Difference between revisions of "Raygun"

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A raygun is a [[SF]] particle-beam weapon that fires what is usually destructive energy.
 
A raygun is a [[SF]] particle-beam weapon that fires what is usually destructive energy.
  
They have various alternate names: ray gun, death ray, beam gun, blaster, laser gun, laser pistol, phaser, zap gun, etc.  In most stories, when activated, a raygun emits a ray, typically visible, usually lethal if it hits a human target.
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They have various alternate names: ray gun, death ray, beam gun, blaster, laser gun, laser pistol, phaser, [[zap]] gun, etc.  In most stories, when activated, a raygun emits a ray, typically visible, usually lethal if it hits a human target.
  
 
[[Tullio Proni]] made a lot of them.  
 
[[Tullio Proni]] made a lot of them.  
  
In pre-electronic days, water pistols were sometimes called [[zap]] guns.   
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In pre-electronic days, [[water pistol]]s were sometimes called [[zap]] guns.   
  
See also [[Zap]], [[Plonker]], [[Weapons]].
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The term antedates genre [[sf]], appearing first in [[Victor Rousseau Emanuel]]’s ''The Messiah of the Cylinder'' (June–September 1917, ''Everybody's Magazine''):
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All is not going well, Arnold: the ray-rods are emptying fast, and our attack upon the lower level of the wing has failed. Sanson has placed a ray-gun there. All depends on the air-scouts, and we must hold our positions until the battle-planes arrive.
  
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[[John W. Campbell]] was first to use it in a [[prozine]], the Fall 1930 ''[[Amazing Stories Quarterly]]'', in his story, "The Black Star Passes":
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Soon they saw a hand reaching out with a ray gun; then another hand with a different ray gun, from behind the silent engine; a sudden crash of metal, a groan and quiet.
  
{{fanspeak}}
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{{SFE|name=ray_gun}}.
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See also: [[Blaster]], [[Zap]], [[Plonker]], [[Weapons]].
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{{fanspeak|start=1930}}
 
[[Category:fiction]]
 
[[Category:fiction]]

Latest revision as of 21:30, 6 February 2021

A raygun is a SF particle-beam weapon that fires what is usually destructive energy.

They have various alternate names: ray gun, death ray, beam gun, blaster, laser gun, laser pistol, phaser, zap gun, etc. In most stories, when activated, a raygun emits a ray, typically visible, usually lethal if it hits a human target.

Tullio Proni made a lot of them.

In pre-electronic days, water pistols were sometimes called zap guns.

The term antedates genre sf, appearing first in Victor Rousseau Emanuel’s The Messiah of the Cylinder (June–September 1917, Everybody's Magazine):

All is not going well, Arnold: the ray-rods are emptying fast, and our attack upon the lower level of the wing has failed. Sanson has placed a ray-gun there. All depends on the air-scouts, and we must hold our positions until the battle-planes arrive.

John W. Campbell was first to use it in a prozine, the Fall 1930 Amazing Stories Quarterly, in his story, "The Black Star Passes":

Soon they saw a hand reaching out with a ray gun; then another hand with a different ray gun, from behind the silent engine; a sudden crash of metal, a groan and quiet.

Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

See also: Blaster, Zap, Plonker, Weapons.



Fanspeak 1930
This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc.