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Ad Astra, v. 1, issue 5, January 1940
Page 4
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MID-WEST Fan News Page4. DELVING INTO [[underline]]ARGOSY[[end underline]] FOR SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY by Gerald W. Meader In writing this series of articles, I am endeavoring to acquaint the fan with Science Fiction and Fantasy as it is represented in Argosy. These articles will be written mainly for the fans, who know little or nothing of Argosy, and the splendid S-F and Fantasy published in the magazine. it is time they realize that they are missing some of the best stories of this type of fiction. Argosy was founded by the late Frank A. Munsey who was born in the small village of mercer, Maine on August 21, 1854; he passed away on the 22nd of December 1925. Two of his slogans I will quote hold as true today as they did in the days when he coined them: "Good writing is as common as clam-shells; good stories are as rare as statesmanship." and "Give them what they want to read, so long as it is clean and decent; not what you think they ought to read." Argosy was started as a weekly magazine, its first issue being dated December 9,1892. The change to monthly form was with the April 1894 issue, it continued to run as a monthly until t he October 1917 issue when it returned to weekly issues combining with the All-Story Magazine. Starting with the October 1896 issue Argosy became an all-fiction magazine, something new and unheard of, in-those days. Through the years various magazines have been combined with Argosy, each time emerging a better magazine. The latest magazine to be combined with Argosy was the All-American Fiction Magazine , which was published by the frank A. Munsey Co.,and which ran eight issues before the combination, which went into effect with the September 24,1938 issue of Argosy. Argosy is one of the oldest, if not the oldest fiction magazines in existence today. This should be a record of some significance. The 1000th issue of Argosy was dated March 6, 1920; it has been issued as a weekly for nineteen years since this date, so figure it for yourself how many issues in all there have been, since its beginning way back in 1882. 1938: Argosy started off in 1938 in grand style with a six part serial by Edgar Rice Burroughs; this being the third story of his Venus series following the adventures of Carson Napier, in the story entitled "Carson of Venus" starting in the January 8th issue. This is the best story of the series, and as regular Burroughs , leaves the reader feeling that, there will be more to come later. In the March 19th issue,Burroughs is again represented; this time with a six part serial, "The Red Star of Tarzan". It is one of the better Tarzan stories, having a very good plot, good characterization. Makes very enjoyable reading. For those who enjoy humor, and I mean real humor, don't miss reading "Featherfingers" by Richard Wormser, in the Jan. 15th issue. A novelette about a small and timid sneak-thief who drank a bottle of a dubious concoction; then the fun starts. His superhuman strength will amaze and amuse you. Eric North has created an interesting letter-writing character, by name, Joe Murgle, an eighteen year old English boy who writes to his mother describing his duties and adventures with a scientist who is trying to get life out of stardust. A slightly above average Fantasy story entitled "Three Against the Stars", which began in the July 2nd issue as a five-part serial. Richard Sale has a series of unusual detective stories which fa-
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MID-WEST Fan News Page4. DELVING INTO [[underline]]ARGOSY[[end underline]] FOR SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY by Gerald W. Meader In writing this series of articles, I am endeavoring to acquaint the fan with Science Fiction and Fantasy as it is represented in Argosy. These articles will be written mainly for the fans, who know little or nothing of Argosy, and the splendid S-F and Fantasy published in the magazine. it is time they realize that they are missing some of the best stories of this type of fiction. Argosy was founded by the late Frank A. Munsey who was born in the small village of mercer, Maine on August 21, 1854; he passed away on the 22nd of December 1925. Two of his slogans I will quote hold as true today as they did in the days when he coined them: "Good writing is as common as clam-shells; good stories are as rare as statesmanship." and "Give them what they want to read, so long as it is clean and decent; not what you think they ought to read." Argosy was started as a weekly magazine, its first issue being dated December 9,1892. The change to monthly form was with the April 1894 issue, it continued to run as a monthly until t he October 1917 issue when it returned to weekly issues combining with the All-Story Magazine. Starting with the October 1896 issue Argosy became an all-fiction magazine, something new and unheard of, in-those days. Through the years various magazines have been combined with Argosy, each time emerging a better magazine. The latest magazine to be combined with Argosy was the All-American Fiction Magazine , which was published by the frank A. Munsey Co.,and which ran eight issues before the combination, which went into effect with the September 24,1938 issue of Argosy. Argosy is one of the oldest, if not the oldest fiction magazines in existence today. This should be a record of some significance. The 1000th issue of Argosy was dated March 6, 1920; it has been issued as a weekly for nineteen years since this date, so figure it for yourself how many issues in all there have been, since its beginning way back in 1882. 1938: Argosy started off in 1938 in grand style with a six part serial by Edgar Rice Burroughs; this being the third story of his Venus series following the adventures of Carson Napier, in the story entitled "Carson of Venus" starting in the January 8th issue. This is the best story of the series, and as regular Burroughs , leaves the reader feeling that, there will be more to come later. In the March 19th issue,Burroughs is again represented; this time with a six part serial, "The Red Star of Tarzan". It is one of the better Tarzan stories, having a very good plot, good characterization. Makes very enjoyable reading. For those who enjoy humor, and I mean real humor, don't miss reading "Featherfingers" by Richard Wormser, in the Jan. 15th issue. A novelette about a small and timid sneak-thief who drank a bottle of a dubious concoction; then the fun starts. His superhuman strength will amaze and amuse you. Eric North has created an interesting letter-writing character, by name, Joe Murgle, an eighteen year old English boy who writes to his mother describing his duties and adventures with a scientist who is trying to get life out of stardust. A slightly above average Fantasy story entitled "Three Against the Stars", which began in the July 2nd issue as a five-part serial. Richard Sale has a series of unusual detective stories which fa-
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