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Amazing Stories, Vol. 16, No. 3, March 1942
244 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2013
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7 people want to read
About the author
Raymond A. Palmer
377 books7 followersRaymond Arthur Palmer, also known as Raymond Alfred Palmer, and Ray Palmer.
He was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to publish and edit Fate Magazine, and eventually many other magazines and books through his own publishing houses, including Amherst Press and Palmer Publications. In addition to magazines such as Mystic, Search, and 'Flying Saucers," he published numerous spirtualist books, including Oahspe: A New Bible, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with Kenneth Arnold. Palmer was also a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy stories, many of which were published under pseudonyms.
According to Bruce Lanier Wright, "Palmer was hit by a truck at age seven and suffered a broken back." An unsuccessful operation on Palmer's spine stunted his growth (he stood about four feet tall), and left him with a hunchback.
Palmer found refuge in science fiction, which he read voraciously. He rose through the ranks of science fiction fandom and is credited, along with Walter Dennis, with editing the first fanzine, The Comet, in May, 1930.
Ziff-Davis acquired Amazing Stories in 1938. The publisher sacked then editor T. O'Conor Sloane and, on the recommendation of popular author Ralph Milne Farley, offered the editorship to Palmer. In 1939, Palmer began a companion magazine to Amazing Stories titled Fantastic Adventures, which lasted until 1953.
When Ziff-Davis moved its magazine production from Chicago to New York City in 1949, Palmer resigned and, with Curtis Fuller, another Ziff-Davis editor who did not want to leave the Midwest, founded Clark Publishing Co.
As an editor, Palmer tended to favour adventurous, fast-moving space opera-type stories. His tenure at Amazing Stories was notable for his purchase of Isaac Asimov's first professional story, "Marooned Off Vesta".
Palmer was also known for his support of the long running and controversial Shaver Mystery stories, a series of stories by Richard S. Shaver. Palmer's support of the truth of Shaver's stories (which maintained that the world is dominated by insane inhabitants of the hollow earth), was controversial in the science fiction community. It is unclear whether Palmer believed the Shaver stories to be true, or if he was just using the stories to sell magazines.
Palmer began his own science fiction publishing ventures while working for Ziff-Davis, eventually leaving the company to form his own publishing house, Clark Publishing Company, which was responsible for the titles Imagination and Other Worlds, among others. None of these magazines achieved the success of Amazing Stories during the Palmer years, but Palmer published Space World magazine until his death.
In 1948, Palmer and Curtis Fuller co-founded Fate, which covered divination methods, Fortean events, belief in the survival of personality after death, predictive dreams, accounts of ghosts, mental telepathy, archaeology, flying saucer sightings, cryptozoology, alternative medicine, warnings of death, and other paranormal topics, many contributed by readers.
Curtis Fuller and his wife Mary took full control of Fate in 1955, when Palmer sold his interest in the venture. The magazine has continued in publication under a series of editors and publishers to the present day.
Another paranormal magazine Palmer created along the line of Fate was Mystic magazine, which after about two years of publication became Search magazine.
In the 1970s, Palmer also published Ray Palmer's News Letter which was combined into another of his publications called Forum in March 1975.
In the first issue of Fate, Palmer published Kenneth Arnold's report of "flying discs." Arnold's sighting marked the beginning of the modern UFO era, and his story propelled the fledgling Fate to national recognition. Through Fate, Palmer was instrumental in popularizing belief in fl
He was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to publish and edit Fate Magazine, and eventually many other magazines and books through his own publishing houses, including Amherst Press and Palmer Publications. In addition to magazines such as Mystic, Search, and 'Flying Saucers," he published numerous spirtualist books, including Oahspe: A New Bible, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with Kenneth Arnold. Palmer was also a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy stories, many of which were published under pseudonyms.
According to Bruce Lanier Wright, "Palmer was hit by a truck at age seven and suffered a broken back." An unsuccessful operation on Palmer's spine stunted his growth (he stood about four feet tall), and left him with a hunchback.
Palmer found refuge in science fiction, which he read voraciously. He rose through the ranks of science fiction fandom and is credited, along with Walter Dennis, with editing the first fanzine, The Comet, in May, 1930.
Ziff-Davis acquired Amazing Stories in 1938. The publisher sacked then editor T. O'Conor Sloane and, on the recommendation of popular author Ralph Milne Farley, offered the editorship to Palmer. In 1939, Palmer began a companion magazine to Amazing Stories titled Fantastic Adventures, which lasted until 1953.
When Ziff-Davis moved its magazine production from Chicago to New York City in 1949, Palmer resigned and, with Curtis Fuller, another Ziff-Davis editor who did not want to leave the Midwest, founded Clark Publishing Co.
