Reds fanfic

E. Burke

Banned
This a thread to post any stuff for Reds that u do to feel need to be put on the main thread. I'll post some stuff later.
 

E. Burke

Banned
You could just put stuff on the Great Crusade thread itself, if you wanted.

But then people think theirs an update. Also it's really hard to coagulate. I've been trying to read back all the updates and it'd hard.it Their needs to be as unified cannon thread.
 
Well, if you want, I had a brief idea for something that I wanted to do when the timeline reached the Cold War. Can I do that?
 
Two Minutes to Midnight
“Two Minutes to Midnight” is an episode of the anthology television series Beyond the Horizon. It aired on PBS-7 on October 17th, 1963. The episode, written by Rod Serling, and directed by Byron Haskin, was written in part as a commentary on the increasing nuclear tensions between the UASR, the FBU, and the USSR, especially in the face of events such as the Irish Missile Crisis. It was meant to present how one may take the logical extreme to try to solve it.
The episode starts with the news that several major cities, including Deleon-Debs, DC, London, Delhi, Beijing, and Moscow, were hit with “cobalt laced bombs (based on Leo Szilard’s concept for a cobalt bomb), ” leaving them uninhabitable. They are followed by a mysterious television broadcast, which stated that an alien race called the Theta had brought the bombs down to conquer the Earth. This action prompts the leaders of the world to set aside their differences and unite against this common enemy. However, reporter William Grey (Robert Culp) is suspicious of this, particularly why there are no more bombs being launched. He has a scientist friend, Ann Johnston (Geraldine Brooks) decipher the signal’s true origin to a small research facility in Peru. Together, they visit the compound and find a much larger facility, apparently run by Dr. Leigh (Richard Kiel). It is run by an international team of scientists, who were growing concerned about the growing nuclear testing between the super powers (none of whom are named), and decided to unite humanity against a common threat. They decided to create an alien threat, and built several cobalt bombs. They were sent beyond the moon, and on signal, each descended on their targets. They then sent a satellite to send a fake broadcast. Their next step is to send a broadcast with an actual alien. When Grey and Johnston try to escape and warn the world, they are captured, and held captive. There, one of the scientists (Rod Taylor) try to convince them of the morality of their actions. Most of the next 15 minutes is a discussion about humanity and the idea that humans tend to be united when faced with a common threat. Whilst Doctor Johnston grows to sympathize with them, Grey is still reluctant. When he tries to escapes, however, the scientists take him into a mysterious location. Soon after, they reveal a broadcast with the fully imagined alien. As the camera moves, it reveals that Grey’s watch is on the table next to the alien, implying that they heavily disfigured Grey to make him the face of their plans. The final narration asks:
“ Whilst the cause these men and women championed is noble, are their means just? Are the lives saved worth the lives lost? How long will this deception last? Nobody has the perfect answer. However, we must remember that no illusion can truly create peace. No magic can solve conflict. Only hard work and reconciliation can help humanity.”
This episode received mixed reviews upon release. Many radicals, including the television critic on the Daily Worker, denounced the idea that capitalism could ever be peaceful with communism, and unify against a common enemy. Others pointed out certain plotholes inside the narrative. When the BBC aired it in the early 70’s, Britons and French alike called it “Red Propaganda.” Soviet television edited the alien out, as it was considered too terrifying for primetime (In hindsight, the alien, just simply having a large forehead, and slightly disfigured features, was not that terrifying). However, it is now considered one of the best episodes of the series, often appearing on top of lists of the best episodes (including number one on the Telos list of best Beyond the Horizon episodes in 2002), and many praise it both as a ethical piece questioning whether the utilitarianistic approach was the correct one, (a potent one, after the attacks on Kyoto and Yokohama were justified in that manner), and also a Cold War tale about preventing Nuclear War, especially in the aftermath of the Quebecois Missile Crisis in 1979.
Later, a similar plot device was used on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s 1985 comic series, Watchmen, where the main villain uses a fake alien invasion to destroy New York, and other major cities, once again to bring about the end of the Cold War. Moore was unaware of the similarity until he came across a book of cult television, which explain the episode and its ending. Moore added a small nod to the episode: A promo for the episode, and the opening narration to Beyond the Horizon is heard on the television towards the very end of the comic. It was also remade as part of the 1988 revival of the series.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was something I have been thinking of for a while. Beyond the Horizon is based off both the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits, and the name was meant partially to invoke both series. The episode is based off "The Architects of Fear," an episode of the Outer Limits, though it also has elements of alien based Twilight Zone episodes, such as "To Serve Man". The Watchmen connection is OTL, in regards to the "Architects."
The reference to the "Irish Missile Crisis" is based off the first draft. It is inconclusive if it still occurs in the second draft.
 
