Free Science Fiction Classic Comic Book - Tom Corbett Space Cadet #378 From Dell Comics For Your Old School Space Opera Campaign

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Before there was Kirk, Spock, and McCoy there was Tom Corbett Space Cadet! Corbett's crew was busy exploring the solar system and many of his adventures are easily adapted as old school space adventures.
This comic book adventure places Tom and crew right into the cross hairs of an interstellar incident and they could place your old school crew in them as well!
The Dell comics were high quality issues and were very nicely done. They ran from :

February 1952 - September–November 1954

• Titan Sabotage Dell 4-Color #378
  Titan Sabotage makes a nice low level adventure for both X plorers or a retro future space adventure of Stars Without Number. Easy to adapt with a minimum of fuss this one works quick and is a great little mid point adventure. 

According To Wiki : 

The stories followed the adventures of Corbett, Astro, originally Roger Manning and later T.J. Thistle, cadets at theSpace Academy as they train to become members of the Solar Guard. The action takes place at the Academy in classrooms and bunkrooms, aboard their training ship the rocket cruiser Polaris, and on alien worlds, both within our solar system and in orbit around nearby stars.

Tom's real origin went something like this: 

Joseph Lawrence Greene of Grosset & Dunlap developed Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, inspired by the Robert A. Heinlein novel Space Cadet (1948)^[1] but based on his own prior work. Greene had submitted a radio script for "Tom Ranger" and the "Space Cadets" on January 16, 1946, but it remained unperformed when Heinlein's novel was published. Greene then reworked his radio script into a script for a daily newspaper adventure strip, which was never produced.

The original Tom Corbett series was published by Dell Comics beginning in their 4-Color series. The 4-Color series was used to try out new story lines on the public to obtain feedback. If successful the series would be spun off to form its own title. Tom Corbett won his own title after three tryout issues. As the popularity of the television series waned, Dell stopped producing the comic book and the series was then taken up and produced by Prize Comics.

There were a small number of Tom Corbett comic books in Manga style published in the 1990s by Eternity Comics, but these are regarded as non-canonical by Corbett fans.

For more information on Tom Corbett Space Cadet including a ton of internet support go
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Free Comic Book Download - Space Action #1 From Ace Comics For Your Old School Space Opera Campaign

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This Summer with so much going on and one of my gaming groups on hiatus because of medical issues with two of the players I've been getting back into comic books a bit. Not the usual sort but the public domain efforts that came out in yesteryear. Lately I've been drawn to the post apocalyptic genre but I find myself drifting back to space opera. Ace Comics put out dozens of good solid titles in the Fifties and Space Action issue #1 caught my attention. It promised unusual interplanetary adventure!
Lasting between June 1952 through October of 1952 this title had a few good stories and some interesting stuff between the pages. This title is perfect for Xplorers and man I wish I had this title when I was running Human Space Empires.
Invaders From the Lost Galaxy is a mix of Flash Gordon style action with a weird Dark Ages style backdrop that would make a solid Xplorers one shot. The story archs fast, plenty of action, and a bit of ray gun action in this one. So its a solid story in its own right.
Double Menace on Jupiter's Moon is more my style. The derelict in space is a nice opener for a Stars Without Number adventure. There's plenty here that can be reused for a SWN retro future space adventure. This would make a great one shot for an evening of play.
 War Fleet of the Trader Earth Men - This a bit of a middle campaign style adventure, the ideas in this one are a bit more involved. The action gets into a bit of the space palace intrigue bit but its a fast adventure if twisted up a bit for either SWN or Xplorers. With this one though I lean in a bit more for SWN.
The Green Menace From Landar is typical of ACe Comics format. Namely  three comic stories followed by a two page break up story and then a wrap up. This one makes a nifty little encounter for Xplorers. A very fast read and not too badly done for the period.
 Prisoners on Solar has Xplorers written all over it. Lots of action, way out retro future science fiction technology, and this one is a great for a quick one night adventure or a convention style of play. I liked the star ship designs in this one.
All in all Space Action #1 goes down easy and is a quick read. Easily converted to your favorite old school space opera or science fiction retroclone this one is a clear and easy download that should provide a few days of play with your favorite group of science fiction players. 

