Emptying my mom’s house and moving has been exhausting. By the end of today, I hope to be in the “new” place. Even then, that will be a temporary situation. I’m going to be off-line for a few days. Continuing the retrospect…
Along with 1930’s and 1940’s matinees, I enjoy 1950’s pulp science fiction. The cardboard settings, the trash bag spacesuits, the invasion scenarios, and even the subdued sexuality. Compared to the prior eras, the 1950’s were rather prudish. The pendulum swung from pre-World War II “nothing to lose – imagine tomorrow” to post-war “build it to last – focus on the now.” It’s a cultural shift that is oft overlooked.
This entry stars an earthling being abducted by an alien. The alien is a “Reptoid,” a temporary name that I used while drafting. It became permanent when I abandoned the story. In fact, this incarnation is nothing like the lizard race that I envisioned. Now, my Reptoids are recurrings character that appear exclusively in HeroMachine Character Challenges. They debuted in my Character Contest 70 entry “House of Horrors.”
I incorporated Cold War themes into this design: the invasion, the All-American teenager, his dog, and the repulsive amazon alien with ravenous sexual appetite. The only thing missing is the spinning dinner plate.
Reptoid
Close-up
Drive-in Preview
“The Matriarch invites you to join Her Royal Marines. Service is its own reward.”
Our latest expedition is to a primitive world rich with natural resources. The Matriarch has authorized a bounty for volunteers: all the mammalian virgins that they can carry.
