Visionary Wonder Stories

Visionary Wonder Stories is a magazine that has been very important in the There's Something in the Sea storyline. Its offices are located in New York City and its main editor is Lex Harlan. This periodical publishes many fictional stories that appeal to readers interested in strange phenomenon. One of the most well known stories published was "Utropolis" by a writer utilizing the alias of RØd Killian Quain. The story became widely popular with members of Phil Isidores UFO research community, NUFOS. This caused a surge of popularity for the magazine and for its editor.
During the events of Something in the Sea, it was revealed that RØd Killian Quain, an alias of Orrin Oscar Lutwidge, had used this magazine to publicize information about his time in Rapture, in his "Utopian Metropolis" manuscript. Unfortunately, Lex Harlan edited this manuscript so much that the setting is barely recognizable as Rapture, and Quain's chance to spread the truth was lost. However, Visionary Wonders capitalized on the increased popularity that this story brought. Quain also wrote a classified ad in this magazine in an attempt to contact his faithful supporters in the International Order of the Pawns. Mark Meltzer pieced together many clues related to Rapture and Lutwidge's history by reading these publications.
== Magazine Articles ==
=== "Utropolis" ===
=== Classified Ads ===
November 1960	Visionary Wonder Stories	123		
CLASSIFIED ADS	
CLASSIFIED ADS 	
CLASSIFIED ADS		
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YOUR MESSAGE HERE! Only 1 cent per
word. Reach 1000s of readers for pennies!
Just fill in the coupon below with your
remittance. Guaranteed 30 day turn-
around.
----
BACK ISSUES FOR SALE! Fill in the
gaps of your collection of Visionary
Wonder and other top sci-fi magazines!
Send your wantlist or ask for our catalog to
Lex Harlan c/o VW Publications, 887	
DO YOU BELIEVE IN UTROPOLIS? Is
the fiction just fancy or - or is it founded in
fact? Are you among the Worthy who
deserve to learn the deepest secrets?
Would you experience True Rapture?
The game is not yet finished and may
begun anew by pawns bold enough to
play. For more information, provide us with
your reasons for believing. Send an SASE
to R.K.Q. c/o I.O.O.P. Hellgate...........PO
Box dB....
=== "Words of Wonder" ===
8 	VISIONARY WONDER STORIES	SEPT. 1961 		
WORDS OF WONDER	WORDS OF WONDER 	WORDS OF WONDER		
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Lex:
Regarding R. Killian Quain's
"The Last Days of Utropolis,"
all I can say is - WOW! I just
wish you would can the
intros suggesting that it's "all
true." The stories don't need
the extra hype!
:::Flash Wentzel
Flash, we're just relaying what
Mr. Quain tells us! The author
claims that he's never written a
single word of fiction in his
entire life. When his manu-
scripts arrive, they read like
news reports. With Mr. Quain's
permission, our staff "fictional-
izes" the material to give it that
Visionary Wonder impact. But
don't fret - only minor details
are changed to protect your
fragile mind!
To Whom It May Concern:
Enough is enough. This used
to be a science fiction
magazine. As a card-carrying
industrial engineer I can tell
you the science of "Utropo-
lis" is impossible. As to the
fiction - I know how to tell
fantasy from fact even if the
editors of this magazine
cannot. Please cancel my
subscription immediately.
:::H. Beleche	
Sorry you feel that way, H.! But
lots of long-term readers tell us
they love the stories - and
copies are flying off the news-
stands!
Dear Mr. Quain:
Thank you for another eye-
opening set of revelations
regarding Utropolis. But I am
left wondering how you learned
all this amazing information.
Have you actually been to
Utropolis? Are any of the
characters based upon your
own experiences? Where is
the mysterious city located?
:::J. Jay Fyler
Jay:
We have a billion questions for
Mr. Quain ourselves - but
unfortunately, he vanished from
our lives as mysteriously as he
arrived! However, Mr. Quain
advised us that NONE of the
characters are based upon
him... However, they are
inspired by real events and real
people. For more insight on Mr.
Quain, shift your eyeballs to
page 10 and feast upon the
revealing intro to the next
installment of our four part
serial: "UTROPOLIS NOW!"
:::- Lex Harlan, ed.-
=== "The Man From Utropolis (?)" ===
10 	VISIONARY WONDER STORIES 	SEPT. 1961 		
THE MAN 	THE MAN 	THE MAN 		
FROM 	FROM 	FROM 		
UTROPOLIS(?) 	UTROPOLIS(?) 	UTROPOLIS(?) 		
An Encounter with R. Killian Quain	An Encounter with R. Killian Quain	An Encounter with R. Killian Quain		
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    Relax, readers... in a moment
you will dive into the next chapter
of the thrilling prelude of our
"Utropolis" Saga. But first, in
response to many questions, I
wanted to give you some insight
into the man behind the magic.
    It was sometime in the sultry
summer of 1960. I was the last
man standing at the Visionary
Wonder offices -- burning the
long-aftermidnight oil to beat a
deadline. The building was dark
and strangely quiet as I took a
smoke break on the rooftop,
enjoying the twinkling splendor
of New York's nightside as I
nursed my nicotine cravings. I
descended back down to the 17th
floor and jangled my keys to	
open the door of the Visionary
Wonder offices - but the door
drifted open al on its own!
    I peered intently at the scarred
brass beneath the doorknob. After
the many misadventures in my
knock-about, jack-of-all-trades
existence, I knew a picked lock
when I saw one! Instantly on
edge, I reached in my back-
pocket for my trusty switchblade.
With a soft SNIKT, I steeled it for
battle... then I slipped into my<
darkened office.
    There, I saw a strange sight. He
was a middle-aged man -- once
buttoned-down and proper but
now rumpled and sweat-stained.
    In my shadow-inked office, his
face seemed strangely asymmetrical.
==Gallery==
File:Classifieds.png
File:Words of wonder.png
File:Man from utropolis.png
Category:There's Something in the Sea
Category:Pages with written transcripts