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Although Weird Tales is known as "the magazine that never dies", it is not for lack of trying! The first incarnation, from Rural Publishing, never hit its stride and ran into financial problems after only thirteen issues. Matters improved in 1924 with the appointment of Farnsworth Wright as editor and, despite a financial crisis in 1931, the magazine flourished until 1938, when it was sold to William J. Delaney. Although it continued for another 16 years, it was only with marginal success (and of limited interest) until it folded in 1954.

During this period, there were also a variety of reprints overseas. The most interesting were in Canada. The first series (from June 1935 to July 1936) were simply abridged versions of the equivalent US editions. The second series (May 1942 to November 1951), however, both had all new artwork and had frequent reorganizations of stories, included some that appeared in Canadian issues earlier than the equivalent US printings, and others that were reprinted from Short Stories and did not appear in the US edition at all. This variation lasted until the January 1948 issue and thereafter the issues were identical to the US equivalents.

The other reprints were in the UK, where there were four different series. The first consisted of only three unnumbered and undated issues published in early 1942 by the infamous Gerald G. Swan, corresponding to abridged versions of the US issues September and November 1940, and January 1941. The second series was even briefer, with only a single issue (still unnumbered and undated) in late 1946 containing a mere three stories from the US October 1937 issue. The third series was more successful, lasting for 23 issues and overlapped with the fourth series, which lasted for a mere five. In each case the magazines were simply reprints of assorted US issues.

The title had established a major reputation among fans, however, and was revived in 1973 under the editorial guidance of Sam Moskowitz, but was unable to make a profit and died after only 4 issues. A further attempt was made to revive the magazine in 1981, this time as a paperback edited by Lin Carter, but after only four issues this fell foul of the contractual problems that were to dog the magazine for many years. The next phase was even more chaotic as two different editors (Forrest Ackerman and Gil Lamont) laid claim to the magazine, with each preparing mock-ups of the next issue. Gil Lamont finally won the dispute, but had little reason to celebrate as the magazine again died, this time after only two issues.

After a hiatus of two years, a period of relative stability was ushered in under the stewardship of George Scithers & Darrell Schweitzer who edited the magazine for six years on an irregular schedule that attempted to be quarterly. In 1994, however, the curse of Weird Tales struck again - Scithers & Schweitzer were only licensing the name from the copyright owner, and this licensing ran into "various legal, as well as financial, problems" as a result of which the title reverted to the owner. Undaunted, Scithers & Schweitzer continued the magazine under the name of Worlds of Fantasy & Horror, with the numbering restarted at #1, but this lasted for only four issues, spread over three years.

Just over a year later, in 1998, a new publisher managed to arrange a new deal with the copyright owner and Weird Tales re-appeared, still with Scithers & Schweitzer at the helm. Just to confuse matters the new issues were numbered as if the 4 issues of Worlds of Fantasy & Horror had been part of the main sequence. After five years, of a regular quarterly schedule, the magazine faltered again and another publisher came on board in early 2003.

For the next nine years, a varied combination of publishers and editors attempted to keep the magazine afloat, even managing an (almost) bi-monthly schedule for three years, but by early 2009 it was clearly in trouble with issues becoming more and more irregular until finally, in 2012, the magazine was sold to Marvin Kaye, who took over as both publisher and editor with effect from the Fall 2012 issue.

Weird Tales

Issues from Summer 1994 to Winter 1996 were titled Worlds of Fantasy & Horror.

