The Meteoric Carl Selwyn was a space opera writer who specialized in Science Fiction. This adjective is apt since he went from unknown to one of the most prolific Planet Stories writers of 1940. He did not write detective stories or Westerns on the side. His real name was Carl Selwyn Pugh Jr. (1917-1984). In his bio for Planet Stories, Selwyn tells us that he grew up on Roanake Island, North Carolina. He had little success as a writer until he found an agent and began focusing on the SF markets. (Unlike so many fervent SF fans/writers, Selwyn had no crusading spirit but made a practical choice.) He was a sergeant in World War II, married, divorced and finally called an uncle in California for a job with MGM. We can assume he spent the remainder of his career working in Hollywood. His Science Fiction career was over, falling like said meteorite.
“The Strange Death of Richard Sefton” (Amazing Stories, January 1940) has a man die then suddenly rise from his deathbed. Everyone in the world appears to have died. He finds a woman and a scientist. Eventually they discover a comet passed the earth, killing everyone except them. The scientist dies proving they are not dead. Adam and Eve, you know the drill!
The opening scene reminds me of what John Wyndham will write ten years later for the opening of The Day of the Triffids (1951) and Robert Kirkman would borrow for the first pages of The Walking Dead. The idea of a man wandering through devastation goes back to at least H. G. Wells and The War of the Worlds (1898), though Edmond Hamilton used something similar in “When the World Slept” (Weird Tales, July 1936).
“Revolt on the Earth-Star” (Planet Stories, Spring 1940) has an invasion by robots that Selwyn calls “Capeks” in honor of Karl Capek, the inventor of the word “robot”.
“P.S. Flash” (Planet Stories, Spring 1940)
“Exiles of the Three Red Moons” (Planet Stories, Summer 1940) has the reporter, Rusty, go to Pluto for a story. Planet Stories, partly through Leigh Brackett’s work, would eventually create a version of the Solar System that had different races (think green people) on each planet. This tale is part of that growing body of work.
“Venus Has Green Eyes” (Planet Stories, Fall 1940) gives us Flip Miller of the Space Patrol. In the Black Swamp on Venus, he meets the Queen of Venus. “Earthman, in the hills, I am Queen. On the mainland I am Terror. In the swamps, I am Death.” Good thing the captain has a second gun!
“Ice Planet” (Comet, May 1941) is pretty standard Space Opera in and around Neptune. You can feel the wartime writing coming. Us against them scenario with the Martians or Venusians standing in for Germans.
“The Hunter of the King Planet” (Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1942) has Mike Flint on Jupiter facing off against Cyclophants. There is a plague that needs a serum and Dr. Carol will find it. Virgil Finlay provides a great image of the gigantic life form.
“The Man Who Could Stand Up” (Science Fiction Stories, April 1943) gives us that wartimey feeling, with the Nazis causing everyone to become unable to walk. Cokey is the exception and will be the hero. There is a character named Piccard in this one.
“The Citadel of Death” (Planet Stories, Fall 1944) has Rick Norman seeking an antidote to death to save his friend. The villain is named Sade and the story ends with a wedding. Most of Selwyn’s tales end with the boy getting the girl. He knew the requirements of the Pulps and sought to satisfy his editors.
“Space Bat” (Planet Stories, Winter 1946) is one of those unusual tales that actually features an alien space bat. This time it is a Northern set in space instead of a jungle adventure. A giant space bat wrecks a plan to kidnap the daughter of a fur combine magnate.
“Earth Is Missing!” (Planet Stories, Winter 1947) was Selwyn’s last and he pulled out the stops for it. In the 87th Century, a secret city buried under the ice is ruled by “The Bear”. Johnny Steel and Lois Harmon will enter that hellish city and restart the sun.
“P. S. Flash” (Planet Stories, Winter 1947)
Conclusion
He may have been the meteoric Carl Selwyn but he left ten stories for Space Opera fans to enjoy. Selwyn wasn’t an innovator. He didn’t produce enough work to change SF in any real way but he did contribute to the Planet Story Solar System with its Mercurians, Venusians, Martians, etc. Leigh Brackett would take that Pulpy idea and do greater things with it. Ray Bradbury would do even more, giving us The Martian Chronicles. Virtually anonymous authors like Selwyn had their small part in that.
