Page:Amazing Stories Volume 01 Number 02.djvu/4

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HUGO GERNSBACK, F.R.S., Editor

DR. T. O'CONOR SLOANE, M. A., Ph.D.; Associate Editor

Editorial and General Offices---53 Park Place, New York, N. Y.

By HUGO GERNSBACK, F.R.S.

HE first issue of AMAZING STORIES has been on the newsstands only about a week, as we go to press with this, the second issue of the magazine; yet, even during this short time, we have been deluged with an avalanche of letters of approval and constructive criticism from practically every section of the country, except the West—as we have not yet had time to hear from it.

We hereby take this medium to thank all our friends for their kind wishes and willingness to cooperate with us. We sincerely regret that we cannot answer each and every letter individually. There are simply too many letters—and we feel that our readers would rather we utilize our efforts in the improvement of the magazine.

After all, it is your paper, and we are striving hard to please you. Judging from the various comments, the first issue of AMAZING STORIES was just about right—the stories pleased and the length of the shorter stories and the division of the long ones seemed satisfactory.

And it was with a feeling of gratification that we noted the almost unanimous condemnation of the so-called "sex-appeal" type of story that seems so much in vogue in this country now. Most of our correspondents seemed to heave a great sigh of relief in at last finding a literature that appeals to the imagination, rather than carrying a sensational appeal to the emotions. It is that which justifies our new venture—our expenditure of time and money.

The letters, extracts from which are printed below, seem to best express the general trend of opinion.

Mr. George W. Anderson, of Fairmount, W. Va., in addition to giving us a good suggestion, says: "Print all scientific facts as related in the stories, in italics. This will serve to more forcefully drive home the idea upon which you have established your magazine. Personally, when I have some such system blazing forth before my eyes I am inclined to stop and consider what I have learned, for future reference."

A. Lee Gladwin, of Ames, Iowa, writes: "‥‥Amazing Stories is entertaining and has food for thought that no other fiction work could begin to compete with."

Raymond E. Dickens, Air Mail Radio Station, Iowa City, Iowa, says:

"I can read these stories over several times and each time get something new from them."

Michael H. Kay, Brooklyn, N, Y., says: "You will generally find that when one has read your magazine he will become so enthusiastic, so elated over his discovery, that he will deem it a pleasure to extol its virtues to his friends. Even now my wife is anxiously waiting for me to finish this first issue, so that she may read it herself."

Lack of space precludes adding to the list indefinitely.

As to the future: Some very valuable suggestions were made—upon which we have acted. There was quite a demand for "Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets." Acting upon this demand, we will, beginning with our next issue, print new and hitherto unpublished Dr. Hackensaw stories. We have a good many of these famous stories by Clement Fezandié. Again, a good many of our readers want some of the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Accordingly, we have contracted for some, to be published in the future. Among the newer works of which we have acquired the publication rights are: "Die Macht der Drei" (The Might of the Three), one of the greatest—and perhaps the greatest—recent scientifiction story; and "Feuer am Nordpol" (The North Pole Fire). Both these works were published in Germany.

We also obtained the rights to an excellent radio story—one of the finest that has ever been written—"Station X", by G. MacLeod Winsor.

"The Messiah of the Cylinder", by Victor Rousseau is another tremendous story, and then, of course, there is H. G. Wells, with his "The War in the Air."

There is only one thing that troubles us now: we have more good stories to publish than we have space in which to publish them. And here is where you can help. During the next three or four months it is our intention to enlarge the magazine, but only an increased circulation can make this possible. You can do your share by making the magazine known among your friends. If you like AMAZING STORIES, your friends will probably like it too.

If each one of you who reads this could get one friend to buy the next issue of AMAZING STORIES, we would immediately be able to increase the size of the magazine fifty per cent, and thereby give you more material.

The success of AMAZING STORIES is entirely in your hands. We shall do our part—we pledge ourselves to do everything to merit your confidence.