Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?

Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? follows a father and son across multiple decades of American technological progress, starting at the 1939 New York World's Fair. The story spans from the late 1930s through the Space Age, showing how their relationship evolves alongside society's changing views of the future. The graphic novel format allows Fies to recreate the visual style of each era, from Art Deco exhibitions to mid-century advertising and comic books. He incorporates historical events and authentic period details while tracking developments in space exploration, energy, transportation, and consumer technology. The narrative includes comic-book-within-a-comic segments featuring the adventures of Commander Cap Crater, which mirror the shifting tone of science fiction across the decades. These fictional comics reflect both the optimism and later skepticism about technology's role in shaping humanity's future. At its core, the book examines how Americans' relationship with progress and innovation has transformed over time, while exploring universal questions about how parents and children view the world differently. The work considers whether we've lost something essential in our move from unbridled optimism to a more complex view of the future.

Book hits a sweet spot for readers interested in both comics and mid-century futurism. Amazon and Goodreads reviewers highlight the father-son relationship and how it frames America's changing relationship with technology and progress from the 1939 World's Fair through the Space Age. Readers appreciated: - The blend of comic book styles from different eras - Historical accuracy and period details - Personal connection to Baby Boomer experiences - Creative use of different paper stocks and printing techniques Common criticisms: - Pacing feels uneven - Story becomes less focused in later chapters - Some found the ending unsatisfying - Technical details occasionally overshadow characters Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ reviews) One reader noted: "The book captures the optimism of the atomic age perfectly, but loses steam when it reaches the present day." Another mentioned: "Beautiful artwork, but the narrative sometimes gets lost in historical minutiae."

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🚀 The book spans multiple decades, from the 1939 New York World's Fair to the Space Shuttle era, and uniquely ages its protagonists more slowly than real time to symbolize America's evolving relationship with the future. 🌟 Author Brian Fies deliberately used different art styles and paper quality throughout the book to reflect the changing eras, including simulating yellowed paper and vintage printing techniques. 📚 The book includes complete comic book stories within the main narrative, mimicking actual Golden Age and Silver Age comic books, complete with period-appropriate advertisements and printing artifacts. 🏆 Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? won the 2009 Locus Award for Best Art Book and was an American Library Association "Great Graphic Novel for Teens" selection. 🎨 Fies created the entire book digitally but worked hard to make it look hand-drawn, even developing special brushes and techniques to replicate traditional comic book coloring and Ben-Day dots.