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New Fandom, v. 2, issue 1, April 1940

Page 8

but as a whole the magazine dulls the mind. Until recently. In the last six months (Jan. to June, 1939) it has improved wonderfully, and may soon get into the elite clique. The usual story is badly written, and the ending is obvious, the plots old and horribly worked out, yet an issue appears sometimes that surpasses the average of even the other magazines. One issue contained Kuttner's "Star Parade", Weinbaun's "Tidal Moon", and Garth's "Hands Across the Void", and the succeeding issue was right back to sub-mediocrity. Now it is improving again. What's the matter, Mort? Can't you give us a good story every issue? 
What Thrilling Wonder lacks, the new magazine "Startling Stories" has. Two magazines with the same editor, one in the highest rating. Startling, and the other in the lowest brackets. Startling specializes in great literature, or as close to it as the modern books can come, novels like Weinbaum's "Black Flame" and Hamilton's "Prisoner of Mars". The writing is forceful and the plots are well worked out. The short stories suffer by comparison to the loud stories. The departments are excellent. Wonder and Startling feature Kuttnor and Binder, and usually the boys come across with some good material. Wonde rhas some good departments but the poorest "science" articles imaginable.
The first issue of Startling Stories was dated Jan. 1939, and has already become a favorite! 
END OF PART ONE
VAN HOUTEN SAYS----- Watch for big things out of Petersons in the next few months! Now the least of those will be a new magazine, the details of which are still in a hazy state, but whose policy is the most clear-cut of any magazine that has every appeared.
Have you ever wondered just why you felt uncomfortable whenever "Frankenstein" was mentioned as a science-fiction classic? Have you ever figured out just why you object to the derisive "mad scientist" cry?
We have found the answer. "Frankenstein" tells the story of a scientist, an experimental biologist whose incredible scientific disvoery gets out of hands and destroys him. A warning, in plain English, that the further progress of science will turn the world into a nightmare!
When science-fiction becomes a medium for spreading ANTI-SCIENCE propaganda, such as put forth in "Frankenstein", it is time for somebody to do something.
Story after story we read werein a mang with a super-scientific machino enslaves the world, and an equally-super-courageous hero serves humanity with nothing but his bare hands and the love of a woman to support him. Outrage versus Science; Love vs Knowledge.
IS THIS THE DEPRESSION SCIENCE-FICTION IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE OF SCIENCE? We think not, and intend to fight tooth and nail against the further perversion of science-fiction. This issue is the most important in science-fiction today and cannot be safetly ignored anymore.
In a month or so, Peter Duncan, Max Bart, and I are going ot issue a "white paper" in which we are going to state our full policy. We will also ask for a statement of policy from eery fan, from mag and fan organization in existence. Please co-operate, FIGHT ANTI-SCIENCE!

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but as a whole the magazine dulls the mind. Until recently. In the last six months (Jan. to June, 1939) it has improved wonderfully, and may soon get into the elite clique. The usual story is badly written, and the ending is obvious, the plots old and horribly worked out, yet an issue appears sometimes that surpasses the average of even the other magazines. One issue contained Kuttner's "Star Parade", Weinbaun's "Tidal Moon", and Garth's "Hands Across the Void", and the succeeding issue was right back to sub-mediocrity. Now it is improving again. What's the matter, Mort? Can't you give us a good story every issue? What Thrilling Wonder lacks, the new magazine "Startling Stories" has. Two magazines with the same editor, one in the highest rating. Startling, and the other in the lowest brackets. Startling specializes in great literature, or as close to it as the modern books can come, novels like Weinbaum's "Black Flame" and Hamilton's "Prisoner of Mars". The writing is forceful and the plots are well worked out. The short stories suffer by comparison to the loud stories. The departments are excellent. Wonder and Startling feature Kuttnor and Binder, and usually the boys come across with some good material. Wonde rhas some good departments but the poorest "science" articles imaginable. The first issue of Startling Stories was dated Jan. 1939, and has already become a favorite! END OF PART ONE VAN HOUTEN SAYS----- Watch for big things out of Petersons in the next few months! Now the least of those will be a new magazine, the details of which are still in a hazy state, but whose policy is the most clear-cut of any magazine that has every appeared. Have you ever wondered just why you felt uncomfortable whenever "Frankenstein" was mentioned as a science-fiction classic? Have you ever figured out just why you object to the derisive "mad scientist" cry? We have found the answer. "Frankenstein" tells the story of a scientist, an experimental biologist whose incredible scientific disvoery gets out of hands and destroys him. A warning, in plain English, that the further progress of science will turn the world into a nightmare! When science-fiction becomes a medium for spreading ANTI-SCIENCE propaganda, such as put forth in "Frankenstein", it is time for somebody to do something. Story after story we read werein a mang with a super-scientific machino enslaves the world, and an equally-super-courageous hero serves humanity with nothing but his bare hands and the love of a woman to support him. Outrage versus Science; Love vs Knowledge. IS THIS THE DEPRESSION SCIENCE-FICTION IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE OF SCIENCE? We think not, and intend to fight tooth and nail against the further perversion of science-fiction. This issue is the most important in science-fiction today and cannot be safetly ignored anymore. In a month or so, Peter Duncan, Max Bart, and I are going ot issue a "white paper" in which we are going to state our full policy. We will also ask for a statement of policy from eery fan, from mag and fan organization in existence. Please co-operate, FIGHT ANTI-SCIENCE!