 |
| cover image found online |
The Metal Man is the first published short story of Jack Williamson. It appeared in the December, 1928, edition of Amazing Stories Magazine. You can read it online here. It begins,
The Metal Man stands in a dark, dusty corner of the Tyburn College Museum. Just who is responsible for the figure being moved there, or why it was done, I do not know. To the casual eye it looks to be merely an ordinary life-size statue. The visitor who gives it a closer view marvels at the minute perfection of the detail of hair and skin; at the silent tragedy in the set, determined expression and poise; and at the remarkable greenish cast of the metal of which it is composed, but, most of all, at the peculiar mark upon its chest. It is a six-sided blot, of a deep crimson hue, with the surface oddly granular and strange wavering lines radiating from it -lines of a lighter shade of red.
Of course it is generally known that the Metal Man was once Professor Thomas Kelvin of the Geology Department.
Posts
All that glisters...
ReplyDeleteScience is _dangerous_!
DeleteYou find such interesting things. I love the title. It makes me think (a bit) of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. I bet they aren't the same though. Happy weekend. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteNo, not the same, but I definitely get why that Tim Man came to your mind when you saw this.
DeleteThe metal man may be interesting, thanks so much for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a lovely weekend,
Big hugs, Caty
I thought it was fascinating how it starts out telling you who the metal man is.
DeleteObvious imagination but seems to be without any form of logic or reality. I much prefer my sci-fi to be more believable. Of course, back then maybe people had very little knowledge of radium and radium poisoning. What a strange tale. I guess perfect for the magazine. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not the best judge of scientific accuracy in fiction, so I tend to suspend all disbelief and just enter the story on its own terms. Like fairy tales lol Except when there's time travel involved, and then I'm ready to criticize it _all_ ;)
Delete