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Spaceways, v. 4, issue 6, whole no. 29, 1942

Page 7

SPACEWAYS

THE CANADIAN STF. AND FANTASY SCENE
by
LESLIE A. croutch

In reply to a suggestion of Warner's that I write some authoritative facts on science fiction in Canada from the professional viewpoint, I am writing this for Spaceways.
We'll take things chronologically, from November, 1940, when there appeared on Canadian newsstands a small Reader's Digest-sized magazine called Uncanny Tales. It was published by Adam Publishing Co., Suite 403 at 455 Spadina Avenue, Toronto. It contained sixty-four pages and sold for 15c a copy. Thomas P. Kelley, the author, was editor and guiding hand for some time. The main offering to start things off was a reprint of Kelley's "Last Pharoah" which went under the name "The Talking Heads", and which ran for four issues.  In May of 1941, UT went large format, size 10 1-2 x 7 1-4". Same price as before. This was the fourth number the others being dated November, December, January (the last mis-dated Jan., 1940) and then skipping to May. In the main UT has been printing material which has originally appeared in various of the cheaper grades of American stf. prozines. About the time UT went large format, or what you would term iddling size, Kelley and Valontine, the other man behind UT, fell out. Kelley's stuff still appears from time to time but he no longer guides the destinies of the publication. At present M. R. Colby is editor of Uncanny, and the present address: 28 Wellington St., West, Toronoto, Ontario.
A few months after Kelley broke with UT, he fostered a second magazine which looked good, promised much, but which lasted exactly one issue and then died. This was Eerie Tales, not to be confused with the short-lived U. S. magazine of the same title. It was published by the C. K. Publishing Co., at 184 Adelaide St., West, Toronto. It was same size s UT is now, sold at 15c a copy, and had all original material in it. It was a gallant attempt and would have lasted and grown, I believe. There is quite a bit of mystery as to what happened to it. There are several tales. Kelley himself told me it sold well and made money, but that he just didn't have the time to give it and so had to give it up. Another story from another man who publishes several magazines is that it was a dismal flop. The one and only number was dated July, 1941.
Then, dated October, 1941, appeared a giant in the old format of Amazing under Gernsback. It was a nicely got-up publication selling for 25c a copy and published by Superior Magazines, 104 Sherbourne St., Toronto. This was called Science Fiction. On the contents page it sported the masthead of the old American Science Fiction. When Lowndes was asked about it, he didn't explain this—but did say it was reprinting material from Science Fiction and Future Fiction. This magazine went strongly until recently when it skipped two months and the June number, now on the stands, I understand is definitely its last.
In January, 1942, Popular Publications of Canada, which had been reprinting their various western, detective and love magazines over here, started giving us a Canadian edition of Astonishing. It is illustrated by Canadian artists, has a Canadian cover, and uses fiction from Astonishing and Super Science. It is small format and sells at 10c a copy. So far there have been three numbers—January, March, and May, 1942.
American News woke up and decided to get in the swim. Out came a Canadian edition of Weird Tales. Containing 128 pages, small format, 20c a copy, and illustrated by Canadians, it is the best offer of the lot. The cover for "The Shadow over Innsmouth" is better than anything that has appeared on the American WT for many months. The first number was dated May, 1942. It reprinted vol. 35, no. 3, of the American WT.
That is all that is definite from this side of the line. However, rumors in the city have it that Street & Smith will start printing in a big way here this summer and we are waiting to see if perhaps they will give us a Canadian edition of Unknown Worlds and Astounding. This is all to the good. There has

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SPACEWAYS THE CANADIAN STF. AND FANTASY SCENE by LESLIE A. croutch In reply to a suggestion of Warner's that I write some authoritative facts on science fiction in Canada from the professional viewpoint, I am writing this for Spaceways. We'll take things chronologically, from November, 1940, when there appeared on Canadian newsstands a small Reader's Digest-sized magazine called Uncanny Tales. It was published by Adam Publishing Co., Suite 403 at 455 Spadina Avenue, Toronto. It contained sixty-four pages and sold for 15c a copy. Thomas P. Kelley, the author, was editor and guiding hand for some time. The main offering to start things off was a reprint of Kelley's "Last Pharoah" which went under the name "The Talking Heads", and which ran for four issues. In May of 1941, UT went large format, size 10 1-2 x 7 1-4". Same price as before. This was the fourth number the others being dated November, December, January (the last mis-dated Jan., 1940) and then skipping to May. In the main UT has been printing material which has originally appeared in various of the cheaper grades of American stf. prozines. About the time UT went large format, or what you would term iddling size, Kelley and Valontine, the other man behind UT, fell out. Kelley's stuff still appears from time to time but he no longer guides the destinies of the publication. At present M. R. Colby is editor of Uncanny, and the present address: 28 Wellington St., West, Toronoto, Ontario. A few months after Kelley broke with UT, he fostered a second magazine which looked good, promised much, but which lasted exactly one issue and then died. This was Eerie Tales, not to be confused with the short-lived U. S. magazine of the same title. It was published by the C. K. Publishing Co., at 184 Adelaide St., West, Toronto. It was same size s UT is now, sold at 15c a copy, and had all original material in it. It was a gallant attempt and would have lasted and grown, I believe. There is quite a bit of mystery as to what happened to it. There are several tales. Kelley himself told me it sold well and made money, but that he just didn't have the time to give it and so had to give it up. Another story from another man who publishes several magazines is that it was a dismal flop. The one and only number was dated July, 1941. Then, dated October, 1941, appeared a giant in the old format of Amazing under Gernsback. It was a nicely got-up publication selling for 25c a copy and published by Superior Magazines, 104 Sherbourne St., Toronto. This was called Science Fiction. On the contents page it sported the masthead of the old American Science Fiction. When Lowndes was asked about it, he didn't explain this—but did say it was reprinting material from Science Fiction and Future Fiction. This magazine went strongly until recently when it skipped two months and the June number, now on the stands, I understand is definitely its last. In January, 1942, Popular Publications of Canada, which had been reprinting their various western, detective and love magazines over here, started giving us a Canadian edition of Astonishing. It is illustrated by Canadian artists, has a Canadian cover, and uses fiction from Astonishing and Super Science. It is small format and sells at 10c a copy. So far there have been three numbers—January, March, and May, 1942. American News woke up and decided to get in the swim. Out came a Canadian edition of Weird Tales. Containing 128 pages, small format, 20c a copy, and illustrated by Canadians, it is the best offer of the lot. The cover for "The Shadow over Innsmouth" is better than anything that has appeared on the American WT for many months. The first number was dated May, 1942. It reprinted vol. 35, no. 3, of the American WT. That is all that is definite from this side of the line. However, rumors in the city have it that Street & Smith will start printing in a big way here this summer and we are waiting to see if perhaps they will give us a Canadian edition of Unknown Worlds and Astounding. This is all to the good. There has