Recap / Analog 1941

Astounding Stories issues published in 1941.

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January issue

• "Invention", by editor
• Sixth Column, by Anson MacDonald
• "The Day We Celebrate", by Nelson S Bond
• "The Mechanical Mice", by Creator Maurice G Hugi (Eric Frank Russell also contributed, but received no credit here)
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "The Traitor", by Kurt von Rachen
• "Starting Point", by Norman R Goldsmith
• "Lost Rocket", by Manly Wade Wellman
• "The Opportunists", by EA Grosser
• "Doom Ship", by Harry Walton

• "Dead—and Embalmed", by Arthur McCann

April issue

• "Permanent Resources", by editor
• The Stolen Dormouse, by L. Sprague de Camp
• "Reason", by Isaac Asimov
• "Microcosmic God", by Theodore Sturgeon
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "The Scrambler", by Harry Walton
• "Slackers Paradise", by Malcolm Jameson
• "Not The First", by A.E. van Vogt
• "Trepidation", by RS Richardson
• "Bird Walk", by P Schuyler Miller
• "The Homemade Gun Of Jamrud", by Willy Ley
• "The Mutineers", by Kurt von Rachen
• "Two Plus Two Equals 100", by editor
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• "Science Discussions", by editor

May issue

• "History to Come", by editor
• "Universe", by Robert A. Heinlein
• "Liar! (1941)", by Isaac Asimov
• "Solution Unsatisfactory", by Anson MacDonald
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "Jay Score", by Eric Frank Russell
• "Fish Story", by Vic Phillips and Scott Roberts
• "Subcruiser", by Harry Walton
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• The Stolen Dormouse, by L. Sprague de Camp

September issue

• "Optical Instruments", by editor
• "Nightfall (1941)", by Isaac Asimov
• "Adam And No Eve", by Alfred Bester
• The Sea Kings Armored Division, by L. Sprague de Camp
• "Short Circuited Probability", by Norman L Knight
• "Mission", by Myer Krulfeld
• "Test Of The Gods", by Raymond F Jones
• "Elsewhere", by Caleb Saunders
• "We're Not All Human", by John W. Campbell
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• Methuselah's Children, by Robert A. Heinlein

October issue

• "Documents for Tomorrow", by editor
• "By His Bootstraps", by Anson MacDonald
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "Not Final!", by Isaac Asimov
• The Sea Kings Armored Division, by L. Sprague de Camp
• "Manic Perverse", by Winston K Marks
• "Two Percent Inspiration", by Theodore Sturgeon
• "Common Sense", by Robert A. Heinlein
• "Brass Tacks", by editor

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Examples from Astounding Science-Fiction issues published in the year 1941:

