Green Planet
Entry updated 3 June 2024. Tagged: Publication.
US Comic (1962). One issue. Charlton Comics. 36 pages. Artists include Dick Giordano, Charles Nicholas and Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio. Scripts probably by Joe Gill. Three comic strips and a two-page text story.
Nearly two-thirds of the comic are taken up by the title story, adapted from Joan Hunter Holly's novel The Green Planet (1960). Jason Tolliver and Kathy Carpenter are in a party of dissenters sent by Earth's totalitarian government (see Dystopia) to colonize Klorath, the Green Planet (see Colonization of Other Worlds). They were assured Klorath is a paradise where they will be met by earlier arrivals, but find the settlement is deserted, whilst the planet – though fertile – has pterodactyl-like Monsters. There is also an indigenous population resembling Native Americans, and friendly monkey-like purtnas whose touch burns: the humans respond by killing the latter, creating tension with the locals, who usually carry one on their shoulders. Jason meets Xaca, the local tribe's chief, and is surprised to find he can talk English: remarking on this, he is told, "It was necessary! Understanding is necessary to good defence." But Xaca becomes silent without his purtna. Jason also notes the tribe seem to communally worship round a shining crystal in the company of the purtnas.
Realizing there will be war unless something is done, Jason tries to understand the locals more. Kathy makes capes from the pelts of the dead purtnas, allowing the live ones to perch on human shoulders without burning; Jason, Kathy and others – each with a purtna – sit in a circle around the crystal and find they are sharing each other's minds: "At last we truly know each other and have united in one great purpose." (suggesting a temporary Hive Mind). Later, they repeat the experience with the tribe and "once again was affirmed the brotherhood of man ... be it of Earth or Klorath". Xaca explains that previous colonists made no attempt to understand his people, but tried to exploit them (the inference is that those not killed by the pterodactyls were killed by Xaca's tribe). Future exiles will be greeted by humans and locals, and should the Earth government learn they are no longer dying off and decide to attack, Xaca's people will join in fighting them.
In "The Man Who Was Here and There!", atomic War in 2278 CE leaves the billion survivors on a dying Post-Holocaust Earth that will sustain them for no more than twenty years. A committee is set up to find planets to colonize; but their Spaceships' atomic engines cannot exceed 270,000 mph, making success within the timeframe unlikely. Member Hugo Gibbs suggests that Teleportation is the answer; although he can teleport a short distance, this is not deemed sufficient to follow up. Nonetheless he trains himself to mentally project himself light years distant, whilst his physical body remains on Earth; on finding the Committee's spaceship is headed to a suitable planet, he surveys it and presents them with maps and charts when they arrive. However, committee member Juliet Canby finds she can touch him, meaning his body on Earth has died. The third strip is "An Empty Earth" where a scout from our world discovers a planet with the same Gravity and atmosphere as Earth, but is a black glass-like sphere, so he classifies it as uninhabitable. However, beneath the glass exterior is a thriving civilisation (see Life on Other Worlds): one inhabitant notices the Earthman and reflects that the sphere was designed to put off "warlike and bestial species", but notes the visitor was "a strong and comely being in our own likeness" and suspects their era of isolation is nearing its end; indeed, on Earth examination of the scout's data has revealed the hidden civilisation: "I think we've discovered friends."
Green Planet has an interesting trio of strips, though "The Man Who Was Here and There!" is somewhat muddled and "An Empty Earth", though attempting optimism, is a little unnerving in its assumptions. "Green Planet" is the best, with the main protagonist trying to avoid violence and the sharing of consciousness not being seen as a threat to individuality. The short text story features a ghost (see Supernatural Creatures). [SP]
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