Last edited:

E. Burke

Banned
Two Minutes to Midnight
“Two Minutes to Midnight” is an episode of the anthology television series Beyond the Horizon. It aired on PBS-7 on October 17th, 1963. The episode, written by Rod Serling, and directed by Byron Haskin, was written in part as a commentary on the increasing nuclear tensions between the UASR, the FBU, and the USSR, especially in the face of events such as the Irish Missile Crisis. It was meant to present how one may take the logical extreme to try to solve it.
The episode starts with the news that several major cities, including Deleon-Debs, DC, London, Delhi, Beijing, and Moscow, were hit with “cobalt laced bombs (based on Leo Szilard’s concept for a cobalt bomb), ” leaving them uninhabitable. They are followed by a mysterious television broadcast, which stated that an alien race called the Theta had brought the bombs down to conquer the Earth. This action prompts the leaders of the world to set aside their differences and unite against this common enemy. However, reporter William Grey (Robert Culp) is suspicious of this, particularly why there are no more bombs being launched. He has a scientist friend, Ann Johnston (Geraldine Brooks) decipher the signal’s true origin to a small research facility in Peru. Together, they visit the compound and find a much larger facility, apparently run by Dr. Leigh (Richard Kiel). It is run by an international team of scientists, who were growing concerned about the growing nuclear testing between the super powers (none of whom are named), and decided to unite humanity against a common threat. They decided to create an alien threat, and built several cobalt bombs. They were sent beyond the moon, and on signal, each descended on their targets. They then sent a satellite to send a fake broadcast. Their next step is to send a broadcast with an actual alien. When Grey and Johnston try to escape and warn the world, they are captured, and held captive. There, one of the scientists (Rod Taylor) try to convince them of the morality of their actions. Most of the next 15 minutes is a discussion about humanity and the idea that humans tend to be united when faced with a common threat. Whilst Doctor Johnston grows to sympathize with them, Grey is still reluctant. When he tries to escapes, however, the scientists take him into a mysterious location. Soon after, they reveal a broadcast with the fully imagined alien. As the camera moves, it reveals that Grey’s watch is on the table next to the alien, implying that they heavily disfigured Grey to make him the face of their plans. The final narration asks:
“ Whilst the cause these men and women championed is noble, are their means just? Are the lives saved worth the lives lost? How long will this deception last? Nobody has the perfect answer. However, we must remember that no illusion can truly create peace. No magic can solve conflict. Only hard work and reconciliation can help humanity.”
This episode received mixed reviews upon release. Many radicals, including the television critic on the Daily Worker, denounced the idea that capitalism could ever be peaceful with communism, and unify against a common enemy. Others pointed out certain plotholes inside the narrative. When the BBC aired it in the early 70’s, Britons and French alike called it “Red Propaganda.” Soviet television edited the alien out, as it was considered too terrifying for primetime (In hindsight, the alien, just simply having a large forehead, and slightly disfigured features, was not that terrifying). However, it is now considered one of the best episodes of the series, often appearing on top of lists of the best episodes (including number one on the Telos list of best Beyond the Horizon episodes in 2002), and many praise it both as a ethical piece questioning whether the utilitarianistic approach was the correct one, (a potent one, after the attacks on Kyoto and Yokohama were justified in that manner), and also a Cold War tale about preventing Nuclear War, especially in the aftermath of the Quebecois Missile Crisis in 1979.
Later, a similar plot device was used on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s 1985 comic series, Watchmen, where the main villain uses a fake alien invasion to destroy New York, and other major cities, once again to bring about the end of the Cold War. Moore was unaware of the similarity until he came across a book of cult television, which explain the episode and its ending. Moore added a small nod to the episode: A promo for the episode, and the opening narration to Beyond the Horizon is heard on the television towards the very end of the comic. It was also remade as part of the 1988 revival of the series.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was something I have been thinking of for a while. Beyond the Horizon is based off both the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits, and the name was meant partially to invoke both series. The episode is based off "The Architects of Fear," an episode of the Outer Limits, though it also has elements of alien based Twilight Zone episodes, such as "To Serve Man". The Watchmen connection is OTL, in regards to the "Architects."
The reference to the "Irish Missile Crisis" is based off the first draft. It is inconclusive if it still occurs in the second draft.


