"Wild and Wonderful!"
Ray Bradbury
America's Greatest Living Science Fiction Author
"Lively... Original... A fresh approach... WONDER is a great little title that ought to do well."
Ray Harryhausen
Academy Award Winning Special Effects Master
"WONDER is truly wonderful. I had no idea that this magazine existed, but it encourages me greatly that it does. Aside from being extremely well written, edited, designed and published, the informing vision is absolutely right-on and terrifically redemptive."
Stephen R. Lawhead
Internationally Acclaimed Best-selling Fantasy Author
"...I was amazed at the depth of knowledge...and the accuracy. I hope WONDER covers special-effects films regularly..."
Dave Carson
Digital Effects Artist, Industrial Light & Magic
"Thank you very, very much for WONDER! It's getting better with each new issue..."
Peter Kreeft
Best-Selling Mythopoeic Author & Head of Philosophy at Boston College
"WONDER is the nostalgia magazine for adults...As someone who reads everything about science-fiction, fantasy, and horror films, I am consistently impressed by WONDER's unique perspective..."
Brad Linaweaver
Nebula-nominated Science Fiction Writer
"WONDER is professional without being slick, intellectual without being pretentious... a genuine home-made artifact of American culture!"
Ralph Pape
Award-Winning Playwright & Screenwriter
WONDER magazine ran in print from 1987 to 1996, wryly referring to itself as "the children's magazine for grown-ups" and patiently carving out an absolutely unique niche in the hearts of SF, fantasy, and fantastic media fans everywhere.
Founded by Flannery O'Connor scholar Lint Hatcher, in O'Connor's antebellum hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia, WONDER began life as something of a literary magazine; in fact, it may be safely said that few fan publications have undergone such an intriguing evolution! Originally intended by Lint as a way to further explore the mysterious link between faith, fantasy, and horror pioneered by O'Connor, WONDER was soon moving beyond that master of "Southern Gothic" to examine other signposts along this fascinating road; J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and George MacDonald.
By the third issue however (whose cover featured a photo from that gloriously corny sci-fi classic This Island Earth), any artificial barriers between "high" & "low" culture were being gleefully ignored in the heat of the chase! Hatcher & Company (including co-editor Rod Bennett and cover artist Jim Peavy) began finding glimpses of God and moments of wonder in the most delightful and unlikely places; there were memorable articles on Disneyland, on Frankenstein movies, on miniature golf, and about Twin Peaks & The X-Files. WONDER published groundbreaking interviews with fantasy greats; Oscar-winning SFX genius Ray Harryhausen, cult film director Roger Corman, Animalia illustrator Graeme Base, and Forrest J. Ackerman, legendary creator of Famous Monsters magazine. And before too very long, excited readers were cornering friends and family from coast-to-coast to tell them about the weird, wonderful miracle that happened when WONDER crossed The Chronicles of Narnia with The Wrath of Khan, Mere Christianity with Mystery Science Theatre 3000.
The party continued for 12 amazing issues before financial reverses finally stopped the presses for good. Yet during its all-too-brief run WONDER gathered one of the most enthusiastic bands of devotees in fandom and these die-hards have kept its memory going strong. The earlier numbers now fetch up to $100 as collector's items and a small but vocal cadre of cultists has been agitating for WONDER's revival on the Internet ever since...
Well, now publisher Bennett has caved in to popular demand at last and WONDER on the WEB is open for business! Thanks to the efforts of Webmaster Jim Henry this modest beginning is posted for your perusal -- a trip down memory lane for our old friends, an introduction to all those who missed out on the fun the first time around. The current plan is for a new cover story quarterly, backed up by extensive archives from the out-of-print originals and a lively collection of specially selected links chosen to stir the fires of wonder in the hearts of a wonder-starved nation. Enjoy! -- but do your part in spreading the word.
Rumors of the demise of WONDER have been greatly exaggerated! Thanks be to God!
This site has the web archives of Wonder from #13 to #16. Later issues are at http://www.wondersource.com.
Wonder home:
http://www.pobox.com/~wonder
Rod Bennett, Editor
Jim Henry, Webmaster