Fantastic (1952–1980) was an American digest-size fantasy and science fiction magazine, founded by Ziff Davis as a fantasy companion to Amazing Stories. Within a few years sales fell, and Howard Browne, the first editor, was forced to switch the focus to science fiction rather than fantasy. At the end of the 1950s Cele Goldsmith took over from Paul W. Fairman as editor of both Fantastic and Amazing, bringing in many new writers and making the magazines, in the words of one science fiction historian, the "best-looking and brightest" in the field. She helped to nurture the early careers of writers such as Roger Zelazny and Ursula K. Le Guin, but was unable to increase circulation. In 1965 the magazines were sold to Sol Cohen, who hired Joseph Wrzos as editor and switched to a reprint-only policy. This was financially successful, but brought Cohen into conflict with the newly formed Science Fiction Writers of America. After Ted White became editor in 1968, the reprints were phased out. White worked hard to make the magazine successful; his budget for fiction was low, but he was occasionally able to find good stories from well-known writers.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_(magazine)

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1823:

James McBrien made the first official discovery of gold in Australia at Fish River in New South Wales. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_gold_rushes

1900:

Second Boer War: British cavalry under Major-General John French defeated Boer forces to end a 124-day siege of Kimberley, present-day South Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kimberley

1965:

Canada adopted the Maple Leaf flag, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada

1976:

The current Constitution of Cuba, providing for a system of government and law based on those of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, was adopted by a national referendum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Cuba

2012:

A fire at the National Penitentiary at Comayagua, Honduras, killed 361 people, making it the deadliest prison fire ever. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comayagua_prison_fire

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Homer nods: Alternative form of even Homer nods (“not even the most vigilant and expert are immune to error”). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Homer_nods

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

One half of the people of this Nation today are utterly powerless to blot from the statute books an unjust law, or to write there a new and just one.   --Susan B. Anthony https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony