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)
Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories [USA: 1950-1954]
Future Science Fiction Stories;
Future Science Fiction
1950
Holyoke
:
Columbia Publications
,
1950-1954
Z1669569
1950
periodical
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).
