As far back as I can remember I have been interested in, and excited by the ideas of traveling to other planets, meeting alien life forms, and having a friendly robot sidekick that could help me fix my Star Drive so I continue my grand adventures through the the galaxy.
I can't think of a single catalyst for my obsession with Space Adventure Science Fiction.
I can only think of dozens.
It confounds me to no end how so many Fantasy fans who started gaming in 1977 (like I did) were exposed to their genre of choice. I remember little to no Medieval Fantasy being readily accessible to an 8 year old me beyond books on mythology, the Oz stories, and a few animated cartoons. I recall the coffee table books Faeries, and Gnomes of course, but not much else I'm afraid.
Science Fiction on the other hand was everywhere.
By August of 1977 I had every episode of the original Star Trek series committed to memory. I had watched Lost in Space, as well as Space:1999. The Saturday Afternoon movies on our local TV stations featured such classics as The Day The Earth Stood Still, and This Island Earth. I had seen Star Wars a number of times. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a few months away.
It wasn't all so serious either. Sid and Marty Krofft had given us Far Out Space Nuts, and the Lost Saucer by then.
Comic books were full of Science Fiction heroes, and space adventures, from DC's Legion of Superheroes and Adam Strange, to Marvel's Kree-Skrull War, Silver Surfer and much, much more.
In addition to toys from the various popular TV shows, and movies there were Sci-Fi toys that existed solely because SCIENCE FICTION DAMN IT! Major Matt Mason, The Outer Space Men, Fisher Price Adventure People, and others.
Books! I don't even know where to start with books. About a year after Star Wars the Terran Trade Authority series came out, and I was hooked on the combination of amazing 1970s Science Fiction, and Space Art, and the stories of the Earth's war rattled, star spanning future.
I couldn't get enough. I still can't. I might be bored of telling a particular story, but I never tire of outer space as the setting for epic adventure. Be it the void between worlds, the command deck of an interstellar vessel that takes you to fantastic vistas light years from Sol, or the strange landscape of a cold desert planet with three oblong moons, Science Fiction inspires my mind like nothing else.
This month, along some other fun things I have in store for all of you, I will be focusing primarily on a Science Fiction/Space Adventure theme. Popular post series such as Campaigns I Have Known, Thorough Thursdays, and the like will appear, with a distinctly Sci-Fi air about them.
Also look out for Player Profiles! My first one was surprisingly well received based on the number of views, and I can't wait to do some more. I've been delayed because the people I want to feature have been very busy, but I think we're ready to go full throttle very soon.
Well, that's my introduction to August 2016, and the Summer Science Fiction Space Spectacular here at Barking Alien.
You are cleared to dock at the orbital facilities...
Have Space Suit - Will Travel.
AD
Barking Alien
No comments:
Post a Comment