Science fiction fanzine
Encyclopedia
A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science fiction fandom
, from the 1930s to the present day. They were one of the earliest forms of fanzine
, and at one time constituted the primary type of science-fictional fannish activity ("fanac").
. The term "fanzine" was coined in October 1940 by Russ Chauvenet
. "Fanzines" were distinguished from "prozines", that is, all professional magazine
s. Prior to that, the fan publications were known as "fanmags" or "letterzines." (See fanspeak
.)
Traditionally, science fiction fanzines were (and many still are) available for "the usual," meaning that a sample issue will be mailed on request; to receive further issues, a reader sends a "letter of comment" (LoC) about the fanzine to the editor. The LoC might be published in the next issue: some fanzines consisted almost exclusively of letter columns, where discussions were conducted in much the same way as they are in internet newsgroup
s and mailing list
s nowadays, though at a relatively slow pace.
Since 1955, the annual Worldcon
has awarded Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine
; awards for Best Fan Writer
and Best Fan Artist
were added in 1967 and have continued since then.
(serious and constructive) zines devoted to sf and fantasy
criticism, and newszines such as Locus
- became more professional journals, produced by desktop publishing
programs and offset printing
. These new magazines were labeled "semiprozines", and were eventually sold rather than traded, and paid their contributors. Some semiprozines publish original fiction. The Hugo Awards recognized semiprozines as a separate category from fanzines in 1984 after Locus won the award for best fanzine several years running. (See Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine
). Well-known semiprozines include Locus, Ansible
, The New York Review of Science Fiction
, and Interzone
.
Amateur press association
s (APAs) publish fanzines made up of the contributions of the individual members collected into an assemblage or bundle called an apazine.
The first science fiction APA was the Fantasy Amateur Press Association
(FAPA) formed by a group of science fiction fans in 1937. Some APAs are still active as hardcopy publications, and some are published as virtual "e-zines," distributed on the internet
.
The term "fanzine" is also used to refer to fan-created magazines concerning other topics: the earliest rock-and-roll fanzines were edited by science fiction fans. A significant part of modern computer/Web/Internet slang, abbreviations, etc. is derived from the jargon of the fanzine fans. See fanzine
, fanspeak
.
The fanzine movement is now well represented on the Web; see webzine.
was held in Berkeley, California
. A second convention, Ditto
, started in Toronto in 1988. Both of these conventions continue to take place each year.
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
, from the 1930s to the present day. They were one of the earliest forms of fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
, and at one time constituted the primary type of science-fictional fannish activity ("fanac").
Origins and history
The first science fiction fanzine, The Comet, was published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The term "fanzine" was coined in October 1940 by Russ Chauvenet
Russ Chauvenet
Louis Russell "Russ" Chauvenet was a champion chess player and one of the founders of science fiction fandom.-Chess:...
. "Fanzines" were distinguished from "prozines", that is, all professional magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s. Prior to that, the fan publications were known as "fanmags" or "letterzines." (See fanspeak
Fanspeak
Fanspeak is the slang or jargon current in science fiction and fantasy fandom, especially those terms in use among readers and writers of science fiction fanzines....
.)
Traditionally, science fiction fanzines were (and many still are) available for "the usual," meaning that a sample issue will be mailed on request; to receive further issues, a reader sends a "letter of comment" (LoC) about the fanzine to the editor. The LoC might be published in the next issue: some fanzines consisted almost exclusively of letter columns, where discussions were conducted in much the same way as they are in internet newsgroup
Newsgroup
A usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users in different locations. The term may be confusing to some, because it is usually a discussion group. Newsgroups are technically distinct from, but functionally similar to, discussion forums on...
s and mailing list
Mailing list
A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is referred to as "the mailing list", or simply "the...
s nowadays, though at a relatively slow pace.
Since 1955, the annual Worldcon
Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally The World Science Fiction Convention, is a science fiction convention held each year since 1939 . It is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society...
has awarded Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine
Hugo Award for Best Fanzine
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
; awards for Best Fan Writer
Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer
The Hugo Awards are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
and Best Fan Artist
Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist
The Hugo Awards are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
were added in 1967 and have continued since then.
Semiprozines
During the 1970s and 1980s, some fanzines - especially serconSercon
Sercon is a word used to denote "Serious and Constructive" science fiction criticism, as well as the science fiction fanzines in which such criticism is published...
