Not only are they flying giant gorillas, they come from a planetoid which has parked itself in Earth’s sky so the flying giant gorillas can steal our atmosphere. Atom bombs can’t stop them, so our scientists use fear gas* on them. What a crazy plot.
Script is by Gardner Fox. Fox wrote it for editor Julius Schwartz, who used high concepts when planning out stories for his magazines. It’s drawn by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson, and it appeared originally in Strange Adventures #125 (1961). The striking cover is by Sid Greene.
UPDATE: I found this incredible Chinese fireworks package on the Design/Destroy website a few days after posting the story. I love a coincidence.
There are some stories in which the danger is so imminent that the person who discovers it must be the person who overcomes it, if it is to be overcome at all. But it's quite another thing to write the story — as so often was done — such that, even when the problem extends though time and many people are involved, the discoverer takes the lead at every point.
ReplyDeleteJim Bryant is the astronomer who spots the planetoid. He takes delivers the explanation of what the wingèd apes are doing to the air. He arrives as the solution (in a dubious manner). He commands the crew that effects the solution. It's only right that he should get the TAB (Telepathic Alien Babe).
As to why the gorillas didn't take evasive action in the Earth's atmosphere, well, uh….
Infantino had a signature way of drawing people running, and we see that especially in 7:2.
I will never trust a giant flying ape again.
ReplyDeleteMy sis wants 2 D8 tha flyering munky <3
ReplyDeleteDan'l, seems that most science fiction stories I read from the thirties had the main character (a scientist, of course) take the lead, saving the world from whatever was threatening it. Schwartz came from that era.
ReplyDeleteAlicia, you could turn that into a song.
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