ann Green]]  
+
* [[Ann Green]]
 
* [[Steve Green]] -- ''[[Slave Girls of FAPA]]'', ''[[Cyfddydd]]'', ''[[Free Radical]]''
 
* [[Steve Green]] -- ''[[Slave Girls of FAPA]]'', ''[[Cyfddydd]]'', ''[[Free Radical]]''
 
* [[Dean Grennell]] -- ''[[Grue]]'', ''[[Le Gruesome Zombie]]'', ''[[Bleen]]'', ''[[Binx]]''
 
* [[Dean Grennell]] -- ''[[Grue]]'', ''[[Le Gruesome Zombie]]'', ''[[Bleen]]'', ''[[Binx]]''
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* [[Mark Manning]] -- ''[[Jupiter Jump]]''
 
* [[Mark Manning]] -- ''[[Jupiter Jump]]''
 
* [[W. E. Marconette]] -- ''[[Incredible]]''
 
* [[W. E. Marconette]] -- ''[[Incredible]]''
 +
* [[Gideon Marcus]] – FAPA Fanac
 
* [[Tim Marion]] -- ''[[Terminal Eyes]]'', ''[[The Curse of Cthulhu]]'', ''[[Mumble Gutter]]'', ''[[Here Come the Hardy Boys]]''
 
* [[Tim Marion]] -- ''[[Terminal Eyes]]'', ''[[The Curse of Cthulhu]]'', ''[[Mumble Gutter]]'', ''[[Here Come the Hardy Boys]]''
 
* [[Mark Manning]] -- ''[[Ashe]]''
 
* [[Mark Manning]] -- ''[[Ashe]]''
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* [[Bruce Pelz]] -- ''[[Ankus]]'', ''[[The Drinking Readers Entropic Gaming Society of Los Angeles Fandom]]''
 
* [[Bruce Pelz]] -- ''[[Ankus]]'', ''[[The Drinking Readers Entropic Gaming Society of Los Angeles Fandom]]''
 
* [[Elmer Perdue]] -- ''[[Myrtle Rebecca Douglas: An Appreciation]]'', ''[[Elmurmurings]]'', ''[[520 07 0328]]'', ''[[FAPA Blotter]], [[FAPAzine (Perdue)|FAPAzine]]'', ''[[War in Heaven]]''
 
* [[Elmer Perdue]] -- ''[[Myrtle Rebecca Douglas: An Appreciation]]'', ''[[Elmurmurings]]'', ''[[520 07 0328]]'', ''[[FAPA Blotter]], [[FAPAzine (Perdue)|FAPAzine]]'', ''[[War in Heaven]]''
−
* [[Boff Perry]]  
+
* [[Boff Perry]]
 
* [[Tom Perry]] -- ''[[No Award (Perry)]]'', ''[[First Draft (Perry)]]'', ''[[Back Porch]]'', ''[[Questying Party]]''
 
* [[Tom Perry]] -- ''[[No Award (Perry)]]'', ''[[First Draft (Perry)]]'', ''[[Back Porch]]'', ''[[Questying Party]]''
 
* [[Otto Pfeifer]] -- ''[[Nov Shmoz Ka Pop]]''
 
* [[Otto Pfeifer]] -- ''[[Nov Shmoz Ka Pop]]''
−
* [[Curt Phillips]]  
+
* [[Curt Phillips]]
 
* [[Andy Porter]] -- ''[[Twentieth Century Unlimited]]''
 
* [[Andy Porter]] -- ''[[Twentieth Century Unlimited]]''
−
* [[D. Potter]]  
+
* [[D. Potter]]
 
* [[Peter Presford]]
 
* [[Peter Presford]]
−
* [[Bernard Quinn]]  
+
* [[Bernard Quinn]]
 
* [[Art Rapp]] -- ''[[Mindwarp]]''
 
* [[Art Rapp]] -- ''[[Mindwarp]]''
 
* [[Nancy Rapp]] -- ''[[Torrents]]'', ''[[Ignatz]]''
 
