[1] Avalon was an important science fiction imprint in the 1950s and 60s; later its specialty was mystery and romance books.
Frederik Pohl jibed in 1959 that the publisher "seems to be pursuing a policy of printing the worst books by the best writers in science fiction".
[4] Its books featured cover art by Ric Binkley, Ed Emshwiller (also known as Emsh), Gray Morrow, and Michael M. Peters.
Later, competition with mainstream hardcover and paperback publishers starting their own science fiction lines and the marginal nature of genre publishing in general led to the line being discontinued.
After the discontinuation of its science fiction line, Avalon specialized in mystery and romance books.