Fanzines and Lehigh: Frank Lunney

Frank (Francis G.) Lunney (1952-2020)

Frank Lunney was born and raised in Quakertown, PA, and was a 1974 graduate of Lehigh University. He rose to early prominence in the world of science fiction fandom with his self-published zine BeABohema (the journal of Bohema fandom), which was nominated in 1970 for a Best Fanzine Hugo Award while he was a student at Lehigh. Contributors to BeABohema included the author Dean Koontz, and the future KISS frontman, Gene Simmons (a.k.a. Gene Klein).

Following his success with BeABohema, Lunney self-published a second fanzine under the title of Syndrome. Within the culture of fandom, these publications have made Frank Lunney well known, with nicknames Lunneyzine and Lunney Tune. By the time of his graduation from Lehigh in 1974, Frank was active in science fiction fandom and remained so for the rest of his life. With his passing in 2021, his collection of fanzines and related materials was donated to the Lehigh Libraries Special Collections. Frank Lunney died on February 28, 2020, in Quakertown, PA.