Don't Panic!

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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Breakaway Bebop!

I found this item title Space: 1999 Aftershock and Awe at my new favorite bookstore Half-Price Books. I would not have paid full price for this book under any circumstances, but I got it for a exceedingly nice price. My attraction to it was simple, it feature the artwork of Gray Morrow, specifically work he produced for Charlton's Space: 1999 adaptations from way back in the 70's.

Space: 1999 was quite the phenomenon for a short while in the mid-70's, produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson this series was a pretty impressive bit of TV science fiction which followed the misadventures of a colony of Earth folk on the Moon when events conspire to eject said Moon from its orbit and into the dark reaches of outer space. A pretty impressive situation. Charlton produced two different Space: 1999 series, one a color comic featuring artwork by Joe Staton and John Byrne and a black and white magazine which featured the talents of Gray Morrow and Vincente Alcazar.

It is this work along with material produced for the Power Records adaptation of the debut story "Breakaway" which has been "remastered" and fitted with new bits to create a more elaborate and thorough telling of the remarkable saga's beginnings. Titled "Awe" this was originally done on the net and collected in two volumes.

Also included in this tome is the story titled "Aftershock" which features all new material and tells the story of what happened on Earth when its single satellite decided to skip out. Obviously the effect was devastating and we see that destruction from the perspective of several individuals all of whom have some connection to the people on Moonbase Alpha. Not everyone survives. The series also tells what happened ten years after that dramatic day of September 13, 1999 and giving the story an outlet to continue.

The attempt here was clearly to establish a fresh take on the classic story and tell new stories. Using vintage artwork and revamping it is a curious way to proceed, but it worked to get me to buy the book. It reminds of the musical practice of sampling.

I don't know how many more of these I'd want to read, but I found this two-part story fairly involving and even at times compelling. Good stuff if you can find it at the right price.

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Space:1999 - The Cover Art!

Joe Staton
Charlton's seven-issue color adaptation of the British sci-fi show Space:1999 was exceedingly well done. That was because they drafted their finest craftsmen at the time to take the compelling premise of an Earth Moonbase thrown across the galaxy and weave some very energetic tales.

The writing was done by Nick Cuti for the first five issues with John Byrne doing one issue and Mike Pellowski writing the final installment. The artwork was handled by Joe Staton for the first two issues, followed by John Byrne for four more, before the series was handed to Pat Boyette just before it reflected the changes in the TV series itself in season two and then was canceled.

Here, save for the debut cover itself, are the covers for the color comic series alongside the original artwork for each.


Joe Staton

John Byrne

John Byrne

John Byrne

John Byrne

Pat Boyette
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