Vremeplov

[Gaff]

The Complete and Unexpurgated "Who Killed Science Fiction" - e*I*, decembar 2006. iliti Kemp je 2006. uspeo (uz pomoć sina) da sredi neobjavljeno i dopunjeno izdanje (iz 1980.) prvog SaFari godišnjaka, naslova Who Killed Science Fiction (nagrađenog, jelte, nagradom Hugo 1961.) i objavi je u svom e-fanzinu.

[PTY]

 ... Kurt Vonnegut Jr., u trenutku iskrenosti, sa sve kasnije izvinjenjem... mada, po meni, nije imao rašta... 

i Silverberg, također... a gosn Anonimus no. 1 je također priča za sebe... 

[Gaff]

Farmer i Marion Zimmer Bradley, takođe nisu loši, i iako ovo vredi pročitati od prve do poslednje reči (naravno, samo onima koje zanima šta se dešavalo vezano za US naučnu fantastiku 1960. i gde je/kako je, po mom mišljenu, zapravo začet Novi Talas (iako je već i pre bio "odsjaj u oku", a došao na svet tek kasnije)), preporučio bih, pored već pomenutih, sve one koji se pominju u uokvirenom delu pored Millerovog (,P. Schuyler) odgovora. Kao i Kempov "odgovor na odgovore".

[PTY]

Da, Farmer se osvrće uglavnom na sajentološku frku... mada, eto, danas je to skroz voda ispod sf mosta...

[Lord Kufer]

Postoje dva odgovora:
1. Science killed science fiction
2. Fiction killed science fiction

Da li se u oba slučaja radi o samoubojstvu?

[Gaff]

     

Da li se u oba slučaja radi o samoubojstvu?

     Ako se dobro sećam, neko (ne sećam se ko) jeste došao do zaključka da se radi o samoubojstvu. Pogrešio je, naravno. (nikako zaboraviti da se radi o 1960. i da izdavaštvo još nije bilo u tolikoj meri bilo pod uticajem korporativne politike (više pod uticajem afiniteta određenih urednika) koja danas isključivo razmatra (čast izuzecima) pitanje šta je danas "IN", što i nije mnogo doprinelo kvalitetu izdatih dela. Mala 'digresija': ušao sam pre mesec i kusur dana u knjižaru u Augsburgu, reko' da vidim šta se prodaje u meni stranoj zemlji... kad ono... metar visoka hrpa raznih izdanja okarakterisanih kao Vampire, dok sam u mnogo nižoj hrpi naučnofantastičnih izdanja (od kojih većina nije imala ama baš ikakve veze s naučnom fantastikom) prepoznao jedino Quantum Thief (preveden pod naslovom Quantum)).

     Nazad na temu.
     Zapravo se upitnik odnosio na naučnofantastične časopise i njihovu sudbinu, kao i (donekle prikriveno) na sudbinu kratkih priča u okviru izdavaštva, a ne sâme naučne fantastike. Interesantno je, kako je, u stvari, problem bio u neprihvatanju potrebe za promenama, a koje su se, u okviru evolucije žanra, em bile neophodne, em bile sasvim prirodni deo "odrastanja" naučne fantastike, em su se i dogodile.
     Kao što znamo, i časopisi i kratke priče su preživele zato što su imale (i imaju) svoju svrsishodnost. Palp Zlatnog Doba... manje-više.

[Lord Kufer]

Promenio se feeling, eto to je.

[PTY]

to je izjava od one dvosmisleno višeznačne vrste koja nikad ne komunicira ništa konkretno, nego je isključivo trivijalno, kvazikognitivno opšte mesto tipa "sutra je novi dan", "danas je danas a sutra će biti sutra", "sve se menja", "danas 'vako, sutra 'nako"... i tako to, i tako dalje, i tako bliže, a u svakodnevnom govoru dadne se transkribovati kao "sve vam ja to znam, ali ne umem da objasnim".

[Tripp]

http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/

Encyclopedia of Science Fiction to be published online, with text available free

The third edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, the definitive reference work in the field, will be released online later this year by the newly-formed ESF, Ltd, in association with Victor Gollancz, the SF & Fantasy imprint of the Orion Publishing Group, whose support will enable the text to be available free to all users. This initial "beta" version, containing about three-quarters of the total projected content, will be unveiled in conjunction with Gollancz's celebrations of its 50th anniversary as a science fiction publisher.


The first edition of the Encyclopedia, whose founder and general editor was Peter Nicholls, appeared in 1979, and contained over 700,000 words. A second edition, edited by John Clute and Peter Nicholls, appeared in 1993 and contained over 1.3 million words. Both editions won the Hugo Award from the World Science Fiction Convention, in addition to numerous other honours. The beta version of the third edition will contain some 3 million words, including about 12,000 entries and well over 100,000 internal links. The entries cover every area of science fiction, including authors, illustrators, movies, music, games, and fanzines. The text will be completed, through monthly updates, by the end of 2012.


The third edition has been produced by editors John Clute and David Langford, Editor Emeritus Peter Nicholls, and Managing Editor Graham Sleight. Contributing Editors for the third edition include Mike Ashley on magazines, Paul Barnett on artists and illustrators, Jonathan Clements on all aspects of Japanese and Chinese SF, Nick Lowe on movies, Abigail Nussbaum on television, John Platt on comics, and Adam Roberts on music. During the Encyclopedia's development, the project has been supported by Clare Coney as Technical Editor, Roger Robinson as Research Editor, John Lifton-Zoline, and Pamela Lifton-Zoline. Robert Kirby of United Agents, The Bookseller's Literary Agent of the Year 2011, represents the Encyclopedia.


On behalf of Gollancz, Orion Deputy CEO and Group Publisher Malcolm Edwards commented: "We're delighted to have been able to facilitate the online publication of this monumental and definitive work – more than ever the single, reliable reference source which anyone interested in SF needs. As a contributing editor to that long-ago first edition, it's a particular pleasure to me to have been able to play a part in making this happen."

Anyone interested in signing up for the latest news on the project can do so at www.sf-encyclopedia.com.

The Encyclopedia is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sf-Encyclopedia/138995776178949 and on Twitter at @SFEncyclopedia.

For general enquiries, please contact grahamsleight@gmail.com

For rights enquiries, please contact Charlotte Knee at United Agents, cknee@unitedagents.co.uk

For Gollancz enquiries, please contact jonathan.weir@orionbooks.co.uk

[Lord Kufer]

Demode...

[Lord Kufer]

Evo:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14047670

Novum više nije novum.

[Gaff]

Galaxy, decembar 1956.

[Lord Kufer]

Odlično 

[Gaff]

Amazing Stories, novembar 1927.

[Gaff]

A onda je stigla 1969. i počeli su da tripuju.


Galaxy, oktobar 1969.









Galaxy, decembar 1969.









Galaxy, februar 1970.









Galaxy, mart 1970.

[Gaff]

Fantastic Universe, decembar 1955.