* [[Nancy Rapp]] -- ''[[Torrents]]'', ''[[Ignatz]]''
 
* [[Boyd Raeburn]] -- ''[[Le Moindre]]'', ''[[More Stuff for FAPA]]'', ''[[The Yngwie J. Malmsteed Story]]'', ''[[Chimay Chimay Ko Ko Bop]]'', ''[[Dr. Cheese and the Cake Lady]]''
 
* [[Boyd Raeburn]] -- ''[[Le Moindre]]'', ''[[More Stuff for FAPA]]'', ''[[The Yngwie J. Malmsteed Story]]'', ''[[Chimay Chimay Ko Ko Bop]]'', ''[[Dr. Cheese and the Cake Lady]]''
 
* [[Mark Reinsberg]] -- ''[[Midwest Marky]]''
 
* [[Mark Reinsberg]] -- ''[[Midwest Marky]]''
−
* [[Mark W. Richards]]  
+
* [[Mark W. Richards]]
 
* [[Bruce Robbins]] -- ''[[Paradox (Robbins)]]''
 
* [[Bruce Robbins]] -- ''[[Paradox (Robbins)]]''
 
* [[Peter Roberts]]
 
* [[Peter Roberts]]
−
* [[Bob Rodgers]] -- ''[[Advocatus Diaboli]]'', ''[[The Bob]]''  
+
* [[Bob Rodgers]] -- ''[[Advocatus Diaboli]]'', ''[[The Bob]]''
 
* [[Alva Rogers]] -- ''[[Bixel]]''
 
* [[Alva Rogers]] -- ''[[Bixel]]''
 
* [[J. Michael Rosenblum]] -- ''[[Browsing]]''
 
* [[J. Michael Rosenblum]] -- ''[[Browsing]]''
 
* [[Milton Rothman]] -- ''[[Milty's Mag]]'', ''[[Plenum]]'', ''[[War in Heaven]]''
 
* [[Milton Rothman]] -- ''[[Milty's Mag]]'', ''[[Plenum]]'', ''[[War in Heaven]]''
 
* [[Bill Rotsler]] -- ''[[Masque]]'', ''[[Tapebook]]'', ''[[A Fanzine for FAPA]]'', ''[[Disturbing Element]]'', ''[[Homage a' Burbee]]''
 
* [[Bill Rotsler]] -- ''[[Masque]]'', ''[[Tapebook]]'', ''[[A Fanzine for FAPA]]'', ''[[Disturbing Element]]'', ''[[Homage a' Burbee]]''
−
* [[Heath Row]]  
+
* [[Heath Row]]
 
* [[Robert Runte]] -- ''[[Neogensis]]'' ''[[re You Talking to Me?]]''
 
* [[Robert Runte]] -- ''[[Neogensis]]'' ''[[re You Talking to Me?]]''
 
* [[Mary Russell]] -- ''[[Pogorus]]''
 
* [[Mary Russell]] -- ''[[Pogorus]]''
Line 387: Line 410:
 
* [[Taral Wayne]] -- ''[[Red Shift]]'', ''[[The Word for World is Twiltone]]'', ''[[Twiltone (Taral)]]''
 
* [[Taral Wayne]] -- ''[[Red Shift]]'', ''[[The Word for World is Twiltone]]'', ''[[Twiltone (Taral)]]''
 
* [[Charles Wells]] -- ''[[The Quatt Wunkery]]'', ''[[Trill.]]''
 
* [[Charles Wells]] -- ''[[The Quatt Wunkery]]'', ''[[Trill.]]''
−
* [[Helen Wesson]] -- ''[[Helen's Fantasia]]'', ''[[Pendragon]]'', ''[[The (Unspeakable) Thing]]''  
+
* [[Helen Wesson]] -- ''[[Helen's Fantasia]]'', ''[[Pendragon]]'', ''[[The (Unspeakable) Thing]]''
 
* [[Ulf Westblom]] -- ''[[On the Road to Gafia Wonderland]]''
 
* [[Ulf Westblom]] -- ''[[On the Road to Gafia Wonderland]]''
 
