Transcribe
Translate
Wavelength, v. 1, issue 2, Summer 1941
Page 9
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
WAVELENGTH Science Fiction Conscience /////////////////////// My Pet Peeve In Science Fiction : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : by Gerry De La Ree, Jr. ---- I guess the person in science fiction that peeves me most is Raymond A. Palmer, editor of "Amazing Stories" and "Fantastic Adventures". My reasons are numerous. First, there is his policy: When "Fantastic Adventures" was started, he said it was the magazine the readers had asked for, large pages, large print, etc. Well, what happened? Simply this: The cost of the magazine evidently became too great, so it was reduced to Amazing's size, with the loss of the back cover, its only redeeming feature except for its large size. Mr. Palmer's reason was the same as always, that was what the reader wanted. Yes, we know. It isn't what the readers wanted, it's what he had to do. He could at least admit what was up. a few months back, "Fantastic Adventures" was "suspended, the fans knew it, but most of the readers didn't. It wasn't mentioned in "Amazing Stories". I know it for a fact that the two reasons that "Fantastic Adventures" was suspended was the pitiful failure of Ziff-Davis's slick, "Popular Pets", now called, "Pets", coupled with the readers dislike of "Jongor of Lost Land", one of the worst stories ever printed by Mr. Palmer, who has printed some pretty awful ones in his time. Did Mr. Palmer say that these two things were the reasons for "Fantastic Adventures" missing an issue? I'll say he did - not. In fact, he didn't really say anything. He just hinted that it was that Binder didn't get his story in for the deadline, and that it was their intention to date the magazine starting with January rather than with February. He also intimated that Ross Rocklynne's needed re-writing of his story, forced the magazine to be delayed a few days. All that I can say is that Mr. Palmer has some nerve trying to blame his own faults on two of his authors. And then ever since the first Ziff-Davis "Amazing Stories" was printed two years ago, Palmer has been giving one, A. R. Steber, a big build-up ever so often in his editorial. I even suspect "dummy' letters in the reader's department. At first the reason for this plugging was not known, then someone got wind that Steber might after all be Palmer. To prove this rumor false, a biography, purporting to be that of A. R. Steber, made its appearance in "Amazing". At the same time, his story, "Black World" was printed. I read it, and didn't think it was bad. And then I happened to get a-hold of the issue of "Astounding" in which Weinbaum's "Red Peri" was printed. At once I began to think that this Steber wasn't such a glory-boy after all. Soon after, proof began to mount up that Steber was Palmer and then Palmer had to admit the fact - to fans only. Alas and alack, his poor suffering readers still don't know this fact. You see they have never been told. Other vices of Glory-Boy ( Palmer ) are these: His habit of suppressing brick-bats in his "Discussions" column and his utter inconsideration for his readers. This latter fact was proven when the "Amazing Quarterly", a money-making scheme, was published. The yarns weren't reprints. Worse than that, they were just sections stolen from "Amazings" that hadn't sold well. The final irony: The first story in the issue was ( you guessed it! ) "Black World" by Steber.
Saving...
prev
next
WAVELENGTH Science Fiction Conscience /////////////////////// My Pet Peeve In Science Fiction : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : by Gerry De La Ree, Jr. ---- I guess the person in science fiction that peeves me most is Raymond A. Palmer, editor of "Amazing Stories" and "Fantastic Adventures". My reasons are numerous. First, there is his policy: When "Fantastic Adventures" was started, he said it was the magazine the readers had asked for, large pages, large print, etc. Well, what happened? Simply this: The cost of the magazine evidently became too great, so it was reduced to Amazing's size, with the loss of the back cover, its only redeeming feature except for its large size. Mr. Palmer's reason was the same as always, that was what the reader wanted. Yes, we know. It isn't what the readers wanted, it's what he had to do. He could at least admit what was up. a few months back, "Fantastic Adventures" was "suspended, the fans knew it, but most of the readers didn't. It wasn't mentioned in "Amazing Stories". I know it for a fact that the two reasons that "Fantastic Adventures" was suspended was the pitiful failure of Ziff-Davis's slick, "Popular Pets", now called, "Pets", coupled with the readers dislike of "Jongor of Lost Land", one of the worst stories ever printed by Mr. Palmer, who has printed some pretty awful ones in his time. Did Mr. Palmer say that these two things were the reasons for "Fantastic Adventures" missing an issue? I'll say he did - not. In fact, he didn't really say anything. He just hinted that it was that Binder didn't get his story in for the deadline, and that it was their intention to date the magazine starting with January rather than with February. He also intimated that Ross Rocklynne's needed re-writing of his story, forced the magazine to be delayed a few days. All that I can say is that Mr. Palmer has some nerve trying to blame his own faults on two of his authors. And then ever since the first Ziff-Davis "Amazing Stories" was printed two years ago, Palmer has been giving one, A. R. Steber, a big build-up ever so often in his editorial. I even suspect "dummy' letters in the reader's department. At first the reason for this plugging was not known, then someone got wind that Steber might after all be Palmer. To prove this rumor false, a biography, purporting to be that of A. R. Steber, made its appearance in "Amazing". At the same time, his story, "Black World" was printed. I read it, and didn't think it was bad. And then I happened to get a-hold of the issue of "Astounding" in which Weinbaum's "Red Peri" was printed. At once I began to think that this Steber wasn't such a glory-boy after all. Soon after, proof began to mount up that Steber was Palmer and then Palmer had to admit the fact - to fans only. Alas and alack, his poor suffering readers still don't know this fact. You see they have never been told. Other vices of Glory-Boy ( Palmer ) are these: His habit of suppressing brick-bats in his "Discussions" column and his utter inconsideration for his readers. This latter fact was proven when the "Amazing Quarterly", a money-making scheme, was published. The yarns weren't reprints. Worse than that, they were just sections stolen from "Amazings" that hadn't sold well. The final irony: The first story in the issue was ( you guessed it! ) "Black World" by Steber.
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