[Gaff]

Thrilling Wonder Stories, februar 1950.

[Gaff]

Amazing Stories, decembar 1927.

[Gaff]

Amazing Stories, avgust 1927.

[Gaff]

Amazing Stories, januar 1940.

[Gaff]

 

New Worlds, maj-jun 1964.







I uvodnik od novog urednika:



http://realitystudio.org/criticism/a-new-literature-for-the-space-age/

[Lord Kufer]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017818/Embryos-involving-genes-animals-mixed-humans-produced-secretively-past-years.html

Doktor Moro i tako to. Evo zbog čega je SF mrtva - zato što je zaživela 

[Mica Milovanovic]

Vrlo se često prilikom razmatranja britanskog SF-a zanemaruje uticaj prethodnog izdavača New Worlds-a Džona Karnela (John Carnell, 1912-1972). Iako mu je lično interesovanje pre naginjalo tradicionalnom SF-a, ipak je u svom časopisu i brojnim antologijama praktično uveo novu generaciju britanskog SF-a na čelu sa Ballardom, Aldissom, Brunnerom i Moorcockom...
Evo naslovne strane jedne njegove manje poznate antologije nastale na osnovu priča iz New Worlds-a.

[Gaff]

Da, to je izdanje iz 1964.

Postoji i izdanje iz 1965.





Kao i izdanje iz 1977.





Samo da dodam: George Whitley je pseudonim A. Bertram Chandler-a.

[Gaff]

Moram priznati, nakon ponovnog čitanja nekih od Carnellovih uvodnika, on jeste bio jedan od onih koji su bili spremni da se menjaju! Pogotovo što je kod većine urednika postojala neka "interesantna" ideja da su urednički zahtevi bitniji od same naučne fantastike (Campbell je, na primer, u svojim uvodnicima "savetovao" pisce, kakve bi mu radove trebali ponuditi za sledeće izdanje, nekad na osnovu toga kakvim naslovnicama je raspolagao). Nisu bez razloga američki autori smatrali da je britanska scena naučne fantastike leglo autora koji pišu (i bivaju objavljivani) onako čemu (kako) su i sami težili početkom '60-ih (izvinjavam se što ovde ne navodim izvor, ali, iskreno, zaboravio sam, ali danas sam to negde pročitao, pa se sećam smisla rečenog, ali ne i samih reči ili čije su).

Sve u svemu, u petom izdanju (1949) New Worlds-a, urednik u uvodniku piše između ostalog:

"We have only made a bare beginnig upon the many ideas you readers and ourselves want to see within the pages of New Worlds. ...Especially I request you to vote on your story preference for the whole of this issue, so that we may obtain a greater average for the results in the Literary Line-Up. Only by knowing more accurately our readers' story preference can we mould the contents to the desires of majority."
Očigledno želeći da udovolji publici, što i nije toliko nerazumljivo s obzirom da je časopis prvo izdanje izdao jula 1946., a peto septembra 1949.

Već 1956., u jednom svom uvodniku (naslova "S-f-Hollywood Version..." - previše je obiman da ga ovde iznosim na videlo, a trebalo bi ga pročitati u celini da bi se adekvatno prenelo mišljenje koje Carnell ima o holivudskoj produkciji) se žali na uticaj američke filmske industrije na to kakvu ideju o naučnoj fantastici nepoznavalac žanra dobija na osnovu gledanja ovih ekstra-mega-super-"ništadrugodo"-palpičnih ostvarenja.

Maja 1961., uvodnik je predao David A. Kyle-u (jedan od osnivača Futurianaca (uh, duga priča) i bio autor "Yellow Pamphlet"-a (još duža priča), pisac, esejista, ilustrator...) koji je naširoko analizirao nastup Kingsley-a Amisa na godišnjoj konvenciji BSFA, kada je isti - parafraziram - "izneo svoje mišljenje o naučnofantastičnim džidžabidžama u palp pisanijama" što je dovelo do rasprave (žučne u britanskom smislu) i na šta je Carnell reagovao rečima: "... he had virtually slashed the plot bases of modern science fiction in half", a većina je izjavila da preteruje (kao E. C. Tubb), dok su drugi (kao Kenneth Bulmer) bili mišljenja da bi se moglo, možda, iz ove izjave izvući i nešto pozitivno.
Carnell je, međutim, pomoću Kyle-a provukao ovu rečenicu u ovom uvodniku: "All agreed, however, that within the intimacy of their circle, the criticism was desirable and worthy". Takođe, prenoseći reči i delimično kritikujući Amisa, u njegovim rečima se može pronaći (iako je očigledno da je predstavnik "idejista") kako naučna fantastika žudi za izbalansiranošću između literarne forme i ideja koje prenosi.


U svom oproštajnom editorijalu (april, 1964.), Carnell se žali na preimućstvo mekokoričenih izdanja naspram časopisa, predstavlje novog urednika (Moorcocka, je li) i završava rečima: "Let us not look up on this as the end of the line, but merely a natural stage of metamorphosis in the development of science fiction."
Pitam se, mislio li je na neki novi oblik publikacija (mada je časopis ostao, manje-više, u sličnom obliku i pod Moorcockom još pet godina) ili na promene (nemoguće da nije znao kako Moorcock gleda na potrebe za promenama u naučnoj fantastici) koje će doneti Moorcock...

[PTY]

Bilo je vremeplovnih zanimljivosti i na Readerconu: Jamie Todd Rubin kazuje za sfsignal: I recently attended Readercon, my favorite science fiction convention, and while there, I moderated a panel called "Capturing the Hidden History of Science Fiction". I was fortunate to have a great group of panelists including Barry N. Malzberg, Eileen Gunn, Fred Lerner and Darrell Schweitzer. For a Friday night at 9pm, it was a standing-room-only crowd. That surprised me: I hadn't realized so many people were as interested in this "hidden history." The discussion was a good one, I think, but I wanted to explore the subject further here. Much of what was discussed on the panel was of academic value. What I wonder is: how much of this hidden history has value to run-of-the-mill science fiction fans and the new generation of science fiction writers?

What is meant by "hidden history"? This wasn't well explained or explored in the Readercon panel and I think that most people have their own idea about what this means. For me, it can mean a number of different things. "Hidden" is a loaded term, of course, but what I meant by "hidden history" was really that history of science fiction that is difficult to uncover. One classic example is the (probably apocryphal) story behind how Dianetics and Scientology got its start at a Hydra Club meeting in the late 1940s. A better example for our purposes is Mark Rich's biography C. M. Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science Fiction Visionary. Reading such a book raises as many questions as it answers.

[PTY]

Kirkus se vremeplovski bavi robotima u SFu, počecima i značenjima i tako mu to...





Despite the fact that robotics is currently an active field that has revolutionized manufacturing, when one hears the word "robot," the images conjured are not those of industrial lever arms and actuators, but of human-shaped mechanical men.

