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Selected Bibliography: Backer, Dan. A Brief History of Political Cartoons. Charlot-
tesville: University of Virginia, 2000; Benson, John. Interview with Harvey Kurtzman.
West Plains, MO: Russ Cochran, 1986; Levin, Bob. Th e Pirates and the Mouse: Disney’s
War Against the Counterculture. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 2003. Markstein, Don.
“Supersnipe. Don Markstein’s Toonpedia,” (2003). Toonopedia.com, http://www.
toonopedia.com/suprsnip.htm; “Tijuana Bible Basics, Part One.” Tijuanabible.org,
http://www.tijuanabible.org/articles/tijuana-bibles-a-history-of-dirty-comics.html.
Diana Green
SCIENCE FICTION. Science fi ction has been a popular and durable genre of comics,
which have sometimes been able to convey a sense of awe and wonder lacking in other
forms of popular science fi ction. Th e history of science fi ction (sf ) in modern comics
can be traced back to January 7, 1929, with the debut appearance of Buck Rogers in
the Year 2429 A.D., America’s fi rst science-fi ction newspaper comic strip. Buck Rog-
ers is a U.S. Air Force lieutenant who fi nds himself waking in the 25th century,
some 500 years in his own future. Th is is due to fumes inhaled during a mine cave-in,
which engendered the eff ect of suspended animation. He is joined by Wilma Deering
and Dr. Huer, citizens of this future, with Buck becoming its champion by defeat-
ing invaders and enemies including the Mongols, the tiger-men of Mars, the pirates
from outer space, and Buck’s nemesis, Killer Kane, accompanied by Ardala Valmar, his
female companion.
Th e title of the strip would later change to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and
fi nally Buck Rogers. It was initially drawn by Richard ‘Dick’ Calkins and scripted by
Philip Francis Nowlan, and was distributed by John Flint Dille of the National News-
paper Service syndicate. Nowlan adapted his prose story Armageddon 2419 A.D.,
which had originally appeared in Amazing Stories, a noted pulp science-fi ction mag-
azine, in August 1928. In this initial prose incarnation the protagonist was called
Anthony Rogers, with “Buck” being a nickname. Nowlan also wrote a prose sequel, Th e
Airlords of Han, which appeared in the March 1929 edition of Amazing Stories.
Later artists for the strip were Murphy Anderson (1947–49), Leon Dworkins
(1949–51), Anderson again (1958–59), and George Tuska (1959–67). Calkins took
over scripting duties after Nowlan (1940–47), followed by Bob Barton (1947–51),
Rick Yager (1951–58) and others, including Fritz Leiber, the noted sf author.
A Sunday strip began on March 30, 1930. It initially focused on two supporting
characters, Bud Deering (Wilma’s younger brother) and Princess Alura from Mars.
Buck Rogers later assumed the role of protagonist for this Sunday strip until it ended
in 1965. Art duties on the strip were undertaken by Russell Keaton (1930–33), Yager
(1933–58), Anderson (1958–59), and Tuska (1959–65). Script duties were assumed
by writers including Nowlan (1930–40) and Yager (1940–58).
Th e strip was revived under the title Buck Rogers in the 25th Century in 1979 by
Gray Morrow and Jim Lawrence. Cary Bates took over scripting duties in 1981, with
Jack Sparling taking over art duties in 1982. Th e strip lasted until 1983. A brief comic