Dark Visitor From Eldritch Enterprises For Your Old School Space Opera, Science Fantasy, or Science Fiction Campaign

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This is a monster of science fictional campaign that takes place aboard a 'living ship' and forget those Star Trek Next Generation Tin Man thoughts because this is much, much, worse and a far darker a tale.
This is a horrifying journey into a science fiction nightmare for your PC's as only James Ward and Chris Clark's twisted minds can dream up. This is also a mini sequel of sorts to James Ward's Dark Visitor. However this is a monster of a campaign clocking in for one hundred and one pages of action packed encounters. 

According to Drivethru Rpg: 

Dark Visitor is an epic adventure into the bowels of an alien spacecraft; a world unlike any you have previously seen.  It is a living vessel, filled with undiscovered life forms, strange technologies, dangerous and unexpected pitfalls, and yes, fabulous treasures. A well-equipped exploration or salvage team could make a handsome profit.  They could just as easily die a gruesome and unforeseen death.

There are many ways to die in space.  We just added a few more.

Not for the faint of heart, Dark Visitor is designed for exploration by three or more characters of low to moderate levels, and armed to the teeth with items.  It can be used as either a stand-alone adventure or as the sequel to Dark Outpost.
According To James Ward's Blog : 

"Anyway, Chris is just finishing up two layout projects. DARK VISITOR and RAIN OF TERROR and they look terrific. DARK VISITOR is a generic science fiction campaign. A ship made out of fungus comes into the solar system looking for a scout ship. The player characters are sent to explore the ship. Chris and I co-authored that one, but really Chris did the lion’s share of that project. Chris wrote RAIN OF TERROR by himself and I have rarely seen a product look as good as that one does. It’s an amazing adventure and I’m very jealous because he has thought of a new adventure hook I have never seen used before in my 40+ years of creating adventures. We hope to show those available to you in the first week of December."

You can find more over on Mr. Ward's Blog HERE

 Using Dark Visiter with Your Old School Science Fiction
 or Science Fantasy Campaign

 

Dark Visitor picks up where Dark Outpost left off if your PC's were lucky to survive and thrive in that deadly little adventure right over HERE. Where Dark Out was a sprawling mini campaign sandbox with monsters easily converted. Dark Visitor is a fully fledged sand box campaign with deadly encounters, high weirdness for PC's and even treasures!
The writing is crisp, clear and very entertaining. The elements of the adventure are very easily adapted to any retroclone or science fiction adventure rpg. Dark Visitor has lots of potential though for those looking for an X - plorer campaign with room for lots of expansion.
For Stars Without Number this is a hell of a campaign that could last several months as the PC's explore a very alien mega dungeon.
The adventure is system agnostic and has the feel of a 1970's or 80's science fiction film where the PC's are up to their necks in alien situation where they're actions could decide the fate of not only themselves but the entire party. The encounters are well balanced and with the conversion notes this one could easily be adapted to even a Star Frontiers game if one was so inclined.
Both adventures speak volumes about the quality of writing that we see from Mr. Clark and Mr. Ward. This adventure would make a heck of a convention set and could well lead PC's up several levels if they survive long enough to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
These adventures could be used with Metamorphosis Alpha 1st edition as add on campaigns and bring PC's into the bounds of outer space very easily. The artifacts and technologies are great. The puzzles and encounters are interesting, challenging, and somewhat deadly if PC's are not careful. Be warned that Dark Visitor is a monster of a campaign and will take several months to play through. Combined with Dark Outpost and you've got the makings of a complete and total campaign for some time to come!

