Science Fiction Odyssey #1 could be called “The Magazine That Never Happened”. Skywald was having great success with their line of Horror black & white comics with Psycho and Nightmare. The publisher thought to add a Science Fiction volume, using works from actual SF authors. This aborted first issue featured Harry Harrison, Larry Niven, Terry Carr and Gardner F. Fox. Most of the material ended up in other Skywald magazines so it is fairly easy to piece together what this issue would have looked like. (I have made some assumptions and will clearly mark these as I go along.)
Science Fiction Odyssey was supposed to appear on store shelves in September 1971. This would have been a bold move in 1971 as the other competitors (Warren, Marvel and Heavy Metal) were still two years from an SF adaptation comic. Marvel had Worlds Unknown, the color comic, beginning May 1973. Heavy Metal appeared April 1977. Warren had 1984 (later retitled 1994) in June 1978. Warren had experimented with some SF material like “Hunter”, “The Rook” and “Goblin” as early as 1973. But all of these came after 1971. I guess Skywald thought the market too small in the end and didn’t take the plunge.
The Cover
Here I am guessing but the cover used for Psycho #12 by Jeff Jones was the proposed cover of SFO#1. It goes with “The Swordsman of Sarn” by Gardner F. Fox. There is no clear date so it is possible. Jeff would do other covers for Skywald but none with such an SF vibe. For some reason they felt they had to shove it into a box, lessening the painting’s impact.
Frontispiece
A frontispiece by Rich Buckler was done but did not end up in other magazines. Too bad. I have always liked Rich’s stuff.
From Fanaticism or For Reward
Harry Harrison’s story “From Fanaticism, or for Reward” (Analog, March 1969) was adapted by Rich Buckler. It appeared in Scream #8 (August 1974) as “The Mechanical Cannibals”. Jagen is a paid assassin. In a future world where transmat screens allow people to flit about the planet, he uses one to find and kill a man. The man who hired him tries to kill him but he escapes the betrayer. Later a robot comes through his home screen and accuses him of being the assassin. The robot scans his mind and finds the names of those who have hired him. The machine declares that Jagen isn’t really like what he thinks he is: unique and interesting. The machine writes him off as irrelevant. Harrison tackles the alpha male macho image of most adventure stories.
All the Myriad Ways
Larry Niven’s “All the Myriad Ways” (Galaxy, October 1968), was adapted by Jeff Jones. The story appeared as “All the Ways and Means to Die” in Psycho #9 (November 1972). Ships traveling through crosstime begin a chain reaction of suicides and murder when people realize that every moment splinters off into every other possible choice. The narrator cleans his gun then decides, why not use it? Jones’s black & white work is as intriguing as his paintings.
The Swordsman of Sarn
“The Swordsman of Sarn” was written by Gardner F. Fox. Fox wrote this tale especially for Skywald. Steve Grimm is a spaceman who can handle a laser or a sword. He rescues Suanna from the city of aliens only to lose her again. I think there was hope for a John Carter-like series that never continued. It appeared in Psycho #12 (May 1973). Who better to pen a Sword & Planet tale? Fox wrote similar stuff for Planet Stories back in the Pulp era as well as two classic paperbacks, Warrior of Llarn (1964) and Thief of Llarn (1966). Katz and Colletta’s art looks like something from a Planet Stories illustration.
Author’s Space
This text feature had biographies of the Science Fiction writers including Don Thompson. I have not been able to find this piece elsewhere. Skywald did similar bio pages about their artists in the Horror titles.
City of Yesterday
Terry Carr’s “City of Yesterday” (IF, December 1967) was adapted by Rich Buckler and Chuck McNaughton. The story appeared as “The Horror Within and Without” in Psycho #13 (July 1973). A dehumanized pilot awakes from hyb-sleep to attack a planet and kill his own beloved parents. Carr writes a stunning anti-war story in one of his rare fiction appearances. He usually worked as an editor. Kaluta’s work is gorgeous as usual.
The Weapon Within Us
“The Weapon Within Us” was an original comic done by Jack Katz. It was retitled “The Gloomb Bomb” and appeared in Psycho #21 (October 1974). Space people come to Earth and lose one of their spacemen. He joins a primitive group, improving their lives. He remains with them, giving godlike advice and technology. His name is Noah. The Chariot of the Gods version of the Bible, I suppose. This one feels like a trial run for The First Kingdom that would begin in 1975.
The New Science
“The New Science” was a text article by Don Thompson. It was illustrated by Berni Wrightson. The article wasn’t re-used but the artwork was as spot illos in Nightmare #9 and 10.
Starchild
“Starchild” was an original strip by Bruce Jones. It later appeared in Nightmare #14 (August 1973). A naked space girl and her robot fall to a planet where an Earthman awaits.
Conclusion
The contents of Science Fiction Odyssey #1 was not the only Science Fiction the Skywald company used. There were others but these weren’t based on the SF stories of Galaxy or Analog. The real shame here is that more SF writers could have been in future issues of Science Fiction Odyssey. I know Marvel took a lesson from this and tried to do the same with their black & white Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction, adapting writers like Bob Shaw, Stanley G. Weinbaum and John Wyndham and using interviews with Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert and A. E. von Vogt. Heavy Metal adapted Alfred Bester, Samuel R. Delany and Roger Zelazny. Skywald could have offered a similar opportunity to others even sooner, getting more real Science Fiction into comics. We can only dream about the issues that never followed.
