VIRGIL FINLAY'S series of full-page drawings interpreting weird fragments of great poetry has won the favor of our readers—overwhelmingly. His inspired imagination and faultless artistic technique has caused a deluge of enthusiastic letters to pour into the editor's office. This feature will appear in Weird Tales every month. The current pictorial interpretation is not a fragment of weird poetry, but is a grotesque picturization of an old Cornish litany. Just wait until you see Mr. Finlay's illustration of Tam o' Shanter pursued by the warlocks!
A Club for WT Fans
Gertrude Greazeale writes from Prospect, Oregon; "Months have passed since my first letter of praise appeared in your magazine. The shock of seeing myself in print was almost too much for me. Now I emerge once more from silence and oblivion with more praises and a suggestion. Since my first effort was in honor of Virgil Finlay, I am practically gibbering with delight at sight of the full-length picture by that matchless artist. This new feature is a grand idea, I can hardly wait for the next one! Incidentally, although his color work is beautiful, still, he expresses the weird more truly in black and white; the shading is far more effective in that medium, the faces and figures appear more life-like. Now, a bouquet for the Eyrie. I find this department almost as interesting as the fiction. The letters prove that people of intelligence and education are among your most enthusiastic readers. In view of that fact, why is it that I seldom or never meet anyone, intelligent or otherwise, who is interested in the weird and unusual? My friends and acquaintances express either repugnance or amusement when they find me with a copy of Weird Tales. My suggestion: Why can't the Eyrie organize a club for lovers of the weird, with a membership pin designed by Finlay? This to be worn so that Weird Tales fans may recognize each other, and may get acquainted without the formality of an introduction, if so desired. In these parts, kindred spirits seem to be as scarce as hen's teeth, but a club might unearth a few in my vicinity. Special greetings to Gertrude Hemken, whose 'zippy' letters are a great source of enjoyment. Now I shall crawl back into my shell and await developments!" [This letter is but one of many requests that we have received suggesting a get-together department in Weird Tales. If any of you, the readers, desire to correspond with other lovers of weird literature and exchange ideas, we suggest that you send your name and address to Weird Tales Club Department, in care of this magazine. If enough readers are interested, we will mail the list of names and addresses each month to those who wish to be enrolled for this service. This, we think, would be more satisfactory than to publish the names and addresses in the Eyrie.—The Editor.]
Into Fairyland
Louise Gayle writes from Rome, Georgia: "A friend told me about Weird Tales and I have just finished reading my first one. Half through the first story my main thought was, Where have you been all my life? Then I decided to write and say thanks a million to the editors. My favorite story in this copy is The Black Statue, with Child of Atlantis as runner-up. Where do the writers get such imagination? Reading Weird Tales is like stepping from your own room right into fairyland. So I say, long live your magazine and such writers as Mary Counselman, Edmond Hamilton and B. Wallis. I am going to read every copy after this."
