1957 was a momentous year for both science and science-fiction . The prestigious World Science Fiction convention ( worldcon) was held in London in September of that year while just a month later the promise of real space travel was to be realised by the launching of Sputnik , the world’s first artificial satellite .

The 15^th Worldcon was held at the King’s court hotel in London, important because it was the first time that it had been held outsideNorth

America. Presiding over the event was John Wyndham ( Day of the Triffids, the Kraken wakes etc) and the convention attracted many authors whose names were well known or who would one day be well-known in the world of science fiction. These included Arthur C Clarke, Robert Silverberg , and Harry Harrison to name but three. And of course the convention was well attended by sci-fi fans and enthusiasts anxious for autographs and inspiration. Among this latter group was a young Sydney Jordan, who three years earlier had started the Jeff Hawke strip in the Daily Express. At the time of the convention he had seven Hawke stories to his name and was working on the eighth – Castaway. He had written and drawn all the early stories himself though with some informal help from his friend Willie Patterson. The convention was an opportunity to make contacts and perhaps obtain a collaborator. Sydney struck up a friendship with Harry Harrison , a kindred spirit who had also been  a sci-fi illustrator ,having started his career drawing strips for American titles “Weird fantasy” and “Weird science” but was now focused on writing. His first sci-fi short story “ Rock diver” had been published six years earlier.

Harrison had moved to the UK with his wife and young son earlier in the same year ,1957 ,which also saw the publication of his story “The stainless steel rat” .

Sydney asked Harrison if he might be interested in writing a storyline for Jeff Hawke and the latter expressed an interest. Within a few days of the meeting he produced the outline of “ Out of touch” , a story of a strange encounter with a huge alien craft in the rings of Saturn which is surrounded by a force field of anti-matter. Harrison provided an outline story and ideas but Sydney himself produced the detailed version that we read in the strip. However some elements in the story look very much like Harrison’s inspiration.      His    anti-establishment credentials were well known , both from the subversive themes in his own writings and from his own political left-wing leanings, and one is tempted to see the character of Krimm , the obnoxious and opinionated politician, sent to accompany Hawke on his expedition ,as one of his creations .       Skipper Prossit