Futuria Fantasia

Zine
Title:	Futuria Fantasia
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Ray Bradbury
Organizer(s):
Author(s):
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):
Type:
Date(s):	1939-1940
Topic:
Medium:	Print
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Frequency:
Fandom:	Science Fiction
Rating(s):
Warning(s):
Language:	English
External Links:	On Fanac.org
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Futuria Fantasia was a zine created and edited by Ray Bradbury. Initially targeted at members of the LASFL, Futuria Fantasia ran for four issues before running out of funding.

Reviews

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO- DEPT: Where, oh where, is "Futuria Fantasia", the California entry into the "contemplated fan mags" derby? Ray Bradbury was the guiding genius behind this, and even has an mss of ours for it.

Bob Tucker in Le Zombie issue 3 page 2 (March 1939)

Co-editors Morojo and Forrest J Ackerman of Voice of the Imagi-Nation recommended Futuria Fantasia to Georges H. Gallet in a letter responding to the article Newts in Science Fiction. They described it as being "particularly [sexually] frank in its pictorial aspects".

Voice of the Imagi-Nation also printed some reviews sent to Bradbury in issue 4 of VOM. Jack Chapman Miske, editor of Chaos, wrote,

About Technocracy. You Angelenos will doubtlessly be thrilled so know I'm for it. There are myriads of small objections but they are merely quibblings. Personally, I suspect Reynolds of being Kuttner. Piece ("Don't Get Technatal") was very funny, at any rate. FJA displays unique touch, but the "Record" is, naturally, Juvenile. (it was written when 4e was only 4x4 yrs of age.) Typical of the melodramatic ideas fostered by all kids at that age. And, Ray, I don't like to be nasty, but your poetry isn't so hot. The handling you have given it ("Thought and Space") is, as is Forry's story, typical of a novice's handling. Melodramatic, obvious, a bit wandering, it still shows you might be able to do some pretty good stuff. And now, I must close, I fear. I must kick, tho, about always offering chaos as the alternative to Technocracy. Gee, you all know how I feel about CHAOS. What could be more desirable? Long live CHAOS!

Voice of the Imagi-Nation issue 4 (December 1939)

Henry Hasse reviewed issue 2 in full:

Now I'll comment on the entire No. 2 FUTURIA FANTASIA, step by step. First page: of all Bok's drawings I liked the symbol of "Worry!!!" much the best. It's me all over (as the fellow said when he dropped the can of nitroglycerin). I don't mind your occasional typographical errors. They're bound to occur more or less in any mag. What I don't like at all is your phonetic spelling ("U", "enuf", "yur", "Hankuttner", etc.). I’m a great admirer of the English language, I always strive (in my own feeble way) to use it correctly, and I've always deplored the fact that it is so often mis-used — both carelessly and deliberately. I guess that finishes your first page. Now to continue: THE GALAPURRED FORSENDYKE I liked immensely, because of, not in spite of, its absurdity. About I'M THROUGH—are you allowed to tell who the author of this really is? I suppose not, and perhaps it's just as well. Both poems fair. THE TRUTH ABOUT GOLDFISH is absolutely the best thing you've yet printed in your mag. I like Kuttner's brand of humor very much, and it was sustained all the way through. Of course, not a goldfish appeared in the whole skit, but I'm on to Kuttner: he chose that title deliberately, so that when asked, "Where were the goldfish?" he could reply, "Inside the cats." THE PENDULUM was second best in the issue. A rather unique idea, should have been made into a longer story. IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT KUTTNER is good as a biography. GOD BUSTERS was O.K., Fairly interesting, even though I have long since given up pondering, arguing, debating, on this "God" question; the very word "God", or meaning of the word "God", being an abstraction. RETURN FROM DEATH I didn't like much.

Printed in Voice of the Imagi-Nation issue 4 (December 1939)

Futuria Fantasia is a tie with Cosmic Tales for hi honor.

"Exceptional" 5 star review in Tom Wright's Mercury issue 2 page 19 (combined with the January 1940 Scientifan)

"Futuria Fantasia", Bradbury Unlimited, is a third of these [LASFL] pubs. and has featured both serious and whinsical [sic] material, as well as notable items of creative art and writing. One cannot but enjoy these pubs. and their only real handicap is their infrequent appearance as opposed to the other fan-mags. They are well-representative of the free and unafraid, outreaching spirit which should permeate the entire field and issue forth in every publication. Perhaps after the present struggle for existence*those [sic] who would stamp out this [illegible] spirit, for their own selfish aims, even as they pose as defenders of fandom, is over, we shall see a renaissance in fan publications. If and when this comes, it will be the West Coast which will have forged some of the strongest weapons for its vectory[sic].

Robert A. W. Lowndes in Scientifan issue 2 page 7 (January 1940)