Recap / Analog 1942

Astounding Stories issues published in 1942.

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March issue

• "Science-Fiction and War", by editor
• "Recruiting Station", by A.E. van Vogt
• "The Wings Of Night", by Lester del Rey
• "Day After Tomorrow", by Roby Wentz
• "The Embassy", by Martin Pearson
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "Goldfish Bowl", by Anson MacDonald
• "Suppressed Violence", by editor
• "Runaround", by Isaac Asimov
• "Dispersion", by Malcolm Jameson
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• "Describe A Circle", by Eric Frank Russell

April issue

• "Too Good at Guessing", by editor
• Beyond This Horizon, by Anson MacDonald
• "Busbars and Shortages", by editor
• "If You're Smart—", by Colin Keith
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "Silence Is—Deadly", by Bertrand L Shurtleff
• "Strain", by L. Ron Hubbard
• "Co-Operate - Or Else!", by A.E. van Vogt
• "The Eagles Gather", by Joseph E Kelleam
• "The Fatal Coloration", by Willy Ley
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• "Probability Zero!"
  • "Some Curious Effects Of Time Travel", by L. Sprague de Camp
  • "Pig Trap", by Malcolm Jameson
  • "Time Pussy", by George E. Dale
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "Monopoly", by Vic Phillips and Scott Roberts

May issue

• "Oil Is Ammunition", by editor
• "Asylum", by A.E. van Vogt
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "Forever Is Not So Long", by F Anton Reeds
• "Foundation", by Isaac Asimov
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• Beyond This Horizon, by Anson MacDonald
• "The Birth of a Superstition", by Willy Ley
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• "The Push Of A Finger", by Alfred Bester

June issue

• "Post-War Duty", by editor
• "Bridle and Saddle", by Isaac Asimov
• "The Slaver", by L. Ron Hubbard
• "In Times to Come", by editor
• "The Analytical Laboratory", by editor
• "On Pain Of Death", by Robert Moore Williams
• "A Nose For News", by Roby Wentz
• "No Handicap Allowed", by RS Richardson
• "My Name is Legion", by Lester del Rey
• "Time Dredge", by Robert Arthur
• "Mudman", by Myer Krulfeld
• "Proof", by Hal Clement
• "Brass Tacks", by editor
• "Heritage", by Robert Abernathy

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Examples from Astounding Science-Fiction issues published in the year 1942:

