by Hugo Gernsback, F.R.S.
April 1926 (1.1) p. 3
Another fiction magazine!
At first thought it does seem impossible that there could be room for another fiction magazine in this country. The reader may well wonder, “Aren’t there enough already, with the several hundreds now being published?” True. But this is not “another fiction magazine,” Amazing Stories is a new kind of fiction magazine! It is entirely new—entirely different—something that has never been done before in this country. Therefore, Amazing Stories deserves your attention and interest.
There is the usual fiction magazine, the love story and the sex-appeal type of magazine, the adventure type, and so on, but a magazine of “Scientifiction” is a pioneer in its field in America.
By “scientifiction” I mean the Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Edgar Allan Poe type of story—a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision. For many years stories of this nature were published in the sister magazines of Amazing Stories—Science & Invention and Radio News.
But with the ever increasing demands on us for this sort of story, and more of it, there was only one thing to do—publish a magazine in which the scientific fiction type of story will hold forth exclusively. Toward that end we have laid elaborate plans, sparing neither time nor money.
Edgar Allan Poe may well be called the father of “scientifiction.” It was he who really originated the romance, cleverly weaving into and around the story, a scientific thread. Jules Verne, with his amazing romances, also cleverly interwoven with a scientific thread, came next. A little later came H.G. Wells, whose scientifiction stories, like those of his forerunners, have become famous and immortal.
It must be remembered that we live in an entirely new world. Two hundred years ago, stories of this kind were not possible. Science, through its various branches of mechanics, electricity, astronomy, etc., enters so intimately into all our lives today, and we are so much immersed in this science, that we have become rather prone to take new inventions and discoveries for granted. Our entire mode of living has changed with the present progress, and it is little wonder, therefore, that many fantastic situations—impossible 100 years ago—are brought about today. It is in these situations that the new romancers find their great inspiration.
Not only do these amazing tales make tremendously interesting reading—they are also always instructive. They supply knowledge that we might not otherwise obtain—and they supply it in a very palatable form. For the best of these modern writers of scientifiction have the knack of imparting knowledge, and even inspiration, without once making us aware that we are being taught.
And not only that! Poe, Verne, Wells, Bellamy, and many others have proved themselves real prophets. Prophesies made in many of their most amazing stories are being realized—and have been real. Take the fantastic submarine of Jules Verne’s most famous story, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for instance. He predicted the present day submarine almost down to the last bolt! New inventions pictured for us in the scientifiction of today are not at all impossible of realization tomorrow. Many great science stories destined to be of an historical interest are still to be written, and Amazing Stories magazine will be the medium through which such stories will come to you. Posterity will point to them as having blazed a new trail, not only in literature and fiction, but in progress as well.
We who are publishing Amazing Stories realize the great responsibility of this undertaking, and will spare no energy in presenting to you, each month, the very best of this sort of literature there is to offer.
Exclusive arrangements have already been made with the copyright holders of the entire voluminous works of all of Jules Verne’s immortal stories. Many of these stories are not known to the general American public yet. For the first time they will be within easy reach of every reader through Amazing Stories. A number of German, French and English stories of this kind by the best writers in their respective countries, have already been contracted for and we hope very shortly to be able to enlarge the magazine and in that way present always more material to our readers.
How good this magazine will be in the future is up to you. Read Amazing Stories—get your friends to read it and then write us what you think of it. We will welcome constructive criticism—for only in this way will we know how to satisfy you.
p. 56
Now that you have looked over the first issue of Amazing Stories, the editor would very much like to know how you like the new magazine. In the coming issues we shall probably run a department entitled “Readers’ Letters,” which will be a forum where our readers can discuss the various problems in connection with these stories. Very often you are puzzled over certain scientific matter contained in stories of this kind and wish to get more information. We shall try hard to keep this new department for the benefit of all, and will try to publish all letters received from readers of Amazing Stories.
If, on the other hand, you have comments, criticisms, and suggestions, be good enough to let us have all of these. The editor would also like to know whether you like the present makeup of the magazine; that is, one story in two parts, as, for instance, the one we present this month, Off on a Comet with the balance in the next issue—or whether you would rather have the complete story in one issue, without the short stories as printed in the present number.
Rest assured that the editor will be guided by the majority at all times. A word from you will be greatly appreciated.
p. 96
Those who read the famous Dr. Hackensaw’s Secrets in Science & Invention magazine, may be interested to know that we have on hand a great many of Dr. Hackensaw’s manuscripts which have never been published hitherto.
Before printing these in Amazing Stories, however, we would like to have an expression from our readers as to just how they feel about these stories, and whether they would like to have more of them.
Won’t you please write the editor a few lines, stating your feelings in this matter?