Time Traveller, The
Entry updated 28 July 2025. Tagged: Fan, Publication.
A very early US Fanzine or Amateur Magazine with nine issues, published in 1932-1933, initially monthly with #1 dated January and #9 dated Winter 1933. Edited by Allen Glasser; managing editor Julius Schwartz; associate editor Mort Weisinger. Forrest J Ackerman was billed as contributing editor, and Raymond A Palmer. was also involved.
The Time Traveller, which billed itself as "Science fiction's only fan magazine", is often cited as the first true fanzine. It was preceded by others, such as the clubzine of the US Scienceers group, The Planet (6 issues 1930), in which Glasser had been involved; but previous amateur publications tended to be chiefly about science while The Time Traveller was unequivocally devoted to science fiction. From issue 3 it was professionally typeset in letterpress by Conrad H Ruppert. One of the earliest sf Awards or proto-awards was The Time Traveller's poll for best sf of 1932, won by Edmond Hamilton's "A Conquest of Two Worlds" (February 1932 Wonder Stories) and inspiring Palmer's short-lived Jules Verne Prize.
In issue 9, Glasser, who had become involved in plagiarism disputes, announced the incorporation of The Time Traveller into Science Fiction Digest, also launched 1932, whose editorial team included Schwartz; this in turn became Fantasy Magazine 1933-1937. Full runs of The Time Traveller are very rarely found. [DRL/JC]
links
- The Time Traveller at Fanac.org
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