40 Years in Space

Filed under Art, Fun Stuff, Reminiscence |

I ran into a collection of imagery of space from the 50s and 60s of the 20th century. Isn’t that amazing how that sound, speaking of the 20th century as so long ago?

One of the images I seemed to remember was of an outpost on the moon created by Frank Tinsley.

Frank Tinsley - Outpost on the moon

But then there was an image of a very early Perry Rhodan novella - and THAT was fascinating. I had not quite started to read science fiction when this novella had come out, but some six years later, but I certainly had read this novella when it came out in the second or third edition - so I knew…

Perry Rhodan - Venus in Danger

… “Venus in Danger” - novella #20!

For many years after coming to the wild west I had my family in Germany collect Perry Rhodans for me and then send them to me in batch, but this had stopped now about 20 years ago.

So I have to admit, I am not quite up-to-date any more.

A few month ago I had realized that and found out that I could actually subscribe to an electronic version of the newest issued and get them in my email in-box. I had not subscribed at that time as I did not think I would have enough time to read them, but at least I got myself a little fix in form of a free issue that was offered - novella #2300!

Can you believe this - 2300 - at 52 weekly booklets that is about 46 years.

Perry Rhodan - Harbingers of Chaos
Harbingers of Chaos

So - what has changed in the last forty to fifty years?

Certainly the cover design feels more modern, but I am sure that the next half century will eradicate that difference. Then there is the price - the old one about 20 cents (at the exchange rate at that time) and the new one weighting in at about $2.50 - with the inflation rate I guess the price has remained stable.

Then there is one noticeable difference. The subtitle of the series in 1962 was “The Great Space Series” but today it’s simply “The Greatest Science Fiction Series.”

OK, now to work - gotta finally read my free novella “Vorboten des Chaos” - and maybe, just maybe, it’s so good that I will indeed subscribe.

Posted by Merlin Silk - November 24th, 2007