#armageddon 2419 AD

[thehauntedrocket]

Vintage Paperback - Armagedden 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan

Ace (1962)

[thelastofthebookworms]

You'll find the other polls in my 'sf polls' tag / my pinned post.

[kekwcomics]

AMAZING STORIES #8 (Experimenter Publishing, 1928)

"Buck Rogers Armageddon 2419 AD" - first Buck Rogers appearance.

[70sscifiart]

[pulpscifi]

[ebooksandpaperbacks]

Armageddon 2419 A. D. by Philip Francis Nowlan

Armageddon 2419 A.D. is a science fiction novella by Philip Francis Nowlan which first appeared in the August 1928 issue of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories. A sequel called The Airlords of Han was published in the March 1929 issue of Amazing Stories.  In the 1960s, Nowlan's two novellas were combined by editor Donald A. Wollheim into one paperback novel, titled Armageddon 2419 A.D. The characters and setting eventually evolved into Buck Rogers.

Nowlan’s novella tells about the United States in the 25th century, conquered by Hans in 2109 AD and only now beginning to rebel. Sometime after World War I, nearly all the European powers joined forces against the United States. Although the US won the war, both sides were devastated by the conflict. Taking advantage of the chaos that followed, the "Russian Soviets" (Soviet Union) joined forces with the "Mongolians" to take over Europe. The US collapsed economically and stagnated while the "Mongolians" turned against the Russians and defeated them as part of their campaign of world conquest.

American efforts to avoid war with the "Mongolians" failed, and in 2109 AD, the latter attacked the US using fleets of airships armed with disintegrator rays. They attacked from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and down from Canada. After conquering the US and Canada, these "Airlords of Han" ruled North America as a province of the world empire, from 15 great cities they established across the continent. They ignored the Americans, who were left to fend for themselves in the forests and mountains as the "Mongolians'" advanced technology prevented the need for slave labor. From time to time, they raid American land "to keep the 'wild' Americans on the run within the shelter of their forests, and prevent their becoming a menace to the Han civilization."

Living in cooperative gangs and hiding in the forests from the Hans, Americans secretly rebuild their civilization and develop the new technologies "inertron" and "ultron". Inertron is a substance with "reverse weight" (anti-gravitational properties), so that a person carrying an amount of inertron equal to most of his weight (in the form of a “jumper” – "rocket motors encased in inertron blocks and strapped to the back") can travel rapidly across country in long leaps. Ultron, in turn, is an "absolutely invisible and non-reflective solid of great molecular density and moderate elasticity, which has the property of being 100 percent conductive to those pulsations known as light, electricity and heat." The Americans use these technologies, as well as explosive rockets and radio frequencies the enemy cannot detect, in their struggle with the Hans.

[ramajmedia]

Characters That Should Be Public Domain (If It Wasn't For Disney)

Disney's corporate lobbying means a whole host of characters and concepts are still in copyright, when they'd otherwise be in the public domain. The relationship between Disney and Sony Pictures recently broke down, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe losing Spider-Man as a result. In an ironic twist, without Disney's lobbying, Spider-Man would be in the public domain by now.

Disney has long been fighting a running political battle to ensure the copyright license to Mickey Mouse continues for as long as possible. As a direct result of Disney's lobbying, in 1976 and again in 1998, Congress extended the duration of copyright to allow Disney to keep Mickey safe and secure. These extended copyright terms have had a strange effect on the entertainment industry, especially given film studios and networks increasingly depend on old and established franchises. If not for Disney, a number of high-profile superheroes would now be public domain, which would have a profound impact on Hollywood.

Related: Disney Has Just Had Its Worst Week

There are literally hundreds of established franchises that are still protected because of Disney's corporate lobbying. Let's take a look at some of the ones that are only protected because of the last extension, in 1998.

The most obvious one is Mickey Mouse's origin story, Steamboat Willie, which Disney has been scrambling to protect all this time. The copyright to Steamboat Willie is currently set to expire in 2024, which will bring Disney's best-known character into the public domain. The House of Mouse seems to have accepted defeat at last, and there's no evidence they're intending to push for another extension.

