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Episode 465 - The Invisible Man - Part 4 (Patreon)

Published:
2019-08-31 02:38:40
Edited:
2024-12-12 19:02:13
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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Content

Whoa - S*#T JUST GOT VISIBLE! It's the conclusion of The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells!

Thanks again to reader Greig Johnson. Listen to Dr. Snake and the Snake Doctors!

Next up: The Battery by Michael Shea!

Comments

Anne Ominous

Coming at this 4-part series from 2024. Waited to listen until I read the story and was not disappointed by either! I was struck by the comedy at the beginning, the different viewpoints throughout and the 'ok, this guy has no redeeming arc, he's gotta go' quality - all of which you noted to a greater degree than I did. Thanks as always for your terrific insights!

Voidcalled

It could be the Delilah mentioned in this story may actually have been a reference to Sampson and Delilah? She (or any romantic entanglement) would be a weakness to the power of his invisibility because he would HAVE to be present for her.

Sweatin' to the Great Oldies

It would not be very dramatic, I suppose, but I'd love a novella about an invisiblian who wanders around helping things go well for folks. A nice, principled, non-creepoid. A... I'm boring myself.

Esteban Barbero

I would freak out in the Invisible man's place if I could not turn visible again. The fear to be turned into a lab animal would be unbearable and, even if he offered his notes to replicate the formula, he surely would have been vivisected. I agree that he is a sociopath but the trauma of his condition pushed him to the edge.

Steve

Didn't you say the snow and rain thing in the last episode?

Sanjay Mathew

Re climate and invisibility, honestly I think a Mediterranean climate like Algiers (which IIRC doesn't really get scorching like much of the rest of North Africa) would be the best scenario for invisibility. As someone from the tropics, I shudder at the thought of mosquitoes feasting on unprotected invisible flesh.

Adequately Excellent Entertainment

“The Fantasy of living in a Department Stores” ... See Evening Primrose by Steven Sondheim and the short story of the same name.

Ellen

Like all your podcasts, loved this series! Sadly, I had never read this before now. This is my first comment because I’m finally caught up! I’ve been bingeing you two since February!! Somewhere in there became a Patreon & now am not sure what to do?! I have to wait for a change! I bought & read Deadbeats - loved it! Chris, thanks so much for taking the time to sign my copy of Transreality & chatting with me a bit on email! Loved it, but the first thing that popped into my mind when reading it was the song “How Bizarre”!! Lol! Chad, bought & love “Fear Boys With Bugs”! My favorite song so far is Frankenstein Man! I turn it up loud & my husband just rolls his eyes! Thank you both for doing this podcast!

Jason Thompson

That was awesome! You should totally cover “The War of the Worlds” too. It’s amazing how Wells invented the alien invasion genre pretty much entirely out of whole cloth and frankly how little anyone else has added to it since.

Cacodaemoniacal

Is this a Farce? A Comedy of Manners? He seems to believe that the lower classes will just be stupid and bow and scrape before his genius and sheer gentlemanism.

Phil Estabrook

Such a neat story. I have to admit, I have never read the book nor have I seen the original films. I always thought Hollowman was some sort of strange bastardization that went dark for effect. Now, having listened to this and then reading the story, I see that the more recent movie wasn't really that far off...

Christian Matzke

I wasn't familiar with Wells's Law before, but it nicely explains why things like The Justice League sit poorly with me. Wonder Woman in WWI? Great. Wonder Woman plus a flying alien, a handsome Deep One and a leather-fetish millionaire? I'm out.

Ethan Cordray

All the business with the snow and his need for clothes just makes me wonder how much different the story would have been if Wells had set it somewhere like California or Florida, where it's a whole lot warmer, and easier to walk around naked most of the time. The Invisible Florida Man is a story that I'd like to read!

Devin Morse

Island of Dr. Moreau next, please!

Avlin Starfall

I have never read or heard this story before. I just knew of the movies but nothing of the source material. Hearing the ending I agree with Chad on its meaning. I think it is telling us like many stories do, that even though we see horrible things happen to someone who has power or abilities we think. "Well, if I had those it would be different!" Also, I feel like it is making a comment on how people will keep things secret if they know it is or has been some kind of power or wealth or something like that and not share it even if they can't use it or understand it. Obviously the guy at the end can't understand what all the formula and things were talking about but he will never share it to even have a chance to understand it as he doesn't want someone else possibly being able to have this power as well.

Morbid Smile Art

Great finale for this story! I always found the ending interesting in that also humanity and nature brutally rejects the Invisible Man, we do still imagine like Marvel that we could somehow do and be better people. When it comes down to it, don’t each of us secretly think we’re smarter than other people? Fingers crossed for a The Island Of Dr. Moreau. Did you know there’s a Batman: The Animated Series episode that referenced it called “Tyger, Tyger”? That started me on the Welles path as a kid.

Kendle

I don’t think invisibility would only lead to negative acts, like Chad and Chris talked about. An invisible man could infiltrate crime rings, uncover dirty politicians, or disarm terrorists with hostages. However, if I found myself naked and invisible in a 1890s department story, like in this story, I honestly believe my first actions would be to cause mischief. For example, I would stand behind manikins and when children walked by I would moan and move the arms around. When an old woman walked past the hair hair products I would quietly “meow” and move one of the wigs. I would have a ball peen hammer, then when wealthy women were trying on jewelry I would crack the mirror as they looked in. I would also hang out in the dressing room, not for nefarious reasons but so I could play an invisible slide whistle when anyone dropped their pants. Stuff like that.

Daniel

As you mention how hard it is for the Invisible Man to perform everyday tasks, it is my belief that the real reason the villagers cover his face is not because his expression is horrible. It’s more likely because of the terrible job of shaving he did while invisible.

Cacodaemoniacal

Wells really stacked the deck against invisibility. Put it in the hands of a Sociopath/Psychopath with illusions of grandeur and poor impulse control--that manages to succeed IF he is naked and it's winter. Conveniently albino, he has no family or friends to offer social support, loses his lab and all its pricy, pricy chemicals and equipment rendering him incapable of reproducing or reversing his success on, say, some warm clothes. He is almost incapable of making a good decision! It's funny how the discussion here lingers on the ethic and legal aspects. Are there any good uses? Is it only for sneak thieves and spies? It almost reads like an instruction manual in reverse.

Jon Hancock

If you want to read another invisibility tale from Wells' era, try "The Shadow and the Flash" by Jack London, published in 1903. It's a short story featuring TWO mad scientists who each take a different approach to invisibility and face off in a full invisible mad scientist showdown! Easy to find the text online.

Andrew Blanke

If anyone’s looking for some fantastic modern scientific romances, Ted Chiang is definitely worth checking out. He’s alive so his stories wouldn’t be suitable for the show, but I thought I’d mention him. He’s a sci-fi author who draws his ideas from complex scientific and mathematical concepts. His story “Story of your Life” was the source material for the film “Arrival”.

The Call of Cassandra

I watched Hollow Man last night, and they had something interesting. Kevin Bacon played the invisible man, and he had trouble sleeping. His eyelids were invisible, so even when he closed his eyes, they were essentially still open. That was a really neat - and weird - observation on the unique challenges to be being invisible.