This month at the Dojo it's all about outer space. But outer space with sarcastic bent. I'm currently reading The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy which includes all five novels by Douglas Adams along with a solo short story, detailing the misadventures of Arthur Dent, the last human being left after out dear planet Earth is demolished to make way for an intergalactic bypass. He is saved from destruction by an alien named Ford Prefect who just happens to work for The Hitchhiker's Guide the Galaxy, and uses its copious information to explain (or confuse) the proceedings.
This snarky bit of weirdness struck a nerve in the 1980's and resulted in several radio plays, novels. albums, a television show, and a big-screen film. I'm tuning up my "Babel Fish" and planning to imbibe as much raw Hitchhiker's Guide as I can in the merry month February. I will issue frequent reports.
While I'm in orbit with that project I also want to read some vintage Adam Strange stories from the pages of DC's Showcase and Mysteries in Space. Adam Strange was written Gardner Fox and drawn by Mike Sekowsky and later by Carmine Infantino. The folks on the planet Rann can always count on Adam to appear regularly thanks to the Zeta Beam and save them the barrage of menaces which seem always poised to attack.
And a book I have had for quite a spell, but have never gotten around to is Don Simpson's space epic Border Worlds. This saga originally appeared in comic books from Kitchen Sink and give us Don Simpson fans a look into the Megaton Man creator's more serious side.
And in between those all-new posts I'll be reaching back into the most remote corners of the Dojo to dust off and revise some other space related items. Space Eagle from Whitman books was a childhood favorite in particular.
On my TV screen this month will be a lot of episodes of Space:1999. I had to replace my original set of DVD's when they started acting up. This new set looks cleaner overall. Likely I will not have time to revisit the comic books from Charlton.
So "Don't Panic!" The Dojo will be celebrating one of the most delicious entertainments of the 80's this month, and a bit more.
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I remember hearing Hitchhiker on the radio for the first time. Now I can't hear the Eagles' "Journey of the Sorcerer" without thinking of Arthur Dent and making sure I have a towel nearby.
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DeleteTowels are hand items at all times. Arthur Dent is the everyman.
Im ashamed to say that despite being a SF fan, I have never read 'Hitchikers Guide". I did however watch it on TV in the 1970s .
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading about Star-Lord abd Adam Strange, 2 of my favourites.
I have (at most) only read the first two novels, so much of this is new to me as well. I have been trying to get around to Adam Strange for years and Star-Lord is proving to be quite a surprise.
DeleteCool! The Adam Strange Silver Age Omnibus, and the Star-Lord TPB are both on my next-to-read pile (as soon as I finish Titan's first volume of Raymond's Flash Gordon), so I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on them.
ReplyDeleteI only have Adam Strange in the Showcase black and white, so I envy you having those bright stories in lovely color.
DeleteI got the Showcase volume first, too, but then one day , the god fo algotirthms sent me an Amazon offer I couldn't refuse. Most of the omnibuses I have I've gotten on discount, and a large chunk of my collection is comprised of Showcase/Essential volumes, so I know well where you're coming from. I know people that claim they prefer the B&W phonebook format because it showcases the line art better, but I think they are full of it.
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