Created by A.A. Milne in 1924, Winnie the Pooh is a very important bear indeed. Comic book pioneer Stephen Slesinger bought the copyright from Milne in 1930, and his widow licensed the rights to Disney in 1953. In 1991, the Slesinger family sued Disney, claiming they'd been short-changed in the deal, and the court case dragged out some 18 years before the House of Mouse emerged triumphant. The irony is that the copyright would have long since expired if not for the 1976 extension, and anyone would be able to use Winnie the Pooh. The bear of very little brain will become public domain in 2026.

The general story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is long since public domain, but Disney's specific portrayal is copyrighted until 2032. Until then, anyone can make a Snow White story, but the House of Mouse alone can call the Dwarves Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Happy, Bashful, and Doc. What's more, Snow White isn't the only Disney film currently protected thanks to the extensions to copyright; the same is true of Pinocchio as well.

Related: All The Live-Action Disney Remakes In Development

Ironically, Disney's corporate lobbying also secured extended copyright for some of their rivals' trademarks as well. Take the example of Bugs Bunny, whose first story falls into the public domain in 2035. There's some discussion on whether Warner Bros. will attempt to claim Bugs is their "intellectual property," which may give them a way to keep the bunny to themselves for a little longer. It would, no doubt, be contested.

In 2015, veteran producer Don Murphy (Natural Born Killers, Transformers) announced that he was beginning work on Armageddon 2419, a movie that was based on Philip Nowlan's first Buck Rogers novel. Unfortunately, he sound wound up embroiled in copyright law, simply because the character is never named "Buck" in that first book, and it's wound up going to court. In the case of Buck Rogers, different aspects of the hero's character and arc will become public domain depending on when they were published. Again, this issue would have passed long ago if not for the copyright extensions.

Comic books are big business nowadays, if only because they inspire some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of all time. But, if not for the copyright extensions of 1976 and 1998, a lot of iconic characters would have begun to enter the public domain. How would Warner Bros. deal with a world in which anyone could make a Superman film? THR spoke to a Warner Bros. lawyer, who contended that trademark law - a separate form of intellectual property - may apply in this case. They further pointed out that not everything is black and white when dealing with serialized works like comic books. "Superman's power of flight was not introduced until some years after the character first appeared," they noted. The copyright will begin to expire in 2033, and it's safe to say this one's going to wind up in court.

Superman isn't the only DC superhero to be affected by this. Batman was created in 1939, and his copyright is currently due to end in 2034. This will prove quite an interesting case, because Batman is well known for the quality of his rogues' gallery, and many of those characters - including the Joker - won't be in public domain for a few years after. Even Batman's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth wasn't created until 1943, meaning he can't be used until 2038.

The problem facing Warner Bros., though, will be that many of Batman's core attributes are implied in the original comics. In 2014, the Conan Doyle estate attempted to strengthen Sherlock Holmes copyright in court, and failed. As influential Judge Richard Posner observed, "the ten Holmes-Watson stories in which copyright persists are derivative from the earlier stories, so only original elements added in the later stories remain protected." Again, this will be tested in court - and given the strength of the Batman brand, it's safe to say Warner Bros. will do everything in their power to keep the Dark Knight safe.

Related: The Best Superhero Movie Performances Of The Decade

Marvel's heroes were generally created later, in the 1960s and beyond, and so wouldn't yet be affected by this copyright debate. One exception, however, is Captain America himself. He was created in 1941 and, without the 1998 legislation, he'd be in public domain as well; in this case, the copyright will expire in 2036. This is one case where the serialized nature of comic books really will kick in, though. As an example, his sidekick Bucky Barnes will lose copyright in 2036 as well, but Bucky's later Winter Soldier identity certainly wasn't implicit in the original comics. That particular arc will be safe until 2100.

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The current extended copyright terms have had a strange effect on American culture. Companies like Disney and Warner Bros. remain focused on characters and concepts that are decades old, rather than creating new brands, and as a result, nostalgia has become the driving force of contemporary society. The current Golden Age of superhero films is largely based on characters from the 1940s through to the 1960s, and few new brands have the power of superheroes like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, the X-Men, and Captain America. The world would no doubt be very different if copyright terms were shorter, and if corporate lobbying hadn't successfully changed the laws to protect a certain mouse.

