Science Fiction from a now defunct comix company

Cainkane1 · 9th December 2021, 12:05 PM

There used to be comic book publishers who tried to compete with the Marvel comics and Superman DC comix's. Heres one of their stranger stories.

These ugly albeit humanoid aliens were pointing a large cannon like ray gun at the planet earth. They were ugly sinister aliens bent upon the annilation of the human race.

Somehow some human heros tricked these aliens into pointing this weapon at their own planet. They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours.

I was a small child but I thought why destroy an entire civilization just because of two bad aliens from that planet?

TheGoldcountry · 9th December 2021, 12:27 PM

Maybe we were accidentally eating their young because we thought they were boneless chicken wings.

In which case, a real tragedy.

Skeptical Greg · 9th December 2021, 01:10 PM

Quote:

They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours.

Sounds like a Galactic Darwin Award would be in order...

shemp · 9th December 2021, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

There used to be comic book publishers who tried to compete with the Marvel comics and Superman DC comix's. Heres one of their stranger stories.

These ugly albeit humanoid aliens were pointing a large cannon like ray gun at the planet earth. They were ugly sinister aliens bent upon the annilation of the human race.

Somehow some human heros tricked these aliens into pointing this weapon at their own planet. They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours.

I was a small child but I thought why destroy an entire civilization just because of two bad aliens from that planet?

It's a metaphor. The aliens are Republicans.

Armitage72 · 10th December 2021, 07:09 AM

A similar premise was used on The Outer Limits, with aliens tricking a group of human soldiers into thinking they were using a doomsday weapon on the alien homeworld, when they were actually attacking Earth.

sackett · 10th December 2021, 07:55 AM

In the Sunday comics of the 50s, Buck Rogers was once caught and forced to stand holding his arm over his head. His wrist was tied to the trigger of the Martians' fiendish moon-based Atomical Cannon aimed at New York. Buck's sidekicks managed to re-aim the cannon at Marsopolis, the capital of (can you guess?). When Buck finally fainted and pulled the trigger, Zorg, Evil Emperor and Gang Boss of the Red* and Menacing Planet, rejoiced evilly in the last panel. He got the bad news in next week's installment.

* I said it was the 50s.

Lithrael · 10th December 2021, 09:36 AM

Yeah, a lot of very early sci fi was like that as well. I recall the intrepid heroes poisoning a civilian city to death in the Lensman stuff, of course it was called for as the aliens in question figured ‘spacefaring’ didn’t count as ‘intelligent’ for reasons that I assume were clearer to the author than to the audience. Metaphorical or something.

sackett · 10th December 2021, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Lithrael

Yeah, a lot of very early sci fi was like that as well. I recall the intrepid heroes poisoning a civilian city to death in the Lensman stuff, of course it was called for as the aliens in question figured ‘spacefaring’ didn’t count as ‘intelligent’ for reasons that I assume were clearer to the author than to the audience. Metaphorical or something.

Sci fi is pretty much always metaphorical if you care to read it that way. Tepid, stale, flabby, old-hat metaphorical, natch.

Brainster · 10th December 2021, 10:36 AM

I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories:

A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan.
B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us.

JimOfAllTrades · 10th December 2021, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Brainster

I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories:

A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan.
B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us.

That was one of things I liked about "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke. It seems like it might be a type B story from your list, but it turns out the humans do learn and in the end they get the "prize". Still an interesting story after all these years.

Skeptical Greg · 10th December 2021, 02:14 PM

" We come to serve man. "

smartcooky · 11th December 2021, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptical Greg

" We come to serve man. "

Leather Goddesses of Phobos

smartcooky · 11th December 2021, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by Brainster

I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories:

A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan.
B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (the real 1951 version, not the crappy one with Surfboy!)

....and before anyone else gets to say it.... Klaatu Barada Nikto

gnome · 18th December 2021, 12:59 AM

Was it an Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator?

9th December 2021, 12:05 PM	#1
Cainkane1 Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The great American southeast Posts: 8,992	Science Fiction from a now defunct comix company There used to be comic book publishers who tried to compete with the Marvel comics and Superman DC comix's. Heres one of their stranger stories. These ugly albeit humanoid aliens were pointing a large cannon like ray gun at the planet earth. They were ugly sinister aliens bent upon the annilation of the human race. Somehow some human heros tricked these aliens into pointing this weapon at their own planet. They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours. I was a small child but I thought why destroy an entire civilization just because of two bad aliens from that planet?
	__________________ If at first you don't succeed try try again. Then if you fail to succeed to Hell with that. Try something else.

