Silver Age of Reason

[jack_babalon]

One of my favorites epochs of the American Comic book industry was the pre-superhero
era of the Atomic Age. Animals exposed to radioactivity didn't die a slow horrible death- they became gigantic creatures of pathos and rage; UFO's would frequently land, bitch slap the army around with some elaboratly named ray-beam("Activate the anti-neutrino cannon"), offer up a morale lesson on the perils of our current course of scientific endeavor, pick up a bunch of duty free smokes, and take back off into the depths of four color space. Even better was when some "egghead" would have to fuck around with "Superscience" and wind up with the head of an insect or build a robot that goes apeshit homocidal in under three panels of it's creation. Is it any wonder my parents generation reading this stuff between "duck & cover" drills & point blank exposure to early cathode tube techonolgy took to psychedelic drugs with a certain preternatural ease. Maybe these comics were inocculation shots to prepare them for the great space race against the Red's and the "Strange & savage science of the 21st century". Who knows really, but to me their like snapshots of the collective subconscious of a distant America that looked across the wide stretch of the night sky with not just wonder but with ambition as well.

Here's one of my favorites- "Attack of the tentacle world": It has a kind of Astronauts versus Cthulu vibe to it.


and while we're on the subject of hostile tentacle weilding planets check out the dreaded "Vampire World"




More behind the cut

Comments

[ninsun.livejournal.com]

you know that is coming....one day science will advance, SOMEONE will decide they need to play dog and well, someones head will be attached to a giant bug.
but i never really read those comics you are refering too.

"Keep watching the skies..."

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

I for one am still waiting on flying cars, robot servants & "Orgamatrons". In the mean time I surf the net, eat genetically enhanced food and attend the occasional "Fetish" club. Living in the futures is both exciting and a monumental disappointment at the same time.

Re: "Keep watching the skies..."

[catwalk.livejournal.com]

man, they are about two steps away from an 'orgasmatron',
what with the new vibrators and sleeves that can be
buzzed over the internet...

can you imagine the 3-D gridlock that comes with with flying cars?

and i still prefer flesh-and-blood servants ;-)

Re:Flesh-and-blood servants

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

"Why! Why! Why was I built to feel pain!"
-The simpsons
(Remember the poor robot on fire when Springfield had the anti science riots)
3-D gridlock-- more like entire cities engulfed in flames.
The closet thing to an 'orgasmatron' I have is my LJ friends list, a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a very,very over active imagination. ;)
(Okay i'll be good now)

Re: Flesh-and-blood servants

[scottopic.livejournal.com]

But you were doing so well!

Re: Flesh-and-blood servants

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

*blushes- shuffles from foot to foot nervously- looks around and does a little dance*

Re: "Keep watching the skies..."

[ninsun.livejournal.com]

so very true it is a little disappointing, we were supposed to have flying cars by now, weren't we? did you see the units that honda? i think is developing in japan....

Re: "Keep watching the skies..."

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

No I haven't. Do you have a site I could check out, it sounds pretty cool.
I gotta admit I don't believe the driving public is ready for the concept of vertical driving quite yet. Still with robot auto pilots maybe, just maybe...

Re: "Keep watching the skies..."

[ninsun.livejournal.com]

i swear they are going to try and make macross units next!!!
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/robots/toyoto-ifoot-and-iunit-026866.php

WOW!

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

That has got to be the coolest thing i've seen in ages. I felt like I was 12 again scrolling through that. Thank you for the hook up kiddo, now I gotta see if they come with mountable chain guns & a decent CD player, then start saving up my YEN big time.

Re: WOW!

[ninsun.livejournal.com]

lol, it is really cool isn't it. Just make it a little bigger and give it a face and mobile suit gundum here we come!!!!

[retrofatale.livejournal.com]

Oh my god you are so cool...I am envious of your comic book knowledge

Am I Spider Sensing sarcasm ?

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I really wish they made more comics like these. I grew up in the age of "Watchmen" and "Dark Knight Returns" beautifully crafted and excellent stories... but they were gritty reflections of the "Age of Reagan" when the Psycho-with-a-gun replaced the optimistic space-adventurer-
with-a-gun. *sigh*
BTW- thanks for teaching me how to post images on here.*Mwah*I'm having a real blast now that I can add illustrations and photos to my LJ.

Re: Am I Spider Sensing sarcasm ?

[retrofatale.livejournal.com]

no sarcasm...I have a bunch of comic books because I'm a geek and I'm okay with that.

Glad you're having fun withthe pics....it really brightens up an lj