Literary Art and Illustration

Though there seems (?!) to be no information about it – online – except for an issue grid, and, issue-by-issue table of contents, at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database, Fantasy Crossroads, published from 1974 through 1979, with a total of 14 issues, appears to have been a very “high-end” fanzine in terms of content, artwork, and physical production. Only two issues are presently freely available: that of January, 1979 (final issue), that of September, 1978 (13th issue), both via the Luminist Archive.

The cover looks (looks) as it were created by Hannes Bok, but that’s an intentional coincidence.

First of all, Bok passed away in 1964.

Second and all, a close view of the composition reveals the initials BOK / SF in the lower right corner. That’s because the cover was actually done by illustrator Stephen E. Fabian, “based on a sketch by Hannes Bok.” In this, Fabian did a wonderful job of creating art very much in the Bok fashion, specifically in the seeming solidity of the woman’s patterned hair, her almost-but-not-completely-elflike and startled appearance, and, the touch of a huge and exaggerated butterfly.

Even more interesting diversions…

Fantasy Crossroads, at…

… Internet Speculative Fiction Database

Stephen E. Fabian, at…

… StephenFabian.com (his website)

… Castalia House

… Fancyclopedia 3

… Internet Speculative Fiction Database

… Wikipedia

… The Black Gate (“Vintage Treasures: Stephen E. Fabian’s Ladies & Legends”)

Hannes Bok, at…

… Wikipedia

… Zinewiki

… Internet Speculative Fiction Database

… American Art Archives

… American Fantasy Press (Includes a portrait from the last years of his life)

Comic Art Fans (Superb examples of his work! – at least, as of August, 2022)

… Grapefruit Moon Gallery

… The Fanac Fan History Project (“The Hannes Bok Illustration Index”)

… Heritage Auctions (Again, wonderful examples of his work, including paper mache! – as of August, 2022)

… Hollywood Metal

… The Korshak Collection

… Pulp Artists

… ShrineODreams

… Zenith City Press

As described at Fancyclopedia, “The 14 Leaflet was the clubzine for the first iteration of the Chicago Science Fiction League, Chapter 14 of the SFL. Published from November 1935 until Spring of 1937, it ran for at least nine issues and included the writings of Jack Darrow.”

The only online issue seems to be that of Spring, 1937, which has cover art by Walter Dellenback. The illustration having neither name nor description, seems to be a symbolic depiction of a city-scape, futuristic by virtue of the vertically elongated towers and spacecraft descending from upper left. Overall, the cover art seems to have very much of a 1939 New York World’s Fair “City of the Future” vibe. It’s also reminiscent of H.W. Wesso’s interior artwork for the opening page of Manly Wade Wellman’s story “Nuisance Value”, which would appear in the January, 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction.