Phil R Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 The time is the 1930s. The stock market has collapsed and many people are without a job. But they can afford a Sunday paper or they can read someone else's paper. The Sundays are filled with full page and half comics of fictional character heroes and heroines who manage to beat the odds week after week. Flash Gordon, Tarzan, The Phantom, Superman, Little Orphan Annie and many others. And of course,Buck Rogers. What escapism! Buck Rogers was created by Philip Nowlan and first published in Amazing Stories in 1928. he was visually brough to life by Dick Calkins soon after . His stylized art is some of the greatest ever . Fanciful rockets traveling at light speed and faster, lazer pistols and weapons, super telescopes, anti-gravity devices, video telephones, strange aliens, warring factions, damsels in distress and a lot of robots.The art is so complicated that you have to view it over and over to see everything. 1928. Does this sound familiar. Has anyone ever heard of Star Wars. The Sundays originals are often sold on ebay even though they should have been lost because of acid content in the paper. Fortunately for me they were reprinted in the original tabloid size in 50+ volumes of 10. I now have 40 volumes. The character strips were done by additional artist until the late 1960s and again in the 90s. The character was also immortalized by Buster Crabbe in the serialized Saturday movie episodes called cliffhangers, putting the hero in jeopardy every week. Crabbe also played Flash Gordon in the same format. Comic books were produced and the character culminated with a campy movie and series in the late 70s. The movie and TV also have Buck's robot sidekick named Twiki who has been reproduced in toys. The show also has a necklace computer called Dr. Theopolis and a snobby robot called Crichton. Disney now owns the rights to Buck Rogers and has had a new movie in the works for 5 years. Enjoy a taste of the graphics and if interested I can give you more. Phil-Scifiman https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=vintage buck rogers toys&rs=rs&eq=&etslf=3719&term_meta[]=vintage|recentsearch|0&term_meta[]=buck|recentsearch|0&term_meta[]=rogers|recentsearch|0&term_meta[]=toys|recentsearch|0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Cool stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Phil - What date is on those strips with the robots? From the few lines of text that I can read it looks like they are calling the robots "Mechs", is the word robot used in either of these strips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Fineas, The strips I have are 1930s. Good observation and eyesight. The robots were called mechs for short and automatons. Still searching for the words robot. Try on some cyrogenic chambers and telelport beams and devices to rockets and other planets. The guys today have copied everything. At least the earlier writers researched possibilities with scientists of the day. Phil-scifiman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Fineas, I guess I didn't look very hard. I found a reference to "robot or mechanical man" in the very volume with the first strip I posted. with the robot fight. I'm sure there are more references if I look . Phil-scifiman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Great stuff Phil. I think i discovered Buck Rogers around the age of 9. They would actually show the original movie serials on Saturday mornings on TV, along with the usual round of cartoons. Every Saturday they would show 2 - 3 episodes, i can't remember for sure, but the stuff certainly got me hooked, even in the sixties! Sure the special effects were dated, but it didn't take away from the excitement of the stories. For those who don't know, both Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials were shown in theaters before the main attraction, kind of like cartoons were later on. People would go to a movie they didn't want to see just to catch the latest weekly episode. Each episode ended with Buck or Flash in some life threatening situation, and you would have to wait a week to see how they survived - thus the nickname: Cliffhanger The art work in the Sunday cartoon strip was just fantastic. I might just have to start collecting some. I haven't really thought about this in quite awhile. Thanks for bringing back those memories Phil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 8, 2006 Author Share Posted March 8, 2006 Robert, we mentioned that the original strips are available on Ebay. The reprints at 12 per volume are available from Pacific Comics Club, Tony Raiola Box 14361, Long Beach CA 90803 Tel. 562-438-2752. No web site. at $10.00 per volume. There are 52 volumes from 1930-1942. Size is 12-1/2 x 15-1/2 . FI now have 40 volumes. It's not as much a dent in the pocketbook and they're printed on very good heavy stock which will last a long time. The best volumes for robots are 21, 27, 37. However they're all fantastic. I don't get a commission.Phil-scifimanP.S. If anyone is interested I'll post some more photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 10, 2006 Author Share Posted March 10, 2006 Just thought I'd show you some more Buck Rogers collectibles. A music box I bought at a flea market some years ago and my set of repro Britains. I couldn't afford the $3,000. + original price. The mekkano is a great piece and these sets are very beautifully painted. Phil-scifiman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Great stuff! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tetsujin28 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Just a few of the Buck Rogers all original items that I own.Enjoy!Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 Jay, I'm really jealous of guys like yourself who do such a great job of displaying their collections. I see Joe K. a lot and his displays. I'm a big fan of Japanese movies and godzilla. Tetsujin is a great character. I was on your website briefly and will have to spend more time. I've looked at a lot of collections and will go back for more.Take a look at my mess of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. I hope to spread out my scifi stuff in the near future. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tetsujin28 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Thanks for the kudos!I like what I see too except.....Ziplock Bags! Nooooooooooooooooo !They promote mildew and decay. Items are better getting dusty than damaged!Get that leather holster (Lucky you!) out of the out of that bag! It is the same reason that you should always take your drycleaning out of the plastic bags. Moisture and plastic go hand in hand.Take heed fellow Alphadromers!Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil R Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 Jay, I did sayI had out of brain experiences.. Although I keep the bags open I'll take them out.I guess I'm frustrated with dust. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa. I included some of my better Flash and Buck items other than books, paper, pins and pencil boxes. Also are some of the lead rocket figures and rayguns although I don't own a real gun.. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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