1960 02 00 Fantastic Universe - Mars and Venus in early SF

Magazine Overview

Title: FANTASTIC SCIENCE FACT & FICTION UNIVERSE
Issue Date: February 1960
Publisher: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
Country: USA
Price: 35¢

This issue of Fantastic Universe, dated February 1960, offers a blend of science fact and fiction, with a strong emphasis on historical perspectives of space exploration and speculative concepts. The cover prominently features articles on the Abominable Snowman and a deep dive into the early days of space travel speculation during the late 19th century, often referred to as 'The Gay Nineties'. It also includes stories by notable science fiction authors of the era.

Featured Articles

Ivan T. Sanderson: There Is an Abominable Snowman

This article, by Ivan T. Sanderson, focuses on the existence of the Abominable Snowman, a topic that often intersects with unexplained phenomena and cryptozoology. While the full content of Sanderson's argument is not detailed on the cover, its inclusion suggests a focus on mysteries and potentially unexplained creatures.

Sam Moskowitz: To Mars and Venus in the Gay Nineties

This extensive article by Sam Moskowitz provides a historical overview of early science fiction and scientific speculation regarding space travel during the late 19th century. Moskowitz examines how writers and scientists of that era envisioned journeys to other planets, particularly Mars and Venus.

Moskowitz highlights that during the 'Gay Nineties' (roughly 1890-1899), despite the era's focus on popular culture figures like John L. Sullivan and Lillian Russell, significant theoretical and literary progress was being made in the concept of space flight. He notes that scientific advancements like the taming of electricity and the invention of the telephone provided a foundation for imaginative writers.

The article discusses several key works and authors:

• Robert Cromie's *A Plunge Into Space* (c. 1890): This novel is credited with introducing the concept of a completely globular spaceship and explored interplanetary adventure using gravity control. Cromie's work was admired by Jules Verne.
• Gustavus W. Pope, M.D.'s *A Journey to Venus* (1895): Pope's adventure stories featured 'ethervolts' that towed airships, recognizing the need for vehicles suitable for planetary atmospheres. His illustrations of these 'ethervolts' are noted for resembling modern flying saucers.
• Thomas Dixon's *1500 Miles an Hour* (1895): Dixon is mentioned as an early writer to consider the practicalities of repairing a spaceship in space, though he overlooked the lack of gravity for a person to hang from a rope.
• Luis Senarens (writing as 'Noname'): Known for his work in THE FRANK READE LIBRARY, Senarens created adventures for Frank Reade, Jr., featuring inventions like super airships. His stories, such as 'The Wreck of the Asteroid' and 'Lost In A Comet's Tail', explored themes of desolate worlds and space travel, with one instance involving a near-earth satellite scenario.
• Edwin Pallander's *Across the Zodiac* (1896): This work is noted for borrowing elements from Percy Greg and Jules Verne, utilizing 'antigravity' and depicting an underground city on the moon.
• James Cowan's *Daybreak* (1896): This novel is described as suffering from a too-close reading of other works, featuring a lunar globe crashing into the ocean and subsequent travel to Mars.
• John Munro's *A Trip to Venus* (1897): Munro is praised for his scientific approach, having written books on electricity. He is credited with suggesting a prototype of the three-stage rocket and proposing an alternative to Verne's giant cannon method for space launch, involving a series of smaller cannons.
• Kurd Lasswitz's *On Two Planets* (1897): This German novel suggested advanced Martians visiting Earth and featured antigravity-powered ships.
• Edward Everett Hale's *The Brick Moon* (1869-1870): This short novel is highlighted as a prophetic classic for its detailed description of an earth satellite, its construction, and life aboard it, predating later concepts of space stations.
• William Windsor's *Loma, A Citizen of Venus* (1897): This work explored teleportation for interplanetary travel and featured Venusians with anti-gravity and telepathic abilities.
• H.G. Wells: The article acknowledges Wells as a significant figure, mentioning his works *The Time Machine* (1895) and *The Island of Dr. Moreau* (1896), and *The Invisible Man* (post-1896), recognizing his immense influence on the genre.

