Dangerous Visions!

I've finally done it. I've finally read all of the 1967 anthology Dangerous Visions edited by the rambunctious Harlan Ellison. For science fiction fans of a certain age this is who's who in the field. It's a crossroads of sorts with plenty of classic names from science fiction's "Golden Age" such as Asimov, Del Rey, Sturgeon, and Pohl. And fresher faces who went on to become a new generation of renowned talents such as Spinrad, Zelazny and Delany. And lots of talents who fall in between such as Farmer, Knight and Dick. The collection garnered two Hugos and two Nebulas for the stories within. Not a bad showing at all for novice editor Harlan Ellison.  

As much as I enjoy Ellison's fiction, I think I prefer his nonfiction better. And this collection offers up some dazzling little essays introducing the various talents. His snark is full on display as he praises and pinches the writers within. Those who are his friends get especially sharp barbs. Each story is also accompanied by an afterword from the author. They range from a single sentence to much larger reflections. 

Here is the table of contents: 

"Foreword 1 - The Second Revolution" by Isaac Asimov'

"Foreword 2 - Harlan and I" by Asimov

"Thirty-Two Soothsayers" (Introduction) by Harlan Ellison

"Evensong" by Lester Del Rey

"Flies" by Robert Silverberg

"The Day After the Martians Came" by Frederick Pohl

"Riders of the Purple Wage" by Phillip Jose Farmer (Hugo for bet novella)

"The Malley System" by Miriam Allen de Ford

"A Toy for Juliette" by Robert Bloch

"The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World" by Harlan Ellison

"The Night that All Time Broke Out" Brian W. Aldiss
"The Man Who Went to the Moon -- Twice" by Howard Rodman

"Faith of Our Fathers" by Philip K. Dick

"The Jigsaw Man" by Larry Niven

"Gonna Roll the Bones" by Fritz Lieber (Hugo and Nebula for best Novelette)

"Lord Randy, My Son" Joe L. Hensley

"Eutopia" by Poul Anderson

"Incident in Moderan" and "The Escaping" by David R. Bunch

"The Doll-House" by Hugh Jones Parry

"Sex and/or Mr. Morrison" by Carol Emshwiller

"Shall the Dust Praise Thee?" Damon Knight

"If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?" by Ted Sturgeon

"What Happened to Auguste Clarot?" by Larry Eisenberg

"Ersatz" by Henry Slesar

"Go, Go, Go, Said the Bird" by Sony Dorman

'The Happy Breed" by John Sladek

"Encounter with a Hick" by Jonathan Brand

"From the Government Printing Office" by Kris Neville

"Land of the Great Horses" by R. A. Lafferty

"The Recognition" by J. G. Ballard

"Judas" by John Brunner
"Test to Destruction" by Keith Laumer

"Carcinoma Angels" by Norman Spinrad

"Auto-da-Fe" by Roger Zelazny

"Aye, and Gormorrah" by Samuel R. Delany (Nebula for best short story)

I haven't the inclination to review every story. But some that stood out were "Eutopia" by Anderson, "The Happy Breed" by Sladek, "Test to Destruction" by Laumer, "The Night that All Time Broke Out" by Aldiss, and "Evensong" by Del Rey. I found all the stories enjoyable in their own way, but I will have to say I'll need to read "Riders of the Purple Wage" by Farmer again to fully grok it. The stories were selected because in most cases they pushed boundaries at a time when boundaries desperately need to be pushed. (Actually, they probably need to be tested all the time.) I wasn't shocked especially by any story, but I'm reading these tales in 2025, over half a century from when they were concocted and first published. That the stories feel fresh at all is a triumph for the collection, but perhaps a sad commentary on society. 

As tall peak as Dangerous Visons was, it's sequel Again, Dangerous Visions is even more daunting. I've already dived into it and expect a report when I get get through with it. That's going to take a spell. 

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IT Happens!

One of the most original and influential stories was created by science fiction master Theodore Sturgeon. Marvel adapted the long short story "It" in its debut issue of Supernatural Thrillers which sported this iconic Jim Steranko cover.

(An It of a different color. It is eye-popping!)

The granddaddy of all swamp monsters likely dripped from the pen of Theodore Sturgeon in the pages of the August 1940 issue of Unknown magazine. A book with little regard for covers to begin with, this title didn't even feature the short story by Sturgeon on its lackluster green cover.

