http://iowacomicbookclub.com/uncategorized/thanks-to-everyone-for-a-successful-2014-comic-book-i-con John wrote this one-act play in 1960. It was one of his few excursions into science fiction, and it’s thoroughly dystopian. After a nuclear holocaust, a few survivors huddle in a dark cave. They complain about the cold and dark, reminisce about life under sunlight, and prepare to hunt rats as the rats hunt them. Another survivor joins the group, and they greedily devour the small bag of termites she’s managed to find. A firefly makes its way into the cave, and they marvel at its dazzling light, “a sun of our own”—except for the youngest of the group, who is blind. Here’s the first couple of pages.
Seeing John’s other work reminds me of what impresses me the most about him. He was a writer. A good one, in my opinion. He just happened to be a writer who set off on an inquiry about the UFO phenomenon and, as writers sometimes do, researched it thoroughly. Unlike so many “UFO experts” he didn’t sit in his apartment and just sift through others data (something he often decried) He did what a good writer should do: go out into the field and interview people and investigate first hand. Did he ever! He is today, many years later, still a breath of fresh air for those interested in Fortean happenings. May he rest in peace.
Comment by Clarence Carlson — July 1, 2014 @ 5:35 pm
A (so far) quiet piece, poignant, that showcases John’s serious mainstream talent.
Comment by William J. Grabowski — July 7, 2014 @ 8:26 am