Dynamic Science Fiction: A Failed Gem
In 1952, at a moment poised between the aftermath of war and the dawn of the Space Age, Dynamic Science Fiction Vol. 1, No. 1 captured a world in transition. The Cold War had begun, atomic anxiety lingered in the air, and decolonisation was gathering pace across the globe. But, what comes next?
The answers offered by its contributors vary dramatically, yet a shared urgency binds them together. Eight authors present eight distinct visions of power and existence, ranging from utopia to apocalypse. Through tales of vampires, aliens and interplanetary law enforcement, the issue becomes a philosophical symposium on humanity’s future, conducted in the energetic language of action-adventure fiction.
Rather than assembling a random assortment of stories, Lowndes shaped a genuine conversation about power, systems, communication and the fate of civilisation. Some narratives suggest that systems can succeed if designed with care and foresight. Others argue that systems inevitably falter or become corrupt.
Contents of the Issue
I Am Tomorrow - Lester Del Ray
Thomas Blake is a rising political idealist in the mid-20th century, driven by a genuine desire to empower ordinary people and end war. His ambition to become President focuses on releasing a revolutionary weapon invented by his brother. The device aims to equalise power and make tyranny impossible.
Soon, Blake begins experiencing disturbing mental dislocations. Eventually, his consciousness is torn into the future and implanted in the body of Jed, a member of an underground resistance. There, Blake discovers a horrifying truth. He has become the dictator ruling the world. Now an ageing “Bigshot,” he maintains global order through mind-erasure, sterilisation, and selective brutality.
Blunder Enlightening - Dave Dryfoos
Sam and Sally Sarno are anthropologists marooned on Altair 3 for six months to study the native culture before traders and missionaries arrive. The natives—small, bug-like creatures with exoskeletons—are clearly intelligent (they create magnificent abstract paintings on cliff faces), but they completely ignore the humans, frustrating Sam’s trained contact methods.
X For Expendable - William C. Bailey
Brad Raynor (X-3206) is a rookie “Expendable” agent for the IPO (Interplanetary Police Organisation)—an operative with summary powers to requisition anything in service of preventing atomic war. Two weeks into his first assignment with the Cadmium Unit, he clashes with his boss, Foran, who runs a tight yet complacent operation. Crucially, Brad discovers that Haverford International has been shipping cadmium bars—critical for nuclear dampers—to suspicious companies without the required reports.
Knowledge is Power - H.B. Fyfe
On the planet Vunor, Myru e Chib is a mutilated outcast. Having had two hands severed and his side eyes blinded, he manages to scratch out a living by trapping small animals for the recently landed Terran explorers. He was once a military captain until the ruler, the dictator Loyu e Huj Kevin, seized his partner, Komyll, and ordered his torture for protesting. As the Terrans carry out biological research, Myru becomes their local guide and learns their tongue.
Blood Lands - Alfred Coppel
A starship arrives at Kana, which is a watery world on the galactic edge. The crew intends to repatriate a human population abandoned 500 years ago after their mining products lost all value. However, the mission crew discovers truly baffling changes upon arrival. Specifically, the original water-based barges have vanished entirely. Ten thousand islands now sit where nothing existed before. Meanwhile, a crew member named Kenyon hides a secret affair with a native woman called Elyra.
Public Enemy - Kendell Foster Crossen
In the 32nd century, Brad Raynor is a newly-minted Public Police Officer, proud of his seven years of training (four at ‘Harvard’, three at the University of Public Protection, earning degrees in psychology, sociology, and criminalistics). Despite his extensive preparation, his first five days on patrol have been tediously routine—minor domestic disputes, traffic offences, small-scale therapy referrals. But, when a call comes in about a robbery and murder, Brad finally gets his wish for action, with a strange twist waiting for him.
Translator's Error - Charles Due
Administrator Potterboy and the newly-appointed historian, McGinnis, arrive on Mars only to find Project Director Grisby utterly devastated. The Martian Rehabilitation Project has just met with a catastrophic failure, for the polar furnaces—designed to melt the ice caps and fill the ancient canals with water—have sunk through the ice and vanished without a trace. Consequently, the team must embark on an urgent tour to ascertain what has gone wrong.
Ennui - Milton Lesser
Gerald discovers his wife, Gloria, in their home with another man, Phil. In a fit of rage and humiliation, Gerald thinks, “You don’t exist”—and Phil vanishes. Gerald has become a practical solipsist—someone who can turn the philosophical theory that only he exists into a physical reality.
Robert A. W. Lowndes
Lowndes himself was no ordinary editor. Born in 1916, he became a central figure in American science fiction and a member of the Futurians, whose ranks included figures such as Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Donald Wollheim, Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth. This network granted him access to emerging talent at a time when budgets were modest and resources limited. Working on what he once described as a shoestring, Lowndes relied on his discerning editorial eye and personal connections to maintain remarkable standards. At the same time, he was a writer and critic in his own right, sometimes publishing under pseudonyms such as Michael Sherman.
A Failed Magazine
The magazine quality becomes even more impressive when one considers the magazine’s circumstances. Launched at the end of the pulp era, just as digest formats were becoming standard, it struggled in a crowded marketplace. The science fiction boom of 1952–1953 quickly turned to bust as too many titles competed for too few readers. By mid-1953, publisher Louis Silberkleit had reduced rates and slowed payments in response to falling circulation. The magazine was cancelled after only six issues.
Today, surviving largely through preservation efforts. It feels less like a relic and more like a discovered treasure — a minor masterpiece of magazine editing hidden within a short-lived pulp publication.