Futura - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of the Futura Saga from Planet Comics #55 (July 1948) gives the reader a rapid-fire succession of action and new ideas. Nearly too much at times for the space allotted. The Venusians are still seeking freedom, the Space Patrol shows up and the menace of the Space Tyrant so readily beat down by Futura in the previous chapter is replaced by the introduction of a new character, that of Yrina the Corsair Queen.

When Yrina is first revealed her pose is identical to that of one made by Futura from Chapter 12. That Futura and Yrina appear alike when introduced is more than an example of that economical, deadline-induced style that Fiction House demonstrated so often. While some could dismiss the panel layouts as derivative of previous artwork what is clear is that Yrina is a crafty pirate and the artist drew a similarity between the two women that was, perhaps unconsciously, for a reason. Chapter 13 of the Futura Saga may be a lesson for the title character: That the protagonist and antagonist may differ only by the choices they made and the paths taken.

Enjoy!