Measures 8-5/16" X 10-27/32", 68 pp including covers, b&w photos and illustrations, Number 8 (June 1964), published by Warren Publishing Co. (PA).
Group 8-3114
Better than average condition for a science fiction movie "fan" magazine of nearly 60 years, with wear & chipping to edges & corners, plus creases, scratches, folds, indentations, minor tears, rub-wear, browning pages, soiling, foxing, etc -- overall condition Good Plus to Very Good Minus
After the resounding success of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, publisher JAMES WARREN was anxious to create another movie magazine of equal popularity; and, together with FMOF mainstay FORREST J. ACKERMAN, the two of them decided upon a magazine devoted to science fiction films. And the logic for that decision was foolproof: the United States government was concentrating heavily upon winning the "space race" against Soviet Russia; shortly before the first issue of SPACEMEN had hit the newsstands, Project Mercury astronaut ALAN B. SHEPARD had become the first American to be launched into space, following Russian cosmonaut YURI GAGARIN by less than one month. In addition, "baby boomers" had discovered science fiction, and it had become a widely accepted genre in hardcover and paperback books, as well as comic books, movies, and television. But, surprisingly, SPACEMEN only lasted 8 regular quarterly issues, plus one annual. The "why" is only speculation; but it is entirely possible that the light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek form of writing that made FAMOUS MONSTERS so successful may have led potential readers of SPACEMEN to suspect that SPACEMEN would simply be more of the same -- and science fiction readers simply weren't interested in the puns and simplistic writing of FMOM. So SPACEMEN withered away; and, not so many years later, other science fiction movie magazines would rise to take its place, such as STARLOG and FILMFAX and OUTRE and others. But SPACEMEN holds the position of being probably the first serious continuous publication, devoted specifically to science fiction films -- and for that reason it's worth collecting.
Contents:
Cover Art -- illustrator unattributed
Inside Front Cover -- photo from the TV series "THE OUTER LIMITS"
Space Screen -- with photos from the movies "THE TIME TRAVELERS" ; "THE MAN IN THE MOONLIGHT MASK" ; plus 2 photos from the TV series "THE OUTER LIMITS" ; "SONNY'S FLIGHT TO THE MOON" ; and "THE PLANET OF THE STORMS"
Spacial Delivery (Letters from readers) -- With masthead illustration by JACK DAVIS
"METROPOLIS" -- Part Three -- by FORREST J. ACKERMAN -- with photos from the movie of the same name
"20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH" -- Part One -- by HENRY SLESAR -- with photos from the movie of the same name
Spacemen Of Distinction #5 -- with photo of ERIC FLEMING
The Fahrenheit Chronicles -- by RAY BRADBURY -- with photos and illustrations from the movies "IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE" ; "THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL" ; "FORBIDDEN PLANET" ; and "THINGS TO COME" ; plus dust jacket cover for SYNTHETIC MEN OF MARS by EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
Orbituary Department -- with photos from the movies "ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT" ; "ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN" ; "QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE" ; "THE SPACE CHILDREN" ; "THE 3 STOOGES IN ORBIT" ; and "BATTLE OF THE WORLDS"
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