In the cold depths of outer space, hot women don't need space suits! May 1951cover art by Norman Saunders |
1951. This past October I read "The Plagian Siphon", leaving "Golden Girl" as the next Vance story of 1951 that I wanted to read, mainly because in that same issue of Marvel Science Stories were three essays about Dianetics. And who was Betsy Curtis? (see) +
I soon realized that I'd actually read "Golden Girl" previously. 🤷 It is a simple short story about a space alien who crash-lands on Earth. The man who finds her in the burning spaceship is a reporter named Bill, but the alien is described as having "metallic skin" and says her name is Lurulu.
image source |
Within a week of being found by Bill, Lurulu has recovered from the trauma of the crash landing on Earth and has learned to speak English which allows her to elegantly complain about everything, including the strange and uncomfortable Earthly clothing that she must wear. Vance assures readers that Lurulu never forgets a word of English after she has spoken it for the first time.
Lurulu |
When I read about Lurulu's golden "metallic skin" and fabulous memory I am forced to start imagining that she might be some kind of artificial lifeform. However, in the final line of the story, Bill discovers that Lurulu has killed herself and her life's blood is flowing out of her chest. ☠ Ew.
As mentioned in this other blog post, Vance never seemed to have a problem killing his characters. Luluru tells Bill that she came to Earth as nothing more than a tourist. However, she admits that her people have had missionary efforts on other planets trying to help primitive cultures. Readers of "Golden Girl" must decide if 1) there is a secret alien presence on Earth trying to help humans develop a less primitive culture or 2) the aliens view Earth as beyond redemption and not worthy of being helped.
interior art by Carl Burgos |
The interior art for "Golden Girl" presents a small mystery. At the Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base, the artist is listed as "Carol Burgos". However, in the May 1951 issue of Marvel Science Stories, there are two clear, distinct attributions of interior art to Carl Burgos. My guess is that this might be the Carl Burgos who had long been associated with Marvel Comics (Timely Publications in 1939).
It would not surprise me if by interacting with the people at Marvel Science Stories, Vance came in contact with some of the folks such as Burgos who were making comic books at Timely Comics. For the August 1951 issue of Marvel Science Stories, there is additional interior art attributed to "C. Burgos" (see the image, below)...
Table of Contents entries from the May and August 1951 issues of Marvel Science Stories |
cover art for the August issue |
For details on the Dianetics fad within science fiction magazines of the 1950s, see this article. The first reader letter published in Marvel Science Stories about Dianetics is attributed to Lew Cunningham and it nicely illustrates how people with scientific training responded to Dianetics.
DIANETICS |
in the Ekcolir Reality |
cover art by Norman Saunders |
Marvel. I'm intrigued by the inter-relationships between early "golden age" science fiction stories, comics and the science fiction stories that first began appearing on television and in films. According to this Wikipedia article, the Marvel "franchise" began with Marvel Science Stories in August 1938. Superman comics were also first published in 1938.
cover art by "Ames" |
Marvel Science Stories went through several name changes including Marvel Tales, Marvel Stories and Marvel Science Fiction. During its first run (1938 - 1941), the Marvel Sci Fi magazine was known for including more sexual themes than other magazines of that era.
the original Sun Girl |
During the second run of Marvel Science Stories (1950 - 1952) the folks at what would eventually become Marvel Comics had recently made a major effort to introduce female characters into comics such as The Human Torch.
Back in the late 1939 when Carl Burgos put the fire-wielding robot, Torch, into Marvel Comics #1, there was also another character created by Bill Everett who was called "Namor the Sub-Mariner". Jack Vance frequently included nautical themes in his stories. For his Cadwal Chronicles, Vance invented the evil character Namour.
Other Marvel comics folks who produced art for Marvel Science Stories and Uncanny Stories included Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
The Human Torch |
Mary Mitchell |
I wonder if Jack Vance ever looked at any of the late 1940s comic books such as Sun Girl. With her "sunbeam ray gun", Mary Mitchell, A.K.A. the Sun Girl, seemed like a character out of a science fiction story. Maybe the Sun Girl character could be revived, complete with a back story similar to that provided by Vance for his "Golden Girl". The "Sun Girl" and "Golden Girl" titles might have been appropriate in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but if the "Mary Mitchell" character were to be revived in 2021, maybe she could simply be given the "alien" name Lurulu and rather than commit suicide as Vance's character did, the new Lurulu could have a long, productive career on Earth sharing her advanced alien knowledge with we bumbling Earthlings.
Next: a look at more Vance stories from 1951
See also: Chapter 11 of "Meet the Phari"
Visit the Gallery of Book and Magazine Covers |
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