Difference between revisions of "Raymond A. Palmer"

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(August 1, 1910 -- August 15, 1977)  
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(August 1, 1910 – August 15, 1977)  
  
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He discovered [[science fiction]] in [[Gernsback]]'s ''[[Amazing]]'' read it voraciously. He became a [[fan]] and is credited, along with [[Walter Dennis]], with editing the first [[fanzine]], ''[[Cosmology|The Comet]]'', in May, 1930. He published ''[[Forum]]'' and ran the short-lived [[Jules Verne Prize Club]].
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[[File:PalmerRayArt.jpeg|thumb|'''Ray Palmer,''' from ''[[Wonder Stories]]'' (June 1930).]]
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'''Ray Palmer''', aka '''RAP''', growing up in [[Milwaukee]], discovered [[science fiction]] in [[Hugo Gernsback]]'s ''[[Amazing]]'' in 1926 and read it voraciously. A childhood accident had caused him to be bedridden for much of his childhood and crippled him for life. He became a [[fan]] and is credited, along with [[Walter Dennis]], with creating the [[Science Correspondence Club]] and editing what some consider the first [[fanzine]], ''[[Cosmology|The Comet]]'', in May, 1930. He published ''[[Forum]]'' and ran the short-lived [[Jules Verne Prize Club]].
  
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[[Ziff Davis]] acquired ''[[Amazing Stories]]'' in 1938, sacked then [[T. O'Connor Sloane]] and, on the recommendation of writer [[Ralph Milne Farley]], offered the editorship to Palmer.   He was the editor of ''Amazing Stories'' from 1938 through 1949.  During this time, he was responsible for turning the venerable magazine into an embarrassment to [[fandom]].  See [[Palmerism]].  The [[Shaver Mystery]] was probably the most egregious example.
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He wrote [[sf]] for the [[pulps]] and, when [[Ziff Davis]] acquired ''[[Amazing Stories]]'' in 1938 and sacked then-editor [[T. O'Connor Sloane]], on the recommendation of writer [[Ralph Milne Farley]], they offered the editorship to Palmer. He ran ''Amazing Stories'' from Chicago, 1938 through 1949.  His outré schemes for increasing circulation of the venerable Gernsback [[prozine]], dubbed ''[[Palmerism]]'' by [[fandom]], included the [[Shaver Mystery]] as probably the most egregiously embarrassing example.
  
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When he left [[Ziff Davis]] he set up his own company to publish and edit ''[[Fate Magazine]]'', and other, similar, occult drivel, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with [[Kenneth Arnold]]. He did publish the more-or-less straight [[SF]] magazines ''[[Imagination]]'' and ''[[Other Worlds]]''.
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He was generous to fans, donating original [[art]] from the magazines to [[convention]] [[auctions]] and graciously spending time with young fans who dropped into his offices. However, he was appalled at [[Claude Degler]]’s [[star-begotten]] [[Cosmic Circle]], and nearly severed relations with fandom because of it.  
  
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A [[biography]] of Palmer by [[Fred Nadis]], ''The Man from Mars--Ray Palmer's Amazing Pulp Journey'', was published in 2013.
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[[File:Rog Phillips left, and Ray Palmer, Cincinnati, Sep. 1949 by Forry Ackerman.png|thumb|left|'''[[Rog Phillips]], left, and Ray Palmer, [[Cinvention]], 1949.''' ''Photo by [[Forry Ackerman]].'']]
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When [[Ziff Davis]] moved to [[New York]], he set up his own company to publish and edit ''Fate Magazine'' and similar occult drivel, as well as several [[books]] related to [[flying saucers]], including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with [[Kenneth Arnold]].  He published the more-or-less straight [[SF]] magazines ''[[Imagination (prozine)]]'' and ''[[Other Worlds]]'', too.
  
