Back in July, we had ourselvesss a ssslitheringly sssexy sssnake girl fessst of storiesss, and longtime THOIA chum, Brian Barnessss --ok, I'm gonna stop doing that now-- was super bummed to see it end, he even requested more. And it doesn't get much more weird and adventurous than this wild tale about Brian's own relatives, one that starts out in the deepest jungles of India, and takes the action all the way to the big city Broadway stage! This would've made for a fun 1940's RKO creature feature, with its increasing body count, mysterious museum moment, and yes, the Medusa-like monster that'll stop at nothing to achieve her gorgeously gruesome goal! And since we haven't had ourselves a casting call around here in a while, I'm going with Dana Andrews as Dan, Joi Lansing as Pat, and magnificent Mara Corday as Mahrana. From the April 1953 issue of Forbidden Worlds #16.
Great story. And a lot funnier than I would have guessed from the start. Snake Goddess decides she wants to be an actor. Playing the clarinet to put her to sleep. "Arrest this fool!" "You got any witnesses?" "Sure!" "He's right!" "I'll testify!"
ReplyDeleteI feel like this would have been better as an Abbott and Costello movie.
OK that was great! Not just because it featured my relatives -- all idiots, but that's to be expected -- but because as already pointed out, the evil snake woman suddenly just completely gave up on her revenge (she never went after Pat again) and decided she was hot and was going to be famous! The story completely turns on a dime!
ReplyDeleteAnd then Dan completely replaces Pat in the story (which seemed unnecessary but I don't think a lot of people would have wanted to go with the woman and/or snake/woman only story.)
"Save it Sister, once you got those tender arms around my neck -- I'd be crushed -- like the others!" That's the way I'm replying to all women that hit on me (chances are low but I'm taking it!)
I love how she's lounging around on the bed when Dan comes back. What a dope.
I think the only thing missing from this is no transformation panels. She's either a good girl art piece or a cool horror monster (I love the combination of medusa/giant snake.). An old Atlas 4 panel transform would have been cool.
This is a fun one!
Oh, yeah, I'm going to have to go with Allison Hayes as Mahrana.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'm not one who usually gets too hung up on deserts, but in this age of recognizing the problematic history of colonial practice vis-à-vis the theft of cultural patrimony, it's kind of hard not to sympathize with the snake here. Just give her the sacred ethnic artifact and the white folk will stop dying, sheesh. I'm looking at you too, the British Museum. The blithe, privileged pillaging of a snake woman's temple, at the hands of smug invaders, seems all the more villainous as the indication seems to be that she will herself die without access to this statue that rightfully belongs to her and her people. Seriously, what else is she supposed to do but fight for her life, her religion, her property, and her right to an ethnic identity? This is the kind of thing that separates cultural heroes from everybody else.
ReplyDeleteBut I am also not one who gets all that hung up about downer endings, either. Sometimes the good guys lose. C'est la vie.
Leaving her mission for an acting career is definitely more original than having her mission ruined because she fell for the male lead, like Faith Domergue in CULT OF THE COBRA.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of actresses, presumably "Vera Monroe" comes from Marilyn Monroe, but who else does it come from - Vera Miles?
It doesn't ruin the story, but a herpetologist would really get annoyed at all the "facts" in this one - slimy snakes, cobras that constrict.
I know it's bad manners here to point out small plot holes, but I love the ones with big plot holes that don't give a damn. This is the most ridiculous story in a long time, and it's awesome. And of course it has to end with a marriage proposal because that's what counts as a happy ending in 1953! Goodbye, evil dead snake goddess actress!
ReplyDeleteNo snake goddess can resist Benny Goodman on the clarinet
ReplyDelete