Australian Science Fiction Review/First Series

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The ASFR was an Australian science fiction zine

1960s

Issue 1

Issue 1 was published in June 1966. The editor was John Bangsund. The cover art is of the protazoa, Radiolorian 'Haeckeliana Darwinians', named by John Murray, biologist of the 'Challenger' Expedition (1872-76). The image was reprinted from The Discovery of Nature, by Alfred Bettex (1965). Interior art by John Bangsund, unless otherwise noted.

Contents

Reviews and Reactions to Issue #1

PETER PIKER (Ettamoggah)

Having read the first issue of this new journal with great interest, I would like to offer my congratulations on several counts.
Firstly, I am delighted to notice the consistently delicate tone of the illustrations - a technical achievement which will undoubtedly astonish both your readers and the artists concerned.
And what a splendid idea - omitting all details of price, publisher and availability from your book reviews! The reading public has been pampered far too long. Now we may hope to see a revival of the lost art of book-hunting - a healthy, stimulating sport.

It is regrettable that your valiant attempt to provide a similar stimulus for would-be subscribers to the journal has been ruined by a single mention, accidental no doubt, of the editorial address. However, not failure but...&c.

"Letters" by Peter Piker, ASFR #2

RON CLARKE (Sydney)

ASFR looks like shaping up to be a good magazine, going by the first issue. The cover is very professional-looking. The articles I liked, too - especially John Baxter’s on Australian sf and John Foyster’s on the Melbourne Convention. But the one that really makes ASFR worth the money is Lee Harding’s article on Avram Davidson. Please keep on with the book reviews and the illustrations.

One thing I noticed was that although the index - whups! I mean Contents Page - listed the contents by page number, there wasn’t a single page actually numbered, A trifle inconvenient, I should say. I also got a bonus - two page sevens. I’m not complaining. News of the release of the novel FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON is enough to brighten the heart of any sf fan. I thought the short story was terrific, and if the novel is better than that - wow! Keep up the good work!

"Letters" by Ron Clark, ibid

Issue 2

Issue 2 was published in August 1966. The editor was John Bangsund. The cover art and all interior art is by John Bangsund unless otherwise noted.

Contents

  • Table of Contents. Art by James Ellis.
  • "Caterwauls Do Not A Prism Make Nor Ion Bards Assauge" by John Bangsund - editorial and acknowledgements.
Reaction to the first issue of ASFR has been mostly favourable, and we have received an interesting if not overwhelmingly large number of letters, contributions and subscriptions* And, as I mentioned above, some criticism, A few people, for example, don’t like our employment of fan terminology. The fact is, we don’t think using such convenient terms as ’sf' ’fan’ ’fanzine’ and so on stops us from being quite serious and objective about the field.


Another criticism is that Australian sf is not being examined as fully as my first editorial may have promised. We did not set out to review only Australian sf: as our title indicates, we are publishing an Australian review of sf, as well as a review of Australian sf. Next month we will lead off with an introductory article by myself and Lee Harding on the Australian writers, and an article by A. Bertram Chandler on his own work. There will follow, in subsequent issues, fairly detailed critical and biographical articles about our writers.

