Lionel Fanthorpe & 'Supernatural Stories'

[helrunar]

After writing my previous response, I seemed to recall Dem Bones reporting that Fanthorpe and Guy N. Smith were indeed good friends. I was really surprised because Fanthorpe was a church minister or pastor and I didn't think Smith had a religious bone in his body. Perhaps the two bonded when they met over their mutual appreciation for sensationalism, but I honestly haven't a clue.

Hel.

[sadako]

Oct 21, 2023 16:41:17 GMT helrunar said:

After writing my previous response, I seemed to recall Dem Bones reporting that Fanthorpe and Guy N. Smith were indeed good friends. I was really surprised because Fanthorpe was a church minister or pastor and I didn't think Smith had a religious bone in his body. Perhaps the two bonded when they met over their mutual appreciation for sensationalism, but I honestly haven't a clue.

Hel.

Thank you - this all makes a little more sense now!

[dem]

GNS and Rev. Fanthorpe were long-time friends, who would often compete in speed-writing challenges - write a trilogy in two hours, that kind of thing; both were involved in the early pulp & paperbacks fairs, where Guy regularly ran a stall - not sure if it was for paperbacks in general or just his own back-catalogue (both contribute to the gloriously raw The First UK Paperback & Pulp Bookfair Official Souvenir Booklet). I'd guess they had plenty in common — not least a sense of mischief.

As to Supernatural Stories, the recent Stephen Jones edited all Supernatural Stories (co-written by Rev Lionel & Patricia) are tighter and probably "better" than the 'fifties/ sixties Badgers, but sadly, lack the same charm (they do to me, anyhow). No more "The city slept. Men slept. Women slept. Children slept. Cats and dogs slept." I think SJ's original idea was for the Fanthorpe's to compile a "best of" but they preferred to write originals.

[helrunar]

That's very cool to learn that the Rev and Smith were boothmates, as it were, at that early Fair. It would be fun to imagine the banter but I don't know enough about either to even come up with a speculative quip.

I did enjoy the Fanthorpe yarns I read on that site. I think there was a vampire one that was amusing simply because of how unflappably he carried on with the most well-worn cliches. It was rather more energetic and had more of a sense of fun than the work of Dan "Marilyn" Ross whose effusions would be a fine alternative to Sominex or Ambien. Deadly dull. With Fanthorpe there is at least a sense of the author enjoying himself. Ross is just banging it all out (so to speak) with his eye on his next deadline.

Hel.

[sadako]

Oct 21, 2023 17:12:32 GMT dem said:

GNS and Rev. Fanthorpe were long-time friends, who would often compete in speed-writing challenges - write a trilogy in two hours, that kind of thing; both were involved in the early pulp & paperbacks fairs, where Guy regularly ran a stall - not sure if it was for paperbacks in general or just his own back-catalogue (both contribute to the gloriously raw The First UK Paperback & Pulp Bookfair Official Souvenir Booklet). I'd guess they had plenty in common — not least a sense of mischief.

As to Supernatural Stories, the recent Stephen Jones edited all Supernatural Stories (co-written by Rev Lionel & Patricia) are tighter and probably "better" than the 'fifties/ sixties Badgers, but sadly, lack the same charm (they do to me, anyhow). No more "The city slept. Men slept. Women slept. Children slept. Cats and dogs slept." I think SJ's original idea was for the Fanthorpe's to compile a "best of" but they preferred to write originals.

Aha, that’s good to know they were friends, though there must have been quite an age difference.

And thank you for the assessment of the new volume of Supernatural Stories. I too was hoping it would be a ‘best of’ compilation, but could find very little in terms of informative reviews online.

[sadako]

Agh, another popular cult that I can’t fathom. The tedious Dark Shadows and the tedious books. The films are good and I’m a fan of Dan Curtis’ later work, but the fan club for DS and “Marilyn” Ross and his many, many pen-names are irredeemable.

[sadako]

Oct 21, 2023 13:59:38 GMT helrunar said:

That's a hoot, Sadako! I'd never heard of Fanthorpe or any of his numerous aliases until I found my way through the hidden panel concealed in the back of the old mausoleum and entered the cobwebbed, shadowy catacombs of the Vault of EEEE-vil. I did read a couple of Fanthorpe stories on some website that was helpfully linked in one of the Fanthorpe threads (perhaps this one, but I can't recall). The stories were derivative, rambling, and the writing the sort I would describe as "workmanlike."

I have yet to read any of Guy N. Smith's confections--I have to say the reviews here, while entertaining in their own right, don't really inspire me to look for the books on various used tome sites online. I don't think either Fanthorpe or Smith got much distro over here in glorious Yankland--if they got ANY distro at all, but maybe there was a tie-in publication for GNS here thanks to the Giant Abominable Crab film, lol.

Perhaps another resident can tell us about Fanthorpe's friendship with Smith?

Great scan of the cover of Werewolf by Moonlight--I might actually enjoy that one.

cheers, Hel.

Well, I purchased Supernatural Stories #99 (a 1965 monthly horror digest that looks like a paperback) to read one lf Fanthorpe’s stories that was recommended by Guy N Smith. The Attic by Deutero Spartacus (Fanthorpe) is less than eight pages long and still drags! An ordinary sting in the tale, but not a twist. What on earth was Mr Smith thinking?

But having read Werewolf by Moonlight and The Sucking Pit, I’ll certainly be reading more Guy N Smith. He doesn’t like subplots! So it’s all story (and sex and guts) and only 110 pages long! And what I really like about The Sucking Pit is that he invents a new horror, with its own mythology.

The writing, characters, story logic… aren’t great. But it’s never boring! Like I said, starting out as a teen with horror novels this length, anything long usually feels like a long slog!