Buck Rogers: The Mechanical Mole, Episodes 1-4 (A0027) |Sci Fi Audiodrama

We're joined by Allan Liska of Green Archer Comics, co-author of the comic Buck Rogers v. the Cyberlords.

Green Archer is giving away two copies of the comic with metal covers and our listeners in the US and Canada can enter to win at their website

Today's Adventure: Dr. Huer has plans to take the Mechanical Mole on an exciting expedition but it begins to move towards menacingly towards a crowd of people.

Originating Radio Broadcast Date: May 1935

Originating from New York

Starring: Carl Frank as Buck Rogers, Adela Ronson as Wilma Deering, Edgar Stehli as Dr. Huer

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we
are going to take a look at Buck Rogers in
the twenty fifth century. But first I do want to
encourage you. If you are enjoying the podcast, please follow
us using your favorite podcast software. And we have a

(00:29):
special guest with us today. Joining me today is Alan
Liska of Green Archer Comics. Alan's a longtime listener to
a podcast and we promoted his Johnny Dollar comic on
The Great Detectives Full Time Radio a year or so back.
He's also the co author of the recent release comic

(00:50):
book Buck Rogers Versus the Cyber Lords, based on the
original Philip Nolan Francis novellas. It is available at green
Archer Dot. I Allan, welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Thank you so much for having me on as a
longtime listener. This is like a dream come true for me.
I'm really excited to be here.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, thank you so much. Now, we've just finished up
Flash Gordon. But as I mentioned at that, the start
of that series, Buck Roger actually predated Flash Gordon. Flash
Gordon was kind of created as a competitor to Buck Rogers.
So could you talk a little bit about the origins

(01:31):
of Buck Rogers in comics and literature.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Sure, So, as you said, Buck Rogers started off as
a novella. There were actually two parts to it, Armageddon
twenty four to nineteen and then The air Lords of
Hot and those were published in nineteen twenty eight by
Philip Francis Nolan. He this was incredibly popular. There was
a lot of modern tech in there, things that didn't

(02:00):
exist and are just now coming around, Like he talked
about drone warfare and video conferencing and all kinds of
cool things like that.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
And very quickly the.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
People behind Universal Universal Syndicate decided they needed his characters
for a comic strip. The only thing they wanted to
do was change his name because in the original story
he was William Rogers. They wanted to name him Buck
because that just sounded more American, I guess, and so
they switched. They switched his name to Buck in the comics,

(02:36):
which appeared in nineteen twenty nine and was an instant's success.
In fact, during the Great Depression, many people kept their
daily newspaper subscription, specifically because they wanted to know what
was going to happen at Buck Rogers the next day.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
Buck Rogers' influence continued over to radio, but we don't
actually have have the ceial, which was so influential. It
was a major milestone in juvenile serials, running from nineteen
thirty two to nineteen thirty six for three or four
times a week with Curtis Arnell and later Matt Crowley

(03:18):
as Rogers, and that was a very long run for
a primetime science fiction serial. But we don't have any
episodes of that one. What we have comes almost exclusively
from a three times a week serial that ran for
three months from April to July nineteen thirty nine. It

(03:42):
was launched at the same time as the Buck Rogers
film serial, so it may have been trying to capitalize
on that. Jack Johnstone, who produced the original program, brought
it back with most of the original cast. The big
exception is Carl Frank, who's probably best remembered as an
announcer and soap opera star, played Buck Rogers. Adele Ronson

(04:06):
played Woman Deering, and Edgar Stelly played Doctor Huer the Scientist,
as he had in previous runs. We're going to be
playing the serial The Mechanical Mole, and it's a bit
of an unusual situation. While it's labeled on various sites
as a complete story and it does have an ending,
it's missing quite a bit from its middle. I'd probably

(04:30):
not play it under most circumstances, but it's our only
chance that of Buck Rogers' story. The only major bit
of the series that's available otherwise is the first twelve episodes,
which sets up a lot of stuff but pays off nothing,
So that would be a somewhat frustrating listening experience. So

(04:51):
this week we'll talk about the first episodes four episodes
of the serial, which we're back to back, likely sometime
in May of about nineteen thirty nine. So here is
The Mechanical Mole, Episodes one through four.

Speaker 4 (05:11):
Buck Rogers in the twenty fifth tentury and the shower
of silver dollars from Popsicle Piet's money box. Buck Rogers

(05:36):
the amazing young fellow who was born right here in
our own twentieth century, but it was held in a
state of suspended animation for five hundred years, and now
he's living in the highly mechanized and super scientific world
of the twenty fifth century. In company with Lieutenant Wilma Dering,
a girl soldier, and doctor Hure, the greatest scientist who
ever lived his life is one thrilling adventure after another. Well,

(06:00):
just recently they flew their rocket powered spaceship to the
far off planet Jupiter to run down Killer Caine and Ardela,
arch criminals of interplanetary space. But now they're back on
Earth again. Our story opens in the weird and wonderful
laboratory of doctor Hewer at Niagara, the capital of twenty
fifth century America. We find the old scientist alone, working

(06:21):
feverishly over a mass of strange diagrams and complicated formulas
that cover the top of his desk.

Speaker 5 (06:27):
Let's join in there. Here we go five hundred years
into the future heat output. I'm the square of the
lens radius. I've got it, I've got it. Hello, doctor

(06:48):
Wilma Flok, I've worked out the heat radiation formula.

Speaker 6 (06:51):
For the mechanical mole mechanical mold.

Speaker 5 (06:53):
Yeah, sent me at that subcausic radio unit, Wilma calling
Factory B one eighth, Fact three B one.

Speaker 7 (07:01):
Eighth, Factory P one Eighthcan this is doctor Hue? Oh yes,
doctor set the radio heat controls exactly as I tell you, Yes, sir,
Number one at thirty three degrees four minutes, right, number
two at seven degrees seventeen minutes, right number three at
nine degrees nine minutes left, Yes, sir, do it immediately.
We can take the mole on a test run, just

(07:22):
as soon as we can get over there, Yes, sir,
dining off.

Speaker 8 (07:25):
Well, now, doctor buck Wilmer, why on he's out making
a trial flight in the new super rocket ship you
developed just after we got back from Jupiter.

Speaker 6 (07:33):
But what is a mechanical then?

Speaker 5 (07:35):
Wait, we want him in on the test run of
the mechanical mode too. Central Radio Bureau, Doctor Hugh calling,
Central Radio Bureau, mechanical mold Did you say, Central Radio
Bureau speaking? Oh, doctor Hughes statins, Do you know where
I can reach Captain Buck Rogers.

Speaker 9 (07:50):
Oh, he's making a test flight doctor.

Speaker 5 (07:52):
In the new InterPlaNet. Yes, yes, I know. But but
where is he?

Speaker 7 (07:55):
Well?

Speaker 10 (07:55):
Last requarter about seventeen points west of the Moon, flying
of course in the general direction.

