A long time ago, in a world far, far away, there was nothing cool about being a geek. Comics weren't considered an art form. Enjoying horror and science fiction movies was one thing, but to devote your life to them was socially unacceptable.
There was no Geek Pride. No conventions, at least for the majority of us who didn't live near big cities. No local clubs that I knew of.
Simply being a reader was enough to make a kid a pariah.
It made for a lonely childhood. Not just lonely, but dangerous. Dorky, four-eyed readers or those who discussed movies in depth and with intimate knowledge of the filmmakers were usually targeted by bully creeps.
I was tormented by the jocks for carrying books like Have Space Suit-Will Travel. Space Cadet, and The Fellowship of the Ring. It made me appreciate the books even more. I wanted to be as different from the cretins as I could possibly be.
I longed for a friend to ponder Famous Monsters of Filmland with me. One who actually knew about the writers and artists who made the comics. A true brother who was not merely aware of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price, but could discuss Jack Pierce, Robert Bloch, or George Pal.
Things get even worse when you grow up. It's one things for a twelve-year-old to read monster mags and books with space ships on the cover, but for a grown man? What's wrong with him? I heard it to my face and overheard it behind my back.
You know what? I still don't care. I still want to be as different from the mundane world of typical people as possible.
Thankfully Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, and Forrest J Ackerman found each other. Otherwise we may not have received the bountiful gifts they bestowed upon us. I cannot imagine how much poorer we would be.
Ray Bradbury: Probably the most respected fantasy-science fiction-horror author of all time. Ray Harryhausen: The man who brought creatures to life with the magic of Dynamation. Forrest J Ackerman: The greatest fan of all time, whose passion and boundless enthusiasm powered the vistas of imagination from hundreds of writers, filmmakers, artists, and lovers of the unique, the bizarre, the horrifying and the spectacular.
I knew quite a bit about these gentlemen, but I learned a lot more from The First Geeks, by Orty Ortwein. Orty Ortwein? I had to do a double-take. It sounds like a cartoon character.
No, Mr. Ortwein is a librarian from Indiana who has written and lectured extensively about science fiction in general and Ray Bradbury in particular.
The First Geeks is a book about three friends who made a youthful pact. They would surely grow old, but they would never grow up. Three men who are more like Gods to those of us who love classic horror and SF. Three Olympians who, along with other seers and prophets, sailed the seas of imagination and shared their bounty with the world.
This book is a little dense, kind of dry, but intricately detailed in its study of Two Rays and a Forry. More space is devoted to science fiction than monster movies, as the subtitle suggests.
Science fiction fandom began as a group of young boys who used letter columns in the magazines as a kind of forum. Amateur magazines, fanzines as they were called, began to spring up everywhere. Like-minded people who were passionate about the power of science fiction to change the world. They fervently believed SF was the key to a better tomorrow.
I'm always interested in hearing more about the first science fiction convention. It was held in New York City and timed to coincide with the 1939 World's Fair. There were divisive fan factions, feuds, and fighting, but the event was considered to be a success.
WorldCon 1939 also saw the birth of cosplay. Forrest J Ackerman made a costume based on characters from Things to Come, adapted from the H. G. Wells novel. Unlike most later cosplayers, Ackerman was a devout reader of the genre.
Other early conventions are covered, sometimes with a little more detail than necessary. I didn't need to hear about results from the auctions.
More attention is paid to Bradbury than Harryhausen and Ackerman, which is perfectly understandable. Ray is easily the most famous of the three, and arguably the most culturally important of them.
Ray Bradbury is painted as a brash, loutish youth, more tolerated than actually liked in the beginning. His writing talents left much to be desired, but he made up for it in raw, unbridled enthusiasm. Perseverance obviously led to more accomplished writing from Mr. Bradbury.
Ray Harryhausen became a disciple of King Kong effects virtuoso Willis O'Brien, and worked his way up the ladder to become one of the most beloved monster makers of all time.
Forrest J (never with a period) Ackerman provided literary representation for numerous science fiction writers, he created fanzines, and in addition to being the editor and main writer for Famous Monsters of Filmland, was an obsessive collector of "Imagi-movie" memorabilia and genre books and magazines. In his lifetime he had the biggest collection in the world.
Ackerman later lost possession of his home and collection, called the Ackermansion, due to legal entanglements and other financial hardships. He was reportedly bitter that none of his successful "children" helped him out. I wondered the same things when I heard about Forry's woes in the early two-thousands. Spielberg, Lucas, King, and many others ackerknowledged their debt to Forry numerous times over the years. They couldn't pitch in and lend a hand?
True to their word and their solemn pact, Messers. Ackerman, Bradbury, and Harryhausen grew old, but never grew up. They maintained their childhood awe and love of dinosaurs, rocketships, monsters, and magic.
I was fortunate to meet all three at DragonCon '98. I saw Forry in the crowded hotel lobby, alone and looking a bit forlorn. Times had changed and there was a large Goth presence at the con. I don't mean to say Forry was judgmental, but he seemed to be out of his element.
I approached Forry and said I was another one of his "sons". He lit up, shook my hand, and said the coolest thing imaginable: "Have you met Ray Harryhausen?"
Ray came over and the three of us talked for a while. There was no air of superiority in the men. It was three fans, talking. I later met Ray Bradbury, and he was kind, had a big smile and words of gratitude.
All three are gone now, but their works will resound into the future to which they pledged their lives all those decades ago. Where we'd be without them, I do not know.
