Vega
Vega was a science fiction fanzine published by Joel Nydahl.
Vega was first released in 1951 and came from Marquette, Michigan, U.S.A. In 1953 the last issue, #12, was released, an annual that was 100 pages. It was later claimed that the 15-year-old Nydahl had gone into debt to put out the issue and his father paid his debt on the condition that he quit fandom and fanzine publishing. His sudden disappearance lead to the creation of the phrase "Nydahl's Disease", when a fanzine editor disappears in a blaze of glory.
Written contributions came from Robert Bloch, Redd Boggs (Sky Hook), Norman G. Browne (Vanations), Gregg Calkins (Oopsla!), Don Cantin, Terry Carr (Innuendo), Fred Chappell, Wilkie Conner, Marion Cox (The Femizine), Charles Dynzof, Harlan Ellison (Science Fantasy Bulletin), W. Paul Ganley (Fan-Fare), Dean Grennell (Filler, Grue), Lynn A. Hickman (TLMA, The Little Corpuscle), Jerry Hopkins, Matt Hopkins, Barclay Johnson, Chuck Lear, Jimmy Mays, Gerry de la Ree (Sun Spots, Loki), Johan von Rodman, Larry Saunders, Robert Silverberg (Spaceship), Ray Thompson, Bob Tucker (Le Zombie), Shelby Vick (Confusion), Bob Warner, Charles Wells (Fiendetta), Walt Willis (Hyphen), and Mari Wolf.
Cover art work was by Margaret Dominick (DEA), Jerry Hopkins, Ray Thompson, Bob Warner, Juanita Wellons (Yandro), and Ted White (Stellar).
Illustrations were contributed by John D. Anspauch, Leonard Avallone, Celia Block, Margaret Dominick (DEA), Harlan Ellison, David English (Fantasias), Dean Grennell, Jack Harness, Jerry Hopkins, Joel Nydahl, Chuck Lear, Maril Shrewsbury, Ray Thompson, R. Twesli, Shelby Vick, George Viksnins, and Juanita Wellons.
Letters came from Robert Bloch, Redd Boggs, Wilkie Conner, Harlan Ellison, Dave Ish, Ian Macauley, Charles Lee Riddle (Peon), Joe Semenovich (Renaissance), Bob Tucker, Juanita Wellons, and Charles Wells.
Vega was a member of "Fanvariety Enterprises", an affiliation of fan publishers put together by Max Keasler and Bill Venable. It included such publications as Max Keasler's Opus, Bill Venable's The Pendulum, Norman Browne's Vanations, Harlan Ellison's Science Fantasy Bulletin, Dave English's Fantasias, Bob Farnham and Nan Gerding's The Chigger Patch of Fandom, Norbert Hirschhorn's Tyrann, Ian MacAuley's Cosmag, and Starlanes by Nan Gerding and Orma McCormick.
