Smoke

Smoke was a science fiction fanzine published by George Locke.

The first issue of Smoke appeared in July 1959. It featured articles by Ken Bulmer (Science Fantasy News), and Bob Richardson, with illustrations by Jim Cawthorn.

Issue 2 (November 1959) included John Berry (Pot Pourri), Sid Birchby, Belle Dietz (Ground Zero), Ivor Mayne, Archie Mercer (Vector), Ella Parker (Orion), Rog Rogers, Vic Ryan, Harry Warner, Jr. (Horizons), and Andy Young, with cover art by Arthur Thomson (The ATom Anthology).

Smoke was voted the 6th favourite British fanzine in the Skyrack Readers Fan Poll for its first year of publishing, in 1959. By 1960, it was in 3rd place.

Locke also published two issues of Eye Tracks during this time, for the Offtrails Magazine Publishers Association.

The 3rd appearance of Smoke was delayed due to George Locke's entry into the armed forces, and was published by Ella Parker. It included an account of Locke's recent experiences, as well as contributions by Mal Ashworth (Rot), John Berry, Sid Birchby, Vince Clarke (Science Fantasy News), and Ken Potter (Brennschluss).

Issue 4 was released in November 1960 and included articles by the editor as well as contributions by John Berry, Lee Jacobs (The Ballard Chronicles), Robert Lichtman, writing on the filming of The Musquite Kid Rides Again, Archie Mercer, Ella Parker, Dick Schultz (later editor of En Garde), plus illustrations by Jim Cawthorn and covers by Arthur Thomson.

Issue 5 (January 1961) featured John Berry, Sid Birchby, Don Geldart, and George Spencer.

Locke also published two issues of Eye Tracks during this time, as well as serving as OE for The International Speculative Publishers Organization, and editor of its official organ, Ipso Facto. Shortly after, Locke left the UK for duty in Africa, where he began publishing a smaller follow up to Smoke, three issues of a fanzine called The Prose of Kilimanjaro, published from 1961 till 1962.

However, in September 1963 the sixth and last issue of Smoke appeared, done for OMPA, before Locke moved on to yet another publication called Deadwood in 1964 and 1965.

Later, George Locke wrote and published fiction under a pseudonym, and in the 2000's privately published a book entitled The Edge of Space.