1950s “Rocketman” TV Series and Their Fans: Cadets, Rangers, and Junior Space Men, Cynthia J. Miller & A. Bowdoin Van Riper (eds) (Palgrave Macmillan)
Before astronauts like John Glenn and Neil Armstrong were household names, before the ‘one small step’ that left America’s national footprint on the Moon, and before the wonders of science fiction became the wonders of science fact, television heroes in jetpacks and sleek silver rocket ships soared through the skies, and the universe was full of wonder. These fourteen essays look back on those days, exploring the ways that series such as Space Patrol,Tom Corbett, and Captain Z-Ro entered the day-to-day lives of their fans through mentoring and merchandising, ranger clubs and secret messages. Together, they reveal how the Rocketman guided young viewers through the complexities of life in Cold War America, even while inspiring them to look to the stars and dream of adventure.
| Hardback | E-Book |
| ISBN: 9780230377318 | ISBN: 9780230377325 |
| $90.00 | $90.00 |
CONTENTS
Henry Jenkins, Foreword: To Infinity, and Beyond
Cynthia J. Miller &, A. Bowdoin Van Riper, Introduction
Roy Kinnard, Where it All Began: The Flash Gordon Serials
John C. Tibbetts, A Commotion in the Firmament’: Tom Corbett and the Lost Boys
Robert Jacobs, Boys Wonder: Male Teenage Assistants in 1950s Sci-Fi Movie Serials and Cold War Masculinity
Amy Foster, Girls and “Space Fever’”
Howard E. McCurdy, Space Fever: From Fantasy to Reality
Patrick Lucanio & Gary Coville, Shooting for the Stars: Captain Video, the Rocket Rangers, and America’s Conquest of Space
J. P. Telotte, Space Opera TV: Seeing the World of Tomorrow
Lawrence R. Samuel, The Sky is the Limit: Advertising and Consumer Culture in Rocketman Television Shows of the 1950s
Steven M. Young, Creating a Sense of Wonder: The Glorious Legacy of Space Opera Toys of the 1950’s
Jean-Noel Bassoir, Space Patrol: Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television
Wheeler Winston Dixon, Making the Universe Safe for Democracy: Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
Mick Broderick, “Justice through Strength and Courage”: Captain Midnight and the Military-Industrial Complex
Cynthia J. Miller & A. Bowdoin Van Riper, “To Learn from the Past. . .”: Becoming Cold War Citizens with Captain Z-Ro
Gary Hughes, Confessions of A Commando Cody Addict (Or, How The Flying Suit Changed My Life)