Or Darwin, If You Prefer by Mel Hunter - A Sci-Fi Short Story from Fantastic Universe September 1954

Mr. Harbinger could not quite believe in the Mouth. But poor Mr. Harbinger—or Darwin, if you prefer—are gone to other times. Or Darwin, If You prefer by Mel Hunter. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

If you are a regular listener of the podcast you know we love to discover interesting stories by authors you have never heard of, and that’s exactly what we have for you today.

Here’s what Fantastic Universe had to say, “Mr. Hunter's superb art work has appeared on a baker's dozen science fiction magazine covers during the past year, but incredible as it may seem with this story we introduce him to the reading public for the first time as a science fiction writer. We say incredible, because this is not a beginner's story. It is sparkling, sophisticated, erudite—the work of a craftsman.”

This is the first time we have come across an illustrator turned author. And here’s the amazing thing, he wasn’t any old illustrator, Mel Hunter was a very accomplished illustrator producing illustrations for famous science fiction authors Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, as well as a technical and scientific illustrator for The Pentagon, Hayden Planetarium in Boston, and the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Hunter was born in 1927 in Oak Park, Illinois and he taught himself book and magazine illustration. He was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist in 1960, 1961 and 1962. He became a technical illustrator at Northrop Aircraft where he painted illustrations of advanced aircraft and simulated combat scenarios.

His love of air and space took him from California's desert runways to Florida's seacoast launchpads to illustrate every variety of jet-age aircraft and space-age rocket imaginable—from the X-15 to Saturn V. He died in 2004 and according to his final wish, his cremated remains were launched into space on May 22, 2012.

Savor this story, immerse yourself in it, and listen to it as many times as your heart desires—for it stands alone, as the singular science fiction story ever penned by Mel Hunter. From Fantastic Universe Magazine in September 1954, this truly amazing story can be found on page 39, Or Darwin, If You prefer by Mel Hunter…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, I bought the door–even though the auctioneer warned of evil. The Artist and the Door by Dorothy Quick.

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