Moskowitz critiques some of these early works for scientific inaccuracies while celebrating their imaginative leaps and contributions to the genre. He notes that the concept of rockets for space travel, and the understanding that they do not require an atmosphere, were present even in early works.

Other Stories

The issue also lists stories by:

• J.T. McIntosh
• Randall Garrett
• Howard Fast

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of scientific possibility and imaginative fiction. The February 1960 issue, through its featured articles, demonstrates a keen interest in the history of science fiction, tracing the evolution of ideas about space travel from the late 19th century to contemporary speculation. There's an appreciation for early pioneers in the field, even when their scientific concepts were flawed, recognizing their foundational role in shaping modern science fiction. The inclusion of an article on the Abominable Snowman suggests an editorial stance that embraces mysteries, the unexplained, and potentially fringe scientific topics alongside more established science fiction themes.

Title: FANTASTIC UNIVERSE
Issue: 53
Volume: 54
Date: 1901

This issue of FANTASTIC UNIVERSE, dated 1901, focuses on the burgeoning genre of interplanetary literature during the "Gay Nineties." It explores early science fiction novels and their imaginative concepts of space travel, alien encounters, and scientific prophecy.

The Dawn of Interplanetary Literature

The article begins by discussing H.G. Wells' seminal 1897 novel, *The War of the Worlds*, noting its innovative portrayal of Martians as intelligent beings bent on conquest. The novel's impact was immediate, leading to parodies and sequels. The text highlights the unique method of propulsion suggested by Wells and contrasts it with Jules Verne's earlier works.

Two British humorists, C.L. Graves and E.V. Lucas, created *The War of the Wenuses* as a humorous tribute to Wells. The story features women from Venus visiting Earth, leading to a satirical commentary on gender roles.

In America, Garrett P. Serviss, a lawyer and journalist dedicated to popularizing astronomy, wrote *Edison's Conquest of Mars* in 1898. This sequel to Wells' novel incorporated scientific figures like Edison, Kelvin, and Roentgen, and introduced concepts such as gravity-short-circuiting spaceships equipped with disintegrator rays and space suits for repairs.

Early Space Travel Narratives

The issue also examines other significant works of early space fiction. Gustavus W. Pope, M.D.'s *A Journey to Venus* (1895) is mentioned for its depiction of space fleets. The article emphasizes that the Gay Nineties was a pivotal decade for interplanetary literature, establishing it as both scientific prophecy and a distinct literary genre.

George Griffith, a best-selling author, is recognized for his contributions, including *The Angel of the Revolution* and *Olga Romanoff* (1894), which established communication with Mars. Griffith's *Stories of Other Worlds* (1900) and *A Honey Moon in Space* (1901) are highlighted for their sophisticated portrayal of space tours, including marriage and honeymoon in space, and realistic descriptions of weightlessness. These ideas were influenced by Cammille Flammarion's writings.

Further evidence of the era's fascination with space is seen in the serial *Three Boys From the Moon; Or, the Strange Story of Will White*, published in HAPPY DAYS magazine in 1901. This story is tentatively attributed to Luis P. Senarens, author of the Frank Reade series, based on circumstantial evidence and his daughter's recollections.

Literary Influences and Innovations

H.G. Wells' 1901 novel, *The First Men in the Moon*, is praised for its brilliant descriptions of the lunar landscape. Wells' work is noted to be founded on extensive reading of earlier science fiction, including references to Jules Verne's *A Trip to the Moon* and Crysostum Trueman's *A Voyage to the Moon*. The article points out that Wells' narratives combined imaginative genius with logical reasoning, colorful scientific romance, social criticism, and literary skill.

The Legacy of the Gay Nineties

The article concludes that the Gay Nineties marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one for fictional space travel. The literature of this period laid the groundwork for the space tales of the 20th century, establishing a rich tradition of scientific speculation and adventure.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the historical development of science fiction, specifically focusing on the subgenre of interplanetary travel and alien encounters during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The editorial stance appears to be one of appreciation for the pioneering efforts of authors like Wells, Verne, and Griffith, recognizing their contributions to both literature and speculative science. The magazine celebrates the imaginative leaps and scientific curiosity that characterized this formative period in science fiction.