Wow that is awesome, I was recently thinking that the font type might offer a clue as to the senders rough location.

Where would he have acquired all the different local papers?

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

Yes the usual disclaimer of course.
About the Cynthia Hope Short story, which newspaper did that originate from? And are you certain that is the best fit? It looks like a singular line on the letter and not cut in two pieces, i’m probably wrong.

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

Yes the usual disclaimer of course.
About the Cynthia Hope Short story, which newspaper did that originate from? And are you certain that is the best fit? It doesn’t seem to be cut in two pieces.

At first it doesnt but If you at the bottom image ? I have inserted a straight line at three different points.

I have found it so far in the following papers.

The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati, Ohio

The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles, California

St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis, Missouri

The Atlanta Constitution
Atlanta, Georgia

The Birmingham News
Birmingham, Alabama

The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington

The Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis, Indiana

I am currently trying to deduce which one, if any, of the 6 the pasted piece comes from.

Yep i see what you mean, That’s one interesting newspaper which i’m sure we all naturally assume holds sentimental value to the unconfirmed Zodiac.

Very interesting.

Not sure if this adds anything to the discussion, but the Cynthia Hope story was originally written for publication in This Week magazine, April 07, 1946 issue –

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

are we sure that’s the only place it was published? sometimes papers do a "this week in history" and name things that happened 10, 20, 25 years ago. is is possible the source was re-created elsewhere in a then-modern sf paper?

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

are we sure that’s the only place it was published? sometimes papers do a "this week in history" and name things that happened 10, 20, 25 years ago. is is possible the source was re-created elsewhere in a then-modern sf paper?

I have only been able to find it at that time. Possibly it could have been but there is record of a later publication in either newspapers.com, newspaperarchive or the Californian Digital Newspaper archive. The main problem is that the Vallejo Times Herald and the SF Chronicle is not on any of the 3 for this date

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

Why does he have to have the paper on hand for years? Was it newspaper clippings or was it paper? Thinking library, microfilm, printer/copier might be a possibility.

Tmills I do like your recent presentation. This week was an insert for newspapers one being LA Times.

Soze

Obviously we do not know if this was Zodiac. What interests me though is the use of the Cynthia Hope short story from 1946. 25 years before the card, long time to keep an old newspaper unless for some reason this paper held some connection to the sender.

Why does he have to have the paper on hand for years? Was it newspaper clippings or was it paper? Thinking library, microfilm, printer/copier might be a possibility.

Tmills I do like your recent presentation. This week was an insert for newspapers one being LA Times.

Soze

Completely possible Soze. The age of the article does throw up more questions than answers unfortunately.

Tmills thanks for the article, think it may be worth looking to see if any of the other stories have any possible links. Long shot I know but worth a try.

Well I’ve taken a moment out to look into Cynthia and I can’t find anything out on her. Maybe it’s not her per say. Maybe it’s the type of stuff she wrote about that was of interest to him like comics. Maybe it’s the newspaper. He was all about newspapers. Or maybe it was the editor. I’m fond of that given his earlier writings. I don’t know. I think your on the right track though.

Soze

Well I’ve taken a moment out to look into Cynthia and I can’t find anything out on her. Maybe it’s not her per say. Maybe it’s the type of stuff she wrote about that was of interest to him like comics. Maybe it’s the newspaper. He was all about newspapers. Or maybe it was the editor. I’m fond of that given his earlier writings. I don’t know. I think your on the right track though.

Soze

This Week magazine ended publication in 1969. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Week_(magazine )

It was a highly esteemed magazine in its heyday. Perhaps Zodiac collected archive copies. Seems fitting for someone obsessed with papers and comics.

Deleted a post I wrote. Went digging into this "This week magazine. Still digging. Want to see a copy of it. I did come across this as for the content: "This Week magazine was launched February 24, 1935. At its peak in 1963, This Week was distributed with 42 Sunday newspapers having a total circulation of 14.6 million. Prior to 1942, it was similar to the Sunday Grit Story Section, in that it carried 80% fiction. This Week dropped serials in 1940, and in 1942, it shifted the balance to 52% articles and 48% fiction. The magazine was discontinued in 1969."

Here is a link to a site that allows one to view some of the publications. https://archive.org/details/pulpmagazinearchive?and%5B%5D=firstTitle%3AT&sort=-publicdate

I can’t see the Zodiac collecting this magazine unless he wanted a particular date. Like, for example, knowing the runaway was in it or a particular author. Couple articles on Roosevelt. Outside that I found it pretty lifeless except for a recipe I may end up forgetting about.

Added:

Here is a link to the cover for April 7, 1946 and a chance to buy it for $10.00 if you want. http://www.advintageplus.com/this-week-magazine-ny-herald-tribune-april-1946/

However, it may not get you anything. The same cover is used for the June 7, 1946 issue for the Milwaukee Journal.

Soze