As an editor, Palmer tended to favour adventurous, fast-moving space opera-type stories. His tenure at Amazing Stories was notable for his purchase of Isaac Asimov's first professional story, "Marooned Off Vesta".
Palmer was also known for his support of the long running and controversial Shaver Mystery stories, a series of stories by Richard S. Shaver. Palmer's support of the truth of Shaver's stories (which maintained that the world is dominated by insane inhabitants of the hollow earth), was controversial in the science fiction community. It is unclear whether Palmer believed the Shaver stories to be true, or if he was just using the stories to sell magazines.
Palmer began his own science fiction publishing ventures while working for Ziff-Davis, eventually leaving the company to form his own publishing house, Clark Publishing Company, which was responsible for the titles Imagination and Other Worlds, among others. None of these magazines achieved the success of Amazing Stories during the Palmer years, but Palmer published Space World magazine until his death.
In 1948, Palmer and Curtis Fuller co-founded Fate, which covered divination methods, Fortean events, belief in the survival of personality after death, predictive dreams, accounts of ghosts, mental telepathy, archaeology, flying saucer sightings, cryptozoology, alternative medicine, warnings of death, and other paranormal topics, many contributed by readers.
Curtis Fuller and his wife Mary took full control of Fate in 1955, when Palmer sold his interest in the venture. The magazine has continued in publication under a series of editors and publishers to the present day.
Another paranormal magazine Palmer created along the line of Fate was Mystic magazine, which after about two years of publication became Search magazine.
In the 1970s, Palmer also published Ray Palmer's News Letter which was combined into another of his publications called Forum in March 1975.
In the first issue of Fate, Palmer published Kenneth Arnold's report of "flying discs." Arnold's sighting marked the beginning of the modern UFO era, and his story propelled the fledgling Fate to national recognition. Through Fate, Palmer was instrumental in popularizing belief in fl
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 21, 2019
I purchased this copy of Amazing stories because I’ve really wanted to own one for years now and I finally got the chance. This one carries the date, March 1942 and contains the following stories:
Reading an original pulp magazine is a unique experience. The pages seem delicate in my hands as if I’m holding a treasure and I’m sure some of that attitude rubs off on my appreciation of the stories. This one is from an era which represents the decline of the pulp era, however. During WW2, the costs of paper and other resources for the war effort made them harder to publish.
There is more here than just the stories. The editorials, advertisements, and reader mail offer a true picture of their times. Given that this was published very early in 1942, (the cover date is actually the “pull-by date” rather than the date of publication), just a few weeks after the events of Pearl Harbor, it is easy to see why the Japanese don’t come off in a good light between these covers. The main editorial is rife with bitterness at the surprise attack and does not pull any punches when it comes to using racially-charged descriptions when describing the Japanese empire, coating all with the same wide brush. But only one of the stories (The Planet of Love) actually uses a Japanese character in this way.
This issue attracted me mainly for two authors. Turns out I had read the Edgar Rice Burroughs novella before as it is included as one of the three stories in the final Pellucidar book, Savage Pellucidar. Edmond Hamilton’s story “Wacky World” was my other main interest and worth the price all by itself. I enjoyed the others as well.
- Disciples of Destiny (part 1 of 2) by Don Wilcox (pseudonym of Cleo Eldon Wilcox)
- Suicide Rocket (short story) by Manly Wade Wellman
- Men of the Bronze Age (novella) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Sarker’s Joke Box (short story) by Raymond Z. Gallun
- Planet of Ghosts (novel) by David V. Reed
(pseudonym of Don Wilcox)
- Wacky World (short story) by Edmond Hamilton
- The Planet of Love (short story) by Jep Powell
(James Exham Powell, Jr.)
Reading an original pulp magazine is a unique experience. The pages seem delicate in my hands as if I’m holding a treasure and I’m sure some of that attitude rubs off on my appreciation of the stories. This one is from an era which represents the decline of the pulp era, however. During WW2, the costs of paper and other resources for the war effort made them harder to publish.
There is more here than just the stories. The editorials, advertisements, and reader mail offer a true picture of their times. Given that this was published very early in 1942, (the cover date is actually the “pull-by date” rather than the date of publication), just a few weeks after the events of Pearl Harbor, it is easy to see why the Japanese don’t come off in a good light between these covers. The main editorial is rife with bitterness at the surprise attack and does not pull any punches when it comes to using racially-charged descriptions when describing the Japanese empire, coating all with the same wide brush. But only one of the stories (The Planet of Love) actually uses a Japanese character in this way.
This issue attracted me mainly for two authors. Turns out I had read the Edgar Rice Burroughs novella before as it is included as one of the three stories in the final Pellucidar book, Savage Pellucidar. Edmond Hamilton’s story “Wacky World” was my other main interest and worth the price all by itself. I enjoyed the others as well.
Displaying 1 of 1 review