The First Geeks helped me know and understand them a lot more. Thanks, Orty.
Written by Mark Sieber
There was no Geek Pride. No conventions, at least for the majority of us who didn't live near big cities. No local clubs that I knew of.
Simply being a reader was enough to make a kid a pariah.
It made for a lonely childhood. Not just lonely, but dangerous. Dorky, four-eyed readers or those who discussed movies in depth and with intimate knowledge of the filmmakers were usually targeted by bully creeps.
I was tormented by the jocks for carrying books like Have Space Suit-Will Travel. Space Cadet, and The Fellowship of the Ring. It made me appreciate the books even more. I wanted to be as different from the cretins as I could possibly be.
I longed for a friend to ponder Famous Monsters of Filmland with me. One who actually knew about the writers and artists who made the comics. A true brother who was not merely aware of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price, but could discuss Jack Pierce, Robert Bloch, or George Pal.Things get even worse when you grow up. It's one things for a twelve-year-old to read monster mags and books with space ships on the cover, but for a grown man? What's wrong with him? I heard it to my face and overheard it behind my back.
You know what? I still don't care. I still want to be as different from the mundane world of typical people as possible.
Thankfully Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, and Forrest J Ackerman found each other. Otherwise we may not have received the bountiful gifts they bestowed upon us. I cannot imagine how much poorer we would be.
Ray Bradbury: Probably the most respected fantasy-science fiction-horror author of all time. Ray Harryhausen: The man who brought creatures to life with the magic of Dynamation. Forrest J Ackerman: The greatest fan of all time, whose passion and boundless enthusiasm powered the vistas of imagination from hundreds of writers, filmmakers, artists, and lovers of the unique, the bizarre, the horrifying and the spectacular.
I knew quite a bit about these gentlemen, but I learned a lot more from The First Geeks, by Orty Ortwein. Orty Ortwein? I had to do a double-take. It sounds like a cartoon character.
No, Mr. Ortwein is a librarian from Indiana who has written and lectured extensively about science fiction in general and Ray Bradbury in particular.
The First Geeks is a book about three friends who made a youthful pact. They would surely grow old, but they would never grow up. Three men who are more like Gods to those of us who love classic horror and SF. Three Olympians who, along with other seers and prophets, sailed the seas of imagination and shared their bounty with the world.
This book is a little dense, kind of dry, but intricately detailed in its study of Two Rays and a Forry. More space is devoted to science fiction than monster movies, as the subtitle suggests.
Science fiction fandom began as a group of young boys who used letter columns in the magazines as a kind of forum. Amateur magazines, fanzines as they were called, began to spring up everywhere. Like-minded people who were passionate about the power of science fiction to change the world. They fervently believed SF was the key to a better tomorrow.
I'm always interested in hearing more about the first science fiction convention. It was held in New York City and timed to coincide with the 1939 World's Fair. There were divisive fan factions, feuds, and fighting, but the event was considered to be a success.
WorldCon 1939 also saw the birth of cosplay. Forrest J Ackerman made a costume based on characters from Things to Come, adapted from the H. G. Wells novel. Unlike most later cosplayers, Ackerman was a devout reader of the genre.
Other early conventions are covered, sometimes with a little more detail than necessary. I didn't need to hear about results from the auctions.
More attention is paid to Bradbury than Harryhausen and Ackerman, which is perfectly understandable. Ray is easily the most famous of the three, and arguably the most culturally important of them.
Ray Bradbury is painted as a brash, loutish youth, more tolerated than actually liked in the beginning. His writing talents left much to be desired, but he made up for it in raw, unbridled enthusiasm. Perseverance obviously led to more accomplished writing from Mr. Bradbury.
Ray Harryhausen became a disciple of King Kong effects virtuoso Willis O'Brien, and worked his way up the ladder to become one of the most beloved monster makers of all time.
Forrest J (never with a period) Ackerman provided literary representation for numerous science fiction writers, he created fanzines, and in addition to being the editor and main writer for Famous Monsters of Filmland, was an obsessive collector of "Imagi-movie" memorabilia and genre books and magazines. In his lifetime he had the biggest collection in the world.
Ackerman later lost possession of his home and collection, called the Ackermansion, due to legal entanglements and other financial hardships. He was reportedly bitter that none of his successful "children" helped him out. I wondered the same things when I heard about Forry's woes in the early two-thousands. Spielberg, Lucas, King, and many others ackerknowledged their debt to Forry numerous times over the years. They couldn't pitch in and lend a hand?
True to their word and their solemn pact, Messers. Ackerman, Bradbury, and Harryhausen grew old, but never grew up. They maintained their childhood awe and love of dinosaurs, rocketships, monsters, and magic.
I was fortunate to meet all three at DragonCon '98. I saw Forry in the crowded hotel lobby, alone and looking a bit forlorn. Times had changed and there was a large Goth presence at the con. I don't mean to say Forry was judgmental, but he seemed to be out of his element.
I approached Forry and said I was another one of his "sons". He lit up, shook my hand, and said the coolest thing imaginable: "Have you met Ray Harryhausen?"
Ray came over and the three of us talked for a while. There was no air of superiority in the men. It was three fans, talking. I later met Ray Bradbury, and he was kind, had a big smile and words of gratitude.
All three are gone now, but their works will resound into the future to which they pledged their lives all those decades ago. Where we'd be without them, I do not know.
The First Geeks helped me know and understand them a lot more. Thanks, Orty.
Written by Mark Sieber
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