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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
The very first Australian news zine to be published, the Futurian Observer (or 'Obs' as it was affectionately called by fans) was initially edited by teenagers Bert F. Castellari and William D. Veney. In later issues, Veney was replaced by Ronald B. Levy. Fifty-seven issues were published between January 1940 and March 1942, with the zine being forced to close down when the two editors were called up for active war duty.
Kim Huett, who has begun the process of digitising the back issues (made available courtesy of Bill Burns), writes of the zine: 'Obs is the unexpurgated chronicle of the first age of fan in Australia. In those slim issues appeared everybody and everything that made Australian fandom of the forties what it was' (Futurian Observer Archive, n. pag.).
Notes
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A number of zines were published by members of the Sydney Futurians during the early 1940s. Although all three editors of 'Obs' were active members of the Futurians, the Futurian Observer should not be considered an 'official' publication of the group. Arguably the most recognised and possibly the longest lasting of these zines, and distinguished by the name of the society, it might best be regarded, however, as a de facto publication. This is supported to by the numerous references through the issues of proceedings, situations, and activities relating to the society.
