Edited by R. Allen Leider
(Available in eBook format)
Illustrated by Ed Coutts, design by Rich Harvey
Awesome Tales #11 presents four stories of scintillating science fiction!
All the world — indeed, the galaxy! — knows of Tom Corbett: Space Cadet and his heroic deeds across the heavens. Aboard the Polaris, a sturdy spaceship, his loyal, intrepid crew is ready to face danger and maintain the peaceful status quo of the universe — for all mankind! Tom Corbett’s secret mission leads to unknown danger light years from Earth in "Mystery Mission to Kepler 186f" by R. Allen Leider.
- "Ask Not for Whom the Planet Tolls" by Patrick Thomas — The Startenders are called to duty when one planetary system after another dies by the marauding hands
of the Grim Reaper. - A child’s nightmares warn of a deadly future in "A Voice in the Dark" by Sandra Lee Rauenzahn
- Agent Archer blasts off for action When the Insectoids stalk hapless space travelers in "Rogue Planet" by DJ Tyrer.
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Another SF themed issue of new pulp tales
Awesome Tales #11 (Fall 2019) is now out from Bold Venture Press and Black Cat Media. As with issue #5, science fiction is the theme this issue, with a cover featured Tom Corbett story. For those who don’t recall Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, it was a fairly popular TV series from the space-crazed 1950s. It ran on each of the four networks (though not at the same time) from October 1950 through June 1955, and spawned a comic strip, a juvenile book series (eight total), comic books (from Dell and later Prize), and a radio show (the character was originally developed for radio). To kick off the story, we get an article on actor Jan Merlin, who sadly passed away recently. He starred in Tom Corbett as Cadet Roger Manning. The article and Corbett story are both by editor R. Allen Leider. The story in this issue has Tom and friends on a secret mission to Kepler 186f where they meet with Samiel, a Keplerian. And all the Keplerians have a secret. This looks to be the first of another series of stories. As someone who wasn’t too familiar with Tom Corbett, other then by reputation, this was pretty good. I look forward to seeing where this goes. This issue is rounded out with three other sf tales. DJ Tyrer, who had a story in issue #5, gives us “Rogue Planet,” about a new planet entering our solar system in the 23rd century. A ship is sent to investigate, and finds a threat to everyone. Patrick Thomas‘ “Ask Not for Whom the Planet Tolls,” which is a “tale of the Startenders,” and ties to a couple of his novels about the barship Fools’ Glory and its crew. Here they stop the Grim Reaper for killing more systems. I’m not too familiar with this series, so not sure how this one ties in with the rest of the series. Sandra Lee Rauenzahn‘s “A Voice in the Dark” is about a boy who somehow makes contact with himself in the future. And it’s a future that is a dangerous world. It’s another good issue. What might we get next? The next in the Fantomas series? Or Domino Lady? I hope it’s Fantomas. Or we might get something else entirely. We’ll have to wait and see.