Commentary

I'm not going to lie to you folks, I enjoyed reading the hell out of this adventure. I found myself clapping my hands and wringing them with delight to subject my friends and players to this one. There is a tone of desperation that seems to run through the entire adventure as if the PC's are going through the paces of some demented organism out to deal with them.  I mean this in a fun way. This is a highly recommended adventure and it would work with many of the science fiction games currently on the market and a few that are no long as well.
The lion's share of the campaign takes its time with the PC's and really subjects them to some trials and puts them through their paces. I keep thinking either X plorers or Stars Without Number for these adventures!
 Grab some players, grab some dice, and grab your copy of this one today!

 For other fine products from Eldritch Enterprises
Go Right Over 
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Science Fiction Art Work For Your Old School Science Fiction Campaign

I'm always looking for influences, inspirations,etc. for my games. The following artwork appears in the Dark Roasted Blend blog & I thought I'd share with you! 


"Soon there will be no one who remembers when spaceflight was still a dream, the reverie of reclusive boys and the vision of a handful of men" 
-- Wyn Wachhorst, 1995.


Visit Your Friendly Space Travel Agency


Your appointment will be yesterday... Now wait for last year... Tomorrow as it used to be... It wasn't that long ago that we had a future... All these quotes and a rocket-powered imagination will propel us on a tour of Solar planets and beyond, all as advertised in Space Travel brochures and scenic holograms.



("Atomic Avenue #1", art by Glen Orbik)


Retro-inspired Travel Posters: Visit Other Planets in Style!


You've seen these wonderful vintage posters from the 1920s and 1930s, with the distinct Art Nouveau, or Art Deco look, extolling the pleasures of luxury European destinations:



(images via, see a lot more there)


Well, it turns out that you can enjoy similar travel posters for the popular luxury interplanetary destinations - courtesy of Steven Thomas: 








We asked him how he came up with the idea for these space travel posters:


"A few years ago I acquired a table in an art show at a role-playing gaming convention. I needed to come up with something that would catch the eye, was sci-fi/fantasy related and something I would want hanging on my wall at home. The following year, "Venus by Air" and "Explore the Crimson Canyons of Mars" were very well received and a fellow artist suggested I create posters for the entire solar system. So, the next year (2007) "Europa Air" and "Midnight Zephyr" were added to the collection. Since then I’ve been hard at work completing the series".


Continuing on a futuristic tour of outer planets:








"...I really admire the art and design of advertising posters of the early 20th century. Combine that with my appreciation for retro science fiction magazine cover art and you get an ad for a futuristic destination. If you are fan of vintage travel ads you may notice that some of the posters are loosely based on existing travel or transportation posters. Whether that be color, layout or some other design element. I felt it would give them a sense of familiarity. Prints of various sizes are available at www.zazzle.com/stevethomas"




Rack up your Space Miles!


Take advantage of travel deals and blast off from the Earth-bound worries into the... space-related ones:



Illustrations by W.A. Kocher and Richard Loew, 1956


Karl Gilzin's book (from 1958) contained some pretty neat illustrations:



(image via)


But the illustrations got even better once this book was translated into Russian, and some nameless artist from DetGiz Publishing House in 1960 drew these inspiring scenes:












(art: DetGiz, Russia, 1960)


Get to the spaceport and meet your pretty flight attendants (note "shark fins" on the car, as well as on the rocket) -



(image credit: Plan 59)


Get to boarding, and perhaps even meet the pilot:



(Illustration by John Polgreen, image via)

(Illustration by James Heugh, image via)


There are some groovy hotels and busy spaceports out there:



(image credit: Michael Peters)

Art by Das, "Ruimtevaart" (image via)


I don't think you'd need to bring your furniture with you, but in case you want to settle down:



Sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, 1958 - via)




Start your tour from the orbit:


L5 Society made up of huge rotating cities, placed in orbit (at Lagrangian points), was a popular futurist idea in the 1960s and 1970s. Toroidal and cylindrical colonies were supposed to be mankind's new pilgrimage and frontier for habitation; economical studies showed that the concept had merit, but political agendas and sheer cost of transport to space effectively killed this idea in the 1980s. Nothing prevents it from being revived some time in the future, so have a look at the concepts and - who knows - maybe your children will see something like this:



(art by Rick Guidice)


Interior views, featuring colossal windows, whole bays and inlets and even a suspension bridge:





(art by Don Davis)


See a lot more of 1970s "Space Colony" art on this NASA page.