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See also [[Earl Kemp]]'s ''[[Racing to Lemuria]]''.
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A [[biography]] of Palmer by [[Fred Nadis]], ''The Man from Mars: Ray Palmer's Amazing Pulp Journey'', was published in 2013.
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* {{SFE|name=palmer_raymond_a}}.
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* [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/too-freakish-a-place-ray-_b_3435090 “Too Freakish a Place - Ray Palmer and the Invention of ‘Psi-Fi,’”] HuffPost, June 13, 2013.
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* [[Earl Kemp]]'s ''[[Racing to Lemuria]]''.
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
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* 2013 -- [[First Fandom Hall of Fame]]
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* 2013 — [[First Fandom Hall of Fame]]
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=Palmerism=
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{{fancy2|text=
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'''Palmerism''' Nobody would have thought that the [[publisher]] of the first [[fanzine]] -- a pillar of [[stfnic]] virtue, [[Contact (wand)|Converted to the True Way]] by buying the [[Hugo Gernsback|Gernsback]] ''[[Amazing]]'' off the newsstand in 1926 ‑‑ would have turned mortally ill ''Amazing'' into the harlot of [[Scientifiction]] with his editorial emphasis on [[sex|sexed-up]] [[thud-and-blunder]] and tolerance for sloppy writing, but Raymond A. Palmer did just that, and snapped his fingers at the [[fans]] who screamed bloody murder. In 1938 [[Ziff Davis]] took over decrepit ''Amazing'', in hopes of converting it as ''[[Thrilling Wonder|Wonder]]'' had been converted to ''[[Thrilling Wonder]]''. RAP, called to do the dirty work, justified his [[BEM]]s, [[BBB|sexy wenches]], and puerile [[humor]] on the ground that they sold -- "brought ''Amazing'' up to the peak of sales", he said. It was not a circulation-grabbing gimmick, but developed into the fixed policy of ''Amazing'' and sister mag ''[[Fantastic Adventures]]'' for the next ten years; this moron-pandering is the essence of Palmerism, but the word was formed more in resentment of [[RAP]]'s giving space and friendly mention or even warm welcome to crackpottery like the Young [[Rosicrucians]], the [[Shaver Mystery]], and various mystical and occult forms of Cosmic Wisdom. The Shaver [[hoax]] was the last straw; [[Frank R. Paul|Paul]] [[bacovers]], [[ERB]] serials, [[Willy Ley]] articles, and some good stories like [[Stanley Weinbaum|Weinbaum]]'s "The New Adam" had been redeeming features, but that Palmer demanded [[Shaverism]] be accepted as truth was too much. [[4E|Ackerman]], who had been sniping at RAP for years, declared [[feud]] and others reacted as described under [[Richard Shaver|Shaver]].
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After leaving ''Amazing'' Palmer went overboard for occultism along the Shaver/[[Charles Fort|Fort]] line in his own group of [[prozines]], ''Fate'', ''[[Other Worlds]]'', and ''[[Imagination]]''; all reached pretty revolting depths of puerility and credulism.
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}}
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{{person | born=1910 | died=1977}}
 
{{person | born=1910 | died=1977}}
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Latest revision as of 08:45, 11 November 2023

(August 1, 1910 – August 15, 1977)

Ray Palmer, from Wonder Stories (June 1930).

Ray Palmer, aka RAP, growing up in Milwaukee, discovered science fiction in Hugo Gernsback's Amazing in 1926 and read it voraciously. A childhood accident had caused him to be bedridden for much of his childhood and crippled him for life. He became a fan and is credited, along with Walter Dennis, with creating the Science Correspondence Club and editing what some consider the first fanzine, The Comet, in May, 1930. He published Forum and ran the short-lived Jules Verne Prize Club.

He wrote sf for the pulps and, when Ziff Davis acquired Amazing Stories in 1938 and sacked then-editor T. O'Connor Sloane, on the recommendation of writer Ralph Milne Farley, they offered the editorship to Palmer. He ran Amazing Stories from Chicago, 1938 through 1949. His outré schemes for increasing circulation of the venerable Gernsback prozine, dubbed Palmerism by fandom, included the Shaver Mystery as probably the most egregiously embarrassing example.

He was generous to fans, donating original art from the magazines to convention auctions and graciously spending time with young fans who dropped into his offices. However, he was appalled at Claude Degler’s star-begotten Cosmic Circle, and nearly severed relations with fandom because of it.

Rog Phillips, left, and Ray Palmer, Cinvention, 1949. Photo by Forry Ackerman.

When Ziff Davis moved to New York, he set up his own company to publish and edit Fate Magazine and similar occult drivel, as well as several books related to flying saucers, including "The Coming of the Saucers," co-written by Palmer with Kenneth Arnold. He published the more-or-less straight SF magazines Imagination and Other Worlds, too.

A biography of Palmer by Fred Nadis, The Man from Mars: Ray Palmer's Amazing Pulp Journey, was published in 2013.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

Palmerism[edit]

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
Palmerism Nobody would have thought that the publisher of the first fanzine -- a pillar of stfnic virtue, Converted to the True Way by buying the Gernsback Amazing off the newsstand in 1926 ‑‑ would have turned mortally ill Amazing into the harlot of Scientifiction with his editorial emphasis on sexed-up thud-and-blunder and tolerance for sloppy writing, but Raymond A. Palmer did just that, and snapped his fingers at the fans who screamed bloody murder. In 1938 Ziff Davis took over decrepit Amazing, in hopes of converting it as Wonder had been converted to Thrilling Wonder. RAP, called to do the dirty work, justified his BEMs, sexy wenches, and puerile humor on the ground that they sold -- "brought Amazing up to the peak of sales", he said. It was not a circulation-grabbing gimmick, but developed into the fixed policy of Amazing and sister mag Fantastic Adventures for the next ten years; this moron-pandering is the essence of Palmerism, but the word was formed more in resentment of RAP's giving space and friendly mention or even warm welcome to crackpottery like the Young Rosicrucians, the Shaver Mystery, and various mystical and occult forms of Cosmic Wisdom. The Shaver hoax was the last straw; Paul bacovers, ERB serials, Willy Ley articles, and some good stories like Weinbaum's "The New Adam" had been redeeming features, but that Palmer demanded Shaverism be accepted as truth was too much. Ackerman, who had been sniping at RAP for years, declared feud and others reacted as described under Shaver.

After leaving Amazing Palmer went overboard for occultism along the Shaver/Fort line in his own group of prozines, Fate, Other Worlds, and Imagination; all reached pretty revolting depths of puerility and credulism.


Person 1910—1977
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.

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