Stirring Science Stories/March 1942/The Vortex
The Vortex is the dividing line between the science-fiction half of Stirring Science Stories and the fantasy-fiction half. It is also the readers' department wherein you who read our magazine are invited to tell us what you thought of our previous issues and what you suggest for future editorial actions. We shall endeavor to print as many letters as we can and to answer points which require answering. You are invited to write us your opinions on this issue. Our address is 366 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
With this issue, we shall attempt to take up where we left off in June. There has been an unavoidable lapse but we have succeeded in overcoming the technical difficulties which delayed our magazine. We are now monthly and looking ahead to a really lively future. But still there are a large number of letters on hand commenting on our last issue and we shall proceed herewith to present them. We open with a note from Virginia Combs of Crandon, Wisconsin:
When, at the tender age of seventeen, I put aside Grimm's Fairy Tales for the last time, I thought that never again could I recapture the tender fantasy of fairy tales. But on reading Cecil Corwin's twin masterpieces I found anew the enchantment and bewitchery of all the dear tales that childhood loves. And yet these are not fairy-stories, unless we who are grown up will admit it, which we won't, but the imagery and beauty of execution, and the gayety of the impossible are ours once more, and at those elfin fires we warm again the hands of childhood's forgotten spirit. If growing up locks us outside the realm of enchantment, then I, for one, shall never grow a day older. Amen.
Cecil Corwin was deeply touched by your note, Miss Combs, and would appreciate your opinion on the current novelette "The Golden Road." It is his first serious fantasy and we thought it very impressive. Another comment on his "Mr. Packer" comes from Stanley Wiseman of Denver, Colorado:
Greetings, gate, this is going to be short and sweet. Now personally I have nothing against Bok, but I didn't think that he read "Mr. Packer Goes to Hell." What makes me think this? Well, it's like this: on the first page of Cecil Corwin's fantasy Bok's illustration is positively screwy. It says in the story: "'Okay, whiskers,' she said, 'put me down.'" Now in the portrait of this, there aren't any whiskers on Almarish.
Otherwise, your June issue was wonderful and, not that it matters, Bok was tops on the cover illustration, along with such writers as Cecil Corwin, Basil Wells, and Kenneth Falconer. Whom we should have more of. Also, why don't you have a sequel to the sequel of "Thirteen O'Clock?"
We asked Bok about the whiskers business, too. He claimed that he had gotten so enthralled in the story that he had quite forgotten that little detail. "Anyway," he says, "maybe the whiskers got singed off in the hot place?" As for a sequel to the Packer tales, we've been under fire from all quarters for one. We're reluctant to give Corwin the go-ahead signal but we can be persuaded. Let those who think a sequel is desirable speak up.
Joseph Gilbert of Columbia, S. C., whom we are beginning to think of as a severe but reliable critic, comments:—
There's only one word to apply to the majority of shorts you use in SSS, and the word is: Clever! Especially does this go for Raymond's delightful "Spokesman For Terra." I dislike Wells' type of fiction more than I can readily express. But don't take that too seriously. I'm not at all anxious to detract from a really promising beginner and other people doubtless go for the sort of thing he writes. Winterbotham has never written a decent story in his life, and will die never having written a decent story in his life. Kubilius finishes the stf section off capably, however.
The fantasy section—Now you've really got something! Said something consisting of some of the best damn fantasy fiction I ever hope to read in one magazine. The only disappointing thing in the section was "Mr. Packer Goes to Hell." Oh, It was okay, but in comparison with the original the sequel is painfully inadequate.
Lowndes should stick to really good humor like "The Martians Are Coming," if "The Grey One" is the best he can do in the fantasy line. I happen to know it isn't, happily. Gottesman and Keller were fair.
"The Words of Guru" and "The Silence" I've saved for last. The latter I enjoyed tremendously, but thought "The Words of Guru" its superior. Gad! Such magnificent handling of a horror theme I haven't seen since "Fear." This was a superb job of writing. That's the only word for it. Superb. But both tales were beautifully gruesome and it was a genuine achievemen to be able to print both in the same issue.
