HoW returns after a hiatus with an issue that features two articles by Allen Frost in an attempt to slake the thirst for his writing that apparently exists out there. We’ve received a number of emails in the past months with praise for Allen’s explorations of unusual topics seldom explored at all, let alone all in the same article. We’re grateful to have Allen as a regular contributor, and he’s been especially generous with us this time. First up is an investigation that starts with bird massacres, moves to the Ub Iwerks of the Charlie Chaplin mystique, Billie Ritchie, and then necessarily to flying men and ping pong balls. Issue 8 wraps up with Allen’s second article, from which we quote: “Gow Island. In the past, virtually unknown to the rest of the world. Today, a famous landmark in man’s struggle with the unknown. Another step forward in the march of science.” And Vincent Van Gogh.
In between this Frost sandwich, we have two other articles. First, John Ferguson and L.B. Jefferies (Scottie and Jeff to their friends) have a chat in a darkened movie theatre while waiting for a film to start. They start by discussing Jennifer Anniston and philosophy, which makes them think about Godard, Jane Fonda, and Vietnam. All of which begs the question, how much would a baseball autographed by Derrida fetch? Secondly, Dave Zauhar writes the first in a series of articles that only appear to be ripping off Nick Hornby, but really aren’t. Dave gives us a tour of his recent reading, which includes regular trips to the Dead Monk Bench.
Among the emails praising Allen Frost that we alluded to before was one from the editor of the excellent British science fiction fanzine Zoo Nation, edited and produced by Pete Young. Mr. Young will be reprinting Allen’s article from HoW #6, “The W. Lee Wilder From Outer Space” in an upcoming issue of Zoo Nation. Congratulations to Allen.
Another email was from a kindred spirit who publishes the fascinating website Delirious Film (http://www.deliriousfilm.com/). Delirious Film has its own article on W. Lee Wilder, if you’d like to explore Billy’s big brother a bit more. The entire site is filled with interesting and provocative articles, and we encourage you to check it out.
We’ll close this issue’s introduction with a quote from a book that Dave Zauhar recently read that didn’t make it into his article this time: Japanese Death Poems. Among the wonderful poems he sent along for us to read, there is this one from a poet about whom Dave says “apparently, in the 19th century, there was a Japanese Bukowski named Moriya Sen'an”:
Bury me when I die
beneath a wine barrel
in a tavern.
With luck
the cask will leak.