Very good.
 
Just an idea I had, based off a comic I read once. If anybody wants, I could also write a piece on India.

"Man Conquers Space" was a series of articles published in the Journal of the Anglo-French Interplanetary Society, and later in various British publications between 1952-1956. These articles were edited by AFIS chairman Arthur C. Clarke, included articles from noted scientists, including Archibald Low, Dr. Fred Hoyle, Willey Ley, and Werhner von Braun. It was translated into French as Conquête de l'espace, and released as a book in 1957. These publications largely centered on man’s colonization of space over the next few decades. This includes a manned space station, a manned mission to the moon, and a manned Mars mission. All of which were branded with the Union Jack.
The first idea was of a space station, which would produce artificial gravity by spinning. This ship would be built by rocket launches, sent from Woomba, Australia; Kanyakumari, Union of India; and Kourou, French Guiana. The rocket would be a ferry rocket, built using a Black Streak Missile as the basis. Then, after they create a manned presence, they will launch a manned moon mission. This was based off of the British Interplanetary Society’s (the AFIS’ predecessors) moon mission proposal in 30’s, except with the powder rocket replaced with a nuclear ferry rocket, and a larger crew. A base will be established on the moon, by the British Space Company (trying to appeal to the conservative, imperialist base by creating a direct allusion to the British East India Company). Then, a widescale mission to Mars would proceed, with the proportions of a military invasion, with a fleet constructed in orbit, and over 70 men, who will land in the poles. Clarke closed out the proceedings, by postulating on a potential mission to the Outer planets, or even to another solar system…

The collection received positive reviews across the Union, and it was considered influential in the decision to form the British Space Program. Both Arthur Clarke and Werhner von Braun were highly influential in that program. Many of the locations for launches were later used for Spaceports, including Kourou and Kanyakumari. Many of the designs for missions would become plans during the 1970’s.
 
Reign of the Supermen

At first I felt somewhat reluctant to do a third entry, because I am the only person that contributed anything to this. However, I a.) had this idea that I wanted to briefly share, and b.) felt like anything I say or write will ultimately not compare to someone spray painting the UASR flag, so I decided, what the hell?:


