Frank Reade is a forgotten superhero of American sci-fi history.
The world’s first science fiction periodical, Frank Reade dime-novels had helicopters and airships before Jules Verne, but while the famous French adventure novelist is still considered a major literary author around the world today, who’s ever heard of Frank Reade?
Published under the anonymous pseudonym, “No Name”, during the 19th century boom of boys’ cheap fiction, the series followed the adventures of the Reade family: Frank Reade; his son, Frank Reade Jr., and grandson Frank Reade III. While the first five stories starred Frank Reade, Sr, adventurer and inventor of steam-robots, most of the 184 stories featured the second generation of the Reade clan, a teenage hero-inventor who travelled the globe in his electric machines. - - Messy nessy
Of course, all of these were just fanciful inventions of the steampunk age....
The mother lode is at Frank Reade Library (Science Fiction) - Comic Book Plus
Posted by gerardvanderleun at September 4, 2016 3:04 PM
And do not forget Boilerplate:
http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/intro.html
Posted by: DaveH at September 4, 2016 7:57 PMThe world’s first science fiction periodical, Frank Reade dime-novels had helicopters and airships before Jules Verne, but while the famous French adventure novelist is still considered a major literary author around the world today.
Posted by: USA at September 4, 2016 10:13 PMDrop by James Lileks' Frank Reade Jr site:
http://lileks.com/misc/frankreade/index.html
From Lileks' commentary: "The author was in fact Luis Senarens, which someone called “the American Jules Verne.” You’ll see why that’s so, and you’ll come to love these intrepid tales. And you’ll never quite shake the desire to pop that nerd in the kisser, either."
First, who was responsible for the engravings, which were the real stuff of fantasy for a kid?
Second, thanks to OldFert for the Lileks link, which provided more information than expected. Lileks's cutesie-pie remarks on those dime novels is the perfect illustration of what has always been so annoying about his arch commentary on just about everything that's ever caught his attention. "Insufferably smug," indeed.
"...you’ll never quite shake the desire to pop that nerd." Well, yeah, (James).
Posted by: Rob De Witt at September 5, 2016 7:27 AMRob De Witt: I saw an article where Lileks was interviewed. The author referred to him as a smarty pants, which I think is a good description. I like his Bleats and other forays into light pop culture (spanning several decades). He's a fun read.
Posted by: OldFert at September 5, 2016 8:10 AM More than half a century ago I read the tales of Tom Swift and his xyz. Victor Appleton was the purported author, though I have the feeling that is was someone else. Good kid read adventures with chums and enemies, most of whom were soon engaged in a battle, sometimes for the heart of a fair maiden...
A generation later than Frank Reade & progeny.
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