Speaker 5 (08:00):
Well, then use a subcosmic paw beam to contact him immediately,
ask him to join us at the spaceboard just as
soon as he can get back to work. Hang a
number four the experimental hanger. That's right, and radio sergeant
card Bog out there that we're coming. Tell him to
have everything ready for us and bulls right away, sir,
thank you, signing off. Sonny, did you come over here

(08:20):
in a rocket powered air roach to woman?

Speaker 6 (08:22):
Yes, doctor idea.

Speaker 5 (08:24):
We use it to fly out of the spaceboat.

Speaker 8 (08:26):
Come along, But I don't understand all this talk about
a mechanical mold and heat radiation formulae.

Speaker 5 (08:32):
Em know we're about to embark on the most amazing
scientific venture we've ever attempted. Oh really, come along now,
I'll tell you about it on the way over. Oh good,
Your rocket roadster is the enclosed model.

Speaker 8 (08:44):
Yeah, I keep my hair from getting blown all over
the place.

Speaker 5 (08:47):
You're wearing a flying helmets.

Speaker 6 (08:48):
Well that's as good an excuse as any. You know,
you didn't want me to take the controls.

Speaker 5 (08:54):
If you like already, then.

Speaker 6 (08:56):
Here we go.

Speaker 8 (09:02):
The these little things certainly make a quick take off.

Speaker 6 (09:05):
Don't say, well, don't fair the power.

Speaker 5 (09:07):
As soon as we get over there, sooner we'll be
able to start out in a mechanical mode.

Speaker 6 (09:11):
Tell me about it?

Speaker 11 (09:12):
What is it?

Speaker 9 (09:13):
What's it for?

Speaker 5 (09:13):
What to do? Look? Well, for years, we've devoted all
our time and effort to exploring the vast reaches of
out the space Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, even far off Pluto.

Speaker 8 (09:25):
Yes, and we've had some mighty interesting times on those planets.

Speaker 5 (09:28):
Yes, But as a result of the fascination of interplanetary exploration,
we have utterly neglected the very world we live on Earth.

Speaker 6 (09:36):
Yes, I guess.

Speaker 8 (09:37):
So from now, what has that got to do with
few elementary facts we do know.

Speaker 5 (09:42):
Seismographs insance that, measure shops and vibration dars have indicated
that it has a central core some four thousand miles
in diameter. Suppose in all probability of the heavier elements
like i am, nickel, capitum.

Speaker 8 (09:55):
And radio only, of course they liquefied right, hopefully hot
in the center of the Earth, isn't it.

Speaker 5 (10:00):
The temperature is probably in thousands of degrees.

Speaker 6 (10:03):
Well, then the elements you mentioned must be liquefied.

Speaker 5 (10:06):
Nope, Nope. Although that temperature is far higher than that
at which any known substances could be ordinarily used and
remain solid, the enormous pressure is undoubtedly efficient to keep
it from nothing. Some pressure, well normal atmospheric pressure that
which surrounds us all the time is a little over
fourteen pounds of the square inch. Yes, I know, but

(10:27):
the pressure at the core of the Earth is estimated
at about three million atmospherees.

Speaker 6 (10:31):
Good night.

Speaker 5 (10:32):
But now doctor, of course, we know that most of
the Earth's land surface is covered with a layer of
sedimentary rock, particles of block and sand that were spread
about by water following the ice age and then settle
and stuck together.

Speaker 10 (10:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (10:45):
How geologists agree that a widespread granitic layer extends well
under all the cosmos. Other common mineralsa shales and panstone,
and the salt in such forms as dull rites and
gabbrol and acrogides in pacolde.

Speaker 6 (10:59):
What and what and on?

Speaker 8 (11:01):
Now listen, doctor, you are just trying to mix me
all up and change the subject. I want to know
about the mechanical mold.

Speaker 5 (11:08):
Well, and watch a navigation and swings round correctly below
us there at the space for oh.

Speaker 9 (11:16):
Great, stay nothing.

Speaker 6 (11:18):
Yes, it looks like a big long metal sausage.

Speaker 5 (11:21):
It's made of flexi and perviium.

Speaker 11 (11:23):
It's tough.

Speaker 5 (11:24):
It's that most flexible metal known.

Speaker 6 (11:25):
To with that huge lens at the end of us
and those little fins sticking.

Speaker 5 (11:29):
Out all over the side, amic radiation projector a heat
rain from the fins heel the system of non recoiled
energy projectors.

Speaker 10 (11:36):
What is it for?

Speaker 5 (11:37):
What does it controls? We're heading straight down at him.

Speaker 6 (11:40):
I'm sorry. It's such a strange looking thing. And look
at all the people gaping at it from that barrier
that's strung around.

Speaker 5 (11:48):
Well land us there in the open space between it
and the hangar. Okay, there's dog and car bog waiting
for us.

Speaker 8 (11:54):
Yes, sir, I'm cutting the power that we'll coast down.

Speaker 5 (11:58):
We're dropping pretty fast and I used to reverse power.

Speaker 6 (12:01):
It'll land us without a bump.

Speaker 8 (12:05):
Now let's get out so I can find out what
this mechanical mold.

Speaker 5 (12:08):
Is all about. I'll collar hello there, and Lieutenant will
know Hell.

Speaker 12 (12:14):
I might have known you'd be coming along on this
experimental Chris Mason.

Speaker 8 (12:17):
Well, now I know that the mechanical mole is capable
of making some kind of a Chris anyway.

Speaker 12 (12:23):
Been having quite a time keeping the back of a
pants doctor.

Speaker 5 (12:26):
They all want to have a look at her, and
thought you were going to keep it in the hangar, cowboy,
not the sod of machine that should be around where
people can get at it or into it.

Speaker 12 (12:33):
All my men are keeping them all at a safe distance.
You see, mister Rankin from the factory brought it out
here to make some adjustments on. Oh, and he's already
been here, Yes, sir, left just a minute ago.

Speaker 8 (12:44):
Fine.

Speaker 5 (12:44):
Fine, That means we can start out in the mechanical
mole without delay.

Speaker 6 (12:48):
Well what about buff doctor, Oh.

Speaker 5 (12:50):
Of course funny if he isn't here, I told him
to come out and make himself at the home and
the mole whenever heat cowbo. Yes, sir, we were expecting
Captain Rogers to meet us.

Speaker 12 (12:59):
Heren' so hyper hair Captain Rogers doctor since the day
you three two call for Jupiter when you went after
Killer Cane.

Speaker 5 (13:07):
I expect there's nothing we can do but wait for him.
And while we're waiting, woman, I'll take you into the
control room with his machine and explained you how it works.

Speaker 8 (13:14):
At last, I'm going to find out what it's all
about cardboard.

Speaker 5 (13:17):
Yes, sir, you better have your men clear a long
path first in the general direction of the city. We
don't want the withering heat from the thermic radiation projector
to hurt anyone when we start up, sir, do it
right away.

Speaker 8 (13:29):
The rouget rest to be already next to the hanger,
and come on, let's get into this big machine.

Speaker 5 (13:33):
Oh wait a minute, there's a radio call signal leastide
the hanger, optics on the cardboard.

Speaker 6 (13:37):
Take it and he's moving the crowd backs.