Comics became a popular industry after the revolution. They were cheap to produce, and easily marketable. They were also cheap to purchase, so children could easily bought them using spare change at stores or restaurants. Comics, however, soon grew beyond reprints of Annie and Popeye. Original material was quickly made. Science fiction, crime, horror, sex... all was there to behold. A growing genre was the Superhero. Having its origins in pulp literature characters (one could argue pre-revolution creation "The Shadow" was a superhero), superheroes were seen as the pinnacle of mankind, using science and technology to help mankind. And it all began with one man fighting for "Truth, Justice, and Socialism."
The first appearance of Superman was pre-revolution. During the early part of the Civil War, in a small self-published science fiction fanzine, "Reign of the Superman" was written in March, 1933. It starred a bald telepath who uses his power for evil. The story was written by Jerry Siegel, who also edited the fanzine. Joe Shuster drew the art for the story. Both were Cleveland high schoolers at time (though Shuster had initially come from Toronto). Shortly after the story's publication, however, they were briefly forced into hiding, due to the recent attacks on Jewish citizens by the White Army. Whilst in a Red Army camp with their families, they conceived of another model for Superman. Here, he was an alien child sent from a dying planet to Earth. Here, he was adopted by a Kansas family, and became known as Clark Kent. Clark Kent decided to become a "hero for the unfortunate," but decided to adopt an identity. "Superman." He also adopted the guise of a mild-mannered reporter. He would be a biblical hero, inspired by Hercules and Sampson, a man who would be faster and stronger than his enemies, and impervious to bullets. This was particularly personal to Siegel, whose father was killed by the robbers a year or so earlier, and also a reaction to the violence around them. They wrote a brief comic on it, but it was lost in the chaos of the early years of the UASR. They decided to try to market their new creation in the newfound country, and shopped around the Comic strips they had made of Superman. They eventually found Syndicated Features Publications, who published the comic anthology Detective Comics. Whilst impressed by the character, they felt that he needed to be updated for the times. Hence, Siegel and Shuster were forced to change the concept drastically. They decided to shoe-horn in a reference to the planet of Superman being run by a "glorious government and society run by the people," which had fallen into decadence. They also removed the parents Sam and Molly Kent, and had Kent be raised on a Kansas Collective farm by most of the farmers. They also took inspiration from the New Soviet Man concept emerging in the USSR. Superman was the perfect socialist, a man who had full self mastery, and would have all the traits of the perfect American worker. Clark Kent, as a civilian, would now be the exemplar proletariat hero (Siegel admitted that he never really liked the influence of that particular concept on the final version of Superman, and felt it diverged him too much from both his mythical sources and from the original idea of Superman he had. Indeed, the early Superman stories tended to downplay that part of him). Shuster decided to make Superman's costume Black, with a red insignia. Finally, they created a new series of stories that featured Superman, with the help of several innocents, destroy a counter-revolutionary base, as well as bust a corrupt public official. In 1938, National accepted the new proposal, and in June, the first issue of Action Comics, featuring Superman proudly standing with the many workers of America in background, was released, and became an instant hit.

Soon, other heroes emerged. Syndicated wanted another superhero, this time to highlight their Detective Comics. Bob Kane, a young cartoonist associated with Syndicated Features, created a new character, The Bat-Man, as a Superman clone with Bat wings. However, Bill Finger, another cartoonist of the collective, decided to change the concept, substitute the wings for a cape, the domino mask for a cowl, and red for black. Finger and Kane had initially intended the character to be a homage to pre-revolution pulp heroes like The Shadow or Zorro. However, when they realized that wasn't really an option in the First Cultural Revolution, they took a different approach. Inspiration came from recent arrests from SecPubSafe, and films like 1934 "The Bat Whispers," where a man dressed as a Bat terrorizes several townspeople, and "This Side of Midnight," where a group of men and women adopt the guise of a single thief to steal money from the wealthy capitalists. The new Batman was now the guise adopted by several government agents dedicated to public safety. The first story in Detective Comics #27, September of 1939, saw one Batman operative infiltrate and destroy a Ku Klux Klan cell in Alabama. Sales for Detective Comics skyrocketed.

Other heroes from both Syndicated and Max Gaines led Red and Black Publication included Will Eisner's the Spirit, The Green Lantern (no magic lantern, just aliens), The Green Lama (Buddhist Superhero), the Flash, and proletariat hero Green Arrow. However, the largest hero outside of these collectives was Captain America. Created by Jacob Kurtzberg and Joe Simon, and published by Timely Publication collective, the Red and Black Hero was a man advanced by science and technology to form the perfect soldier.He, along with a group of American soldiers would battle Nazi oppressors abroad. The first comic featuring the good Captain punching Hitler. Of course, this was just the tip of the iceberg....
 

