History Magazine / Analog

Campbell practically defined Science Fiction after becoming Chief Editor of ''Astounding Stories'', starting with the October 1937 issue. His first fifteen years are often called the GoldenAge of ScienceFiction, and his long-lived stewardship of the magazine impacted many aspects of the genre's growth. Campbell encouraged mature stories with a strong element of plausible science, and would request essays by scientific authors to publish science fact in ways the layman could understand.

Chief Editor starting with the December 1978 issue, and the longest Chief since Campbell. His editorship was able to shape an era, although not to the same degree as the GoldenAge. Schmidt's last issue as Chief Editor was March 2013.

* PenName: Edward E. Smith, [=PhD=]. was the name used for Creator/EEDocSmith when publishing ''Literature/GalacticPatrol'', as well as other ''Lensman'' stories.

** ''Literature/GalacticPatrol'', by [[Creator/EEDocSmith Edward E. Smith, PhD.]], was published in six parts, starting with the October 1937 issue.

* AudienceParticipation: Several columns were developed that include unpaid reader submissions. The "Analytical Laboratory" is a tally of reader votes for the best stories of previous issues. "Brass Tacks" is a column where readers share their opinions on the magazine's quality (often [[SugarWiki/GushingAboutShowsYouLike praising]]/[[FanHater bashing]] specific stories), while "Science Discussions" is usually more of a direct back-and-forth about NonFiction things, such as one of the essays in the magazine from half a year ago. %[invoked]%

Among the oldest ScienceFiction {{magazine|s}}, ''Analog'' has been around [[LongRunners since January 1930]], making it OlderThanTelevision. Under its original title, ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', it was designed as a rival to ''Magazine/AmazingStories''. It remains one of the only PulpFiction magazines to have survived multiple transitions, such as moving from newsstands to big bookstore magazine racks, and the arrival of the internet: https://www.analogsf.com/

* TropeCodifier: In his role as Chief Editor for the magazine, Creator/JohnWCampbell became the major codifier for Golden Age ScienceFiction as a genre. His [[ExecutiveMeddling editorship]] standardized the use of tropes such as HumanityIsSuperior (and specifically the WhiteMaleLead), HumansArePsychicInTheFuture and a certain mandatory [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness hardness]], and the authors he nurtured retained his influence long after his death.

Campbell [[NewSeasonNewName changed the magazine's name]] to ''[=Astounding Science-Fiction=]'' in the March 1939 issue and launched a UK version of the magazine in August that year. Then, in the February 1960 issue, he changed the name ([[[[NewSeasonNewName again]]) to ''Astounding Science Fact & fiction'' (note the lowercase) and spent the next several months fading down ''Astounding'' and fading up ''Analog'' over a 12-month period while retaining the initial "A". Legally speaking, both names are used by the magazine (check the index page), but the cover has been ''Analog'' ever since (with occasional tweaks to the subtitle).\\