In Remembrance of Newspaper Strips: Beyond Mars

Jack Williamson was a man who truly spanned eras. While an infant, his parents brought him to New Mexico on a covered wagon. Yet, as a science fiction writer, he is widely acknowledged for coining the terms “genetic engineering” and “terraforming.” He also did something that was once considered cutting-edge, but is now seen as sadly old-fashioned. He wrote a science fiction continuity newspaper comic strip. Regrettably, this art form is dying, but not from artistic failures, but because of the implosion of their distribution method—newspapers. It is a shame, so let’s take stock of some of the best that once were, starting with Williamson’s Beyond Mars on the day his 118th birthday.

Thanks to antimatter, humanity now mines the asteroids beyond Mars, but it is hard work, for hard men, like prospector and pilot-for-hire Mike Flynt. However, if you happen to be a pretty Earthling woman who finds herself in trouble out in the asteroid belt, Flynt is the man you need to see. It happens more frequently than you’d think—or maybe not.

Flynt is part of the hardscrabble generation that grew up on Brooklyn Rock, never really knowing Earth. He still lives with his doting mother and works with Sam Smith, a snake-like Venusian, who eats metal. Obviously, Smith can be quite a handy prospecting partner. He also has a lisp, because he learned English from an Earther with a speech impediment. Consequently, he is often referred to as Tham Thmith. That is probably the one aspect of Beyond Mars that has not aged well.

Regardless, Lee Elias’s art is quite distinctive. His women look like 1950s fashion models and his rakishly mustached villains could pass for Errol Flynn in his prime. Plus, his space ships and astronomical art capture the wonder of the Golden Age of science fiction. However, Smith and Jimikin, the wild space boy, look very cartoony. Yet, instead of clashing, this mixture of styles makes Beyond Mars wonderfully distinctive.

Williamson also had a talent for advancing his storylines at a pleasantly brisk speed. Initially, he had the advantage off writing for a full Sunday page, so he could include a quick recap box in the top lefthand corner. Yet, he maintained the pace even when the strip was cut back to a half page.

In fact, it is impressive how well his storylines still hold up. It was set in the universe of Williamson’s Seetee Ship novels, so he already had social and scientific frameworks in place. Admittedly, it is unlikely Smith could hail from Venus, but readers can easily substitute a fictional planet in their heads. Regardless, over seventy years later, there are very few fictional aliens who directly compare to him. There is also a working-class, family-values vibe to Brooklyn Rock that is quite appealing.

Beyond Mars’s biggest disappointment was largely out of Williamson’s control. Clearly, when the strip received its cancelation notice, he had to wrap up the current storyline in maybe two or three weeks, when it should have had more time to play out in a fuller, more logical manner. Still, it is nice faithful fans were left with an unresolved cliffhanger.

In a way, Beyond Mars’s termination foreshadows the general troubles now facing all newspaper strips. It was conceived as an exclusive to the New York Sunday News, so as the paper’s circulation fell, Beyond Mars got the axe through no fault of its own. It is a shame the strip did not run longer, because it is a rollickingly good time.

It is also a shame that newspaper strips have lost their cultural visibility. It is not like people don’t like the characters anymore. Most folks still like Garfield (his recent movie over-performed) and absolutely everyone loves Snoopy. There still must be an audience for Flash Gordon and Dick Tracy, as well, or Mad Cave wouldn’t keep publishing new comic book adventures for them. However, with daily newspapers disappearing, this art-form is dying a slow death. It is hard to conceive of a good alternative, because the comic section allowed two or three dozen strips to work together to retain readers. Nevertheless, a great strip (including Beyond Mars) was something really special, so we should be mindful of the artform’s endangered status.