OTHER WORLDS

   US DIGEST-size magazine, in PULP-MAGAZINE format from Nov 1955. 47 issues, only 45 featuring fiction (not counting those titled either SCIENCE STORIES or UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION), Nov 1949-July 1953 (31issues) and May 1955-Sep 1957 (16 issues). Published by Clark Publishing Co., Nov 1949-July 1953, and Palmer Publications Inc., May 1955-Nov 1957;ed Raymond A. PALMER. Though for some periods monthly, OW was usually a slightly irregular bimonthly.OW was launched by Palmer while he was still editor of AMAZING STORIES and FANTASTIC ADVENTURES; for this reason editorship of the first issue was credited to Robert N. Webster (a Palmer pseudonym). OW was editorially very similar to the previous Palmer magazines, particularly in featuring the supposedly nonfictional stories of Richard S. SHAVER. Eric Frank RUSSELL was a regular contributor, and the magazine serialized L. Sprague DE CAMP's nonfiction Lost Continents (1952-3; 1954). OW was suspended after \#31, July 1953.Palmer was notoriousfor his many title changes, and it is possible to regard his short-lived Science Stories (Oct 1953-Apr 1954) as a continuation of OW, the titlechange allowing him to duck some inconvenient printing bills, but Science Stories's numeration began again from \#1. And, to confuse the storyfurther, also in 1953 Palmer anonymously founded a new magazine, Universe Science Fiction, whose first 2 issues, June and Sep 1953, he ed under thepseudonym George Bell; with \#3, Dec 1953, Palmer became officially its editor and publisher. After 10 issues (the last was Mar 1955) the title of Universe Science Fiction was changed to Other Worlds, and at this pointthe magazine's numeration followed both magazines (the first new OW, for example, being \#11 (32) May 1955, it being the 11th Universe and the 32nd Other Worlds). 12 more issues followed, until in June 1957 the title was changed again, to Flying Saucers from Other Worlds, reflecting Palmer's increasing preoccupation with UFOS. Only 2 of the first 4 retitled issues (3 of which were unnumbered) featured sf stories, these being \#2 and \#4(July and Sep 1957). After this, though it carried on for some years, the magazine became solely UFO-oriented.

   MJE/FHP/PN