Galaktika
Encyclopedia
Galaktika was arguably the greatest and most popular science fiction
magazine of Hungary, published between 1972 and 1995. The peak of 94,000 copies was very high (compared to the population of Hungary [10 million] while Analog magazine was printed in 120,000 copies in the USA [pop. well over 200 million]), it was regarded as the third most important science-fiction magazine of the world , and the quality of individual volumes was high.
The selections contained "thematic", "national" and "mixed" issues; the first type concentrated on a similar theme of stories and the second selected from the literature of a specific country. It was the only possibility for many Hungarian and Eastern-European authors to get their short stories printed. Also, many of the world's most popular science fiction authors got their way to Eastern European readers via Galaktika (accompanied by the Kuczka-edited SF-novel series Kozmosz Fantasztikus Könyvek (Cosmos Fantastic Books) and later Galaktika Fantasztikus Könyvek (Galactica Fantastic Books)), including Isaac Asimov
, Arthur C. Clarke
, Harlan Ellison
, Robert Sheckley
and Philip K. Dick
. Some of the issues have also contained black-and-white versions of comic books such as Conan The Barbarian and The Adventures of Funky Koval
.
Péter Kuczka
was the editor from the beginning till the end, when it was no longer possible to print Galaktika and sell it for a price covering the printing and the royalties. Thousands have mourned its death, and there is a living market for its old, rare issues.
The numbering started with 1 in the summer of 1972 with 38,000 copies on 125 A5 pages. After issue #60 the format changed to the larger A4 format of 96 pages in 1985, then back to the A5 in a black bordered format in 1993 which persisted until Galaktika's death.
In its long and successful life 2,257 short novels and articles by more than 1,000 authors were published.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
magazine of Hungary, published between 1972 and 1995. The peak of 94,000 copies was very high (compared to the population of Hungary [10 million] while Analog magazine was printed in 120,000 copies in the USA [pop. well over 200 million]), it was regarded as the third most important science-fiction magazine of the world , and the quality of individual volumes was high.
The selections contained "thematic", "national" and "mixed" issues; the first type concentrated on a similar theme of stories and the second selected from the literature of a specific country. It was the only possibility for many Hungarian and Eastern-European authors to get their short stories printed. Also, many of the world's most popular science fiction authors got their way to Eastern European readers via Galaktika (accompanied by the Kuczka-edited SF-novel series Kozmosz Fantasztikus Könyvek (Cosmos Fantastic Books) and later Galaktika Fantasztikus Könyvek (Galactica Fantastic Books)), including Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
, Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
, Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
, Robert Sheckley
Robert Sheckley
Robert Sheckley was a Hugo- and Nebula-nominated American author. First published in the science fiction magazines of the 1950s, his numerous quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, absurdist and broadly comical.Sheckley was named Author Emeritus by the Science Fiction and...
and Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. Some of the issues have also contained black-and-white versions of comic books such as Conan The Barbarian and The Adventures of Funky Koval
Funky Koval
Funky Koval is a 3-part Polish science fiction/detective story/political fiction genre comic book published in People's Republic of Poland in the 1980s. It gained a cult following and is still recognized as one of the best Polish comics.-History:...
.
Péter Kuczka
Péter Kuczka
Péter Kuczka was a Hungarian writer, poet and science fiction editor.After finishing high school, Kuczka studied at the University of Economy in Hungary while working several jobs...
was the editor from the beginning till the end, when it was no longer possible to print Galaktika and sell it for a price covering the printing and the royalties. Thousands have mourned its death, and there is a living market for its old, rare issues.
The numbering started with 1 in the summer of 1972 with 38,000 copies on 125 A5 pages. After issue #60 the format changed to the larger A4 format of 96 pages in 1985, then back to the A5 in a black bordered format in 1993 which persisted until Galaktika's death.
In its long and successful life 2,257 short novels and articles by more than 1,000 authors were published.
The return of Galaktika
The publishing of Galaktika restarted in November 2004, with issue #176, after a nine-year hiatus with completely changed page and editorial structure and ownership.See also
- Science fiction magazineScience fiction magazineA science fiction magazine is a publication that offers primarily science fiction, either in a hard copy periodical format or on the Internet....
- Fantasy fiction magazine
- Horror fiction magazineHorror fiction magazineA horror fiction magazine is a magazine that publishes primarily horror fiction with the main purpose of scaring or frightening the reader. Horror magazines can be in print, on the internet, or both.-Defunct magazines:*The Arkham Collector...
External links
- Official website of Galaktika: http://www.galaktikamagazin.hu/
- The Galaktika bibliography and database: http://galaktika.scifi.hu/