The Illustrated Story of a Heroic Co-Pilot Who Left the Skies For the Final Frontier of Space

Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal has masterfully adapted and illustrated a remarkable story, told to him by his friend Matt Harding, of a young co-pilot who, in 1947, did everything he possibly could to help the frightened passengers of a doomed flight from Calcutta. The 25-year old aviator took on many roles of hero – from comforting a lone passenger to running in to the burning plane to rescue survivors to searching the desert after the crash for a means of communication. The experience changed him so much, that he decided to leave the skies to instead set his sights on the “the final frontier” of space. The name of that co-pilot is Gene Roddenberry, the ingenious creator of Star Trek (the entire comic)

images by The Oatmeal