FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION

Magazine Overview

Title: FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION
Issue: AUG.
Volume: ICD
Date: August 1957
Price: 35c

This issue of Fantastic Universe Science Fiction, dated August 1957, delves deeply into the phenomenon of UFO contact cases. The cover features a vibrant illustration of a flying saucer with aliens, alongside prominent articles by Ivan T. Sanderson and Lester Del Rey. The main cover headline highlights "UFO-FRIEND OR FOE?" by Ivan T. Sanderson, and "THE FLYING SAUCER MYTH" by Lester Del Rey.

The Contact Cases by John Nicholson

The article "The Contact Cases" by John Nicholson (a pseudonym) explores the phenomenon of alleged encounters with extraterrestrials. It opens by describing the massive turnout for an Interplanetary Spacecraft Convention near Yucca Valley, California, where thousands gathered to hear reports from individuals claiming to have communicated with beings from other worlds and ridden in flying saucers. Nicholson poses critical questions about these entities: Are they friends observing humanity's progress, or are they alien intelligences planning an invasion? He also ponders whether they might attack man-made satellites or bring a message of world unity.

The author notes that John Nicholson is a writer and editor interested in Ufology, concerned about patterns in contact cases involving golden-haired men and women from other planets who teach people across the country.

UFOs and the Problem of Identification

Citing Edward J. Ruppelt's "The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects," the magazine asserts that when radar detects a UFO and pilots visually confirm a light that then impossibly outdistances jets, there is no simple explanation. The problem has shifted from whether flying saucers exist to what or who they are, given the numerous credible sightings. Ivan T. Sanderson is quoted, suggesting that dismissing these accounts as imagination would require a drastic revision of religious texts, scientific journals, and the credibility of astronomers and airline pilots.

The article clarifies its focus: not on whether saucers are a myth, nor on frightening encounters with "little green men," but on the implications of these phenomena. It mentions a 1950 incident at a French airfield where two saucers landed, and two men emerged to make repairs, briefly answering questions before departing. It also touches upon Commander Paulo Justino Strauss's theory that these craft originate from the Earth's center, a place believed to harbor advanced life, and might be linked to Colonel Fawcett's disappearance in the Amazon.

George Van Tassel and Telepathic Communications

The magazine highlights George Van Tassel, director of the College of Universal Wisdom, and his annual Spacecraft Conventions in the California Desert. Van Tassel's pamphlet, "I Rode A Flying Saucer," details telepathically received messages. One message from "Totalmon" on March 21, 1952, conveyed greetings from the "Center" and "realms of Schare" at an altitude of 750 miles and a speed of 170,000 miles per second. Another message from "Ashtar" on September 21, 1952, spoke of peace and warned of future sightings in Earth's oceans, referencing a recent storm in the Pacific as evidence.

Van Tassel, described as having founded a "cult" based on these contacts, teaches that the power source of saucers is "primary light energy," similar to what keeps Earth in orbit, suggesting aliens "copied it from the earth."

Idyllic Visions of Alien Worlds

The article then explores the descriptions of alien worlds provided by contactees like Truman Bethurum and Howard Menger. Bethurum's contactee, Aura Rhane, describes Mars as a beautiful planet with people similar to humans, a planet of manufacturing with abundant nature. Clarion, a planet on the "other side of the moon," is depicted as an idyllic place with an "ancestral castle" where a wedding takes place, featuring a bride in a beautiful gown and a groom who handles outdoor chores while his wife manages the home.

Howard Menger's visitors come from Venus, described as a world without war, where people live in harmony, free from want and poverty. Venusians are vegetarians, and illness is cured by thought projection and prayer. Their lifespan is 700-800 years, and death is seen as a liberation to another body. Menger notes a similarity between these "Space Men" and Jesus Christ.

Skepticism and Potential Explanations

Despite the seemingly idyllic portrayals, the magazine raises questions about the lack of authenticated contact cases. It questions the origins of these alien visitors: are they from Bethurum's Clarion, Menger's Venus, or are they psychological warfare agents as suggested by Ivan T. Sanderson?

Sanderson is presented as raising a disturbing possibility: that these extraterrestials, who appear at night and land in remote areas, warn people against approaching them with weapons. They preach peace and urge the abandonment of nuclear experimentation. The article also touches upon the possibility that some advanced aeroforms, capable of rapid atmospheric ascent and descent, might be Russian technology, citing a former engineer from Messerschmidt.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of UFO sightings and the alleged contacts with extraterrestrial beings. The magazine presents various perspectives, from the potentially friendly "friends" offering messages of peace and unity to the possibility of alien intelligences with more sinister intentions. It highlights the contrast between the idyllic descriptions of alien worlds and the underlying questions of authenticity and potential manipulation. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, presenting the claims of contactees while simultaneously raising skeptical questions and exploring alternative explanations, including psychological warfare and advanced terrestrial technology. The issue concludes by posing the question "Who knows?" regarding the true nature of these phenomena, indicating an open-ended exploration rather than definitive answers.