You have science fiction to thank for that. Robots are a recurring trope in the genre—largely because they allow writers to create cognitive estrangement, a situation that puts readers in a world different than their own, allowing them to view their own world from a different perspective.

The appearance robots in science fiction predates the origin of the word itself. Perhaps the most memorable "Mechanical Man" from this era was Tik-Tok, the emotionless, spherical character from L. Frank Baum's Oz books. (Sadly, the Tin Man does not qualify. He's technically a cyborg—a human mechanically augmented when his cursed axe began cutting off his body parts. Never tell a science fiction fan that there's no difference between a cyborg and a robot; it hurts their feelings and you'll wind up on the business end of a condescending eye roll.) Tik-Tok the Mechanical Man was so-named because of the noise made by his clockwork innards, which required constant rewinding. As robots go, he was definitely high maintenance.  

[Mica Milovanovic]

Meni će najpoznatiji uvek biti Elisonov 

[Gaff]

Kad smo već kod Ellisona I Robota...




http://www.jamierubin.net/2011/03/09/i-robot-i-robot-i-robot-and-i-robot/

[PTY]

Sci-fi guru Ray Bradbury on writing, Disney and 'The Illustrated Man.

[Gaff]

Galaxy, decembar 1965.

U ovom izdanju se prvi put pojavio Harlan Ellisonov "Repent, Harlequin!", said the Ticktockman





Galaxy, februar 1960.

[PTY]

Naša abeceda... 


A is for Anakin, born on Tattooine
B's for Barbarella, the Galaxy's Queen
C is for Caesar, who brought humans down
D is for Dim, not as dumb as he sounds
E is for EDGAR, a loving machine
F's Frank N. Furter, a different space queen
G is for Gor, invoking great terror
H is for H.A.L., who blames human error
...

[PTY]

u svezi s već pominjanim fenomenom The Science Fiction Encyclopedia:



In 1975 Peter Nichols, John Clute and Brian Stableford launched a project that would ultimately last for more than thirty six years, exceed four million words of careful scholarship, occupy at least three publishers, win many awards, and be recognised as the most important reference work in the science fiction: The Science Fiction Encyclopedia.

This week encyclopedist, writer, editor, and critic John Clute joined Gary and I to discuss the coming September launch of the third edition of the SFE, the history of the project, and the exciting SF Gateway project which is being launched by Gollancz at around the same time.

As always, we'd like to thank John for joining us, and hope you enjoy the podcast!

[Gaff]

Science-Fiction Plus, decembar 1953.






I reč urednika...

[Gaff]

Časopis Future Science Fiction je nastao spajanjem dva časopisa: Science Fiction-a (prvo izdanje marta 1939.) (12 izdanja) i Future Fiction-a (prvo izdanje novemba 1939.) (6 izdanja).

Nakon toga časopis je često menjao svoje ime:

Future Combined with Science Fiction (oktobar 1941. - avgust 1942.) (6)
Future Fantasy and Science Fiction (oktobar 1942. - februar 1943.) (3)
Science Fiction Stories (april 1943. - jul 1943.) (2)
Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories (maj 1950. - novembar 1951.) (10)
Future Science Fiction Stories (januar 1952. - mart 1952.) (2)
Future Science Fiction (maj 1952. - oktobar 1954.) (15)

Iz nekog razloga, isti časopis je od 1955. do svog nestanka 1960. izlazio paralelno (naslovi su se - pod kojim je časopis u to vreme izlazio - smenjivali mesečno (otprilike)) i kao Science Fiction Stories (januar 1955. - maj 1960.) (36) i kao Future Science Fiction (1955. - april 1960.) (21).

Urednik časopisa je bio Robert A. W. Lowndes, jedan od vodećih članova Futurianaca i koji je s Donald A. Wollheim-om, John Michel-om i Frederikom Pohl-om činio takozvani "Kvadrumvirat" (koji je kasnije prerastao u Futuriance).

LM...
Reč urednika, Robert A. W. Lowndes-a, iz pretposlednjeg broja Future Science Fiction-a (februar 1960.):

[Gaff]

Evo malo trivije...

Weird Tales je američki palp časopis (barem bio), primarno usmeren na objavljivanje horora ali i fantastike u raznoraznim oblicima. Prvo izdanje se pojavilo marta 1923. itd, itd... ali sve ovo možete saznati na vikipediji. Ono što tamo ne piše, jeste, sledeće: 1940. je časopis pokrenuo Weird Tales Club (videti: Partners in wonder: Women and the birth of science fiction, 1926-1965 by Eric Leif Davin, strana 65.).

Idemo dalje...

Ko god da je poslao časopisu kovertu s povratnom adresom, dobio je sertifikat o članstvu, postao je punopravni član ovog kluba i ako je imao sreće (i ako tog meseca nije bilo previše aplikanata), ime mu se pojavilo na listi novih članova.

Tako se u januarskom broju 1943. pojavilo jedno poznato ime, tada sedamnaestogodišnjeg momka, u rubrici New Members (Weird Tales kluba, naravno).

Naslovnica:




Strane 126.i 127.





Primetićete na strani 127.:



i da je to prava adresa:

http://chicago.blockshopper.com/notes/1486-hugh-hefner-s-childhood-home


Toliko od mene za večeras!

[Gaff]

Fantastic Adventures, jun 1940.

[Gaff]

Intervju s Ursulom K. LeGuin iz 1993.

[Gaff]

 Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson




Čitajući ,,The DC Vault", sastavljenog od strane Martina Pasco-a, naleteo sam na ime Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson-a, negdašnjeg majora u konjici SAD, koji je svojim kritikama vojske navukao na sebe bes ('neznanog') atentatora i nakon ranjavanja bio i sudski gonjen od strane vojske, da bi na kraju napustio istu 1923. i započeo sasvim drugačiju karijeru.




     Nicholson je, naime, postao pisac palp priča. I izdavač.

     Kako bi zadržao prava na svoje priče/kritike/štagod, 1925. je osnovao izdavačku kuću, Wheeler-Nicholson, Inc., a uvidevši i sve veću popularnost stripova, 1934. i National Allied Publications (NAP) koji je stvorio prvi magazin (nastao delom i pod uticajem nemogućnosti da plati autorima i izdavačima za reprinte njihovih publikacija) s originalnim  strip publikacijama, New Fun: The Big Comic Magazin.


New Fun #1, februar 1935.




   

     New Fun se pojavio februara 1935. i sadržaj se sastojao isključivo od originalnih stripova naspram prethodne prakse o izdavanju magazina s reprintima stripova iz raznih časopisa/novina/nedeljnika (postojao je, naravno, i neka vrsta mešavine (proto-strip magazin?), izdat prvi put 1929., The Funnies izdavačke kuće Dell, koji je kombinovao originalne autore i reprinte).

The Funnies #1, januar 1929.




      Nicholson je imao veliku pomoć mladih autora (kao što je dvojac Siegel-Shuster, koji su se pojavili u šestom broju),

New Fun #6, oktobar 1935.




     te je nedugo zatim izbacio na tržište i svoje drugo čedo, New Comics (koji se vremenom preobrazio u New Adventure Comics, a kasnije u Adventure Comics), decembra 1935.

