THE writings and life of Robert Ervin Howard are destined to become a legend. His poetry and fiction continue to be reprinted both in book and magazine form and exploration of the realities of his life from as intensive a probing as the fictional realm of his Hyborian Age. To facilitate this intrinsically scrutiny, new deluxe amateur journal known as THE HOWARD COLLECTOR has appeared
in classically elegant form edited and published out of Box 775, Pasadena, Texas, by acolyte Glenn Lord.

Robert E. Howard employed periodic pen names, among them Patrick Howard, Robert E. Patrick Howard, Patrick MacConaire Howard, Patrick Ervin and Sam Walser. The hunt for various Howard stories, of whatever variety, is relentlessly pursued by his enthusiastic followers. Howard wrote a wide variety of tales, including westerns, sports, oriental as well as weird. His stories may be located in journals ranging in subject matter from Knockout Stories to Spicy Adventure. The best market he hit, shortly after his death, was ARGOSY. In that magazine he had published under his own name a series of humorous westerns which found considerable favor with the readers. Almost forgotten, however, was a brief ghost story, The Dead Remember, published in Argos, Aug. 15, 1936. The story is not typical Howard in the sense of Conan or Solomon Kane, but to one who studies the story, there will be discovered an aptness for regional authenticity that was appreciated early by H. P. Lovecraft and a vivid naturalness in dialogue and handling of subject matter that smacks of the better modern mainstream writing. The people are alive and their reactions in character.

In this tale we glimpse the rising maturity of talent, coupled with the obvious knowledge of the south, that we noted in Black Canaan (Weird Tales, June, 1936). Howard’s regionalism was not confined to the southwest.

It is in this context that the story should be read, for it represented a Howard moving toward naturalism and on the way to rising in the literary world above the supernatural media that nourished him.

To those who doubt that Howard could ever have attained true maturity in his writing, remember that he committed suicide upon learning of his mother’s death and reading into this action a hopeless psychological weakness, a vital fact must be presented. At least one of Robert E. Howard’s last letters reveals that he had a bad heart which was a source of considerable worry to him. Rugged as he appeared outwardly, this physical drawback limited him. In evaluating Howard’s final action, therefore, it is only fair to ask if the death of Howard’s mother was merely another element in his decision to take his life and not the only one.

Fantastic Stories of Imagination Volume 10 Number 12.

Contains THE DEAD REMEMBER.

Contents

• 6 • According to You … (Fantastic, December 1961) • essay by uncredited
• 7 • Editorial (Fantastic, December 1961) • [Editorial (Fantastic)] • essay by Norman M. Lobsenz
• 8 • Spawn of Doom • novelette by Daniel F. Galouye
• 8 •  Spawn of Doom • interior artwork by Kilpatrick
• 44 • The Last Friday in August • short story by David Ely
• 45 •  The Last Friday in August • interior artwork by Dan Adkins [as by Adkins]
• 52 • Point • novelette by John T. Phillifent
• 52 •  Point • interior artwork by Dan Adkins [as by Adkins]
• 114 • The Voice Box • short story by Allan W. Eckert
• 114 •  The Voice Box • interior artwork by Dan Adkins [as by Adkins]
• 118 • The Dead Remember: Introduction • essay by Sam Moskowitz
• 119 • The Dead Remember • (1936) • short story by Robert E. Howard120 •  The Dead Remember • interior artwork by Dan Adkins [as by Adkins]
• 128 • Coming Next Month (Fantastic, December 1961) • essay by uncredited
• bc •  The Dead Remember [bc] • interior artwork by Dan Adkins [as by Adkins]

Notes

Vol 10, No 12. Cover illustration for “Spawn of Doom” (untitled in the magazine).
John T. Phillifent is listed as John Phillifent on the table of contents.

Edited by Cele Goldsmith
“The Dead Remember” is illustrated on the rear cover by Dan Adkins.