Speaker 5 (13:39):
Only take a second to ask it and maybe.

Speaker 13 (13:40):
Buck you know Rogers send a radio bureau calling Captain
Buck Rogers calling Captain Buck Rock.

Speaker 5 (13:47):
Hello, Hello, urgent.

Speaker 13 (13:49):
Message for Captain Rogers from the Office of the President
of America.

Speaker 5 (13:51):
Oh well, Captain Rogers isn't here, but I am expecting
a MINEMU. Yes, oh certain, I'm sure it'll be all.

Speaker 9 (13:59):
Right for you to related edge to the captain, sir
it besides, you want to know about it?

Speaker 12 (14:03):
What is it?

Speaker 10 (14:03):
But I read this follows. Killer Caine and Ardela have escape.

Speaker 6 (14:07):
What yes, sir, good night.

Speaker 5 (14:09):
Then tell the President we'll drop everything to get on
that trail. I mediate later.

Speaker 10 (14:12):
No, no, wait, sir, you better hear the rest of this.

Speaker 11 (14:14):
Well, all right, go ahead.

Speaker 14 (14:15):
Killer Cain and Ourdayla's have escaped from the emergency prison
where they were placed to await.

Speaker 9 (14:19):
Transfer to the city prison.

Speaker 5 (14:21):
Yes, yes, a clever.

Speaker 13 (14:22):
Trick made it possible for them to get a twenty
four hour start in the rocket plane you use for
the Jupiter expedition. That's the ship and the universe, entire
space patrol feet has been unable to pick up that
ship's rocket trail. Apparently there's nothing we can do but
wait until the two criminals show up again.

Speaker 14 (14:37):
Urge, however, that you keep constantly on guard against Kana
and Ardela's reappearance.

Speaker 5 (14:42):
End a message, all right, Satan, thank you doctor.

Speaker 9 (14:47):
Doctor. What can we do?

Speaker 5 (14:48):
Nothing will except what the president suggests, waiting to show
off again?

Speaker 8 (14:51):
Right, no, doctor, but do you suppose they really did
leaves in that ship of hours? What do you mean
they might have just ended flying alone by the automatic
prose is a track to throw us off that trail.

Speaker 11 (15:04):
I'll all move back, doctor, and you can't.

Speaker 5 (15:06):
Hey, what's the matter? Nothing, nothing, come along with we've
bought the mechanical mom, yes, right this way.

Speaker 12 (15:12):
Crowd's mighty anxious to see that big machine get started.

Speaker 5 (15:15):
Doctor, honey, yeaes, sir, go catch it.

Speaker 4 (15:18):
Hey everyone, look, it's moving right, and the heath wave
of those of it it's starting to close.

Speaker 6 (15:24):
Do give a cane and our Dela.

Speaker 5 (15:26):
You're right and with that heath wave a lies.

Speaker 11 (15:28):
All these people out here are in danger.

Speaker 6 (15:30):
And canaan our Deela won't hesitate to use it.

Speaker 12 (15:32):
It's moving over towards the crowd of people right now.

Speaker 11 (15:34):
Come on, we've got to stop.

Speaker 6 (15:36):
And what can I do?

Speaker 11 (15:38):
Get away?

Speaker 5 (15:39):
Yes?

Speaker 11 (15:49):
Look he plays off. Now, I'm the oldest part of
back for.

Speaker 6 (15:52):
The middle of the field till a Candela I can pose.
It won't stay away from that crowd for long. Only
book were here.

Speaker 4 (15:59):
Yes, the roads, find a way to stop that thing. Wait, Corbo,
come with me quick back to the main rocket chipanga.

Speaker 9 (16:07):
What's forward?

Speaker 11 (16:07):
Hold? Wait time talking?

Speaker 5 (16:08):
Come along, Yes, get to the radio unit in the tanga.

Speaker 11 (16:12):
Pull of the rocket rolls. We have them assemble at
one thousand feet directly above the sea.

Speaker 6 (16:16):
You let's her right away.

Speaker 12 (16:19):
Look the moon was just going around with a smirkle offer,
but it may not do it prolonged.

Speaker 5 (16:24):
He's got a white cloud space fighter in the main hangar.

Speaker 12 (16:26):
Haven't you real pull over but the old rest sixteen
pig disintegrators.

Speaker 11 (16:31):
No, I want the white clove for black rays. Black ray.

Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yes, well, time up above it and cover that mechanical
mode with utter, doctor.

Speaker 9 (16:39):
Then the men in the safe.

Speaker 5 (16:41):
Beeps and hold it because they with non recalled editor
projector pen work. Yeah, now here, here's.

Speaker 4 (16:46):
A hanger bulls swop on the big shiding doors.

Speaker 11 (16:49):
So we can get the ship out. Well we're here, doctor,
that's it. And here's a white crow. Get wait to
us here, doctor, all open. I've never nor for it.
I've got it.

Speaker 12 (17:01):
Getting pick yes her, And I wonder if pain and
our dealer has taught her up mechanical mode taught her
the people again top, I'll get in here here, your sir.

Speaker 11 (17:12):
Oh, here we go, and I hope some of the space.

Speaker 5 (17:15):
Be gone its way over.

Speaker 11 (17:20):
Wow, we'll pass to the top and behind her door.

Speaker 12 (17:24):
Kay.

Speaker 5 (17:24):
But look, yes, I see from all the stanny steel
down there.

Speaker 11 (17:28):
Yes, sir, people.

Speaker 4 (17:30):
Are starting to move closer to it again or we've
got to stop that.

Speaker 5 (17:34):
I told her down there at thee behind a.

Speaker 12 (17:35):
Herds No youse, doctor, he's down there on the free
again to paw away to hear the call.

Speaker 4 (17:40):
Well, then perhaps she said, your man, he's that power
back always.

Speaker 5 (17:44):
Here the count what the work of real good block
of meat attention, block of meat attention.

Speaker 9 (17:51):
Speaking donor door rocket please Stanny y Yes.

Speaker 11 (17:54):
Her, they're in a big circle right about, must be
as kinder than chips with them. I want you to
keep the circle you.

Speaker 6 (18:03):
Formed directly above the big machine you see down.

Speaker 11 (18:06):
There on the flying team. I'm going to shoot.

Speaker 4 (18:10):
Down a black laid enveloped that machine in dost and
I want your ships to send down paralysis lays with
full power behind them.

Speaker 11 (18:19):
I'll be do the order in the mechanical mall Oh
that you know about their esteate, Yes, sir, The.

Speaker 9 (18:25):
Rest of the rocket fleet is on his way trying
to pick up their trail.

Speaker 4 (18:28):
These Morse ships will have to do all available power
behind the paralysis rays because the mole has any lesser
impersium hall.

Speaker 9 (18:35):
The ray penetrates that at all, only.

Speaker 11 (18:37):
A tremendous concentration of them.

Speaker 5 (18:39):
Even then they may take some time to penetrate.

Speaker 11 (18:42):
That's why I cover them all with a black laid.
The story is moving around.

Speaker 9 (18:45):
We're all ready, doctor York. My part has been in
contact with the other ships on a separate wavelength.

