The Man of Bronze

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What is Doc Savage?

Who is Doc Savage? Or more properly, \u201cWhat is Clarke Savage,
Jr.?\u201d From the facts provided in the \u201cMan of Bronze.\u201d and \u201cThe Arctic
Treasure,\u201d and repeated in the subsequent novels Clarke Savage, Jr. was
developed under close supervision and tutelage of Clarke Savage, Sr. into what
his father considered the \u201csupreme adventurer.\u201d Though not mentioned
specifically, the question arises, \u201cBy what means were his son\u2019s distinctive
physical and mental characteristics (including hair, eyes and skin pigmentation
and texture, acute senses and intellect) developed in him alone, if not being
inherited from any other variations of the human specimens found throughout the
world?\u201d Amber eyes, for example, are
extremely rare, occurring in only .01% of humans. Extant since earliest human
origins, the trait is derived from the presence of eumelanin and pheomelanin
and their interactions in Rayleigh scattering. The origin of the amber eye
trait not derived from whole genes but single nucleotide polymorphism. On the
British Isles the trait is common among the Irish. How could all of these attributes have
developed by education and physical culture?

In answer to this question, consider the case of Mary
Wollstonecraft Shelley who, based on the influence of her parents and
associates developed the novel, \u201cFrankenstein or the Modern Prometheus\u201d about the
age of eighteen years. Here, the medical student, Victor Frankenstein assembles
a \u201cman\u201d from salvaged systems from dead bodies. Here, the enterprise is not
successful since the resulting biological preparation lacks certain essential
features including a fully developed sense of identity and integration into society
derived from familial relationships. The animosities developed between the \u201ccreator\u201d
and the \u201cmonster\u201d yielded tragic results. Following, what parallels might come
to light in a comparison of the historical/philosophical/scientific/religious
origins of Clarke Savage, Jr. and Frankenstein\u2019s creation?

Mary Shelley\u2019s creative personality was developed at home
among some of the most influential personalities of the time. Her mother, Mary
Wollstonecraft died shortly after the child\u2019s birth and seemingly left her
child with a feeling of guilt as being the cause of that death. Her father,
William Godwin, a social philosopher and activist provided an extensive
informal education. The family entertained and conferred with some of the most
noted philosophers, writers and scientists of the time, including the chemist,
Humphrey Davy. In her biography is revealed that one of the topics Davy
discussed in family groups (including Mary) was the role of human beings in the
development of the Earth. One of Davy\u2019s suggestions was that the world was left
incomplete after the creation of man, his function being to participate in the
ongoing further creation. Considering that \u201cFrankenstein or the Modern
Prometheus\u201d was originally published in 1818 knowledge of metabolism and
cellular \u201clife processes\u201d were in their infancies. Wisely, Mary Shelley did not
dwell on Frankenstein\u2019s methods for restoring life to his construct. Mary was
therefore derived from the Davy/Wollstonecraft/Godwin School. Notably, during a
European excursion after her marriage to Percy Shelley Mary met a investigator
whose goals (perhaps inspired by those
of the legendary(?) Konrad Dippel) included at least the initial attempts at
the experiments performed by Frankenstein.

Conversely, the author of the Doc Savage novels had not much
more than typical secondary education, but was a voracious reader, had an
exceedingly inquisitive, imaginative mind and an inborn talent for
storytelling. In 1932 Henry Ralston of Street and Smith Publications contracted
Dent for writing stories based on the newly developed character, Doc Savage in the
pulp format beginning in 1933. Savage\u2019s exploits quickly became the #1 seller
in the 1930\u2019s and 1940\u2019s. In the early novels particularly, \u201cThe Man of Bronze\u201d
and \u201cThe Arctic Treasure\u201d details of the origin and early development of Doc
Savage are hinted at or described in sufficient detail to outline that development
here. Clarke Savage, Sr. was wealthy, very intelligent and intent on helping
those in need. When his son was born he wished to shape him into a model for
reaching his goals. The boy was seemingly trained at home in all fields of
intellectual enterprise \u2013 science, medicine, technology, mathematics etc. to
the extent that his child would inspire the envy of the most astute graduates
of world\u2019s renowned institutions. He succeeded. Further, Doc Savage Jr.
developed a finely sculpted physique by a daily exercise regime, including
tuning of the senses and intellectual capabilities to the extremes
possible. And, the young Savage knew
enough of brain structure and function to modify surgically the brains of
criminals to that of model citizens. Finally, the child was instilled with the
\u201cDoc Savage Creed\u201d where he pledged to improve himself over time for the
purpose of aiding others in need, and to accept the consequences of his efforts
without regret. Curiously, like the Frankenstein creation he remained
incomplete. He seemed to lack a sense of self (immune to the personal
appraisals of others) - his behaviors always other directed. And, although he admired women he avoided
romantic involvements since such distraction might interfere with reaching
other more important goals. The attitudes and goals described above are
outlined in the late 19^th Century early 20^th Century,
\u201cPhysical Culture Magazine\u201d published by the Adonis like figure Bernarr
Macfadden and later his acolyte Charles Atlas. Clarke was derived from the
Savage/Macfadden/Davy School.

