person or book cover
Vol 1 No 1 (1950) Courtesy of Galactic Central Publications (www.philsp.com)
y separately published work icon Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories [USA: 1950-1954] periodical  
Alternative title: Future Science Fiction Stories; Future Science Fiction
Issue Details: First known date: 1950... 1950 Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories [USA: 1950-1954]
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

The convoluted and tangled history of Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories began in 1939 when Columbia Publications (USA) launched Future Fiction and Science Fiction eight months apart. Two years later they were merged to create Future Combined with Science Fiction. In 1942 Columbia decided to change the title to Future Fantasy and Science Fiction, and again a year later, this time to Science Fiction Stories (1943). The new magazine ceased publication after two issues, however, due to factors brought on by America's involvement in World War II. The last issue was numbered Volume 3, Number 5 (July 1943).

A little over five years after the end of the war, Columbia brought the two magazines back under the one of the former titles - Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories. With its numbering restarted at Volume 1, Number 1 (1950) it ran under that title for two years before the title was changed twice more - first to Future Science Fiction Stories (Jan. 1952) and two issues later to Future Science Fiction (May 1952). In all 27 issues of the magazine were published between 1950 and 1954, the last being the October 1954 edition. It was then continued by Science Fiction Stories, beginning January 1955.

  • In October 1955 Columbia Publications revived Future Science Fiction [1955-1960] as a separate and distinct title.
  • Although separate entities from 1955 onwards, Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories both ceased publication in early 1960.

Source: "Future Science Fiction/Science Fiction Stories." Galactic Central - online (sighted 8/12/2011)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1950
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Related Works

y separately published work icon Future Science Fiction [UK: 1951-1954; 1957-1960] Future Combined with Science Fiction 1951 London : Hermitage , 1951-1954 Z1665650 1951 periodical (5 issues) The publishing history of Future Science Fiction (both the UK and US versions) is convoluted and tangled, and in fact originates as far back as 1939 when two sister magazines - Future Fiction and Science Fiction were launched eight months apart in the USA. Two years later they were merged to create Future Combined with Science Fiction, but then underwent several further title changes - Future Fantasy and Science Fiction (1942) followed by Science Fiction Stories (1943). The US magazine ceased publication in 1943 due to factors brought on by America's involvement in World War II, but was revived by Columbia in 1950 with one of the former titles - Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories [1950-1954].

A British parallel reprint edition, Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories was published by Hermitage Publications between November 1951 and June 1954. All 14 issues were distributed by Leister-based company Thorpe and Porter. This ceased in 1954, however, when the US magazine (by then retitled Future Science Fiction) was discontinued after 27 issue.

In 1955, exactly a year after Columbia ceased publishing Future Science Fiction in the USA, the company decided to revive the magazine there. Although a parallel British reprint edition was again produced, this did not begin until November 1957. Titled Future Science Fiction to reflect its association with the US series, the UK magazine was published this time by London company Strato Publications. Thorpe and Porter remained its distributor, however. The UK edition ran for 11 issues, ending in February 1960 when the US magazine finally ceased publication.

[Source: "Future Science Fiction/Science Fiction Stories." Galactic Central - online (sighted 8/12/2011)
y separately published work icon Science Fiction Stories [USA: 1955-1960] The Original Science Fiction Stories Robert W. Lowndes (editor), 1955 Holyoke : Columbia Publications , 1955-1960 Z1683097 1955 periodical science fiction (7 issues) The convoluted and tangled history of Science Fiction Stories originates in 1939 when two sister magazines - Future Fiction (aka Future Science Fiction) and Science Fiction were launched eight months apart. They were merged two years later by Columbia Publications to create Future Combined with Science Fiction. Over the next couple of years the new magazine's title was changed twice, beginning with Future Fantasy and Science Fiction (1942), followed by Science Fiction Stories (1943). To complicate matters even further, the early 1940s saw the publication of a short-lived British reprint edition of Science Fiction and a single issue of Future Fantasy and Science Fiction (which was reprinted as part of the Swan American Magazines series). There was also a short-lived Canadian magazine called Science Fiction which mainly reprinted from Science Fiction and Future Fiction, but also included some stories from elsewhere. A number of factors brought on by America's involvement in World War II saw the magazine close down in 1943.

