The Official Doc Savage Thread

[deathshead2]

Whats with his hair?

 

[The Question]

When Marvel comics first did Doc....they set him in modern day...it didn't seem to work too well. It might just need the proper execution. But personally, I love things set pre WWII.

Well, one thing that would make it work best is if they don't get all "LOL MODERNDAYROXORZ!!1" Have Doc be the same old Doc, don't have him going on tirades about current affairs or any of that crap. Have him serve as what he is: The ideal of the adventuring, risk taking scientist who applies equal amounts of logic and heart to what he does. Placing that against the seemingly cold sterility and/or shallow, comercial cheeseyness of modern science would make for an interesting juxtaposition.

 

[Morg]

"The Land of Terror" would be great.....Doc finds an island down around New Zealand full of dinosaurs.

Hmm interesting what about: The Monsters or Spook Legion?

 

[Showtime]

Hmm interesting what about: The Monsters or Spook Legion?

What are the premises of those two?

 

[Showtime]

Art by James Bama

Very very cool.

You should post your art here as well.

 

[C. Lee]

Whats with his hair?

His hair in the books is described as short, dark blonde, and with a widow's peak (that's where it comes down in a point in the middle of the forehead instead of straight across like most people's)....and as you can see from the pic in the first post, the artists of the pulp magazines made his hair look normal.

When Bantam books started reprinting the stories in the 60's.....they hired James Bama (one of the best, most used, and respected artists of that time) to do the covers. His first painting of Doc gave him hair like in the pulp covers. The Bantam people liked his work, but wanted to give it a little more stranger look due to it's science fiction background. Bama then changed the hair to the look in the pics I posted......which has become what most people now know and emulate in their drawings.

 

[C. Lee]

Hmm interesting what about: The Monsters or Spook Legion?

What are the premises of those two?

The Monsters:
The scum of the earth, gathered from prisons around the world, turned into giants....

The Spook Legion:
An international conspiracy rains terror on New York, crooks who can't be seen, and vast underground empire with plans to take over the world.

 

[Showtime]

Oh no, the picture doesn't come in?

 

[C. Lee]

Pictures are working for me.

 

[Showtime]

I had to click on them and paste them in the address window to get them to work, but now I see them.

I think that the Spook Legion looks like a great adaptation if brought to the big screen. What about his origin? What serial follows his origins?

 

[Showtime]

 

[C. Lee]

What about his origin? What serial follows his origins?

Doc was raised by his father from childhood to be adventuresome, inquisitive, moraly upright, fight against injustice, and help those who need it. He is the ultimate boyscout....like many describe Superman.

Doc is fantasticly rich, a great detective, not very humorous (the humor in the books come from the sidekicks), very focused, absolutely hates the criminal element of the world, and is prepared for all situations.....like Batman.

 

[Showtime]

Sounds like a good combo to me, so is there a particular serial/comic that points to his origin.

 

[C. Lee]

Sounds like a good combo to me, so is there a particular serial/comic that points to his origin.

Remember.....Doc was created years before those guys.

Things about his origin are mentioned in most of the books (sort of a recap for those who came in late).....noted sci fi author Philip Jose Farmer wrote the definative "fake" biography of him called "Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life" (a great piece of fiction, wrote as if Doc, Tarzan, Bond, Holmes and many others were real historical figures).....after Bantam republished all 181 of the original books, they started publishing a few new adventures ghostwritten by Wil Murray.....Philip Jose Farmer did one also, "Escape From Loki", telling the story mentioned, but never before expanded upon, of Doc's first meeting of his "fabulous five" crew and their escape from a World War One German prison camp.

Doc has a group of buddies that travel around the world with him on his adventures. All of them don't appeare in every book (they have quite impressive solo carreers too) but at least one of them is involved in all books.

The Fabulous Five are:
William Harper Littlejohn - "Johnny" - expert in geology and archaeology.
Colonel John Renwick - "Renny" - expert engeneer.
Lietenant Colonel Andrew Blodget Mayfair - "Monk" - world reknowned chemist.
Major Thomas J. Roberts - "Long Tom" - electrical wizard.
Brigadier General Theodore Marley Brooks - "Ham" - the best lawyer money can buy.

Also appearing in many books is Doc's cousin Patricia "Pat" Savage....beautiful, reckless, fearless.....and a damn fine shot.

 

[Showtime]

I know he was, it seems the heroes we know and love were influenced by Doc. Thanks for that info. That's great.

I have been reading up alot on Doc, and will continue to do so throughout this month and into next.

Then I will suprise you with something epic.

 

[C. Lee]

I like epics.

 

[Showtime]

My writing partner and I, are already outlining the story. It's going to have to go pretty quickly to get it to our agent. We'll see what happens.

 

[C. Lee]

Just don't make it campy like the Ron Ely movie.

 

[deathshead2]

His hair in the books is described as short, dark blonde, and with a widow's peak (that's where it comes down in a point in the middle of the forehead instead of straight across like most people's)....and as you can see from the pic in the first post, the artists of the pulp magazines made his hair look normal.

When Bantam books started reprinting the stories in the 60's.....they hired James Bama (one of the best, most used, and respected artists of that time) to do the covers. His first painting of Doc gave him hair like in the pulp covers. The Bantam people liked his work, but wanted to give it a little more stranger look due to it's science fiction background. Bama then changed the hair to the look in the pics I posted......which has become what most people now know and emulate in their drawings.

His hair looks like a helmet.

 

[C. Lee]

His hair looks like a helmet.

Like I said.....the original drawings and paintings in the 30's and 40's had his hair looking normal and like anyone elses at that time. For the reprints in the 60's, the publishers decided to go for a more scince fiction, otherworldly look. Thus the pronounced widow's peak and "helmet like"look to it.

 

[Showtime]

Just don't make it campy like the Ron Ely movie.

What we are thinking so far, and it's early yet, is that we are going to tell an origin story detailing how Clark Savage Jr. became...Doc Savage. Starting with the loss of his mother at sea, his training as a child and teen, and leading into the mysterious death of his father where the story takes off.

 

[C. Lee]

Sounds good. His adventures during The Great War need to be explored also.

 

[Showtime]

We were thinking that this is the first time where we can show Doc's abilities in the field

 

[Showtime]

 

[Showtime]

Sounds good. His adventures during The Great War need to be explored also.

Ok...obviously I am knew to the whole Doc Savage world, I didn't realize the previous movie explored the mystery behind his father's death. I think I want to avoid anything to do with that.