Weird Tales, America’s first and foremost magazine of gothic fantasy, science fiction and horror, has been purchased by Nth Dimension Media, Inc., co-founded by veteran writer and science fiction book anthologist Marvin Kaye and director/producer John Harlacher.
Kaye is the latest in a series of distinguished editors who have guided “The Unique Magazine” through nearly nine decades. Under the direction of current editor-in-chief Ann VanderMeer the publication earned a Hugo Award, the most prestigious honor in the sci-fi world.
Publisher Harlacher plans to have VanderMeer edit one final issue before turning over the reins to Kaye in early 2012. Kaye says he is “interested in continuing and expanding the splendid work” of VanderMeer. “When I take over the helm,” he adds, “I hope Ann will continue her involvement as a consulting and contributing editor.”
Kaye describes his own vision for Weird Tales as “Janus-faced,” honoring the long history of the publication while continuing its legacy of discovering new and unusual fiction. Content will feature works of well-known, midlist and new writers, and a few reprints of classic stories.
Beginning in February 2012 each issue will have a theme, though Kaye states, “the usual assortment of stories and poetry will be included along with tales that fit the governing conceit.”
The new Weird Tales will be open to nearly all sorts of genre fiction, including absurdist humor, fantasy, horror, mystery and surrealism. “The only kind of story that probably won’t fit would be neo-realism,” says Kaye, “though even there I’m willing to be convinced otherwise.”
Kaye, the author of sixteen novels and editor of over 30 genre fiction anthologies, has a long personal history with Weird Tales. Fascinated by the “creepy-looking” magazine that his sister Dorothy brought into their Philadelphia home, he was an avid fan by the age of nine. He edited two anthologies celebrating the magazine’s distinctive brand of fiction: “Weird Tales: the Magazine That Never Dies,” published in 1988, and “The Best of Weird Tales: 1923,” published in 1997. Kaye also edited H.P. Lovecraft’s Magazine of Horror, which will remain an ongoing portion of Weird Tales.
No novice to the world of fantasy and horror, Harlacher is the co-director of “Nightmare,” an interactive theatre experience widely recognized as New York’s most horrifying haunted house. This year’s motif, a creepy rendition of familiar fairy tales, has been described by Fangoria horror magazine as “entirely spooky and full of nasty, nasty fun…imaginative, and yes, hilarious and repulsive.”
Weird Tales was launched in 1923 as a showcase for writers of speculative and alternative fiction – in other words, stories that were too bizarre to be published anywhere else. It launched the careers of such authors as H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, and Robert E. Howard; even Tennessee Williams made his first sale to Weird Tales. The original magazine folded in 1954, but resurfaced over the years in the form of reprint anthologies, original magazines and paperback editions. Weird Tales has been printed regularly since 1988, when it was resurrected by editor-publishers John Gregory Betancourt, Darrell Schweitzer and George H. Scithers.
For more information, contact Terry Kaye at (818) 694-3016 or weirdtalespr(at)gmail(dot)com.
New Issue!
Thanks for posting this news…I have been really curious about the new WT since the first announcement appeared here a couple months ago. Ann, I am sorry to see you go – I have loved your Weird Tales! But I have to say, I am kind of excited because it was Marvin Kaye’s WT anthology that turned me on to the magazine in the first place. I have a few of his anthologies and they’re all great – LOVE “Don’t Open This Book!” I’m glad Ann is editing one more, and might contribute in the future! Seems to me there is no downside to this. WT forever!
Um. I’m kind of excited to see what Kaye comes up with, but am at same time tearing up about VanderMeer leaving. I absolutely adore her and the works she’s done here.
It seems to have been a little while since any update. I understand that the old regime is putting their run to bed whilst the new one is trying to plan their new direction. Still, as a reader, I am curious for more WT news.
Also, on the subject of being a reader– as well as the ongoing discussion of the future of print vs. the future of the internet– I hope part of the new regime’s plan is for the website to become a more integral part of the modern Weird Tales experience. I know this is a smaller magazine with much of the readership being die-hards of a specific form of literature. Those of us who would seek it out are most likely fans of the printed word, wanting it to be tangible and held in our hands. But a Weird Tales for the next millennium will have to embrace the changing times and a more interactive website, I think, would be necessary for future growth.
Do we have any indication yet as to when the new Weird Tales will be opening its doors to fiction submissons again? A story of mine was one of the ones caught in the ‘submission limbo’ when the announcement went out of the change of regime. I am still keen to resubmit it.
Nuts. I finally get back to writing and have the stories ready to go, and you guys shut down.
So, if this is January (I’m pretty sure that’s correct for this dimension) and you’re starting the new themed publications in February, shouldn’t you already be taking submissions? I mean, how much of a stockpile do you have?
Any news? Last update is from October…
Any updates? So anxious to know what’s going on!
February has arrived. News?
I will lend my voice to the “hey, its February and there still is no word about the magazine” clamor.
How about some word, please.
I think it’s dead?
Yeah, it’s probably dead.we can have fun and try to imagine how we would change WT if we were the publisher/editor. I would probably change the format to something that looks cheaper, such as Asimov’s or even 2600 the hacker magazine.
I would also change the propertyof the magazine.I would try for some sort of credit-union way of” sharing” the property with the customers.
On August 23, 2011, John Betancourt announced Wildside Press would be selling Weird Tales to Marvin Kaye, who intends to edit the publication himself; Ann VanderMeer will thus be stepping down as Weird Tales editor. Since then there have been no new issues, apart from a special World Fantasy Convention issue given away for free to interested attendees. It was not well received, with Locus citing that it was “a preview that bodes not well” and “the other offerings range from mediocre to awful. To really awful . . . It doesn’t bode well for the future of this once-great publication.”
(from wikipedia)
that is disturbing. I also wrote Terry Kaye an email asking when submissions would be accepted again, and I was told it could be as a long as a year before the portal opens again because they already have so many stories to work with. However, since we were told that all outstanding submissions were being returned unread, I’m not sure where that slush pile came from.
The website is still registered under Betancourt’s name.weird.
So its dead, huh? That’s sad.
A facebook post on WT’s group now says that the latest issue is finally at the printers . . . so maybe end of the month or March? I hope subsequent issues are a bit more regular.
Got a mail from Terry Kayne.
Issue 359 should be out by late February (I guess march).
Issue 360 is ready, it should be out in May our even earlier.
I meant Marvin Kaye.
Dear editor.
Will you be accepting hard copy submissions only?
Thank you.