Difference between revisions of "Futurian War Digest"

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The '''Futurian War Digest''' ('''FWD''') was a [[fanzine]] published by [[J. Michael Rosenblum]] during [[World War II]] from October, 1940 to March, 1945. It was affectionately called '''FIDO'''. It gained an extraordinary amount of notice by being regularly published for 39 issues under the most trying of times and with major paper and supply shortages. Often other [[fanzines]] were bound and mailed with ''FIDO''. These were mostly single sheet zines that other [[fen]] published with whatever resources they could muster. Some were done on one side only - the other side possibly on printed second sheets sent by US [[fans]] or forms and flyers that were acquired by whatever means.
+
The '''''Futurian War Digest''''' ('''FWD''', affectionately called '''FIDO''') was a [[fanzine]] published by [[J. Michael Rosenblum]] during [[World War II]] from October, 1940 to March, 1945. It gained an extraordinary amount of notice by being regularly published for 39 issues under the most trying of times and with major paper and supply shortages. Many other [[fanzines]] were bound and mailed with ''FIDO'' giving it some of the properties of an [[APA]]. They were mostly single sheet zines that other fans  published with whatever resources they could muster. Some were done on one side only – the other side possibly on printed second sheets sent by US [[fans]] or forms and flyers that were acquired by whatever means.
  
−
{{link | website=http://eFanzines.com/AOY/AOY-40.htm|text=A review of Futurian War Digest by Harry Warner}}
+
Its genesis is a little convoluted. Rosenblum in [[Leeds]] had published ''[[The Futurian]]'' from 1938 to 1940, and followed it with four two-page issues of ''[[The "Pseudo-Futurian!"]]''. Meanwhile various fans in [[Liverpool]] has published ''[[Science-Fantasy Review]]'' in 1939–40 and that was succeeded by ''[[Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest]]'' although its final issue was produced by Rosenblum when [[Ron Holmes]] joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in September 1940. Finding himself in possession of two titles, Rosenblum launched ''Futurian War Digest'' in October 1940, with the full title being '''''Futurian War Digest incorporating "Pseudo- Futurian" and "Science Fantasy Review's War Digest"'''''. This full title was retained for the first five issues; thereafter it was simply ''Futurian War Digest''.
 +
 
 +
Its first issue carried a statement of purpose:  
 +
 
 +
We have a twofold duty; (a) to give news of and to fandom, (b) to keep burning those bright mental constellations possessed by all fans. Both of these will be done to the best of our ability.
 +
 
 +
Initial rates were given as 2d (two pence) per copy or 1/9 (one shilling and nine pence) a year. This rose to 3d per copy or 2/9 a year with #4 and the annual rate rose again to 3/- with #9 (June 1941).
 +
 
 +
In #19 (April 1942), Rosenblum provided figures on its circulation:
 +
 
 +
Dealing with the last issue, March 1942, our records show that 75 copies were sent to British fans, 45 to overseas ditto; i.e. [[Australia]], [[Canada]] and [[USA]]; and another ten were sent out as samples to a number of possibly interested people we have the audacity to hope to draw into [[fandom]]. Then there was a special Aussie edition on thin paper of 20 copies.
 +
 
 +
In #34 (April 1944) Rosenblum suggested the circulation was about 190.
 +
 
 +
[[Rob Hansen]] writing in ''[[Then]]'' said of its 39-issue run:
 +
 
 +
This would be an impressive publishing record for a fanzine in any era but in the conditions existing during the war it was nothing short of phenomenal and its example inspired other British fans to continue with some semblance of fanzine production. Looking back on that period from our vantage point in the present its almost impossible to appreciate the magnitude of Rosenblum's achievement under conditions of immense personal and national hardship.
  