New Comics #1, decembar 1935.


     

     Treći izdavački poduhvat mu je bio Detective Comics, čiji je prvi broj izašao marta 1937., pri čemu je usled finansijskih problema Nicholson primoran da prihvati pomoć Harry-ja Donenfelda (kome je dugovao povelike pare, a koji je štampao i distribuirao Nicholsonova izdanja) i nastao je Detective Comics Inc. čiji su vlasnici postali Nicholson i Donenfeldov partner Jack S. Liebowitz (a koji su već imali sopstvenu izdavačku/distributersku kuću – Independent News Company). Detective Comics, s brojem 27 (pojavom Batmana) postaje hit, a Nicholson žrtva njegovog uspeha i svojih finansijskih problema.


Detective Comics #1, mart 1937.



Detective Comics #27, maj 1939.


     

     Naime...
     Navodno je Nicholsonovu izdavačku kuću dokusurila Depresija... što i jeste... no cela istina je donekle drugačija... Donenfeld je, naime, poslao Nicholsona i njegovu ženu na krstarenje 1938., na Kubu, kako bi se ovaj odmorio, skupio snagu i došao do novih ideja... a kada se isti vratio, našao je, bukvalno, zaključana vrata svoje izdavačke kuće. Donenfeld je u odsustvu Nicholsona izdejstvovao bankrot Detective Comics Inc.-a na osnovu zaduženja koja su, uistinu, postojala i kupio i DCI (i u paketu) i NAP.
     Još uvek pod imenom stare izdavačke kuće (NAP) izašla je i četvrta publikacija, Action Comics sa sve Supermanom na koricama.

Action Comics #1, jun 1938.



      National Allied Publications i Detective Comics Inc. su se stopili u National Comics, koji je 1944. smazao i All-American Publications (koji je osnovao Max Gaines i slično DCI-u, imao potporu Donenfelda, a Liebowitz-a kao saosnivača).
     Nedugo zatim, spajanjem National Comics-a, Independent News-a i drugih kuća koji su pripadali Donenfeldu i Liebowitz-u, nastao je National Periodical Publications, a koji je 1977., i zvanično, dobio ime DC Comics.

     Nicholson se vratio pisanju ratnih priča i kritikovanju vojske.



     I nikako da ne povučem paralelu između njega i Hugo-a Gernsbecka. Naime, Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson je prošao sa svojim originalnim magazinom slično kao i Gernsback s Amazing Stories (koji je bio, ne moram vam objašnjavati, prvi časopis usmeren na izdavanje isključivo naučne fantastike), kada je (navodno) zbog nekog (Gernsback je, prema salonskim pričama, odbio da proda svoje naslove) sukoba s Bernarrom Macfaddenom, isti je naterao Experimenter Publishing u bankrot. I mada je AS preživeo, Gernsback je izgubio kontrolu i nedugo nakon toga, Irving Trust, koji je preuzeo časopis, prodao je prava Teck Publications-u, podružnici Macfadden Publishing-a.
   

     Sve u svemu, dobri stari Hugo je izguran s mesta glavnog u AS od strane snažnijeg izdavača, na nesreću ovog genijalnog entuzijaste (koji se nije predao i lansirao/uredio osim ova dva pomenuta časopisa još pedesetak drugih), a na sreću samog časopisa, pa i naučne fantastike u celosti.
     Srećom...
     Naime, Macfaddenova finansijska snaga je obezbedila preživljavanje Amazing Stories-a tokom Velike Depresije!




     I isto tako je i major izguran iz svog magazina...
     Srećom...

     Jer su Donenfeld i Leibowitz publikaciju koja je prvobitno živela samo od broja do broja pretvorili u DC!

[PTY]

 

(...taman da ne brinem dal' si se uspavao...  )

[Gaff]

Prvi britanski naučnofantastični časopis, Tales of Wonder, izašao je krajem 1937.

Tales of Wonder #1, 1937.




Ukinut je nakon šesnaest izdanja, 1942., usled nedostatka papira u (ratom zahvaćenoj) Britaniji.



Međutim, postojala je i neka vrsta tabloida pod imenom Scoops, čiji je prvi broj osvanuo 1934., i bio daleko od forme časopisa. Doživeo je dvadeset izdanja i izdahnuo (već juna iste godine) usled nedostatka interesovanja javnosti.

Scoops #10, 14. april 1934.







U kome je osvanuo članak i o nemačkom cepelinu L. Z. 129 (Luftschiff Zeppelin #129), poznatijem po imenu Hindenburg.

[Gaff]

 Scoops, iliti britanski naučnofantastični magazin koji to nikada nije postao



Kako sam već naveo, Scoops je bio neka vrsta nedeljnog tabloida, koji je više ličio na subotnji dodatak u nekom dnevnom listu, nego samostalan magazin, no sadržavao je u sebi neke osnovne crte onoga što, obično, podrazumevamo pod naučnofantastičnim časopisom, pa da prozborim još par reči o njemu...


Prvi broj je izašao 10. februara 1934., a poslednji, dvadeseti broj, 23. juna iste godine. Nije ostavio upečatljiv utisak na čitaoce i pre je bio neka vrsta eksperimentisanja s novim oblicima obraćanja mladeži nego bilo šta drugo. I taman kada su urednici počeli da dobijaju ozbiljnije priče, Scoops je nestao...


Scoops #20, 23. jun 1934.





Glodur je bio Frederick Haydn Dimmock, koji je ujedno bio i urednik (1918-1954) uglednog omladinskog časopisa The Scout, dok je izvršni urednik bio Ernest Bernhardt Buley (rodom iz Australije), koji je izdavao svoje radove (anonimno ili pod raznim pseudonimima sve do sredine '60-ih) u više časopisa, nedeljnika i magazina za dečake, kakvi su Chums (koji je imao ulogu u nastanku organizacije ,,British Boy Scouts"), The Champion i Boys Magazine (čiji je i urednik bio, krajem 1920-ih).



Chums, avgust 1930.




Časopis su zamislili kao novi oblik edukacionog štiva (slično kao i Gernsback s Amazing-om, samo) za mlade momke, nastavljajući tradiciju mnogobrojnih sličnih časopisa, uz tvist da se (očigledno, na primer američkih sajentifikšn časopisa) dečki edukuju u oblasti nauke preko priča vezanih za svemirska i ovozemaljska čud(ovišt)a.


Scoops #5, 10. mart 1934.




Otud i drastična razlika u naslovnicama. Jer dok su američki časopisi pokušali golicati maštu mladića (koji su im bili glavni konzumenti), Scoops je izrastao iz britanske bigoterije koja je na tinejdžere gledala kao na  glinu koju treba oblikovati u šablonske džentlmene. Sličnih (i veoma popularnih) časopisa je bilo na kilo (Rover, The Gem, Wizard, The Magnet,  Skipper, The Boy's Friend, The Boy's Own...) i svi su se (uglavnom i manje-više) bavili dečačkim školskim dogodovštinama/nestašlucima, sportskim temama, avanturama u dalekim/egzotičnim zemljama ili u britanskim zabitima, a tek su tu i tamo objavljivale priče koje bi se teškom mukom mogli ugurati u žanr naučnofantastičnosti.