1923  
v1 #1
Mar

v1 #2
Apr

v1 #3
May

v1 #4
Jun

v2 #1
Jul/Aug

v2 #2
Sep

v2 #3
Oct

v2 #4
Nov

v3 #1
Dec/Jan
1923/24
1924  
v3 #2
Feb

v3 #3
Mar

v3 #4
Apr

v4 #2
May/Jul
     
v4 #3
Nov

v4 #4
Dec
1925
v5 #1
Jan

v5 #2
Feb

v5 #3
Mar

v5 #4
Apr

v5 #5
May

v5 #6
Jun

v6 #1
Jul

v6 #2
Aug

v6 #3
Sep

v6 #4
Oct

v6 #5
Nov

v6 #6
Dec
1926
v7 #1
Jan

v7 #2
Feb

v7 #3
Mar

v7 #4
Apr

v7 #5
May

v7 #6
Jun

v8 #1
Jul

v8 #2
Aug

v8 #3
Sep

v8 #4
Oct

v8 #5
Nov

v8 #6
Dec
1927
v9 #1
Jan

v9 #2
Feb

v9 #3
Mar

v9 #4
Apr

v9 #5
May

v9 #6
Jun

v10 #1
Jul

v10 #2
Aug

v10 #3
Sep

v10 #4
Oct

v10 #5
Nov

v10 #6
Dec
1928
v11 #1
Jan

v11 #2
Feb

v11 #3
Mar

v11 #4
Apr

v11 #5
May

v11 #6
Jun

v12 #1
Jul

v12 #2
Aug

v12 #3
Sep

v12 #4
Oct

v12 #5
Nov

v12 #6
Dec
1929
v13 #1
Jan

v13 #2
Feb

v13 #3
Mar

v13 #4
Apr

v13 #5
May

v13 #6
Jun

v14 #1
Jul

v14 #2
Aug

v14 #3
Sep

v14 #4
Oct

v14 #5
Nov

v14 #6
Dec
1930
v15 #1
Jan

v15 #2
Feb

v15 #3
Mar

v15 #4
Apr

v15 #5
May

v15 #6
Jun

v16 #1
Jul

v16 #2
Aug

v16 #3
Sep

v16 #4
Oct

v16 #5
Nov

v16 #6
Dec
1931
v17 #1
Jan

v17 #2
Feb/Mar

v17 #3
Apr/May

v17 #4
Jun/Jul

v18 #1
Aug

v18 #2
Sep

v18 #3
Oct

v18 #4
Nov

v18 #5
Dec
1932
v19 #1
Jan

v19 #2
Feb

v19 #3
Mar

v19 #3
Apr

v19 #5
May

v19 #6
Jun

v20 #1
Jul

v20 #2
Aug

v20 #3
Sep

v20 #4
Oct

v20 #5
Nov

v20 #6
Dec
1933
v21 #1
Jan

v21 #2
Feb

v21 #3
Mar

v21 #4
Apr

v21 #5
May

v21 #6
Jun

v22 #1
Jul

v22 #2
Aug

v22 #3
Sep

v22 #4
Oct

v22 #5
Nov

v22 #6
Dec
1934
v23 #1
Jan

v23 #2
Feb

v23 #3
Mar

v23 #4
Apr

v23 #5
May

v23 #6
Jun

v24 #1
Jul

v24 #2
Aug

v24 #3
Sep

v24 #4
Oct

v24 #5
Nov

v24 #6
Dec
1935
v25 #1
Jan

v25 #2
Feb

v25 #3
Mar

v25 #4
Apr

v25 #5
May

v25 #6
Jun

v26 #1
Jul

v26 #2
Aug

v26 #3
Sep

v26 #4
Oct

v26 #5
Nov

v26 #6
Dec
1936
v27 #1
Jan

v27 #2
Feb

v27 #3
Mar

v27 #4
Apr

v27 #5
May

v27 #6
Jun

v28 #1
Jul

v28 #2
Aug/Sep

v28 #3
Oct

v28 #4
Nov

v28 #5
Dec
1937
v29 #1
Jan

v29 #2
Feb

v29 #3
Mar

v29 #4
Apr

v29 #5
May

v29 #6
Jun

v30 #1
Jul

v30 #2
Aug

v30 #3
Sep

v30 #4
Oct

v30 #5
Nov

v30 #6
Dec
1938
v31 #1
Jan

v31 #2
Feb

v31 #3
Mar

v31 #4
Apr

v31 #5
May

v31 #6
Jun

v32 #1
Jul

v32 #2
Aug

v32 #3
Sep

v32 #4
Oct

v32 #5
Nov

v32 #6
Dec
1939
v33 #1
Jan

v33 #2
Feb

v33 #3
Mar

v33 #4
Apr

v33 #5
May

v34 #1
Jun/Jul

v34 #2
Aug

v34 #3
Sep

v34 #4
Oct

v34 #5
Nov

v34 #6
Dec
1940
v35 #1
