What does the name Niekas mean?
Niekas is a Lithuanian word meaning nothing or nobody. Ed Meskys chose the name for his science fiction fanzine, which he launched in June 1962.
Questions about Niekas
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Did Niekas win the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine?
Niekas won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine in 1967. It was also nominated in 1966, losing to ERB-dom, and again in 1989, losing to File 770.
Who founded and edited Niekas?
Ed Meskys of New Hampshire founded and edited Niekas. He edited the first five issues alone, was later joined by Felice Rolfe and Anne Chatland, and by the late 1980s was editing the fanzine by himself again.
What role did Niekas play in Tolkien fandom in the United States?
Niekas played a prominent role in the early development of Tolkien fandom in the United States. Meskys devoted the fanzine to Tolkien-related material because no other Tolkien fanzine was being published at the time, and issue seven even carried a letter from C. S. Lewis that mentions The Lord of the Rings.
Which famous science fiction authors contributed to Niekas?
Contributors to Niekas included Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, Isaac Asimov, Piers Anthony, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, Jerry Pournelle, Avram Davidson, and many others. Dick contributed a piece called Naziism and the High Castle, and Zelazny contributed a poem titled Song of the Ring.
When did Niekas stop publication and how long did it run?
Niekas ran from 1962 to 1998, a span of thirty-six years. It paused after issue twenty in 1968, was revived in 1977 with issue twenty-one, and ended with issue forty-eight.