LOCUS, "the Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field"." This is Volume 17: numbers 1 through 12. They continue to improve: as announced in the December issue, Locus is trying out typesetting techniques, aiming to master proportional typesetting with their new printer. They continue their size increase (even more this year): 44 pages each for Jan, Feb, March, then 48 pages for April & June – and 56 pages for May(!) Content is becoming standardized, and meets a regular schedule. Features seen every month include Richard Curtis’ column “Agent’s Corner,” LOCUS monthly bestseller list, “LOCUS Looks at Books” (book reviews by Faren Miller, Debbie Notkin, Dan Chow- all 3 every issue!), column “Moons & Stars & Stuff” by Fritz Leiber; “People and Publishing (now almost a full page per issue),” and some issues have a letter column. Norman Spinrad’s column “Staying Alive” is only in May. A new feature continues – “The Outer Limits” (which attempts to list SF and Fantasy in general magazines.)

These magazines/fanzines are standard size: (8-1/2" by 11”) These are on a reasonable grade of paper, so age tanning is minimal. No marks or writing. As of June 1981, all issues are center-stapled, and quite secure.

Issue #276: January 1984: St. Martin’s to expand SF role in publishing and distribution; SF gains a full-time Wolfe; 1983: best year in SF ever; Chicago holds 1983 World Fantasy Convention (lots of photos);Marion Zimmer Bradley branches out; Soviet SF expert fired; Far Frontiers out of Destinies; Stephen R. Donaldson – A Lucky Man; Help for ConStellation; George R. R. Martin – Armageddon & After; obituaries for Mary Renault, Leonard Wibberley, & others; Philcon report; November magazines; November Books; Artists Gather for New York City Rowena Opening; New York Publishers/Writer’s Party; 1983 Locus index.

Issue #277: February 1984: Asimov recovering from triple bypass; (Anne McCaffrey) The Dragons and the lists; 1983: The SF Year in Review (inc. Recommended Reading & Book, Magazine Summaries); D. G. Compton: SF Maverick; Douglas Adams: More Fish to Fry; Preliminary Nebula nominations; December magazines; December Books; convention listings; Along Publishers Row (forthcoming books).

Issue #278: March 1984: Tea With R. A. MacAvoy; Baen Books Annonces first list; Imago aborted; William L. Crawford dies; Waldenbooks SF Success; Meacham moves to TOR; “Predicting the Present” by Gregory Benford (review); The International SF Scene: Report from France (by Pascal J. Thomas), Chinese SF in Trouble (by Wu Dingbo), SF in Japan- An Overview (by Yoshio Kobayashi & Edward Lipsett); Soviet SF- The Golden Age, Part One (by Vladimir Gakov), The SF Scene in Hong Kong & Taiwan (by Henry K. Wong); January Magazines; January Books; convention listings.

Issue #279: April 1984: 1983 Nebula Nominations (final ballot); New Warner SF Line; The new DAW look; Baen/Pocket contract signed; Ginger Buchanan new Berkley/Ace editor; Alicia Austin: Up from the ashes; Janet Morris and the High Tech Now; convention listings; Soviet SF- The Golden Age, Part One (by Vladimir Gakov); Along Publishers Row (forthcoming books); February books; February magazines.

Issue #280: May 1984: 1984 Hugo nominations; Tim Powers wins first Philip K. Dick Memorial award (The Anubis Gates); Brian Aldiss- Joy in the Depths of Heliconia Winter; Benford book sold on “Curtiss Plan”; Putting Minnesota on the Fantasy map; (Stephen) King of Rock & Roll; David G. Hartwell: Conglomerate; Report from France (by Pascal J. Thomas); Boskone 21, Lunacon 27 reports; “On the Screen” by Craig Miller;; March magazines; March Books; ASFA Art show in Lever House.

Issue #281: June 1984: 1984 Nebula Awards winners; Baen/Pocket Quiz Show; Christopher Priest, Literary Agent; James White: Back to Sector General; 1984 declared the Year of DUNE; Weird Tales revived again; “Nitpicking” by Leo Doroschenko; convention listings; Norwescon 7 report; North Dakota Writer’s Conference;; April magazines; April Books, LaCon & Aussiecon updates.

Issue #282: July 1984: 1984 LOCUS awards; Frank Herbert revealed; 1984 ABA: The Romance is Gone (lots of photos); A. Bertram Chandler critical; SF takeover in Texas: the Beaumont Hall of Fame; Chesley Bonestell at 96; Jim Burns: Flying High; Rendezvous with Clarke; “The Taxman Cometh” by Bryan Webb; LOCUS poll results; May books; World SF Meeting; Eurocon/Seacon report.

Issue #283: August 1984: Harlan Ellison- Back From the Depths; 10 cent Advance, That’s What They Pay Me (2 new Clarke books); New Deals for Authors, Package Deals for Publishers; The Philadephia Story (the 1st SF Con); Jean Auel’s Million-word Short Story; Hubbard’s Five Year Plan – and more; British Publisher signs model contract; convention listings;1984 LOCUS survey results; Along Publishers Row (forthcoming books); Report from France: Short Fiction (by Pascal J. Thomas); Foreign magazines received; DeepSouthCon 22, Disclave reports; June magazines; June books; SF Movies, The Summer Game.

Issue #284: September 1984: (the first issue of Locus with a contents page!); World Fantasy Awards nominations; Ursula K. Le Guin – Down to Earth; Olympics Out, LACon In; Gene Wolfe wins Campbell Memorial award (Citadel of the Autarch); Amazing Spielberg Stories; Kit Williams, Visual Philosopher; Publisher, Can You Spare a Dime? (photo for Clake/Del Rey Books deal); K-Mart buys Waldenbooks; The British Book Scene; Along Publishers Row (forthcoming books); Tentative LACon program; Convention listings; Westercon & Skycon reports; July magazines; July Books.

Issue #285: October 1984: 1984 Hugo Awards; LACon draws record crowd of 8365; LACon figures; Science Books: A Dialogue, by Paul Preuss; Complete Hugo Voting; Inconjunction 4, Archon 8 reports; Report from France: (by Pascal J. Thomas); Ezocon II report; August magazines; August Books; SF for the Future: The Spencer Research Library; Masquerade photos (part 1.)

Issue #286: November 1984: World Fantasy Award Winners; Jack Vance- Return to the Elder Isles; LACon II: Not [Quite] a Mickey Mouse Affair (long Worlcon report with lots of photos); Clayton Bailey: Industrial Dr. Frankenstein; David Hartwell is new Arbor House editor; J. G. Ballard: from cult hero to literary superstar; September magazines; September books; convention updates.

Issue #287: December 1984: World Fantasy Convention report; Anne McCaffrey to the Rescue; LACon II: Part 3: The Final Chapter (more Worldcon reports, by Jane Jewell, Palcal J. Thomas, William F. Wu); convention listings; October magazines; October Books.