I adored 'Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?' for its nostalgic yet bittersweet take on futurism. The story revolves around two central figures: a wide-eyed kid nicknamed "Bud" and his unnamed father figure, who’s this gruff but lovable engineer type. Bud’s the perfect stand-in for that mid-20th-century optimism—always dreaming of rocket ships and jet packs—while his older companion represents the practical, sometimes jaded side of progress. Their dynamic carries the emotional weight, especially as the timeline jumps forward and you see how their relationship evolves alongside society’s fading space-age dreams.
What’s brilliant is how Brian Fies uses these two to anchor bigger themes. The comic isn’t just about characters; it’s a love letter to the 1939 World’s Fair, Apollo-era ambition, and even the disillusionment of the 1970s. You really feel Bud’s heartbreak when reality doesn’t match his childhood comics. And that silent panel where the older man stares at a discarded Space Race newspaper? Chills. Makes me dig out my old 'Popular Science' mags every time.
Two words: Bud’s overalls. That kid’s design screams ‘retro futurism’—striped shirts, goggles, the works. His relationship with the engineer (who I secretly think is a time traveler) drives the whole emotional arc. When they visit the ‘64 World’s Fair together, it’s pure joy; by the oil crisis era, their conversations feel like eulogies for the future. Hits harder if you’ve ever bonded with someone over shared dreams that didn’t pan out.
Let’s geek out about the storytelling here! 'Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?' plays with time skips, so technically, Bud and his mentor are the only constants—but they’re more like symbols than traditional protagonists. Bud starts as a kid in the ‘40s, obsessed with Flash Gordon-style futures, while his pragmatic guardian embodies post-war pragmatism. By the ‘70s, their roles almost reverse: Bud’s now a disillusioned adult clinging to nostalgia, while the older man (who might be immortal? Or a metaphor? Fies leaves it ambiguous) becomes this melancholy relic. The comic’s packed with visual Easter eggs too, like how their haircuts and clothes evolve with each era. Makes me want to frame every page.
Bud’s my spirit animal in that comic—just this ball of energy who believes in chrome-plated futures. His buddy (never named, which feels intentional) reminds me of my grandpa, who worked on Cold War-era projects and had that same mix of pride and exhaustion. The way Fies contrasts Bud’s starry-eyed wonder with the older guy’s ‘been-there’ attitude nails how generational hope shifts. Like when they build model rockets together early on, versus later when the older man’s just... tired. It’s those quiet moments that wreck me.
2026-03-02 08:04:10
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