John Bangund, Editorial, ASFR Issue #2

  • "The Science Fiction Market" by John Carnell. - article on the SF market "...transcribed from a tape [John] sent to the Melbourne Easter Convention, is interesting not only for its expert opinions on trends in the field and its advice to aspiring writers but also for its delightful nostalgia."[1]
  • "New Directions in SF Cinema" by John Baxter - article on SF filmmaking, "...a provocative piece of writing and underlines the fact that sf is no longer the exclusive preserve of the fans."[1] (reprinted from NIEKAS #10 in which it appeared as FILMS, FANDOM AND THE FUTURE)
  • "Sucking Air with Dwight V. Swain" by John Foyster - article on Dwight V. Swain, "...a demolition job on a school of sf writing which flourished in the forties and fifties (and still lingers on in some dark corners today) in a fine critical article on an exemplar of that school."[1] Includes examination of the novelettes: "Cry Chaos!", "Dark Destiny", "The Weapon From Eternity" and "Planet Of Dread", published in Imagination, Issues #9/51; 3/52; 9/52; and 2/54.
  • "The Cosmological Eye" by Lee Harding - regular column which discusses "...a volume of sf biography by Sam Moskowitz, the emergence of Keith Roberts as a writer of great promise, and interesting developments in British magazines".[1]
    • "Who Was Who Way Back When" - review of SEEKERS OF TOMORROW by Sam Moskowitz
One of the dangers of becoming a successful sf writer is that some day you may become the subject of one of Sam Moskowitz’s potted magazine biographies. Sam's been at this for quite a while...

...In a book of close to 450 pages we get a run-down on 22 writers of sf whom Sam feels have been foremost in the development of modern sf. They are - E. SMITH, John W. CAMPBELL Jr., Edmond HAMILTON, Jack WILLIAMSON, Murray LEINSTER, Mort WEISINGER, John WYNDHAM, Eric Frank RUSSELL, L. Sprague DE CAMP, Lester DEL REY, Robert HEINLEIN, A.E. VAN VOGT, Isaac ASIMOV, Theodore STURGEON, Clifford D. SIMAK, Fritz LEIBER, C.L. MOORE, Henry KUTTNER, Robert BLOCH, Ray BRADBURY, Arthur C. CLARKE, and Philip Jose FARMER...

...Regular readers of sf, whose addiction doesn't go back more than a few years, will find some interesting anecdotes buried here and there amid the bibliography. Older fans may wallow uneasily in the nostalgia of the early days, and find constant irritation with Sam's scholarship. A word of warning: the book is dreadfully dull. Sam has a tin ear and a literary style of the consistency of porridge.

Lee Harding, "The Cosmological Eye", ibid

  • "The Cosmological Eye" by Lee Harding - regular column cont'
    • "Beware the Furies" - profile of Keith Roberts
    • "Harry, the Galactic Editor" - report on Harry Harrison's assumption of editorship of Impulse magazine.
  • Reviews:
  • "Notes and Comments" by Donald Tuck - comments on the reduction in science fiction magazines, but the staying power of the more long-lived ones which tend to have over 100 issues. Also a note about reprints of E.E. Smith's Lensman series being available.
  • Letters - LOCs from Brian Aldiss, Ron Clarke, Colin A. Bell, Peter Piker, plus an explanation of why some letters were not included (misplaced during a house move):
Anyway, that’s why you’re reading this instead of a couple of excellent letters from Bob Smith and Mervyn Barrett. Quite a number of other letters, expressing enthusiasm, congratulations, bewilderment, etc. were received. Burt Kaufman was ’impressed’ - particularly with the Vonnegut review, which I think he originally sent for Lee Harding’s CANTO. N.R. Cronk of Tweed Heads sent a two-year subscription: by far the best letter I had that day, and I’ll not disparage imitators! Robert Gerrand works on the Monash University paper, LOT’S WIFE, appreciates the elbow-grease involved in producing something like ASFR, and also uses those delightful words, ’Please find enclosed...’ Carolyn Addison in Sydney did the same after recovering from the shock of seeing my name in bigger type than Brian Aldiss's. Graham Stone sent me a most interesting long letter from Canberra, which I don’t feel at liberty fco reprint without his permission. (I’m off to Tasmania on August 1st for a fortnight’s hardsellsmanship, and perhaps will find time then to write to all the people who’ve gone unanswered.) Don Tuck has sent a lot of useful material from Tasmania, and his fellow-islander Michael O’Brien has been active in spreading the word in Hobart. Unmentioned correspondents are assured that we appreciate their support. There are some unmentionable non-correspondents, too.

"Letters" by John Bangsund, ibid

Issue 3

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Editorial" by John Bangsund, ASFR #2
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