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Amateur Correspondent, v. 2, issue 2, September-October 1937
Page 6
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ARE WE ADVOCATES OF SCIENTIFIC FICTION? By Sam Moskowitz ALMOST INCREDIBLE to me is the rapid ascent of scientific fiction to public favor---and the resultant degeneration of the thing as a whole. Only three or four years ago, when I asked for any of the scientific fiction magazine by name---and especially when I used the term, science-fiction---my only response was a blank stare or puzzled frown on the part of the dealer. Today, to the contrary---and undoubtedly as a direct result of the injection of scientific fiction (or pseudo-science stories, as some editors are wont to classify them) into the juvenile magazines and books---, the term has become a popular phrase and rings familiar to the ears of a large percentage of the public. Hugo Gernsback and others glibly stated about ten years ago that when scientific fiction became known to the general public, their tastes in the matter would naturally elevate the standard and general excellence of this branch of literature. Unfortunately, the effects of this notoriety have been directly opposite to those expected. The new reading audience has demanded the elimination of what amount of faulty science remained and seeks only pure flights of fancy. There must be no more dealing with facts, possibilities, or theories. Get the hero to the scene of action (you can pick up a heroine almost anywhere) and fire away. What matter if he does use an open airplane in his flight to Mars? Why bother with mere trifles! And we find that the weird fiction field has been similarly exploited; for no sooner did this type of literature gain popular favor than we had Doctor Death, Doctor Occult, Terror Tales, Horror Stories, and other magazines of the like. Is it proof enough that science-fiction is on the down-grade when Mort Weisinger, one of the editors of Thrilling Wonder Stories, personally admits that he has been directed by Leo Margulies to give that magazine a definite juvenile appeal---especially for children from ten to fifteen years of age? And is it by mere coincidence that certain newsstand magazines, which have never before printed a science-fiction story, suddenly blossom out with many pseudo-science features of low grade? Yet, even this could be tolerated; but when various magazines with suggestive foretitles, such as Saucy and Spicy, do the same thing, and in a much more smutty manner, we have about reached the limit of our patience. I should like to make an appeal to you readers. Which do you prefer---to pick up a comic magazine and find "Speed Jones on the Awful Planet Targo", latest pseudo-science cartoon thriller,or, as you might have done only four or five years ago, to glance through O'Brien's or O'Henry's classification of the best short stories of the year and find listed therein "The Colour out of Space" or "The Dunwich Horror", by H. P. Lovecraft, "Creation Unforgiveable", by David H. Keller, M. D., and possibly half a dozen others? The question is purely rhetorical; the latter is infinitely preferable. But how in the name of all that is held sacred can scientific fiction ever gain anything while it has as its representatives scientifilms, scienticartoons, and pseudo-science stories? These items have no connection whatever with true scientific fiction, and they should be eradicated from all magazines professing to publish such literature---especially the fan magazines. This can be 6
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ARE WE ADVOCATES OF SCIENTIFIC FICTION? By Sam Moskowitz ALMOST INCREDIBLE to me is the rapid ascent of scientific fiction to public favor---and the resultant degeneration of the thing as a whole. Only three or four years ago, when I asked for any of the scientific fiction magazine by name---and especially when I used the term, science-fiction---my only response was a blank stare or puzzled frown on the part of the dealer. Today, to the contrary---and undoubtedly as a direct result of the injection of scientific fiction (or pseudo-science stories, as some editors are wont to classify them) into the juvenile magazines and books---, the term has become a popular phrase and rings familiar to the ears of a large percentage of the public. Hugo Gernsback and others glibly stated about ten years ago that when scientific fiction became known to the general public, their tastes in the matter would naturally elevate the standard and general excellence of this branch of literature. Unfortunately, the effects of this notoriety have been directly opposite to those expected. The new reading audience has demanded the elimination of what amount of faulty science remained and seeks only pure flights of fancy. There must be no more dealing with facts, possibilities, or theories. Get the hero to the scene of action (you can pick up a heroine almost anywhere) and fire away. What matter if he does use an open airplane in his flight to Mars? Why bother with mere trifles! And we find that the weird fiction field has been similarly exploited; for no sooner did this type of literature gain popular favor than we had Doctor Death, Doctor Occult, Terror Tales, Horror Stories, and other magazines of the like. Is it proof enough that science-fiction is on the down-grade when Mort Weisinger, one of the editors of Thrilling Wonder Stories, personally admits that he has been directed by Leo Margulies to give that magazine a definite juvenile appeal---especially for children from ten to fifteen years of age? And is it by mere coincidence that certain newsstand magazines, which have never before printed a science-fiction story, suddenly blossom out with many pseudo-science features of low grade? Yet, even this could be tolerated; but when various magazines with suggestive foretitles, such as Saucy and Spicy, do the same thing, and in a much more smutty manner, we have about reached the limit of our patience. I should like to make an appeal to you readers. Which do you prefer---to pick up a comic magazine and find "Speed Jones on the Awful Planet Targo", latest pseudo-science cartoon thriller,or, as you might have done only four or five years ago, to glance through O'Brien's or O'Henry's classification of the best short stories of the year and find listed therein "The Colour out of Space" or "The Dunwich Horror", by H. P. Lovecraft, "Creation Unforgiveable", by David H. Keller, M. D., and possibly half a dozen others? The question is purely rhetorical; the latter is infinitely preferable. But how in the name of all that is held sacred can scientific fiction ever gain anything while it has as its representatives scientifilms, scienticartoons, and pseudo-science stories? These items have no connection whatever with true scientific fiction, and they should be eradicated from all magazines professing to publish such literature---especially the fan magazines. This can be 6
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