BEST FROM STARTLING STORIES, THE SHAPE OF THINGS, WONDER STORIES 1957 and other reprints from the Thrilling Group science fiction titles

Lte Nisan 29, 2022

After Standard Magazines/Better Publications shut down their Thrilling Group pulp magazines in 1955, they concentrated their activities mostly in the Paperback Library division of the Ned Pines organization...but James Hendryx, Jr. was given the task over the next decade to edit reprint magazines (with a couple of stories reprinted from the slicks rather than pulp back issues): two almost identical issues of Wonder Stories (the first in digest format, the second in pulp size) and eventually three issues of Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories (with the last cutting the title down), also in pulp format. (Treasury also had a western fiction companion.)

Cover painting by Richard Powers

Publication: Wonder Stories, 1957
(View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
Year: 1957-00-00
Publisher: Better Publications, Inc.
Price: $0.35
Pages: 132
Binding: digest

Contents:

2 • Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • novella by John D. MacDonald
30 • A Sound of Thunder • (1952) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
40 • All the Time in the World • (1952) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
51 • Man of Distinction • (1951) • shortstory by Fredric Brown
59 • Thanasphere • (1950) • shortstory by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
72 • Spacemate • (1950) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
81 • The Monitor • (1954) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
86 • Star Bride • (1951) • shortstory by Anthony Boucher

Publication: Wonder Stories, 1963
(View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
Year: 1963-00-00
Publisher: Better Publications, Inc.
Price: $0.50
Pages: 100
Binding: pulp

Contents:

fep • Shadow on the Sand [2] • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
2 • Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • novella by John D. MacDonald
2 • Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
32 • All the Time in the World • (1952) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
32 • All the Time in the World • (1952) • interior artwork by J. Dreany
40 • A Sound of Thunder • (1952) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
40 • A Sound of Thunder • (1954) • interior artwork by Ed Emshwiller [as by Emsh ]
48 • Robert • (1953) • shortstory by Evan Hunter
48 • Robert • (1953) • interior artwork by uncredited
53 • The Monitor • (1954) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
57 • The Hunters • (1952) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
59 • Man of Distinction • (1951) • shortstory by Fredric Brown
59 • Man of Distinction • (1951) • interior artwork by uncredited
65 • Star Bride • (1951) • shortstory by Anthony Boucher
67 • Thanasphere • (1950) • shortstory by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
67 • Thanasphere • (1959) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
bep • Shadow on the Sand [3] • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay

Publication: Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 1
(View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
Year: 1964-00-00
Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
Price: $0.50
Pages: 100
Binding: pulp

Contents:

4 • The Earth Men • [The Martian Chronicles] • (1948) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
4 • The Earth Men • (1948) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
14 • The Portable Star • (1955) • shortstory by Isaac Asimov
14 • The Portable Star • (1955) • interior artwork by Ed Emshwiller [as by Emsh ]
23 • Happy Ending • (1948) • novelette by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Henry Kuttner ]
23 • Happy Ending • (1948) • interior artwork by uncredited
35 • The Three • (1953) • shortstory by Gordon R. Dickson
35 • The Three • (1953) • interior artwork by C. A. Murphy
43 • The Last Test • (1952) • shortstory by Robert Zacks
43 • The Last Test • (1952) • interior artwork by J. Dreany
46 • Quest of the Starhope • (1949) • shortstory by Leigh Brackett
46 • Quest of the Starhope • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
56 • Sibling • (1953) • shortstory by Leslie Waltham
56 • Sibling (reprint) • (1953) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
63 • The Rotohouse • [Oona and Jick] • (1948) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
63 • The Rotohouse • (1948) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
70 • The Blunderer • (1952) • shortstory by L. Sprague de Camp
70 • The Blunderer • (1952) • interior artwork by Vincent Napoli [as by Napoli ]
78 • Keyhole • (1951) • shortstory by Murray Leinster
78 • Keyhole • (1951) • interior artwork by uncredited
89 • Hero • (1939) • shortstory by H. L. Gold
89 • Hero • (1939) • interior artwork by uncredited

Publication: Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 2 (View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
Year: 1965-00-00
Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
Price: $0.50
Pages: 100
Binding: pulp