More: The Winners And Losers Of The 2019 Summer Box Office

source https://screenrant.com/characters-public-domain-disney-copyright-lobby/

[pulpfest]

With the August 1928 number of AMAZING STORIES, Gernsback introduced his readers to E. E. “Doc” Smith’s “The Skylark of Space.” Also appearing in the issue was Philip Francis Nowlan’s “Armageddon — 2419 AD,” the first tale to feature Buck Rogers. Smith’s and Nowlan’s “space operas” would color science fiction for well over a decade, turning the genre away from the Munsey type of story — popular with a wide range of readers, both male and female — and toward “that crazy Buck Rogers stuff.” The issue — featuring cover art by Frank R. Paul — was probably the high water mark of Gernsback’s 37 issues of AMAZING STORIES. https://www.instagram.com/p/By_1XYYh8fZ/?igshid=1o6oe19ajixs4

[pavementpodcast]

TMTYR Episode #69: Silver-Clad Lady Fantasy Dream (Buck Rogers)

For a very groovy episode 69 (not deliberate, but appropriate), the Pavement Pounders discuss Armageddon 2419 AD by Philip Francis Nowlan, basis for several adaptations, including Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979 movie/series) and Planet Outlaws (1953 edit of the original 30s movie serial).

Rankings!:

Colin/James/Seth:

1979 movie/series

novella

Planet Outlaws

Over the next year, we’re going…

[aviarsavijon-blog]

Armageddon 2419 AD (SF Audiobook) by Philip Francis Nowlan

[thehauntedrocket]

Vintage Paperback - Armagedden 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan

Ace (1972)

[craigfernandez]

From the Journal of Anthony “Buck” Rogers

Entry #1: 10/20/2419

I’ve been asked to keep this journal. It seems the telepaths that they use to monitor the psychological well-being of my “Futuremen” find my primitive thought patterns too disturbing (the last one, Nowlan, was left sobbing for days so at least I’m spared the mental probings that I wasn’t comfortable in the first place).

What I’ve been asked to discuss are my actions in the Battle for New Philadelphia. It seems breaking formation and going on a few, what they called “criminally suicidal” solo battle sorties, is frowned upon, even when they were the deciding actions of the day. So, along with some medals, I’ve also been forced to sit through a day’s worth of mental evaluatations and I have to keep this damn journal.

Fine.

I’ve got some questions here they want me to answer so I’ll answer the first, “Describe any and all feelings of disorientation you feel having awoken 500 years after your last memory.”

I’m assuming that my Futuremen want to know if my “disorientation” has left me feeling “suicidal”, which might go a long way to explaining my actions in battle yesterday.

I have given this matter a lot of thought. To be honest, my preoccupation with and consideration of my current situation are the defining actions of my days. At first I thought what I was feeling was the longing of an orphan. Cut off from family and friends and all that had once been important to me… “orphan”, but I now realize it’s something much worse. I am not an orphan. Those people didn’t die. They went on living. They lived long full lives. Women I loved had children with other men, my brother married and had 3 sons, my friends made their way through the world, and all this done without me. They lived. I was the person who died.

And now I wake up in world that means nothing to me. I see it. I can see the trouble my Futuremen are in and I know I can help and that I can make a difference but I also know I don’t belong here which, reduces all their troubles to those of shadows, like the flickering images of the movies of Pickford and Fairbanks. Exciting, but none of my concern.

I’ve tried to engage, but… it has been difficult.

Now let me tell you my secret, how I get through my days. It couldn’t be more surprising, or more ridiculous. It was when that Colonel Wilma Deering was assigned to make me battle ready. Watching her arrive at the Science Tower wearing that garish jetpack…

To you, my Futuremen, the idea of wearing rockets attached to your back is as common as being able to ride a horse was in my time. Training, skill, practice; these are things you do, but to me…

In the air, suspended above the world, the rumble of engines throbbing into my spine, seeing the earth spin below me as I’ve always thought angels must see it, I feel alive, alive in a way that only a once dead man can appreciate.

Much of it is the danger. I am from the 20th Century, but am a child of the 19th. When I was a boy, men only flew in the works of Jules Verne so, for me, this thing which is second nature to you, makes this nightmare that my life has become something palatable by turning it into a… dream.

This thing I am living now, this future-haze so far away from the life I could have had, the life that I wanted, is a dream, a dream in which I fly and women are equal to men and a desperate battle is being fought and I am an angel that has been tasked with making things right.

All right.

Fair enough.

I can do that.

I think that’s enough now. I’ll write more later, but I’m sure you have more than enough to ponder while you consider reassigning to my battle group.

Yours,

Anthony “Buck” Rogers.

[pulpscifi]