Cosmology
(See the Comet Disambiguation Page for others.)
Cosmology was the official organ of the Science Correspondence Club, first published in May 1930.
The first issue was called The Comet, and is sometimes considered to be the first science-fiction fanzine ever published. As the name of the club suggests, it had its origins in correspondence between people with an interest in science. In the letter column, a prominent feature of the zine, readers discussed issues concerning science, science fiction and fiction. (However, since Cosmology's contents through 17 issues were more about the science in the stories rather than the fiction, some fanhistorians argue that the Scienceers' clubzine, The Planet actually rates as the first real fanzine. The disagreement echoes that as to whether the SCC or the Scienceers was the first fanclub.) See What Was the First Fanzine? for a discussion.
The Comet's first editor was Ray Palmer (who incidentally went on to edit Amazing Stories and give us the shameful Shaver Mystery in the 1940s). Palmer and Walter Dennis were the initial publishers. Contributors to this first issue included Lilith Lorraine, among others.
After the first issue, the title changed to Science Correspondence Club Organ for the second and third issues. The fourth issue was titled Science Correspondence Club Bulletin. After the fourth issue (September 1930]), Arthur W. Gowing assumed editorship, and changed the title to Cosmology, the title it retained until the 17th and final issue (1933). Editorship changed hands once again for the final four issues, to Aubrey MacDermott and Clifton Amsbury.
Because of the number of issues published as Cosmology, the series as a whole is most commonly referred to by that title; in their Fanzine Index, for instance, Bob Pavlat and Bill Evans catalog all 17 issues under Cosmology.
William Crawford and D. R. Welch reviewed it in 1935 in Science Fiction Bibliography:
The first of the fan magazines. Vol 1, No I, May 1930, was titled The Comet, 8x11. Title later changed to Cosmology. Although it appeared regularly every month for nearly a year, the last issues followed no definite scheme of numbering or interval of publication. The magazine lasted, in all, seventeen issues, the final one bearing the date, 1933. Vol VI, No 1. Copies are now so rare that they are almost unobtainable at any price. Featured were letters and articles by Willy Ley. the German rocket experimenter, Miles J. Breuer, R. F. Starzl, Lillith Lorraine, P. Schuyler Miller. Raymond A. Palmer was editor for almost the entire period. All issues, except the last, were mimeographed. The final number was published by the Science Fiction Digest Company.
| Issue | Date | Pages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V1.1 | May 1930 | 8 | Ed. Ray Palmer and Walter Dennis. Titled Comet |
| V1.2 | July 1930 | 12 | Titled Science Correspondence Club Organ and ? |
| V1.3 | August 1930 | 10 | Ed. now Ray Palmer. Titled Science Correspondence Club Organ |
| V1.4 | September 1930 | 11 | Titled Science Correspondence Club Bulletin |
| V1.5 | October 1930 | 13 | Ed. now Arthur W. Gowing |
| V1.6 | November 1930 | 21 | |
| V1.7 | December 1930 | 7 | |
| V2.1 | January 1931 | 23 | |
| V2.2 | February 1931 | 23 | |
| V2.3 | March 1931 | 23 | |
| V2.4 | April 1931 | 23 | |
| V2.5 | May 1931 | 23 | |
| V2.6 | July 1931 | 23 | |
| VV.1 | January 1932 | 15 | Eds. now Aubrey MacDermott and Clifton Amsbury |
| VV.2 | March 1932 | 30 | |
| VV.3 | Fall 1932 | 6 | |
| VVI.1 | 1933 | 20 |
The Comet online at fanac.org.
| Publication | 1930—1933 |
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