Synopsis
A plague originating at Jupiter is literally turning people into apes. Captain Future is sent to investigate.
History
First publication: Captain Future, Winter 1940
Review
In the early days of the science fiction pulp magazines there were a lot of heroes invented: The Shadow, Doc Savage, etc., but none of them were truly science fiction characters. There were comic strips of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon but these were in the newspapers. Captain Future filled that void. While reading this I kept having the feeling that this had to be a major influence on Star Wars. The story definitely could be turned into a movie, with a bit of updating and a little more sophistication to the story and dialog and characters. At any rate, this was meant for teenagers in 1940, so you have to take it like that. If you can step back in your mind to that time and that point in life, this story really comes alive and is a rousing adventure. I could nitpick the science, the way the woman is just there to swoon over Captain Future and some plot points that were a stretch, but that takes the innocent fun out of these stories. I could nitpick Star Wars and Star Trek also. So I just sat back and let the adventure be fun.
Videos
We have the story in these editions:
Captain Future Winter 1940, edited by Mort Weisinger, trade paperback, Pulp Tales Press, 2022-06-00
All of the stories in the Captain Future series:
Avengers of the Moon
The Death of Captain Future
The Exile of Evening Star
01 Captain Future and the Space Emperor
02 Calling Captain Future
03 Captain Future’s Challenge
04 The Triumph of Captain Future
05 Captain Future and the Seven Space Stones
06 Star Trail to Glory
07 The Magician of Mars
08 The Lost World of Time
09 Quest Beyond the Stars
10 Outlaws of the Moon
11 The Comet Kings
12 Planets in Peril
13 The Face of the Deep
14 Worlds to Come
15 The Star of Dread
16 Magic Moon
17 The Tenth Planet
18 Red Sun of Danger
19 Outlaw World
20 The Solar Invasion
21 The Return of Captain Future
22 Children of the Sun
23 The Harpers of Titan
24 Pardon My Iron Nerves
25 Moon of the Unforgotten
26 Earthmen No More
27 Birthplace of Creation
