Fanzine Focus: ‘Echoes’

The fanzine Echoes ran from 1982 to 2002, before the advent of print-on-demand changed pulp fan publishing and helped ushered in the current New Pulp era. It was published by the late Tom Johnson with his wife, Ginger, and is probably the longest-running pulp fanzine. It came in at the right time as the long-running Xenophile had ended.

Echoes first started off as a “special issue,” sometimes referred to as #0 in April 1982.  I only have a scan of that issue.

Then it started with #1 in August 1982 and ran for 100 issues until August 1998. There were different sizes and paper over those years. The first nine where 8-1/2- by 11-inches on newsprint, running about 40 pages. Issues #10-16 were 6-3/4- by 9-1/2-inches, saddle stitched, and about 30 pages on heavier paper. Issues #17-80 went back to 8-1/2- by 11-inches but on regular paper and not saddle stitched, but edge stapled. Issues #81-100 were 7- by 8-1/2-inches, saddle stiched, and about 50 pages. For issues #91-100, colored paper was used for the covers. There were some covers that had one color ink, but I am aware of only a couple with color covers: #27 and #80. There was also a #51-1/2, which I also don’t have.

After #100, the magazine moved to being a “newszine.” This lasted for another 76 issues (101-176) until December 2004. It appeared to run an early version of Bill Thom‘s “Pulp Coming Attractions,” which sadly recently ended its weekly run as a website, and will continue for awhile as a Facebook page.

Echoes also returned in 2002 as a special issue called Echoes Revisited, which I’ve reviewed previously. It was intended as a 20th anniversary special. Then with Altus Press (now Steeger Books), they did Echoes 30 as a 30th anniversary special in 2012.

As I now have a near complete collection of #1 to #100, plus some examples of the newszine version, I will be doing a series of highlight articles on Echoes, covering about 10 issues or so at a time, giving the highlights of articles, cover artwork (a lot of Frank Hamilton stuff early on), and more. Expect that soon.

In addition to Echoes, the Johnsons expanded by publishing other fanzines, as well as a small number of booklets under their “Fading Shadows” name.

The booklets they put out include:

• The Green Ghost, by Tom Johnson, 1991
• History of the Purple War, by Harrison Stievers (Tom Johnson), 1991
• From Shadow to Superman, by Tom Johnson, 1991
• The Bronze Age, by Rick Lai, 1992
• Chronology of Shadows, by Rick Lai, 1995

Some of these were later reprinted by Altus Press, including History of the Purple Wars, and Rick Lai’s works.

Other ‘zines the Johnsons did was Behind the Hood, 1989-2005, 71 issues reprinting pulp hero stories; Action Adventure Stories, 1997-2005, 145 issues pulp reprints; Classic Pulp Fictions Stories, 1995-2002, 91 issues; new stories of classic characters. For totally new stories, there was Double Danger Tales, 1997-2003, 63 issues, new stories with classic characters, and stories with new characters. Two more issues in 2011/12; Exciting UFO Tales, 1999, six issues; Weird Stories, 1996-98, 26 issues.

I wonder if Virginia Johnson still have copies of these zines in stores? It would be great if these could be sold to collectors rather than just sitting or be tossed out.