The Beyond

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(Did you mean a different Beyond?)

The Beyond (from #3 just Beyond) was a UK fanzine produced by E. Frank Parker and John Aiken between 1942 and 1946. Each issue was produced in a short run[1] as a carbonzine to be passed from hand to hand, initially with one copy circulated in the UK and two sent to the US.

Its genesis came in 1940 when Parker created the Paint Research Station Science Fiction Library (PRSSFL) as a magazine chain. Many of the staff at the Station, located in Teddington, west London, served in the National Fire Service and he thought this would keep them 'from thinking too much about beer during the long and often dull duty-hours[2]'. This resulted in the creation of a thriving group that in March 1943 evolved into the Cosmos Club.

As the original prozines in the library became tatty some of the members of the group tried their hand at writing. They first issued a monthly news-sheet called Memo Sheet which ultimately grew into Cosmic Cuts, with the more substantial The Beyond appearing roughly quarterly from 1942. It featured fiction, some at novelette length, poetry, articles, and a correspondence section 'famed for the quality of its mud and the force and aim with which this was slung'[3]. Stories were initially published anonymously with author names only being revealed in a subsequent issue. Full credit was given from #5. Several of the contributors to The Beyond went on to publish professionally including its editors John Aiken and E. Frank Parker as well as Syd Bounds, Bruce Gaffron, Peter Hawkins and most notably Joan Aiken.

J. Michael Rosenblum described the second issue in Futurian War Digest #26, February 1943: 

The 'Paint Research Station Science Fiction Library' have an extremely interesting activity in the production of their 'organ' The Beyond. This is no mere fanzine as the name might imply, but to our knowledge, an absolutely unique effort. Fantasy fiction written by the members themselves is incorporated, together with original illustrations, into a one-copy publication of a very high standard indeed. As there are no problems of duplicating, stencilling and paper-supply, the size can be prodigious and thus allow for full development of authors ideas. The second (and current) issue contains no less than 104 closely typed 4to pages, almost all devoted to seven stories; for the nonce anonymously written; two of which are quite up to pro-mag standard. As you might expect, full opportunity for criticism and comment is given in a real readers section – the 'Back of Beyond', wherein readers actually write their letters to the editor – this section and an editorial comprising the department. The illustrations are interesting, not as high a standard as the stories, on the whole, yet withal commendable indeed, and the format of the whole production is practically excellent.

In #3 an editorial explained the distribution: 

Our American benefactors John M. Cunningham and Forrest J. Ackerman have  already received copies of No.1: and here, our belated contact with the British Fantasy Society means that the [PRSSFL] members' copy, when it has finished its local round, will journey farther afield, to all BFS members who want to see it. We are glad about this, for it means that, in our small way, we will help to alleviate the shortage of professional magazines; we only wish that we could provide more than one copy of each issue. A pleasant corollary is that in future Readers Reactions will include letters from our friends in the BFS: and perhaps we may even have stories from some of them.

An editorial in #4 said that 'More copies than usual are being produced. They will go, as we think you will agree they should, to our American cousins.' Assuming this still involved carbon reproduction it seems unlikely that the copy-count could have exceeded half-a-dozen. Gus Willmorth writing in Fan Slants #2 (February 1944) described seeing a 'pre-publication stage' copy when he met Aiken and he said there were at that point six copies per issue[4]. The carbon copies also lacked at least some of the illustrations. An editorial in #8 said: 

Most of our readers will already know of the magnificent offer made by Mel Brown and Forrie Ackerman and their colleagues of the LASFS – and, needless to say, accepted by ourselves. Briefly, it is this: that a duplicated reprint edition of Beyond should be produced and sold in the USA, the gross proceeds to be devoted to the interests of the Cosmos Club. Selection of stories – necessarily and wisely, the American edition is to be restricted to the best of the available materiel – will be made by Samuel D. Russell, illustrations by Alva Rogers. Before such a display of generosity - and hard work - we can but bow our heads.

However, there is no evidence that this ever came to anything.

