David A. Kyle

David A. Kyle (1919-2016) was an American science fiction writer, publisher, and fan historian born in Middletown, New York. An original member of the Futurians fan group, he attended the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939 and co-founded the early specialty publisher Gnome Press in 1948. He is best known in fiction for three authorized Lensman novels written with the blessing of E. E. "Doc" Smith's estate—The Dragon Lensman, Lensman from Rigel, and Z-Lensman—which continued Smith's classic space-opera universe. Kyle also produced pictorial histories documenting science fiction's pulp-era heritage. His decades of fan activity, including chairing the 1956 Worldcon, earned him the Big Heart Award in 1973 and Fan Guest of Honor honors at the 1983 Worldcon, making him a key bridge between SF's pulp origins and modern fandom.