Hugo Gernsback is also honoured by being the prototype to the SF- community's "Oscar"-statue which also is called "Hugo's".

Hugo Gernsback and Pulp Fiction     The modern SF was born around 1926 as the first real publication on the subject was launched by Hugo Gernsback. The publication was - Amazing Stories.     Gernsback, who was born in Luxemburg in 1884 and emigrated to the US in 1904, indulged to his fascination of electronic things as an editor of the publication Modern Electronics. And in one issue in the year 1911 he noticed he was short of text and wrote a "scientific story" with the name "Ralph 124C 41+" - and the foundation to the concept Pulp Fiction was born.     Up till the year of 1926 Gernsback released a number of publications where he predicted a number of upcoming inventions, as the: taperecorder, jukebox, rust-resistant steel, plastic, microfilm, speakers, televison, sun-energy etc.etc.     But the breakthrough for Pulp Fiction came in 1926 with Amazing Stories, which later was followed by a number of similar publications as: Wonder Stories, Astounding Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories etc. In 1940 there was more than 17 major Pulp Fiction-magazines on the market.     Soon a new generation of writers took over from people like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, new writers like: E.E. Smith, Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster and Jack Williamson. Writers that was later copied by upcoming 3rd generation writers as Stanley G Weinbaum a.o.     Along with a new generation of SF-writers the subject developed from nearby worlds till the infinity of the universe. One good race fighting against an evil race to be masters of the Milkyway. One conquering race and one mild and good race. Does the picture seems familiar?!

Jack Williamson

One of the major founders of the style of modern SF is without doubt Jack Williamson with his novel "The Legion of Space" (1934). In my correspondence with Jack Williamson he describes "The Legion of Space" like this: ­ I suppose I could claim an early use of the alien abduction theme in my novel "The Legion of Space", published as a serial in Astoundiung in 1934. A young woman, Aladore, is the keeper of a powerful secret weapon known by the code AKKA. She is abducted by the alien Medusa and carried away to a planet of Bernard's "runaway star". The novel is about her rescue by a few heroic members of the Legion.     So how did Jack Williamson came up with the story? Yes, out of pure imagination. ­ I have no idea, however, about the origin of the myth of small green big-eyes humanoids. A psychiatrist might suggest something about them that resonates in the human unconscious. I supppose the lack of anything more distinctive about them lets them serve as anonymous symbols of universal hopes and fears.

In Wesso's illustrations and Campbell's stories we can find much of the details that today are claimed to be the reality to thousands of "abductees". This cover is from 1934.

Science Fiction v/s alien abduction     John Wood Campbell Jr had his debute in 1930 in the publication Amazing Stories.     Around 1934 he used the alias Don A. Stuart for Astounding Stories. His novel "The Invaders" with illustrations by H.W. Wesso has often come up when the abduction-phenomena has been discussed.     What is really interesting isn't Campbell's story , but Wesso's illustration. Here we find, as early as 1934, many of the details that is described as reality by abductees today. Details that didn't surface until early 60's as Betty and Barney Hill went public with their story. How is it possible? Does fantasy takes a 3-dimensional shape?     In my discussions with abduction-researcher, and selfclaimed abductee - Katharina Wilson, she comments Jack Williamson, and other SF-writers dismissal of the abduction topic like this: ­ Maybe the writers have had experiances with the creatures but isn't aware of it. And as it was "tabu" 70 years ago to talk about such things they say that they "invented" the stories, to protect themself and their families. ­ The creatures has been in our conscious a long time and is capabel to influence the minds of humans and by that the whole human race, more than we think or are prepared to admit.     The problem, as I see it, is that that I spoke to Jack Williamson (and a number of SF-PhD's) a couple of months ago, and not 70 years ago when it probably was tabu to talk about alien abduction as a reality. Why would he lie today, and the last 65 years?