Parker had to retire into pseudonymity 'as a result of attacks of a particularly unaesthetic character by certain authorities at the Paint Research Station'[5]. The final issue, #10, appeared in summer 1946. #11 was planned but never completed. Copies of the fanzine were exhibited at Whitcon in 1948.

In 1943 the British Fantasy Society were inspired to create their own publication on similar lines, generally referred to as the BFS Beyond.

Details of specific issues below thanks to the First Fandom Experience Archive (firstfandomexperience.org).

Issue Date Pages Notes
1 v1#1 Contents[6]: 'But Who Came Back?' by E. F. Parker and J. K. Aiken; 'The Sleeper of Mars' by V. S. Walton; 'The Stone' by J. K. Aiken; 'Time to Travel' by E. F. Parker; 'October Sunset' by Miss J. D. Aiken; all artwork by V. S. Walton.
2 v1#2 Autumn 1942 100 Contents: 'Stolen Space-ship' by E. F. Parker with illustration by V.S. Walton[7]; 'Dragon's Teeth' by J. K. Aiken with illustrations V. S. Walton; 'Where Angels Fear' by Miss J. D. Aiken with illustration by Miss J. Murrey; 'Wered' by and with and illustrations by M. F. Lord; 'Warp' by and with illustrations by V. S. Walton; cover and make-up designs by V. S. Walton.
3 v1#3 Winter 1942 70 Contents: 'Transition' by E. F. Parker with illustration by V. S. Walton; 'Tripe Without' by T. R. Burton[8] with illustration D. E. Melrose; 'Interference' by E. F. Parker; 'In the Midst of Death' by and with illustration by A. J. Ridgway; 'Fantastic Sleep' by and with illustration by Miss J. Murrey; 'Suicide Impact' by Miss J. D. Aiken with illustration by V. S. Walton; 'Someone Else's Garden' by J. K. Aiken with illustration by V. S. Walton; 'Even the Wrath of Man' by and with illustration by V. S. Walton; cover and make-up by V. S. Walton.
4 v1#4 Spring 1943 124 Contents: 'Cassandra' by J. K. Aiken with illustrations by M. F. Lord; 'Hot Seat' by G. L. Holbrow with illustrations by M. F. Lord; 'Disorder of the Day' by E. F. Parker with illustrations by Miss J. Murrey; 'Lease and Lend' by and with illustration by A. J. Ridgway; 'Exalted Creation' by H. S. Burton with illustrations by D. E. Melrose; 'Isle of the Dead' by P. B. Pereira with illustrations by M. F. Lord; cover by M. F. Lord.
5 v2#1 Summer 1943 82 Contents: Editorial; 'Very Rum Indeed by G. L. Holbrow; 'First Man's Fortune by E. F. Parker; 'Bare Wire by E. Mendum; 'Fly Away Peter - Fly Away Paul J. K. Aiken; Poem: 'Private Worlds’; Article: 'ESP, etc.’ by J. K. Aiken; Article: 'Counterblast’ by T. R. Bullett; 'No Time To Lose’ by Inigo King; Book Review; Poem: 'Hiawatha Writes A Story’ by 'Iagoo'’ 'Lightning Exit’ by A. J. Ridgway; 'Scoop’ by H. S. Burton; Biography: M. F. Lord; The Back of Beyond; artwork by Jean Murrey, Bruce Gaffron, Don Houston, D. E. Melrose, and A. J. Ridgway; photography by G. L. Holbrow.
6 v2#2 September 1943 76 Contents: Editorial; 'Tetrahedron On Venus' by Inigo King; 'The Visitors' by Ian Fennimore[9]; 'Escape' by J. K. Aiken; Two Poems by Jean Murrey; 'The Parrot Pirate Princess' by Joan D. Aiken; 'Rheostat' by R. G. Stewart; Poem: 'Winter Night'; Article: 'On Fantasy Music' by J. K. Aiken; 'The World From Nowhere' by Peter Hawkins; 'The Under World' by A. J. Ridgway; The Back of Beyond; artwork by Jean Murrey, Bruce Gaffron, A. J. Ridgway[10]; photography by G. L. Holbrow.