(serious and constructive) zines devoted to sf and fantasy
Fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. Historically speaking, literature has composed the majority of fantasy works. Since the 1950s however, a growing segment of the fantasy genre has taken the form of films, television programs, graphic novels, video games, music, painting, and other...
criticism, and newszines such as Locus
Locus (magazine)
Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
- became more professional journals, produced by desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
programs and offset printing
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface...
. These new magazines were labeled "semiprozines", and were eventually sold rather than traded, and paid their contributors. Some semiprozines publish original fiction. The Hugo Awards recognized semiprozines as a separate category from fanzines in 1984 after Locus won the award for best fanzine several years running. (See Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
). Well-known semiprozines include Locus, Ansible
Ansible
An ansible is a hypothetical machine capable of instantaneous or superluminal communication. Ansibles occur as plot devices in science fiction literature.- Origin :The word ansible was coined by Ursula K. Le Guin in her 1966 novel, Rocannon's World...
, The New York Review of Science Fiction
The New York Review of Science Fiction
The New York Review of Science Fiction is a monthly literary journal of science fiction that was established in 1988. It includes works of science fiction criticism, essays, and in-depth critical reviews of new works of fiction and scholarship. It is published by Dragon Press and the managing...
, and Interzone
Interzone (magazine)
Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine...
.
APAs
- See main article Amateur press associationAmateur press associationAn amateur press association is a group of people who produce individual pages or magazines that are sent to a Central Mailer for collation and distribution to all members of the group.-Organisation:...
Amateur press association
Amateur press association
An amateur press association is a group of people who produce individual pages or magazines that are sent to a Central Mailer for collation and distribution to all members of the group.-Organisation:...
s (APAs) publish fanzines made up of the contributions of the individual members collected into an assemblage or bundle called an apazine.
The first science fiction APA was the Fantasy Amateur Press Association
Fantasy Amateur Press Association
The Fantasy Amateur Press Association or FAPA is science fiction fandom's longest-established amateur press association . It was founded in 1937 by Donald A. Wollheim and John Michel. They were inspired to create FAPA by their memberships in some of the non-science fiction amateur press...
(FAPA) formed by a group of science fiction fans in 1937. Some APAs are still active as hardcopy publications, and some are published as virtual "e-zines," distributed on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Other types of fanzines
- See main article fanzineFanzineA fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
The term "fanzine" is also used to refer to fan-created magazines concerning other topics: the earliest rock-and-roll fanzines were edited by science fiction fans. A significant part of modern computer/Web/Internet slang, abbreviations, etc. is derived from the jargon of the fanzine fans. See fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
, fanspeak
Fanspeak
Fanspeak is the slang or jargon current in science fiction and fantasy fandom, especially those terms in use among readers and writers of science fiction fanzines....
.
The fanzine movement is now well represented on the Web; see webzine.
Conventions
Fanzine readers and producers naturally gather at science fiction conventions, but there are also small conventions dedicated to fanzines. The first fanzine-only annual convention was Autoclave, held by a Detroit-based fan group for several years in the 1970s. In 1984, the first CorfluCorflu
Corflu is a science fiction fanzine convention held each spring in North America . It is named after a slang term for the "correction fluid" used in mimeograph printing, a common way to produce fanzines before the arrival of low-cost photocopying and online fanzines. Each Corflu is organized by a...
was held in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. A second convention, Ditto
Ditto (convention)
Ditto was a science fiction fanzine convention held annually in the autumn in North America. It was named after the ditto machine, which was commonly used to print fanzines before the advent of cheap photocopying....
, started in Toronto in 1988. Both of these conventions continue to take place each year.
External links
- British Fanzine Bibliography
- efanzines.com This site contains recent fanzines from fans working in the traditions of fanzine fandom. These zines are in pdf format. There are also links to other sites which will be of interest to those who like (or want to know more about) fanzine fandom.
- Fanzines and Articles about Fandom
- Eaton Collection at UC Riverside Home of the Terry Carr, Bruce Pelz, and Rick Sneary fanzine collections.
- Walter A. Coslet fanzine collection at U Maryland Balitimore County
- M. Horvat Fanzine Collection at U. of Iowa and Science Fiction Fanzine Index, Iowa Digital Library.
- Memory Hole: an SF Fanzine bibliography
- Science fiction fanzines and ephemera collection (Syracuse University)
- Temple University Fanzine Collection