by John Scoleri
In the first seven parts of this ongoing series, I looked at Richard Matheson's short fiction appearances in Playboy, the Sci-Fi Pulps, the Mystery Digests, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Gauntlet Chapbooks and the first and second batch of Science Fiction Digests. We return now with the third part of the Science Fiction digests Matheson contributed to, which will make up the next four installments of this ongoing series.
In the first seven parts of this ongoing series, I looked at Richard Matheson's short fiction appearances in Playboy, the Sci-Fi Pulps, the Mystery Digests, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Gauntlet Chapbooks and the first and second batch of Science Fiction Digests. We return now with the third part of the Science Fiction digests Matheson contributed to, which will make up the next four installments of this ongoing series.
The Original Stories - Part 8: Galaxy Science Fiction and Marvel Science Stories
The bulk of Matheson's short stories originally appeared in science fiction digests like those featured in this installment.
Galaxy
October 1950, Vol. 1 No. 1
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Born of Man and Woman, Third From the Sun, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: Escaping a known danger is highly advisable... if you can know the unknown danger ahead!
Notes: Matheson's second short story was published in this, the premiere issue of Galaxy. "Third From the Sun" was adapted by Rod Serling for the first season of The Twilight Zone.
"The Waker Dreams"
Galaxy
December 1950, Vol. 1 No.3
Subsequent appearances (as "When the Waker Sleeps"): Collected Stories HC, Shock III, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: There's nothing like exciting fantasy to escape boredom. The problem is to know whether it's actually a fantasy.
Notes: Matheson tells Stanley Wiater in Collected Stories TP v1 the story evolved out of a discussion with Galaxy editor H.L. Gold regarding H.G. Welles novel When the Sleeper Wakes.
"Lover When You're Near Me"
Galaxy
May 1952, Vol. 4 No. 2
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Born of Man and Woman, Third From the Sun, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: What a past! The climate was grand, the service a dream—maybe too much of one. Was that why no man was allowed to stay there longer than six months?
Notes: Once again, Matheson notes to Wiater that editor Gold provided him with the idea for this story, giving a sci-fi angle to a classic supernatural tale, "How Love Came To Professor Guildea."
"Shipshape Home"
Galaxy
July 1952, Vol. 4 No.4
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Born of Man and Woman, Third From the Sun, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: When you start seeing things, remember this: the things you are seeing may be seeing you!
Notes: The story was adapted (Matheson's first adaptation, according to Matthew Bradley's Richard Matheson On Screen) for television as Young Couples Only, starring Peter Lorre.
"One For the Books"
Galaxy
September 1955, Vol. 10 No. 6
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Shock!, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v2
Editorial Comment: When he woke up that morning a weird thing happened... he could speak fluent French!
Notes: Matheson adapted "One For the Books" for Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories.
Editorial Comment: Escaping a known danger is highly advisable... if you can know the unknown danger ahead!
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| Illustration by Callé |
Galaxy
December 1950, Vol. 1 No.3
Subsequent appearances (as "When the Waker Sleeps"): Collected Stories HC, Shock III, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: There's nothing like exciting fantasy to escape boredom. The problem is to know whether it's actually a fantasy.
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| Illustration by Paul Piérre |
Galaxy
May 1952, Vol. 4 No. 2
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Born of Man and Woman, Third From the Sun, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: What a past! The climate was grand, the service a dream—maybe too much of one. Was that why no man was allowed to stay there longer than six months?
 |
| Illustration by Willer |
Galaxy
July 1952, Vol. 4 No.4
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Born of Man and Woman, Third From the Sun, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: When you start seeing things, remember this: the things you are seeing may be seeing you!
 |
| Illustration by Emsh |
Galaxy
September 1955, Vol. 10 No. 6
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Shock!, Duel: Terror Stories, Collected Stories TP v2
Editorial Comment: When he woke up that morning a weird thing happened... he could speak fluent French!
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| Illustration by Dick Francis |
Notes: Matheson adapted "One For the Books" for Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories.
Marvel Science Stories
May 1951, Vol. 3 No. 3
Subsequent appearances: Collected Stories HC, Shock Waves, Collected Stories TP v1
Editorial Comment: They knew it was against the Policy to see The Thing, but then so was eating roast beef, and drinking coffee, and smoking cigars.
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| Illustration by V. Napoli |
Marvel Science Stories
May 1951, Vol. 3 No. 3
Subsequent appearances: Matheson Uncollected v2
Editorial Comment: It was probably Iowa, he said. Where all man's ideas came from...
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| Illustration by F.R. Paul |
There's more to come! Stay tuned for future installments of Richard Matheson - The Original Stories.
Good work as always, John. It may be worth noting that "Lover When You're Near Me" was another Matheson story (in addition to "The Holiday Man") adapted in the pilot script that he and James Bond scenarist Richard Maibaum wrote for the abortive GALAXY anthology series.
ReplyDeleteI've always been impressed by the unusually high quality of the interior artwork that GALAXY used in the early issues. Not your typical SF illustrations at all. Another great digest.
ReplyDeleteMan, this Matheson series you've done is breathtaking! I just did a small post on his vintage Shock collections but it's nothing compared to this stuff. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThanks Will!
ReplyDeleteThere's still a part of me that wants to write reviews of each story as well, but I decided to focus this initial effort on the identification and documentation of the original appearances. I may very well circle back in the future to do a detailed review of all of his short fiction.
I must admit, as I get down to the last few entries, I'm all the more disappointed that I still have some holes in my collection that won't allow me to include the full detail for everything.
My plan for now is to include placeholders, so that when and if those things do land in my hands I can update the articles accordingly.
I do love those Shock collections, and while I'm not a huge fan of the art, I was so happy when I finally completed my matching set of Berkley reissues. Some of the UK covers are - like many British horror paperbacks of the period - over the top.
I plan to continue my Matheson blabbering once the stories are done; including an article on all the Berkley reissues with the matching cover designs. I'm a sucker when it comes to collecting a matching series of books...
Keep up the great work with Too Much Horror Fiction!
Can't have too much Matheson blabbering.
ReplyDelete