Monday Madness SECRET CITY SAGA "Gazra"

Begin the never-reprinted tale here...

...as we journey back through the mists of time, to the era of the Ninth Men!

(Don't worry, everything will make sense by the end of this chapter!)

Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Walt Simonson, the series was conceived and produced as a lighter (but not campy) Silver/Bronze Age-style response to the then-current "dark" trend in comics which began with Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen.

Tomorrow:
BOMBAST!
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Kirby: Genesis

A retelling of elements of the Secret City Saga which also combines other Kirby projects like Galaxy Green, Captain Victory and Silver Star!

It's the 30th Anniversary of the SECRET CITY SAGA!!!

30 years ago this month...

..., the final project Jack Kirby launched before his untimely passing appeared at Topps Comics!

Utilizing themes and designs he had never allowed to be used by other publishers, Kirby worked with editor Jim Salicrup and writer Roy Thomas to develop a "KirbyVerse" incorporating various concepts into a cohesive storyline.

Numerous high-profile creators along with established Silver Age (and even a couple of Golden Age) talents jumped on-board to participate in the world-building!

These three characters were the protagonists...

...and you'll see their never-reprinted story right here beginning tomorrow, and running though several RetroBlogs for the next couple of months!
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Kirby: Genesis
A retelling of elements of the Secret City Saga which also combines other Kirby projects like Galaxy Green, Captain Victory and Silver Star!

Reading Room WORLDS UNKNOWN "Farewell to the Master" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...
Reporter Cliff Sutherland and photographer Ann O'Hara may be on to the scoop of the century.

An alien robot, which went inert after Klaatu (the alien humanoid it accompanied) was shot and killed (without provocation) when he tried to initiate contact with people of Earth isn't as unmoving as the government believes!
The duo conceal themselves nearby, hoping to catch the automaton in motion...which they do!
They witness the robot enter the alien vessel...which sealed up and apparently deactivated after Klaatu was killed.
And now things get really weird...

Cue the Twilight Zone theme...

The original story by Harry Bates appeared in Street and Smith's Astounding Science Fiction V26N2 (1940) with the following illustrations by Frank Kramer...all of which feature Gnut!

"Farewell to the Master" has been reprinted numerous times, usually in anthologies about Astounding Science-Fiction magazine, or compilations of stories which were adapted into films or TV shows.

But the graphic adaptation from Marvel's Worlds Unknown #3 (1973) has never been reprinted, and no other comic book/comic strip version has ever been done!
However, there was another prose adaptation of the short story...

This book, written by Arthur Tofte, published by Scholastic Books in 1976, combined "Farewell to the Master" with the screenplay for the 1951 movie into a new novel which presents Klaatu and a rather verbose Gnut (not "Gort") as a pair of equal partners, representing their respective civilizations within a galactic organization calling themselves "The Watchers"!
Finally, Lux Radio Theatre produced a one-hour radio adaptation in 1954, narrated by Paul Frees and starring Michael Rennie as Klaatu!
Regrettably, it doesn't use Bernard Herrmann's magnificent soundtrack but it's still worth listening to.
You can link to it HERE!

Reading Room WORLDS UNKNOWN "Farewell to the Master" Part 1

You know the story...sorta.
You've seen (and/or heard) the story adapted...sorta.
Now read the most faithful adaptation of the tale...short of the original novelette!








And before you go any further, "Gnut" is pronounced "Nut".

That's one of the reasons it was changed when the story by Harry Bates was adapted in 1951 into a movie...

Aw, you guessed!

As you've surmised, there were quite a few changes made when the silver screen version was created and produced!

And, when writer Roy Thomas, penciler Ross Andru and inker Wayne Howard went back to the source material for the never-reprinted Marvel's Worlds Unknown #3 (1973)...well, let's let Rascally Roy himself tell you about that...

Be Here on Thursday for the ASTOUNDING conclusion...plus some kool extras (which will explain why I capitalized "astounding"!)

Friday Fun NOT BRAND ECHH! "Original Origin of Charlie America!"

It's almost the 4th of July, so we thought we'd kick back and enjoy...

...this spoof of one of the most-retold origins of all ('cause we're really nice guys)!

Admittedly, this ain't exactly how they portrayed his origin in Captain America: the First Avenger.

But hey, this classic from Marvel's Not Brand Echh #3 (1967) is a lotta fun anyway!
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Marvel Masterworks
Not Brand Echh!