Dark Fantasy #9 is a fanzine by Shadow Press, September 1976. Contains the REH poem “The Road to Yesterday”, illustrated by Gene Day.

Dark Fantasy was a literary fantasy and horror fanzine by Howard Eugene (Gene) Day (1951-1982).

Gene Day began publishing Dark Fantasy in 1973 in Gananoque, Ontario, Canada. A total of 22 issues were published, the last issue in 1980. Day was told by the printer that issues 12 and 13 were lost, but issue 12 was later reconstructed and printed after issue 19 had come out in 1979. Gene Day suddenly died, at age 31, before issue 13 could be reconstructed. Gordon Derevanchik published a special commemorative double issue of Dark Fantasy, #24/25, in August 1984 in tribute to Gene Day.

Writing contributors included Fabio Basbarri, Bill Baron, John Bell (Borealis), Al D. Cockrell (Wyrd, Wax Dragon), Charles De Lint (Dragonfields), Gordon Derevanchuk, George Diezel II, Gordon Derry, Tom Egan, Galad Elflandsson, Steve Eng, Joe Erslavas, Augustine Fennel, Robert Fester, William Fulwiler, Greg N. Gabbard, Ken Hahn (Jeet), Wayne Hooks, Kenneth Huff, Jon Inouye, Gale Jack, James Lankashire, Randall Larson (Threshold of Fantasy), David Madison, Ardath Mayhar, David Mowry, Glenn Rahman, Charles R. Saunders (Dragonfields, Stardock), David M. Skov, Dorothy Wagner, Steven Vance, B.F. Watkinson, Neal Wilgus, and Richard deWolfe.

Art contributors included Neal Adams, John Bierly, John Charette, Bruce Conklin, Dan Day, Gene Day, Larry Dickison, Stephen E. Fabian, George Freeman, Tim Hammell, Roy G. Krenkel, Ken Raney (Fantasae), and David Vosburgh.

Also featured was poetry by Tom Egan, Steve Eng, William Fulwiler, Ralph Harding, Robert E. Howard, Ed Lesko, Mark Mansell, and Walter Shedlofsky (Inner Circle).

Dark Fantasy is noted for featuring the first publication of the “Imaro” stories of Charles Saunders. The lack of black protagonists and the stereotyped portrayal of black characters in heroic fiction, combined with a love of African culture, history and mythology, inspired Sauders to create the “Imaro” character and stories. Several issues featured these stories, and issue 18 was the “All Imaro Issue”.

The story “Moon Over the Xingu” by George Diezel II is considered to be a part of the Cthulhu Mythos.

The Gene Day Award for Self-Publishers is an annual award in Day’s honour given to Canadian self publishing comic book creators.

Contents

• 2 • A Pillow of Wind • poem by Gale Jack
• 2 •  A Pillow of Wind • interior artwork by Tony Salmons
• 3 •  Dark Fantasy, September 1976 • interior artwork by Jim McLeod
• 4 • Shadows • short story by Wayne Hooks
• 5 •  Shadows • interior artwork by Gene Day
• 14 • Perchance to Dream • [Tomaz] • short story by Gordon Derevanchuk [as by Gordon Derry]
• 15 •  Perchance to Dream • interior artwork by Tim Hammell
• 24 • Pandora’s Window • poem by Neal Wilgus
• 25 • Dark Verse (Dark Fantasy, September 1976) • essay by uncredited
• 25 • Armageddon • poem by James Salituri
• 25 •  Dark Fantasy, September 1976 • interior artwork by Roy G. Krenkel
• 26 • Ganymede • poem by J. Patrick Sullivan
• 27 •  Ganymede • interior artwork by Gene Day
• 28 • The Dreamer • poem by William A. Conder [as by William Conder]
• 29 •  The Dreamer • interior artwork by Greg Vander Leun
• 30 • The Road to Yesterday • (1976) • poem by Robert E. Howard
• 31 •  The Road to Yesterday • interior artwork by Gene Day
• 32 • The Tower • short story by David Madison
• 32 •  The Tower • interior artwork by David Mowry [as by Dave Mowry]
• 40 •  Dark Fantasy, September 1976 [2] • interior artwork by Gene Day

Notes

Volume 3, number 9. Whole number 9. Saddle stapled, wraps. Page numbers include covers. Published in Gananoque, Ontario, Canada. “Dark Verse” is a fantasy poetry section.