George H. Scithers RIP

In another related story of sorts, I regret to report the passing of George Scithers. Mr.Scithers was an important force in my life as he was the very lively editor of many of the science fiction digests I absorbed as a young man discovering the genre in the late 70's and early 80's. When Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine started up, I anticipated a short life for it, playing as it did off the fame of the sci-fi's most famous writer of the time. But thanks to Scithers it became a vital read, one filled with a bit more blood and thunder than its more ascetic companions like Analog and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Even more important was his revival of Weird Tales the venerable title which debuted so many wonderful fantasy concepts like Solomon Kane, King Kull, and Conan by Robert E. Howard.


Scithers was a force in Howard fandom, the force behind Amra, the central fanzine for the genre. Out of that source he helped put together two volumes of sword and sorcery material called The Conan Swordbook and The Conan Grimoire.


As it happens I just came into possession of these two volumes thanks to a friend who knew I lusted after them, but didn't have the needed nickels to land them. He gave them to me as a gift, a much cherished present indeed. With the passing of George Scithers, I will treasure them even more.

For more on George Scithers see this link and this one.

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