Short Stopover on the Moon


NASA proposed vision of the Moon colony (drawn in 2001, compare to Arthur Clarke - Stanley Kubrick's 2001 vision):





You can even have Lunar Rover unloaded from a cargo spacecraft, and hit the back country in good comfort:



(images: NASA, via)


Edd Cartier's vision of concerned female pilot (from "Other Worlds" magazine, July 1952)



art by Edd Cartier, "Other Worlds" 1952


More postcards from other worlds... Some unnamed planet is getting explored by a spider-like vehicle:



(art from old Soviet "Znanie Sila" magazine)



(left - art from TM, Russia; right - image via)



art by McKenna, IF magazine, March 1967


You don't need much... This ad from the 1960s proclaims:
"Have Slide Rule, Will Travel!"







TO THE STARS! - rake up Light Years, not Air Miles!


And then, send postcards home from distant worlds at other stars, propelled there by mighty ships, devouring space and time:





M. Vasiljev "Travel to Space", Russia 19580

High Paying Illicit Cargoes For Your Old School Space Opera

1. Gen'tel Grubs - These highly active worm like silver white grubs breed quickly & well within captivuty. They allow one to experience the blank spots within reality. Those who partake of what is a sacred drug on their home world experience extended telepathic rapture with those around them. They are able to use senses of others as if they were their own. They gain 2 points of temporary wisdom. They may experience temporary mental overload or complete break down after 1d3 hours of  the grub's influence. Those who use these creatures must harvest the slime coating from the grub & place it under thier tongues fresh to gain the full effects. 300 credits a shipment & there must be no less then 5 grubs otherwise they may die. 
2. Eliza  Drug - This strange alien circuit design has had over 2 million variations but the basic idea allows an A.I. entity named  Eliza to rewrite the neurons of the human or near human brain into arching pathways. This allows one to think faster, react quicker, & is said to improve sexual performance in near humans. The device adds +1 to all states temporarily as long as the device is used for 1d3 hours per day.The devices are forbidden on many worlds because of the 'black shakes" associated with these devices. Each 1d6 days a roll must be made to see if the person't rewrite goes wrong which inflicts -2 to all stats. These devices are worth 200 credits while the soft ware is worth 100 credits an upgrade! 400 credits a case for these devices 
3. "The Exuberance of Tao" - These 1 inch pills are actually the living braincells of psychotic geniuses stored within a stable medium. They work by greasing the neuron pathways within the brain giving temporary psychic powers & memory retention. The user gains telepathy, & telekinesis for 1d10 days . 100 credits an inject into the pineal gland  with a special needle like device. -1 to all stats unless regular injects are received & no saving throws! 
4. Thusian Brain Worms - These maggot like worms are found in the crypts of alien princes that circle the star Aldebaran where they crawl through the mortal remains of these half million year old remains. They may be taken internally & give a temporary stay of death by turning the user into a much lesser form of intelligent zombie. The worms need to be changed every 1d4 months or rot & full decay sets in. There was a scare 5 centuries back of mutated versions of these worms creating full zombie like plagues. They have been on the 'illicit' list ever since. There is no truth that the worms are telepathically calling out to the dread stars to the dead god of their long forgotten masters. None at all. 400 credits per shipments.
5.  Smoke & Roll  - An ancient nanite relic of bygone days that allows the user to experience the perceptions of machines. Adds the skills find & disarm traps & secret doors. The user experiences strange alien machine buzzing at all times & adds 3 forbidden alien machines to skills. The user becomes a greater part of a cosmic machine hive mind when this substance is used. Comes in a silver lead lined vessel 3 inches long. Must be used every 2 months usable by anyone but many thieves swear it increases their skills. Give +2 to all attempts to find & disarm traps when this stuff is used. Must be injected directly into the brain pan. 300 credits for a shipment of 20 vials.