ERBzine 3097: History of the Chicago Muckers Magazine

First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life & Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Web Pages in Archive
presents
Volume 3097

THE CHICAGO MUCKERS ZINES
Part One: The First Six Issues
From Our ERBapa Reprint Series
By Ken Manson
The Muckers Chapter of the Burroughs Bibliophiles formed Aug. 5, 2006, at the ERB Chain of Friendship convention in Rockville, MD., and one of the projects planned was a quarterly magazine of writings by members and others.
"Bring 15 copies of ERB-related material to the meetings for the 'Mucker Magazine.' It can be an original essay or story. Or just stuff you run across and want to share, like an article or picture," said Jeff "Elmo" Long in the introduction to the first issue.
Indeed, 15 copies were assembled at the Oct. 21, 2006, meeting in the Pleasant Home used by the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest. Joan Bledig contributed the cover, from the McClurg art by J. Allen St. John that also was used by Canaveral; the cover design; and table of contents, which she was to do for all the early issues. The last copy of the premiere issue was sold in an auction to Brad Vinson at the Louisville Dum-Dum in 2007 for $200.
The Muckers do not plan to reprint that, or any of the issues.
That sale at the Dum-Dum also taught us that maybe we should print more issues. Issues 2 to 7 were or 20 copies each, Issues 9 to 11 were 25 copies; and 8 and 12, special Double Issues prepared Ace Double style with the National Capital Panthans at the 2008 and 2009 Dum-Dums, were 50 copies each.
Many things stayed the same, such as the obligatory naked princess inside and Bernard MT Condensed type face for the cover. Joan assembled the first eight covers, but then turned over the task to members. Each took turns coming up with ideas and materials for the covers. Of the 12 covers, Joan did 4-1/2 and Greg 2-1/2 (they share credit for the art on issue 12) Jeff did 2; Jim, Ken and Dave, 1 each.
The February issue traditionally is assembled at Jerry Spannraft's home in Palos Park (with or without a Chicago snowstorm); the May issue usually is assembled during a cookout at Joan's home in Chicago; and the November issue at the Pleasant Home in Oak Park. Frank Lipo of the Historical Society always gets a copy of each issue for the Burroughs collection. The last three August issues have been assembled during a Dum-Dum -- No. 4 in Louisville and the No. 8 and 12 special double issues in Waterloo, Iowa, and Dayton, Ohio, respectively.
The first issue started with contributions by Jeff Long; Laurence Dunn; Greg Phillips; J. G. "Huck" Huckenpohler; Jim Hadac; Ken Manson; Jerry Spannraft; Bill Ross; and Mike Conran, along with the Table of Contents by Joan. Other contributors have included Ray LeBeau; Shirley LeBeau; Dave Gorecki; Dr. James Thompson; John Tyner; David Critchfield; Henry G. Franke III; John Thompson; and Philippe Badre. Nine of those 18 names are members of ERB-APA and almost that many are current members of the Burroughs Bibliophiles Board of Directors.
Many submissions gained regular column names, some also used in ERB-APA. Starting in Issue 2 were "Beyond 30 Degrees West" by Laurence Dunn; "The Cry of the Red Hawk" by Jim Hadac; and "ERBane Comments" by Dave Gorecki. "The ERB Scrapbooks of Ray LeBeau" started in Issue 6 by the namesake; and "In the Treasure Vaults of Archimedes Q. Porter, Phd." by "Huck" and "Jodades" by me in Issue 10. We had been contributing earlier but without formal column names.
Each issue is given free to members who contribute; and $5 for single issues and $10 for double issues to members who do not contribute. Non-members are charged $10 for single issues and $20 for double issues, where available. The first three issues are sold out, I believe.
We have assembled 300 copies of 12 issues, totaling 697 pages. The biggest issues were Nos. 5 and 10, each with 72 pages; the smallest was No. 3 with 32 pages Eight people submitted for every issue. Most proficient was Jeff Long, 83 pages; Joan Bledig, 68 1/2; Ken Manson, 68; Jerry Spannraft, 61; Mike Conran, 43; Bill Ross, 42-1/2; Jim Hadac, 42; Dave Gorecki, 41.
Unlike ERB-APA, we do not comment on others' past submissions.