• Alien Sky: The cover of the October 1942 issue shows an Earth in the sky, and a white sun with lots of flames, making the barren landscape appear to be on the moon, showcasing the setting for "Lunar Landing".
• Amazing Technicolor Population: The March 1942 cover has several crimson-skinned humanoids, wearing only a pair of shorts.
• Aside Glance: The February 1942 cover has a figure facing the background, but their head is turned around so that they can glare at the audience instead.
• Badass Cape: The February 1942 cover prominently displays a muscular man wearing a blood-red cape with his back to the audience, firing a weapon of some kind into the distant background. This imposing figure has his head turned around to glare at the audience.
• Novelette:
  • Robert Abernathy's "Heritage"
  • Robert Arthur's "Time Dredge"
  • Isaac Asimov
    • "Bridle and Saddle"
    • "Foundation"
    • "Runaround"
  • Lester del Rey's "My Name is Legion"
  • Robert A. Heinlein's "Goldfish Bowl" (as by Anson MacDonald)
  • Vic Phillips and Scott Roberts's "Monopoly"
  • Eric Frank Russell's "Describe A Circle"
  • Bertrand L Shurtleff's "Silence Is—Deadly"
  • A.E. van Vogt's "Co-Operate - Or Else!"
  • Roby Wentz's "Day After Tomorrow"
  • Robert Moore Williams's "On Pain Of Death"
• Novella:
  • Alfred Bester's "The Push Of A Finger"
  • A.E. van Vogt's
    • "Asylum"
    • "Recruiting Station"
• One-Word Title:
  • Robert Abernathy's "Heritage"
  • Isaac Asimov's "Runaround"
  • Hal Clement's "Proof"
  • L. Ron Hubbard's "Strain"
  • Myer Krulfeld's "Mudman"
  • Vic Phillips and Scott Roberts's "Monopoly"
  • A.E. van Vogt's "Asylum"
• On the Next:
  • The March 1942 issue advertises the upcoming "Beyond This Horizon" by Anson MacDonald and the upcoming appearance of the "Probability Zero" column, a contest-based write-in where the first-place author gets $20, second place gets $10, and third place gets $5.
  • The April 1942 issue again stumps for amature writers to send in their stories for the "Probability Zero" column.
  • The May 1942 issue advertises the upcoming "Bridle and Saddle" as the conclusion to Foundation", as well as the upcoming Lester del Rey's "My Name is Legion".
  • The June 1942 issue advertises the July issue by hinting at the unique cover, a L. Sprague de Camp story titled "The Contraband Cow", Will Stewert's first story, "Collision Orbit", name-dropping other author names in next month's issue as well as issues to come, and that "Probability Zero" would appear in July.
• Patriotic Fervor: The July 1942 issue, which came out during the American Independence Day and World War II, has an American flag over the cover, with the New York City skyline underneath it and an advertisement for buying war bonds. This was coordinated with many other magazines to feature the same cover. The "Buy war bonds for victory" stamp would show up on several later covers that year, too.
• Pop-Culture Urban Legends: invoked The May 1942 issue has a nonfiction article, Willy Ley's "The Birth of a Superstition", that talks about things that "everyone knows" about historical stories has been proven false several times. The main subject is the evolution of colour vision (based on The Odyssey not having enough descriptions of the colour blue), but also mentioned are the fictions of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor beginning with "fate knocks at the door", and Cinderella having glass slippers.^note Mason Locke Weems invented the cherry tree, Anton Schindler invented the quote, and glass was a mistranslation However, the Cinderella reference is itself a misconception.
• Power Glows: The June 1942 cover has two characters glowing with a blue aura, and a reddish-yellow aura around glass.
• Ray Gun: The November 1942 issue features a character firing some sort of energy beam from a gun, but it is blocked by Some Kind of Force Field.
• Retro Rocket:
  • The cover of the October 1942 issue shows a dull red rocket sitting upright on the moon's surface, using its fins for landing gear.
  • In May 1942's issue, on page 80 for "Beyond This Horizon", a rocket with a narrower nose than rear sits upon its lower fins. The people in the scene are tiny compared to it.
• Serial Novel: Robert A. Heinlein's (as by Anson MacDonald) Beyond This Horizon, published in two issues, starting from April 1942 of Astounding.
• Short Story:
  • Isaac Asimov's "Time Pussy", as by George E. Dale
  • Hal Clement's "Proof"
  • L. Sprague de Camp's "Some Curious Effects Of Time Travel"
  • Lester del Rey's "The Wings Of Night"
  • L. Ron Hubbard's
    • "The Slaver"
    • "Strain"
  • Malcolm Jameson's
    • "If You're Smart—", as by Colin Keith
    • "Pig Trap"
  • Joseph E Kelleam's "The Eagles Gather"
  • Myer Krulfeld's "Mudman"
  • F Anton Reeds's "Forever Is Not So Long"
  • Roby Wentz's "A Nose For News"
  • Donald A Wollheim's "The Embassy", as by Martin Pearson
• Shout-Out:
  • The May 1942 issue's "Book Review" column is by Robert A. Heinlein, praising Willy Ley's The Days Of Creation, a Non-Fiction book.
  • The June 1942 issue's "Book Review" column is by L. Sprague de Camp, praising Biography Of The Earth, a Non-Fiction book.
• Some Kind of Force Field: The November 1942 issue features a character firing some sort of energy beam from a gun, but it impacts a wavy translucent blue wall. At the point of impact, yellow and red radiate away in all directions against the otherwise invisible field.
• Stripperiffic: The March 1942 cover has several aliens (alien because of their red skin) that wear nothing other than blue briefs with a belt. This allows the artist to draw a very muscular body.
• Tagline:
  • "Breakdown by Jack Williamson" — January 1942 cover
  • "There Shall Be Darkness by C. L. Moore"— February 1942 cover
  • "Recruiting Station by A.E. van Vogt" — March 1942 cover
  • "Beyond This Horizon by Anson Mac Donald" — April 1942 cover
  • ""Literature/Asylum" by A.E. van Vogt" — May 1942 cover
  • "Bridle and Saddle by Isaac Asimov" — June 1942 cover
  • "United We Stand" — July 1942 cover
  • "Waldo by Anson MacDonald" — August 1942 cover
  • "Barrier by Anthony Boucher" — September 1942 cover
  • "Lunar Landing by Lester del Rey" — October 1942 cover
  • "Overthrow by Cleve Cartmill" — November 1942 cover
  • "The Weapon Shop by A.E. van Vogt" — December 1942 cover
• To Be Continued: When Anson MacDonald's Beyond This Horizon was serialized in the April 1942 issue, Part One ends with Felix Hamilton shouting You Fool! at Monroe-Alpha, with TO BE CONCLUDED below.

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