MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER...THE MOVIE! by Dave Goode

When I was a kid I knew Dell and Gold Key mostly for their adaptations of popular television shows and movies. However there was one Gold Key comic book that I had wanted to see adapted to the silver screen. That was MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER 4000 A.D. The comic book feature created by comic book legend Russ Manning was in part inspired by the 1960 science fiction movie THE TIME MACHINE produced by George Pal and starring Rod Taylor. The movie was an adaptation of H.G. Welles'  THE TIME MACHINE and would be adapted to the comic book page by Dell.

 

The Man vs. Machine story line found in the Magnus comic book series was powerful. And that first story could have served as a storyboard for a Magnus movie. Even today I can picture a Magnus movie with that winning combination of science fiction and martial arts action. But it would have been even better during the comic book's some initial run from the early to mid 1960s.

As a kid I was more than a little uncomfortable with a hero that wore what appeared to be a red mini-skirt and white go-go boots. I've gotten use to the Robot Fighter's costume over the years. But if there was one thing I would change for a Magnus movie it would be that costume. If he must wear a skirt then put him in something  out of a peplum movie. Something that Steve Reeves would have worn. Which leads me to the casting of Magnus himself. I usually imagine Ron Ely playing the Robot Fighter. But I can just as easily picture Richard Harrison in the role. The actor starred in gladiator movies in the 1960s. And martial arts movies in the 1980s. The athletically muscular would have looked great karate -chopping robots.

 

As for an actress to play Leeja Clane, Magnus romantic interest, I can't really imagine anyone else other than Connie Stevens in the role. But I know there are a lot of fan-boys who picture Ann-Margaret. And speaking of Leeja I was rewatching the 1955 sci-fi flick WORLD WITHOUT END and couldn't help but notice that Nancy Gates' character looked a bit like Leeja. Right down to her futuristic mini-skirt. Could artist Russ Manning have modeled Leeja after her? 

 

 

 

As surely as he modeled Magnus after Rod Taylor, the star of THE TIME MACHINE. Though on the painted cover of MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER 4000 A.D. No. 1 dated February 1963 by artist George Wilson the "Tarzan of the Future" bears a striking resemblance to fan-boy favorite Buster Crabbe. 

Though on some other covers Magnus looked like actor/model Steve Holland. Most likely because Holland posed as the character. As he had for other Gold Key heroes.

 

Below my buddy Vance Capley has put together a faux movie poster for a Magnus movie using George Wilson's original cover illustration.Enjoy and imagine.

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