US Schedules Stamps of SF Writers

This summer the US Postal Service will issue a set of stamps featuring science fiction writers reports Gene Mierzejewski in a post at Amazingstoriesmag.com, who read the item in Linns Stamp News (subscription required) —

My heart couldn’t help skipping a beat a couple of weeks ago when Linn’s Stamp News — the New York Times of stamp collectors — published a roundup story about upcoming stamps. With little elaboration, the story mentioned that a set of stamps featuring science fiction writers was on the USPS schedule this year.

Another source says there will be five designs in the set.

Mierzejewski speculates at length about who might be the honorees.

At one time the rule was no living person could appear on U.S. postage, but that rule was eliminated in 2011. Who do you want to see commemorated?

[Thanks to Andrew Porter for the story.]

12 thoughts on “US Schedules Stamps of SF Writers

  1. I thiunk Bradbury and Asimov would fit the bill, as well as Heinlein. H.P.Lovecraft? Robert E. Howard? Theoidore Sturgeon?

    Years back, a certain group lobbied for L. Ron Hubbard. The post office doesn’t do special interest groups.

  2. If one keeps to just deceased US citizens (goodbye Wells, Verne, Clarke) and to the 20th century (goodbye Poe), let me suggest:

    Asimov, Heinlein, Williamson, Bradbury, & Norton.

    Runners up: John W. Campbell, James Tiptree, & Octavia Butler.

  3. Burroughs, Poe and even Rod Serling have been on stamps before, so I’ll leave them aside in my own list. I will stick with US citizens, but won’t limit myself to writers who have already passed away.

    So here are my five — Heinlein, Bradbury, Le Guin, Asimov and Harlan Ellison.

    When I try to put myself inside the mind of Postal Service executives (*brrr*) I expect them to be attracted to the most widely recognized names. Think how many movies are based on Philip K. Dick novels. Maybe a short story writer who also has a credit on a classic Star Trek script — Ellison, Sturgeon, Gerrold. (Gerrold’s “Martian Child” also was a movie.) And appropos of TV, they might rerun Rod Serling.

    The timing of the stamp set’s release seems to rule out Disney having its finger in the pie looking for Oz publicity, but L. Frank Baum could be a candidate on the list of someone who isn’t too strict about what is sf.

  4. “Think how many movies are based on Philip K. Dick novels”

    Snarky rejoinder: I think most PKD movies are based on the titles of the stories.

    Non snarky rejoinder: I think the majority of the PKD films have been based on his short fiction.

    Anyway, while apparently the Post Office can, if it wants to, issue stamps to honor the living, have they? Now, where did I put the sheet “Great American Athletes” featuring Lance Armstrong?

    I’m sure Homeland Security, NSA or some other government agency is forwarding all of this chatter to the Post Office.

  5. Picky, picky picky.

    I checked the 2012 issues and found no living people honored on last year’s commemoratives.

    And when it comes to movies based on Philip K. Dick’s writing, the score is 4 novels, 7 short stories.

    You win.

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