Fantázia
Encyclopedia
Fantázia was a Slovak
science fiction
, fantasy
and horror
magazine
. It was first published in July 1997. The magazine was started in Šaľa
, Slovakia
by Ivan Aľakša, who served as its editor until 2006, when he withdrew to concentrate on publishing duties and was replaced by Juraj Malíček.
Fantázia went on a hiatus in 2007 before being relaunched in 2008, with broader focus on various elements of popular culture in an attempt to win over a larger audience. The magazine ultimately folded in 2011, transforming into an online, primarily Facebook
-centered community.
In 2007, it was announced that the magazine would be discontinued, as it had not, unlike in previous years, been awarded a government grant by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Only two issues, the lowest number since 1997, were published that year.
Fantázia was relaunched on July 15, 2008 with a new look, new logotype and broadened focus on various aspects of popular culture. The magazine once again folded in 2011, transforming into an online, Facebook
-centered community.
magazine specializing in science fiction, fantasy and horror, Fantázia helped to introduce several new writers to Slovak (and, to certain extent, Czech) audiences in the late 1990s and the 2000s.
After the annual Krutohlav anthology which collected best short stories written by contenders for the Gustáv Reuss Award ceased its publication in 2004, Fantázia remained one of the few viable opportunities for aspiring writers to get their works published in Slovakia.
Among the authors popularized by the magazine are Juraj Červenák
, Dušan Fabian
(whose debut novel, Invocatio Elementalium, was serialized in the magazine in 2006-2007), Michal Jedinák, Zuska Minichová and Anton Stiffel, while former Gustáv Reuss Award winners Jozef Girovský, Štefan Huslica and Alexandra Pavelková have each had several stories published.
The contest is free to enter for authors of original, previously unpublished short stories written in the Slovak language and of up to 54,000 characters. A committee of five judges selects five of the submitted stories to be shortlisted for the award and published in the Fantázia magazine. The winner is subsequently determined by readers' vote.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
. It was first published in July 1997. The magazine was started in Šaľa
Sala
- Geography :* Sala Municipality, Sweden - a municipality in Sweden* Sala, Sweden - a city in Sweden, seat of Sala Municipality* Sala municipality, Latvia - a municipality in Latvia* Sala, Latvia - a village in Latvia, an administrative centre of Sala municipality...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
by Ivan Aľakša, who served as its editor until 2006, when he withdrew to concentrate on publishing duties and was replaced by Juraj Malíček.
Fantázia went on a hiatus in 2007 before being relaunched in 2008, with broader focus on various elements of popular culture in an attempt to win over a larger audience. The magazine ultimately folded in 2011, transforming into an online, primarily Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
-centered community.
Periodicity
Fantázias original publishing frequency was bimonthly, this was however dropped in favour of quarterly periodicity by the year 2000. Since then, the magazine kept oscillating between the two, occasionally even dropping to three issues per year, as shown in the publishing history section below.In 2007, it was announced that the magazine would be discontinued, as it had not, unlike in previous years, been awarded a government grant by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Only two issues, the lowest number since 1997, were published that year.
Fantázia was relaunched on July 15, 2008 with a new look, new logotype and broadened focus on various aspects of popular culture. The magazine once again folded in 2011, transforming into an online, Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
-centered community.
Publishing history
- two issues in 1997 (#0 to #1)
- six issues in 1998 (#2 to #7)
- five issues in 1999 (#8 to #12)
- four issues in 2000 (#13 to #16)
- four issues in 2001 (#17 to #20)
- three issues in 2002 (#21 to #23)
- five issues in 2003 (#24 to #28)
- four issues in 2004 (#29 to #32)
- three issues in 2005 (#33 to #35)
- three issues in 2006 (#36 to #38)
- two issues in 2007 (#39 to #40)
- four issues in 2008 (#41 to #44)
- four issues in 2009 (#45 to #48)
- five issues in 2010 (#49 to #53)
- one issue in 2011 (#54)
Significance
Being the only SlovakSlovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
magazine specializing in science fiction, fantasy and horror, Fantázia helped to introduce several new writers to Slovak (and, to certain extent, Czech) audiences in the late 1990s and the 2000s.
After the annual Krutohlav anthology which collected best short stories written by contenders for the Gustáv Reuss Award ceased its publication in 2004, Fantázia remained one of the few viable opportunities for aspiring writers to get their works published in Slovakia.
Among the authors popularized by the magazine are Juraj Červenák
Juraj Cervenák
Juraj Červenák is a Slovak author best known for his short story and novel, which mix elements of sword and sorcery with historical fantasy and Slavic mythology....
, Dušan Fabian
Dušan Fabian
Dušan "Duke" Fabian is a Slovak horror and dark fantasy writer. He has published his first novel Invocatio Elementalium in 2006, followed by a loose sequel Pestis Draconum in 2008, as well as several short stories...
(whose debut novel, Invocatio Elementalium, was serialized in the magazine in 2006-2007), Michal Jedinák, Zuska Minichová and Anton Stiffel, while former Gustáv Reuss Award winners Jozef Girovský, Štefan Huslica and Alexandra Pavelková have each had several stories published.
Fantázia Award
Since 2003 Fantázia has held its own annual literary contest, originally called Raketa (Rocket), and later renamed to Cena Fantázie (Fantázia Award). The award gained importance especially after the discontinuation of the similarly conceived Gustáv Reuss Award and continues to exist even after the original magazine folded.The contest is free to enter for authors of original, previously unpublished short stories written in the Slovak language and of up to 54,000 characters. A committee of five judges selects five of the submitted stories to be shortlisted for the award and published in the Fantázia magazine. The winner is subsequently determined by readers' vote.
A list of Fantázia Award winners
- Juraj ČervenákJuraj CervenákJuraj Červenák is a Slovak author best known for his short story and novel, which mix elements of sword and sorcery with historical fantasy and Slavic mythology....
in 2003 - Alexandra Pavelková in 2004
- Scarlett Rauschgoldová in 2005
- Monika Michalovová in 2006
- Lucia Droppová in 2007
- Lívia Hlavačková in 2008
- Lucia Droppová in 2009
- Tomáš Straňák in 2010
- Ivan Čipkár in 2011
See also
- Science fiction magazineScience fiction magazineA science fiction magazine is a publication that offers primarily science fiction, either in a hard copy periodical format or on the Internet....
- Fantasy fiction magazine
- Horror fiction magazineHorror fiction magazineA horror fiction magazine is a magazine that publishes primarily horror fiction with the main purpose of scaring or frightening the reader. Horror magazines can be in print, on the internet, or both.-Defunct magazines:*The Arkham Collector...