Tag Archives: gordon eklund

[July 12, 1960] The New Generation (August 1970 Fantastic)

black and white photo of a dark-haired white woman with vampiric eyebrows
by Victoria Silverwolf

Now that we're well into the first year of a new decade, it's possible to look back on the recently ended 1960's and acknowledge that it's been a time of extraordinary changes in society.  Music, clothing, civil rights, the peace movement, and so forth.  Even in the relatively tiny world of imaginative fiction, the so-called New Wave has hit the field like a tornado.

Many of these revolutions have been led by youths.  Recently, many young people in the United States have been demanding the right to vote at the age of eighteen instead of twenty-one.  (Shades of Wild in the Streets!)

A black and white photo of a group of young men and women marching down a street carrying handmade signs supporting lowering the voting age to 18.
A typical demonstration promoting the lowering of the voting age.  This one happened in Seattle last year.

On June 22 of this year President Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, requiring that the voting age be eighteen in all federal, state, and local elections.  However, the constitutionality of this extension is under question, so don't celebrate yet.

A black and white photo of the top half of the front page of the Chicago Tribune for Tuesday, June 23, 1970.  The top headline reads 18-Year Vote Bill Signed. The subhead reads Nixon Orders Test in Court.
Nixon had doubts about the constitutionality of the extension even as he signed it, so he ordered a court case to decide the issue.


The latest issue of Fantastic reflects the changes that have been going on, with the New Wave movement influencing a great deal of fiction and nonfiction in its pages.  Don't worry; there's enough Old Wave content to satisfy traditionalists as well.

The cover of the August 1970 issue of Fantastic Stories.  The title is in yellow block capitals across the top, and a list of featured stories goes down the left side.  The image shows a man in a futuristic space suit with clear glass helmet, tall boots, and elbow-length gloves.  He stands facing the sky with his fists clenched by his sides.  Behind him, the sun is rising bright yellow against a dark blue star-filled sky.
Cover art by Jeff Jones.  Note that the Fantastic Illustrated feature promised on the cover does not actually appear in the issue.

Continue reading [July 12, 1960] The New Generation (August 1970 Fantastic)

[March 10, 1970] Baby, It's Cold (And Dark) Outside (April 1970 Fantastic)

photo of a dark-haired woman with vampiric eyebrows
by Victoria Silverwolf

Who Turned Out The Lights?

Folks living in certain parts of southern Mexico and the eastern coast of the United States and Canada were treated to a spectacular sight in the sky a few days ago.  On March 7, there was a total eclipse of the sun visible from those areas of the globe.

Black and white photograph with the silhouette of the moon centered and the haze of the corona seething around it. The final sliver of sunlight gleams like a gem at the top left of the 'ring'
The sun is about to completely disappear behind the moon.

I live in the southeastern corner of Tennessee, so I missed this extraordinary event.  Let's see; when do astronomers think a total solar eclipse will be visible from my neck of the woods?  Let me check my almanac.

August 21, 2017.  Holy cow, close to half a century to go. 

While I'm waiting, I can spend the time reading.  Just as a solar eclipse causes the Earth to cool down, at least for a moment, the latest issue of Fantastic features a new novella from one of the masters of imaginative literature that is dominated by a sense of cold.  Grab a cup of hot chocolate, wrap yourself up in a blanket, and join me as we dive into its icy pages.

Cover of Fantastic depicting a demonic young woman with spread black wings and a white dress flying against a red background
Cover art by Jeff Jones.

Continue reading [March 10, 1970] Baby, It's Cold (And Dark) Outside (April 1970 Fantastic)