Weird Tales January 1949 – Heinlein, Bloch

📖 Weird Tales, January 1949 (Volume 41, Number 2) — A landmark issue of the most influential horror and fantasy pulp magazine ever published, featuring the first appearance of Robert A. Heinlein’s “Our Fair City” alongside stories by Robert Bloch, John D. MacDonald, and other pulp masters. This copy is in Very Good condition with vibrant cover colors and tight binding.

QUICK FACTS

• Editor: Dorothy McIlwraith
• Publisher: Weird Tales, Inc., 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York
• Year: January 1949 (Volume 41, Number 2)
• Format: Pulp magazine, paperback
• Cover Price: 20¢ | Pages: 96 (approx.)
• ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: Very Good — full report below

THIS ISSUE

This is the January 1949 issue of Weird Tales, the legendary magazine that published H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard during its golden age. By 1949, the magazine had entered its later period under editor Dorothy McIlwraith, but this issue stands out for its unusually strong lineup. The lead draw is Robert A. Heinlein’s “Our Fair City” — a satirical fantasy about a sentient whirlwind named Kitten that becomes entangled in municipal corruption. It is the first publication of this story, which Heinlein later collected in The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag (1959).

The issue also features Robert Bloch’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” a chilling tale about a simple-minded young man serving a stage magician who takes belief in magic too literally. This story became well-known through its 1961 adaptation for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, though the original short story — told from the killer’s perspective — is considered the stronger version. John D. MacDonald contributes “The Great Stone Death,” an atmospheric tale of a rock-like monster lurking undetected in a mountain landscape.

COMPLETE TABLE OF CONTENTS

• “Four From Jehlam” — Allison V. Harding (novelette)
• “Food for Demons” — E. Everett Evans
• “The Thirteenth Floor” — Frank Gruber
• “Open Season on the Bottoms” — Snowden T. Herrick
• “The Great Stone Death” — John D. MacDonald
• “Lover in Scarlet” — Harold Lawlor
• “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” — Robert Bloch
• “The Big Shot” — Eric Frank Russell
• “Balu” — Stephen Grendon (August Derleth)
• “The Bonan of Baladewa” — Mary Elizabeth Counselman
• “Our Fair City” — Robert A. Heinlein (novelette)
• “A Curse” — Page Cooper (poem)
• “The Heads on Easter Island” — Leah Bodine Drake (poem)
• “Weirdisms: Imp” — Lee Brown Coye (essay)

COVER ART & ILLUSTRATIONS

The cover is by Lee Brown Coye (1907–1981), one of the most distinctive illustrators in horror fiction. Coye’s style — characterized by skeletal figures, twisted organic forms, and stark black-and-white compositions — defined the visual identity of weird fiction in the 1940s and later influenced generations of horror artists. The cover depicts a gaunt, hooded figure clutching a long staff, set against a reddish-brown brick facade with strange bulbous shapes and a single stylized flower. The rich color palette of earth tones, muted reds, and vivid orange accents is remarkably well-preserved on this copy. Interior illustrations include headings by Boris Dolgov and Vincent Napoli, with Dolgov’s surreal black-and-white art appearing throughout the issue.

WHY IT MATTERS

• First publication of Robert A. Heinlein’s “Our Fair City” — a satirical fantasy later collected in The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag
• Robert Bloch’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was adapted for Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961, never broadcast on network TV), making this original appearance collectible
• Lee Brown Coye’s cover art represents his distinctive contribution to horror illustration — his work later appeared in Arkham House and Carcosa publications
• John D. MacDonald, later famous for the Travis McGee series, contributed “The Great Stone Death” during his prolific pulp period
• Volume 41, Number 2 — a complete, intact copy from the final years of Weird Tales‘ original run (the magazine ceased publication in 1954)

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? This is the original first printing — Volume 41, Number 2, published January 1949 by Weird Tales, Inc. It is not a reprint or facsimile.

What condition is it in? Very Good. Full condition report below.

Is the Heinlein story the first publication? Yes. “Our Fair City” appeared here for the first time before being collected in The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag (1959).

FOR COLLECTORS

This issue combines multiple collector draws: a Heinlein first appearance, a Bloch story with TV adaptation history, and cover art by Lee Brown Coye — one of the most sought-after pulp illustrators. The condition is notably strong for a 75+ year old pulp magazine, with vibrant cover colors, tight binding, and supple pages. Copies with intact covers and clean interiors from this period are increasingly scarce.

Condition Report

Overall Grade: Very Good (VG)

Cover & Spine: Minor rubbing to extremities with highly vibrant front cover colors. A small, neat vintage pen inscription (“a1”) is present on the mid-left portion of the front cover next to the hag’s staff. Spine remains remarkably intact and fully legible with only minor rubbing at the head and tail. Back cover shows light shelf wear but is clean and complete.

Dust Jacket: N/A (As issued)

Text Block & Pages: Lightly age-toned with a uniform light wood-color. Pages remain supple, clean, and completely free of brittle edges or tears.

Binding: Tight, square, and secure. Staples are strong with no page looseness.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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