Fandom Gallery

There wouldn't be science fiction without fans. Every reader, watcher, or listener is a fan at some level.

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In addition to the "casual" fan that reads or watches, Science Fiction has an organized fandom. Organized fandom grew in the 20th century, exploding in the last quarter of the century.

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The first real activity of what became organized fandom were writing in to the science fiction magazines, and having their letters appear in the letter columns of the magazines. Fans would respond to each other as well as to the publications themselves.

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Fanzines, amateur publications about science fiction, began almost like independently produced letter columns. They sometimes publish original fiction, original non-fiction (beyond the letter columns) and, of course, letters.

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On the heels of fanzines, what became science fiction conventions grew out of fans simply meeting for dinner or drinks. Arguably the first science fiction convention was held in 1936 with six fans. There is some dispute about this timing, however, and whether that gathering was really worthy of being called a convention.