Beyond Fantasy Fiction
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Beyond Fantasy Fiction was a fantasy fiction magazine edited by H. L. Gold in the years 1953-1955. The digest-size bi-monthly had 160 pages which dropped to 128 pages for the last two issues of its ten-issue run. It was edited and published in New York by Galaxy Publishing. The first issue was dated July 1953.
Planned by Gold as a fantasy companion to his Galaxy Science Fiction, poor sales led to a September 1954 title change to Beyond Fiction for the last three issues. In both titles, the logo incorporated a blank rectangle seen in perspective at an angle. Most cover illustrations leaned in the direction of surrealism, featuring paintings by Richard Powers, Rene Vidmer and others.
Tuck's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy described Beyond Fantasy Fiction as "a companion to Galaxy Science Fiction, started by Gold in emulation of Unknown (Worlds). Although it printed some very good material, it was never commercially successful, and the publication rate slowed down before the magazine ceased."
The line-up of contributing authors included Jerome Bixby, Ray Bradbury, Algis Budrys, Cleve Cartmill, Philip K. Dick, Philip José Farmer, James E. Gunn, Zenna Henderson, Damon Knight, Richard Matheson, Frederik Pohl and Theodore Sturgeon. Bradbury's "The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse" was published in the March 1954 issue.
There was a British reprint edition, and nine stories from the magazine were collected into the 160-page paperback Beyond, published in 1963 by Berkley (F712).
