Logan's Run reveiw

Section heading
Sometime in the 23rd Century... the survivors of war, overpopulation and pollution are living in a great domed city, sealed away from the forgotten world outside. Here, in an ecologically balanced world, mankind only lives for pleasure. freed by the servo-mechanisms which provide everything.

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Section heading
This article is about the 1967 novel and certain adaptations. For the 1976 film, see Logan's Run (film).

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 * name         = Logan's Run
 * title_orig   =
 * translator   =
 * image        = [[Image:Logansruncover.jpg|200px|Early edition cover]]
 * image_caption =
 * author       = William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson
 * illustrator  =
 * cover_artist =
 * country      = United States
 * language     = English
 * series       =
 * genre        = Science fiction novel
 * publisher    = Dial Press
 * release_date = 1967
 * media_type   = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
 * pages        = 133
 * isbn         = NA
 * preceded_by  =
 * followed_by  =

Logan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopia-ageist future society in which population and the consumption of resources is managed and maintained in equilibrium by the simple expedient of demanding the death of everyone upon reaching a particular age — enforced by authorities (aschimothusia) — thus avoiding the issue of overpopulation. The story follows the actions of Logan, a Deep Sleep Operative or "Sandman" charged with enforcing the rule, as he tracks down and kills citizens who "run" from society's lethal demand—only to end up "running" himself.

The introduction to the book states:


 * "The seeds of the Little War were planted in a restless summer during the mid-1960s, with sit-ins and student demonstrations as youth tested its strength. By the early 1970s over 75 percent of the people living on Earth were under 21 years of age. The population continued to climb — and with it the youth percentage.
 * In the 1980s the figure was 79.7 percent.
 * In the 1990s, 82.4 percent.
 * In the year 2000 — critical mass."

Plot summary
In the world of 2116, a person's maximum age is strictly legislated: twenty-one years, to the day. When people reach this Lastday they report to a Sleepshop in which they are willingly executed. A person's age is revealed by their palm flower — a crystal embedded in the palm of their right hand that changes color every seven years, then turns black on Lastday.

Runners are those who refuse to report to a Sleepshop and attempt to avoid their fate by escaping to Sanctuary. Logan 3 is a Deep Sleep Operative (or Sandman) whose job is to terminate Runners using a special weapon called the Gun, an unusual revolver which can fire a number of different projectiles. Sandmen practice Omnite (pronounced like Karate), a fictional hybrid martial arts style. On his own Lastday Logan becomes a Runner himself in an attempt to infiltrate an apparent underground railroad for runners seeking Sanctuary — a place where they can live freely in defiance of society's dictates. For most of the book Logan is an antihero; however, his character develops a sympathy towards Runners and in the end he himself becomes a Runner.

Jessica 6, a contact Logan made after he chased her Runner brother Doyle 10 into Cathedral where he was killed by the vicious preteen "Cubs," helps him, despite her initial distrust of him. Francis, another Sandman and a friend of Logan, catches up with Logan and Jessica after they have managed to make it to the final staging area before Sanctuary. He reveals that he is actually the legendary Ballard, who has been helping arrange their escape. The 42-year-old Ballard is working from within the system; he believes that the computer that controls the global infrastructure, buried beneath Crazy Horse Mountain, is beginning to malfunction, and that the society will die with it.

Sanctuary turns out to be an abandoned space colony near Mars. Logan and Jessica escape to the colony on a rocket that departs from a former space program launch site in Florida. Ballard remains to help others escape.

Style
Logan's Run is fast-paced, but dark, and was considered quite graphic for its time. The novel has a wide variety of characters including a libidinous cyborg and an army of deadly androids recreating the American Civil War.

Both the novel and the film detail a future society that is very permissive where sex and recreational drugs are concerned. Tobacco, however, is a banned substance, and police are known to raid places where cigarettes are smoked.

Sequels and spinoffs
Nolan wrote two sequels, Logan's World and Logan's Search, published after the film's release. There is also a novelette, Logan's Return, that has been published as an e-book.

Logan's World deals with events following Logan's returning to Earth, amidst the survivors and ruins of the system he escaped in the first novel, while Logan's Search deals with Logan going to an alternate reality (with the assistance of aliens) to once again stop the government system he escaped in the first novel, albeit with some minor changes.

George Clayton Johnson has also been working, off and on, on his own sequel to the novel, reported at various times to be entitled either LastDay or Jessica's Run.

Film
The novel was adapted in 1976 as a film, directed by Michael Anderson and starring Michael York as Logan 5 (not 3), Jenny Agutter as Jessica 6, and Richard Jordan as Francis 7. The film only uses the basic premise from the novel (everyone must die at a specific age, Logan runs with Jessica as his companion while being chased by Francis). However, the world is postapocalyptic and people now live inside huge domed cities and are unaware of the world outside, believing it to be a barren, poisonous environment. The motivations of the characters are also quite different in the film. The age of death is 30, and Logan is a 26 year old Sandman, sent by the computer to find and destroy Sanctuary. The computer alters his palm flower (here called a lifeclock) to show him as a Lastday, and he becomes a runner. Sanctuary turns out not to exist, and only one old man (Peter Ustinov) lives with cats in the Senate Chamber of the largely intact ruins of Washington, DC nearby. Logan kills Francis, in the movie simply a Sandman, not a rebel leader, and leads Old Man back to just outside the domed city, returning to try to lead a revolt against the culling. No one believes or listens to him or Jessica, and instead he is captured by Sandmen. In his interrogation by the computer, his honest information that there is no Sanctuary causes the computer to self-destruct. The ending implies that Old Man will lead the young throngs as they leave the confines of the burning and exploding Domed City.