The Boy's Own, april 1919.




Elem, Scoops je bio na pravom putu da postane prvi britanski naučnofantastični časopis. Nedeljnik je bio kombinacija naučnih/kvazi-naučnih editorijala/kvazi-editorijala, priča (bilo serijalizovanih ili nerasparčanih) koje su (na početku, maltene, sve) bile bez naznaka o tome ko su njihovi autori, zatim naučnih/kvazi-naučnih vesti o novostima iz sveta nauke, neizostavni Today Fiction – Tomorrow Fact, a kako se ovaj  nedeljnik/tabloid/informator/štagod razvijao, tako su se pojavile i druge rubrike, tipa: Pisma Čitalaca, ,,Can it be Done?", ,,A.B.C. of Science"...
Naslovnice su bile različito koncipirane, neke nastale pod uticajem triler/horor/svemir/polugolišavka-naslovnica američkih palp časopisa, dok su druge bile odraz fantastičnih ekstrapolacija tadašnje nauke, naravno, obe vrste na britansko-uštogljeno-jednostavni način.

Znači, umesto ovoga:


Weird Tales, septembar 1934.




ili ovoga:

Astounding, septembar 1930.




ovo:


Scoops #2




Scoops #11




Scoops #14



Scoops je imao svoje rezident autore (u prvim brojevima, autori dela nisu navođeni – još jedna od odlika magazina za dečake) koji su pisali nastavke serijala pod naslovima kao što su: Space (A. M. Low), Master of the Moon (Bernard Buley) , The Striding Terror (Reginald G. Thomas) ili The Black Vultures (George E. Rochester), ali i autore koji su se pojavili jednom ili samo nekoliko puta u ovom nedeljniku, a koji su takođe svojim pričama dali zvučne naslove, tipa: The Rebel Robots (Charles de Balzac Rideaux), Rocket of Doom (J. H. Stein), Smashing Atoms (D. G. Turner) ili The Iron Woman (Edwy Searles Brooks), a za kojima nisu zaostajali ni naslovi priča čiji se autori ne navode (autori, maltene, većine priča su ostali nepoznati do dana današnjeg...), na primer: Revolt of the Stone Men, The Humming Horror, Ice Metropolis ili The Immortal Man.

Ilustracija priče Revolt of the Stone Men (autor nepoznat), Scoops #11:





Najpoznatiji autor, čija je priča (The Poison Belt, napisana još 1913.) serijalizovana, bio je Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Među drugim istaknutim autorima su John Russell Fearn, autor vesterna, krimića i naučnofantastičnih palp romana/priča pod raznim pseudonimima i jedan od prvih britanskih autora objavljenih u američkom naučnofantastičnom časopisu (The Intelligence Gigantic, Amazing Stories, jun 1933.) i A. M. Low, naučnik i pronalazač, poznat i kao otac radio-navođenih raketnih sistema i kao jedan od prvih koji su predvideli nastanak televizije, a koji je 1976. (dvadeset godina nakon smrti) uvršten u International Space Hall of Fame.
Ali i mnogi, manje poznati, kao: urednik Bernard Buley (već pomenut); Raymond Moore (pod pseudonimom Moore Raymond), autor mnogobrojnih radio-drama, kratkih priča i vestern serijala, no najpoznatiji lik mu je Smiley po kome su snimljena dva filma, od kojih je scenario za prvi film (pisan od strane Moore-a i režisera Anthony-ja Kimmins-a) nominovan za BAFTA nagradu 1957.; Reginald G. Thomas, koji je pisao priče za razne časopise za britanske momčiće, ali i za časopise za britanske devojčice, pod pseudonimima Judy Thomas i Jane Preston; George E. Rochester, britanski ex-vojni pilot prvog svetskog rata, autor više knjiga i priča; Charles de Balzac Rideaux, koji je pisao i detektivske romane pod pseudonimom John Chancellor; Edwy Searles Brooks, koji je napisao mnogobrojne priče i romane (pretežno detektivske) pod raznim pseudonimima; Christopher St. John Sprigg koji je pod pseudonimom Christopher Caudwell pisao poeziju, priče, romane i kritike, rođen kao katolik, a marksista po opredeljenju, i koji je poginuo 1937. (sa trideset godina) u španskom građanskom ratu na strani Međunarodnih Brigada; Maurice G. Hugi, autor objavljivan i u New Worlds-u i u Tales of Wonder-u (i čije je ime Eric Frank Russell koristio kao pseudonim); Stuart Martin, autor detektivskih romana i priča objavljenih u brojnim britanskim časopisima za dečake; Wilfred P. Cockroft, objavljen i u Gernsback-ovom Wonder Stories-u; Stanley H. Nelson, pisac i urednik časopisa Boy's Magazine; J. N. T. Lintott, novinar; i mnogi drugi, manje poznati ili sasvim nepoznati – J. H. Stein, L. B. Silvester, D. G. Turner, Capt. John Willis, Michael Thomas...
(raznobojna gomila, zar ne?) 

Ilustracija priče The Poison Belt-a (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), Scoops #13:




Autori većine naslovnica i ilustracija su, takođe, nepoznati. Jedini ilustratori koji su identifikovani, jesu autori naslovnica: Serge Drigin (#1 i #2) - koji je bio veoma uspešan (samouki) ilustrator poreklom iz Rusije i koji je ilustrovao brojne magazine (The Detective Magazine, Air Stories...) ali i knjige, a radio je i kao strip crtač - i E. P. Kinsella (#12), dok su ilustracije unutar časopisa nepotpisane ili (veoma retko) potpisane kao S. D. ili kao Shirley.


Neke od ilustracija:













Scoops nije bio lišen ni onoga što bi se danas nazvalo samohajpovanjem, te su podnaslovi na naslovnicama bili: ,,Stories of Imagination and Science", ,,Britain's only Science Story Weekly", ,,Amazing Stories of the Wonder World" i ,,Stories of the Wonder-World of Tomorrow" (koji se i zadržao od trinaestog broja pa nadalje). Učestali deo ovoga su bile i razne nagradne igre i izjave uredništva kako: ,,... su zatrpani pismima čitalaca..." ili ,,Scoops će nastojati da predviđa čuda koja nam donosi doba u kome živimo. Te tako opravdati tvrdnju da je nedeljnik sutrašnjice...". I iako su im većina predviđanja bila najobičnija preterivanja, neke su se (u nekom obliku) i obistinile:


(iz rubrike ,,Can it be Done?", brojevi #2, #13, #15, #16 i #20)
















Značajnije rubrike su bile i ,,Here's a Scoop" – editorijal, ,,To the Planets" – kolumna Philip E. Cleator-a o raketnoj tehnologiji (koji je, nakon povratka iz posete Nemačkoj 1933., a pri kojoj je upoznao Willy Ley-a i od koga dobio listu s imenima drugih entuzijasta raketne tehnologije (između ostalih i A. M. Low-a, takođe kontributora pri Scoops-u), osnovao Britansko Međuplanetarno Društvo), članci o velikim naučnim projektima (na unutrašnjoj strani naslovnice), i odeljak s pismima čitalaca. Osim toga, postojale su i rubrike ,,Can it be Done?" (već pomenut ilustracijama), ,,Modern Marvels" (koja je predstavljala naučne/kvazi-naučne ideje ili dostignuća) i razne druge ,,naučne" vesti, kao i nagradne igre.