Cover art and a breakdown of the contents of each issue
click for large images

Issue No.: 1 Date: Oct. 21, 2006
Where assembled: Oak Park, Pleasant Home, courtesy of Frank Lipo and the Historical Society
Front cover: St. John art from McClurg The Mucker -- designed by Joan Bledig
Back cover: Muckers in Minneapolis (watching "A Princess of Mars" play)
Number of pages: 44
List of contents:
    The Muckers Origin Story -- Jeff Long
    List of Muckers members
    "Patriotism by Proxy" by ERB from May 25, 1918, Oak Leaves -- Long
    Review of first "Tarzan of the Apes" movie in Chicago Daily Tribune, May 15, 1918 -- Long
    "British Mars series paperback covers"--Laurence Dunn
    "Sketches for an article: Animals of Pellucidar" – Greg Phillips
    "Dr. Darrell C. Richardson: Remembering `The Old Tiger'" --J.G. Huckenpohler
    "A Walk in the Graveyard" (in Forest Park, Illinois cemeteries) -- Jim Hadac
     "Discovering Pellucidar, Barsoom and other ERB Sites" -- Ken Manson
     Roy Krenkel sketches -- Manson
     Advertisements for ERB Novels from 1918 and 1919 in Chicago Tribune -- Long
     Foulds Figures -- Jerry Spannraft
     "ERB Collector" ( a history) -- Bill Ross
     Obligatory Nude Shot of Dejah Thoris -- Long
     Miscellaneous from the Tribune (photo of 1918 wedding of James Pierce and Joan Burroughs, 1923 article on former Oak Park man raising hogs on ERB ranch and 1962 review of three ERB books released by Canaveral) -- Long
     "Memories of Dum-Dum 2005 -- Mike Conran

Issue No.: 2 Date: Feb. 6, 2007
Where assembled: Palos Park, Jerry Spannraft's Home
Front cover: Greg Phillips sketch of 13 Muckers
Back cover: Frank Cho sketch, courtesy of Bill Ross and the Panthans
Number of pages: 68
Enclosures: LaurenceCon IX button and postcard for "Frazetta: The Documentary" from Mike Conran
List of contents:
     "Beyond 30 Degrees West:" (promotions of Mars books from Ballantine) -- Laurence Dunn
     "From Whence Came Sola's Name" -- Joan Bledig
     "Probes May Have Killed Mars Life" (Jan. 8, 2007 article) - "Huck"
     "The Buckets" cartoon from Washington Times, Sept. 11, 2006 (referring to Tarzan) -- "Huck"
     Report of birth for (no-first-name) Burroughs on Sept. 1, 1875 -- Jerry Spannraft
     Marriage license (ERB and Emma) -- Spannraft
     "Protect Your State" ad for Illinois Reserve Militia from Aug. 10, 1918, Oak Leaves referring to ERB conducting Monday drills -- Spannraft
     "Two Homes and a Vacant Lot" ad in May 16 1918, Oak Leaves for 700 Linden Ave. being sold by ERB -- Spannraft.
     Death certificate for ERB -- Spannraft
     ``ERB, Creator of Tarzan Dies’’ article in The Evening Citizen, Ottawa, Canada-Spannraft
     "A Quiet Afternoon with the Oak Park/River Forest Historical Society and Tarzan Ho Rea Dum-Dum" (report on April 9, 1989 meeting where Spannraft was the speaker) -- Mike Conran
     2007 Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention #7 ad -- Conran
     "Billy Byrne's Connection to a Former Chicago Mayor: A Whimsical View" -- Manson
     Page of Del Rey's "The Drink" from 1996 promoting R.A. Salvatorek's Tarzan book -- Manson
     "Cry of the Red Hawk: Introducing Me, The Red Hawk" -- Jim Hadac
     The British Broadcasting Corp. reports on Lord Greystoke (from Dateline Jasoom) -- Jeff Long
    Obligatory Naked Princess -- Long
    Maureen O'Sullivan (copy of interview by Tom Weaver and Ray Nielsen) -- Long
    "Trip to Oak Park, Illinois" (report on 1982 visit) -- Bill Ross
    "The Weekly Standard" (Refers to George W. Bush reading habits) -- Ross
    "ERBane Comments: Music for Swingers" ( brief survey of music used in RKO and MGM Tarzan films) -- Dave Gorecki

