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Study 059 - Nobody Bothers Gus (Patreon)

Published:
2023-09-21 18:23:19
Edited:
2023-09-21 19:46:56
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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Content

It's an unforgettable episode on the Algis Budrys story Nobody Bothers Gus! Or is it?

Special thanks to our reader, Paul Fricker! Dig into his blog, The Frickerverse, and don't forget to check out his new podcast: Eldritch Stories!

Next up: The Anything Box by Zenna Henderson and Sci-Fi Extra Credit!

Comments

Matt Heerdt

Are you guys doing a show this week? Coulda sworn I'd seen a notice, but just can't find it now...

ESTY

I’m not quite sure why this story qualifies as a Strange Tale? Gus is no mutant or alien; he’s simply Canadian.

Matthew Alderman

I think those are some of Burton Guster’s pseudonyms. Kudos.

Mark Simmons

That was a lot of fun, but I'm tempted to call shenanigans on its inclusion here because we can't be *sure* it's actually fictional.

Richard Horsman

Burdys is really good at observing male emotional pain. It’s on display here, and goes down some upsetting toxic paths in Rogue Moon. I find myself thinking about Rogue Moon a lot. It’s an odd artifact: feels new wave, but has a 50s sensibility that makes it really unique. Also the elliptical sci-fi plot continually gets overwhelmed by the test of wills between the two main male characters. The only thing remotely like it is the weird ant movie Phase IV (which you’ve talked a little about in the past). UNGH, I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO DO ROGUE MOON NOW.

Jeff C. Carter

Gus wouldn’t need to become an astronaut or stow away on a spaceship. It sounds like he could create his own ship and explore outer space. He might not be able to “lose” there, but he could thrive in such a physically challenging environment as well as learn the society of that other alien race.

Steve

Somehow people ignore his stats, but will that carry on when he's dead? This bit makes less sense.

It's a Ghost.

I like how when achievement and being noticed didn’t work for Gus, he drove his road car out to the country and found a simple house to fix up and garden to keep. That being said, he still longed to be noticed and to live with people.

Jim Cannon

This reminds me of Captain Comet.

Jim Cannon

When the word "roadcar" popped up, I assumed this was set in the Gilded Age and Gus was wearing driving gloves and a scarf. But it soon became apparent "roadcar" was in opposition to "flying car" and the assumed setting jumped forward about 150 years. Cool trick!

rjbrock

Gerald Kersh’s short story “Whatever Happened to Corporal Cuckoo?” was published around the same time and also features a man who is unable to take full advantage of his superpower.

DR

There’s a character called Glyph in the comic The Ballad of Halo Jones who has a similar forgettable presence ability. In the comic it’s from changing their body and personality so many times that even they don’t know who they are and everyone forgets them just like in this story.

Aaron La Vene

Damn this was a really cool story and premise.

Jeremy Impson

When you two couldn't figure out how many other stories were set in the Gusiverse, I thought, "Man, that forgetful-field sure is strong"

Matt Shank

I always find these kinds of stories fascinating. The question of, "What would you do if you could not fail?" is so interesting and revealing of human nature to me. I know you're both RPG nerds, but I wonder if either of you have ever played Vampire: the Masquerade? That game puts you in a similar situation to Gus. You're given amazing powers and resources, but then cut off from the world at large. It's up to you to decide if you'll try and maintain your humanity despite being largely removed from human society or if you'll give in to your monstrous nature. You can use your powers for some astounding feats of evil if you so choose, but then you have to live with your choices, potentially forever.

Cthulhu 2 Electric Boogaloo

This reminded me of the TNG episode about the Douwd who erased an entire species from existence with a simple thought because it invaded and killed a mortal women he had fallen in love with.

Professor Murder

Reminds me of Obfuscate in Vampire The Masquerade.

Sweatin' to the Great Oldies

I find it sad that the mutant man is willing to give up on his mutant house. No one else had noticed the potential in his house. I suppose, in the end, he'll likely allow his own demolition to make way for something that looks like progress.

Exanimus

Is it about being an author too awesome to be recognized, so they just go home and use their creativity to work on handicrafts? How did they remember he was out there to send him a notice about the highway? HOW!?!

Shay Fargel

honestly, being effortlessly good at everything AND being anonymous sounds pretty sweet to me. you get all the benefits of excelling at a given thing, and you're not famous. that's a win win to me!

Jason of the K

For some reason this story made me think of Highlander and how these immortal beings might drift through life, detached from those around them, searching for others like themselves. Plus swords :p

Alex Popov

Ok, this story explains why I can’t remember any of the stories covered on the show even though this podcast is so great! Well done, sneaky superhuman hosts