Uvidevši da im ne ide najbolje, urednici su amerikanizovali svoj časopis promenom naslovnice, štampanjem ozbiljnijih priča, pokušajem da stvore naučnofantastične klubove, ubacivanjem rubrike Pisma Čitalaca, međutim, britanska dečurlija je tada već bila upoznata s ,,američkim načinom" naučne fantastike i ova kozmetika im je izgledala jadno (kao što je i bila) naspram originala.


Nikad stvarno ne uvidevši šta naučna fantastika stvarno predstavlja, urednici su Scoops pretvorili u bledi odraz američkih magazina, upitnog kvaliteta – i objavljenih priča i ,,naučnih" novosti -, usmerenog prema pogrešnoj publici, i na (ne uvek, ali većinom smešno) promovisanje neke vrste futurologije (zasnovane na razmišljanjima urednika koji su bili naučne analfabete – slično Gernsback-u, koji je, doduše, bio naučno obrazovaniji od urednika Scoops-a (i takođe bio fasciniran nekom vrstom futurologije, iznoseći u svojim editorijalima u Amazing-u mišljenja i o naučnim oblastima o kojima nije imao preterano mnogo uvida/znanja)). Imajući sve ovo u vidu, ne čudi da se zanimanje klinaca za ovim časopisom veoma brzo ugasilo.


Osim toga... Scoops je, prema W. O. G. Lofts-u (vrsnog poznavaoca ovog doba i časopisa koji su ga krasili), postao žrtva ne samo opalog zanimanja čitalaštva, već i toga što je štamparija koja je štampala Scoops uvidela da ima i unosnije opcije od štampanja ovog tabloida, što je, ionako, bio samo usputni dil između štamparije i izdavača.

I tako... mogao je postati prvi britanski naučnofantastični magazin. Ali nije.

[PTY]

Jamie Todd Rubin se opet malo zeza sa svojim vremeplovom...    Ovaj put na tapetu je Asimov.


This one took a little more careful planning and I was particularly nervous because I was going to pay a visit to my all-time favorite writer--and one who I never met when he was alive--Isaac Asimov. And here I have to admit that I cheated a bit. To make this work required two trips. First, I made a quick trip back to September 30, 1957 and nervously made a phone call to Dr. Asimov at Boston University. I got him on the line and that Brooklyn accent that I've heard on tape so many times suddenly sounded so real. I told him that I was a reporter, gave him my name and asked him if I could interview him the following week, on Monday perhaps. He agreed and the time was set for his lunch hour, on Monday, November 7, 1957.

Well, he might have to wait a week for the interview, but with a time machine at hand, I did not. I simple adjusted the machine a week forward, giving myself enough time to find his office on the BU campus and before I knew it, I was shaking hands with the man whose science fiction I adored, andwho taught me more science than I learned in all of my schooling.
"You're lucky you called ahead," he said to me as we sat down. "After the Soviets put up Sputnik on Friday, my phone has been ringing off the hook."
I wanted to tell him right then that luck had nothing to do with it. He of all people would understand. But I couldn't and I didn't. Instead I said, "What do you make of this--what with the Russians--that is to say, the Soviets--putting up a spacecraft before us?"
"I think it is a wakeup call," Asimov said. "We clearly need better education in mathematics and the sciences. This just goes to show what happens when you fall behind and why these subjects are so important."
"But as a science fiction writer, there must be some kind of excitement for you in seeing mankind make its first attempts at leaving the planet."
"It is exciting, sure. But science fiction alone doesn't get us into space. It is, perhaps, a catalyst for drawing out an interest in science in younger people, and that is a good thing."
"You've been writing a lot of science fiction lately. Indeed, science fiction seems to be an a great boom. Do you have a personal favorite that you've written?"
Asimov considered for a moment and then said, "I think I'm known for my Robot stories and my Foundation stories, both of which have appeared in book form. And 'Nightfall', which appeared more than 15 years ago has become quite popular. But I'd have to say that my own personal favorite at this point is a story I wrote that appeared in Science Fiction Quarterly a few years back called "The Last Question."
"You mentioned your Robot stories: do you think we'll ever have robots like you describe? Thinking robots?"
Asimov smiled, "It depends on what you consider to be a robot and what you consider to be thinking. We have robots now. Sputnik is nothing more than a robot put into space. If space turns out to be a difficult and costly environment for mankind to live and work then most of the work will have to be done by robots."
"Setting nations aside for a moment, do you think robots will beat men to other planets?"
"Absolutely," Asimov said without hesitating. "They will be our scouts, collecting information that we can use to go there ourselves." He glanced at his watch and I realized that time was growing short. But I still had a few questions.
"You still write robot stories but you haven't written a Foundation story in many years. Do you think you'll ever continue that series?"
"I wrote all of the Foundation stories between 1942 and 1950 and by the time I finished the last one, I was burnt out. Did you read those stories?"
"Many, many times,": I said, "They are among my favorites and I wish there would be more. You could have a bestseller on your hands with those yarns."
Asimov laughed. "A science fiction best-seller. Now who sounds like the science fiction writer?" He shook his head. "I wouldn't know where to begin. I think that series is complete as it is."
I tried to keep my mouth shut but the words just came out: "I, for one, would love to know what Hari Seldon was like as a young man. That might make an interesting story."
Asimov considered, "Maybe." He shrugged it off. "The truth is that my interest in writing science fiction is waning even as my interest in writing about science is increasing. If I could help educate people in science through my writing then I'd feel like I was doing a decent public service."
"You're probably right, Doctor Asimov. And just so you know, whether it was science fiction or science--or any other subject you might write about, you've got one fan here who would read it. Thanks so much to agreeing to this interview. Sorry it came at such an inconvenient time."
"It was my pleasure, Mr. Rubin."
That was thirty minutes that I won't forget for a long, long time.