Issue No.: 3 Date: May 28, 2007
Where assembled: Chicago, Joan Bledig's house
Front cover: Painting by Greg Phillips from The Gods of Mars
Back cover: Blank
Number of pages: 32
Enclosure: One page, double-sided, of items for sale by Ken Manson
List of contents:
    "Beyond 30 Degrees West: J.T. Edson " (modified from ERB-APA 61 article) -- Laurence Dunn
    Laurenceon IX -- Mike Conran
    "Commemorative Cups: It Pays to Save Trash" (column by the Kovels from April 7, 2007, "Las Vegas Review;" with photo of Tarzan ice cream cup) -- Dr. James Thompson
    "Florida Memory Project: Newt Perry, Johnny Sheffield and Johnny Weissmuller" -- Thompson
    "Antiques and Auction News" (from Oct. 12, 2001, on collecting Tarzan) -- Joan Bledig
    "LaurenceCon IX Descends on the Muckers' Meeting" -- Bill Ross
    Ad saying "Ballantine Books is Proud to Announce JULY IS TARZAN MONTH" -- Jerry Spannraft
    "Elmer Meets Jimber-Jaw" -- Ken Manson
    "ERBane Comments" (Old Time Radio review: Tarzan 3-CD set) -- Dave Gorecki
    "The Cry of the Red Hawk" (Images of The Red Hawk) -- Jim Hadac
    Zitidar Soup recipe for Mr. Burroughs (from December 1983 F&SF magazine) -- Jeff Long
    "ERB and Racism" -- Long
   Tarzan Adventure -- Long

Issue No.: 4 Date: Aug. 2-5, 2007
Where assembled: Louisville, Ky., during the 2007 Dum-Dum for the Muckers' first anniversary meeting
Front cover: A photo of the Trojan Horse painted by Greg Phillips and on display in Oak Park. The horse featured movie actors who played Hercules and other classical Greek warriors. An inset is a detail showing former Tarzan actor Gordon Scott as Hercules from "Hercules and the Princess of Troy."
Back cover: A closeup of the rear of the horse, stating "By Greg Phillips" and the year. Back cover sheet is signed by Greg.
Number of pages: 49
List of contents:
    "Beyond 30 Degrees West: Tarzan in Holland" - Laurence Dunn
    "Travis Fimmel: Remember Him?" - Joan Bledig
    "Actor Who Played Tarzan Dies in Baltimore" (From Baltimore Sun Web site) - Jim Thompson
    "Sci-Fi Weekly Reviews A Princess of Mars (from scifi.com Web site) - Thompson
    "Memories of Bob Hyde" - Mike Conran
    "Obligatory Naked Princess Found on the Web" - Joan Bledig
    "A Report from the Front: ECOF 2007" - J.G. Huckenpohler
    "Ahhhh What a Night" (Oak Park Art League Gala) - Greg Phillips
    "Flying Death!" The Barsoomian Blade, Aug. 2, 2007 - Jeff Long
    "Headless body found in topless bar!" The Barsoomian Blade, Aug. 3, 2007 - Long
    "War!...Again," The Barsoomian Blade, Aug. 4, 2007 - Long
    "Chicago Muckers celebrate first birthday at Dum-Dum," The Barsoomian Blade, Aug. 5, 2007 - Long
    "Another stinkin' Earth man wins one of our princesses" The Barsoomian Blade, Aug. 6, 2007 - Long
    "Trojan Horse in Oak Park" - Greg Phillips
     Illinois Heritage publication on "Day Trips: Tarzan, Mars and Oak Park Illinois" - Jerry Spannraft
     Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs information (from bookrags.com Web site) - Bill Ross
    "120 miles from Clayton to Dayton: A Report on Pulpcon 36" - Ken Manson
    "ERBane Comments" (Dell comic and early St. John book covers) -- Dave Gorecki
    African Jungle Safari Gourmet Dinner - Ray (and Shirley) LeBeau
    Tarzan's Hidden Jungle," "Tarzan Triumphs," and "Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure" movie ads - LeBeau
    "Tarzan in France" (on 2007 exposition) - Philippe Badre
    "Pulp Fiction" (about 2007 Pulpcon) - Jim Hadac