Jan
 
v35 #2
Mar
 
v35 #3
May
 
v35 #4
Jul
 
v35 #5
Sep
 
v35 #6
Nov
 
1941
v35 #7
Jan
 
v35 #8
Mar
 
v35 #9
May
 
v35 #10
Jul
 
v36 #1
Sep
 
v36 #2
Nov
 
1942
v36 #3
Jan
 
v36 #4
Mar
 
v36 #5
May
 
v36 #6
Jul
 
v36 #7
Sep
 
v36 #8
Nov
 
1943
v36 #9
Jan
 
v36 #10
Mar
 
v36 #11
May
 
v36 #12
Jul
 
v37 #1
Sep
 
v37 #2
Nov
 
1944
v37 #3
Jan
 
v37 #4
Mar
 
v37 #5
May
 
v37 #6
Jul
 
v38 #1
Sep
 
v38 #2
Nov
 
1945
v38 #3
Jan
 
v38 #4
Mar
 
v38 #5
May
 
v38 #6
Jul
 
v39 #1
Sep
 
v39 #2
Nov
 
1946
v39 #3
Jan
 
v39 #4
Mar
 
v39 #5
May
 
v39 #6
Jul
 
v39 #7
Sep
 
v39 #8
Nov
 
1947
v39 #9
Jan
 
v39 #10
Mar
 
v39 #11
May
 
v39 #11
Jul
 
v39 #12
Sep
 
v40 #1
Nov
 
1948
v40 #2
Jan
 
v40 #3
Mar
 
v40 #4
May
 
v40 #5
Jul
 
v40 #6
Sep
 
v41 #1
Nov
 
1949
v41 #2
Jan
 
v41 #3
Mar
 
v41 #4
May
 
v41 #5
Jul
 
v41 #6
Sep
 
v42 #1
Nov
 
1950
v42 #2
Jan
 
v42 #3
Mar
 
v42 #4
May
 
v42 #5
Jul
 
v42 #6
Sep
 
v43 #1
Nov
 
1951
v43 #2
Jan
 
v43 #3
Mar
 
v43 #4
May
 
v43 #5
Jul
 
v43 #6
Sep
 
v44 #1
Nov
 
1952
v44 #2
Jan
 
v44 #3
Mar
 
v44 #4
May
 
v44 #5
Jul
 
v44 #6
Sep
 
v44 #7
Nov
 
1953
v44 #8
Jan
 
v45 #1
Mar
 
v45 #2
May
 
v45 #3
Jul
 
v45 #4
Sep
 
v45 #5
Nov
 
1954
v45 #6
Jan
 
v46 #1
Mar
 
v46 #2
May
 
v46 #3
Jul
 
v46 #4
Sep
     
 
1973  
v47 #1
Summer

v47 #2
Fall

v47 #3
Winter
1974  
v47 #4
Summer
   
 
1981
v48 #1, #1
Spr #1

v48 #2, #2
Spr #2

v48 #3, #3
Fall
 
1982        
1983  
v48 #4, #4
Summer
   
1984    
v49 #1
Fall
 
1985      
v49 #2
Winter
 
1988
v50 #1, #290
Spring

v50 #2, #291
Summer

v50 #3, #292
Fall
 
1989
v50 #4, #293
Winter 1988/1989
 
v51 #1, #294
Fall

v51 #2, #295
Winter 1989/1990
1990
v51 #3, #296
Spring

v51 #4, #297
Summer

v52 #1, #298
Fall

v52 #2, #299
Winter
1991
v52 #3, #300
Spring

v52 #4, #301
Summer

v53 #1, #302
Fall

v53 #2, #303
Winter
1992
v53 #3, #304
Spring
   
v53 #4, #305
Winter 1992/1993
1993
v54 #1, #306
Spring

v54 #2, #307
Summer
   
1994
v54 #3, #308
Spring

v1 #1, #1
Summer
   
1995
v1 #2, #2
Spring
     
1996  
v1 #3, #3
Summer
 
v1 #4, #4
Winter 1996/97
 
1998  
v55 #1, #313
Summer

v55 #2, #314
Fall
 
1999
v55 #3, #315
Spring

v55 #4, #316
Summer

v56 #1, #317
Fall

v56 #2, #318
Winter
2000
v56 #3, #319
Spring

v56 #4, #320
Summer

v57 #1, #321
Fall

v57 #2, #322
Winter
2001
v57 #3, #323
Spring

v57 #4, #324
Summer

v58 #1, #325
Fall

v58 #2, #326
Winter 2001/2002
2002
v58 #3, #327
Spring