 
Included [[fanzines]]:
 
Included [[fanzines]]:
−
* ''[[Bibliofan]]''
+
* ''[[Bibliophan]]'' – [[R. G. Medhurst]]
−
* ''[[British Fantasy Society Bulletin]]''
+
* ''[[British Fantasy Society Bulletin]]'' – [[D. R. Smith]] for the [[British Fantasy Society]]
−
* ''[[Cosmos]]'' -- [[J. Edward Rennison]]
+
* ''[[Cosmic Cuts]]'' – [[Gordon Holbrow]]
−
* ''[[Dawn Shadows]]'' -- [[James Parkhill Rathbone]]
+
* ''[[Cosmos (Rennison)]]'' – [[J. Edward Rennison]]
−
* ''[[Delirium Tremens]]'' -- [[Dennis Tucker]]
+
* ''[[Dawn Shadows]]'' – [[James Parkhill Rathbone]]
−
* ''[[Fan Dance]]'' -- [[Sam Youd]]
+
* ''[[Delirium Tremens]]'' – [[Dennis Tucker]]
−
* ''[[Galaxy]]'' -- [[Terry Overton]]
+
* ''[[Fan Dance]]'' – [[Sam Youd]]
−
* ''[[Gentlest Art]]'' -- [[Douglas Webster]]
+
* ''[[Galaxy]]'' – [[Terry Overton]]
−
* ''[[He Said]]''
+
* ''[[Gentlest Art]]'' – [[Douglas Webster]]
−
* ''[[Interplanetary News]]'' -- [[Dennis Tucker]]
+
* ''[[He Said]]'' – [[Ron Holmes]]
−
* ''[[Lamppost]]''
+
* ''[[Hellzapoppin]]'' – [[Douglas Webster]] (a letter supplement for ''The Gentlest Art'')
−
* ''[[Mighty Atom]]'' -- [[R. Rowland Johnson]]
+
* ''[[Interplanetary News]]'' – [[Dennis Tucker]]
−
* ''[[Moonshine]]'' -- [[John F. Burke]]
+
* ''[[Lamppost]]'' – [[E. Frank Parker]]
−
* ''[[Review Section]]'' -- [[Ron Holmes]]
+
* ''[[Mighty Atom]]'' – [[R. Rowland Johnson]]
−
* ''[[Sands of Time]]'' -- [[Ted Carnell]]
+
* ''[[Moonshine]]'' – [[John F. Burke]]
−
* ''[[Tin Tacks]]'' -- [[Donald J. Doughty]]
+
* ''[[Review Section]]'' – [[Ron Holmes]]
−
* ''[[Trivia]]'' -- [[J. E. Rennison]]
+
* ''[[Sands of Time]]'' – [[Ted Carnell]]
−
* ''[[Zenith]]'' -- [[Harry Turner]] and [[Marion Eadie]]
+
* ''[[Star Parade|Star Parade Supplement]]'' – [[Ken Bulmer]]
 +
* ''[[The Fly in the Ointment]]'' – [[R. G. Medhurst]]
 +
* ''[[Tin Tacks]]'' – [[Donald J. Doughty]]
 +
* ''[[Trivia]]'' – [[J. Edward Rennison]]
 +
* ''[[Yoshiwara Supplement]]'' –  [[S. A. Beach]] and [[Robert J. Silburn]]
 +
* ''[[Zenith]]'' – [[Harry Turner]] and [[Marion Eadie]]
  
