BOUCHER, Anthony & J. Francis McComus [Editors]

THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY [Later titled: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction]. Fall, 1949. The First Issue.

New York: Lawrence E. Spivak. 1949. First Edition (& 1st printing). Small octavo, original pictorial wrappers (digest-sized magazine). 128 pp. Magazine retailer stamp on the crossbar of the "F" in Fantasy on the front cover "Oct 7 Rec'd" with small pencil inititals. Very mild rubbing to edges, nice clean crisp red spine with white lettering, slight rubbing, minor crease and a few little dings on the rear panel, a bright clean copy, Near Fine. Item #314075

The first issue of this major magazine in the field of Fantasy & Science Fiction - still ongoing today - but unlike 99% of the run of this magazine, the earliest issues are rare. A curious note: A story in the first issue, REVIEW COPY by "H.H. Holmes", concerns a curse sent to the Mystery Book Reviewer at the 'San Francisco Times' and his ultimate death by Black Magic. "H.H. Holmes" is, of course, a pseudonym for co-editor Anthony Boucher (William Anthony Parker White), and Boucher *was* the Mystery Book Reviewer for the SF Chronicle. Boucher kills himself off in first story that he has published in the first magazine that he edited!

Price (CAD): $175.00