Fantastic Universe Science Fiction

Fantastic Universe, a digest-sized SF magazine (later pulp-sized), was published from June/July, 1953, until March, 1960, for a total run of 69 issues. It appeared both monthly and bi-monthly during this period.

It was published by King-Size Publications, New York (Leo Margulies), along with a companion magazine, The Saint Detective Magazine.

The editors were Sam Merwin (1953), Beatrice Jones (19 54), Leo Margulies (1954-1956), and Hans Stefan Santesson (1956-1960).

The book review department, "The Universe in Books," was conducted by Robert Frazier (later by Santesson).

When a new publisher (Great American Publications) took over in 1959, a new column reviewing fanzines ("Fannotations") was added, the format was enlarged, Sam Moskowitz began writing articles on space travel in fiction, and the quality of the stories and art improved. The improvements were short-lived, however, and the magazine ceased publication within six months. It has been seculated that distribution and marketing problems were the reasons for its demise.

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Publication

1953—1960

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