This issue leads off with Part 1 of an article on “Lands at the Center of the Earth” by Albert E. Gechter.  Unfortunately, Part 2, which was to focus more specifically on Burroughs, never appeared.  Gechter was a fan writer who lived in Florida and wrote quite a few articles for Pete Ogden’s Erbania.  He also wrote extensively on Robert E. Howard.

Perhaps more interesting from today’s perspective is a very brief article by Charles A. Neutzel in which he questions whether or not Burroughs used ghost writers for his later works.  A follow-up letter appears a few pages later describing his visit to ERB Inc. in which he grilled someone there (I assume Rothmund) on that subject.  Pretty controversial stuff for a fanzine!  Neutzel later wrote a number of fantasy novels for small publishers, but was generally considered pretty much a hack writer.

The balance of the issue features a short story by Jonathan Hale, a few book reviews and more letters to the editor.  Joe apparently decided to do away with the advertising section beginning with this issue.  There are only two small ads here and very few ads in his last two issues.  He also included a voting blank with this issue to provide feedback on likes and dislikes,  Unfortunately, I never saw it and could not include it in the reprint.  

The new cover for this issue is by Dave Cockrum.

~ Paul Allen