* [[Ted White]] -- ''[[Null-F]]'', ''[[Zip]]'', ''[[A Fanzine for Krazy Kat]]''
 
* [[Ted White]] -- ''[[Null-F]]'', ''[[Zip]]'', ''[[A Fanzine for Krazy Kat]]''
Line 400: Line 423:
 
* [[Don Wollheim]] -- ''[[The Phantagraph]]'', ''[[The New Hieroglyph]]'', ''[[The Futurian Review]]'', ''[[FAPA Fan]]'', ''[[Ray]]''
 
* [[Don Wollheim]] -- ''[[The Phantagraph]]'', ''[[The New Hieroglyph]]'', ''[[The Futurian Review]]'', ''[[FAPA Fan]]'', ''[[Ray]]''
 
* [[Stan Woolston]] -- ''[[Moonshine]]''
 
* [[Stan Woolston]] -- ''[[Moonshine]]''
−
* [[Dave Wood]]  
+
* [[Dave Wood]]
 
* [[Rus Wood]] & [[Pogo Wood]] -- ''[[Pogorus]]''
 
* [[Rus Wood]] & [[Pogo Wood]] -- ''[[Pogorus]]''
 
* [[Bill Wright]] -- ''[[Earthquake!]]''
 
* [[Bill Wright]] -- ''[[Earthquake!]]''
Line 416: Line 439:
  
 
{{publication | start=1937}}
 
{{publication | start=1937}}
−
[[Category:notable]]  
+
[[Category:notable]]
 
[[Category:APA]]
 
[[Category:APA]]
 
[[Category:Fancy1]]
 
[[Category:Fancy1]]

Revision as of 14:36, 13 June 2023

FAPAlogo.jpeg

FAPA ("FAP-uh"), the Fantasy Amateur Press Association, the oldest fan apa in the world, distributing member-made [fanzine]]s to each other for nearly a century. It was founded in 1937 and is still going as of 2023. It is, infamously, Where Old Fans Go to Die.

Like other APAs, FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members print publications, produced by its members in a variety of formats, at their own expense. Members are required to produce at least 8 pages of minac a year. Mailings are quarterly.

There are annual elections (August) of a secretary-treasurer and Official Editor; the two former are limited to two consecutive one-year terms. Other officials have included president, vice-president, Official Critics, a Laureate Committee, and ballot counters. The latter two positions were abandoned by the mid '40s, and the former two in 2009, but a teller for the annual officer elections continues to be appointed by the Secretary-Treasurer.

Members are usually called Fapans, but terms such as FAPAte have been tried. Fanzines distributed through FAPA are FAPAzines.

According to FAPA's by-laws, to qualify for membership, must have done one or more of the following within a year of applying: produced and distributed at least one issue of a fanzine; contributed material (written or artistic) to two fanzines not produced in the same metropolitan area; and/or posted contributions in two different electronic forums.

However, in practice, FAPA had no (or virtually no) new members throughout the 2010s and seemed destined for ultimate extinction. As a result, when membership suddenly started rising again in 2022, the primary way new members were added was by sponsorship or "franking" by an existing member.

Thus, for the present, the way one become a member of FAPA is informal:

  • Send a check for $10; and,
  • 20 copies of your zine to

Ken Forman 2234 Marion County 7055 Flippin, AR 72634

If your zine be accepted (no one has been rejected yet), you're a member so long as you maintain your 8-page minac requirement and the annual check to cover mailing costs.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
Fapans Fapate, Fapans, Faps. All names designating members of FAPA. The second is that endorsed by usage (prob'ly by analogy with "fans") but really the first is correct; FAPA is an association, so its members are associates.
From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944
FAPAzine A fanzine published thru the FAPA; sometimes a synonym for individ fanzine. The name was used as the official title of a thing by Perdue.


