| Issue Date |
Theme |
| Type |
Stories |
| 1969 JUL |
Special Fritz Leiber Issue; includes a special cover by artist Ed Emshwiller; the 4th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#2794 - Fritz Leiber: "Ship of Shadows"; #2795 - Judith Merril: "Fritz Leiber"; #2796 - Fritz Leiber: "Demons of the Upper Air, IIX"; #2797 - Al Lewis: "Fritz Leiber: A Bibliography" |
| 1969 OCT |
20th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #2825-2835 |
| 1969 NOV |
Unofficial 2nd 20th Anniversary Issue |
| unintentional |
all stories, #2836-2846 |
| 1970 FEB |
two stories that take place off-Earth & have fine human & alien characters |
| unintentional |
#2868 - Robin Scott: "A Delicate Operation"; #2874 - Joanna Russ: "Initiation" |
| 1970 OCT |
21st Anniversary All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #2952-2963 |
| 1971 APR |
Special Poul Anderson Issue, includes a special cover by Kelly Freas; the 5th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3024 - Anderson: Introduction; #3025 - Anderson: "The Queen of Air and Darkness"; #3026 - Dickson: "Profile"; #3027 - Blish: "Poul Anderson: The Enduring Explosion"; #3028 - Anderson: "Bibliography"; #3029 - Karen Anderson: "The Unicorn Trade" |
| 1971 NOV |
22nd Anniversary All-Star Issue; this anniversary issue was delayed by a month due to a change in printer; this issue contains the first F&SF Competition |
| intentional |
all stories, #3106-3119 |
| 1972 APR |
Special James Blish Issue, includes a special cover by Judith Blish; the 6th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3175 - James Blish: "Midsummer Century"; #3176 - Robert A.W. Lowndes: "James Blish: Profile"; #3177 - Lester del Rey: "The Hand at Issue"; #3178 - Mark Owings: "James Blish: Bibliography" |
| 1972 MAY |
Science Fiction and the University Issue |
| intentional |
#3195 - Ferman: "Science Fiction and the University"; #3196 - Tenn: "Jazz Then, Musicology Now"; #3197 - Clareson: "SF: The Academic Dimensions"; #3198 - Suvin: "Books"; #3199 - Asimov: "Science: Academe and I"; #3200 - Williamson: "Colleges Offering ..." |
| 1972 OCT |
23rd Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3251-3261 |
| 1973 SEP |
Special Frederik Pohl Issue, includes a special cover by Carol Pohl; the 7th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3399 - Frederik Pohl: "In the Problem Pit"; #3400 - Lester del Rey: "Frederik Pohl: Frontiersman"; #3401 - Mark Owings: "Frederik Pohl: Bibliography" |
| 1973 OCT |
24th Anniversary All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3410-3422 |
| 1974 APR |
Special Robert Silverberg Issue, includes a special cover by Ed Emsh; the 8th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3484 - Robert Silverberg: "Born With the Dead"; #3485 - Barry N. Malzberg: "Robert Silverberg"; #3486 - Thomas D. Clareson: "Robert Silverberg: The Compleat Writer"; #3487 - Donald H. Tuck: "Robert Silverberg: Bibliography" |
| 1974 OCT |
25th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3557-3570 |
| 1975 MAR |
Special All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3627-3638 |
| 1975 OCT |
26th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3715-3725 |
| 1976 OCT |
27th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #3862-3873 |
| 1976 NOV |
Special Damon Knight Issue, includes a special cover by Ed Emsh; the 9th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3874 - Damon Knight: "I See You"; #3875 - Theodore Sturgeon: "Damon: An Appreciation"; #3876 - Vincent Miranda: "Damon Knight: Bibliography"; #3878 - John Grabowski: "Damon Knight Word-Wise"(a word search puzzle) |
| 1977 JUL |
Special Harlan Ellison Issue, includes a special cover by Kelly Freas; the 10th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#3976 - Harlan Ellison: "Jeffty Is Five"; #3977: "Alive and Well and On a Friendless Voyage"; #3978: "Working With the Little People"; #3979: "You Don't Know Me, I Don't Know You"; #3980 - Robert Silverberg: "Harlan"; & #'s 3981(Delap), 3982(Swigart) |
| 1977 OCT |
28th Anniversary All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4018-4029 |
| 1978 MAR |
Special All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4082-4093 |
| 1978 APR |
Special All British Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4094-4105, with the exception of the regular contributors, Gahan Wilson(cartoon), Baird Searles(movie review), Isaac Asimov(science essay) |
| 1978 OCT |
29th Anniversary All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4170-4181 |
| 1978 NOV |
Isaac Asimov's 20th Anniversary Science Essay Issue |
| intentional |
#4191 - Isaac Asimov: "A Checklist of Isaac Asimov's F&SF Science Essays, 1958-1978"; #4192 - Isaac Asimov: "Science: Fifty Million Big Brothers" |
| 1979 FEB |
two "stories that concern the problems of aging ... the solutions of the protagonists are so similar" |
