We’re back with another EC classic from the 50’s, “Outcast of the Stars”, a Bill Gaines- Al Feldstein adaption of a Ray Bradbury story, delineated by the great Joe Orlando. EC had an unconventional relationship with Bradbury. It began with a story Gaine’s and Feldstein literally swiped. Bradbury, seeing his story adapted into comic book form without being consulted, wrote Gaines. “You have inadvertantly omitted my royalty on the two stories of mine you used in a recent issue.” However he was delighted with Feldstein’s treatment, plus the top notch art, and allowed EC to continue to use his stories in return for a modest royalty.* One wonders what Harlan Ellison’s reaction might have been.
“Outcast” as adapted by EC is a wonderfully sentimental science fiction story that reminds us that the genre is not defined by space battles, chases , and explosions. There is a saying that goes, “People will forget what you say or do, but they will never forget how you make them feel.” I certainly never forgot how this work of art made me feel. Enjoy!
*”The Mad World of William M. Gaines” – http://www.amazon.com/Mad-World-William-M-Gaines/dp/B000S1FPLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246810773&sr=8-1
A wonderful story. Thank you, Doug. And thank you Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, and Ray Bradbury.
The dreams of one’s children are worth defying one’s mountainous wife.
Mountainous wife.
JNG – Oh fer’!
fantastic story! at first i thought it was going to end horribly, but luckily it didn’t. it shows what every father wants to do for their kids, the best they can.
*sniff*
Awesome story! This kids will not ever forget, even when science shows them later that it wasn’t real…they’ll never forget!
Now back to real life and no money in the bank….
Great story, thanks for sharing (as always!), Doug.
That was a beautiful story, Doug. I’ve been missing my kids this week and hope that I will be able to touch the lives of my children like this father did for his.
Doug,
That’s classic stuff.
Thanks Doug, what a great little story
This is one nice story, without a doubt.
Am I the only one that the story made cry, or only the one to admit it?
The only one to explicitly admit it so far, most likely…
I ALWAYS well up at the end!
It was the words that got me. “It held the whiteness of the moon and the blueness of the stars.” “Worked fiery magics and secret insults upon it.” Damn, I wish I could write like that.