Music From Mars!

Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds as it is known is a rock opera produced in 1978. As is all too obvious, it adapts the famous novel by H.G. Wells which documented a fictional invasion from Mars in 1898. I ran across this little gem in a discount store, so I didn't pay full price for admission, so I cannot suggest anyone do so. But you're in luck as it's currently available on YouTube at the links I've provided below. 

(Richard Burton, Jeff Wayne, and David Essex)

Wayne's goal was to remain true to the novel's story and setting. At that time in the late 70's only the 1938 Orson Welles radio play and the George Pal movie had attempted to adapt the story. Of course, since we've seen many various versions, but back then this was a novel event. Rick Wakeman had done something similar Journey to the Center of the Earth some years before in 1974. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had first been produced in 1973. It's cult following was beginning to take shape in the late 70's. Singers on the album include David Essex, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and the late Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. But the headline draw for this production is Richard Burton reading passages from the Wells novel. 

It's an uneven work as one might suspect. There is a regrettable disco quality to some music, given that was the flavor of the time. It doesn't age well alas. Other songs and bits of music strike closer to my impression of what such music should sound like. While the novel emphasizes the enigmatic quality of the aliens and the horror they inflict on humanity, I get a more of a sense of awe from this recording. 

To enjoy this oddment from another era, check out this link.  Here is a link to some outtakes from the production featuring Richard Burton check out this link. Even giants sleep. 

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Martians Illustrated - Part Two!

(Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum)

In 1976 Marvel Comics was publishing a number of new adaptations of a host of classic tales and soon enough War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells was picked to be a part of the run. Dave Cockrum apparently was given the nod to design the tripods for this one though the story itself was written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Yong Montano and Dino Castrillo, two of the reliable cadre of talented Filipino artists who powered through Bronze Age comics.

Below is a glimpse of two of the better splash pages.

Here's a nice peek at Dave Cockrum's own work and his design for the Martians and their awesome war machines.

Marvel adapted three other Wells stories.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Martians Illustrated - Part One!

The War of the Worlds has been adapted to virtually every medium, but few as memorable as the vintage Classics Illustrated rendition by writer Harry Miller and artist Lou Cameron. The cover is without doubt one of the best in the whole of the Classics Illustrated run.

Cameron does his own distinctive interpretation of the invaders, creating a robust variation on the tripods. These have a slightly modern flavor to them.

And this issue of Classics Illustrated is unique to my experience in that in addition to several full-page images it has a center two-page spread, which must've been quite awesome in the early 50's when such tour de forces were quite rare save for Simon and Kirby.

The story by Wells has been simplified for comic use here and perhaps some of the horror stripped out for the benefit of the young target audience. The infamous Black Smoke is not evident as the invaders just plow ahead with highly visible heat rays. Also gone are the red weeds which create such a weird atmosphere in the latter stages of the story. Otherwise the tale stays true to the general structure of the Wells original.

This one has been reprinted by Jack Lake Productions who have the Classic Illustrated rights these days. The asking price is steep, but for the War of the Worlds completist necessary, though I personally have this one as well as a rough copy of the original for less money.

Classics Illustrated adapted five of the Wells novels, but War of the Worlds was easily the most successful. Here is a glimpse at the others.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Sherlock Holmes - The War Of The Worlds!

I first read this wonderful pastiche two decades ago when I stumbled across the Warner paperback edition in my local library. I was just thumbing through the rather sparse paperback science fiction section and there it was. I knocked out to find two of my favorite things (Sherlock Holmes and War of the Worlds) had been blended together in what seemed a delightful brew. 

A story blending two of my favorite yarns was irresistible. I snatched it up, raced home and read it almost immediately. I confess I contemplated keeping it, but honesty prevailed, and I returned it to the library. But my good deed was not rewarded as alas that library copy, I enjoyed went missing and I was unable to find another until some years ago Titan Books started to reprint some of the more memorable Sherlock Holmes pastiches.

The saga began in 1969 in the pages of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction when Wade Wellman assisted by his famous father Manly W. Wellman wrote "The Adventure of the Martian Client". The younger Wellman had been inspired by the movie A Study in Terror which had the Baker Street sleuth tackling Jack the Ripper. 

Several years later in 1972 they revisited the concept in another issue of TMoFandSF with the story "Venus, Mars, and Baker Street".

The idea seemed too good to let go and so they worked up a few more installments and created the patchwork "novel" Sherlock Holmes - The War of the Worlds which came out from Avon in 1975. This is the edition I first read.

The story reveals its origins in its construction. We first meet Sherlock Holmes when in partnership with Professor Edward Challenger he locates and plumbs the depths of a mysterious crystal egg found in an out of the way curio shop. The pair realize they are seeing a distant location, another world in fact, the world of Mars.

Soon enough the world becomes award of the Martians when the cylinders begin to drop. We follow first Holmes and then later Challenger in separate adventures as try to survive the onslaught of the Martian machines. But all the while they plot what might work to defeat the invaders.

Watson joins the team as the inevitable end of the invasion becomes evident. There are lots of fun bits of business calling back to the classic H.G. Wells story which spawned the fun, but the Wellmans seem to want to present in Holmes and the braggart Challenger a more defiant humanity than does Wells, a humanity who doesn't shrink in times of war but rises to face the challenge.

If you're a fan of either Sherlock Holmes or The War of the Worlds, or like me both, you must read this wonderful saga. It will offer up fascinating insights into both.

And I haven't even mentioned Sherlock's fascinating relationship with Mrs. Hudson. Hoo Boy!

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Some Martian Odysseys!

The "Red Planet is the focus this month at the Dojo. I'll be looking at the planet Mars from a number of pop culture perspectives. 

