Ad Astra (science fiction zine)

Ad Astra was a Chicago-based genzine published from 1939-1940 for science fiction fans. It featured art, fiction and essays. John W. Campbell Jr. contributed an article to the first issue.
Issue 2 featured letters from readers giving their thoughts on the first issue, most of which praised the cover by Julian KrupaJulian Krupa - Fancyclopedia 3. Krupa provided covers and inside art for issues 2 and 3, but issue 3 reported that Krupa would no longer be able to contribute to Ad Astra, as he'd been hired by Ziff-Davis, the publishers of Amazing Stories, and his contract prohibited any outside work. Issue 3 also announced that Ad Astra had been chosen as the official journal for the World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Chicago in 1940.
== About ==
== Reviews ==
== Issue 1 ==
Volume 1, Number 1 - May 1939. 
== Issue 2Details of the contents of Issues 2-5 obtained from the scanned issues at Fanac.org ==
Volume 1, Number 2 - July 1939. Edited by Mark ReinsbergMark Reinsberg - Fancyclopedia 3, art by Julian S. Krupa. 20 pages. 
Contents:
* Pg 1 - Front Cover Illustration - Julian S. Krupa
* Pg 2 - Staff Listing and Contents Page
* Pg 3 - Where's Hawk Carse? - Clifford D. Simak
* Pg 5 - Future Trends in Fantasy - Jack Williamson
* Pg 7 - "Beyond the Gates" - fiction by Mark Reinsberg
* Pg 9 - They Dared to Dream - W. Lawrence Hamling
* Pg 9 - Have Fan Magazines A Use? - Harry Warner Jr.
* Pg 10 - Ad Astra, a Poem - Mark Reinsberg
* Pg 13 - Ad Lib - Letters of Comment
* Pg 15 - Drawing - Julian S. Krupa
* Pg 16 - Science Supplement - Harry Bott
* Pg 19 - Editorial
== Issue 3 ==
Volume 1, Number 3 - September 1939. Edited by Mark Reinsberg, art by Julian S. Krupa. 22 pages. 
Contents:
* Pg 1 - Front Cover Illustration - Julian S. Krupa
* Pg 2 - Staff Listing and Contents Page
* Pg 3 - The "Good Old Days" - Leslie A. CroutchLeslie A. Croutch - Fancyclopedia 3 - essay on why the "good old days" of science fiction were better
* Pg 5 - Viva La Fan Mags! - Charles D. Hornig - reflections on early fan mags such as "The Time Traveller" (1932), "The Fantasy Fan" (1935) and "The Science Fiction Digest" (1935-ish).
* Pg 7 - An Interview with Dick Calkins - Richard I. Meyer Richard I. Meyer - Fancyclopedia 3- interview with the creator of "Buck Rogers".
* Pg 10 - Re-Berth, As Told on a Train - Forrest J. Ackerman - convention report for the first World Science Fiction Convention. 
* Pg 11 - It's That Jinx! - Richard I. Meyer - news of Julian Krupa's departure due to paid work and Mark Reinsberg's illness causing publication issues, plus other news. 
* Pg 10a - Reproduction of the cover of the last Amazing Stories! - made available as an alternative to original art.
* Pg 12 - Guest Editorial No. 1 - Raymond A. Palmer - editorial from the editor of Amazing Stories!
* Pg 13 - Condensed Resume of Amazing Stories - Jack DarrowJack Darrow - Fancyclopedia 3
* Pg 14 - Convention Sidelights - Robert A. MadleBob Madle - Fancyclopedia 3 - convention report for the World Science Fiction Convention
* Pg 15 - Sidelights in Fantasy - Larry B. FarsaciLarry Farsaci - Fancyclopedia 3 - news and reviews of stories/publications
* Pg 17 - Why Not Paul? - Harry Warner Jr. - essay about sci-fi illustrator Frank R. Paul.
* Pg 18 - Two Poems - "The Inventor Technocrat" by "Da Noma" and "In Oceanic Depths" by Harry Warner Jr.