| unintentional |
#4224 - James Patrick Kelly: "Not to the Swift"; #4231 - Stephen Dixon: "A Home Away From Home" |
| 1979 MAY |
Special All-Star Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4257-4272 |
| 1979 OCT |
30th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4329-4365; includes 32 F&SF reprints |
| 1980 SEP |
stories with after-the-holocaust themes |
| unintentional |
#4488 - Felix C. Gotschalk: "Among the Cliff-Dwellers of the San Andreas Canyon"; #4496 - Edward P. Hughes: "In the Name of the Father" |
| 1980 OCT |
31st Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4500-4510 |
| 1981 OCT |
32nd Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4673-4687 |
| 1982 OCT |
33rd Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #4863-4877 |
| 1983 JAN |
two stories that deal with the problems "associated with cryogenic suspension" |
| unintentional |
#4910 - L.S. Blanchard: "Mirror of the Soul"; #4918 - R. Bretnor: "Cryogenesis" |
| 1983 APR |
a book review by Algis Budrys with a long essay on Gene Wolfe, & a vignette by Gene Wolfe |
| unintentional |
#4955 - Algis Budrys: "Books"; #4956 - Gene Wolfe: "A Solar Labyrinth" |
| 1983 OCT |
34th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5044-5057 |
| 1984 OCT |
35th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5214-5224 |
| 1984 DEC |
a short story by Rudy Rucker, followed by an interview/biographical of Rucker by Charles Platt |
| unintentional |
#5240 - Rudy Rucker: "Monument to the Third International"; #5241 - Charles Platt: "Profile of Rudy Rucker" |
| 1985 OCT |
36th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5374-5385 |
| 1986 OCT |
37th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5544-5557 |
| 1987 OCT |
38th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5717-5734 |
| 1988 OCT |
39th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #5892-5904 |
| 1989 OCT |
40th Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #6051-6072 |
| 1990 OCT |
41st Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #6227-6239 |
| 1990 DEC |
Special Stephen King Issue, includes a special cover by Anita Kunz; the 11th issue dedicated to an author of note |
| intentional |
#6255 - Ferman: "In This Issue"; #6256 - King: "The Moving Finger"; #6257 - Budrys: "Stephen King"; #6258 - De Filippo: "Stephen King: Bibliography"; #6259 - King: "Author's Note"; #6260 - King: "The Bear" |
| 1991 JUL |
stories that "examine what can happen when we preserve the past while moving into the future" is the informal theme of this issue, as explained in the editorial by the new editor of F&SF, Kristine Kathryn Rusch(#6361) |
| unintentional |
#6362 - Cassutt: "Extraordinary Measures"; #6368 - Reed: "Pipes"; #6369 - Springer: "Autumn Mist"; #6370 - Engstrom: "The Pan Man"; #6373 - Koja: "Angels in Love"; #6375 - Caves: "Fetch Felix" |
| 1991 AUG |
"Fiction that gives me a new perspective on a place I've already seen," fictional themes in an exotic locale, made new: the informal theme of this issue, as expressed in Rusch's editorial(#6378) |
| unintentional |
#6380 - Hoing: "City of the Dreadful Night"; #6381 - Taylor: "The Tale of the Two Queens"; #6382 - Kimbriel: "Triad"; #6387 - Sterling: "The Unthinkable"; #6389 - Hartmann: "Henry in the Trees"; #6392 - Cross: "Johnny's Inferno"; #6394 - by Dean Whitlock |
| 1991 AUG |
a secondary informal theme of this issue, is Death, as explained in the editorial by Kristine Kathryn Rusch(#6378) |
| unintentional |
#6392 - Ronald Anthony Cross: "Johnny's Inferno"; #6394 - Dean Whitlock: "The Woman, the Pilot, the Raven" |
| 1991 AUG |
two stories in this issue that deal with international relations |
| unintentional |
#6387 - Bruce Sterling: "The Unthinkable"; #6389 - Gregor Hartmann: "Henry in the Trees" |
| 1991 SEP |
"Children & childhood are the (informal) themes linking most of the stories in this issue. Each story propounds its own theory," as explained in the editorial by Kristine Kathryn Rusch(#6395) |
| unintentional |
#6397 - Stableford: "The Invisible Worm"; #6401 - Hightower: "Journal of the First Voyage"; #6403 - Kushner: "The Swordsman Whose Name ..."; #6405 - Hensley: "Alvin's Witch"; #6406 - DiChario: "The Power of Love"; #6410 - Rusch: "Dancers Like Children" |
| 1991 OCT/NOV (#484-485) |
42nd Anniversary Issue |
| intentional |
all stories, #6411-6431 |
| 1991 OCT/NOV |
"Anniversaries are ... ways of keeping track of time ... (This) double issue (is) filled with stories about time ... in more ways than one," as explained in the editorial by Kristine Kathryn Rusch(#6411) |
| unintentional |
#6412 - Carolyn Ives Gilman: "The Honeycrafters"; #6413 - Sheri S. Tepper: "The Gourmet"; #6416 - Bradley Denton: "Rerun Roy, Donna, and the Freak"; #6422 - Mike Resnick: "Winter Solstice" |