In 1950 Columbia brought the two magazines back under the one title, Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories. It was published under that title for only two years before being changed twice more - first to Future Science Fiction Stories (January 1952) and then to Future Science Fiction (two issues later). For most of this period a British reprint edition was also published.

In 1953, Columbia trialled the digest size format, releasing an individual and unrelated magazine issue called Science Fiction Stories. A second trial issue was published the following year. Encouraged by the response, the company began publishing Future Science Fiction in the digest format from June 1954 (Volume 5, Number 1). However, after only three issues Columbia decided to replace it with an entirely new series - Science Fiction Stories [1955-1960]. The first issue of this magazine was published in January 1955 (as Volume 5, Number 4).

  • NB: Future Science Fiction was revived by Columbia in October 1955.

From September 1955 the Science Fiction Stories covers included the phrase 'The Original.' Although this suggested that the title had been once again changed (to The Original Science Fiction Stories), the Galactic Central website indicates that this was not the case, and that the term was merely a generic descriptive.

Science Fiction Stories and Future Science Fiction both ceased publication in early 1960.


[Source: "Future Science Fiction/Science Fiction Stories." Galactic Central - sighted 8/12/2011]
y separately published work icon Future Science Fiction [USA: 1955-1960] Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories; Future Science Fiction Stories Robert W. Lowndes (editor), 1955 Holyoke : Columbia Publications , 1955-1960 Z1832148 1955 periodical science fiction (4 issues) The convoluted and tangled history of Future Science Fiction began in 1939 when Future Fiction and Science Fiction were launched eight months apart by US publishing company Columbia Publications. Two years later they were merged to create Future Combined with Science Fiction. In 1942 Columbia retitled the magazine Future Fantasy and Science Fiction, and then a year later changed it once again, this time to Science Fiction Stories (1943). The new magazine ceased publication after two issues, however, due to factors brought on by America's involvement in World War II. The last issue was numbered Volume 3, Number 5 (July 1943).

A little over five years after the end of the war, Columbia brought the two magazines back under the one of its former titles - Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories. With its numbering restarted at Volume 1 Number 1 (1950) the magazine ran under that title for two years before it was renamed twice more - first title being Future Science Fiction Stories (Jan. 1952), followed two issues later by Future Science Fiction (May 1952). In all 27 issues of the magazine were published between 1950 and 1954, the last being the October 1954 edition (Volume 5, Number 3)

In the meantime, Columbia had decided to trial the digest size magazine format, releasing an individual and unrelated magazine issue called Science Fiction Stories in 1953. After publishing a second trial issue the following year, the company decided to use the digest format for Future Science Fiction, beginning with the June 1954 issue (Volume 5, Number 1). However, in January 1955 (after only three issues in the new format), Future Science Fiction was abandoned and replaced by an entirely new magazine - Science Fiction Stories.

Exactly a year after closing down Future Science Fiction, Columbia Publications decided to revive it (again), effectively returning to the "sister-magazine" operations of 1939-1941. The first issue was identified simply as Number 28 (no volume included). In this respect the magazine was also effectively treated as a continuation of the 1950-1954 Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories/Future Science Fiction Stories and Future Science Fiction series (which as noted earlier ended after 27 issues).

Although considered distinct entities from 1955 onwards, Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories both ceased publication in early 1960.

[Source: "Future Science Fiction/Science Fiction Stories." Galactic Central - online (sighted 8/12/2011)
VIEW ALL RELATED WORKS (3)

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Frequency:
Bi-monthly
Range:
Vol 1. No 1. (May-June 1950) - Vol 5. No 3. (1954).
Note:
Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories (1950-1954) comprised 27 issues identified by volume and issue number. When the magazine was revived in 1955 as Future Science Fiction it continued with issue number 28 (but with no volume number).
Last amended 6 Jan 2012 08:46:32
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