The first publication using the title was the amateur magazine Marvel Tales, also known as Marvel Tales of Science and Fantasy, published by Fantasy Publications in Everett, Pennsylvania. The magazine ran five issues cover-dated May 1934 – Summer 1935. Despite its reportedly non-professional status, the magazine, which appeared in at least two sizes during its run, published a story by the already established Robert E. Howard, "The Garden of Fear", in issue #2 (July–Aug. 1934), and "The Creator", an early example of religious-themed science fiction by the noted Clifford D. Simak, in #4 (March–April 1935).