Contents:

fep • Fact Chases Fiction • essay by uncredited
4 • The Woman from Altair • (1951) • novelette by Leigh Brackett
5 • The Woman from Altair • (1951) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]
24 • Purpose • (1950) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury (variant of The City)
24 • Purpose • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
29 • Affair of State • (1953) • shortstory by Charles A. Stearns
29 • Affair of State • (1953) • interior artwork by uncredited
35 • Columbus Was a Dope • (1947) • shortstory by Robert A. Heinlein
35 • Columbus Was a Dope • (1947) • interior artwork by Astarita
38 • Percy the Pirate • (1945) • shortstory by Henry Kuttner
38 • Percy the Pirate • (1945) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
46 • De Profundis • (1945) • shortstory by Murray Leinster
46 • De Profundis • (1945) • interior artwork by uncredited
54 • Planet of the Black Dust • (1946) • shortstory by Jack Vance
54 • Planet of the Black Dust • (1946) • interior artwork by uncredited
66 • Music of the Spheres • (1950) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
66 • Music of the Spheres • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
73 • Wanderer of Time • (1944) • shortstory by John Russell Fearn [as by Polton Cross ]
73 • Wanderer of Time • (1944) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
84 • What's It Like Out There? • (1952) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
84 • What's It Like Out There? • (1952) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]

Publication: Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 3
(View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
Year: 1966-00-00
Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
Price: $0.50
Pages: 100
Binding: pulp

Contents:

fep • untitled • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
4 • The Truants • (1950) • novelette by Leigh Brackett
4 • The Truants • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
21 • The Naming of Names • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
21 • The Naming of Names • (1949) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury (variant of Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed)
30 • A Walk in the Dark • (1950) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
30 • A Walk in the Dark • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
37 • Mating Time • (1953) • shortstory by Joseph Shallit
37 • Mating Time • (1953) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]
44 • Messenger • (1949) • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon
44 • Messenger • (1949) • interior artwork by Astarita
51 • Continued Story • (1952) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
51 • Continued Story • (1952) • interior artwork by Peter Poulton
63 • Noise • (1952) • shortstory by Jack Vance
63 • Noise • (1952) • interior artwork by Emsler
72 • A Condition of Beauty • (1949) • shortstory by John D. MacDonald
72 • A Condition of Beauty • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
78 • Atomic! • (1947) • novelette by Henry Kuttner
78 • Atomic! • (1947) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
96 • Remembrance of Things to Come • (1952) • shortstory by William Ratigan
96 • Remembrance of Things to Come • (1952) • interior artwork by Peter Poulton
bep • untitled • interior artwork by uncredited

And the anthologies drawn from the Thrilling Group magazines:

cover painting by Alex Schomberg

The Best from Startling Stories ed. Samuel Mines (Henry Holt LCC# 53-8980, 1953, $3.50, 301pp, hc) Also as Startling Stories and Moment Without Time

vii · Foreword: Blueprint for Tomorrow · Samuel Mines · in
ix · Introduction · Robert A. Heinlein · in
1 · The Wages of Synergy · Theodore Sturgeon · nv Startling Stories Aug 1953
61 · The Perfect Gentleman · R. J. McGregor · ss Startling Stories Sep 1952
81 · Moment Without Time · Joel Townsley Rogers · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Apr 1952
113 · The Naming of Names · Ray Bradbury · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Aug 1949
135 · No Land of Nod · Sherwood Springer · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1952
163 · Who’s Cribbing? · Jack Lewis · ss Startling Stories Jan 1953
173 · Thirty Seconds — Thirty Days · Arthur C. Clarke · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1949
207 · Noise · Jack Vance · ss Startling Stories Aug 1952
225 · What’s It Like Out There? · Edmond Hamilton · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1952
255 · Dormant · A. E. van Vogt · ss Startling Stories Nov 1948
279 · Dark Nuptial · Robert Donald Locke · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb 1953

Cover painting by Eugene Berman

The Shape of Things

Damon Knight

Introduction · Damon Knight · in
Don’t Look Now · Henry Kuttner · ss Startling Stories Mar 1948
The Box · James Blish · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Apr 1949
The New Reality · Charles L. Harness · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1950
The Eternal Now · Murray Leinster · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Fll 1944
The Sky Was Full of Ships · Theodore Sturgeon · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Jun 1947
The Shape of Things · Ray Bradbury · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb 1948
The Only Thing We Learn · C. M. Kornbluth · ss Startling Stories Jul 1949
The Hibited Man · L. Sprague de Camp · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Oct 1949
Dormant · A. E. van Vogt · ss Startling Stories Nov 1948
The Ambassadors · Anthony Boucher · ss Startling Stories Jun 1952
A Child Is Crying · John D. MacDonald · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1948