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No 76 (Oct. 2000). Source: SF Commentary (www.pandora.nla.gov.au/)
Issue Details: First known date: 1969... 1969 SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'SF Commentary sits at the high end of the 'sercon,' or serious discussion of SF, group of fanzines, a position it has occupied for many years now. In this SFC is following a proud Australian tradition first established by John Bangsund in the mid-60s with his Australian SF Review. Both fanzines engaged SF's literati from throughout the world, and both have offered important venues to some of the major voices in SF criticism, who in turn have written seminal pieces on some of the most important authors to emerge in the field in the second half of the 20th century, starting with Phil Dick and Ursula LeGuin.

What's most impressive about the way Gillespie (now) and Bangsund (then) have accomplished this is that neither gave in to the academic stuffed-shirt navel-gazing which has grown up over the past forty years around SF and all but smothered SF criticism. SFC maintains a civilized and literate tone throughout, but draws more upon the British tradition of letters and the ties of fannish community to accomplish its purposes. It is not by accident that Gillespie has long called his editorial in SFC "I Must Be Talking To My Friends."'

[Ted White. 'Fanzines.' WSFA Journal April 2002 (sighted 8/01/2013]

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1969

Works about this Work

2023 Magazine Summary 2024 single work review
— Appears in: Locus , February vol. 92 no. 2 2024; (p. 62)

— Review of Aurealis : Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction Michael Pryor , 1990 periodical (162 issues); Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine 2002 periodical (90 issues); SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction 1969 periodical (39 issues)
SFC : The Following 40 Years ... Bruce Gillespie , 2019 single work column
— Appears in: SF Commentary , April no. 98 2019; (p. 32-33)
The Early Years : Hand-made Magazines Bruce Gillespie , 2019 single work column
— Appears in: SF Commentary , April no. 98 2019; (p. 30-32)
The Early Years : Straight Talk about Science Fiction Bruce Gillespie , 2019 single work column
— Appears in: SF Commentary , April no. 98 2019; (p. 20)
In Search of ‘Personal Journalism’: Gillian Polack (interviewer), 2019 single work interview
— Appears in: SF Commentary , April no. 98 2019; (p. 8-10)
2023 Magazine Summary 2024 single work review
— Appears in: Locus , February vol. 92 no. 2 2024; (p. 62)

— Review of Aurealis : Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction Michael Pryor , 1990 periodical (162 issues); Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine 2002 periodical (90 issues); SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction 1969 periodical (39 issues)
The Bleakest Book I've Ever Read Bruce Gillespie , 2005 single work criticism
— Appears in: Tirra Lirra , vol. 14 no. 2 2005; (p. 23-26)
This article is a review essay of Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly, but it also includes comment on the Australian journals, Australian Science Fiction Review and SF Commentary.
I Must be Talking to my Friends Bruce Gillespie , 1983 single work column
— Appears in: Science Fiction : A Review of Speculative Literature , vol. 5 no. 3 (Issue 15) 1983; (p. 80-88)
The Enjoyable Interruptions Report Bruce Gillespie , 2015 single work column
— Appears in: S F Commentary , November no. 90 2015; (p. 12-18)
End of an Era Gillespie Fanzines Go All-electronic Bruce Gillespie , 2017 single work column
— Appears in: SF Commentary , June no. 94 2017; (p. 4)
In Search of ‘Personal Journalism’: Gillian Polack (interviewer), 2019 single work interview
— Appears in: SF Commentary , April no. 98 2019; (p. 8-10)

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Frequency:
Irregular (1969-1981); Quarterly (1989-)
Range:
January 1969 - 1981 (suspended publication 1981-1989); 1989-
Last amended 24 Sep 2020 11:49:58
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