Your art now surpasses that of any other stf mag on the stand. Very happy to see you return Dold. How about making it a regular appearance, no? It's nice to see that Forte is no longer among those present, and Bok is still Bok. Anything added to that would be more than superfluous. The cover is striking; a splendid color contrast. Keep up the two color arrangement by all means.
Thank you. We intend to use Dold as often as we can. However we fear that his appearance will be limited insofar as he no longer resides in New York and his time is limited. We have an illustration of his coming up next month and trust we shall be able to present a Dold with every succeeding issue. Dold is greeted by Walter A. Carrithers of Fresno, California:—
Congratulations! Stirring Science Stories is now really going somewhere. Thanx-a-million for the biggest scoop this year. Someone has at last brought Elliott Dold back! The greatest illustrator of stf in the market. Let Dold and Bok (He's No. 3 on my list, Finlay's 2) illustrate SSS, the best illustrated stf magazine of all, beating Campbell and the others, too! Thanx again for Dold!
A brief note from A. L. Schwartz of Dorchestre, Mass.:
Ah! A five star issue of Stirring this time. An excellent cover, six good stories ("Pioneer," "Martian Fantasy," "Human Mice of Kordar," "Trail's End, "Mr. Packer," "The Silence"), very good interior pics by Bok, Dolgov,—hmm, tha's about all.
The only things I want are longer stories and smooth edges. (Do I hear a loud editorial "No?")
No, you don't. The question of story lengths depends on our readers. As for smooth edges, our new size has made that a dead issue. About the first however, R. Cornelius Jones of Decatur, Alabama says:—
I've just finished reading the Vortex department. There I noticed that most of your readers are for longer stories. But, I say unto you, keep them as they are. Two novelettes and the rest short stories. Reason: I don't have time to read long stories at one sitting, and if I read just a little at a time, I tend to lose interest. I'm sure there are many more readers like me . . . . .You're doing fine as it is. Don't make any radical changes! I enjoy Lowndes' short stories.
So you see, readers Schwartz and Jones, that there are two sides to every question. At the present time, we feel that we are giving our readers more satisfaction with a larger number of shorter stories than with a lesser number of longer stories.
Writes Marguerite M. Ward of Klamath Falls, Oregon:—
You have a grand little magazine. We all enjoy the "step ahead" stories. The poem "Earthlight on the Moon" in the June number is especially good. Let us have more poetry of this nature with technical perfection and broader vision. May Stirring Science live long and prosper.
Ray Garfield of St. Louis, Mo. writes:—
I found Burks' "Pioneer" to have an interesting style of approach with a quietly pleasant turn to it. "Martian Fantasy" hit some fine moods in the Martian sequence which was balanced neatly by the melodramatic hypnotic interlude. "Forgotten Tongue" was very good—an exceedingly clever idea handled perfectly. "Spokesman for Terra" was a wow. "Human Mice" was a Burroughs adventure yarn that came off nicely for the magazine's balance. "Jitterbug" seemed to have two different moods to it as if written in two distinct installments. "Trail's End" was a gem.
Corwin is always good and "Mr. Packer" is his best. The Grey One" was a weird little tale. "The Words of Guru" is the star of the magazine—a classic for which I predict growing fame as time goes on. "The Silence" was another quietly terrific yarn. "Kazam Collects" had some fine lines in it. "The Moon Artist" is Keller—and that should be enough for anyone. Sorry, if I can't find a thing to knock—for once I've found a magazine in which I liked everything. And now I'm yelling at the top of my lungs for a monthly appearance. How about it?
A letter like the above is the sort of thing editors dream of receiving but get, alas, so rarely. Mr. Garfield's yelling was heard in our offices all right, we've given him that desired monthly appearance. But remember if we are to keep on improving and keep this magazine one which you will be delighted to rush for each month, we've got to have your advice. The editor can do his share and the writers theirs only if the readers continue to keep us informed as to how we I are making out, what are our flaws, and what to do about them. Writing letters to the editor is the one sure way of helping to better the magazine. So, readers, do your share. Write us that letter with your comments on this issue.