When we think of comic heroes that completely changed pop culture, we usually think of characters like Batman or Superman, heroes whose debuts in the late 1930s popularized the idea of superheroes as we know them and who continue to be wildly popular to this day. But before Superman and Batman, there were other comic heroes who captured public interest. These earlier heroes leaned less into the “super” aspect of things, instead leaning into science fiction adventures and perhaps the most iconic of them all made their debut 97 years ago — though they’ve largely disappeared today.
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Created by Philip Francis Nowlan and first appearing in daily American newspapers on January 7, 1929, Buck Rogers was a revolutionary character. The Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D. comic followed the adventures of William Anthony “Buck” Rogers, a character who first appeared in Nowlan’s novella Armageddon 2419 A.D. His comic iteration sees Buck as an Air Service pilot in World War I when the mine he was in as a surveyor collapses on him. Preserved in suspended animation by the gases in the mine, Buck awakens 500 years in the future amidst another war. He soon rescues future freedom fighter Wilma Deering and, after proving himself to those in her group, becomes part of their freedom fighting group going against the Mongols who have conquered America. It’s a wild and fascinating premise and, at one time, Buck Rogers was the most popular fictional character in the world — and he might eventually get a comeback.
Buck Rogers Popularized The Concept of Space Exploration (And Had Huge Influence)
While the wild popularity of Buck Rogers had wide-reaching impact on pop culture of its time — Buck Rogers stories would end up being adapted away from the printed comic strip to things like radio dramas and early film serials which had influence on language, particularly in terms of describing things that were seen as futuristic by using “Buck Rogers” as an adjective — there were wider impacts as well. One of the bigger ones is that Buck Rogers was one of the first characters to make space adventure and exploration a part of mainstream entertainment and, in many ways, helped give rise to the idea of the space opera. Many rival comic strips that leaned into the tropes and themes Buck Rogers established soon followed, including Flash Gordon. As a whole, the new genre that Buck Rogers and imitators were creating would go on to influence major sci-fi works in the future. George Lucas has cited both Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon as part of the inspiration for Star Wars. Influential author Ray Bradbury also credited Buck Rogers comics with being a major influence in his own love of sci-fi and fantasy — and Bradbury is himself one of the most celebrated authors of the 20th century thanks to works like Fahrenheit 451.
Buck Rogers’ influence goes even further than what is now “standard” sci-fi fare like Star Wars, Star Trek, and more, too. Given that a key element of Buck Rogers’ story is that he was a time displaced hero, we can see that influence in comics. The “man out of time” trope is a common one, especially for heroes like Captain America. In many ways, Captain America’s story mirrors Buck Rogers in that a wartime-related incident left both men in suspended animation only for them to be revived many years in the future where they would take up a fight not necessarily their own.
Despite His Massive Influence, Buck Rogers Has Disappeared (But He Might Be Making a Comeback)
Unfortunately, despite wild popularity and huge cultural impact, Buck Rogers eventually disappeared from public awareness. The character’s last major media appearance was in the 1979 film Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and the television that followed it. A modernization of the character and story, the film, which starred Gil Gerard as Buck Rogers, served as the pilot and two-part first episode of the series, which ultimately ran for just two seasons. The series was ultimately cancelled due to a series of issues, including low ratings, creative missteps, and the departure of key characters.
The biggest issue — and something that impacted Buck Rogers as a character and not simply as a television show, was the changing sci-fi landscape. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, science fiction had gotten a lot more complex and modern as compared to Buck Rogers. He may have had huge influence on the genre, but now the things the character influenced were taking center stage making Buck Rogers seem dated and quaint by comparison. The character eventually faded mostly into obscurity. However, the story might not be over yet for one of sci-fi’s oldest heroes. Various attempts to do a new Buck Rogers movie have been in the works over the years, but last fall, it was announced that Deadpool & Wolverine writer Zeb Wells had signed on to write a new Buck Rogers movie. No additional details on that film have yet been revealed, but it might just be a sign that the iconic man out of time is coming back once again.
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