Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, Issue 45 — page 152: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Supermancon Post-war British national science fiction conventions have all been held in London—a natural enough choice for many reasons. On the whole, they have proved entertain- - ing and memorable occasions, at- tracting science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts from all over Britain, the Continent, and the United States. But the feeling grew among provincial fans that the locale should be changed once in a while, and at the 1953 convention—The Coroncon—it was proposed by members of the Nor’west Science Fantasy Club that the next session should be held in Manchester. At the time this call for a change evoked a very mixed response, but increasing popular support for the idea prompted the club to form a committee to draft preliminary arrangements for a Northern con- vention to be held in 1954. The club had already gained ex- perience in organising a convention. Towards the end of 1952 a one-day get-together, dubbed the Mancon, had attracted some 85 provincial fans to the Waterloo Hotel, the club’s meeting place. A suitable site for the second Manchester conven- tion, lovingly referred to as the Supermancon, was found after a short search—the Grosvenor Hotel. Centrally situated, adjacent to two main railway stations, this hotel provides ideal accommodation. There is a roomy hall for the main sessions, with an annexe in which displays by fan groups, publishers and dealers will be arranged. Most important of all, to some fans, there © is a bar in the annexe! The conven- tion will be held at the traditional time—Whitsun week-end, June Sth and 6th inclusive. It will be quite an international gathering—we hope to see fans from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Hol- land, Norway, Greece, Malta and North Africa. Fandom will be represented in strength—the Super- mancon Society already includes the following fan personalities among its members—Walt Willis (editor of Slant and Hyphen), Tony Thorne of the Medway Science and Fantasy Club, A. Vincent Clarke (fan-of-all- work), John D. Roles (editor Space Diversions), Pete Campbell (editor Andromeda), Michael Rosenblum (collector), Fred Robinson (editor of Camber), Walter H. Gillings (who has been styled Mr. Science Fiction of Great Britain), Dag Siggerud of Norway, Jan Jansen (editor of Alpha the Belgian fanmag), and fan artists Ken Mclntyre and Jack Wilson. One disappointment is that the Arch-Fan Ken Slater, Chief Operator of Operation Fantast, will not be able to join the meeting. Among the authors we hope to see are Bryan Berry, E. C. Tubb, Sydney Bounds, Bertram Chandler, E. R. James, Eric Frank Russell, John Christopher, John Russell Fearn and William F. Temple. 151 conmmicloookks.com