. . . A new industry in the making …
By Hugo Gernsback
In 1926, I brought out the first science-fiction magazine. I never dreamed then that some day there might be a full-fledged science-fiction industry. Nevertheless, this came to pass, less than twenty-five years later.
While the extent of the infant industry is still modest, its volume will certainly extend a good deal beyond a turnover of twenty million dollars in 1953, in the U.S.
In the periodical field alone, there are now almost thirty science-fiction magazines. In the book branch, there were nearly a hundred new science-fiction titles this past year. All these activities are on the increase. Besides the hard-cover books, there are scores of specialized publications, such as pocket-books, quiz, and coloring books for the small fry. Such books sell for prices ranging from ten cents up to a dollar.
Next we come to radio and television, a particularly lusty and now booming science-fiction field. Programs of the "Space-Patrol" type are rapidly increasing. Here the young children are becoming thoroughly indoctrinated in the new endeavor. Moreover, these programs are excellent moneymakers for their sponsors. The next generation may therefore be counted upon to bring untold millions of new science-fiction fans into the constantly growing fold.
Add to the above the also increasing number of science-fiction newspaper strips and the Sunday-comics features, and it becomes difficult to see how the young and avid imagination can escape science-fiction conditioning.
Nor let us forget the coming torrent of scientifilms. It would appear that the majority of science-fiction films made so far were successful. Their appetite whetted by good box office, motion picture producers are now entering the field in earnest. As this is written, we know of over ten new scientifilms projected, or in the process of being filmed. We may look for a large and constantly increasing market in this branch.
Above we have considered only what may be termed as the "two dimensional" aspect of science-fiction: the printed word, radio and television, and the film. But in recent years, a new form has been added: the third dimensional world of science-fiction.
This new and wholly unsuspected development, undreamed of ten years ago, may well surpass, in physical volume and money value, the entire two-dimensional field in the near future.
These new three-dimensional forms of science-fiction which are now beginning to swamp our stores consist of toys, games, gadgets, scientific instruments of all kinds, wearing apparel for youngsters, and countless other constantly-evolving, ingenious devices.
Space helmets of every description, spacesuits, space guns, space shooting ranges, Space Cadet modelcraft, space viewer picture guns, "Buck Rogers Sonic Ray Gun," "Official Space Patrol Watch," "Space Patrol Monorail Train," "Meteor Express" (imported), dozens of space rockets and space ships—these are only a small part of the large catalog of this type of merchandise now to be found in thousands of stores.
Remember, this is only a modest beginning.
Most of the science-fiction merchandise now offered is geared for the small-fry market; consequently the pricing is modest.
So far, little has been produced for the youngsters from ten years upward. This easily may become the most lucrative three-dimensional market. It may be defined as the more serious "Scientific Instruction" branch of the industry. Boys, particularly, of this age are not so much interested in mere toys; they want something better. The early radio amateur and construction boom from 1910 to 1925 amply proves this.
We may therefore soon see a similar boom in all sorts of scientific instruction merchandise. To name but a few: Knockdown astronomical telescopes, mass produced, for easy home assembling. Reasonably priced ($25 and up) scale models (for home assembling) of the solar system, with the planets in actual verisimilitude motion. Space rockets with all the necessary parts for assembling and which actually can ascend (by compressed air). Scale models of space ships, complete with all interior instrumentation, rocket motors, air tanks, navigation machinery, even miniature scale planetariums are coming.
The list is practically endless. Moreover, no parent who can afford it will be likely to refuse to buy such purely educational equipment for his children. He knows it is certain to pay real dividends for them when they grow up.
In our present-day scientific world, the science-fiction industry will certainly play an impressive role in the future. It may well take its place among our larger industries soon.