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Inspiration, v. 4, issue 1, April 1946
Page 3
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INSPIRATION The First Twenty Years The first issue of any professional science-fiction magazine was dated April 1926. This issue of this fanzine is dated April 1946. The similarity in dates is all the excuse I need to do something I've long wanted to do, and that is to write a somewhat personalized history of the science-fiction magazine. No, I haven't been reading science-fiction regularly since the first issue of AMAZING (I was 8 at the time), and I hardly claim to have read all the science-fiction which has been printed. In these respects I can hardly be qualified for the job of historian. Also, in the period before 1933, my collection contains more blanks than anything else, since I've never tried to be a completist. So if I don't mention any of your particular favorites from the pre-1933 era, it's probable what it's for the reason that I don't have them. Any stories printed after 1933 which aren't mentioned are stories which I consider not especially worthy of mention, altho some of them may be good. Early in 1942 my collection came to a temporary halt due to the influences of the United States army, so this "history" will end at that stage. Now, with apologies and excuses out of the way, begins the history. April, 1926 25 Cents AMAZING STORIES HUGO GERNSBACK EDITOR IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS GERNSBACK As every good fan knows, the first science-fiction magazine was AMAZING STORIES and the date was April 1926. It's also common knowledge that the editor was Hugo Gernsback, the managing editor was Dr. T. O'Conor Sloare, the cover was by Paul, and that on the editorial page appeared the word "scientifiction", an abomination which has persisted ever since. The lead story was "Off on a Comet", by Jules Verne. Also represented in the first issue were such stalwarts as H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, Austin Hall, and George Allen England. Thus, science-fiction was born. Now I'm up against the vagaries of my collection, for after that first issue I have no AMAZINGS until the middle of 1928. Then comes a consecutive run from July 1926 until the end of 1929. After that, the collection drops back
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INSPIRATION The First Twenty Years The first issue of any professional science-fiction magazine was dated April 1926. This issue of this fanzine is dated April 1946. The similarity in dates is all the excuse I need to do something I've long wanted to do, and that is to write a somewhat personalized history of the science-fiction magazine. No, I haven't been reading science-fiction regularly since the first issue of AMAZING (I was 8 at the time), and I hardly claim to have read all the science-fiction which has been printed. In these respects I can hardly be qualified for the job of historian. Also, in the period before 1933, my collection contains more blanks than anything else, since I've never tried to be a completist. So if I don't mention any of your particular favorites from the pre-1933 era, it's probable what it's for the reason that I don't have them. Any stories printed after 1933 which aren't mentioned are stories which I consider not especially worthy of mention, altho some of them may be good. Early in 1942 my collection came to a temporary halt due to the influences of the United States army, so this "history" will end at that stage. Now, with apologies and excuses out of the way, begins the history. April, 1926 25 Cents AMAZING STORIES HUGO GERNSBACK EDITOR IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS GERNSBACK As every good fan knows, the first science-fiction magazine was AMAZING STORIES and the date was April 1926. It's also common knowledge that the editor was Hugo Gernsback, the managing editor was Dr. T. O'Conor Sloare, the cover was by Paul, and that on the editorial page appeared the word "scientifiction", an abomination which has persisted ever since. The lead story was "Off on a Comet", by Jules Verne. Also represented in the first issue were such stalwarts as H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, Austin Hall, and George Allen England. Thus, science-fiction was born. Now I'm up against the vagaries of my collection, for after that first issue I have no AMAZINGS until the middle of 1928. Then comes a consecutive run from July 1926 until the end of 1929. After that, the collection drops back
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