E. Burke

Banned
Comics as a Counterhegemonic Force in the 60s Revolution

Comics had prior to the 60s been seen as mere children's entertainment. Fun for the whole kids, but something no adult should ever care about. They had kept up a good following through out the 30s, 40s and 50s, but they were mostly kids and parents who used their children as a cats paw for their own love. This trend continued into the sixties, but with a minor change. Large numbers of teenagers and college kids entered into the industry they had grown up loving as children. Many of this new generation worked part time on the big collectives or produced their own comics that circled around their schools and towns. The most these local projects hoped for was being picked up by a commune, school or county People's Media Committee (basically local news). However, a few found themselves becoming writers and creators. These young artists and writers were shaped by the massive movements that had sprung up against the incompleteness of the revolution. They began to use there positions to express to discontent.

That comics were seen as kids stuff only helped, they had a power to get under the radar that more respected media could not. This essay will examine two key examples of this trend; Marvel Comic Collectives Mutant Liberation Front and the Green Lantern Corps created by John Boome and Gil Kane and expanded by numerous writers.

Gifted with Resistance: The Mutant Liberation Front

The Mutant Liberation Front was created by the Marvel Comic Collective, a break away from timely with ties to the student and anti war movements. Their first set of characters were the Mutant Liberation Front, a group of "mutants" a new species of human who gained super powers around the age of 16 but also became grossly disfigured. They were lead by crippled psychic Charles Xavier and former partisan Magnus Lenshir. They batted currupt military groups who hoped to use their powers against the FBU and prejudiced civilians. They hoped to make there fellow workers see them as comrades. They quickly came to be seen as fictional representation of the Black Panther Party, helped when they began to wear Panther inspired uniforms.

They soon became an the unofficial mascots of the New Left, with many activists using them as codenames and dressing in MLF inspired costumes.

Revolution from the Stars: the Green Lantern Corps

As superheroes fell out of fashion in the comics industry Green Lantern was cancelled. As they began to pick a new character was invented at Timely, Hal Jordan, a cocky young pilot in Revolutionary Air Force who is inducted into the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic revolutionary army lead by The Guardians of the Universe, an elected committee of long serving Corpsmen. In an earlier draft the Guardians had been semi divine immortals, but that was scrapped as to religious. The original character was pretty much a reflection of the dominant ideology, a revolutionary comrade fighting the enemy in space. However, as other writers began to work on the character he began to become more of a critical tool. They used the corpse to examine the "Revolutionary Expeditions" of that period. In one memorable story Hal Jordan, his close friend and mentor Sinestro, and spider alien Varis travel to the planet Tlack to help a guerrilla movement overthrow the Union of Planets (a thinly veiled FBU expy). They revolutionaries soon find the Lanterns to be imposing their view of revolution on them and begin to fight them. This leads to a split and for Hal and Sinestro to form an opposition faction in the Corps.

This is not to say that GL was anti soldier, as certain unsophisticated conservatives would have it, the creators were veterans of the civil war and world war 2. They generally held that ordinary soldiers were heroes, but that it was a hawkish leadership that was the problem.
 
Last edited:

Okay then:
Science Heroes of the Sixties:
As a result of the increased focus on science and space by the government during the Sixties, the media became soon enamored with science fiction and comics were no exception. Here, new science fiction series were popping up from Action (the renaming of Syndicated Features after Action Comics), and Marvel (The merger of Timely and R&B Publications) Comics Collectives. However, some of these series differed greatly in their treatment of technology. Two series from Marvel showcase their different treatments of technology. The Fantastic Four, and the SHIELD series.

Science as a force of good: Fantastic Four:
The Fantastic Four, created by Jacob Kurtzberg and Stanley Lieber, were an example of the use of science as a tool to better humanity. Here, several members of the American Space Program: Reed Richards, his fiance Natasha Romanov,Jack Storm, and Ben Grimm are trying to reach the moon. However, they are then hit by cosmic rays, which force an emergency landing. When they land, they find that they have gotten powers from the experience. Reed Richards could elongate, Romanov could now set herself ablaze, Jack could now be completely metallic, and Ben could now fly. They decide to fight the forces of evil using those powers. Here, they fight enemies from the FBU, like the White Knight, as well as various alien threats (resulting in multiple crossovers with the Green Lantern Corps). Alongside this, however, Reed Richards, and other scientists working with him, creates new technologies, which help humanity achieve a world without poverty and war. The series examined the effects of technology on society. The UASR becomes more utopic, thanks to Richard's advacements. Their main enemy, Victor von Doom, a Germanic fascist-capitalist dictator propped up by the FBU, uses technology to oppress his citizens, and keep them in poverty, making it dystopic.The Fantastic Four was meant as a counterpoint to this, using technology to better mankind, and ensure its survival.

