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Catalyst, issue 1, January 1943

Page 10

PROMAGS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS -- ALOGO

Two years ago, stfans were rejoicing that professional science-fiction magazines had hit a new high. Twenty-two fantasy, stf or weird magazines were gracing the newsstands. it seemed as if the golden age of stfandom had at last arrived.

The twenty-two magazines were, in order: AMAZING STORIES, ASTOUNDING, CAPTAIN FUTURE, COMET, COSMIC STORIES, FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES, FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, FANTASTIC NOVELS, FUTURE FICTION, MARVEL, PLANET STORIES, SCIENCE FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY, STARTLING, STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES, STRANGE STORIES, SUPER SCIENCE NOVELS, THRILLING WONDER STORIES, UNCANNY, UNKNOWN, and WEIRD TALES.

STRANGE STORIES was already on its way out -- had hit its last issue, in fact. UNCANNY had made its only appearance, and MARVEL was staggering badly. FANTASTIC NOVELS was shortly to recombine with FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES.

COMET, always promising super stories and features that never appeared, was to flop after five issues, leaving a bad impression over the Denvention award that was never awarded. COSMIC STORIES and STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES were to see three issues each and then fade away, save for a brief comic-book-like apparence of STIRRING in early 1942. And SCIENCE FICTION was soon to combine with FUTURE FICTION.

A review of the influence of the past two years on the remaining fourteen magazines might not be out of place. AMAZING STORIES and FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, most juvenile of the whole group, raised their prices slightly and their page count almost double -- thus making nearly twice as much trash to struggle through in search of the occasional good story that accidentally finds its way into Palmer's pages. ASTONISHING, after skiping several issues, managed to find its way into a reasonably steady if unsensational publishing groove. SUPER SCIENCE dropped the NOVELS from its name to resume the STORIES, and then was forced into quarterly publication.

ASTOUNDING and UNKNOWN, the Campbell twins, both upped their prices and went large size -- ASTOUNDING at a very awkward time for collectors. Both magazines suffer from an overdose of Campbell, but otherwise are struggling along as the was takes one after another of S & S's standby authors and their artists. FUTURE FICTION has apparently made valient attempts to improve its quality, while SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY continues its irregular appearance.

THRILLING WONDER has also suffered because of the war, although maintain the steady publication. CAPTAIN FUTURE and STARTLING STORIES seem to have suffered less, possibly because of their specialization. WEIRD TALES plods along an uninspiring course. FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES wavered several times in various ways, and has now changed hands. While PLANET STORIES, with its quarterly appearance and gradual development, has yet to miss an issue.

Just how many will be left at the end of another two years is a subject for conjecture.

Saving...

PROMAGS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS -- ALOGO Two years ago, stfans were rejoicing that professional science-fiction magazines had hit a new high. Twenty-two fantasy, stf or weird magazines were gracing the newsstands. it seemed as if the golden age of stfandom had at last arrived. The twenty-two magazines were, in order: AMAZING STORIES, ASTOUNDING, CAPTAIN FUTURE, COMET, COSMIC STORIES, FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES, FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, FANTASTIC NOVELS, FUTURE FICTION, MARVEL, PLANET STORIES, SCIENCE FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY, STARTLING, STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES, STRANGE STORIES, SUPER SCIENCE NOVELS, THRILLING WONDER STORIES, UNCANNY, UNKNOWN, and WEIRD TALES. STRANGE STORIES was already on its way out -- had hit its last issue, in fact. UNCANNY had made its only appearance, and MARVEL was staggering badly. FANTASTIC NOVELS was shortly to recombine with FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES. COMET, always promising super stories and features that never appeared, was to flop after five issues, leaving a bad impression over the Denvention award that was never awarded. COSMIC STORIES and STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES were to see three issues each and then fade away, save for a brief comic-book-like apparence of STIRRING in early 1942. And SCIENCE FICTION was soon to combine with FUTURE FICTION. A review of the influence of the past two years on the remaining fourteen magazines might not be out of place. AMAZING STORIES and FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, most juvenile of the whole group, raised their prices slightly and their page count almost double -- thus making nearly twice as much trash to struggle through in search of the occasional good story that accidentally finds its way into Palmer's pages. ASTONISHING, after skiping several issues, managed to find its way into a reasonably steady if unsensational publishing groove. SUPER SCIENCE dropped the NOVELS from its name to resume the STORIES, and then was forced into quarterly publication. ASTOUNDING and UNKNOWN, the Campbell twins, both upped their prices and went large size -- ASTOUNDING at a very awkward time for collectors. Both magazines suffer from an overdose of Campbell, but otherwise are struggling along as the was takes one after another of S & S's standby authors and their artists. FUTURE FICTION has apparently made valient attempts to improve its quality, while SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY continues its irregular appearance. THRILLING WONDER has also suffered because of the war, although maintain the steady publication. CAPTAIN FUTURE and STARTLING STORIES seem to have suffered less, possibly because of their specialization. WEIRD TALES plods along an uninspiring course. FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES wavered several times in various ways, and has now changed hands. While PLANET STORIES, with its quarterly appearance and gradual development, has yet to miss an issue. Just how many will be left at the end of another two years is a subject for conjecture.