If you don't know Forrest J Ackerman, this should help...
I was more of a Starlog kid myself, just missing out on the heyday of Famous Monsters of Filmland. But I still read Forry's mag (he was its creator and editor) and was always excited to see the covers. Never made it to his prop filled house in LA, always meant to...never did. But I always recognized a kindred spirit in Mr. Ackerman and I'm sad to see him go.
These days his role is probably best being played by Harry Knowles and that seems- to me- like a damn fine fitting transfer of power. One uber fan to the next.
It's also cool that the internet has brought all us geeks together in a way that a magazine from the 60's and 70's never could. But Famous Monsters- and Forry- was one of the first big steps in letting so many of us geeks- so often isolated and alone and feeling like outsiders- know that they were not alone. And that's a damn cool legacy to leave, you know?
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