Although he got his start as a writer of fantasy, horror, detective, and science fiction for the pulp magazines, author Ray Bradbury defied categorization. He referred to himself as a “magician of words.”
Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois and decided to become a writer around the age of twelve. From his earliest memories, he was a voracious reader and consumer of popular genre fiction, silent movies, radio programming, newspaper comic strips, circuses, magicians and more. From his earliest years forward, Ray Douglas Bradbury was enamored with the Buck Rogers newspaper strip and the works of Jules Verne, L. Frank Baum, Edgar Rice Burroughs and others.
Bradbury believed that Edgar Rice Burroughs was “probably the most influential writer in the entire history of the world. . . . I’ve talked to more biochemists and more astronomers and technologists in various fields, who, when they were ten years old, fell in love with John Carter and Tarzan and decided to become something romantic. Burroughs put us on the moon. All the technologists read Burroughs.”
In 1930, ten-year-old Ray Bradbury made the summer “unbearable” for everyone:
You see my problem was Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tarzan and John Carter, Warlord of Mars. . . . I couldn’t stop reading those books. I couldn’t stop memorizing them line by line and page by page. Worst of all, when I saw my friends, I couldn’t stop my mouth. The words just babbled out. Tarzan this and Jane that, John Carter here and Dejah Thoris there. And when it wasn’t those incredible people it was Tanar of Pellucidar or I was making noises like a tyrannosaurus rex and behaving like a Martian thoat, which, everyone knows, has eight legs. . . . Because of the sheer romantic impossibility of Burroughs’ Mars and its fairytale people . . . how can one resist walking out of a summer night to stand in the middle of one’s lawn to look up at the red fire of Mars quivering in the sky and whisper, “Take me home.”
We hope you’ll join PulpFest and ERBFest on Saturday, August 9, at 7:40 pm as we welcome Professor Garyn G. Roberts to our stage for “Ray Bradbury, Burroughs’ Disciple.” It’s part of this year’s salute to the sesquicentennial of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ birth.
Garyn G. Roberts has written extensively about the pulps, both professionally and as a fan. He has edited or co-edited some of the best collections from the pulps including A Cent a Story: The Best from Ten Detective Aces, More Tales of the Defective Detective in the Pulps, The Compleat Adventures of the Moon Man, The Magical Mysteries of Don Diavolo, and The Compleat Great Merlini Saga. His anthology, The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy, a college-level textbook, is notable for the attention paid to the pulp magazines. Additionally, Garyn has helped other researchers with various pulp-related projects and often serves as a presenter and panelist at conventions. In 2013, Garyn received the Munsey Award, recognizing his efforts to keep the pulps alive for this and future generations.
Bradbury’s pal for more than thirty years, Garyn will discuss the influence of Edgar Rice Burroughs on the life and works of the Science Fiction Grand Master and “Poet of the Pulps.”
The general public is welcome to attend our evening programming events free of charge. To learn more about our programming, please click the 2025 Schedule button at the top of this page.
For those who also want to enjoy our dealers’ room, you can join PulpFest by clicking the register button at the top of this page. Remember, in addition to your membership in PulpFest 2025, you’ll also be a member of Doc Con XXI, ERBFest 2025, and Farmercon XX. That’s four conventions for one price! You can’t beat that deal.
Don’t forget to book a room. Due to cancellations, our host hotel, the beautiful DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry has a few rooms left at the convention rate. Click here to make your reservation. You can also reserve a room at our host hotel by calling 1-724-776-6900 or 855-610-8733. To receive the special convention rate of $136 plus tax per night, you must mention that you are a PulpFest attendee or use the code CDT91R. To get the convention rate, you must book your room by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, July 15.
You can click here for nearby hotels if the rooms at the DoubleTree are no longer available.
If you’re looking for a roommate, write to Jack Cullers at his email address below.
If you’re interested in selling at PulpFest, our dealers’ room is full. However, we are adding a limited number of tables in the pre-function hallway outside of the dealers’ room. These tables will cost $125 each and will be guarded by security overnight. If you are interested, please write to Jack Cullers at jack@pulpfest.com to sign up for a spot. Any attendees who are interested in providing security services, please write to Jack Cullers at his email address above.
Our featured image is excerpted from Frank Kelly Freas’ cover painting for the November 1953 issue of Planet Stories, illustrating Fox B. Holden’s novelette, “Beyond the X Ecliptic.” Also appearing in the issue is Ray Bradbury’s short story, “The Golden Apples of the Sun.”
Our lead image was adapted by William Lampkin from Allen Anderson’s original art for the Spring 1950 issue of Planet Stories, illustrating Henry T. Simmons’ novella, “Flame-Jewel of the Ancients.” Also appearing in the issue was Ray Bradbury’s short story, “Forever and the Earth.”
Our final image is the Summer 1946 number of Planet Stories, illustrating the Leight Brackett and Ray Bradbury collaboration, “Lorelei of the Red Mist.” The cover art is by Chester Martin. Also appearing in the issue is Ray Bradbury’s first published Mars story, “The Million Year Picnic.”
Planet Stories — published by Fiction House — ran from 1939 to 1955. Over its 71 issues, the rough-paper magazine would be home to countless science-fiction adventure stories called “space operas.”
Don’t skimp on clothing when traveling the spaceways. Click the link in our top menu and order a PulpFest t-shirt. They’re available in a variety of sizes in black or royal blue with the PulpFest logo across the chest. They’ll also be available for sale at PulpFest 2025.
