Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction journal, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an French company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L. Gold, who quickly made Galaxy the leading science fiction (sf) journal, focusing on tales about social issues than know-how.
Gold published plenty of notable tales in the coursework of his tenure, including Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman", later expanded as Fahrenheit 451; Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters; & Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. In 1952, the journal was acquired by Robert Guinn, its printer. By the late 1950s, Frederik Pohl was helping Gold with most aspects of the magazine's production. When Gold's health worsened, Pohl took over as editor, beginning officially at the finish of 1961, though he had been doing all of the production work for some time.Under Pohl Galaxy had continued success, regularly publishing fiction by major writers such as Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Harlan Ellison, & Robert Silverberg. However, Pohl seldom won the annual Hugo Award for his stewardship of Galaxy, winning Hugos in lieu for its brother journal, If. In 1969 Guinn sold Galaxy to Universal Publishing & Distribution Corporation (UPD) & Pohl resigned, to get replaced by Ejler Jakobsson. Under Jakobsson the journal declined in quality. It recovered under James Baen, who took over in mid-1974, but when they left at the finish of 1977 the deterioration resumed, & there were financial problemsâwriters were not paid on time & the schedule became erratic. By the finish of the 1970s the gaps between issues were lengthening, & the title was finally sold to Vincent McCaffrey, who brought out issue in 1980. A brief revival as a semi-professional journal followed in 1994, edited by H. L. Gold's son, E. J. Gold; this lasted for three bimonthly issues.
Gold published plenty of notable tales in the coursework of his tenure, including Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman", later expanded as Fahrenheit 451; Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters; & Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. In 1952, the journal was acquired by Robert Guinn, its printer. By the late 1950s, Frederik Pohl was helping Gold with most aspects of the magazine's production. When Gold's health worsened, Pohl took over as editor, beginning officially at the finish of 1961, though he had been doing all of the production work for some time.Under Pohl Galaxy had continued success, regularly publishing fiction by major writers such as Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Harlan Ellison, & Robert Silverberg. However, Pohl seldom won the annual Hugo Award for his stewardship of Galaxy, winning Hugos in lieu for its brother journal, If. In 1969 Guinn sold Galaxy to Universal Publishing & Distribution Corporation (UPD) & Pohl resigned, to get replaced by Ejler Jakobsson. Under Jakobsson the journal declined in quality. It recovered under James Baen, who took over in mid-1974, but when they left at the finish of 1977 the deterioration resumed, & there were financial problemsâwriters were not paid on time & the schedule became erratic. By the finish of the 1970s the gaps between issues were lengthening, & the title was finally sold to Vincent McCaffrey, who brought out issue in 1980. A brief revival as a semi-professional journal followed in 1994, edited by H. L. Gold's son, E. J. Gold; this lasted for three bimonthly issues.