Alan J. Porter – författare

Open any book on strange or abandoned aircraft projects, and you will probably find the Bristol Brabazon featured. Over the years, this huge piston-engine powered, propeller-driven airliner, designed for the vital trans-Atlantic routes, has been referred to as the ‘white elephant of the skies’, or even ‘one of the world’s worst aircraft’. But, as the author reveals, such sentiments may well be undeserved.With a wingspan and size larger than the jumbo jets we are familiar with today, the Brabazon was designed to fly just sixty or so passengers in supreme luxury from London to New York. During their flight, these lucky individuals could while away the hours at the cocktail bar, enjoy the onboard movie theatre, or have a rest in the fully furnished sleeping compartments.Born during the Second World War, the Brabazon first flew in 1949. Maybe, the author asks, it was just ahead of its time. The twin-deck design, for example, is mirrored today in the Airbus A380 airliner, and several of the world’s airlines have begun to express interest in using large aircraft configured to provide comfort and style for a limited number of passengers who would pay for such as experience.This book is more than just a technical review. Using a combination of existing documentation, archive material and original research, the author sets out to place the whole story of the Brabazon firmly in its cultural social and political context.How and why was this giant aircraft conceived? What led to it being cancelled in 1952, and the one flying prototype being sold for scrap after millions had been invested in its design, construction and marketing. Who were the people behind the revolutionary technical advances made during its creation? Why was a whole village demolished to accommodate this giant of the skies, and how did that lead to the eventual development of the Concorde SST?Whether you are an aviation enthusiast, interested in engineering history, political sciences or just the history of aviation industry, this study of the Brabazon will help you decide whether it was an engineering masterpiece or a great white elephant.

Boldly goes where no book has gone before! Now for the first time thecomplete history of the Star Trek universe in comic books and newspaperstrips all over the world. Written by pop-culture historian Alan J. Porter, author of the bestsellingJames Bond: The History of the Illustrated 007, Star Trek: A ComicBook History features nine information-packed chapters detailing the historyof Star Trek in comic books and newspaper strips from the first Gold Keycomic books and English newspaper strip, to Marvel and DC's titles, and up tothe present day.Exhaustively covers all publications of the entire Star Trek universe. Includes creator interviews, unpublished artwork, and a detailed checklist.Published to coincide with the release of the new Star Trek movie this book isthe perfect companion for all fans of Star Trek and its variousincarnations.