[PTY]

I made an educated guess as to where the 97th World Science Fiction convention would be held. Given that the 97th convention would take place in 2039, it seemed to me there was only one possibility: the Big Apple; New York, New York. It turned out that I was correct, and why not? In addition to being the 97th WorldCon, it was also the 100th anniversary of the 1st WorldCon, a visit to which I've already described. Even guessing when it would take place wasn't difficult: September 1-5, Labor Day weekend.
Finding the hotel in which it took place was a bit more tricky. I figured that once I got to New York, I could hop on the Internet and figure it out but the Internet had changed somewhat, evolved into more of an augmented reality in which (as a quickly learned) special contact lenses were needed to reveal and interact with that reality. It took some practice, but I managed. The most difficult part, of course, was obtaining a membership. There was good reason why I couldn't attend under my own name, and while it is easy to appear to be a journalist in the past when you know what has happened, it is a much trickier thing to do in the future when the last 28 years are an unknown. So I attended as a fan and my name tag (a virtual tag that one could see along with my various social networking statuses thanks to the AR at the hotel) read: DAVID SELIG.It was a relief, of course, to know that science fiction conventions are still taking place 28 years in the future. So often there is talk on the Internet of gloom and doom surrounding the genre, but the convention was still there and well attended. I didn't get the official numbers (I should have) but I'd guess there were in excess of 6,000 people in attendance.
Even the panels hadn't changed much: "Training your Avatar to Give a Good Interview", "Science Fiction Classics: Bane or Boon", "New Thoughts on the Possibility of Time Travel" (I had to smirk at that one.) Men and women, boys and girls crowded the concourses and bars, laughing, arguing, fiercely debating one another, in seemingly complete ignorance of the sweltering heat outside. It was the avatars that took some getting used to. You'd see two people call out to each other from across the room, friends or colleagues who hadn't seen each other in a long time, perhaps, they would approach each other and gesture a handshake, but not actually touch. It took a while, but that's when I realized that one of the two people (and sometimes both) was a simulacrum, hosted somewhere else yet allowing the host to attend virtually.
Eventually, I made my way into the huckster room and smiled: there, spread out on tables as far as the eye could see were books. Not e-books (although there were tables where e-book where available) but I'm talking about physical, paper-based books. And magazines. And chapbooks. And fanzines. Many of them were old, yes, but a fair number of them were fresh off the presses. So much for the death of the book.
What I really came for was the big banquet and I have to say that it took my breath away. I had to be careful because there was a small chance I might be recognized by someone. Indeed, in scouting for an appropriate seat in the decked-out conference center, I bumped into a tall, lankly fellow who glanced at me (not doubt checking out my stats) and said, "David Selig. Very funny." And then went on his way.
That evening was rather spectacular. The keynote speech was given by none other than Grand Master of science fiction, John Scalzi, and there were at least three other Grand Masters in attendance: Robert J. Sawyer, Elizabeth Bear, and Juliette Wade. On the more controversial side were the speeches given by members of the first WorldCon, including Forrest J. Ackerman, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Jack Williamson. Of course, these speeches were made by avatars licensed to the estates of these masters of the genre and while no one said it outright, I gathered that people were still a bit uncomfortable with the notion of the formerly dead being brought back to life, so to speak, in order to make speeches at conventions. When all of the speeches were done, the awards ceremony commenced, but I stepped out at that point. I didn't want to know who won. I'd rather find out the hard way, by living it.
I was glad to have the opportunity to use SF Signal's time machine, but it was time to head home, and to move on to other topics in the history of science fiction. I did linger for a little while, watching the crowd, seeing the smiles on people's faces, noting the passion with which people debated one another. Some things change, and some stay the same.
I suppose the question that lingers out there among some reader is pretty obvious: did you see yourself at the convention? Had you "made it" as a science fiction writer? To that question, I'm afraid all I can say is:
There are some things about the future that I'm just not allowed to reveal.


  The Wayward Time-Traveler

[PTY]

In 1958, Mike Wallace interviewed Brave New World author, Aldous Huxley...

[PTY]

Over the last year, as I've made my way through myVacation in the Golden Age, I've read stories by a number of writers who I'd never heard of before: Arthur McCann, Phillip St. James, Lee Gregor, Caleb Saunders, Frederick Engelhardt, Kurt von Rachen, Rene La Fayette, Marice G. Hugi, E. Waldo Hunter, and Robert Willey to name just ten or so. Often times, one of the stories by these authors will be particularly striking, and it makes you wonder what happened to them? Why can't I find other stories by that author? Did they just up and quit after a few short pieces inAstounding? Or is something else going on?
As it turns out, in most cases something else is going on. It's been said that a professional fiction writer is a paid liar and so it should come as no surprise that in some instances, even the name that appears on their byline is made up. And so it is for each of the names mentioned above:
Arthur McCann is the pen name John W. Campbell used for non-fiction articles in Astounding. Phillip St. James is Lester del Rey. Lee Gregor is Milton Rothman. Caleb Saunders is Robert Heinlein. Engelhardt, von Rachen and La Fayette are all incarnations of L. Ron Hubbard. Maurice G. Hugi isEric Frank Russell. E. Waldo Hunter is Theodore Sturgeon. And Robert Willey is the pen name thatWilly Ley used for fiction, in particular, a great story called "Fog" (Astounding, December 1940). One name I didn't mention because it has become a well-known pseudonym is Anson MacDonald, a.k.a. Robert Heinlein.

Back in the 1940s, when science fiction was less respectable than it is today, authors occasionally used pseudonyms as a way of hiding the fact that they wrote science fiction. Sometimes, they used a pseudonym to separate their science fiction writing from other types of writing they did. Heinlein used the MacDonald pseudonym for stories that didn't fit into his Future History series, for example. I suspect that a pseudonym was also used from time-to-time to allow a reliable author to have multiple stories in the same issue of a magazine. In 1941 alone, Heinlein and MacDonald appeared in the same issue six times!
In the days before the Internet, I imagine it was easier to keep pseudonyms a secret. Indeed, pseudonyms were only likely exposed by mistake by one of the parties who knew the pseudonym, author or editor. Indeed, there are two instances in which Campbell made this "mistake." In the "In Times To Come" section of the August 1941 Astounding, Campbell announced "By His Bootstraps" byRobert Heinlein as an upcoming story. "By His Bootstraps" did indeed appear in the October 1941 Astounding--under the name Anson MacDonald! In the late 1940s when Isaac Asimov was preparing for his doctor's orals, he'd written a parody of a dissertation, "The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline" which Campbell wanted to run in Astounding. Asimov agreed but, knowing that his orals were coming up, asked Campbell to run it under a pseudonym, something which Campbell forgot about. Asimov wrote that after his orals were finished, there was one final question for him from the inquisition he faced: "Mr. Asimov, what can you tell us of the properties of resublimated thiotimoline..."
Pseudonyms were also sometimes used by women writing science fiction, the most famous of these being Alice Sheldon's pen name, James Tiptree, Jr. More often women used initials to mask the gender of the author, so you'd get C. L. Moore, for instance. Sometimes, a pseudonym represented a writing team writing under a single name. Lewis Padgett, for instance, was the husband and wife writing team of Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore. (They also wrote under the name Lawrence O'Donnell, and indeed, Barry Malzberg's pseudonym K. M. O'Donnell is taken from this name.)
It is difficult to say if pen names are equally popular today as they were in the 1940s. We know some, of course. Stephen King wrote under the name Richard Bachman and did so because he wanted to see if he could still sell books without the glow of his name affecting the sales. Robert Jordan was the pen name for James Oliver Rigney, Jr. In writer's circles, I am aware of a few pseudonyms in print today. Sometimes the reasons are similar to seventy years ago: separating the writer from other type of work he or she does. But I think a more common trend today is to use a pseudonym to re-brand a writer whose sales have, perhaps, been sluggish. In many of these cases, it is the publisher, not the writer who desires the pseudonym.
I find the use of pseudonyms fascinating, especially when I read something written under a pseudonym by an author I've read before. In some ways, a pseudonym equals out the playing field by eliminating preconceived notions of what an author brings to the table. Isaac Asimov once received a terrible review for The Caves of Steel only later to receive an excellent review for one of hisLucky Star books by the same reviewer. The reviewer had no idea that Paul French--the name under which the Lucky Star books were originally published--was actually Isaac Asimov. I can see the same happening today, from time-to-time. Writing an occasional short story under a pseudonym might give a writer added confidence in their ability to sell a story of a very different type from what is typically expected from them.
I think the very notion of author branding makes pseudonyms more difficult to use today--unless you start out using one--because the notion of author brand seems to be what publishers focus on.
That said, I still enjoy making little discoveries, reading stories written under pseudonyms that I am unaware of and then discovering (usually to my great surprise and delight) who the story was really written by. It's kind of like finding that toy in the box of Cracker Jacks.


