I Started My Own Science Fiction & Fantasy Magazine!

Introducing Sages, Mages, & Wisdom Machines Issue 1

These are all the reject versions of the physical zine. The actual good and official version is on its way but I’m too impatient to wait to make this post

I’ve been working on the first issue of my brand new magazine for over a year and I didn’t even know it.

[Please vote in the poll below!!]

In early 2024 I started writing science fiction and fantasy short stories again. I used to write short stories all the time but life got in the way. College wrestling left little time for creative writing. Then I studied philosophical theology and then analytic philosophy and thought I should give my writing time to more ‘serious’ modes of communication like writing academic papers and journal articles. I was dumb. The best mode of communicating philosophical ideas is the story—and maybe best of all: the short science fiction or fantasy story.

So I finally came to my senses and started writing SFF shorts again in the hopes of Trojan-Horsing good speculative philosophy and theology into speculative fiction enjoyers. It’s been a blast so far and I’ve received a lot of great feedback from folks like you who are subscribed here.

But I wanted more. I love this publication but it’s not quick the pulp mag I wanted it to be—it’s still a website, you still have to click off one post to get back to another post to read another story. That’s alright, I don’t hate it—I’m actually very grateful for this platform—but how cool would it be to have my own real magazine full of my short stories? Like my own version of Analog or Galaxy! Answer: it would be a dream come true.

I’d been feeling this way almost from the start but it was only when I read this post by Brigette of

Commonplace Zines

that the penny finally dropped: I can actually just make my own SFF magazine! Huge thanks, Brigette, you may have changed my life.

So after feeling the permission to start my own pulp-mag style zine, I got to work. I spent a bunch of time I didn’t have reformatting 4 of my favorite philosophical short stories, a couple of my poems, and 2 philosophy of SFF essays from my

Parker's Ponderings

publication into issue one of my zine. Here’s the contents page:

So this is a blend of my two publications. I like the Analog: Science Fiction/Science Fact style of presenting scientific essays tucked in with science fiction stories. Initially, Analog (formerly Astounding Stories of Super Science, then just Astounding Stories), published factual essays to coax parents into letting their kids read the magazine, “see mom! I can actually learn science in here, it’s not just amusement! I’m learning!”. I love that. So I’m including just a couple straight up essays at the intersection of philosophy and SFF in each issue in a similar vein—and because SFF nerds will love the nerd talk in those essays as well.

Additionally, each short story is accompanied by its own “Behind the Curtain” essay where I help you dive deeper into the philosophy at play in the story. I also go over some of the easter eggs you may have missed in the first reading.

I played around with a few formats and ended up hating them all. I thought I wanted a full 8.5x11.5 size and I was styling it after Philosophy Now magazine. But that’s way too big. If we’re going to make a pulp mag, let’s make a pulp mag!

So I tried the half size. Still no good. And the Office Depot prints weren’t doing it for me either. Finally I found a printing company with great prices who specialize in printing booklets. They offer the square back booklets with two staples in an A5 size, which is just a little bigger than the classic SF pulp mags but is the same size as current iterations like Asimov’s Science Fiction.

here’s a stock photo of the square back booklets. These are just blank white, mine will be way more awesome.

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But I love the idea of have staples like the very early pulp mags had!

So I ordered 25 (the minimum) and they’re in production right now!

I had planned to put out two versions of each issue, 1 color and 1 black and white but after seeing the black and white in my hand I realized I have to stick with all color. The art I’ve commissioned for each short story is just too good to hide in black and white. I owe my artists more than that and I can’t cheapen the experience for you all like that.

I set up an Etsy store, called ParkerZines, where I’ll sell issues of Sages, Mages, & Wisdom Machines the zine and I’ll post updates for when they’re ready to purchase there. I just approved the proofs so they should come out exactly like I want them. Those first 25 I’ll sign (in case any of you are into that) and put them up there first.

But the more I order, the cheaper I can get each issue for and the less I have to charge for them. So I’d love to get a gauge from you readers so I know if I should order like 100 or 500 in the next printing:

I am really stoked for the physical copy. But I know some of you prefer digital or are impatient and would like to buy a digital copy to read until the physical is ready (this is me with comic books series like Battle Beast. I always get the digital version first because I can’t wait and don’t mind double supporting the creators).

If you’re interested in purchasing the digital version of Sages, Mages, & Wisdom Machines Issue 1, you can do that right now over on my Patreon:

Purchase Digital Version of Issue 1

If you’re already a patron at level 3 and above then you already have instant access to the digital download!

I’m really excited for this project. I intend on serializing my novel, Block World, in my zine, starting in issue 2 so long as sales for issue 1 go alright. I also have plans to serialize Dorgo: Steppe Out of Time in the zine as well. So please do support my latest obsession and help me get this thing off the ground.

Thanks for all the support you’ve already given me.

-Park