9th December 2021, 12:27 PM	#2
TheGoldcountry Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 6,700	Maybe we were accidentally eating their young because we thought they were boneless chicken wings. In which case, a real tragedy.
	__________________ I have no idea what you're trying to say, but I'm still pretty sure that you're wrong. -Akhenaten I sometimes think the Bible was inspired by Satan to make God look bad. And then it backfired on Him when He underestimated the stupidity of religious ideologues. -MontagK505

9th December 2021, 01:10 PM	#3
Skeptical Greg Agave Wine Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Just past ' Resume Speed ' . Posts: 17,846	Quote: They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours. Sounds like a Galactic Darwin Award would be in order...
	__________________ " The main problem I have with the idea of heaven, is the thought of spending eternity with most of the people who claim to be going there. "

9th December 2021, 09:14 PM	#4
shemp a flimsy character...perfidious and despised Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: People's Democratic Republic of Planet X Posts: 47,665	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 There used to be comic book publishers who tried to compete with the Marvel comics and Superman DC comix's. Heres one of their stranger stories. These ugly albeit humanoid aliens were pointing a large cannon like ray gun at the planet earth. They were ugly sinister aliens bent upon the annilation of the human race. Somehow some human heros tricked these aliens into pointing this weapon at their own planet. They fired and to the dleight of their human foes destroyed their own civilization instead of ours. I was a small child but I thought why destroy an entire civilization just because of two bad aliens from that planet? It's a metaphor. The aliens are Republicans.
	__________________ Every time you feed a troll, God kills a kitten. Please stop killing kittens. No Klingon would put up with the GOP's ********. When you least expect it... EXPECT IT!

10th December 2021, 07:55 AM	#6
sackett Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Detroit Posts: 7,414	In the Sunday comics of the 50s, Buck Rogers was once caught and forced to stand holding his arm over his head. His wrist was tied to the trigger of the Martians' fiendish moon-based Atomical Cannon aimed at New York. Buck's sidekicks managed to re-aim the cannon at Marsopolis, the capital of (can you guess?). When Buck finally fainted and pulled the trigger, Zorg, Evil Emperor and Gang Boss of the Red* and Menacing Planet, rejoiced evilly in the last panel. He got the bad news in next week's installment. * I said it was the 50s.
	__________________ If you would learn a man's character, give him authority. If you would ruin a man's character, let him seize power.

10th December 2021, 07:09 AM	#5
Armitage72 Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 6,907	A similar premise was used on The Outer Limits, with aliens tricking a group of human soldiers into thinking they were using a doomsday weapon on the alien homeworld, when they were actually attacking Earth.

10th December 2021, 09:36 AM	#7
Lithrael Master Poster Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,344	Yeah, a lot of very early sci fi was like that as well. I recall the intrepid heroes poisoning a civilian city to death in the Lensman stuff, of course it was called for as the aliens in question figured ‘spacefaring’ didn’t count as ‘intelligent’ for reasons that I assume were clearer to the author than to the audience. Metaphorical or something.
Lithrael Master Poster Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,344

10th December 2021, 10:01 AM	#8
sackett Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Detroit Posts: 7,414	The genre isn't good for much else Originally Posted by Lithrael Yeah, a lot of very early sci fi was like that as well. I recall the intrepid heroes poisoning a civilian city to death in the Lensman stuff, of course it was called for as the aliens in question figured ‘spacefaring’ didn’t count as ‘intelligent’ for reasons that I assume were clearer to the author than to the audience. Metaphorical or something. Sci fi is pretty much always metaphorical if you care to read it that way. Tepid, stale, flabby, old-hat metaphorical, natch.
	__________________ If you would learn a man's character, give him authority. If you would ruin a man's character, let him seize power.

10th December 2021, 10:36 AM	#9
Brainster Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 18,745	I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories: A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan. B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us.
	__________________ My new blog: Recent Reads. 1960s Comic Book Nostalgia Visit the Screw Loose Change blog.

10th December 2021, 12:04 PM	#10
JimOfAllTrades Muse Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 875	Originally Posted by Brainster I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories: A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan. B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us. That was one of things I liked about "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke. It seems like it might be a type B story from your list, but it turns out the humans do learn and in the end they get the "prize". Still an interesting story after all these years.
JimOfAllTrades Muse Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 875

10th December 2021, 02:14 PM	#11
Skeptical Greg Agave Wine Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Just past ' Resume Speed ' . Posts: 17,846	" We come to serve man. "
	__________________ " The main problem I have with the idea of heaven, is the thought of spending eternity with most of the people who claim to be going there. "

11th December 2021, 11:27 PM	#12
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 21,089	Originally Posted by Skeptical Greg " We come to serve man. " Leather Goddesses of Phobos
	__________________ Science supplies evidence, invites you to analyse and evaluate that evidence, and then to draw conclusions from that Religion supplies no evidence, demands you have faith, and expects you to uncritically and automatically believe that something is true simply because "the Bible tells you so" If you don't like my posts, opinions, or directness then put me on your ignore list!

11th December 2021, 11:31 PM	#13
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 21,089	Originally Posted by Brainster I always found it amusing that there were two basic types of "the aliens are here," stories: A. The aliens pretend to be nice guys but secretly they have an evil plan. B. The aliens are nice guys but the stupid humans are too afraid they have an evil plan and so we miss out on the wonderful things the aliens intended to give us. The Day the Earth Stood Still (the real 1951 version, not the crappy one with Surfboy!) ....and before anyone else gets to say it.... Klaatu Barada Nikto
	__________________ Science supplies evidence, invites you to analyse and evaluate that evidence, and then to draw conclusions from that Religion supplies no evidence, demands you have faith, and expects you to uncritically and automatically believe that something is true simply because "the Bible tells you so" If you don't like my posts, opinions, or directness then put me on your ignore list!

18th December 2021, 12:59 AM	#14
gnome Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,907	Was it an Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator?
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