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Fantascience Digest, v. 2, issue 5, July-September, 1939

Page 25

Page 25         FANTASCIENCE DIGEST

IT'S ASTOUNDING

By HARRY WARNER, JR.

First, let it be known that I am not going to tackle the Clayton ASTOUNDING now. I don't feel quite able, for one thing, since I don't have files of it. But while I could probably manage, it would take up too much space. And anyhow, all the information you need on it is to be found in Dale Hart's "WHO'S WHO IN THE CLAYTON ASTOUNDING" in FD recently, and Moskowitz' article in a previous FANTASY DIGEST.

We'll begin in the latter part of 1933. The old ASTOUNDING had gone for some time--the first stf. magazine, by the way, ever to fail. Then Street & Smith, at that time (stop me if I'm wrong) owners of about the only large string of pulps, brought it to lie again. With F. Orlin Tremaine as editor, 144 pages, and the darkest type fantasy had ever known, it wavered uncertainly for a few months between good and bad, weird and stf., and then suddenly struck off on the most amazing editorial policy before orsince.

It was science, science, and science. I should say that the first strong indication was in the "thought-variant" (sicken you?) "ANCESTRAL VOICES", featuring Mrs. Murphy and her famous children and baked beans. Then, with the first issue of 1934, came "COLOSSUS", another "thought-variant", and the rush was on.

It was, too, a curious paradox. AMAZING STORIES, at the time, was a staid, dignified publication, pursuing its unchanging course with never a bit of excitement since they changed to small size format in the midst of 1933--later events have showed this to be the last change of any importance in five years. And WONDER STORIES, with a brand new managing editor, so young he was attending high school at odd moments in an effort to be graduated, was taking on a few freshness--soon to inaugurate its "New idea" policy.

But the paradox? Simply that the most sensationally inclined--at the time--of the fantasy magazines printed the most indigestable, to the vast public, stories pulp fiction had ever used. Stories in which universes were scattered about like Autumn leaves, yarns that didn't think anything of knocking off ten or fifteen new dimensions in the batting of an eyelash.

Just remember, if you will, a few of the plots of that time--of the best stories, mind you. An earth-man bursts through to a super-universe. The earth loses its memory. Brains of light consider gravely whether to wipe out the galaxy. The Solar System is created artificially. And greatest of all, "SKYLARK OF VALERON" and "THE MIGHTIEST MACHINE". True, there had been plots every bit as breathtaking before--and greatly resembling these at times. But never with such

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Page 25 FANTASCIENCE DIGEST IT'S ASTOUNDING By HARRY WARNER, JR. First, let it be known that I am not going to tackle the Clayton ASTOUNDING now. I don't feel quite able, for one thing, since I don't have files of it. But while I could probably manage, it would take up too much space. And anyhow, all the information you need on it is to be found in Dale Hart's "WHO'S WHO IN THE CLAYTON ASTOUNDING" in FD recently, and Moskowitz' article in a previous FANTASY DIGEST. We'll begin in the latter part of 1933. The old ASTOUNDING had gone for some time--the first stf. magazine, by the way, ever to fail. Then Street & Smith, at that time (stop me if I'm wrong) owners of about the only large string of pulps, brought it to lie again. With F. Orlin Tremaine as editor, 144 pages, and the darkest type fantasy had ever known, it wavered uncertainly for a few months between good and bad, weird and stf., and then suddenly struck off on the most amazing editorial policy before orsince. It was science, science, and science. I should say that the first strong indication was in the "thought-variant" (sicken you?) "ANCESTRAL VOICES", featuring Mrs. Murphy and her famous children and baked beans. Then, with the first issue of 1934, came "COLOSSUS", another "thought-variant", and the rush was on. It was, too, a curious paradox. AMAZING STORIES, at the time, was a staid, dignified publication, pursuing its unchanging course with never a bit of excitement since they changed to small size format in the midst of 1933--later events have showed this to be the last change of any importance in five years. And WONDER STORIES, with a brand new managing editor, so young he was attending high school at odd moments in an effort to be graduated, was taking on a few freshness--soon to inaugurate its "New idea" policy. But the paradox? Simply that the most sensationally inclined--at the time--of the fantasy magazines printed the most indigestable, to the vast public, stories pulp fiction had ever used. Stories in which universes were scattered about like Autumn leaves, yarns that didn't think anything of knocking off ten or fifteen new dimensions in the batting of an eyelash. Just remember, if you will, a few of the plots of that time--of the best stories, mind you. An earth-man bursts through to a super-universe. The earth loses its memory. Brains of light consider gravely whether to wipe out the galaxy. The Solar System is created artificially. And greatest of all, "SKYLARK OF VALERON" and "THE MIGHTIEST MACHINE". True, there had been plots every bit as breathtaking before--and greatly resembling these at times. But never with such