I could name the article “Quasar, a New Italian Science Fiction Magazine”, but then I had to correct at least two words that make up the title, New and Magazine. Quasar is not really new in fact had already been proposed in the late 80’s by another publishing house, but always edited by Antonio Bellomi that, now, proposes himself again as literary-editor for the italian publishing house Edizioni Della Vigna; I add that it is not just a magazine, is a collection of essays and stories of science fiction, fantasy, horror and all those genres that are gathered under the umbrella-term “speculative literature”.
This Quasar-number 1, entitled “Circo Galattico” (Galactic Circus) is a collection destined to entertainment of readers, without boredom but with much zest. Short stories quick to read, very fun including “Peak Time” by Brasilian Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro; there are also fun-anxiously stories as “Freak Show” by American Robert Silverberg and “Klopkata” (The Trap) by Bulgarian Khristo Poshtakov and there are suggestive stories as “Finismundi: 4 Ahau 3 Kankìn” by Italian Antonio Bellomi and “Le Croste” (The Scubs) by Italian Christian Sartirana.
The themes from this number 1 are among the most diverse: conspiracy theories, apocalyptic errors of human beings, the relationship between the human race and alien races, all is faced with a careful look toward the reader who will be involved in simple stories but very special, undemanding and yet full of personality and pathos.
Quasar is pure entertainment for all, thanks to the excellent choice of editor and to the line followed by publisher.
A brief interview to Italian publisher Luigi Petruzzelli, Edizioni Della Vigna
D.M. – Luigi, tell us about Quasar.
L.P. – A magazine called Quasar, edited by Antonio Bellomi, is output for five numbers in Italy in the 80s, and the interesting thing is that was not only dedicated to Anglo-Saxon science fiction but also to SF&F from whole world. The basic idea was, ‘the important thing is that it be interesting’. We are doing something analogous with the new Quasar, edited by Antonio Bellomi and me.
during his panel at ChiCon7-Hugo Awards 2012
D.M. – What about the contents?
L.P. – Science fiction but not only, there may be room for horror, fantasy, fantastic. Authors: in the first number there are writers from Bulgaria, from Brazil, from U.S.A., from Italy. There will be debutant and not-debutant authors.
D.M. – What do you want to tell the readers, even to non-sci-fi fans?
L.P. – The important thing for a story is that it is a good story then call it fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction or speculative literatue as we put us… it’s just a label.
D.M. – Now we talk about art, what leads you to the choice of specific drawings and photos?
L.P. – A lot of things. First of all they must represent the themes inside the number; in Quasar number 1 for Robert Silverberg’s “Freak Show” we retrieved the drawing by the 1958’s magazine “Fantastic”.
Quasar is an Italian publication. You can contact the publisher Luigi Petruzzelli in english, too.
Quasar: stories collection – not periodical – number 1
Title: “Circo Galattico” (Galactic Circus)
Authors:
Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro
Patrizio Frosini
Antonio Bellomi
Janis Ian
Mike Resnick
Robert Silverberg
Daniel Frini
Mauro Antonio Miglieruolo
Davide Ghezzo
Khristo Poshtakov
Franco Piccinini
Christian Sartirana
Publisher: Edizioni Della Vigna
