The Six Million Dollar Man television show of the 1970’s had the greatest hook line that this young TV-watcher had ever heard: “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.”
Whoa! What are we watching? ‘Cos I’m in!
Now look. The Six Million Dollar man television series, starring Lee Majors, had its debut on NBC in 1973 with the airing of three distinct pilot movies. Those movies eventually led to a weekly series that ran from 1974-1978. During that time, I was under five years of age – so I can’t say that I was an “original” viewer.
I caught the series in re-run, during the afternoons after coming home from school, in the early nineteen eighties. Those were the days of great syndication television: The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica and Batman. Not to mention the best cartoons that a kid could ever ask for in Jonny Quest, He-Man and G.I. Joe! What a time to be alive!
But The Six Million Dollar Man was different than the rest – which is probably why its mark on pop culture history has been such a strong and lasting one.
It might seem a cheeky and paltry sum now, but back in the day, $6 million bucks was a lot of coin! To put those greenbacks to use by amputating a dying man and imbibing him with cybernetic limbs and powers seemed overwhelmingly fascinating to me! Plus, the opening theme song and visuals was compelling. It told the whole story: Steve Austin, an experimental astronaut and pilot crashes and, to save his life, must become a cyborg!
“Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.”
Steve Austin, part man, part machine was better, stronger, faster. You couldn’t possibly tear me away from the boob tube for supper!
With his bionic left eye, his bionic legs and his bionic left arm, who could forget Austin’s adventures and battles through the weekly episodes?
The Six Million Dollar Man had appearances by other pop culture icons like William Shatner and George Takei and beauties like Farrah Fawcett and Lindsay Wagner (who would go on to play The Bionic Woman in a spin-off series). There were also plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, like when Rogers was in cybernetic conflict with the powerful evil robot clone of his good friend, Major Fred Sloane, played by John Saxon…and the hairy abomination of Bigfoot himself – played by wrestling titan, Andre the Giant!
Brilliant stuff!
The Six Million Dollar Man #1
Written By: Christopher Hastings
Illustrated By: David Hahn
Published By: Dynamite Entertainment
After appearing on television, in books, in toys, in puzzles and in comic book form over the decades, today, Dynamite Entertainment releases the first issue of a brand new The Six Million Dollar Man series!
Written by Christopher Hastings (The Unbelievable Gwenpool, Secret Agent Deadpool, Adventure Time, I Am Groot) and illustrated by David Hahn (Batman ’66, Bombshells United), this Steve Austin finds himself smack dab in the middle of 1970’s Japan – a perfect location and time for the character and his exploits!
In this adventure, Austin is helping secret agent Niko Abe stop a madman with missiles. But being in Japan means dealing with…samurai! It’s a first issue that should not be missed, and with upwards of nine different variant covers on offer (you think the publisher would have gone with either six of six million – just sayin’), it’s impossible for you to overlook the debut!
Be bionic! Use that better eyesight of yours, those stronger arms of yours, those faster legs of yours…and make the Wednesday run to your local comic book shop and pick up The Six Million Dollar Man #1 today!
“Fff-tt-tt!” (If you know what I mean, you have a smile on your face. If you don’t, you will!)
Pure, TV gold!