Archive of Early "Startling Stories" Sci-Fi Pulp Magazine Featuring Early Female Sci-Fi Writers Margaret St. Clair, Judith Merril, and Miriam Allen deFord, 1954-55

Startling Stories Sci-Fi Pulp Archive

Archive

[Magazines and Periodicals][Literature][Sci-fi] Five-issue pulp magazine archive of Startling Stories, published by Better Publications and Standard Magazines, 1954-55. The run includes work by notable authors such as Margaret St. Clair, Judith Merril, Richard Matheson, Bryce Walton, and Philip K. Dick. This period of Startling reflects pulp science fiction’s evolving engagement with gender, Cold War anxiety, and postwar domesticity. Stories by women such as Margaret St. Clair, Judith Merril, and Miriam Allen deFord present unusual agency and narrative complexity for female characters within the male-dominated SF field of the era.

[1] Startling Stories, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Summer 1954). Features “The Spiral of the Ages” by Fletcher Pratt, a time-travel romance structured around male agency. Noteworthy contributions include “Finders Keepers” by Margaret St. Clair and “Stormy Weather” by Judith Merril—both rare instances of women-authored SF in a mainstream pulp. Merril’s protagonist must telepathically track her missing son, a complex female-centered narrative. St. Clair’s story, like much of her work, blends domesticity with technological tension.
[2] Startling Stories, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Fall 1954). Includes the full-length novel “Spacemen Lost” by George O. Smith and “Simple Psiman” by F.L. Wallace. Margaret St. Clair’s “The Marriage Manual” returns with a satirical inversion of gendered advice culture: “If you can’t beat the opposition, join them.” A rare example of feminist satire in a 1950s SF pulp.

[3] Startling Stories, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Spring 1955). Includes Bryce Walton’s “Too Late for Eternity,” an aging-themed space opera with paternalist overtones, and a novelet by William Morrison. Notable for short fiction by Philip K. Dick (“Nanny”) and Richard Matheson (“Miss Stardust”), the latter offering a proto-feminist beauty allegory. The issue's range also includes stories by Arthur Porges, Roger Dee, and Winston Marks.

[4] Startling Stories, Vol. 33, No. 2 (Summer 1955). Contains three novelettes: “An Apple for the Teacher” by Robert F. Young, “White Spot” by Murray Leinster, and “Awakening” by Bryce Walton. “An Apple for the Teacher” is of particular note for its female educator protagonist whose students transcend earthly expectations. Also includes “Time Out for Redheads” by Miriam Allen deFord, a prolific feminist and mystery writer, whose tale involves female agency in matters of love and identity. Other contributors include Leslie Waltham and Gordon R. Dickson.
[5] Startling Stories, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Fall 1955). Features “The Naked Sky” by James E. Gunn, and “Jungle Doctor” by Robert F. Young. Margaret St. Clair contributes “Lazarus,” a short about bodily resurrection and consent, characteristic of her nuanced feminist themes. Leslie Waltham’s “I Like a Happy Ending” offers psychological depth rarely given to women characters in pulp fiction. Includes seven short stories, showcasing an unusual number of female-centered narratives.

All issues exhibit moderate pulp toning and light edgewear, with intact bindings and no major losses. Overall good condition. A compelling five-issue sequence within 1950s science fiction pulp culture, including significant contributions by women writers.

Item #22383

Price: $225.00