v58 #4, #328
Summer

v59 #1, #329
Fall

v59 #2, #330
Winter 2002/2003
2003
v59 #3, #331
Spring
   
v59 #4, #332
Jul/Aug

v60 #1, #333
Sep/Oct
 
2004
v60 #2, #334
Jan/Feb

v60 #3, #335
Mar/Apr
     
v60 #4, #336
Dec
2005    
#337
Sep
 
2006
#338
Feb

#339
Apr

#340
Jun
 
#341
Aug/Sep

#342
Oct/Nov
 
2007  
#343
Feb/Mar

#344
Apr/May

#345
Jun/Jul
 
#346
Sep/Oct

#347
Nov/Dec
2008
#348
Jan/Feb

#349
Mar/Apr
 
#350
Jul/Aug

#351
Sep/Oct

#352
Nov/Dec
2009
#353
Spring
 
#354
Fall
 
2010
#355
Spring

#356
Summer
   
2011
#357
Spring

#358
Summer
 
WFC Preview Issue
2012
#359
Winter
 
#360
Fall
 
2013  
#361
Summer
   
2014
#362
Spring
     
 
2019
#363
     
2020      
#364
2021        
2021    
#365, (July?)

#366, (October)
2022        
2023        
#367
(May)
             
2024      
#368
(Apr)
   
#369
(Jul)
         

Weird Tales (Canada)

1935           v25 #6
Jun
v26 #1
Jul

v26 #2
Aug

v26 #3
Sep
v26 #4
Oct

v26 #5
Nov
v26 #6
Dec
1936 v27 #1
Jan

v27 #2
Feb

v27 #3
Mar

v27 #4
Apr

v27 #5
May
v27 #6
Jun

v28 #1
Jul
         
 
1942        
v36 #3
May
 
v36 #4
Jul
 
v37 #1
Sep
 
v37 #1
Nov
 
1943
v36 #7
Jan
 
v36 #8
Mar
 
v36 #9
May
 
v36 #10
Jul
 
v36 #11
Sep
 
v36 #12
Nov
 
1944
v36 #13
Jan
 
v36 #14
Mar
 
v36 #15
May
 
v36 #15
Jul
 
v37 #5
Sep
 
v37 #6
Nov
 
1945
v38 #1
Jan
 
v38 #3
Mar
 
v38 #3
May
 
v38 #3
Jul
 
v38 #3
Sep
 
v38 #3
Nov
 
1946
v38 #3
Jan
 
v38 #4
Mar
 
v38 #4
May
 
v38 #4
Jul
 
v38 #4
Sep
 
v38 #4
Nov
 
1947
v38 #4
Jan
 
v38 #4
Mar
 
v38 #4
May
 
v38 #4
Jul
 
v38 #4
Sep
 
v38 #4
Nov
 
1948
Jan
 
v40 #3
Mar
 
v40 #4
May
 
v40 #5
Jul
 
v40 #6
Sep
  v41 #1
Nov
 
1949 v41 #2
Jan
  v41 #3
Mar
  v41 #4
May
  v41 #5
Jul
  v41 #6
Sep
 
v42 #1
Nov
 
1950 v42 #2
Jan
  v42 #3
Mar
  v42 #4
May
  v42 #5
Jul
  v42 #6
Sep
  v43 #1
Nov
 
1951 v43 #2
Jan
  v43 #3
Mar
  v43 #4
May
  v43 #5
Jul
  v43 #6
Sep
  v44 #1
Nov
 

Weird Tales (UK)

1942  
(#1, Feb)

(#2, Mar)
   
(#3, Jun)
           
 
1946
(#1)
                     
 
1949                
(#1, Sep)
 
(#2), Nov
 
1950
(#3), Jan
 
(#4), Mar
 
(#5), May
 
(#6), Jul
 
(#7), Sep
   
(#8, Dec)
1951  
(#9, Feb)
   
#10 (May)
     
#11 (Sep)
 
#12 (Nov)
 
1952
#13 (Jan)

#14 (Feb)
   
#15 (May)
   
#16 (Aug)

#17 (Sep)
 
#18 (Nov)
 
1953
#19 (Jan)
   
#20 (Apr)

#21 (May)

#22 (Jun)
     
#23 (Oct)

v3 #1 (Nov)
 
1954
v1 #2 (Jan)
 
v1 #3 (Mar)
 
v1 #4 (May)
 
v1 #5 (Jul)