The title of this story is "(Fill in the blank)-Man." Its viewpoint character wears a mask and camouflaged clothing, carries tools on his belt and descends the side of a building on a cord. We gather that he is not a mere burglar but a clandestine hero who is on the trail of some villains. Thus, he is typical of one kind of comic strip character.
Superman began as sf - he is extraterrestrial - but initiated the new genre of superheroes which equally incorporates fantasy - magically or supernaturally powered characters - and also, paradoxically, non-superpowered characters - masked avengers or costumed adventurers.
Elements of superheroes remain in sf:
"Un-Man" and "The Sensitive Man" in Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History;
Gil "the Arm" Hamilton and the protectors in Larry Niven's Known Space future history;
Jack the Bodiless and Diamond Mask in Julian May's Galactic Milieu Trilogy.
Enjoy Un-man and remember that he is a literary cousin of the Batman.
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I read my share of comic strips as a boy featuring various kinds of heroes, some of them masked. I don't know if you ever read it, but I liked the one called "The Phantom," the Ghost Who Walks.
Ad astra! Sean
Saw it.
Post a Comment