That Scoundrel "T"

by Donald A. Wollheim

Ray Cummings is today disregarded as an outstanding science-fiction author. His deliberate duplications of plot carried on so long has lost him the numerous fan-friends he used to have. Yet, it is still amusing to think over some of his characteristic writing items. The most outstanding quirk to my mind was the name of his villain. It was always alike. You may read in the April Thrilling Wonder his latest story, and you will recall the villain Toro. Toro is the latest in a long line of super-scoundrels. Here are a few taken at random from nine different Cummings yarns: -- Targo (his very first who did his dirt in "The Girl in the Golden Atom", Tarrano (the Conquerer), Toroh, Tao, Togaro, Talon, Tako, Tugh, and Turber. We'll bet somebody with a name like that did him dirt once!


(Data entered by Judy Bemis)