A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, February 1950

About this issue

This February 1950 issue of A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 2) collects supernatural and science-fiction fiction. The primary feature is George Challis's "The Smoking Land," a novelette of atomic-age adventure about ranchman Smoky Bill drawn into a perilous voyage to a hidden world where hostile men threaten to weaponize atomic science. The issue also includes A. Merrill's "Three Lines of Old French," a psychological mystery exploring whether a phantom lover exists only in a protagonist's tortured mind, and Victor Rousseau's "The Seal Maiden," questioning whether mortal love has granted a seal-woman a human soul. An editorial note discusses author Frederick Faust (writing as Challis among numerous pseudonyms) and previews upcoming stories. The issue concludes with Ray Cummings's nonfiction article on the science of time-travel. Period advertising appears throughout, including hearing aids and correspondence-school course offerings.

In this issue

• “CALLING ALL FANTASY FANS” by The Editor · feature · p.6
• “THE SMOKING LAND” by George Challis · serial · p.8
• “THE SCIENCE OF TIME-TRAVEL” by Ray Cummings · article · p.11
• “THREE LINES OF OLD FRENCH” by A. Merritt · p.102
• “THE SEAL MAIDEN” by Victor Rousseau · p.116