THE MAN FROM MARS
(Ray Palmer’s Amazing Pulp Journey)
By Fred Nadis
Tacher/Peguin Books
263 pages
The first time I ever heard about someone named Ray Palmer,
it was in the pages of DC comics Silver Age title, “The Atom,” written by former
pulp writer Gardner Fox with art by Gil Kane and edited by Julius
Schwartz. What I, and many of my kid
colleagues didn’t know was that Schwartz had named the miniscule hero after the
legendary science fiction pulp editor, Raymond Arthur Palmer (August 1, 1910 to
August 15, 1977), one of the most colorful and controversial characters ever to
put pen to paper.
And now we have “The Man From Mars,” by Fred Nadis, a truly
remarkable, in-depth look at a unique, one-of-kind personality who both helped
in the development of science fiction as a legitimate literary genre and was
later accused by fanatical fans for having betrayed it by publishing works of
sheer fantasy professing outlandish claims.
Crippled by an accident at the age of seven which broke his back,
Palmer suffered a botched operation that stunted his growth and left him with a
hunchback; he would never grow beyond four feet tall. And yet there was an inimitable will inside
him that burned like a spiritual nova propelling him to explore the world’s
mysteries. Credited with starting the
first ever fanzine, The Comet, in 1930, Palmer would become a driving force in
the sci-fi community until being hired to be the editor of Amazing Stories in
1938.
Nadis’s narrative is a rollicking, topsy-turvy ride through
the ups and downs of one of the most fascinating personages in the cultural
history of America. Whether praised or vilified, it was clear Ray
Palmer, nicknamed Rap, was an original and this volume is an honest look into
both his life and the origins of “geekdom.”
If you are a fan of the pulps, comic books, science fiction, or occult
mysticism, you will find something in this tale to make you sit up and take
notice.
I am always leery of biographies, as too many do their
subject matter a cruel disservice. The
last thing a book about a showman like Ray Palmer should ever be is dull and
boring. To Fred Nadis’ credit, “The Man
From Mars” is truly anything but a fascinating and fun read from beginning to
end. Pick up a copy and get to know a
truly amazing man. You will be glad you
did.
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