Impariamo l’italiano XLIII: Esca 044

È il momento per una grande decisione.

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PAGE 44 (Single panel page)

Single panel: View in the galley of the ship, probably from a high angle as this is likely to be a fairly long, narrow space. Turpentine is prominent. He’s dressed as if for a special occasion, wearing a jacket and a bow tie. Eliza and Daphne are both prominent. Among the other people in the galley should be the other characters we’ve seen so far, including Captain Drummingdale, Hiram, and Claudia. There should be others – various ship’s officers and other scientists, that sort of people. Drummingdale is holding a small coin up for everyone to view.

CAPTION – PSEUDO-NARRATION (1): As the RV Seagoon approaches the island of Motofupo, there is a dramatic moment.

Translation (1): Mentre l’RV Seagoon si avvicina all’isola di Motofupo, c’è un momento drammatico.

Turpentine (2): All right, people, now comes the moment when we decide. We are going to determine which of our brave volunteers goes first. We shall flip this twenty-dollar gold coin.

Translation (2): Va bene, gente, ora arriva il momento in cui decidiamo. Stabiliremo quale delle nostre coraggiose volontarie va per prima. Lanceremo questa moneta d’oro da venti dollari.

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The agency sent over another one

Scantily-clad space girl confronts her double on the October 1948 cover of Thrilling Wonder Stories, painted by Earle Bergey.

The art budget for Thrilling Wonder Stories had obviously swelled considerably in the post-war era, and the consequences thereof can be seen right on this cover painted by Earle Bergey. There was substantial interior art as well, such as these two fine pieces by Virgil Finlay for “The Moon that Vanished” by the Queen of Space Opera, Leigh Brackett (1915-1978). There is this:

A nearly-nude woman drifts through space in this interior illustration by Virgil Finlay for Leigh Brackett's story "The Moon that Vanished."
“A fallen satellite of Venus is the lure which leads three hunted beings to the island of smiling death.”

…and…

A diaphanously clad woman gloats through space in this interior illustration by Virgil Finlay to Leigh Brackett's "The Moon that Vanished."
“Heath looked hungrily into the mists and presently he raised his arms.”

This issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories is available to read and download at the Internet Archive.

Impariamo l’italiano XLII: Esca 043

Trementina inizia inizia la sua caccia alla sua bestia tentacolare.

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PAGE 43 (Two panels)

Panel 1: Probably a smaller inset panel. Turpentine, now in a short-sleeved shirt, being interviewed aboard ship (indicate by showing a porthole in the background).

Turpentine (1): This vessel has been specially outfitted for the mission. It carries a great variety of electronic, fishing, and whaling gear.

Translation (1): Questa nave è stata appositamente attrezzata per la missione. Trasporta una grande varietà di attrezzi elettronici, per la pesca e per la caccia alle balene.

Panel 2: “Schematic” of the ship, showing the large central area converted to a giant tank, with a crane on part of the deck.

CAPTION – TURPENTINE NARRATING (2): The most important feature, though, is a giant marine tank in the middle of the ship, in which we hope to contain the creature after capturing it.

Translation (2): La caratteristica più importante, tuttavia, è un enorme serbatoio marino nel mezzo della nave, in cui speriamo di contenere la creatura dopo averla catturata.

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Tube girl high weirdness

A scientist shoots a scantily-clad woman out of a tube while a simian creature assaults him from behind.

I’ve recused a version of this cover before from the social network I shall no longer name (but rhymes with “bumbler”), but feel okay about doing a reblog now that I’ve tracked it to its source, the October 1942 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories. The cover is the work of Earle Bergey.” Interestingly, it appears not to illustrate any of the stories promoted on the cover, but “The Molecule Monsters” by Oscar J. Friend (1897-1963).

The interior illustration provides an example of what wartime deprivation could do to the pulps:

“The sound of a pistol shot and the shattering of glass filled the radio dome.”

This issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories is available to read and download at the Internet Archive.

Impariamo l’italiano XLI: Esca 042

La tanto attesa partenza per i Mari del Sud.

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PAGE 42 (Four panels)

Panel 1: Eliza standing at the boarding counter for an international flight, with Daphne behind her. A GATE AGENT is checking Eliza’s documents prior to her boarding.

