Ray Palmer

Born in Milwaukee in 1910, Raymond A. Palmer became an important presence in early American science fiction as both a writer and an editor. He was active in fandom from its early days, began publishing fiction in the 1930s, and went on to play a major role in the pulp magazine world.

He is best known for editing Amazing Stories, where his energetic, sensational style helped broaden the magazine's audience. Palmer later launched and edited other magazines, including Other Worlds, and became closely associated with the strange, speculative territory where science fiction, occult ideas, and flying-saucer stories met.

That mix made him a controversial figure, but also a memorable one. By the time of his death in 1977, he had left a lasting mark on popular science fiction publishing and on the wider culture of paranormal and UFO storytelling.