John J. Weir papers (Ms.2015.023)

Biographical note

John J. Weir (1922-1977) grew up in the small seaside town of South Amboy, New Jersey. He became an avid reader of science fiction and horror in 1934 to escape the suffocating boredom of small town life. While he continued to actively participate in many science fiction clubs he began corresponding to many of the leading authors and fans of science fiction which led to the creation of his own science fiction fan magazine. The magazine Fantasmagoria (the spelling was a point of contention and was frequently commented on; it was changed for the fifth and final issue to Phantasmagoria, which the late H.P. Lovecraft had so passionately championed) was commonly abbreviated FMRA and contained poems, articles, and short stories. It was illustrated by John V. Baltadonis and was first published in March of 1937. The first issue contained a poem by H. P. Lovecraft titled “Astrophobos," an article by Duane W. Rimel titled “Fan Magazinitis,” and a short story by Corwin F. Stickney titled “The Time Traveler.”

• Weir, Gary J. "Lovecraft and My Dad" Weird Tales Volume 57, Number 3: 54-57.