Along with AstoundÂing SciÂence FicÂtion and The MagÂaÂzine of FanÂtaÂsy and SciÂence FicÂtion, Galaxy MagÂaÂzine was one of the most imporÂtant sciÂence ficÂtion digests in 1950s AmerÂiÂca. Ray BradÂbury wrote for it–including an earÂly verÂsion of his masÂterÂpiece FahrenÂheit 451–as did Robert A. HeinÂlein, Isaac AsiÂmov, FredÂerik Pohl, Theodore SturÂgeon, CordÂwainÂer Smith, Jack Vance, and numerÂous othÂers.
Now a fairÂly decent colÂlecÂtion of issues (356 in total) is availÂable for your perusal at archive.org for absoluteÂly free. It’s not comÂplete yet, but it’s close.
When Galaxy appeared in OctoÂber 1950, it promised a kind of sciÂence ficÂtion difÂferÂent from the space operas of preÂviÂous decades. As an “annuÂal report” writÂten by pubÂlishÂer H.L. Gold proÂclaimed,
…othÂer pubÂlishÂers thought the idea of offerÂing mature sciÂence ficÂtion in an attracÂtive, adult forÂmat was downÂright funÂny. They knew what sold–shapely female endoÂmorphs with bronze bras, embatÂtled male mesoÂmorphs clad in musÂcle, and frightÂful alien monÂsters in search of a human soul.
And while AstoundÂing SciÂence FicÂtion was focused on technology–suited for an AmerÂiÂca that had funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂly changed since WWII–H.L. Gold’s Galaxy focused on ideas, humor, satire, psyÂcholÂoÂgy and sociÂolÂoÂgy. It also had one of the best pay rates in the indusÂtry, and offered some of its writÂers excluÂsive conÂtracts. And the writÂers respondÂed in kind and folÂlowed their own obsessions–although Gold often pitched ideas.
(IronÂiÂcalÂly, though immersed in stoÂries of inner and outÂer space, Gold was an acute agoÂraÂphobe, and stayed in his apartÂment, comÂmuÂniÂcatÂing by phone.)
After a wobÂbly start graphÂics-wise, Gold hired Ed EmshÂwiller in 1951 to paint covÂers, whose often humorÂous style (e.g. this ChristÂmas issue below) suitÂed the humor inside the issue.
ConÂfiÂdent in their staÂble of writÂers, Galaxy proÂduced the wonÂderÂful birthÂday covÂer at the top, feaÂturÂing carÂiÂcaÂtures of everyÂbody from BradÂbury to AsiÂmov. There’s also a guide to see who’s who.
A series of editors–including FredÂerik Pohl–took over from Gold after a car acciÂdent in 1961, and by 1977–eight years after Pohl’s departure–the magÂaÂzine was on its decline. There were more iterÂaÂtions, reprints, antholoÂgies, and online verÂsions, but the essenÂtial run is here. And those first ten years changed AmerÂiÂcan sciÂence ficÂtion forÂevÂer, paving the way for experÂiÂmenÂtal writÂers like Philip K. Dick and William GibÂson.
You could start with the Ray BradÂbury stoÂry (“The FireÂman”) we told you about, or Robert A. Heinlein’s “The PupÂpet.”
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Isaac Asimov’s FounÂdaÂtion TrilÂoÂgy: Hear the 1973 Radio DramaÂtiÂzaÂtion
X Minus One: Hear ClasÂsic Sci-Fi Radio StoÂries from AsiÂmov, HeinÂlein, BradÂbury & Dick
Ted Mills is a freeÂlance writer on the arts who curÂrentÂly hosts the artist interÂview-based FunkZone PodÂcast and is the proÂducÂer of KCRÂW’s CuriÂous Coast. You can also folÂlow him on TwitÂter at @tedmills, read his othÂer arts writÂing at tedmills.com and/or watch his films here.
I have read some issues of Galaxy, but much latÂer than the 1950s. It was cerÂtainÂly a great read,and had a letÂters page, I got some secÂond hand copies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and read LarÂry Niven’s InferÂno, but couldn’t get the midÂdle issue. I had to wait till I got home to AusÂtralia to read the full book!