The Damn Thing
The Damn Thing was a science fiction fandom fanzine by T. Bruce Yerke published in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
The first issue of The Damn Thing appeared in November 1940. In that issue the editor writes, "I haven't bought or read a professional scienti-fiction magazine since the middle of 1939. They became so putrid I got sick." Instead, the editor is much more interested in the activities of fandom itself. Five issues of this title appeared.
Contributors included Ray Bradbury (Futuria Fantasia), who had work in four of the five issues, including art work and cover drawing; Ewing Brown, Walt Daugherty (Shangri L'Affaires), Raymond Van Houten, Damon Knight, John B. Michel (Terrible Tales of Tittering Terror), Jack Chapman Miske (Scienti-Snaps) and writing by several obvious pseudonyms, including Eustace Bilgewater, Prof. Carleton Fassbeinder, Rigour Fungus, and Prof. Stinkywitz.
There is much discussion of fan events, such as a movie night in which a projector being run by Ray Harryhausen, Arthur L. Joquel (editor of FMZ Digest and Sun Trails) and Yerke almost catches fire; criticism of New York State fans and the goings-on there; and criticism of Fantasy Amateur Press Association fanzines. This fanzine was one of the very early fan publications devoted mainly to fan activities.
During 1941, The Damn Thing was a split zine with Shangri L'Affaires.
