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First Issue Of Fortean Times

Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb

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Duly having searched for previous forum discussions and can't find anything equivalent...

Wondered if possible, to see the cover of that very first edition?
 
Here you go. It was called 'the News' back then.

Fortean Times: 40 years of covers - in pictures

The-News-issue-1-November-001.jpg
 
Comfortably Numb said:
Oh cheers mate... never knew that!

Stunning cover!
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And it was A5. I have a reproduction of it that was given away at one of the Uncon’s a few years back. It’s also in the first volume of collected issues and they have blown the size up in there to make it similar to the later run of issues, but still smaller than the current issue.
 
gordonrutter said:
And it was A5. I have a reproduction of it that was given away at one of the Uncon’s a few years back.
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Are we saying that an original copy of the first edition is extremely rare?

When did it change to, 'Fortean Times' and why?
 
That was interesting...never saw the original issue before...I once subscribed over here in the US for quite a few years in the 90's and into the early 2000's.
 
dr wu said:
That was interesting...never saw the original issue before...I once subscribed over here in the US for quite a few years in the 90's and into the early 2000's.
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That's great to hear!

Cracking cover - a few questions arising (just out of interest and maybe a wee bit of fun!):

- Why depict someone on a unicorn, blowing a trumpet

- Why does said figure seem to have a symbolic, letter, 'n' on its breastplate

- Is that a, 'flying saucer' depicted - left side of unicorn's hoofs

- At top right, is that intended to be a, 'flying demon', or suchlike.
 
Comfortably Numb said:
That's great to hear!

Cracking cover - a few questions arising (just out of interest and maybe a wee bit of fun!):

- Why depict someone on a unicorn, blowing a trumpet

- Why does said figure seem to have a symbolic, letter, 'n' on its breastplate

- Is that a, 'flying saucer' depicted - left side of unicorn's hoofs

- At top right, is that intended to be a, 'flying demon', or suchlike.
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Paging Bob @Founder
 
I'd say he is meant to look like a herald. The N being for News and the unicorn and UFO for forteana.
 
I've just started the project that will probably take the rest of my life, reading all my Fortean Times in order. I finished The News no. 1 just last week. On page two it says: "Cover: adapted from an old advertisement for Selfridges, by Bernard Partridge." It also says, "single issues - 35p." A while back, eh?
 
Yes. The original FT or ‘The News’ cover featured a nazi* stormtrooper riding a sinister unicorn blowing a vulva trumpet. In the background, we see the slums of Stevenage - the scene of historic moral depravity and wellspring of cholera, syphillis and most of the ills that plague our nation to this day.

* Even has n for Nazi as a motif.
 
gordonrutter said:
Once upon a time you could buy a cd rom with pdf files of early issues. Other than that I wouldn’t be holding your breath.
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I remember them, if they were made available would the money actually go to the mag/staff or would it be swallowed up by the publisher?
 
Ogdred Weary said:
So... if someone uploaded the pdfs online, one could avail oneself guilt free...

Edit- that's not a hint to you Gordon.
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I’m sure the publisher wouldn’t see it like that! I seem to recall the first Bob Rickard knew of it was when he saw the advert in the magazine.
 
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graylien said:
There's an eBay trader selling a second paperback book compiling issues 1-15 for £26.54. So that's about £1.77 an issue. I assume this was an official release?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yesterda...276578&hash=item467998daeb:g:WrAAAOSwIsdc-bQi

I'd buy it myself but I'm a tad skint at the moment.

EDIT. Sorry. I just bought it. I couldn't help myself. The link will still show you the listing though.
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Yes the compilations were published by Fortean Tomes which was Bob’s publishing company.
 
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