1892 – Electric Bob’s Big Black Ostrich – Robert T. Toombs (American)

Electric Bob. Image courtesy Joe Rainone. Electric Bob was introduced in "Electric Bob and His White Alligator; or, Hunting for Confederate Treasure in the Mississippi River" in the New York Five-Cent Library v1 n50 (July 22, 1893) by "Robert T. Toombs," an author about whom nothing is known. E.B. appeared in "Electric Bob's Big Black …

1892 – “Hockbockid” Walking Mechanical Ostrich (Fictional) – Bradshaw (American)

William Richard Bradshaw (1851–1927) was an Irish-born American author, editor and lecturer who served as president of the New York Anti-Vivisection Society. He is known best for his science fiction-type novel The Goddess of Atvatabar: being the history of the discovery of the interior world, and conquest of Atvatabar (1892). Extract from the book. Chapter …

1955 – Phant Walking Tank (Dan Dare) – Frank Hampson (British)

Pic of cover of Eagle – 20 Jan 1956 Vol 7 No. 1. Phant Walking tank. Concept working drawings including the “walking tank” [top left]. From Frank Hampson’s “Ideas Book”. Dan Dare – Rogue Planet 1955-7 The above images were taken by David Buckley when we travelled to the British Science Museum to study W. …

1868-1904 – Fictional Steam Man, Steam Horse, Electric Man & Electric Horse (American)

Edward S. Ellis' first of the dime or penny magazine fictional stories that featured the "Steam Man" had a publish date of August 1868, some 7 months AFTER the first known announcement of Dederick's actual "Steam Man" in January 1868. Note: There are those who have either mistaken or mis-represented the Ellis story date for 1865, to conveniently …