Venture Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, first published from 1957 to 1958. Ten issues were published of the 1950s version, with another six in the second run. It was founded in both instances as a companion to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. A British edition appeared for 28 issues between 1963 and 1965. There was also an Australian edition, which was identical to the British version but dated two months later.
About Venture Science Fiction in brief
Venture Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, first published from 1957 to 1958, and revived for a brief run in 1969 and 1970. Ten issues were published of the 1950s version, with another six in the second run. It was founded in both instances as a companion to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. A British edition appeared for 28 issues between 1963 and 1965. There was also an Australian edition, which was identical to the British version but dated two months later. The original version was only moderately successful, although it is remembered for the first publication of Sturgeon’s Law. The second US version was no more successful, with less attractive cover art and little in the way of notable fiction, though it did publish Vonda McIntyre’s first story. Venture’s bias towards action-oriented adventure led to stories with relatively more sex and violence than those in competing magazines, and sf historian Mike Ashley has commented that it was perhaps five or ten years ahead of its time. Some well-known writers appeared during this incarnation of Venture, including Isaac Asimov, Clifford Simak, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Damon Knight and Leigh Brackett.
For example, Sturgeon’s story \”The Comedian’s Children\” tells of a telethon host and his relationship with his host. It is now seen in the adage “90% of everything is crap”. It was formulated by Sturgeon in 1951, and a version of it appeared in March 1958 under the name ‘Sturgeon’s Law’ This was the place that the name was also put in place that was also used in the first issue of Venture’s first issue, ‘The Girl Had Guts’, by Theodore Sturgeon. The magazine succumbed to poor sales within less than two years, and by the end of 1970, Venture had ceased publication permanently. The editorial philosophy was laid out by Ferman in the inaugural issue: \”strong stories of action and adventure … There will be two prime requisites for Venture stories: In the first place, each must be a well-told story, with a beginning, middle and end. In the second place,each must be a strong story—a story with pace, power and excitement. The first issue was dated January 1957, and the second was dated July 1958. The editors were Anthony Boucher, J. Francis McComas, and Robert P. Mills. Ed Emshwiller supplied eight of the ten covers; he had sold several covers to F&SF.
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