Edgar Rice Burroughs

(September 1, 1875 - March 19, 1950)

Edgar Rice Burroughs, often referred to as ERB, was a pulp-era author of science fiction and adventure tales. He was hugely popular in fandom, engendering many clubs and fanzines.

ERBdom (ERB fandom) includes the club Burroughs Bibliophiles and other followers of Tarzan and John Carter. ERBiana means books and collectibles related to him that they collect.

Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

ERB-related fanzines include:

• Amra
• The Barsoomian
• Barsoomian Bazaar
• Barsoomian Times
• Burroughsania
• Burroughs Bulletin
• Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association
• ERBania
• ERB-dom
• The Gridley Wave
• The Jasoomian
• The Reader's Guide to Barsoom and Amtor
• Vadjong

Barsoom

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

John Carter – Hero of E. R. Burroughs' Barsoom series, this fearless and invincible swordsman (his Earthly strength was three times a Martian's), arriving on Mars in his astral body, rapidly rose thru the ranks to marry the heiress-apparent to the Heliumetic Empire, become Warlord of the civilized races of Mars, and generally be a success in the largest way known to pre-Skylark fantasy. The stories were just as corny as the Tarzan tales, but immensely popular. (This popularity, in fact, may explain the curious penchant of pre-Tremaine stf for having interplanetary-pilot heroes transport planet-conquering armies across millions of miles of ether in their atomic-powered ships and then fight things out with longswords, tho that anachronism's more likely in order to explain the hero's victories by preternatural skill rather'n incredible luck.) Several fan-words trace back to the John Carter series: Barsoom itself (the Martian for "Mars"); Helium, the mighty empire whose red-and-yellow towers are triple-starred in Baedecker's appendix; Tharks, green six-limbed BEMs whose barbarian hordes are sure to show up whenever action begins to drag a trifle. Of interest to the historian is the appearance, in these 1910-vintage tales, of atomic guns and radar fire control.

Tarzan

Tarzan of the Apes is a popular multi-media, fictional character. Created by Burroughs in the novel Tarzan of the Apes (magazine publication 1912, book publication 1914), he subsequently appeared in 25 sequels.

Raised in the African jungles by great apes, Tarzan later learns of his true parents and visits civilization as Lord Greystoke. He returns to his estate in Africa, however, where he is known as Lord of the Jungle, and has many adventures with his wife, Jane, and son, Jack, known in Africa as Korak.

In addition to the books by Burroughs, there have been authorized books by other authors, and innumerable works in other media, both authorized and unauthorized.

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Person

1875—1950

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