Inside And Science Fiction Advertiser / September, 1956. Henry Richard Van Dongen cover. With August Derleth essay on Weird Tales & part 3 of Lin Carter's H.P. Lovecraft piece. Vintage Science Fiction and Fantasy Fanzine

New York: Ronald L. Smith, 1956. First Edition . Paperback. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Henry Richard van Dongen (cover); Jack Gaughan, Cindy (Smith), Roy Hunt, Marvin Bryer, Dan Adkins. New York: Ronald L. Smith, 1956. First edition. September, 1956, whole number 50, issue number 16 under the name "Inside and Science Fiction Advertiser" (which is the last name for the famed sci-fi / fantasy fanzine, which was also published under the earlier names "Fantasy Advertiser" and "Science Fiction Advertiser", though the primary focus was always Science Fiction.) Ron Smith became the Editor/Publisher with the November, 1954 issue, which was also the first under this name. Octavo, stapled illustrated wraps, a whopping 72 pp. - thick, for this fanzine. Near Fine. Small chip top right front and another middle left back (see scans), and that's about it. Not much toning to the contents at all; bright, tight and nearly flawless. This September of 1956 issue is certainly one of the best produced in the entire sequence; Ron Smith was really feeling his oats at this time. Featured are "Weird Tales in Retrospect" by August Derleth, and part 3 of Lin Carter's astonishingly intensive research into the of actual books mentioned by H.P. Lovecraft in his stories. Bless him for the energy he spent. A plethora of great illustrations grace this issue, perhaps more than any other issue (of this or any sci-fi genre fanzine of the era, one would guess): H.R. Van Dongen's cover is joined by a bunch of Jack Gaughan illustrations, plus some by each of Dan Adkins, Cindy (Smith), and Marvin Bryer, plus cartoon illustrations by "Miller" and Dave Jenrette - all managed by Art Director Cindy Smith. Other articles include "Randall Garrett's Memo to E.A. Robinson", Larry T. Shaw's "The Baker Murder Case", Lin Carter's poem "The Return of the Fairies", Edmond Hamilton's "Time Traveling in Ohio", a Jonathan Hoag poem reprint, courtesy of George Wetzel, "To the Grand Canyon of the Ohio", William F. Nolan's "Dark Souls in Jeopardy" (a short modernistic three-act play), Garth Bentley's "Complaint of the EM", and illustrated humor by Dave Jenrette, "People to Avoid at a Convention", as a tri-fold foldout. Also, of course, the original meat of the fanzine, the book reviews, here handled mostly by Carter, Robert Silverberg, and Charles Freudenthal. Even some of the seemingly-now-out-of-date book ad from sellers. Pretty much the peak of fanzine-ism. Collector gold, and scarce as hen's teeth. Please review scans. l-pr1