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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 5, Winter 1944-1945
Page 89
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 89 Amazing Stories, "the Aristocrat of Science-Fiction," was more dull than aristocratic in 1935. The magazine had been on a steady downgrade for some six years, and was gradually sinking to the inevitable nadir. The stories---fair to poor, and nearly always a trifle outdated; this latter characteristic was mainly due to the long space of time that elapsed between their composition and publication. In a vain effort to stem Astounding's popularity, Campbell's "Contest of the Planets" had been rushed into the January issue as competition to Astounding's "Mightiest Machine"; this helped some, but not enough. The other serial, which concluded in this number, was Robert Page Preston's tale of Venus, "Land of Twilight." It was rather tame. So also were Nathanson's "World Aflame," wherein atomic energy was once more released, and another of Skidmore's Posi and Nega stories. Someone called Philip Dennis Chamberlain contributed "The Tale of an Atom," and there was a rather over-done parody on Poe's "Raven" called "The Radio" by Dix Van Dyke. Dr. Sloane's editorial on the atmosphere was about the best thing in the magazine. The cover of the February number was acceptable---in itself a surprising fact, since it was executed by Leo Morey. Morey did the interior illustrations, too, with a consequent disastrous effect on Amazing's art standard. Harl Vincent, Fletcher Pratt, Joseph Skidmore and David H. Keller were among the contributers here; of the short stories only Keller's could be rated even fair. In the intervening past month Campbell's serial novel had undergone a change of title, now bearing the label "Conquest of the Planets." It was not an outstanding serial, but it was better than the rest of the fiction. There was a poem in this issue, too---Bob Olsen's "Who Deserves Credit?"; whoever did, it was not Olsen. C. A. Brandt's book review column was in evidence once more. This time James Churchward's Cosmic Forces of Mu got a mild panning; Brandt---typically enough---waxed rhapsodic over the latest book of Tarzan's adventures; and for once showed more than his usual amount of critical perception by praising Merritt's latest novel, Creep, Shadow! With the March number, Campbell's serial had its title changed once more, but this time the alteration was a minor one, so if the current installment had not been the last, one would be tempted to venture the opinion that the change was probably final. Henry J. Kostkos' "Earth Rehabilitators, Consolidated" commenced; it was a better serial than its clumsy title would suggest. The remainder of the stories was poor, with the possible exception of Neil R. Jones' "Zora of the Zoromes," another in the Professor Jameson series. T. O'Conor Sloane had written a passably interesting editorial on space-travelling, and the usual science questionnaire was also on tap. "Discussions" featured eight pages of letters from readers which had editorial titling and postcripted comments. The The first missive in the department was from Miss Ethel M. C. Poppe, and bore the Sloane title "A Most Delightful and Characteristic Letters from a Correspondent of the Female Order"... In Weird Tales there were also occasional science-fiction tales, if the reader wanted to look for them. They usually carried a strong slant of mystery, the supernatural or out-and-out horror, as Bassett Morgan's "Black Bagheela," in the January number. This story's theme was brain-transplantation, naturally; in a decade of writing for the magazine, Morgan seldom tried his hand at any other type. He knew his ground thoroughly because of this, but even a practiced hand could not extract much more interest out of the plot. Paul Ernst's serial, "Rulers of the Future," which began in the same issue was slightly better. The next month gave the reader---in addition to the serial's second installment---nothing but Frank Belknap Long's "Body Masters," another tale which, though rather enjoyable, could not by any means be labelled outstanding. In the March number a better choice of science-fiction was furnished. There was a Northwest Smith story by C. L. Moore---"Juhli"---in which the author kept to her usual acceptable
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 89 Amazing Stories, "the Aristocrat of Science-Fiction," was more dull than aristocratic in 1935. The magazine had been on a steady downgrade for some six years, and was gradually sinking to the inevitable nadir. The stories---fair to poor, and nearly always a trifle outdated; this latter characteristic was mainly due to the long space of time that elapsed between their composition and publication. In a vain effort to stem Astounding's popularity, Campbell's "Contest of the Planets" had been rushed into the January issue as competition to Astounding's "Mightiest Machine"; this helped some, but not enough. The other serial, which concluded in this number, was Robert Page Preston's tale of Venus, "Land of Twilight." It was rather tame. So also were Nathanson's "World Aflame," wherein atomic energy was once more released, and another of Skidmore's Posi and Nega stories. Someone called Philip Dennis Chamberlain contributed "The Tale of an Atom," and there was a rather over-done parody on Poe's "Raven" called "The Radio" by Dix Van Dyke. Dr. Sloane's editorial on the atmosphere was about the best thing in the magazine. The cover of the February number was acceptable---in itself a surprising fact, since it was executed by Leo Morey. Morey did the interior illustrations, too, with a consequent disastrous effect on Amazing's art standard. Harl Vincent, Fletcher Pratt, Joseph Skidmore and David H. Keller were among the contributers here; of the short stories only Keller's could be rated even fair. In the intervening past month Campbell's serial novel had undergone a change of title, now bearing the label "Conquest of the Planets." It was not an outstanding serial, but it was better than the rest of the fiction. There was a poem in this issue, too---Bob Olsen's "Who Deserves Credit?"; whoever did, it was not Olsen. C. A. Brandt's book review column was in evidence once more. This time James Churchward's Cosmic Forces of Mu got a mild panning; Brandt---typically enough---waxed rhapsodic over the latest book of Tarzan's adventures; and for once showed more than his usual amount of critical perception by praising Merritt's latest novel, Creep, Shadow! With the March number, Campbell's serial had its title changed once more, but this time the alteration was a minor one, so if the current installment had not been the last, one would be tempted to venture the opinion that the change was probably final. Henry J. Kostkos' "Earth Rehabilitators, Consolidated" commenced; it was a better serial than its clumsy title would suggest. The remainder of the stories was poor, with the possible exception of Neil R. Jones' "Zora of the Zoromes," another in the Professor Jameson series. T. O'Conor Sloane had written a passably interesting editorial on space-travelling, and the usual science questionnaire was also on tap. "Discussions" featured eight pages of letters from readers which had editorial titling and postcripted comments. The The first missive in the department was from Miss Ethel M. C. Poppe, and bore the Sloane title "A Most Delightful and Characteristic Letters from a Correspondent of the Female Order"... In Weird Tales there were also occasional science-fiction tales, if the reader wanted to look for them. They usually carried a strong slant of mystery, the supernatural or out-and-out horror, as Bassett Morgan's "Black Bagheela," in the January number. This story's theme was brain-transplantation, naturally; in a decade of writing for the magazine, Morgan seldom tried his hand at any other type. He knew his ground thoroughly because of this, but even a practiced hand could not extract much more interest out of the plot. Paul Ernst's serial, "Rulers of the Future," which began in the same issue was slightly better. The next month gave the reader---in addition to the serial's second installment---nothing but Frank Belknap Long's "Body Masters," another tale which, though rather enjoyable, could not by any means be labelled outstanding. In the March number a better choice of science-fiction was furnished. There was a Northwest Smith story by C. L. Moore---"Juhli"---in which the author kept to her usual acceptable
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