Startling Stories, March, 1952, featuring “The Well of the Worlds” by Henry Kuttner, and “Things of Distinction”, by Kendell Foster Crossen [Earle K. Bergey]

The March, 1952 issue of Startling Stories includes four illustrations by Virgil Finlay, of his typically masterful quality.  Three are for “The Well of the Worlds”, while the fourth – show below – is for “Things of Distinction”.  As for Early Bergey’s cover art?  Well, the table of contents has no actual mention of Bergey, and, I don’t think the cover has any relation to any story carried within the magazine.  It’s simply a nicely representative example of Bergeyology!

As for “Things of Distinction” itself?  It seems to be an example of science-fiction humor, a sub-genre which to me is a literary oxymoron that falls flatter than flat.  The story itself was only anthologized once; that in The Bodley Head’s 1954 Future Tense.  Regardless, Virgil Finlay’s lead illustration – taking full advantage of the horizontal format available by virtue of the magazine’s size – is imaginative and playful.  Even that is outdone by his three illustrations for Henry Kuttner’s never (really) anthologized “The Well of the Worlds“, which, like many Finlay compositions, seem to emanate from a world of unrecorded myth.  

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Illustrations by Virgil W. Finlay, for “The Well of the Worlds“, by Henry Kuttner

(Page 10)

(Page 13)

(Page 27)

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Illustration for “Things of Distinction“, by Kendell Foster Crossen (pages 98-99)

And a little bit more…

Kendell Foster Crossen, at…

… Wikipedia

… Internet Speculative Fiction Database

… Project Gutenberg

… Fantastic Fiction

 

All The Traps of Earth, by Clifford D. Simak – September, 1967 (June, 1963) [Richard M. Powers]

The paintings of Richard Powers are striking in a variety of ways, one of the most obvious being the use of color.  Well, there’s nothing too surprising in that, since color is an inherent part of our world.  As for Powers, his works are typified by a combination of bright and contrasting colors of different hues, or, a range of colors in the same limited hue which differ from one another by saturation and intensity.  (You can view numerous examples of these qualities “here”, at this blog!) 

However, a very few of Powers paintings – at least, as reproduced for the covers of science fiction paperbacks – are the antithesis of color: They’re in “black & white”.

One, for the cover of Arthur C. Clarke’s Tales From the White Hart, was painted in shades of gray, with black and white details. 

Another, for the cover of Macfadden Books 1967 edition of Clifford Simak’s All The Traps of Earth – below – is also in black & white.  But, a close-up view of the painting suggests that the original art was actually in color.  First, looking closely, you’ll see that the innumerable details in the painting were completed in many subtle, incremental gradations of gray, and as such, the painting lacks the contrast apparent in the cover of White Hart.  Second, the features of the painting – the atmospheric quality; the indefinable, vaguely metallic, vaguely organic, curved objects floating in the sky – the strands of clouds  wispily draped from lower left to upper right –  the angular standing forms (buildings?) against the horizon – and especially, the suggestion of an alien “head” in the lower center – are features typical of Powers’ works which have been published in color.  So, assuming the original was done in color, why did Macfadden publish the painting in black and white, given that the “SIMAK” logo is already in color? 

This, I do not know. 

Maybe just to be different?!

Regardless, even if in shades of gray, it’s still a cool painting. 

And, markedly different from the very (!) plain back cover.  

Contents

“All The Traps of Earth“, from The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March, 1960

“Good Night, Mr. James“, from Galaxy Science Fiction, March, 1951

“Drop Dead“, from Galaxy Science Fiction, July, 1956

“The Sitters“, from Galaxy Science Fiction, April, 1958

“Installment Plan“, from Galaxy Magazine, February, 1959

“Condition of Employment“, from Galaxy Magazine, April, 1960

Here’s More

All the Traps of Earth, at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database