CAPTION – PSEUDO-NARRATION (1): At long last the preparations were made. The volunteers boarded a flight for Southeast Asia…

Translation (1): Finalmente sono i preparative sono pronti. I volontari si sono imbarcati su un volo per l’Asia sud-orientale…

Panel 2: Eliza and Daphne sitting side-by-side in large, first-class seats in a first-class cabin. Eliza is holding a flute of champagne and Daphne is reading a book.

CAPTION – PSEUDO-NARRATION (2): The benefactor behind the exhibition arranged for them to travel first class.

Translation (2): Il benefattore dietro l’evento ha organizzato per loro un viaggio in prima classe.

Panel 3: Claudia in coach class, crammed into the middle seat of three between Hiram and another passenger. Hiram looks like he’s trying to get Claudia’s attention, perhaps even hitting on her. The other passenger, a FAT MAN, has gone to sleep. Claudia stares forward with Stoic resignation.

CAPTION – PSEUDO-NARRATION (3): Most of the other specialists on the exhibition had to travel in coach.

Translation (3): La maggior parte degli altri specialisti dell’evento dovranno viaggiare in seconda classe.

Panel 4: Eliza, followed by Daphne, followed by Claudia, walking up the gangway to the RV Seagoon. Eliza is wearing her typical thin cotton shirt and skirt, Daphne is in denim shorts and a T-shirt, and Claudia is in a conservative white button-down short-sleeved shirt and a dark skirt. All three are carrying bags, with Claudia’s being by far the largest.

CAPTION – PSEUDO-NARRATION (4): After arriving in Singapore, volunteers and crew board the research vessel RV Seagoon for their venture in the South Seas.

Translation (4): Dopo l’arrivo a Singapore, volontari e membri dell’equipaggio si sono imbarcati sulla nave da ricerca RV Seagoon per la loro avventura nei mari del sud.

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Ornament girl

A girl is enclosed in a glass sphere held by a giant grinning glass demon on the November 1950 cove of Thrills Incorporated.

I guess this counts as an example of the tube-girl meme. The cover provenance is a bit hard to track down. Thrills Incorporated was an Australian science fiction magazine published between 1950 and 1952. Aside from a brief ISFDB entry I haven’t been able to find out much about this issue. There appear to be a few issues in the Internet Archive, though not this one. But the trope here is sufficiently classic that I felt I had to include the cover.

The cover price of one Australian shilling equals a little more than 11 U.S. cents, at least if I understand the then-prevailing exchange rate correctly. A bargain!

Hat tip on this one to this @PulpCovers tweet:

Impariamo l’italiano XL: Esca 041

Eliza ama stare sott'acqua; Daphne rimane risoluta.

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PAGE 41 (Four panels)

Panel 1: Eliza, about half climbed out of the tank, water dripping off her. A TECHNICIAN is pulling off one of her sensors. Eliza is smiling broadly.

Eliza (1): That’s just the most amazing thing, being underwater for all that time. I’ve never felt anything so peaceful.

Translation (1): Questa è solo la cosa più incredibile, essere sott’acqua per tutto quel tempo. Non ho mai provato nulla di così pacifico.

Panel 2: Eliza standing outside the tank, all of her sensors now removed, toweling off but still wearing her one-piece suit.

Eliza (2): I can’t wait to do that naked in the open ocean.

Translation (2): Non vedo l’ora di farlo nuda nell’oceano aperto.

Panel 3: Daphne, back being interviewed in the coffeehouse.

Daphne (3): Back out? No way.

Translation (3): Sei tornata? Non c’è modo.

CAPTION – UNSEEN INTERVIEWER (4): But…

Translation (4): Ma…

Daphne (5): But what? But I’m going to be immortal if I don’t go through with this?

Translation (5): Ma cosa? Ma diventerò immorale se non mi sottopongo a questo?

Panel 4: Closer-in view of Daphne’s face. She looks deadly serious.

Daphne (6): None of us has the choice as to whether to die. We can only make it sooner, or maybe just a little later.

Translation (7): Nessuna di noi ha la possibilità di decidere se morire. Possiamo soltanto farlo prima, o forse solo un po’ più tardi.

Daphne (7): And we can try to attach meaning to death. That’s what I’m doing here.

Translation (7): E possiamo provare ad attribuire un significato alla morte. Ecco cosa sto facendo qui.

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