Comics
Marvel Comics adapted the movie into a series of comics.Later on,other material was presented by other companies-all obviously failling to transform-not a so great novel or movie to a phenominon.

Logan's Run - The Comics

Logan's Run has appeared in many different Comic Book formats over the years.

Marvel Comics won the rights to do the Movie Adaptation back in 1976-77. The British magazine "Look In" got the TV Series rights. Adventure Comics (part of Malibu Graphics) got the rights to convert all three Logan Books (Logan's Run, Logan's World, Logan's Search) into comic book form in the early 90's, although they stopped after the completed Logan's World and never started on Logan's Search.

Below are some pics and some info on each Comic series.


 * The Marvel Comics' Movie Adaptation**

Marvel Comics released a seven run Comic series based on the movie Logan's Run. Issues #1 - #5 covered the movie (including the Francis Cut Hunt Scene from the beginning of the film, and the Box Cut Ice Sculpture Scene.) Interestingly enough, the Love Shop Scene was completely cut from these comics!

The artist for this series was the well-known and talented George Perez (Issues 1 through 5). For a rarely seen, hand drawn 'Logan' by George, click here.

Issues #6 and #7 started to take the reader on a new Logan Adventure, beyond Computer rule and life after the destruction of the Domes. Tom Sutton, Terry Austin and Klaus Janson were the artists for these issues. Logan was quickly blamed for the destruction of the City and havoc and panic soon followed. Logan was promptly locked up and jailed in Arcade - along with all the other Sandmen!

Unfortunately, the citizens soon realize the mistake of locking up their only 'police force' when they suddenly get their first rain storm, and their world quickly begins to flood! Also, the Savage Cubs soon stop by to try and take over the ruined city!

But as we all find out soon enough, the comic series ends after Issue #7 in July 1977. George Perez states in his interview from "Back Issue #34" that the Marvel comic series was cancelled suddenly due to licensing issues with MGM after the movie adaptation was complete. Marvel must have been holding out some hope that these issues would get resolved, as some 'new' Logan's Run comic book art pages had recently leaked from unreleased Logan's Run Issue #9, but alas - the series officially ended after Issue #7.

To end the licensing debate, MGM decided that they wanted a weekly Logan's Run television show instead of a continuation of the movie in comic form. Logan's Run - the Marvel movie comics - had thus come to a shocking and abrupt stop.

That is - until October 1981, when Marvel Comics released Issue #28 of "Bizarre Adventures".

This particular comic magazine series featured a collection of several short stories by various authors and artists. Noted comic artisit Frank Miller wrote and drew an Elektra story for this particular issue.

But more importantly for us, this issue also included a shockingly close Logan story called "The Huntsman", by Archie Goodwin, Michael Golden and Steve Mitchell.

There was no direct reference to Logan's Run in the comic - but the similarities are striking: the main character's name is Ballard (ref the novel Logan's Run), he hunts down 'defiers' of the ritual known as 'The Arena'. The character depiction of Ballard on the issue's cover bears a striking resemblence of York's 'Logan' - outfit and all. This would be Marvel's last foray into the world of Logan's Run.

The Logan' Run TV Series "Look In" Comics

In 1978, the British entertainment magazine "Look In" released several issues of Logan comics that were based on the Logans Run television series.

This comic series was in presented in black and white and drawn by Arthur Ranson. The series ran from April 1978 through September 1978, for a total of over 20 issues (with two pages of Logan comics per issue).

To see many of these particular comics online, be sure to check out Virtual Vikki's terrific Logan comic page. Many of these "Look In" Logan comics are presented here for your online reading enjoyment!!

The Adventure Comics' Book Adaptations

Adventure Comics (a division of Malibu Graphics Publishing Group) was handed the job to convert William F. Nolan's and George Clayton Johnson's books into Comic Book form in the late 80's/ early 90's.

Rather than follow the movie, like the Marvel Comics above, these comics covered the books! The company was able to complete Logan's Run and Logan's World; however, Logan's Search was never done.

Both of these comics were done as a six series set and were drawn and published in black and white. Most of the characters were drawn to appear VERY young (almost 'elfish', if you will)! Even though they are supposed to be 21, many characters appear to be around 16. In drawing them in this style, the artist really captured the 'childish' perceptions of a world run by 'kids' as described in the books.

And while William F Nolan has gone on record as stating that he really loved the adaptation of the stories in these Malibu comics, he, himself, thought that the artwork by Barry Blair (of their 'ElfLord' series) was terrible.
 * Adventure Comics' "Logan's Run"**

These covers are of their Logan's Run series. This series was released in 1990. (Special thanks to Noelle for the use of Issue #1's cover!)

