“Amazing Stories Quarterly,” Vol. 2, No. 3 (Summer, 1929). Uncredited cover illustration for “Venus Liberated” by Harl Vincent.
Magazine Editor’s Introduction to the story:
“We don’t know absolutely that any of the planets are inhabited, yet some of our best scientists are firmly convinced that at least Mars has intelligent beings, and possibly Venus. (Sadly, it is a “No!” to both.) The lines and ridges that can be seen through the powerful telescopes, seem to be canals built by some intelligent beings, apparently advanced in some fields of science. (It seems the canals on Mars were a figment of human imagination based on an optical illusion that fooled even famed astronomer Percival Lowell, discoverer of Pluto).
“It is quite possible that telescopes more powerful than our most advanced present-day instruments will be built. Radio is still in its infant stages. Aviation, also, must inevitably make great strides. One or two more inventions that will tend to nullify gravitation and a combination of the perfected inventions and discoveries mentioned before, and conquering the ether for trips to other planets may not be so impossible after all. Mr. Vincent gives us, in a manner not beyond the laymen’s understanding, mathematical calculations, expert advice, and reasons based on scientific fact, why such results might sometime be achieved. And basing his story on accepted science, he gives us an excellent picture of what the inhabitants of Venus might really be like and what their life and customs might be like.” (Venus’ runaway greenhouse effect sends temperatures soaring to that of molten lead, making life impossible, I’m afraid.)
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[Note: It is the eve of America's Great Depression and Hugo Gernsback's "Experimenter Publishing Company" was forced into bankruptcy. The publisher of this particular issue of the Quarterly is listed as the Irving Trust Company, the trustee in bankruptcy. Though the Gernsback brothers lost control of Experimenter Publishing, the magazines did not miss an issue and were quickly sold to another publisher. The Gernsbacks promptly started new magazines to compete with their former ones.]
“Amazing Stories Quarterly,” Vol. 2, No. 3 (Summer, 1929). Uncredited cover illustration for “Venus Liberated” by Harl Vincent.
Magazine Editor’s Introduction to the story:
“We don’t know absolutely that any of the planets are inhabited, yet some of our best scientists are firmly convinced that at least Mars has intelligent beings, and possibly Venus. (Sadly, it is a “No!” to both.) The lines and ridges that can be seen through the powerful telescopes, seem to be canals built by some intelligent beings, apparently advanced in some fields of science. (It seems the canals on Mars were a figment of human imagination based on an optical illusion that fooled even famed astronomer Percival Lowell, discoverer of Pluto).
“It is quite possible that telescopes more powerful than our most advanced present-day instruments will be built. Radio is still in its infant stages. Aviation, also, must inevitably make great strides. One or two more inventions that will tend to nullify gravitation and a combination of the perfected inventions and discoveries mentioned before, and conquering the ether for trips to other planets may not be so impossible after all. Mr. Vincent gives us, in a manner not beyond the laymen’s understanding, mathematical calculations, expert advice, and reasons based on scientific fact, why such results might sometime be achieved. And basing his story on accepted science, he gives us an excellent picture of what the inhabitants of Venus might really be like and what their life and customs might be like.” (Venus’ runaway greenhouse effect sends temperatures soaring to that of molten lead, making life impossible, I’m afraid.)
-----------------------------------------------
[Note: It is the eve of America's Great Depression and Hugo Gernsback's "Experimenter Publishing Company" was forced into bankruptcy. The publisher of this particular issue of the Quarterly is listed as the Irving Trust Company, the trustee in bankruptcy. Though the Gernsback brothers lost control of Experimenter Publishing, the magazines did not miss an issue and were quickly sold to another publisher. The Gernsbacks promptly started new magazines to compete with their former ones.]