7 v2#3 December 1943 96 Editorial; Novelette: 'Phoenix' West' by J. K. Aiken with title design by Jean Murrey; 'Spirits in the Cellar' by Gus Willmorth; 'Terror - Secondhand' by M. F. Lord; 'Les Wilis' by Pamela Peck; 'The Flask' by Inigo King; 'Moon Flight' by Dennis Tucker; Illustrations by Jean Murrey, Pamela Peck, Bruce Gaffron, and M. F. Lord; Poem: 'Desert Vision' by Julian Laurence; cartoons by Bruce Gaffron and Peter Hawkins; The Back of Beyond
8 v2#4 March 1944 74 Contents: Editorial; Novelette: 'The Jester' by Peter Hawkins; 'The Moustache That Vanished' by D. R. Smith; 'The Little Creature' by Joan D. Aiken; 'Sent on Approval' by Henry Hughes[11]; 'Death?' by T. R. Bullett; 'Brake at Dawn' by Syd Bounds; Illustrations by Joan D. Aiken, Bruce Gaffron, Henry Hughes, and Arthur Williams; Drawings: 'Fantasy Garden' by Don Houston and 'Flight' by Norman Ames; cartoons; The Back of Beyond; cover: 'Future Prospect' by Bruce Gaffron.
9 v3#1 Summer 1944 88 Contents: Editorial by W. H. Gillings[12]; Novelette: 'Desperate Remedies' by Inigo King with jacket by Bruce Gaffron; 'The Betrothal Kiss' by A. F. Hillman; 'Sales Talk' by Henry Hughes; 'Just Imagine' by J. K. Aiken; 'Carfax' by Peter Hawkins; 'Coal' by S. Bounds; 'The Wall' by A. F. Williams; Illustrations by Bruce Gaffron, Michael Lord, and A. F. Williams; Criticism: Commentary on Beyond Nos. 6 and 7 by D. R. Smith with cartoons by Gaffron; Poem: 'Dreamland' by A. F. Hillman; The Back of Beyond.
10 v3#2 Summer 1946 60 Contents: Editorial; Novelette: 'With the Voice of a Child' by by Inigo King; 'The Island of the Blessed' by Ian Fennimore; 'Happy Birthday' by Joan D. Aiken; 'The Oupire' by Pamela Peck; 'Camouflage' J. K. Aiken; 'Coincidence Values' by S. J. Bounds; Poem: 'the City of the Lost' by A. F. Hillman; Personalities: 'Biographical Sketches of Cosmos Club Members' by Anon; The Back of Beyond.
  1. ↑ It was long thought that The Beyond was single-copy.
  2. ↑ John Aiken in The Whitcon Booklet, 1948.
  3. ↑ Ibid, Aiken.
  4. ↑ While this was published in 1944, Willmorth met Aiken around September 1943. The issue he saw featured both Aiken and Peter Hawkins and so was likely #6. He also said it had a cover by Harry Turner.
  5. ↑ Ibid Aiken.
  6. ↑ No copy traced; contents list comes from #2.
  7. ↑ Republished as Girl in Trouble, a chapbook from Utopian Publications in 1944.
  8. ↑ The assumption is that this is a typo for H. S. Burton, a known club member with other contributions in later issues. If it isn't then we know nothing more about T. R. Burton.
  9. ↑ Given both Aiken's comment that 'Parker had to retire into pseudonymity' and that Fennimore's presence isn't attested elsewhere, it's possible therefore that this is Parker. See also Henry Hughes.
  10. ↑ Plus, if this was indeed the copy Gus Willmorth saw in pre-publication stage (see above), a cover by Harry Turner: 'and excellent fantasy of faces in prisims – somewhat the effect that one gets on looking into a prismic mirror except that each facet of the prism does not reflect a complete picture as does a mirror – the faces are made up of prism angles'.
  11. ↑ Given both Aiken's comment that 'Parker had to retire into pseudonymity' and that Hughes's presence isn't attested elsewhere, it's possible therefore that this is Parker. See also Ian Fennimore.
  12. ↑ Rob Hansen believes this is a transcript Gillings's speech from the 1944 Eastercon.

Publication 1942—1946
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