Issue No.: 5 Date: Nov. 3, 2007
Where assembled: Oak Park, Pleasant Home
Front cover: The finished Muckers Monopoly game. Also inset of Muckers Jeopardy materials
Back cover: Map of ``Aug. 6, 1914, in Billy Byrne’s hood on Chicago’s great West Side’’-Jeff Long
Number of pages: 72
List of contents:
    Inside front cover is a photo of the Pleasant Home by Joan Bledig
    "A Photo Tour: The Land of Grand Avenue, Part 1" -- Bledig
     "New Frontiers" (Web site showing future President John F. Kennedy with members of Muckers Club at Choate School in 1934) - Jim Thompson
    "How to Have Great Sex After 30 Years of Marriage" (article from AARP magazine) - Thompson
    Girl Friday Design Tara of Helium - Thompson
    Burroughs Statues-Mike Conran
    "Thomas Edison’s Muckers" - Bill Ross
    Cave Spotlights Spotted on Mars - John Tyner
    "Beyond 30 Degrees West: The Ancestry of Tarzan" - Laurence Dunn
    McClurg's Monthly Bulletin of New Books, No. 605, October 1920 - Ray LeBeau
    Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Wizard of Venus: A Souvenir of the 22nd World Science Fiction Convention - LeBeau
    Tarzan Birthday Card - LeBeau
    "Tarzan Comes to Washington" (Denny Miller visit after Dum-Dum) - J.G. Huckenpohler
    "Norm Swykowski of Mars" (original cartoon strip) - Greg Phillips
    "The Cry of the Red Hawk"(review of David Fury's Maureen O'Sullivan book)-Jim Hadac
    "My Breakfast with Nancy" ( A report on the 2007 Dum-Dum) - Ken Manson
    Carousel Horse Auction (Sale of Greg Phillip's horse and others) - Manson
    "Erbane Comments: (Not So) Immortal Moments in World Cinema" - Dave Gorecki
    "Battle of the 1936 Tarzans: Burroughs Tarzan Enterprises vs MGM" -Gorecki
    Smithsonian, March 2001: Tarzan the Eternal - Jerry Spannraft
    "Where Did ERB Get the Name Billy Byrne?" - Jeff Long
    "Saloonkeepers report violators" (Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 12, 1912, on life in Billy Byrne's neighborhood) - Long
    A 1915 "Line O’ Type or Two" column ("`The Contribs of Yesteryear") by Normal Bean - Long
    A 1910 "In the Wake of the News" column ("Look on This Picture, Then on That") by Normal Bean - Long
    "Mucker Movie? Storyboard art by John Watkins" - Long
    Inside back cover: The Chicago Daily Tribune Aug. 7, 1914 (on gun battle in Billy Byrne's neighborhood) - Long

Issue No.: 6 Date: Feb. 16, 2008
Where assembled: Palos Park, Jerry Spannraft's home
Front cover: Photo of The "Dejah Thoris action figure," - design by Jeff Long
Back cover: Drawing of Tarzan and the Mucker Empire furnished by Jeff Long
Number of pages: 51
List of contents:
   The Muckers, 1-5-2008 (Drawing colored at restaurant after Muckers meeting in Brookfield)
   "Damen Avenue, Chicago Street Name and Address Change" - Joan Bledig
   "The Chicago Muckers" - Mike Conran
   "The Online Handbook of Texas - Tarzan, Texas" - Jim Thompson
   "Charleston Express-Charles Gramlich featured in Xavier University Newsletter" (author likened to ERB) - Thompson
   "Charleston Express-Psychology Professor Has Tales to Tell" (more on Gramlich) - Thompson
   "Beyond 30 Degrees West: The Life and Times of a Good Little Girl" (reprinted from ERB-APA 96) - Laurence Dunn
   "Other Worlds No. 14, November 1955" - Obligatory Naked Martian Princess - Ken Manson
   "Tarzan Never Dies" (Ray Palmer article reprinted from Other Worlds, November, 1955) - Manson
   Maps of Barsoom compiled - J.G. Huckenpohler
   "From the ERB Scrapbook of Raymond E. LeBeau": "A Swinging Reunion for Movie 'Tarzans' and 'Janes'"; "Presenting the Continental Insurance Agent (ad with cartoon of Tarzan) and Bank of Barsoom One Comic Book"; Announcing a special first edition of I Am a Barbarian; The Burroughs Bibliophiles Kaor New BB Club Member letter signed by Rita Coriell; The Burroughs Bibliophiles Kaor Friend letter signed by Bob Hyde, president - LeBeau
   "'Jana' The Red Flower of Zoram" Gridley adjusts to life in the outer world" - (cartoon) Greg Phillips
   Articles by Robert Gibson: "Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars and Venus - A Comparison of Two Worlds"; "Sentence Structure in Edgar Rice Burroughs";
   "Edgar Rice Burroughs and His Imitators"; and "Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Secret of Storytelling" - Bill Ross
   Letters to Editors - Jerry Spannraft
   "The Cry of the Red Hawk: A Report on the Mucker Meeting of Jan. 6, 2008" - Jim Hadac
   "ERBane Comments: Early Tarzan on Disc: Tarzan TV Album and Others" - Dave Gorecki
   "ERB Through the Eyes of Richard Lupoff" (Interview from Filmfax magazine) - Long

The History of the Mucker Magazine
Part One: The First Six Issues
Part Two: Issues 7-13
Part Three: Issues 14-20
Part Four: Issues 21-26
Part Five: Issues 27-36

Continued at Part II: ERBzine 3098

The Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs

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