Futura - Chapter 11

Superficially, Science Fiction is about life in the future. But the idea behind the genre is more complex. In spite of the trappings of things to come science fiction is almost always about the present and it is often, even unintentionally, used to enlighten or warn the present day reader. The alien threats to a society from without typically represent the greater fear of a threat from within. There are exceptions of course. Sometimes there is no deeper meaning and the story is about nothing more than cowboys in outer space.

One of the many ideas that the science fiction creator attempts to relate to an audience is that often messiahs are hazardous to your health. It is a recurring theme in all types of fiction and as human history has so repeatedly proven, it has more than a bit of truth to it. This is painfully evident to the slaves of Pan-Cosmos in the eleventh chapter of the Futura Saga from Planet Comics #53 (March 1948) as they learn the road to Cymradia is paved with good intentions. This story not only marks the finale to the mediocre "Magic Sword" story arc but also some elements of the original settings as well. The teaser on the final page of this installment promises a new direction for Futura though it really is more of a return to the original idea to be found at the beginning of the series.


Note: If you want to be all Wold-Newton about it, the next time the Cymradians show up is in Marvel Spotlight #7 (July 1980). An encyclopedic knowledge of comic books is not only a great power but a curse as well.