* Pg 19 - Ad Lib - Letters of Comment
* Pg 21 - The Editor Says! - editorial by Mark Reinsberg
== Issue 4 ==
Volume 1, Number 4 - November 1939. Edited by Mark Reinsberg. 28 pages
Contents:
* Pg 1 - Book-Jacket Front Cover - Feature Cover from Amazing Stories! by Julian Krupa
* Pg 2 - Staff Listing and Contents Page
* Pg 3 - On Editing - E. E. Smith
* Pg 6 - Condensed Statistical Resume of Thrilling Wonder Stories - Jack Darrow
* Pg 7 - Those Magnificent Ideas - John W. Campbell Jr. - essay responding to The "Good Old Days"
* Pg 8 - Thomas P. Kelley - Leslie A. Croutch - interview with the Canadian science-fiction author
* Pg 9 - Arrival - "Arthur Jayburks Ackerman" - convention report, sequel to "Outbound" - the World Science Fiction Convention in New York; includes meeting with members of the Futurians, including Ray Bradbury, Donald A. Wollheim and Frederik Pohl.
* Pg 10 - AA's Book Review Section - Arthur L. Widner Jr.Art Widney - Fancyclopedia 3 - review of They Found Atlantis by David Wheatley.
* Pg 11 - Fantasies That Became Fact #1; - J. Harvey HaggardJ. Harvey Haggard - Fancyclopedia 3 - essay on fictional story elements/inventions which later became fact.
* Pg 13 - Philadelphia -- Convention City - Robert A. Madle - essay on Philadelphia's sf convention history
* Pg 14 - Farwest Facts - "Fawest Jack Erman" - description of a meeting of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Leag(ue), attendees including Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, T. Bruce Yerke and Robert Heinlein.
* Pg 16 - Sex and STF - Donald A. Wolheim - essay on sex beginning to be included in sci fi stories and the response.
* Pg 17 - Ad Lib - Letters of Comment - including an apology from Harry Warner Jr. for his poem "In Oceanic Depths" in Issue 3 and a note that a line was missing
* Pg 20 - Editorially Speaking - editorial by Mark Reinsberg
* Pg 23 - Advertisements, including a two-page advertisement/editorial for Le Zombie.
* Pg 26 - Back Cover
== Issue 5 ==
Volume 1, Number 5 - January 1940. Edited by Mark Reinsberg. 26 pages
Contents:
* Pg 1 - Cover Illustration - Julian Krupa
* Pg 2 - Staff Listing and Contents Page
* Pg 3 - Editorially Speaking - editorial by Mark Reinsberg - introducing new fanzine Mid-West Fan News published by Richard I. Meyer and dedicating the issue to Astounding Science-Fiction.
* Pg 4 - Guest Editorial #2 - John W. Campbell Jr. editor of Astounding Science-Fiction
* Pg 5 - That Moment of Horror - Henry Kuttner - essay on horror in sci-fi.
* Pg 7 - Biographically Speaking - Seabury Quinn - Gerald W. Meader - essay on the creator of the occult detective Jules de Grandin.
* Pg 9 - AA's Book Review Section, "The Princess of Atvatabar" by William R. Bradshaw - Erle Kershak - review of the book first printed in 1892.
* Pg 10 - Fantasies That Became Fact #2; Coincidences - J. Harvey Haggard - essay on coincidences in fiction where fiction predicts events out of the blue.
* Pg 11 - Farwest Facts - "Fawest Jack Erman" - continuing con report on his fannish travels.
* Pg 16 - "What Fan Magazines?" - Robert W. Lowndes - essay on the definitions of and future of fanzines.
* Pg 17 - "Heart and Hack" - Harry Warner Jr - essay on the toll of writing-to-pay has on writing quality
* Pg 19 - H. G. Wells (Open Letter) - Joseph GilbertJoe Gilbert - Fancyclopedia 3 - critique of stories by HG Wells.
* Pg 21 - Ad Lib - Letters of Comment
* Pg 22 - Statistical Resume for Astounding Magazine - Richard I. Meyer
* Pg 23 and 24 - Advertisements
* Special Supplement To This Issue - Introducing "Mid-West Fan News" #1
Two pages for an unpublished sixth issue appeared in Midwest Marky on September 19, 1940.
== References ==
Category:Science Fiction Zines
Category:1939 Zines
Category:1940 Zines