The SHIELD line

The SHIELD line of Comics was more catered towards the New Left anit-war and militarism movement. Also created by Lieber and Kurtzberg, but expanded by writers like Jim Steranko, Larry Lieber, and Steve Ditko, SHIELD revolved around a government organization with that name, that instigated revolutions across the world, using advanced technology. The series, like the Green Lantern Corp, was at first a reflection, once again, of the dominant ideology of a military bringing revolution. However, as more students and New Left ideologues moved into Marvel, it became a critical look into the military and their methods of revolution. It had several series:
- The "Iron Man Corp": Brilliant SHIELD scientist Tony Stark creates a new armored suit to help arm Indo-Chinese guerillas. Soon, the army creates a new branch, called the Iron Man Corp., which is an international brigade of soldiers in such suits. They fight in revolutions around the world, and also against corrupt officials in their own countries.
- The Atom: Inspired by British films about men who are caught in atomic blasts, and become monstrosities (as admitted by Lieber), the Atom, taking a name from a R&B hero, but radically changing the concept, was Bruce Banner, a SHIELD scientist who ends up caught in an atomic explosion, and becomes a monstrosity. He is pursued by the military, and is hated by the general populace, despite fighting various threats to them. This was an obvious commentary on the arms race, and the build-up of nuclear weapons. At one point, the FBU tries to create their own version of the Atom, who ends up destroying many of their own people.
-Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD: Revolves around SHIELD head, Nick Fury, and the various threats he faces, from bureaucracy to minor superhuman issues. Also deals with his activities in World War II, and his dealings with characters at the time like Captain America and Wonder Woman.
-The Justice Society: The most popular comic of the bunch, superhero consists of Doctor Mid-Nite (Hank Pym), Wonder Woman, The Atom, The Flash, Nick Fury, Green Lantern, and Wasp (Janet van Dyke). Later additions include the Atomic Man (Ray Palmer), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Black Panther [changed from an African Prince to a African revolutionary from an advanced country, who is working with SHIELD to prevent the FBU from conquering it), and the new Captain America (a Black man named Sam Wilson).

The entirety of the series later became the symbol of the New Left's contempt of the Revolutionary expeditions, and the misuse of technology to engage with them.
 

E. Burke

Banned
(This is inspired by a convo I had with my grandmother)

Tommy and his Grandmother walked to the booth at The Gotham Diner, Tommy's favorite eatery. He sat and scanned the menu.

"What'll you have dear?" Asked Danniel a short wiry woman of 83.

"I'll have the Batcave I think, you?" Tommy replied

"I'll have a panini and steal a little of yours." She had a twinkle in her eyes

"Of course, it will be my pleasure to redistribute the people's food with our elderly." Tommy jibed

"Watch who your calling old mister, I can still kick your butt. Mcarthy and Hitler both tried and failed to kill this old bird." She said with laughter in her voice.

"Yea, I've been meaning to ask what's your story about that? I've got a project for school we have to interview our elders about their memories."

"What do you want to know?"


"Well first how old were you when the civil war started? What did your parents what were their politics."

"My family grew up in an Irish working class part of Chicago. My dad was trade unionist but he wasn't a Party member. He would call himself a socialist, but not a committed one. He was supportive of the reforms but wasn't a revolutionary. But when the state turned on his class he did his duty. I was 14 at the time but I did mine as well. Id never been very political. I was in the the YCL but only because my friends were. When it started my fighting was a game. I didn't see much action Chicago never fell, and my dad forced me to leave when Chaffee approached. I spent the rest of the war in a Red civilian camp in upper Michigan."

"What about your dad?" Tommy asked in awe.
 
Top