Speaker 11 (18:50):
Good, here goes the black rays, and talk about.

Speaker 10 (18:58):
Careful.

Speaker 11 (18:58):
There's women down there. My parent had some point to
the path of the mechanical mode. Look, I would be
running over towards the hurger I have to raise in
the mold.

Speaker 5 (19:07):
It's not bling all the work wordless curdling.

Speaker 11 (19:10):
A herse Never mind that, no wispen Hello Wils and
you've got full call behind the paralysis lads. Yes, and
have the beny your ship send them off.

Speaker 4 (19:21):
In maybe fifteen minutes Tarbos, for the high concentration of
those waves is funn to get through that hull down
there enough to be effected. Arge Racial coming from the
wall and comprosive cut.

Speaker 5 (19:31):
Off the black way a moment so we can see
them all again and let the deep men check on
their lane with.

Speaker 11 (19:35):
A paralysis lad.

Speaker 5 (19:36):
Oh now, hey, yes, yes, I see you know they've
found out how to make.

Speaker 6 (19:42):
The mechanical mold true this way down into the earth.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
Are using their heat ray on the front of them again.
They'll get out of range and teach the paralysis rays underground.
That's they only want them to do that, Wisen calling Captain.

Speaker 9 (19:55):
Rosy, doctor is going into the ground.

Speaker 4 (19:57):
Our para.

Speaker 11 (19:59):
Have yourships down to one hundred feet in their present
cycle formation.

Speaker 5 (20:03):
Instead of provallative rays that he's fourth raise non recoil
energy projectives that will keep them all with removing any further.

Speaker 11 (20:12):
Even under the ground.

Speaker 5 (20:13):
Now, and what about her Stoker.

Speaker 11 (20:17):
Who provers without his great greater mem No, no, the
ham of them all is too well insulated against me.
But it will not the ground around.

Speaker 4 (20:24):
It, I say.

Speaker 11 (20:25):
And you'll let the ground real harden around exactly.

Speaker 9 (20:28):
That's right.

Speaker 5 (20:29):
They'll be locked tightly in a heat.

Speaker 11 (20:30):
Area of tilly the five blocks.

Speaker 5 (20:32):
It's got a heat, says. And now in the minutes
after little hard he captain.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
Bow dog hope, lady's holding them right there on the fourth.

Speaker 11 (20:52):
Praise, and they won't need to.

Speaker 4 (20:53):
Prolonge all that seams and underground scream that will pool
the ground and hard knit quick said.

Speaker 12 (20:59):
And propped all right, it's oh we're going to get came.

Speaker 11 (21:04):
You think of that later. The main thing now is
that the way.

Speaker 5 (21:09):
Oh that's why you were calling into the hanger and
call you.

Speaker 4 (21:13):
Yes, well, that will propos even mechanical more.

Speaker 9 (21:22):
He got spool weekend.

Speaker 10 (21:23):
I'm just the mall.

Speaker 11 (21:26):
Was taking a radio calling the hanger.

Speaker 5 (21:28):
N we thought the king out data.

Speaker 10 (21:31):
By Jeffer to contact you on radio.

Speaker 4 (21:33):
Try you off safe, then by not hearium the receiver
on this LUO the veneral, the pity to all in
the mobiles.

Speaker 5 (21:40):
Got uncle shot, lady.

Speaker 9 (21:41):
Good to help him?

Speaker 13 (21:42):
Now stupocating, Doctor, do something to get him out of there.

Speaker 5 (21:46):
All right, all right, right here, I'll ASCEI we're gonna
pick up them all now, thank you, bus, hello bus?

Speaker 9 (21:54):
All right, doctor, get me out here?

Speaker 5 (21:56):
Yeah, yeah, black gray, that's way, I.

Speaker 14 (21:59):
Say, control board breck the air conditioning controls, all the
light control too, and there's not much air left in
a small control cabins.

Speaker 9 (22:08):
Yes.

Speaker 11 (22:09):
Then on the phnic radiation project.

Speaker 5 (22:11):
That in the nose of the mold that will let
you know your way back to the.

Speaker 9 (22:14):
Secure don't there, try it.

Speaker 10 (22:17):
I can't see a thing.

Speaker 9 (22:18):
That's man's mark.

Speaker 10 (22:19):
All work for me.

Speaker 5 (22:21):
But then then listen, Yes, that's hurt. You tis pol
you's on listening trong.

Speaker 9 (22:28):
Where where it is to.

Speaker 11 (22:29):
Me is under the left side of your controls.

Speaker 7 (22:32):
Gift it up with right, doctor, would come a left
you have you heard what cut.

Speaker 8 (22:40):
Up?

Speaker 5 (22:41):
The hurt is nowhere?

Speaker 11 (22:42):
Doctor got not think you have guy down?

Speaker 1 (22:45):
Wait?

Speaker 10 (22:46):
What do you make to do?

Speaker 1 (22:47):
I don't know?

Speaker 5 (22:47):
You have to get him out of that? Wait?

Speaker 4 (22:49):
Wait, listen, keepin Wilson Gotter, I've heard it all we've dropped.

Speaker 11 (22:53):
Out that ground again.

Speaker 4 (22:54):
Right, well, you know, Lou, I'll poo po take to
go up right away?

Speaker 15 (23:03):
Well maybe to say not doing a stuntoppo pat down,
click down there, and I was turful, call.

Speaker 9 (23:14):
Out the fourth.

Speaker 11 (23:15):
Place, back the bringers right down the run and knock
down the door. We're around the turn up quick, I
told bout there on the wall.

Speaker 4 (23:34):
Oh all right, I had a six seven doors, sir,
were pushed them all white back on top of power.

Speaker 5 (23:43):
Growl again, an you won't never mind that?

Speaker 11 (23:46):
Help me tie from the door.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
The mechanical motors stir, say outside did you say it
didn't help it?

Speaker 4 (23:52):
Quick?

Speaker 6 (23:52):
Kid, that I will not pull.

Speaker 11 (23:57):
He's open.

Speaker 6 (24:09):
Didn't want to get a.

Speaker 5 (24:09):
Healing race, a healing way to hang on on the fleet.

Speaker 11 (24:12):
That's a runaway through.

Speaker 6 (24:15):
Did he get you out of their line?

Speaker 8 (24:18):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (24:21):
There, let me spread here.

Speaker 11 (24:24):
I was a slade that world.

Speaker 5 (24:27):
He works? When do we touch for the center of
the earth.

Speaker 4 (24:31):
You know, there's nothing supernatural or mystic about Buck. He's
just an ordinary, normal human being who keeps his wits
about him. But he certainly manages to get into one
thrilling adventure after another.

Speaker 5 (24:42):
Right now, he and Wilma and doctor Huer are.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
Getting ready to start on an expedition toward the center
of the Earth and a huge machine called the mechanical Mole.
You're standing beside it on the landing field of the
Great Municipal Spaceport in Niagara, capital of twenty fifth century America.

Speaker 5 (24:58):
Let's join them. Here we go five hundred years into
the future. Oh, what's holding this up? Doctor?

