# Philip Wylie . . . yet another forgotten novelist . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757 "2004-05-06T01:59:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/21 "2004-05-06T15:14:17Z")
> [@](#): > > CalMeacham writes: > > \> I’m surprised that no one’s mentioned his biggest mainstream success – > \> Generation of Vipers. > > What am I - invisible? I mentioned it. Damn! You _are_ invisible! I missed it! Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/22 "2004-05-06T15:35:54Z")
Thanks. I’m not familiar with the book (not a sf fan at all) so I can’t speak to that. I like the movie for its cheesiness. The premise is silly, the acting is pretty lame, and the sets and art direction cheap. All of that adds up to a really entertaining movie for me. A classic example of “so bad, it has to be good” sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![cookeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@cookeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cookeze)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/23 "2004-05-07T05:57:27Z")
A chapter from “Generation of Vipers”, on Momism: www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/momism.html ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/24 "2004-05-07T12:47:04Z")
I’m getting a little disenchanted . . . He’s just gone on for half a chapter about Freud and Jung and how every man in America is screwed up because of their blood-sucking mothers . . . Let’s get back to the _plot_, Phil? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/25 "2004-05-09T03:18:04Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’m getting a little disenchanted . . . He’s just gone on for half a chapter about Freud and Jung and how every man in America is screwed up because of their blood-sucking mothers . . . Let’s get back to the _plot_, Phil? Wait…I just figured it out–Philip Wylie is [Dave Sim](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=248535&highlight=cerebus)\* :eek: 😉 \*You have to read down a ways to get it. But if you don’t want to, Dave Sim is a comic book artist/writer who went insane and decided that women (mothers and wives in particular) are eeeeeeeee-vil (“Demons, vipers and scorpions”) and _intentionally_ screw up men. Just 'cause they’re evil. And crafty. Oh…and not as bright as men. (Which is quite a trick, that.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/26 "2004-05-09T06:21:16Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I’ve got another couple of books by him: **Tomorrow!** and **Triumph** , neither of which I remember anything about. If anyone cares, I can dig 'em up and give a brief back cover synopsis for each. > > Fenris I have **Tomorrow!** right at hand. It was first published in Jan. 1954, and it is a run of the mill story of the affect of a nuclear attack on America on a Middle American city. I don’t remember it as a particularly good example of the genre. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/27 "2004-05-09T16:50:49Z")
OK, I’ve about had it with Philip Wylie . . . This book, at least, seems to be just an excuse for his long-winded theories on Freud and Jung and why all American men are pussies and how they were screwed up mentally by American women and how HE, Philip Wyle, is the only person smart enough to tell everyone where there faults lie, and why does everyone resent him so much just because he’s right and we’re all wrong? Jesus, it’s like talking to my father! No wonder he had this book . . . ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/28 "2004-05-09T16:52:25Z")
“_Their_” faults. As I’m sure Mr. Wylie would point out, smugly adding that “there _is_ no unintentional typo. _It’s in Jung, people!_” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/29 "2004-05-09T22:34:15Z")
Roy Thomas adapted _Gladiator_ for comic books. The first half appeared as “Man-God” in an issue of _Marvel Preview_ (or some similarly-titled black and white comic) and the second half in, I think, _Young All-Stars_ for DC (as part of Iron Munro’s backstory). ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/30 "2004-05-10T04:16:53Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Roy Thomas adapted _Gladiator_ for comic books. The first half appeared as “Man-God” in an issue of _Marvel Preview_ (or some similarly-titled black and white comic) and the second half in, I think, _Young All-Stars_ for DC (as part of Iron Munro’s backstory). Yeah, I seem to remember reading about the Young All-Stars connection [somewhere](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4830789&postcount=13). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757/31 "2004-05-10T16:07:14Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Yeah, I seem to remember reading about the Young All-Stars connection [somewhere](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4830789&postcount=13). Yeah, _mea culpa_. Still, you should check out[Man-God](http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/mangod.htm). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-wylie-yet-another-forgotten-novelist/243757.md?page=1)