Future (Science) Fiction
Total Issues: 17+48+12+2+36=115
Future started in 1939 as Future Fiction, and then absorbed its sister publication, Science Fiction, at the start of volume 2. It underwent several title variations and was ultimately retitled Science Fiction Stories for its last two issues. After the war, the two were revived as a combined title, starting the numbering over at volume 1 #1. Science Fiction Stories was then separated from Future and published two issues to test the market for a conversion to digest size. The results were apparently encouraging and shortly afterwards Future changed to digest size. After three issues the publisher apparently decided that Science Fiction Stories was the stronger title; Future was discontinued with the October 1954 issue and replaced with Science Fiction Stories. However, Future's numbering was continued in the new series of Science Fiction Stories. Ordinarily this would be considered a simple title change but, to further confuse things, about a year after the title change the publisher revived Future again as a separate title, with a parallel numbering that was also derived from the October 1954 issue of Future. Note that, from Sep-1955, Science Fiction Stories introduced the phrase "The Original ... " giving the impression that the title was The Original Science Fiction Stories.
Issues & Index Sources
Nov-1939 – Aug-1941, as Future Fiction: Miller/Contento
Oct-1941 – Aug-1942, as Future combined with Science Fiction: Miller/Contento
Oct-1942 – Feb-1943, as Future Fantasy and Science Fiction: Miller/Contento
Apr-1943 – Jul-1943, as Science Fiction Stories: Miller/Contento
May/Jun-1950 – Nov-1951, as Future combined with Science Fiction: Miller/Contento
Jan-1952 – Oct-1954, as Future Science Fiction (Stories): Miller/Contento
#1, 1953 – #2, 1954, as Science Fiction Stories: Miller/Contento
Jan-1955 – May-1960, as Science Fiction Stories: Miller/Contento
#28, 1955 – #48, 1960, as Future Science Fiction: Miller/Contento
Frequency: mostly bi-monthly though monthly for most of May-1958 - Mar-1959 and with irregular moments; also title suspended in 1954 when publications switched to Science Fiction Stories and therefore only 7 issues between Oct-1954 and Feb-1958
After Science Fiction Stories folded, James Taurasi bought the rights to the title and put out three issues as a fanzine (December 1961, Winter 1962, Winter 1963). Taurasi's version of the magazine's title resulted from the common misreading of the previous publisher's placement of the advertising phrase "The Original."