If/Worlds of If

The science fiction magazine If ran for 176 issues between March 1952 and December 1974. It was first published by the Quinn Publishing Company, Inc. in Kingston, New York, but experienced many changes in ownership until 1972, when it was sold to the UPD Publishing Corp. in New York City. Its original title was If: Worlds of Science Fiction, but the location of “Worlds of” above “If” on the magazine covers in the 1960s led many to believe the title was Worlds of If. The UPD Publishing Corp. formally changed the title to Worlds of If in the January/February 1972 issue. In 1986, the STF Corporation attempted to revive the publication, but only produced a single issue consisting of an anthology of short stories.

Throughout its publication, the magazine remained moderately successful. It was less popular and less sophisticated than its companion titles Galaxy, Worlds of Tomorrow, and Worlds of Fantasy, but was known for running more experimental and daring work. It won the Hugo Award for best professional magazine three years in a row from 1966 to 1968 with Frederik Pohl as its editor. After December 1974, the magazine merged with the more popular and slightly older companion title Galaxy.