Speaker 7 (25:08):
Here?

Speaker 4 (25:09):
I thought we were going to get started on our
trip underground just as soon as we got out here.

Speaker 5 (25:13):
Shut and Calebogg is bringing some weapons and scientific equipment
over from the main rocket ship hangar weapons.

Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yes, doctor, what possible use for weapons can we have
deep under the earth?

Speaker 5 (25:22):
Well, you never can tell. We've got to be prepared
for everything. Car Bogg is also bringing instruments that will
enable us analyze whatepisode of ground we run into down there.
Also guess analyzer what's that for? It should be told,
surprise if we'd run into some great open spaces miles below, yes,
or air pockets and.

Speaker 4 (25:39):
Gas pockets anyway, sources for the natural gas we use
here on the surface, exactly see.

Speaker 6 (25:45):
But now explain this machine to me, will you?

Speaker 8 (25:47):
All I can tell from seeing it here is that
it looks like a huge metal sausage.

Speaker 4 (25:51):
Oh, it's made of flexo impervium Wilma, the toughest flexible
metal known.

Speaker 6 (25:55):
But how does it work? How does it dig its
way into the ground?

Speaker 5 (25:58):
It's not its way down Wilma. To the help of
the thermic radiation projector the heat from it will liquefy
anything in its power rock those gravel almost instantaneously.

Speaker 6 (26:08):
Some heat.

Speaker 5 (26:09):
Yes, the banks of non recoil energy projectors that are
spaced all around the outside of the hull will push
them all forward through the melted ground.

Speaker 6 (26:17):
Will we be able to see anything through the big
metallo glass windows there in front?

Speaker 5 (26:20):
Oohde?

Speaker 6 (26:21):
And are they really thick enough?

Speaker 4 (26:22):
Oh, there won't be much strain on them Wilma, because
the force rays will keep pushing the melted dirt away
from them all the time.

Speaker 8 (26:28):
Oh well, now, how about getting into the control cap
and so I can see how to.

Speaker 5 (26:32):
Operate all right? Notice that this metal door arrangement is
rather complicated in order to permit entrance through three separate hules.

Speaker 6 (26:40):
Yeah enough, Why three hules, doctor, for.

Speaker 5 (26:46):
Protection against the extreme temperatures we may encounter, Right.

Speaker 4 (26:50):
Doctor, didn't you say that the temperature will increase about
one degree for every fifty three feet we get down.

Speaker 5 (26:56):
Yes, that's the generally accepted figure. One of the many
things we'll be able to check on.

Speaker 8 (26:59):
There's much room in this control cabin seems to meet
it in a machine fifty or sixty feet long.

Speaker 4 (27:05):
Our units for the non recoil energy projectors and the
thermic radiation projectors, complete air conditioning and pressure equalizing system,
storage cabinets for all the scientific equipment.

Speaker 5 (27:14):
They all take a lot of room, willman. Oh sure?

Speaker 6 (27:18):
But now who are these strepped on the control.

Speaker 5 (27:20):
Seats to enable us to stay in them regardless at
the angle at which we're ascending, underscending and pressures?

Speaker 4 (27:25):
You?

Speaker 5 (27:26):
What do we ever use these for exploring any open
spaces there may be down below? Not the influence panel
here will not pressure gauge dept gauge temperature. Yes, got
the other equipment cowdboard right here, sir. This is what's
the matter. Spy my men just cares spy over there.

Speaker 12 (27:46):
But the main hangar he has a telemagnetic recorder.

Speaker 4 (27:48):
You mean one of those cameras for recording pictures on
a sensitized wire.

Speaker 5 (27:51):
Yes, sir, well, who is he?

Speaker 11 (27:52):
What do you look like?

Speaker 12 (27:53):
Well, he looks just like a perfectly respectable motion tourist captain.
But he wouldn't say why he was so anxious to
take pictures.

Speaker 10 (28:00):
So I had the boys hole.

Speaker 5 (28:01):
All of him by that old rascal Black Barney.

Speaker 6 (28:04):
Barney he got to do.

Speaker 7 (28:06):
With it.

Speaker 5 (28:08):
Time, No, I guess had slipped my mind.

Speaker 4 (28:09):
And then tell me now, well, doctor Huer first got
to thinking about this mechanical mole up on Jupiter where
Barney helped us capture kin in our Daila. Yeah, and
he told Barney about his plan. Well, you know black
Barneys here.

Speaker 6 (28:22):
He decided he'd have to build.

Speaker 4 (28:24):
One too, right, told doctor Hure that the minute he
got back to Mars, he'd begin construction of it, provided
doctor Hure would tell him how to get started with it.

Speaker 5 (28:35):
I did Josh a little will man and told him
that if he wanted to know how I was going
to build the moles, he had to find out himself,
and I do everything possible to keep him from finding out.

Speaker 6 (28:45):
And then he said, the man with the camera, Sure,
and he isn't the first fuy who's been around.

Speaker 8 (28:49):
Well, I wonder if Barney's making any progress with his
mechanical mole.

Speaker 5 (28:53):
Apparently, yes, our President attended the meeting of the Council
on inter Planetary Affairs there on Mars not long ago,
and Barney he said he was not only building the
biggest and most powerful mole in the universe, but three
he'd have it an operation before we finish with this,
you know, leave it at him, and.

Speaker 12 (29:09):
Then I guess this part and as serious as our thought.

Speaker 4 (29:12):
Look, I'll tell you what you do, cap Do you
still have that little dog of yours, the one you
call Tagalog?

Speaker 5 (29:18):
I sure do, Captain.

Speaker 16 (29:20):
Why he's the finist mixed beat.

Speaker 5 (29:22):
Well where is this martians camera?

Speaker 4 (29:24):
Why?

Speaker 5 (29:25):
Right in my office, the main rocket ship hanger.

Speaker 4 (29:27):
Well, then you get hold of your dog and expose
the whole reel sensitized.

Speaker 5 (29:31):
Wire in the camera on tag along digging holes in
the ground. It shut yep. Then send the man in
his camera back to March.

Speaker 4 (29:39):
Okay, Captain will say, if Barney wants pictures of a
mechanical mole, we'll see.

Speaker 11 (29:45):
That he gets us.

Speaker 6 (29:47):
That's terrific.

Speaker 4 (29:47):
Well, now let's close this metal door, these metal doors
and get underway.

Speaker 5 (29:53):
All right, Sagan, We'll be in touch with you by
radio from time to time, and please radio. The presence
of is that we've started.

Speaker 12 (30:00):
Yes, doctor, and be careful way down there, will you please?

Speaker 5 (30:04):
Yeah, yes, sir. Of course it's.

Speaker 12 (30:06):
Starting out on this contraption just as calm as if
you were applying a rocket ship out of this space.

Speaker 5 (30:11):
I just sort of scared. We want there to be
scared about collbar.

Speaker 11 (30:14):
I don't know, but be careful anyways, will you please?

Speaker 9 (30:17):
We will good?

Speaker 5 (30:18):
They buy car boars.

Speaker 9 (30:20):
I got.

