Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Comic Book Robot of the Month: The Other Machine Man

Raise your hand if you think George Lucas might have had a subscription to Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact as a child? Anyone know if he went to Catholic School? Ok, Ok - I know that plenty of sci-fi comics and pulps also had cool robots that likely made their way into the Star Wars universe, but this thing really reminds me of a Scout Walker from Empire Strikes Back. It's funny to think that someone had the idea that our future would include a giant two-legged lumberjack robot, equipped with a machete and driven by a dog. Not only that, but it can also accommodate professorial koalas. GE certainly did bring good things to life. I've never actually read this book to know if there is even an accompanying story, but does there really need to be? Doesn't this picture really say it all? In the 50s and early 60s, we thought technology would take all of the hard work out of life. Just think, a man would never have to pick up an axe ever again. He'd just hand the keys over to his dog, and let the deforestation begin.

4 comments:

diana green said...

You do know that one of Treasure Chest's staff artists was Reed Crandall, right? Given his experience with EC and all the horror/SF publishers of the 40s and 50s, I wouldn't be surprised if this were his work!

Scott M said...

Yup - I have some Treasure Chests with Crandall art in my collection. It's a very interesting titles.

My guy tells me that this might have been done by Graham Hunter, though - or maybe a more cartoony Fran Matera.

Four-Color Kid said...

This could also explain the ewoks...

Jeremy A. Patterson said...

Very quirky book!

J.A.P.