First and foremost, will be the John Carter stories from Edgar Rice Burroughs. I'm reading the original trilogy again beginning with A Princess of Mars. This tells the story John Carter before the saga drifts off to regale us with his progeny. I'll be taking a look also at some of the comic book adaptations of the character from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. John Carter though the first of ERB's blood and thunder heroes was not as popular as Tarzan, but then no hero was as popular as the Lord of the Jungle save for Superman and Batman perhaps. His comic adventures were published by Dell, Gold Key, DC and Marvel. There are later versions by Dark Horse and others, but I doubt I'll have time for those. 

Also on the docket is The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. In addition to the classic original novel of alien invasion I want to take a closer look at Marvel's ingenious comic adaptation from the 70's which is perhaps better known as Killraven these days. Marvel has just published the adventures in their Epic line and I'm eager to see how the stories look in nice bright color.

Note: Sadly there's been a delay in my Epic volume order, so I might have to resort to using the Essential volume to begin my reading. I hope not, but any port in a storm. 

In a double dose of the "Showcase Corner" is the Martian Manhunter. J'onn J'onz was in many ways the opposite figure to John Carter. He's the Martian who came to Earth and tried to find a way to fit into the society he chanced upon. Like Carter he was a "stranger in a strange land". (If I have time and I suspect I won't, I might even get around to Robert Heinlein's delightful novel of that name.) Martian Manhunter was the first Silver Age hero, appearing non-stop in the back of Detective Comics after his debut in 1955 and later in the House of Mystery. His adventures were mostly all written by Jack Miller and drawn with great skill by Joe Certa. Later Manhunter became a stalwart of the Justice League of America, standing in for the most part for Superman. When the Kryptonian was allowed to play in the JLA, Manhunter's role became tenuous, and he faded away for many years. 

Ray Bradbury is celebrated as a fine science fiction and fantasy writer and arguably his most famous work is The Martian Chronicles. This is a lyrical collection of short stories that framed together as a mosaic create a subtle understanding of an alien culture. Less subtle but interesting nonetheless is the television adaptation of the work starring Rock Hudson and Darren McGavin. Constrained by television budgets and 70's sci-fi aesthetics this is nonetheless a thoughtful presentation. 

And look for other Martians of all kinds both literary and cinematic to drop by in the Dojo this month which is dedicated to our nearest Solar neighbor. 

"The Sunday Funnies" returns to the Dojo and the comic strip up for review is the revolutionary Tarzan of the Apes. We will do them in chronological order beginning with the epic strips by Hal Foster and moving on to his successor Burne Hogarth. After that Russ Manning will take center stage. For those looking for more Turok Son of Stone, that feature will return next month with luck. 

It's a big ticket for the month and I might not make it, but as they say go big or go home. Meet you on Mars! 

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The Martian War!

In The Martian War by Kevin J. Anderson we get to look behind the scenes, a secret history of sorts, as H.G.Wells along with a bevvy of more and less famous and some infamous colleagues wage a secret conflict against the notorious Martians.

Anderson introduces us to a young H.G. Wells and his paramour Jane Robbins, a bright and beautiful former student who plays a major role in the adventure. Along with the scientist-philosopher T.H. Huxley these two end up on an impossible odyssey away from Earth and venture to the Moon and later to Mars itself. Meanwhile Percival Lowell and his collaborator Dr.Moreau explore the nature of Martians on this very Earth.

I am loathe to say too much about this sprawling adventure which has wonderful pace and a delightfully playful style. I don't want to ruin the surprises which abound. We get to meet face to face many of the vintage Wells characters from stories as widespread First Men in the Moon, The Food of the Gods, The Invisible Man, and more besides.

You won't regret tagging along on this wild and wacky misadventure as we find out what really happened so long ago when Martians and men met for the first and last time.

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Martian Dispatches!

War of the Worlds - Global Dispatches is an utterly fabulous collection of true yarns by a host of dandy sci-fi writers which has a single wonderful conceit. What if the Martian Invasion described so memorably by H.G.Wells had spread across the globe and what would have been the reaction of various significant literary and historical figures to that event?

The answer is this book, filled with just-the-right-sized stories purportedly by and or about the likes of Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, Jack London, Emily Dickinson, Jules Verne, Leo Tolstoy, Albert Einstein, Joseph Conrad, and H.P. Lovecraft.

The anthology originally came out in 1996 and I grabbed up a copy then, but recently I found it again having been reprinted by Titan Books and it was even more fun this time.

The stories are at times light-hearted, at times intense, at times revealing, but always entertaining. Even the least of them is fascinating in the offbeat picture it paints of the Martians, which are almost always presented consistent with the original novel .

Favorite moments are the stories in which Twain connives to get some profit from the Martians, in which the Martians display their amorous side in Paris, and in which we learn how the Martians are really quite nimble if only in the frozen North. The funniest story for me was when the Martians run up against some tough as nails cowboys in the American Southwest. Needless to say the invaders are less successful in a country where firearms are more plentiful and the will to use them downright gleeful. 

This one gets my highest recommendation. It's an absolute hoot and a half.

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Martians Illustrated Again!

Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum

In 1976 Marvel Comics was publishing a number of new adaptations of a host of classic tales and soon enough War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells was picked to be a part of the run. Dave Cockrum apparently was given the nod to design the tripods for this one though the story itself was written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Yong Montano and Dino Castrillo, two of the reliable cadre of Philipino artists who powered through Bronze Age comics.

Below is a glimpse of two of the better splash pages.

Here's a nice peek at Dave Cockrum's own work and his design for the Martians and their awesome war machines.

Marvel adapted three other Wells stories.

To read Marvel's The War of the Worlds in all its glory check out this very Groovy link.

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