Since I’ve previously covered the other publications from Nova – a fan/pro instantiated publisher in the UK, which produced New Worlds/New Worlds Quarterly and Nova Science Fiction Novels – I figured I may as well complete the set with New World’s companion magazine – Science Fantasy
from 1950.
If the cover reminds you of a Larry Niven story, you wouldn’t be the only one.
Science Fantasy hewed more towards Fantasy of the “weird” kind than New Worlds did and featured a good line up of authors, Seabury Quinn, John Brunner, Clarke, Chandler, Aldiss, Ballard, Moorcock, Priest, Stableford.
In later years it would be retitled as Impulse, and shortly thereafter as SF Impulse – neither change apparently have enough positive effect to prevent the folding of the magazine. It also morphed from a UK digest format to a paperback format along the way.
Its last issues (SF Impulse), were folded into New Worlds
The magazine’s greatest feature might very well have been the later cover images created by Brian Lewis and Keith Roberts. Between them, they did the vast majority of covers for the entire run.
I obtained this copy through Ebay – a happy find at a very good price. (Side note: the availability of pulps on Ebay seems to cycle – probably because collections owned by aging fans are becoming increasingly available.
The magazine enjoyed distribution to Canada and New Zealand, issues containing the same content and composition as the UK edition.