Speaker 5 (30:23):
No travel on the fifth, and of course we just
it was the power of phenomena called energy projector like this. Hey,
we're will being right along, Yes, sir, there's plenty of
power in this thing. Well, we'll need it when we
start going down into the ground. Suppose I turned on
the semi greg agent projector and head us down at
about a twenty degree angle. Okay, by me too, and

(30:45):
then here we go. Boy, that heat ray really does
a job. It turns the ground into a birling record.

Speaker 6 (30:53):
And then the heat comic can be done be hundreds
of feet around, and then the heat comic can be
done behind to meet around.

Speaker 10 (30:58):
What did you say?

Speaker 6 (30:59):
Thank you?

Speaker 11 (31:00):
That is hot out there, lady. You certainly have a
powerful pair.

Speaker 5 (31:07):
Hey wait, doctor, just cut off the power box and
you see this gauge. We're down over one hundred feet.
But what's that noise?

Speaker 6 (31:14):
It sounds like steam blowing off. Something wrong in the
power of apartment.

Speaker 5 (31:18):
Oh no, woma, we run into a stratum of water.
Stand that's all. And he raised turn the water into steam.
I'm telling what we may run into down here?

Speaker 9 (31:26):
Is there? Nope?

Speaker 6 (31:27):
Really kind of risky, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (31:29):
Rather go back and let doctor Huer and me finish
the trip.

Speaker 6 (31:32):
Not on your line?

Speaker 16 (31:33):
Well, here we go again.

Speaker 5 (31:39):
Now somewhere down here, according to soundings taken on the surface, Yeah,
there's a deep look look through a tallow glass window. Yes, doctor,
the color of the melted stuff out there indicates we're
in right in the middle of it. Now, in the
middle of watcher, a deep layer of solid brandit.

Speaker 6 (31:53):
We're going through solid granite.

Speaker 5 (31:54):
That's right, Wilma, and with no at at all.

Speaker 4 (31:57):
Oh, sir, doctor, what according to this game here we're
stopped top Yes, sir, we haven't moved for the last
ten or fifteen seconds.

Speaker 5 (32:04):
I'll wait a minute, won't you see, doctor, Right though,
we didn't move it.

Speaker 6 (32:11):
In and that gets out doctor, that gets up to
the service again.

Speaker 5 (32:14):
I can't we an this machine can't move backward. But
I don't understand why I live in granite should hold
us this way. When we turned off the heat rate, doctor,
it's solidified around our hall. Yes, yes, you're right.

Speaker 6 (32:26):
Well can we get free again?

Speaker 5 (32:28):
Give that heat ray all she'll take. Doctor, Yes, more heat.

Speaker 15 (32:34):
We haven't begun to move yet. There no, not full
erect the heat back alongside our home. Yes, buck, there
no it come out movie there we are no a
movie again.

Speaker 6 (32:51):
Thank goodness for that.

Speaker 5 (32:53):
It was necessary to melt down all the granite that
is solidified around our hull.

Speaker 6 (32:56):
I hope that doesn't happen again. Don't mind telling you.
I was worried for a minute.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Then.

Speaker 5 (33:01):
Well, we're moving along now right, really making time? Yes,
I doubt well if we'll run into any straight as
hard as.

Speaker 9 (33:07):
That again, so I hope not.

Speaker 6 (33:09):
How about down are we now must.

Speaker 4 (33:11):
Be several hundred feet to them, sir, because we're certainly
traveling around down here must be.

Speaker 5 (33:15):
Sort of loosely put together, absoluting an air pocket of
some sort.

Speaker 4 (33:19):
The detpth cats Hey, fuckah, the heat rate usually shows
red out there. Now there are a lot of little
bluish puffsive planes.

Speaker 6 (33:28):
That's right. They shoot up that long blue ribbon air pocket.

Speaker 5 (33:32):
Did you see, Oh, sir, we're running into a gas pocket. Yes,
I guess.

Speaker 6 (33:36):
But what if it don't catch it?

Speaker 11 (33:37):
Fire, sir?

Speaker 5 (33:38):
If there's oxygen present.

Speaker 8 (33:40):
Down here, this rail'll be like a match and it's
had a big gas tank.

Speaker 5 (33:42):
You're right, Look, move flames all around the gas pocket. Drinker, slow,
heaven lock it comes, Buck Willman.

Speaker 4 (33:59):
Doctor Huars started on their expedition underground in the Mechanical Move.
Sergeant Carboorg, following orders and having no idea what might
happen down there, went back to the main rocket ship
Hangar to contact the President's office by radio.

Speaker 5 (34:12):
It's there that we find him. Now as we turn
the dial that will project us ahead in time. Here
we go five hundred years into the future.

Speaker 12 (34:24):
Radio Bureau part and Carber calling Central Radio Bureau.

Speaker 10 (34:27):
That's a radio bureau.

Speaker 5 (34:29):
Stratton speaking listen, Stratton.

Speaker 12 (34:30):
I've got to get an important message through the office
of the President. And Captain Rogers and Lieutenant Roma and
doctor Hewer have just took off from their expedition under
the ground in the Mechanical mold.

Speaker 5 (34:40):
Ain't that something?

Speaker 10 (34:41):
Yes, it certainly is.

Speaker 13 (34:43):
Did it sort of sudden, didn't they?

Speaker 16 (34:44):
Well, I didn't want a lot of people around who
might have gotten burned by the big heat ray in
the nose of that machine.

Speaker 10 (34:50):
Oh I see, well I got that mess.

Speaker 16 (34:53):
And you know they took offrom that big machine just
as calm and collected, as if it was nothing at all.

Speaker 9 (34:58):
Well, that's the way those spoke are.

Speaker 8 (35:00):
I better get that.

Speaker 4 (35:03):
Hey, what was that?

Speaker 10 (35:04):
I don't know?

Speaker 12 (35:06):
Knock me right off my chair under the floor. Some
incoming rocket ship must have banged into the side of
this hangar.

Speaker 10 (35:13):
There goes again.

Speaker 11 (35:14):
I'll go out and see who it is.

Speaker 12 (35:16):
I'll call you back and tell.

Speaker 5 (35:17):
You no, no, wait a minute, but maybe the ship
was cracked up out there.

Speaker 10 (35:20):
But that's all. Why should I feel it over here?
I'm miles away from that state part of yours?

Speaker 11 (35:25):
You mean you've felt it too?

Speaker 10 (35:27):
Well, like an earthquen this whole building shot?

Speaker 5 (35:29):
No listen, scrapping Stratton.

Speaker 14 (35:34):
Yeah, Oh, what's about Municipal Space part calling Municipal Spaceport.

Speaker 11 (35:40):
Car Board, Municipal Spaceport Corbourg.

Speaker 14 (35:44):
Central Scientific Bureau speaking our seismic graphs have just registered
a tremendous subterranean explosion approximately two miles under the surface
of your main landing field.

Speaker 12 (35:56):
Hello Captain Rogers calling coup Rogers mechanical.

Speaker 5 (36:00):
Hello doctor, Hello scientific gos.

