Alien Invasions, Pulp Comics, and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Contexts in Orson Welles's radio production of War of the Worlds and Superman comics.

1. Alien Invasions, Pulp Comics,
and Watchmen

2. The War of the Worlds
• Published 1898, novel by H. G. Wells
(also author of The Time Machine)
• Sci Fi as critique of militant imperial
practices around the world
– Brute force impact on native populations
and cultures
– European Empirescheapening of human
lives
• Wells: envisions world under attack by
Martians
• Militant, efficient, uncaring aliens: seek
total subjugation of humans, who will
be herded and bred like cattle.
• Inspires the alien invasion genre of SF:
novels, film, comic books…radio
shows!

3. 1938: War of the Worlds—for real?
• radio broadcast, Oct. 30, 1938: meteorite devastates NJ,
and NYC under attack by Martians!
• Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater Group: radio drama
adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel: made to sound like real
CBS radio broadcast of breaking news!
• Thousands of terrified listeners phone newspaper offices,
police stations, radio stations asking about escape routes,
gas masks, emergency shelters, etc!
• Welles’s voice heard in many other radio shows on SF,
action adventure, crime fighting:
– also the voice of the radio character “The Shadow” (“Only the
Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men!”)

4. Comic book
adaptations
…and
superheroes
Source: http://www.war-ofthe-
worlds.co.uk/

5. • Superman, 1950
– Orson Welles (of
the radio
broadcast) is
character paired
with Superman to
save the planet!

6. Adrien Veidt’s “Alien Invasion”
• Related to extreme images of comic book
pulps—history of comics, and history of
politically motivated SF
• Improbability factor: stymies enemies,
world powers (The Comedian)
• Vision of world shocked into peace…?

7. Being and Becoming Heroes
• Veidt (Ozymandias): classical heroes (Alexander the
Great, Ramses II (Ozymandias)
• Dreiberg (Nite Owl): Birds of Prey, ornithology (end of
ch. 7)
• Rorschach: ultimate justice without mercy? (“Shadow”)
• Comedian: fighter “hero”aggressive/destructive
impulses, enforcement of power
• Laurie Jupeszyk (Silk Spectre? Or new image?
Leather/mask (p. 30): response to parents’ legacy
• Jon Osterman (Dr. Manhattan): new creator?
• Power of self-determination?

8. Print Publications at the Newstand
• Pirate comic— “Tales of the Black
Freighter”: see end of Ch. 4 for context
• Role of comics in world?
– Missing writer: Max Shea… role in this story?
(Ch. 10, p. 17)
• Media image of Costumed Heroes:
– New Frontiersman (end of Ch. 8)
– Celebrity profile (Sally Jupiter) (end of Ch. 9)
– Interview with Veidt (end of Ch. 11)

9. New World Vision?
• Veidt’s commercial vision:
NostalgiaMillenium
• World peace?
• Last two pages

10. New World Vision?
• Veidt’s commercial vision:
NostalgiaMillenium
• World peace?
• Last two pages