Mind Webs: The Metal Man - Jack Williamson - 30:46

Jack Williamson was referred to as "The Dean of Science Fiction." His first published story was "The Metal Man," in AMAZING STORIES, December, 1928. The illustration above is by Frank R. Paul. Even at the age of 20 Williamson's writing had a professional polish, and a narrative drive that propelled the story. Williamson was an amazing story himself; self-educated in his early years, he went on to get a doctorate and to be a college professor. He died in 2006 at age 98.

Read more about The Metal Man right here or check out a scanned print copy here.

The Metal Man begins as a narration by Russell, the best friend of the title character:

“The Metal Man stands in a dark, dusty corner of the Tyburn College Museum. Just who is responsible for the figure being moved there, or why it was done, I do not know. To the casual eye it looks to be merely an ordinary life-size statue. The visitor who gives it a closer view…”

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Mind Webs was a 1970's series out of WHA Radio in Wisconsin that featured weekly short stories of science fiction by some of the genre's best writers. The music, sound cues and occasional character voices along with the performance of Michael Hansen, the reader, resulted in better than most fully dramatized productions of the period. Around 150 shows were aired between 1976 and 1984 varying in length, but most were about 30 minutes.