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Chanticleer
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"Fear", "Math of Magic", "They", & "The Upper Berth". SCIENCE FICTION STORY: I suppose a pulp story is indicated here. "Final Blackout" is the choice & again sympathy with the leading character is the main reason. FB is a "special" story in one way, & in another it is not. It did not depend entirely on the Lieutenant, or its other unique features. It had everything a "best" story is supposed to have. Good writing, characterization, ideas, action by the galore, & a strong plot. & some well-handled sentiment for good measure. "Methuselah's Children", "Universe-Common Sense", "6th Column" & nearly all of Campbell-Stuart's & Heinlein's works rate high with me too. PRO-MAG: As of this date, I'm not very qualified to speak in this department, but from the few stories I've managed to read lately, & a study of the various pros & cons opined by "people who should know" "Astounding Science-Fiction" seems to be maintaining its pre-eminent position in my regard. PRO ARTIST: Ah! I could go on about this all nite, but it's only fair that I save something for the article I promosed to do for Rosco Wright. I absolutely refuse to pick one & only one this time, becoz it isn't fair to discriminate between one whose forte is color, & another who excells in black-&-white. If I had to, tho, I'd grudgingly award the palm to Rogers, since he's pretty good at interiors also. I say "grudgingly" becoz I have such an admiration for Schneeman-& his work. He has done mediorce, & even poor work, but at his best he really deserves that favorite Gernsbackian adjective, "inimitable". There seems to be three periods to Scheeman's work. His first was his best. When he broke in with the illustrations for "Reverse Universe", "Glagula", & others about that time, he was undoubtedly taking considerable care with his drawings in order to make a good impression & secure further work. Then, with his position assured, he tried to work faster, produce more, & thus make more money. His drawings became hurried & scratchy. Then he slowed up again (or else learned to be both fast & careful) & improved a lot. Some of this later stuff matches, or betters his first period. I particularly recall the scene showing the Rull facing the Ezwal. ((doubletalk)). All the dramatic & dynamic tension which Van Vogt's powerful writing packs into the scene is captured in that drawing. It leaped-leaped from the page & held me. I must've looked at it for a full five minutes before continuing with the story (& it was not a dull story by any means!) & I didn't need to be told what were the salient features of the Rull. 'Twas truly a case where a picture was worth 10,000 words..........
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"Fear", "Math of Magic", "They", & "The Upper Berth". SCIENCE FICTION STORY: I suppose a pulp story is indicated here. "Final Blackout" is the choice & again sympathy with the leading character is the main reason. FB is a "special" story in one way, & in another it is not. It did not depend entirely on the Lieutenant, or its other unique features. It had everything a "best" story is supposed to have. Good writing, characterization, ideas, action by the galore, & a strong plot. & some well-handled sentiment for good measure. "Methuselah's Children", "Universe-Common Sense", "6th Column" & nearly all of Campbell-Stuart's & Heinlein's works rate high with me too. PRO-MAG: As of this date, I'm not very qualified to speak in this department, but from the few stories I've managed to read lately, & a study of the various pros & cons opined by "people who should know" "Astounding Science-Fiction" seems to be maintaining its pre-eminent position in my regard. PRO ARTIST: Ah! I could go on about this all nite, but it's only fair that I save something for the article I promosed to do for Rosco Wright. I absolutely refuse to pick one & only one this time, becoz it isn't fair to discriminate between one whose forte is color, & another who excells in black-&-white. If I had to, tho, I'd grudgingly award the palm to Rogers, since he's pretty good at interiors also. I say "grudgingly" becoz I have such an admiration for Schneeman-& his work. He has done mediorce, & even poor work, but at his best he really deserves that favorite Gernsbackian adjective, "inimitable". There seems to be three periods to Scheeman's work. His first was his best. When he broke in with the illustrations for "Reverse Universe", "Glagula", & others about that time, he was undoubtedly taking considerable care with his drawings in order to make a good impression & secure further work. Then, with his position assured, he tried to work faster, produce more, & thus make more money. His drawings became hurried & scratchy. Then he slowed up again (or else learned to be both fast & careful) & improved a lot. Some of this later stuff matches, or betters his first period. I particularly recall the scene showing the Rull facing the Ezwal. ((doubletalk)). All the dramatic & dynamic tension which Van Vogt's powerful writing packs into the scene is captured in that drawing. It leaped-leaped from the page & held me. I must've looked at it for a full five minutes before continuing with the story (& it was not a dull story by any means!) & I didn't need to be told what were the salient features of the Rull. 'Twas truly a case where a picture was worth 10,000 words..........
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