Science Fiction Review

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Science Fiction Review (Geis) / (Redirected from The-alien-critic)
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(See Science Fiction Review for the many other things with this name.)


SFR (also known at times as Psychotic, Richard E. Geis, The Alien Critic, and TAC) was published beginning in 1953 by Richard E. Geis and is one of the major award-winning fanzines of the 20th century. It had a very complicated publishing record:

Summary Publishing History
Dates Title Numbers Editor
Jul 1953 -- Oct-Nov 1955 Psychotic 1 -- 27
1955 -- 1971 Science Fiction Review 21- 43
1967 -- 1969 Psychotic 21 -- 27
1969 -- 1971 Science Fiction Review 28 -- 43
1971 -- 1972 Richard E. Geis 1 -- 3
Jan 1973 -- Nov 1974 The Alien Critic 4 -- 11
1975 -- 1975 Science Fiction Review (TAC) 12 -- 13
Feb 1975 -- Win 1986 Science Fiction Review V4#1 -- V15#4 (No. 61)
Spr 1990 -- May 1992 Science Fiction Review #1 -- #10 ed. now Elton Elliott

The title Psychotic was revived in 1967 before again changing to Science Fiction Review in 1969. The change was made to reflect Psychotic's change in focus from fandom to sf. As Geis commented, "Essentially, PSY is/was too inappropriate as a title for what the zine had become. I don't mean to sound as if the zine will be stuffy and formal -- it'll be casual and active as usual, but a lot of the adult juvenility will be cut. A lot, but not all. I'm a kid at heart, even if I am slowly growing up."

It won the Best Fanzine Hugo in 1969, 1970, 1977 and 1979.

It was nominated for Best Fanzine in 1956, 1968, 1970-1971, 1976-1983 Best Semiprozine in 1984-1987

Issue Date Pages Notes
Titled Psychotic
1 July 1953 20
2 August 1953 36
3 September 1953 40
4 October 1953 42
5 November 1953 30
6 December 1953 32
7 January 1954 30
8 February 1954 30
9 March 1954 32
10 April 1954 36
11 May 1954 26
12 June 1954 26
13 July 1954 26
14 August 1954 24
15 September 1954 24 Dittoed. Includes Jim Harmon’s account of the Midwestcon Door Incident, Bob Tucker’s Midwestcon 5 conrep and Harlan Ellison’s rant on the mad dogs that kneed 7th Fandom in the groin. Bergeron cover.
16 October 1954 52 Dittoed. Includes Harlan Ellison’s version of the Midwestcon Door Incident. Other contributors: Vernon L. McCain, Dennis Murphy, Isabelle Dinwiddie, Noah W. McLeod, Terry Carr, Lynn Hickman and REG, with a cover by Dave Rike and interior art by Bob Kellogg, Charles Wells, Jim Bradley, Richard Bergeron and Bill Dignin.
17 November 1954 32
18 January 1955 32
19 March 1955 32
20 May 1955 40
1955 -- 1971, now Science Fiction Review, issues 21-43
21 August 1955 21
Begins 2nd Series of Psychotic -- note that it re-starts 1st series numbering
21 November 1967 18
22 December 1967 40
23 January 1968 48
24 March 1968 52
25 May 1968 50
26 July 1968 48 Includes Bode collection
27 September 1968 56 Includes Bode collection; Continues as Science Fiction Review
1972, now FAPA Psychotic
1 November 1972 2 for FAPA 141
2 1972 2 date approximate
1969 -- 1971, now Science Fiction Review
28B November 1968 66
29B January 1969 35
30B April 1969 68
31B June 1969 64
32B August 1969 52
33B October 1969 54
34B December 1969 54
35B February 1970 58
36B April 1970 52
37B April 1970 56
38B June 1970 50
39B August 1970 54
40B October 1970 48
41B November 1970 56
42B January 1971 86
43B March 1971 35
43 supplement March 1971 1 letter ending SF REview
Now Richard E. Geis
1 April 1972 32
2 August 1972 48
3 September 1972 58
18 May 1988 24 for FAPA 203
Now Alien Critic
4 January 1973 54
5 May 1973 68
6 August 1973 32
7 November 1973 76
8 February 1974 50
9 May 1974 54
10 August 1974 60
11 November 1974 74
Now Science Fiction Review (The Alien Critic)
12C V4.1 February 1975 52
13C V4.2 May 1975 41
Now Science Fiction Review
14C V4.3 August 1975 48
15C V4.4 November 1975 52
16C V5.1 February 1976 48
17C V5.2 May 1976 48
18C V5.3 August 1976 52
19C V5.4 November 1976 56
20C V6.1 February 1977 56
21C V6.2 May 1977 80
22C V6.3 August 1977 80
23C V6.4 November 1977 84
24C V7.1 February 1978 80
25C V7.2 May 1978 96
26C V7.3 July 1978 56
27C V7.4 September 1978 64
28C V7.5 November 1978 62
29C V8.1 January 1979 64
30C V8.2 March 1979 64
31C V8.3 May 1979 64
32C V8.4 August 1979 64
33C V8.5 November 1979 64
34C V9.1 February 1980 64
35C V9.2 May 1980 64
36C V9.3 August 1980 64
37C V9.4 November 1980 68
38C V10.1 February 1981 68
39C V10.2 February 1981 68
40C V10.3 August 1981 68
31C V10.4 November 1981 68
42C V11.1 February 1982 68
43C V11.2 May 1982 64
44C V11.3 August 1982 64
45C V11.4 November 1982 64
46C V12.1 February 1983 64
47C V12.2 May 1983 64
48C V12.3 August 1983 64
August 1983 13 Index to #28-43 for FAPA by Gregory Bridges
49C V12.4 November 1983 64
50C V13.1 February 1984 64
51C V13.2 May 1984 64
52C V13.3 August 1984 64
53C V13.4 November 1984 64
54C V14.1 February 1985 64
55C V14.2 May 1985 64
56C V14.3 August 1985 48
57C V14.4 November 1985 48
58C V15.1 February 1986 64
59C V15.2 May 1986 64
60C V15.3 August 1986 64
61C V15.4 November 1986 48
Spring 1990 -- May 1992, revived Science Fiction Review with ed. now Elton Elliott, issues #1 -- #10

Science Fiction Review (Geis) online at fanac.org


Publication 19531990
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