The Wayward Time-Traveler
Posted by Jamie Todd Rubin

[PTY]

I sometimes think that the term "Golden Age" leads to the idea that all stories from that era are light or optimistic tales with valiant heroes and happy endings. When we think of Golden Age stories, we tend to think of the most famous stories, many of which came from technological optimists like Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke. The Golden Age bridges a time leading into the Second World War and the boom that followed and the stories reflect the changing mood, just as stories written today reflect the mood of our times. Yet for every Kimball Kinnison, there is a story with a hero more grounded in the realities of the time. And while there are many stories from the Golden Age that convey a sense of optimism, there are a fair number that give us a more realistic view of the world in which they were written.

All of this has been on my mind recently because I'd seen a number of discussions online where the question was asked why there aren't more positively slanted stories in science fiction today? It is a valid question, but one that often seems to be followed by "...like stories from the Golden Age." The type of story a reader desires is a matter of personal taste. But as one who has spent the entire year reading every single issue of Astounding from July 1939 through 1941 as part of my Vacation in the Golden Age, I feel obliged to point out that this perception of the Golden Age is inaccurate. There are plenty of dark stories with nasty characters, anti-heroes and bleak outlooks. Some of these stories are probably ones that you've even heard of.

I've often defined science fiction as stories about the impact of technological change on society. That change can be for better or worse. To set the record straight, I've listed below five relatively famous stories from the early part of the Golden Age that, in my opinion, don't meet the standard definition of the technologically optimistic Golden Age story. The stories are listed chronologically:

• "Trends" by Isaac Asimov (Astounding, July 1939). "Trends" was Asimov's third published story and his first in Astounding. It is the story of humanities first efforts to get to the moon. Asimov's story poses something that hadn't been considered in other stories: popular opposition to the space program. Here, it is not the science that is in question but a nation's will to do what is necessary to take that giant leap forward. At a time when many stories about space travel made it a foregone conclusion, Asimov bucks the tide with a somewhat darker piece.
  

• "Rust" by Joseph Kelleam (Astounding, October 1939). I'd never heard of this short little story prior to reading it as part of my Vacation in the Golden Age. It is the story of three robots on an Earth devoid of all human life. They've been left behind and their parts are failing. One by one, the robots are breaking down, unable to repair one another, until the last one falls down and can no longer get up again and eventually, it "dies." It is a short, haunting story, and surprisingly dark for an early Golden Age story. It was one of the best 1939 stories I came across.
  

• "Final Blackout" by L. Ron Hubbard (Astounding, April - June 1940). Hubbard has a reputation these days for things other than his pulp writing in the early 1940s, but the "Final Blackout" serial was the best thing in Astounding that year. It is the story of an almost-present-day (at the time of the writing) Europe that had been utterly devastated by war. A small band of soldiers is attempting to make their way home to England, led by a man known only as the Lieutenant. They see and do things as a result of the war that they might not otherwise have seen or done. It is one of the darker stories I've come across in Astounding so far and the Lieutenant is anything but the archetypical Golden Age hero.
  

• "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov (Astounding, September 1941). Asimov again, and one of his most famous stories (and for a long time, one of the most famous stories in all of science fiction). In this story, a group of scientists, and indeed an entire civilization, watch as it destroys itself once again in a cycle of destruction that scientists and philosophers simply cannot seem to prevent. Technological pessimism at its best.

• "Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester (Astounding, September 1941). By the early '40s the idea of an atomic weapon had started to permeate the consciousness of the country but no one really knew what kind of effect it might have. "Adam and No Eve" is Bester's attempt to imagine an atomic rocket that is tested--and ultimately ignites the entire atmosphere on fire, killing all life on earth except the pilot of the rocket and his dog. And while there is perhaps the most microscopic hint of hope at the end, we know that hope won't come to fruition for geological timescales.
  

[/list]The stories I chose were all stories between 1939 and 1941 and that was deliberate. That's as far as I've gotten in my Vacation. I also tried to choose stories that were recognizable. But I want to make it clear that these are by no means the only stories that appeared during this time in this darker vain. There were many others. Some of these include stories like "Masson's Secret" by Raymond Z. Gallun (September 1939); "Coventry" by Robert Heinlein (July 1940); "Test of the Gods" byRaymond F. Jones (September 1941); "Fog" by Robert Willey (a.k.a Willy Ley)--although I'll admit that the dystopian picture painted through most of the story was ultimately overcome; "Quietus" byRoss Rocklynne (September 1940); and "Seat of Oblivion" by Eric Frank Russell (November 1941).

I'm not arguing whether or not there should be more optimistic stories today than are currently published. Each person has his or her own tastes. What I wanted to make clear is that the Golden Age isn't always golden. Fiction is often a reflection of the times in which it is written, however distorted that reflection may be. Whether it is optimistic or pessimistic has as much to do with that as it does the mood of the author who wrote it and the editor who bought it. The Golden Age was no different.
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[Melkor]

Jos malo pa 75 godina od prve SF konvencije

THE FIRST CONVENTION (1937)

[Gaff]

Prvi deo sovjetskog naučnofantastičnog filma Aelita iz 1924., baziranog na istoimenom delu Alekseja Nikolajevića Tolstoja.

Aelita 1/9

[Gaff]

Amazing Stories, februar 1935.

Pismo, tada, osamnaestogodišnjeg Artura Klarka.