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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 9, Winter 1945-1946
Page 219
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 219 The Immortal Storm A History of Science-Fiction Fandom by Sam Moskowitz (part 2) It became obvious to Raymond Palmer early in 1933 that even the elaborate printed number of Cosmology which Ruppert had been kind enough to print for him was not enough to reawaken a fanwide interest in the International Scientific Association. He therefore abandoned the ISA and its club organ and cast about for something else. Inspired in all probability by "The Best Science-Fiction of 1932," a filler in the Winter, 1933 issue of The Time Traveller which listed the readers' choices of the outstanding fantasy of that year, Palmer hit upon the Jules Verne Prize Club. Its aims are perhaps best expressed by quoting an advertisement printed in the January, 1933 Science Fiction Digest: Help select the three best stf stories of 1933. Join the JVPC and do your part in carrying forward the torch ignited by the immortal Jules Verne. Help make the world "Science Fiction Conscious". The Jules Verne Prize Club is non profit-making, all receipts going to the selection of the stories and the awarding of suitable cups to the winners. Dues were set at twenty-five cents, and Palmer was the organization's chairman. Moribund from the start, however, the club soon expired completely when members failed to pay dues. For this reason, too, no loving cups were awarded the winning stories' authors. After announcing these facts in the February, 1934 issue of Fantasy Magazine Palmer stated that the club would revert to an inactive status for the year 1934, and promised its revival in 1935; not surprisingly, this suspension of animation proved permanent. In Europe, meanwhile, the most active group was to be found in the membership of the German Rocket Society, a large percentage of which were science-fiction enthusiasts---this being regarded, however, as mere coincidence. Hermann Oberth and Max Valier, known in this country because of the generous publicity furnished them by Hugo Gernsback, belonged to the society, and together with Willy Ley they conducted a series of experiments that (unknown to them) presaged the German "buzz-bombs" of the second World War. Ley, as is generally known, eventually emigrated to America, where he has since acquired an enviable reputation in his vocational field. A long and excellent history of the German Rocket Society may be found in his book Rockets. An organization known as the British Science Fic tion Association had sprung up in England in the meantime. This was predominantly a correspondence club, and by 1933 had linked itself to the American ISA. V The Fantasy Fan The great depression was now at its peak, and there was scarcely any activity or industry in the United States which did not feel its effects. The science-fiction magazines, selling at prices above the average "pulp" level, were particularly hard hit. Probably the keen loyalty of their followers was the only factor which saved them from swift extinction. As it was they were badly shaken. Astounding Stories began to appear bi-monthly instead of monthly, and finally ceased publication altogether with its March, 1933 number. After futuristic cov-
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 219 The Immortal Storm A History of Science-Fiction Fandom by Sam Moskowitz (part 2) It became obvious to Raymond Palmer early in 1933 that even the elaborate printed number of Cosmology which Ruppert had been kind enough to print for him was not enough to reawaken a fanwide interest in the International Scientific Association. He therefore abandoned the ISA and its club organ and cast about for something else. Inspired in all probability by "The Best Science-Fiction of 1932," a filler in the Winter, 1933 issue of The Time Traveller which listed the readers' choices of the outstanding fantasy of that year, Palmer hit upon the Jules Verne Prize Club. Its aims are perhaps best expressed by quoting an advertisement printed in the January, 1933 Science Fiction Digest: Help select the three best stf stories of 1933. Join the JVPC and do your part in carrying forward the torch ignited by the immortal Jules Verne. Help make the world "Science Fiction Conscious". The Jules Verne Prize Club is non profit-making, all receipts going to the selection of the stories and the awarding of suitable cups to the winners. Dues were set at twenty-five cents, and Palmer was the organization's chairman. Moribund from the start, however, the club soon expired completely when members failed to pay dues. For this reason, too, no loving cups were awarded the winning stories' authors. After announcing these facts in the February, 1934 issue of Fantasy Magazine Palmer stated that the club would revert to an inactive status for the year 1934, and promised its revival in 1935; not surprisingly, this suspension of animation proved permanent. In Europe, meanwhile, the most active group was to be found in the membership of the German Rocket Society, a large percentage of which were science-fiction enthusiasts---this being regarded, however, as mere coincidence. Hermann Oberth and Max Valier, known in this country because of the generous publicity furnished them by Hugo Gernsback, belonged to the society, and together with Willy Ley they conducted a series of experiments that (unknown to them) presaged the German "buzz-bombs" of the second World War. Ley, as is generally known, eventually emigrated to America, where he has since acquired an enviable reputation in his vocational field. A long and excellent history of the German Rocket Society may be found in his book Rockets. An organization known as the British Science Fic tion Association had sprung up in England in the meantime. This was predominantly a correspondence club, and by 1933 had linked itself to the American ISA. V The Fantasy Fan The great depression was now at its peak, and there was scarcely any activity or industry in the United States which did not feel its effects. The science-fiction magazines, selling at prices above the average "pulp" level, were particularly hard hit. Probably the keen loyalty of their followers was the only factor which saved them from swift extinction. As it was they were badly shaken. Astounding Stories began to appear bi-monthly instead of monthly, and finally ceased publication altogether with its March, 1933 number. After futuristic cov-
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