The Covers are illustrated by Ron Randall and the art inside was done by Barry Blair. (The characters on the cover are different than the ones that appear inside the actual comic.)


 * For a synopsis of this book/comic, click here. ***


 * Adventure Comics' "Logan's World"**

Here are the covers of their last Logan series, Logan's World, another 6 issue release. This series was released in 1991. Artist Barry Blair did both cover and inside art for these comics.


 * For a synopsis of this book/comic, click here. ***

Back to Collectors Corner

Remake
In the mid-1990s, Warner Bros. began development of a remake of the movie. In April 2000, director Skip Woods entered negotiations with the studio and producer Joel Silver to write and direct the remake. The director planned to make it closer to the novel than the original film, restoring previously-removed elements including Crazy Horse Mountain and sky gypsies.

In March 2004, director Bryan Singer was brought in to develop and direct Logan's Run. Singer had begun working with production designer Gy Dyas from his previous film X2. Screenwriters Ethan Gross and Paul Todisco were hired to write the script with the director, with the film being slated for a 2005 release. In October, the director said he had begun previsualization of Logan's Run, which would be completed by the time he finished production of his project at the time, Superman Returns. The following December, screenwriter Dan Harris said that he and the director had turned in a first draft for Logan's Run. Harris said that further development of the project would take place in Sydney after production for Superman Returns, for which he also collaborated, was finalized. The screenwriter said that the remake would contain more action than the original film, describing the premise to be "a remake of the concept of the movie plus the book".

In February 2005, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie was hired to rewrite the script, with filming to take place in Australia. In February 2006, Logan's Run was scheduled to begin production in September/October of 2006 in Vancouver. The following May, Singer's availability to direct Logan's Run was questioned due to scheduling conflicts with filming the sequel to Superman Returns. By May, Singer confirmed that he would not direct Logan's Run, seeking a vacation from the scheduled demands of his job. Directors Robert Schwentke and James McTeigue were approached for the project, but neither ultimately signed on.

In August 2006, production offices for Logan's Run were taken over by the production for the 2008 film Speed Racer. In April 2007, producer Joel Silver reiterated his plan to remake the original film. The following July, Silver said that since Singer's departure, no new director had come aboard the project. In August 2007, the project was reinvigorated with Joseph Kosinski hired as the new director and a new script being written by screenwriter Timothy J. Sexton. Kosinski had made a presentation to Warner Bros. including graphic art and animated previsualization that illustrated his plan for the film, whose low budget appealed to the studio.

Television
A television series spin-off from the film, starring Gregory Harrison as Logan 5 and Heather Menzies as Jessica 6, lasted one season of 14 episodes, from September 16, 1977 through January 16, 1978 on U.S. television (CBS-TV). D. C. Fontana served as story editor and employed several other writers from Star Trek as well as the original novel's authors. The series was produced by Ivan Goff.

To save money, the series depicted Logan and Jessica — still pursued by Francis (Randolph Powell) — travelling in a futuristic hovercraft-like vehicle on a cross-country trek to Sanctuary in a post-apocalyptic America. The domed city was seen only in the pilot and two other episodes, using recycled footage from the film. In a change from the book and film, the television series had the city run by a cabal of elderly citizens; Francis has been promised a life beyond thirty as a city elder if he can bring back the fugitives. Logan and Jessica were joined by an android, REM, played for comic relief by Donald Moffat. Most of the plots were conventional genre clichés, including one "Logan-has-amnesia" episode.

Episode list with air dates

 * 1) "Logan's Run" (pilot; 90 minute episode) — September 16, 1977
 * 2) "The Collectors" — September 23, 1977
 * 3) "Capture" — September 30, 1977
 * 4) "The Innocent" — October 10, 1977
 * 5) "Man Out of Time" — October 17, 1977
 * 6) "Half Life" — October 31, 1977
 * 7) "Crypt" — November 7, 1977
 * 8) "Fear Factor" — November 14, 1977
 * 9) "Judas Goat" — December 19, 1977
 * 10) "Futurepast" — January 2, 1978
 * 11) "Carousel" — January 16, 1978
 * 12) "Night Visitors" — January 23, 1978 (unaired)
 * 13) "Turnabout" — January 30, 1978 (unaired)
 * 14) "Stargate" — February 6, 1978 (unaired)

Other adaptations

 * A comic strip version of the story, written by Angus P. Allan, was printed in the British TV comic Look-In. Marvel Comics also published a short-lived comic book series, which adapted the movie's story, and continued it shortly before it was cancelled at issue #7.
 * From June 1990 to March 1992, Malibu Comics published mini-series comics adaptations of Logan's Run and Logan's World, six issues each, with art by Barry Blair.
 * In 2000, Emperor Norton Records published Logan's Sanctuary, an album of electronica music conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined Logan's Run sequel, written and performed by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. and Brian Reitzell, and featuring contributions from Jason Falkner.
 * City of Domes, an alternative reality game (ARG), was created by the web development group at VirtuQuest.com. The game was a recreation of the Logan's Run city, some 30 years after Logan 6's adventures.