The story is an atmospheric masterpiece and tells of a weirdly animated being which doesn't seem to understand its own genesis which comes to "life" in the remote mountains and encounters a family already torn by some degree of mistrust. The creature kills a dog and potentially many others but in the end comes to an ignominious demise, its origins suggested but never stated directly. The creature was a strange blend of human remains and plant life blended into a synthesis which suggested a brute intelligence and life.

Thanks Mr. Sturgeon. If you'd like to read the story for yourself check out this intriguing PDF presentation of the original Unknown pages.

The story was later reprinted in 1975 in the black and white pages of Masters of Terror with the somewhat misleading but still evocative Jim Steranko cover for Supernatural Thrillers reinterpreted by Gray Morrow for the cover of this presentation. I wish either Steranko or Morrow, preferably the latter had been tapped to do the artwork on this story. It would have been more successful. But that said, this story's reach is still amazing as it clearly seems to have inspired the creation of The Heap in various pages of Hillman Comics and the Heap gave rise indirectly to both the Swamp Thing at DC and the Man-Thing at Marvel. Without "It" none of these mucky swamp critters would likely exist.

Here is more on how this offbeat tale adapted by Roy Thomas, Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia fits into the larger Marvel mythology. And below is a look at Severin's and Giacoia's original artwork up close.

A Dojo Monster Classic. More slippery monsters tomorrow. 

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The Color That Couldn't Die!

I was well and truly gob-smacked when I ran across the cover above in my sojourns across the internet. From Australia's Yaffa Comics, this issue of Supernatural Thrillers, offers up a truly offbeat version of some of Jim Steranko's most memorable artwork. From the debut issue of Marvel's Supernatural Thrillers, the story underneath adapted Theodore Sturgeon's "IT!". Go here for more detail on that exceedingly influential story.

Here's a chance to glom Jim Steranko's original cover, the creature appropriately green against a blood-red sky instead of an odious purple swimming in a pale blue atmosphere. Yuck!

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It Begins!

The granddaddy of all swamp monsters likely dripped from the pen of Theodore Sturgeon in the pages of the August 1940 issue of Unknown magazine. A book with little regard for covers to begin with, this title didn't even feature the short story by Sturgeon on its lackluster green cover.

The story is an atmospheric masterpiece and tells of a weirdly animated being which doesn't seem to understand its own genesis which comes to "life" in the remote mountains and encounters a family already torn by some degree of mistrust. The creature kills a dog and potentially many others but in the end comes to an ignominious demise, its origins suggested but never stated directly. The creature was a strange blend of human remains and plant life blended into a synthesis which suggested a brute intelligence and life.

The story was adapted to comics form by Roy Thomas with Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia on the artwork for the 1972 debut issue of Supernatural Thrillers. To be frank, the artwork does not serve the grim and moody atmosphere of the story all that well. But the story is one with a vast reach beyond this single adaptation.

It was later reprinted in 1975 in the black and white pages of Masters of Terror with the somewhat misleading but still evocative Jim Steranko cover for Supernatural Thrillers reinterpreted by Gray Morrow for the cover of this presentation. I wish either Steranko or Morrow, preferably the latter had been tapped to do the artwork on this story. It would have been more successful. But that said, this story's reach is still amazing as it clearly seems to have inspired the creation of The Heap in various pages of Hillman Comics and the Heap gave rise indirectly to both the Swamp Thing at DC and the Man-Thing at Marvel. Without "It" none of these mucky swamp critters would likely exist.

Thanks Mr. Sturgeon. If you'd like to read the story for  yourself check out this intriguing PDF presentation of the original Unknown pages.

Rip Off

It Happened!

A look at muck monsters would not be complete without a shout out to one of the most original created by science fiction master Theodore Sturgeon. Marvel adapted the long short story "It" in its debut issue of Supernatural Thrillers which sported this iconic Jim Steranko cover.

The story was later reprinted in glorious black and white in an issue of Masters of Terror. The Steranko design was given a makeover by ace artist Gray Morrow. The Steranko rendition has more four-color punch, but the Morrow version has much more atmosphere.

Here is more on how this offbeat tale adapted by Roy Thomas, Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia fits into the larger Marvel mythology. And here is a look at some of Severin's and Giacoia's artwork up close.

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