Posted 1st January 1970
Final Episode, Final Ratings
‘Doc’ EE Smith was a pulp writer in the 1930’s and 1940’s who wrote the ‘Lensman’
series. Great big intergalactic soap opera, the lensmen were the Universes protectors and agents of a shadowy race of primeval good guys who were fighting a primeval race
of shadowy bad guys. I’m not completely up on the Lensman saga so I couldn’t confirm or deny that Lucas’ original script was a rip off of the Lensman, it seemed more incoherent and unfocused than anything else. However, a number of people have claimed that Lucas owes an unacknowledged debt to Smith, as in fact does the Green Lanterns comics and Babylon 5.