Page - 8 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 06/01

Elie Yazbek Is Superman a God? Editorial From Scientifiction to Science Fiction Hugo Gernsback, who was the first to use the term “science fiction” in its primi- tive form “scientifiction”, in the introduction to the first issue of Amazing Stories (1926), defined the genre: “By ‘scientifiction’ I mean the Jules Verne, H. G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe type of story – a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision. Not only do these amazing tales make tremendously in- teresting reading – they are always instructive. They supply knowledge.”1 Marshall McLuhann in The Medium is the Massage (1967) described science fiction simply as “writing [that] today presents situations that enable us to perceive the potential of new technologies”.2 In a more philosophical way, Alvin Toffler wrote in Future Shock (1970) that this genre “by dealing with possibilities not ordinarily considered – al- ternative worlds, alternative visions – widens our repertoire of possible responses to change.”3 Later, in How Easy to See the Future! (1975), Isaac Asimov defined this genre as a “branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology”.4 According to Elisa Eileen Beshero-Bondar, sci- ence fiction is also a “time-sensitive subject. Usually futuristic, science fiction spec- ulates about alternative ways of life made possible by technological change, and hence has sometimes been called ‘speculative fiction’.”5 These definitions, and many others, attempt to understand a genre that has be- come very popular through the years, not only in literature but also, and mainly, in films and TV-series, especially in the last fifty years. Science fiction commonly deals with science, technology, innovation, interstellar and time travel, similar and dis- similar worlds, aliens and extraterrestrial life, ancient and future civilizations, super- 1 Gernsback 1926, 3. 2 McLuhan/Fiore 1967, 124. 3 Toffler 1970, 209. 4 Asimov 1975, 62. 5 Beshero-Bondar, n.d. DOI: 10.25364/05.06:2020.1.1 Editorial | 7www.jrfm.eu 2020, 6/1, 7–15