Will Those Using Artificial Intelligence Do So with Intelligence and Ethics?
This story from Charlton's Unusual Tales #10 (1958) offers one take on the matter!
Writer Joe Gill and artist Steve Ditko told a fascinating tale about AI-augmented human intelligence over a half century ago that seems to be unfolding today...with vastly different results!
...who was so emotionally-attached to her, it sacrificed itself to save her!
But, that wasn't the first time that plot was used...
This never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #19 (1959), scripted by either Stan Lee or Larry Lieber, is extremely similar to the previously-presented 1963 story, minus the "Christmas present" element and making the robot look like a life size toy soldier.
Note the lovely art by Joe Sinnott.
While most of you know Sinnott as one of the best inkers in the business, he was also a competent penciler as well.
Ironically, Joe didn't ink most of his own pencil work, since it was subcontracted by Vince Colletta's prolific studio for use by Charlton, Gold Key, and Dell and inked by Colletta himself!
From the Late 1930s to the Late 1950s, the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
...were multi-media stars, appearing in movies, radio, TV, and...comic books!
This feature from St John's Abbott and Costello Comics #7 (1949), illustrated by Lily Renee and Eric Peters, was typical of the sort of stuff you'd see (or hear) in their other media appearances! The comic ran for 40 issues, from 1948 to 1956, including a 3-D issue! But that wasn't the end of four-color fun for the pair! With their old movies and 1950s TV series proving to be popular on syndicated TV, Hanna-Barbera revived the duo as an animated series in 1967 with Bud Abbott providing his own voice. (Costello had passed away in 1959). This resulted in a new comic book series from Charlton using the cartoon as a springboard for a 22-issue run from 1968 to 1971!
The idea that we should leave Earth before atomic war destroys it is not new...
...nor is the "surprise ending" to this never-reprinted backup tale from Ziff-Davis' Crusader from Mars #1 (1952)
"You blew it up!
Damn you!
Damn you all to hell!"
Almost two decades before Rod Serling had Charlton Heston scream those words to the sky at the conclusion of Planet of the Apes, artist Mike Becker and an unknown writer presented a much more mellow discovery by space travelers returning to Earth centuries in the future!
The script may be by editor Jerry (Superman) Siegel...
Mike Becker illustrated over 100 crime, horror, romance, sci-fi, sports, spy, war and western stories for various publishers including Timely, Ziff-Davis, Hillman, Youthful, and Nedor/Better/Standard from 1948 through 1956.
What happened after that is, regrettably, unknown.
Though it doesn't look like a love story... ...that's what this cover-featured tale fromCharlton's Space AdventuresV2N4 (1968) most definitely is! We Have Already Seen...
Scientist Warren Simms' human-looking robots populate Earth II, a planetoid on the edge of the Solar System that serves as a first line of defense against alien incursions.
Simms' robots are programmed to mimic human behavior and emotions...but some of them (his aide Clarissa, particularly) seem to be transcending their programming!
While meeting with Earth's Grand Council to acquire additional funding and resources, Clarissa makes a startling revelation...
Don't you just love a happy ending?
Since the Simms robot is, for all intents and purposes, Simms, we could say that love is eternal and transcends death.
But, what of his soul?
Writer Joe Gill and artist Jim Aparo don't address that matter in this never-reprinted tale.
But that doesn't mean we can't speculate about it, eh?
73 years ago, the world almost ended on New Year's Day...
...but it was saved by the participants of the annual Mummers Parade!
This never-reprinted story from Charlton's Space Adventures #1 (1953) was illustrated by Albert Tyler and Dick Giordano.
The writer (who was probably from Philadelphia) is unknown.
The Mummers Parade is usually held every New Years Day in Philadelphia. Mummers tradition dates back to 400 BC and the Roman Festival of Saturnalias where Latin laborers marched in masks throughout the day of satire and gift exchange. This included Celtic variations of “trick-or-treat” and Druidic noise-making to drive away demons for the new year. Reports of rowdy groups “parading” on New Years day in Philadelphia date back before the revolution. Prizes were offered by merchants beginning in the late 1800s. January 1, 1901 was the first “official” parade offered about $1,725 in prize money from the city. January 1, 2021 was the 120th Anniversary of the event, but, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was cancelled.
Like Jim Starlin, Roy Thomas, Berni Wrightson, and numerous others...
...writer/artist Grass Green was part of the first generation of fanboys-turned-pros in the 1960s.
What few people knew was that Grass was one of the few Black fanboys!
While he occasionally worked in mainstream comics, as shown in this never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Abbott & Costello Comics #16 (1972), Green found his greatest professional success as the first Black underground/alternative comix writer/artist!
From the early 1970s to the late 1990s, Grass did quite a bit of work for Kitchen Sink, Renegade, Rip Off, and Fantagraphics' Eros imprint.
Sadly, Grass passed away from lung cancer in 2002.
