by Gary Romeo
The Weird Tales Collector only lasted six issues. But interest in Weird Tales continues on. This little known publication ran from 1977 – 1980. It was edited and published by Robert & Phyllis Weinberg. The price was $2 a copy. Today they sell anywhere from $15 – $20 on eBay.
In the late 1970s, Robert Weinberg was the Weird Tales expert. Weinberg’s strength was his promotion of other pulpsters besides the big three: H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard. Weinberg’s anthology Far Below and other horrors, Fax Collector’s Editions, 1974, included one story by Robert E. Howard but the other 10 authors were relatively unknown to contemporary readers.
Weinberg’s tour de force is most likely The Weird Tales Story, Fax Collector’s Editions, 1977 (and reprinted by Wildside Press in 1999). This book featured articles on the magazine, the editors, the writers, and the artists of Weird Tales. A really good book that had an expanded edition published in 2021.
The expanded and enhanced version was published with the permission of John Betancourt, who has been announced as the Guest of Honor at this year’s Howard Days celebration. (Robert E. Howard Days is coming April 28-29, 2023!)
From Wikipedia: John Gregory Betancourt (born October 25, 1963) is an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels, as well as short stories. He is also known as the founder and publisher, with his wife Kim Betancourt, of Wildside Press in 1989. In 1998, they entered the print on demand (PoD) market and greatly expanded their production. In addition to publishing new novels and short stories, they have undertaken projects to publish new editions of collections of stories that appeared in historic magazines.
The updated book includes contributions from a variety of pulp scholars: S.T. Joshi, Darrell Schweitzer, Mike Ashley, Rob Roehm, Bobby Derie, Jason Ray Carney, Adrian Cole, Morgan Holmes, and Terence E. Hanley. A highly recommended book!
Anyway, onward. Let’s now take a look at The Weird Tales Collector…
The Weird Tales Collector #1
This 32 page magazine consists of a table of contents, a 2 page editorial, 12 pages of articles, and a 17 page index to Weird Tales (a listing of the contents of each issue from March 1923 to December 1927.
Of interest are two articles on Edmond Hamilton. Known primarily for his Captain Future stories (and being married to Leigh Brackett) the article by E. Hoffman Price talks about their friendship and some of Hamilton’s best stories. Weinberg’s article concentrates on the work Hamilton did for Weird Tales.
The third article is on lesser-known WT writer, Everil Worrell. The article is written by Worrell’s daughter, Jeanne Eileen Murphy. It is a nice biographical sketch on one of the many female writers who contributed to Weird Tales.
The Weird Tales Collector #2
The format for this issue is pretty much the same as the first issue. A table of contents, an editorial, 5 articles, a Weird Tales gallery (all B&W illos), and the index. Weinberg included an in-house advertisement as the last page.
The first article by Robert Weinberg profiles Margaret Brundage. Weinberg had a face-to-face meeting with her before she passed away in 1976. Weinberg gives us a personal look at this fabulous artist. Next up is a poem by Farnsworth Wright that was originally published in Fantasy Magazine. Weird Tales writer, Amelia Reynolds Long is profiled by Chet Williamson.
Edmond Hamilton appears again in the second issue in a reprinted article and August Derleth is profiled by Atom (DC Superhero) namesake, Ray Palmer. Both the Hamilton and Derleth articles also appeared first in Fantasy Magazine.
The Index lists the contents of Weird Tales issues from January 1928 – December 1932.
The Weird Tales Collector #3
The only format change this time out is back cover art by Dave Gallon. Previously the back covers were blank. Only 3 articles this time out.
“Literature With a Capital Hell” by Malcolm W. Ferguson is an attempt at higher literary criticism. “Unlocking the Night” by Mike Ashley is an interesting look at writers Oscar Cook and Christine Campbell Thomson. Ms. Thomson edited the “Not at Night” series that gave several WT authors their first hardcover appearances. In the last article in this issue, Forry Ackerman provides another look at Margaret Brundage.
The Index covers WT issues from January 1933 – September 1938.
The Weird Tales Collector #4
The fourth issue is more of the same, this time with a back cover by Frank Hamilton.
“Self-Portrait” by Henry S. Whitehead is a biographical sketch by the popular Weird Tales author. “H. S. Chibbett” by Mike Ashley is about Harold S.W. Chibbett, whose writings appeared in several weird magazines but only once in Weird Tales. “Weird Whisperings” by Robert Weinberg reprints excerpts from the news column of that name that appeared in The Fantasy Fan.
A “Letters” section is new. There are letters from Richard Winter, Robert Bloch, and E. Hoffman Price.
The Index covers WT issues from October 1938 – July 1950.
The Weird Tales Collector #5
The table of contents, an editorial, two articles, photos of Seabury Quinn and Mary Elizabeth Counselman, the letters column, the index, a poem by Walter Shedlofsky, and back cover art by Bob Kellough complete this issue.
“The Very Much So Clever Fellow” by Robert Sampson is a longish article about Seabury Quinn’s Jules de Grandin. Included are two full page illustrations by Steve Fabian. “Reader’s Choice” by Robert A. W. Lowndes tells us who the readers of WT thought best for the issues from 1924 – 1926.
The Index covers WT from September 1950 – Summer 1974.
Letters are from Jack Williamson, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and Mike Ashley.
The Weird Tales Collector #6
The final issue has the table of contents, an editorial, 4 articles, 1 poem, the letters column, and an index to Strange Stories. There is no back cover art this time.
The editorial apologizes for the year long delay between issues but there is no indication that this will be the last issue.
“The Raconteur of Emerald Lake” by Thomas Kent Miller and Gary von Terbach is a look at the works of E. Hoffman Price. “An Interview with Mary Elizabeth Counselman” by Stephen Gresham is a nice Q & A with the talented author. “The Case of the Moonlighting Physicians” by Chet Williamson is a humorous piece on Doctor advertisements that probably influenced Virgil Finlay’s renditions of de Grandin and Trowbridge. “Reader’s Choice” by Robert A. W. Lowndes continues with choices from readers for WT issues 1927 – 1929.
The letters are from E. Hoffman Price, Mike Ashley, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and Lila Thomson.
Sadly, the magazine ended publication with this issue.
spraguedecampfan 