History[edit]

1930s[edit]

The Fantasy Amateur Press Association was founded in 1937 by Don Wollheim and John Michel. They were inspired to create FAPA by their memberships in some of the non-fan amateur press associations (“ajays”), which they learned of from H. P. Lovecraft. FAPA's original constitutional limit was 50 members to accommodate publishers using hektographs. There were 21 members listed on the roster of the first mailing in August 1937; it took until the November 1938 mailing to fill the 50-member roster. The membership limit was raised to 65 in 1944 and has remained at that level ever since.

The early years of FAPA were stormy with party politics and sociological feuds (for details, see Jack Speer's pioneering fan history, Up to Now), and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the Interregnum. Thereafter the prophets of Third Fandom came into control.

FAPA Campaign[edit]

The 1938 elections for the officers of the newly-created FAPA were seen at the time as a battle for the future of fandom between the Wollheim--Michel axis and the non-political fans.

Basically, Wollheim was at the peak of his influence in fandom -- basically, he dominated it -- and arranged to continue control over FAPA by running a slate of officers and by sending out his slates attacks on the opposition along with the ballots. His slate won because, in those days of much slower communication, most of the FAPA membership had no idea what was going on. Once fans did realize how Wollheim had played them, sentiment turned against his group and it resigned.

While Wollheim and company continued to be very influential, they never again dominated fandom.

Jack Speer, while very much a player in these events, produced the first fanhistory, Up To Now, in 1939 and described the process in detail. For a full and fairly well-balanced account, see the chapters:

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944
Pronounced variously [efeipiei], [faepe], and [fapa]. The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by Wollheim, and Michel. Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (changed to 65 in 1943). The FAPA's first year was stormy with party politics and sociological feuds, and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the Interregnum. Thereafter the profets of the Third Fandom came into control, and it prospered to become the longest-lived successful fan organization.

It is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense. This it does by mailings every three months. Members are required to be active in some way, writing or publishing. There are annual elections in June of a president, vice president, secretary-treasure, and Official Editor (he also does the mailing), who cannot held the same post again for five years. Other officials are the official critics, laureate committee, and ballot counters. Red tape is at a minimum.

1940s[edit]

Order of Dagon[edit]

(Did you mean the Esoteric Order of Dagon?)

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
Order of Dagon In 1944 FAPA had become somewhat cumbered with deadwood and official resistance to change frustrated attempts to get the latter out by tightening activity requirements, etc. By December 1944 the Battle Creek-Bloomington-Los Angeles Axis had plans for an anschluss in FAPA well in hand. The Futurians were to be quashed by a nebulous group, the Freedom Party, standing for strengthened activity requirements and some miscellaneous projects which came to nothing. It was to be backed up by a secret self-perpetuating group known as the Order of Dagon; this started with the three plotters mentioned above (Ashley, Tucker, and Laney) and included such folk as Liebscher, Wiedenbeck, Saari, Spencer, Rothman, Croutch, Perdue, and Ackerman. The Order was to implement the Freedom Party program by bloc voting and by presenting all FP candidates for office, and successfully swung its first election. But the anti-Futurian aspect of the move was frustrated by the Little Interregnum, when the Futurians abdicated their leadership and withdrew into VAPA.

1944 also saw a special election about racism, spurred by obnoxious opinions of Jack Speer.

At the beginning of 1945, withdrawal of the Futurians, some of whom were officers, precipitated a Little Interregnum and during the next two years a series of officers who failed to properly function plagued the group (see Blitzkrieg).

In 1947, Speer reformed the Constitution, and the Insurgents quashed the last inactive OE, Elmer Perdue. Since then official troubles have mostly not disturbed FAPA, and red tape has been held to a minimum. The Constitution was again revised in 1958 (also by Speer) to incorporate amendments, bylaws, and practices adopted since 1947. Another major revision occurred in 2001 under the oversight of Robert Lichtman (Secretary-Treasurer since 1986 and still holding that office), clarifying and conforming constitutional requirements with actual practice.

1950s–70s[edit]

During the '50s and '60s FAPA was so popular and membership so sought after that the waiting list grew to monumental proportions, for a period of time exceeding the number of membership slots on the FAPA roster. A waiting list fee was instituted to cover the cost of sending the Fantasy Amateur to so many fans awaiting membership, and a requirement that wait list periodically acknowledge receipt of the Fantasy Amateur was begun in order to weed out those who lost interest during the long wait. Bill Danner started the FATE Tape (the Fantasy Amateur Tape Exchange) for FAPA members in 1955.