Now a conjecture to answer the question, \u201cWhat was Doc
Savage?\u201d As has already been pointed out, Mary Shelley was largely ignorant of
the science of human nature based on cell physiology. However, \u201cThe Man of
Bronze\u201d published 115 years later was based on much more knowledge of the same
topics. Therefore, Clarke Savage, Sr. with his wealth, facilities and
inspiration could have fleshed out the process of reaching his goals of
physical and mental perfection working in his (presumed) laboratories referred
to rather obliquely as \u201cThe Fortress of Solitude\u201d filled with all manner of
equipment and genius colleagues purchased and invented for the intense
investigations whose results he needed. Particularly, in the early 20^th
Century investigations developed hints of the nature of the mechanisms of
inheritance. Could he have developed the skills of genetic manipulation
including such matters as restriction enzymes, gene transfer, orphan gene
manipulation, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,
embryonic manipulation and cloning, memory storage, and many others not even
hinted at as yet to produce his superb creation \u2013 his son, Clarke Savage, Jr.?
His wife would have provided a most ideal incubator if a mechanical variety was
deemed unnecessary.

The discussion above reveals two antithetical philosophies
regarding humans existing in the world and the consequences they produce on
adoption:

1.Doc Savage - Philosophic/Scientific Materialism: The world
is incomplete. The role of humans is to change the world into a more hospitable
place of existence. Education can extend human capacities, and science can
reveal procedures beyond superstition and other forms of ignorance for human
benefits.

2. Mary Shelley - Romantic Necessitarianism and
Associativism: Science and technology obscure associations with nature \u2013 the
surest and most effective means for the development of a healthy mentality.
Schooling and other formatted procedures cannot replace the effects of
associated chance occurrences in nature and the innate antecedent elements of
the mind producing personal reaction to these occurrences expressed almost
exclusively in artistic creations. Lacking these encounters produces an empty
identity.

The efficient purpose in writing this review was to compare
the Doc Savage novels to what is commonly referred to as \u201cliterature.\u201d Great forms of literature are often
identified as the works of Shakespeare. Is \u201cThe Man of Bronze\u201d as even Lester
Dent suggested not valuable beyond a paycheck? On the contrary, Doc Savage\u2019s life seems to be
superior to that of Macbeth who proclaims - Human life is \u201c\u2026a tale told by an
idiot \u2013 full of sound and fury signifying nothing\u2026.\u201d Compare this statement to
Doc\u2019s Creed:

"Let me strive every moment of my life, to make myself
better and better, to the best of my ability, that all may profit by it. Let me
think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who need it, with no
regard for anything but justice. Let me take what comes with a smile, without
loss of courage."

Could Macbeth or even Shakespeare himself have benefitted
from Doc Savage\u2019s mind- altering operations?

Suggested here is the premise that Doc Savage, Jr. is
actually a very much-improved clone of his father, improved by purposeful
scientific procedures rather than selection of chance events over geologic
time. - Savage adopted the attitudes of Davy and continued to build and rebuild
the world and the life on it in accordance with the goals of human aspirations.

For a fanciful/factual interpretation of the origins of humans in the British Isles see Robert E. Howard's "Children of the Night" from "Weird Tales" April-May, l931 or in the Wildside Press reprint in "People of the Dark."

\u201cYour Old Buddy,

Whizbang!!\u201d

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