 
<tab head=top>
 
<tab head=top>
 
  Issue || Date || Pages || Notes  
 
  Issue || Date || Pages || Notes  
−
1 ||October 1940 ||4 ||  
+
#1 V1.1 || October 1940 || 4 ||  
−
2 ||November 1940 ||6 ||  
+
#2 V1.2 || November 1940 || 6 ||  
−
3 ||December 1940 ||4 ||  
+
#3 V1.3 || December 1940 || 4 ||  
−
4 ||January 1941 ||7 ||  
+
#4 V1.4 || January 1941 || 7 ||  
−
5 ||February 1941 ||5 ||  
+
#5 V1.5 || February 1941 || 5 ||  
−
6 ||March 1941 ||5 ||  
+
#6 V1.6 || March 1941 || 5 ||  
−
7 ||April 1941 ||6 ||  
+
#7 V1.7 || April 1941 || 6 ||  
−
8 ||May 1941 ||6 ||  
+
#8 V1.8 || May 1941 || 6 ||  
−
9 ||June 1941 ||9 ||  
+
#9 V1.9 || June 1941 || 9 ||  
−
10 ||July 1941 ||8 ||  
+
#10 V1.10 || July 1941 || 8 ||  
−
11 ||August 1941 ||10 ||  
+
#11 V1.11 || August 1941 || 10 ||  
−
12 ||September 1941 ||7 ||  
+
#12 V1.12 || September 1941 || 7 ||  
−
13 ||October 1941 ||8 ||V2.1 (Volume numbering begins here, but is sometimes mis-numbered)  
+
#13 V2.1 || October 1941 || 8 || V2.1 (Volume numbering begins here, but is sometimes mis-numbered)  
−
14 ||November 1941 ||6 ||  
+
#14 V2.2 || November 1941 || 6 ||  
−
15 ||December 1941 ||6 ||  
+
#15 V2.3 || December 1941 || 6 ||  
−
16 ||January 1942 ||8 ||  
+
#16 V2.4 || January 1942 || 8 ||  
−
17 ||February 1942 ||8 ||  
+
#17 V2.5 || February 1942 || 8 ||  
−
18 ||March 1942 ||8 ||  
+
#18 V2.6 || March 1942 || 8 ||  
−
19 ||April 1942 ||8 ||  
+
#19 V2.7 || April 1942 || 8 ||  
−
20 ||May 1942 ||6 ||  
+
#20 V2.8 || May 1942 || 6 ||  
−
21 ||July 1942 ||10 ||  
+
#21 V2.9 || July 1942 || 10 ||  
−
22 ||August 1942 ||7 ||  
+
#22 V2.10|| August 1942 || 7 ||  
−
23 ||October 1942 ||8 ||  
+
#23 V3.1 || October 1942 || 8 ||  
−
24 ||November 1942 ||6 ||  
+
#24 V3.2 || November 1942 || 6 ||  
−
25 ||January 1943 ||6 ||  
+
#25 V3.3 || January 1943 || 6 ||  
−
26 ||February 1943 ||9 ||  
+
#26 V3.4 || February 1943 || 9 ||  
−
27 ||April 1943 ||8 ||  
+
#27 V3.5 || April 1943 || 8 ||  
−
28 ||May 1943 ||6 ||  
+
#28 V3.6|| May 1943 || 6 ||  
−
29 ||July 1943 ||10 ||  
+
#29 V3.7|| July 1943 || 10 ||  
−
30 ||August 1943 ||10 ||  
+
#30 V3.8|| August 1943 || 10 ||  
−
31 ||October 1943 ||11 ||  
+
#31 V4.1|| October 1943 || 11 ||  
−
32 ||December 1943 ||12 ||  
+
#32 V4.2 || December 1943 || 12 ||  
−
33 ||February 1944 ||12 ||  
+
#33 V4.3|| February 1944 || 12 ||  
−
34 ||April 1944 ||10 ||  
+
#34 V4.4|| April 1944 || 10 ||  
−
35 ||June 1944 ||12 ||  
+
#35 V4.5 || June 1944 || 12 ||  
−
36 ||August 1944 ||14 ||  
+
#36 V4.6 || August 1944 || 14 ||  
−
37 ||October 1944 ||18 ||  
+
#37 V5.1 || October 1944 || 18 ||  
−
38 ||December 1944 ||20 ||  
+
#38 V5.1 || December 1944 || 20 ||  
−
39 ||March 1945 ||18 ||Final issue  
+
#39 V5.2 || March 1945 || 18 || Final issue  
 
</tab>
 
</tab>
  
−
{{publication | | website=http://eFanzines.com/FWD/FWD.htm | start=1940 | end=1945 | files={{fancy}}}}
+
From #32 the volume/issue numbers as published become erratic.
 +
 
 +
* {{fanzineindex|name={{PAGENAME}}|dir=}}.
 +
* [https://www.fiawol.org.uk/FanStuff/THEN%20Archive/FWD/FWD.htm Online at Rob Hansen's website.]
 +
* {{link | website=https://eFanzines.com/AOY/AOY-40.htm|text=A review of Futurian War Digest by Harry Warner.}}
 +
 
 +
{{publication | start=1940 | end=1945 }}
 
[[Category:fanzine]]
 
[[Category:fanzine]]
 
[[Category:UK]]
 
[[Category:UK]]

Latest revision as of 07:34, 16 October 2024

The Futurian War Digest (FWD, affectionately called FIDO) was a fanzine published by J. Michael Rosenblum during World War II from October, 1940 to March, 1945. It gained an extraordinary amount of notice by being regularly published for 39 issues under the most trying of times and with major paper and supply shortages. Many other fanzines were bound and mailed with FIDO giving it some of the properties of an APA. They were mostly single sheet zines that other fans published with whatever resources they could muster. Some were done on one side only – the other side possibly on printed second sheets sent by US fans or forms and flyers that were acquired by whatever means.