Speaker 10 (36:04):
Hello Rogers, this is a radio doctor. Howid mechanical mole
is down there? What the mechanical mole? Nothing wants to
have happened to it? Is there any way of contacting
it down there? Is it radio equipped or COO trying
to get them now? Can you hear them? Cor corbar.

Speaker 5 (36:23):
The door there on the ground hole is thrown up
without inside of the.

Speaker 14 (36:27):
Car bark if they take a straight cars down into
the ground.

Speaker 11 (36:30):
I don't know what they did. It's too late to
say them now. They killed this horrible, horrible.

Speaker 10 (36:39):
Hello, that mechanical mole or what left of it with
a long.

Speaker 14 (36:48):
Range disintegrator disintegrator, Yes, by blasting away a long shaft
straight into the ground.

Speaker 10 (36:53):
But the size of the shaft that people came in.

Speaker 14 (36:56):
Call out the rocket Fleet emergency squad. Have them circle
the area we're going to integrate in order to hold
back besides a bit with long range non recil energy projectors. Okay,
I'll take care of notifying the President's Office of what's
happened from here?

Speaker 10 (37:08):
Yes, sir, I'll go to it. No wait, yes, order.

Speaker 14 (37:12):
An interplanetary transport ship made ready and equipped with the
most powerful gravity ray available to pull them all up
to the surface.

Speaker 10 (37:19):
When you when you got a shaft down to it. Eh,
that's right now, get going, right, Hobart.

Speaker 14 (37:25):
Yeah, as ground co erect Standard framework number three x
five directly above the.

Speaker 10 (37:32):
Spot where the mechanical mold ascended. Immediately, Oh, the use
of that.

Speaker 16 (37:36):
That's a disintegrator framework.

Speaker 14 (37:38):
The only possible chance we have of reaching the people
trapped in that machine down there is by disintegrating our way.

Speaker 10 (37:44):
Down to them.

Speaker 5 (37:45):
It's too late. What it's exploded. But then it's too late.

Speaker 10 (37:49):
Do as I tell you.

Speaker 14 (37:50):
As soon as we can get that giant disintegrated, going,
the better our chance of saving them.

Speaker 16 (37:54):
Saving them it's too late.

Speaker 11 (37:56):
I tell you, they're lost.

Speaker 6 (37:57):
They're lost.

Speaker 11 (37:58):
It's too late.

Speaker 12 (38:08):
Well right, No, tren that disintegrated up, No use mass.

Speaker 5 (38:15):
You just integrate house that hole. It fills in from
the side. Carlburger's right.

Speaker 4 (38:18):
Major, We've got less than half a mile down and
yet the fourth race from the rocket feet up above
hill to keep the sides of that hole from falling in.

Speaker 5 (38:25):
And that mechallical mall is two miles down.

Speaker 4 (38:27):
The Science Bureau SAIDs though, but we've got to get
down to that mole somehow.

Speaker 6 (38:32):
They may still be alive in it.

Speaker 4 (38:33):
We can only walk up the sides of that hole
as it goes down.

Speaker 12 (38:36):
Take too long, now listen. Yes, a called puscular repellor ray.
It exerts a constant propelling force in all directions by
aiming it into the hole as we disintegrate our way down. Yes,
doctor Jew has one of them things in his private laboratory.
Good maybe the very thing that'll save his life. But
our lot are brought over here to the field right away.

Speaker 11 (38:54):
That Slavery's life. But it's too late.

Speaker 16 (38:57):
It's too late to save it them.

Speaker 12 (38:59):
Have you tried to contact them again by radiocarburg.

Speaker 16 (39:01):
I keep trying all the time. But what good is
the corners down there?

Speaker 12 (39:05):
How blubbering about it being from lad And stand by
that radio, you know, popular Repelor is on the way
over here, Major good in order to disintegrated, to blast
away again. Our only chance to reach that mechanical mother
lies in the disintegrator is integrator bull.

Speaker 17 (39:19):
Blast Poular repellor is on the way over the major
God in.

Speaker 5 (39:37):
Order to disintegrator to blast away again this integrating.

Speaker 11 (39:41):
Our only chance to.

Speaker 14 (39:42):
Reach that mechanical mole lies in the disintegrator integrator Bonla
integrator Wulwar integrating.

Speaker 6 (39:50):
What did you say?

Speaker 11 (39:52):
Bug?

Speaker 5 (39:53):
Oh bless and keep me going? Where?

Speaker 10 (39:57):
How?

Speaker 6 (39:58):
What would happen?

Speaker 11 (40:00):
I hear strange noises?

Speaker 6 (40:07):
Explosions were still in a mechanical move.

Speaker 15 (40:14):
Here.

Speaker 6 (40:14):
Thank goodness, you've come to come to what I'm getting?

Speaker 5 (40:18):
That ring I piled up on the control board. We're
upside down?

Speaker 11 (40:24):
What the heue? Are you all right?

Speaker 5 (40:26):
Sure? Sure, I'm We're still traveling. We're traveling straight downward.
Head off if you can't, right right, sir, Hey day.
Exposure of that gas backing must has knocked us all.

Speaker 6 (40:48):
Out, But the pols stayed on and the MOLS kept
digging its way down.

Speaker 5 (40:53):
All right? Goodness to day? What's that sound coming through
the radio unit? Sounds like it is in the greater
It seems to me. I heard voices too, What a
funny voices buzzing around in my head?

Speaker 6 (41:14):
He too, and no wonder after the shock of that explosion.

Speaker 5 (41:18):
Well, thank heaven there all in one piece against those
are those are real? Boy said, now what we've been
hearing they've been coming through the radio unit to.

Speaker 10 (41:32):
Use Listen, there's nothing we can do to keep the
sides of the shaft we're blasting.

Speaker 6 (41:36):
Away from caving in that they're blasting away.

Speaker 9 (41:39):
They're still down.

Speaker 12 (41:40):
There, hoping a mechanical mold of explosions, and Heaven only
knows how we'll be able to reach Wait a minute,
don't just see doctor, The explosion was felt up on
the surface.

Speaker 4 (41:50):
They probably tried to contact us. That's why their radio transmitters.

Speaker 5 (41:53):
Are up there.

Speaker 4 (41:54):
So of course we hear them. Oh, of course, being
out pold, we couldn't answer. So now in order to
rescue it, good trying to disintegrate a shaft down here.
That voice is Major Stanton. We've got to contact the
bio mean guy right away. Calling Major Stanton, Calling Major
Stanton the radio that's on the mechanical Hey, Major.

Speaker 5 (42:14):
Stanton, impossible. Hello, Hello, Major, this is Buck Rogers.

Speaker 10 (42:21):
Hey, Hello up there, Captain Rogers. Hold you I told
you they were all right now, Captain Rogers, where are you?
What happened?

Speaker 5 (42:29):
Well?

Speaker 4 (42:29):
We ran into a gas pocket. Major and the lame
things sort of blew up on us.

Speaker 10 (42:33):
Oh, thank Heaven, you're all right again?

Speaker 5 (42:35):
Or are you well? A little shuck up, that's all.

