Forrest Ackerman's connection to Siegel and Shuster?

[comicparadox]

I was reading Siegel and Shuster's "original" Superman story, reprinted here:

 

http://superman.ws/seventy/reign/?page=7

 

when I saw the name of Forrest Ackerman (of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" etc fame) listed. Look about 2/3 down the page.

 

Did "Famous Monsters" Ackerman use this name as a pseudonym? Was it mere coincidence, or was there any connection between Siegel and Shuster and "Ackerman"? I find it hard to believe that two Cleveland boys had any true connection to LA's "Famous Monsters" Ackerman, but truth is often stranger than fiction.

 

Paging Bob Beerbohm...

[dgillock]

Interesting, and thanks for the link! I've never read the story before.

 

I have to assume that it was a homage of sorts. I don't know if S&S knew Ackerman personally, but if they were putting out a SF fanzine in 1933, they would have probably known his name. Ackerman was one of a group of teenagers who had started The Time Traveller in 1932, which is considered the progenitor of the SF fanzine genre. Read the Wikipedia article and you'll see some of the folks involved.

 

I'm sure that others will have more complete info.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Yes, Jerry Siegel knew Forrey thru exchanging letters

 

Forrey's complete Science Fiction set 1 thru 5 was auctioned off by Sothebys back in the 1990s

 

Why does one find it so hard to believe?

 

SF fandom was miniscule in the early 1930s, maybe a few hundred, and the fanzines were eagerly sought by every serious fan back then

[FFB]

I was reading Siegel and Shuster's "original" Superman story, reprinted here:

 

http://superman.ws/seventy/reign/?page=7

 

when I saw the name of Forrest Ackerman (of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" etc fame) listed. Look about 2/3 down the page.

 

Did "Famous Monsters" Ackerman use this name as a pseudonym? Was it mere coincidence, or was there any connection between Siegel and Shuster and "Ackerman"? I find it hard to believe that two Cleveland boys had any true connection to LA's "Famous Monsters" Ackerman, but truth is often stranger than fiction.

 

Paging Bob Beerbohm...

 

Read "Men of Tomorrow" by Gerard Jones. It explains a lot about the interconnection between Siegel, Shuster, and all of the other members of the burgeoning science fiction community in the 1920s and 1930s. It's a fantastic book on the early history of the comic book industry too. You can usually find a used copy in great shape on Amazon or ebay for a couple bucks. I paid $1 plus shipping for my copy.

[adamstrange]

Interesting, and thanks for the link! I've never read the story before.

 

I have to assume that it was a homage of sorts. I don't know if S&S knew Ackerman personally, but if they were putting out a SF fanzine in 1933, they would have probably known his name. Ackerman was one of a group of teenagers who had started The Time Traveller in 1932, which is considered the progenitor of the SF fanzine genre. Read the Wikipedia article and you'll see some of the folks involved.

 

I'm sure that others will have more complete info.