Its genesis is a little convoluted. Rosenblum in Leeds had published The Futurian from 1938 to 1940, and followed it with four two-page issues of The "Pseudo-Futurian!". Meanwhile various fans in Liverpool has published Science-Fantasy Review in 1939–40 and that was succeeded by Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest although its final issue was produced by Rosenblum when Ron Holmes joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in September 1940. Finding himself in possession of two titles, Rosenblum launched Futurian War Digest in October 1940, with the full title being Futurian War Digest incorporating "Pseudo- Futurian" and "Science Fantasy Review's War Digest". This full title was retained for the first five issues; thereafter it was simply Futurian War Digest.

Its first issue carried a statement of purpose: 

We have a twofold duty; (a) to give news of and to fandom, (b) to keep burning those bright mental constellations possessed by all fans. Both of these will be done to the best of our ability.

Initial rates were given as 2d (two pence) per copy or 1/9 (one shilling and nine pence) a year. This rose to 3d per copy or 2/9 a year with #4 and the annual rate rose again to 3/- with #9 (June 1941).

In #19 (April 1942), Rosenblum provided figures on its circulation: 

Dealing with the last issue, March 1942, our records show that 75 copies were sent to British fans, 45 to overseas ditto; i.e. Australia, Canada and USA; and another ten were sent out as samples to a number of possibly interested people we have the audacity to hope to draw into fandom. Then there was a special Aussie edition on thin paper of 20 copies.

In #34 (April 1944) Rosenblum suggested the circulation was about 190.

Rob Hansen writing in Then said of its 39-issue run: 

This would be an impressive publishing record for a fanzine in any era but in the conditions existing during the war it was nothing short of phenomenal and its example inspired other British fans to continue with some semblance of fanzine production. Looking back on that period from our vantage point in the present its almost impossible to appreciate the magnitude of Rosenblum's achievement under conditions of immense personal and national hardship.

Included fanzines:

Issue Date Pages Notes
#1 V1.1 October 1940 4
#2 V1.2 November 1940 6
#3 V1.3 December 1940 4
#4 V1.4 January 1941 7
#5 V1.5 February 1941 5
#6 V1.6 March 1941 5
#7 V1.7 April 1941 6
#8 V1.8 May 1941 6
#9 V1.9 June 1941 9
#10 V1.10 July 1941 8
#11 V1.11 August 1941 10
#12 V1.12 September 1941 7
#13 V2.1 October 1941 8 V2.1 (Volume numbering begins here, but is sometimes mis-numbered)
#14 V2.2 November 1941 6
#15 V2.3 December 1941 6
#16 V2.4 January 1942 8
#17 V2.5 February 1942 8
#18 V2.6 March 1942 8
#19 V2.7 April 1942 8
#20 V2.8 May 1942 6
#21 V2.9 July 1942 10
#22 V2.10 August 1942 7
#23 V3.1 October 1942 8
#24 V3.2 November 1942 6
#25 V3.3 January 1943 6
#26 V3.4 February 1943 9
#27 V3.5 April 1943 8
#28 V3.6 May 1943 6
#29 V3.7 July 1943 10
#30 V3.8 August 1943 10
#31 V4.1 October 1943 11
#32 V4.2 December 1943 12
#33 V4.3 February 1944 12
#34 V4.4 April 1944 10
#35 V4.5 June 1944 12
#36 V4.6 August 1944 14
#37 V5.1 October 1944 18
#38 V5.1 December 1944 20
#39 V5.2 March 1945 18 Final issue

From #32 the volume/issue numbers as published become erratic.

Publication 1940—1945
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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