Speaker 10 (42:39):
It doesn't seem possible, Captain Man. That explosion fairly rocked
the whole city.

Speaker 5 (42:43):
Yeah, kind of bang things around down here too.

Speaker 4 (42:45):
You see, when we came to a minute ago, we
found the mechanical mall was still plowing its way downward.
But we've cut off the power now then it's still
in working order.

Speaker 9 (42:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 14 (42:53):
A word that you're all right has got to all
the people up here, Captain. They're cheering and yelling all
over the landing field, and many are on their knees off.

Speaker 5 (43:00):
Well, tell him we're all okay and that everything's all right.

Speaker 9 (43:02):
I will.

Speaker 10 (43:03):
But now, is there anything we can do to help
you return safely to the surface?

Speaker 5 (43:07):
How about down are you well?

Speaker 9 (43:08):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (43:09):
You see most of the instruments here on the control
border smashed, and at the rate we were going, there's
no telling how far down would we've traveled since that explosion.

Speaker 10 (43:17):
I see. But of course you're returning to the surface now.

Speaker 5 (43:19):
So returning to the surface, yes, of course, Well, not a.

Speaker 4 (43:23):
Bit of it we're just getting started on this underground
exploring expedition.

Speaker 5 (43:27):
Good heavens Captain right well here to hear him. Absolutely sure, Major,
but don't worry.

Speaker 4 (43:32):
We'll keep in touch with you by radio, and if
anything exciting happens, we'll let you know.

Speaker 10 (43:37):
I'm amazing.

Speaker 5 (43:40):
Anything exciting happens.

Speaker 4 (43:42):
Well, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't miss
the next episode for anything.

Speaker 1 (43:53):
Welcome back, Well, Alan, what did you think of these
first four episodes?

Speaker 2 (43:58):
You know, it's funny having listen to the the the
run of Flash Gordon, these didn't feel quite as polished
as those Flash Gordon episodes did, but it was still
great to see Buck Rogers and Womandeering and and everybody
in action. I do find the addition of doctor Huer

(44:23):
interesting because I feel like that's the direct influence of
Flash Gordon, where you know, in the original stories there
wasn't a doctor Hewer, but then when Flash Gordon, you know,
doctor Zarkoff played such a big role, then you had
to have a doctor as well for the for the
Buck Rogers serials.

Speaker 1 (44:42):
And maybe not as crazy as doctors Arkoff, but still
as smart. I love the Adventurers set up leaving aside
that the whole expedition moved ridiculously fast once I got started.
I thought there was some great, suspenseful moments, and I
appreciated their readiness to journey on the spot, the difficulties

(45:06):
they encounter. And of course, as always in the world
of Buck Rogers, Radio Killer Kane shows, the one thing
they haven't figured out in the future is security, as
he is always Killer Caine is always escaping from prison.
That's his big talent. And I guess that one other
thing you have to praise is Sergeant Carl Bark's cool

(45:29):
headed demeanor.

Speaker 8 (45:33):
You know.

Speaker 2 (45:34):
You know, it's funny because he really is like a
breakout character for me, because you know, he's given a
big role.

Speaker 3 (45:40):
But man, that actor just made the most of it.
I thought that he was absolutely fantastic.

Speaker 11 (45:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (45:47):
I have no idea if you ever appeared in this again,
but it's like, yeah, just went for it with full gusto.

Speaker 18 (45:54):
Yeah, and I agree, like, you know, oh, hey, I
just made this moled thing that go to the center
of the earth. Great, let's get started, like, maybe do
some cats staying first?

Speaker 1 (46:07):
Yeah, yeah, but you know we don't have time for
that in adventure serial. Now We're talking a bit more
about your Buck Rogers comic next week, but I wanted
to ask you about Green Archer comics and kind of
your own journey with comics. When did you first become
interested in comics, either as a reader or if you

(46:31):
experimented with writing them before, and what were the first
books you read?

Speaker 2 (46:36):
So, I mean, I've been a comics fan as long
as I can remember, you know, at least since I
was five years old when my mom took me to
our local mall and they had a poor guy in
a probably asbestos lined hawk suit handing out comics to

(46:58):
to little kids, and I was just hooked on, hooked.

Speaker 3 (47:02):
On comics from there. But I was a DC boy
growing up.

Speaker 2 (47:06):
So even though my first experience was Halked, our local
comic bookshop had The Spider, had Superman, Batman, Green Arrow.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
So that was kind of where my where my love
really started.

Speaker 1 (47:20):
Now, one thing that's kind of interesting about Green Archer
Collmakes is that you do have a bunch of different titles,
but they all, you know, and they cross some different
comics subgenres, but they all seem to tie back into
cyber security or information security in some ways. Whated you

(47:45):
to establish a company with that sort of focus.

Speaker 3 (47:51):
So they say, right, what you know?

Speaker 2 (47:53):
And I've been doing cybersecurity or information security for thirty years,
almost as long as it's been a as it's been
an actual profession, and so it was easy to incorporate
that in, you know, turning Johnny Dollar from a you know,
from insurance investigator to a cyber insurance investigator.

Speaker 3 (48:16):
Like, that's a world that I know really well. So
that was kind of an easy thing to do.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
And we had so much success with the Johnny Dollar
comic that it just kept, you know, kept doing that
because that makes it a little bit easier to write,
and writing with these.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Public domain characters that I know and love so much.

Speaker 2 (48:37):
That's even better because I'm telling stories trying to carry
on the tradition. Like I don't want to rewrite Johnny Dollar.
I don't want to rewrite Buck Rogers. I want to
tell new stories that feel like they are tied to
the original characters.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
Now, Alan, you do have a special giveaway a laugh.
It has nothing to do with Popsicle Pete, but it's
a bit cooler than that, Alan, could you tell us
a little bit about that?

Speaker 2 (49:06):
Sure, So we're going to run and giveaway just for
your listeners until the end of the year. When we
did the Kickstarter for the buck Rogers campaign, we made
two comics that we made two special metal covers for
those comics, so you cannot get them through airport security sorry,
And we had a couple of extra and so we're

(49:29):
going to give those away to two people in the
US or Canada. If you go to green Archer dot
io slash Great Adventurers, you can you can enter the giveaway.
It'll run until the end till December thirty first, twenty
twenty five. Put in your name and email address and
we won't collect any data on you unless you want

(49:51):
to subscribe to our mailing list, which we love. And
again on January first of twenty twenty six, we'll draw
two winners and send them copy of the comment.

Speaker 1 (50:01):
Thanks Allen, and I'll be sure to include a link
to that in the show notes. Well, now it is
time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and
I want to thank Jeffrey, Patreon supporter since June of
twenty twenty three, currently supporting the podcast at the secret
agent level of four dollars or more per month. Thank
you so much for your support, Jeffrey, and that will

(50:23):
actually do it for today. We will be back next
Tuesday with the conclusion of this story, but be sure
and join us back here on Saturday for Cloak and Dagger,
and Alan will look to having you back then, But
in the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen

(50:43):
at Great Detectives dot net. But from Boise, Idaho, this
is your host, Adam Graham. Sign and off.