Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories

Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories were two American science fiction magazines. They were published between 1939 and 1943 and again from 1950 to 1960. Both publications were edited by Charles Hornig for the first few issues. Robert W. Lowndes took over in late 1941 and remained editor until the end.

About Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories in brief

Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories were two American science fiction magazines that were published between 1939 and 1943 and again from 1950 to 1960. Both publications were edited by Charles Hornig for the first few issues; Robert W. Lowndes took over in late 1941 and remained editor until the end. The magazines came as part of a boom in science fiction pulp magazine publishing at the end of the 1930s. The fiction was generally unremarkable, with few memorable stories being published, particularly in the earlier versions of the magazines. In 1960 both titles ceased publication when their distributor suddenly dropped all of Silberkleit’s titles. The first issue of Future Fiction appeared in November 1939; it was followed in July 1940 by Science Fiction Quarterly. In 1941 the two magazines were combined into one, titled Future Fiction combined with Science Fiction, but in 1943 wartime paper shortages ended the magazine’s run. In 1950, with the market improving again, SilberKleit relaunched Future Fiction, still in the pulp format. In the mid-1950s he also relaunches Science Fiction stories, this time under the title Science fiction Stories. In October 1940, Hornig received his military draft notice; he was a pacifist, and decided to move to California and register as a conscientious objector. He continued to edit the magazines from the west coast to retain his post as editor of Science Fiction.

He was also offered the editorship of the other two titles to Sam Moskowitz, but he declined, saying afterwards: ‘I would never strike at a man’s job at a higher price than I was being paid’ In the letter Wollheimheim wrote to Silberleit, he said: ‘In the letter I’d suggest that it might be a good idea to add a science fiction title to the list, offering my services as editor at a slightly lower price than Hornig was. I’d also find all sf titles with the other sf editors to find a fault with the sf title, and find all the other titles with sf writers to find sf stories to publish’ He later recalled: ‘The Liberation of Earth’ by William Tenn, and “If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth” by Arthur C. Clarke were two of the better-known stories he published in Future Fiction. In November 1939 the first issue appeared. The schedule was intended to be bimonthly, but it began to slip immediately with the second issue dated June 1939. In order to spread his costs over more magazines, Silbersleit soon decided to launch two additional titles. He chose to launch an sf pulp magazine under his Blue Ribbon Magazines imprint; the title he chose was Science fiction. He had previously edited Wonder Stories for Hugo Gernsback from 1933 to 1936. In 1934 he became a publisher in his own right in 1934 when he founded the Winford Publishing Company. He decided to use his original suggestion for one of the new magazines.

Related posts:

Startling Stories History of US science fiction and fantasy magazines to 1950 Other Worlds, Universe Science Fiction, and Science Stories Cosmic Stories and Stirring Science Stories