Ballantine 56 Paperback Original (1953). Cover by Richard Powers
"Dark Dominion" is the story of a top-secret project called the Black Planet which the Americans plan to send out into space and bring back a record of what is happening all over the world.. Instead, they find a new and strange element, Magellanium, whose discovery has alarming consequences all over the world.
The story was first published in hardcover and paperback by Ballantine Books and in a condensed form in four issues of Collier's Magazine all in 1954. The author's other credits include the screenplay to George Pal's "Time Machine" (1960) starring Rod Taylor and the original film version of "Fantastic Voyage" (1966) with Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasance.
During the early 1950s, Ballantine Books was one of the leading publishers of paperback science fiction and fantasy. Beginning with “The Space Merchants” (#21) by Frederik Pohl and C.M Kornbluth, Ballantine published paperback originals by major science fiction authors including Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Theodore Sturgeon, John Wyndham and many others. Ian Ballantine who with his wife Betty Ballantine founded Ballantine Books in 1952, announced that he would offer trade publishers original titles in two simultaneous editions, a hardcover “regular” edition for bookstore sale, and a paper-cover, low-priced “news stand” edition for mass market sale. So, these Ballantine paperbacks were true first editions.
Ballantine 56 Paperback Original (1953). Cover by Richard Powers
"Dark Dominion" is the story of a top-secret project called the Black Planet which the Americans plan to send out into space and bring back a record of what is happening all over the world.. Instead, they find a new and strange element, Magellanium, whose discovery has alarming consequences all over the world.
The story was first published in hardcover and paperback by Ballantine Books and in a condensed form in four issues of Collier's Magazine all in 1954. The author's other credits include the screenplay to George Pal's "Time Machine" (1960) starring Rod Taylor and the original film version of "Fantastic Voyage" (1966) with Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasance.
During the early 1950s, Ballantine Books was one of the leading publishers of paperback science fiction and fantasy. Beginning with “The Space Merchants” (#21) by Frederik Pohl and C.M Kornbluth, Ballantine published paperback originals by major science fiction authors including Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Theodore Sturgeon, John Wyndham and many others. Ian Ballantine who with his wife Betty Ballantine founded Ballantine Books in 1952, announced that he would offer trade publishers original titles in two simultaneous editions, a hardcover “regular” edition for bookstore sale, and a paper-cover, low-priced “news stand” edition for mass market sale. So, these Ballantine paperbacks were true first editions.