Jules Verne wrote some truly odd stories. He was kind of hung up on machinery, and lousy at characterization.

For really GREAT pioneering science fiction, read H.G.Wells instead! He was the master.

I loved the Classics Illustrated comics of "Time Machine" and "War of the Worlds" and "First Men in the Moon" and the art was good in those ones. Quite good. The martian machines and the Morlocks were both marvelous.

Rick, I gotta say I love your theory about Betty and Veronica being secret lesbians! Definitely makes sense to me. Those girls...Ay-yi-yi...they leave the local boys totally in the dust. I used to fantasize a lot about Veronica, but she is kind of stuck up, that's the only problem.

GUEST - Thanks again for the Liberty Meadows tip. I got the comic, and what a delight it is! This did indeed run in the Sun for awhile, but then they axed it (typical). Brandy is a character with a lot of presence...I like her. Pity she doesn't work in this town is all I can say. Man, things would definitely pick up around here, and the animals would be very happy too, I'm sure. The humour is very witty. I love the geeks at the comic convention, clustering around Brandy like gnats around a gazelle. Ha! I like the dachshund too. We have one that looks and acts just like him.

And here's the kicker...listen carefully, Mudcatters...

On the very first panel of the first page of the Liberty Meadows comic's first issue appears the name of...WILLIAM SHATNER!!!

Yes. It's true. It was fate that drew me inexorably to this comic, from the moment I saw Brandy's noble features on the cover, little realizing that the great Shatner would be waiting within the pages!

It's like this: Leslie the hypochondriac bullfrog is all excited because he has just found out that the Comic and Sci-Fi Convention is coming to town! He calls over Ralph the midget circus bear to see the announcement in the paper.

"Guess who's the guest of honor at the convention?" says Leslie. "This is so cool."

Ralph takes a long and cynical look. "William Shatner's hairpiece?" he asks.

"Yes...No..NO! BELOW THAT! BELOW THAT!" responds Leslie with considerable irritation.

Like I said. FATE has led me to this comic, and I shall read it faithfully forevermore! And I understand just how Frank feels...

:-)

- LH