• After the End: The March 1941 cover has the Statue of Liberty overgrown and being visited by two people on a raft wearing skimpy leather clothing, indicating that some disaster has happened many years ago.
• Fictional Document: On page 43 of the May 1941 issue, the first page of Isaac Asimov's "Liar! (1941)", a robot is reading a book titled Purple Passion, by Irma L.
• Fishbowl Helmet:
  • The January 1941 issue has an image on page 103, the first page of Manly Wade Wellman's "Lost Rocket". In this image, a cosmonaut in outer space is wearing a jar-like helmet that is completely clear in all directions.
  • The April 1941 issue has an image on page 71, part of Harry Walton's "The Scrambler". In this image, a bunch of people on a space walk are wearing helmets as round as a fishbowl.
  • The June 1941 cover has a character wearing a clear helmet over a full-body protective gear suit (useful against chemical warfare, but not space).
• Gratuitous Laboratory Flasks: On page 33 of the April 1941 issue, the first page for Isaac Asimov's "Reason", there is an image where robots are assembled. Despite robots being a mechanical construction, there are retort, round-bottom, and Erlenmeyer flasks, as well as a case of vials.
• The Grim Reaper: On page 91 of the January 1941 issue, an interior image for Norman R Goldsmith's "Starting Point", is a robed skeleton with the word "FLU" and carrying a scythe. The caption reads, "—the greatest warrior of all—".
• Holy Halo: The January 1941 cover has an enormous human-like figure with a bright circle of light around their head. Their entire body glows with the same light as the halo.
• Homage: The February 1941 issue has an interior image on page 9, the start of Nelson S Bond's "Magic City". The focus of the image is a woman holding a large book in her left arm and her right hand extended upwards in benediction, imitating the Statue of Liberty.
• Man in a Kilt: The July 1941 cover focuses on a man wearing a green tartan.
• More than Three Dimensions: The February 1941 issue has an interior image on page 69, part of Robert A. Heinlein's "—And He Built a Crooked House—". The image includes two three dimensional models of a hypercube, which is incorporated as part of the titular house's design. Another model of the house's design appears on page 72, and the house itself collapses into itself on page 75.
• Multiple Head Case: The May 1941 cover has someone who looks like a human, but they have two heads. The interior artwork on page 9, first page for Robert A. Heinlein's "Universe", also has a two-headed man.
• Novelette:
  • Isaac Asimov's "Nightfall (1941)"
  • Robert A. Heinlein's
    • "Elsewhere"
    • "Solution Unsatisfactory"
    • "Universe"
  • Kurt von Rachen's "The Mutineers"
  • Theodore Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God"
• Novella: Robert A. Heinlein's
  • "By His Bootstraps"
  • "Common Sense"
  • "—And He Built a Crooked House—"
• On the Next: From "In Times to Come":
  • The January 1941 issue advertises the upcoming continuation of Anson MacDonald's "Sixth Column", as well as shorter stories Nelson S Bond's "Magic City" and Robert A. Heinlein's "—And He Built a Crooked House—".
  • The February 1941 issue advertises Robert A. Heinlein's "Logic Of Empire", describing The 'Verse that it fits into.
  • The May 1941 issue advertises the upcoming Ross Rocklynne story, "Time Wants A Skeleton". A locked-room mystery where the murder victim is the unknown factor.
• Our Giants Are Bigger: The January 1941 cover has a blue human-like figure with a halo around their head who is so tall that the city's buildings are all below waist-level. People in the foreground are running away as the giant rampages through the city.
• Publisher-Chosen Title: [Invoked] In the April 1941 issue's "In Times To Come" column, the Chief Editor explains that one of the next month's stories, Anson MacDonald's "Solution Unsatisfactory", was originally submitted as "Foriegn Policy".
• Ray Gun: The January 1941 issue has an image on page 103, the first page of Manly Wade Wellman's "Lost Rocket". In this image, a cosmonaut in outer space is firing flames through space with a handheld gun.
• Retro Rocket: The March 1941 cover has two silver spaceships on the cover, both are cigar-shaped with four fins on the "rear" end.
• Serial Novel:
  • Anson MacDonald's Sixth Column was published in three parts, starting with the January 1941 issue.
  • L. Sprague de Camp's The Stolen Dormouse was published in two parts, starting with the April 1941 issue.
  • Robert A. Heinlein's Methuselah's Children was published in three parts, starting with the July 1941 issue.
• Short Story:
  • Isaac Asimov's
    • "Liar! (1941)"
    • "Reason"
  • Alfred Bester's "Adam And No Eve"
  • Malcolm Jameson's "Slackers Paradise"
  • Raymond F Jones's "Test Of The Gods"
  • Norman L Knight's "Short Circuited Probability"
  • Myer Krulfeld's "Mission"
  • Winston K Marks's "Manic Perverse"
  • P Schuyler Miller's "Bird Walk"
  • Vic Phillips and Scott Roberts's "Fish Story"
  • Eric Frank Russell's "Jay Score"
  • Theodore Sturgeon's "Two Percent Inspiration"
  • A.E. van Vogt's "Not The First"
  • Harry Walton's
    • "The Scrambler"
    • "Subcruiser"
• Shout-Out:
  • The January 1941 issue "Book Review" column reviews Life On Other Worlds, a Non-Fiction book that explains how non-terrestrial life might look based on modern scientific knowledge.
  • The March 1941 cover includes the Statue of Liberty.
• Speed Echoes: The cover of the October 1941 issue, advertising Anson MacDonald's "By His Bootstraps", has a man with two after-images, each going in a different direction.
• Tagline:
  • ""Sixth Column" by Anson MacDonald" — January 1941 cover
  • "Magic City by Nelson S Bond"— February 1941 cover
  • "Logic Of Empire by Robert A. Heinlein" — March 1941 cover
  • "The Stolen Dormouse by L. Sprague de Camp" — April 1941 cover
  • "Universe by Robert A. Heinlein" — May 1941 cover
  • "Time Wants A Skeleton by Ross Rachlynne" — June 1941 cover
  • "Methuselah's Children by Robert A. Heinlein" — July 1941 cover
  • "Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner" — August 1941 cover
  • "Nightfall by Isaac Asimov" — September 1941 cover
  • "By His Bootstraps by Anson MacDonald" — October 1941 cover
  • "Second Stage Lensman by E. E. "Doc" Smith" — November and December 1941 cover
• To Be Continued: When Anson MacDonald's Sixth Column was serialized in the January 1930 issue of Astounding Stories, Part One ends with the idea that the protagonists would start a church and the text TO BE CONTINUED. Part Two ends with the PanAsian police rounding up the members of the religion, and again the text TO BE CONTINUED.
• Underwear of Power: The April 1941 cover features two people fighting on the cover, each with a colourful and tight full-body outfit with a pair of red shorts worn on the outside.
• The 'Verse: In the May 1941 issue, "History to Come" describes John Campbell's opinion on how developing a consistent world history is important for Science Fiction, using Robert A. Heinlein's History Of Tomorrow as an example of why other authors should do the same sort of Worldbuilding to build connected stories. An analysis of Heinlein's 'verse appears on pages 123 through 125, part of the "Brass Tacks" column.
• Working Title: [Invoked] In the April 1941 issue's "In Times To Come" column, the Chief Editor explains renaming one of the next month's stories, originally submitted as "Foriegn Policy", would be named "Solution Unsatisfactory".

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