The '60s also saw more FAPA fan politics: As recounted in Ratatosk #6 and #7, ten or so members of FAPA blackballed the entire waitlist, apparently to protest the blackballing provision in the FAPA constitution, thus eliminating the entire waitlist. The Secretary-Treasurer of FAPA duly cleared the waitlist and then immediately invoked a precedent from the 40s when FAPA was short of members, and selected a group of fans to be on a new waitlist. By coincidence, the new waitlist looked a very great deal like the old one.... In a similar vein, Rick Sneary proposed an amendment to the FAPA constitution that no member of The Cult (another apa) be allowed to be FAPA members. Someone arranged for all FAPA members who were not members of The Cult to be granted Honorary Membership in it -- and Dick Eney ran a large Fantasy Rotator, Avanc 8 through FAPA -- so that if the Sneary amendment passed, everyone would be thrown out of FAPA. (It failed 24 to 6.)

Decline and Fall[edit]

By the '70s the waiting list became much smaller, and FAPA was sometimes called since the mid '90s has disappeared altogether. Additionally, the number of members has also shrunk as existing members died or otherwise dropped off the roster. As of May 2016, there were 23 active participants; by May 2017, there were just 19. At the beginning of 2022, the nadir of the organization, there were only 13.

Renaissance[edit]

In 2021, Erica Frank, a fan writer and member of the Hugo-nominated Fanzine Galactic Journey, made the intensive effort to determine whether the legendary FAPA still existed and, if so, how to join. It wasn't easy. Eventually, she got a hold of member Roger Wells, who put her in contact with Ken. Erica joined for the first mailing of 2022 (February).

This sparked an inflow of people, all ultimately tracing back to her. Since then, a new member has joined every quarter, and the rolls now total 19 (one of them, Roger Lichtman, died in 2022, and is being kept on the rolls as a posthumous honor).

Thus, the FAPA is undergoing a comparatively explosive revival while maintaining the timbre and tradition of the original organization. It is hoped that FAPA can reach its 65-member cap (and explore what to do then!) in time for it's hundredth anniversary


From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
("FAP-uh") The Fantasy Amateur Press Association, constituted in 1937 by Wollheim and Michel. Others soon joined, up to its constitutional limit of 50 (raised to 65 in 1943). The first year of FAPA was stormy with party politics and sociological feuds, and its third year, 1939-40, was marked by the Interregnum. Thereafter the prophets of Third Fandom came into control. At the beginning of 1945 withdrawal of the Futurians, some of whom were officers, precipitated a Little Interregnum and during the next two years a series of officers who refused to function plagued the group (see blitzkrieg). In 1947 Speer reformed the Constitution, and the Insurgents quashed the last inactive OE, Perdue. Since then official troubles have not disturbed FAPA, and red tape has been held to a minimum. The Constitution was again revised in 1958 (also by Speer) to incorporate amendments, bylaws, and practices adopted since 1947.

FAPA is primarily an agency for distributing to its members publications put out by its members at their own expense. This it does by mailings every three months. Members are required to be active in some way -- writing or publishing -- and produce at least 8 pages of activity a year. There are annual elections (August) of a president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and Official Editor; the two former cannot hold the same post again for five years. Other officials have included Official Critics, a Laureate Committee, and ballot counters.

FAPA was the stronghold of the Brain Trust during Third Fandom, and has always been the most influential general fan organization; in fact, such APAs are the only general fan organizations that are really active.

Members of FAPA and their FAPAzines included:[edit]

FAPA Issues and Officers[edit]

See FAPA Issues and Officers for a full list.


Publication 1937—
This is a publication page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was published, how many issues it has had, (including adding a partial or complete checklist), its contents (including perhaps a ToC listing), its size and repro method, regular columnists, its impact on fandom, or by adding scans or links to scans. See Standards for Publications.

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