Adam Link is a fictional

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...

, made in the likeness of a man, who becomes self-aware, and the protagonist of several

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

short stories written by

Eando Binder Eando Binder is a pen name used by two mid-20th-century science fiction authors, Earl Andrew Binder (1904–1965) and his brother Otto Binder (1911–1974). The name is derived from their first initials ''(E and O Binder).'' Under the Eando nam ...

, the pen name of Earl Andrew Binder and his brother,

Otto Binder Otto Oscar Binder (; August 26, 1911 – October 13, 1974) was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories, and comic books. He is best known as the co-creator of Supergirl and for his many scripts for '' Captain Ma ...

. The stories were originally published in the science fiction magazine ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

'' from 1939 to 1942. In all, ten Adam Link stories were published. In ''The American Robot: A Cultural History'', Dustin A. Abnet says that Adam was the "most popular science fiction robot of the era".

Overview

The first story, published in January 1939, was "

I, Robot ''I, Robot'' is a fixup (compilation) novel of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines ''Super Science Stories'' and ''Astounding Science Fiction'' betw ...

" (not to be confused with the book of the same name by

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

). The story is written in the first person, from the point of view of a newly sentient robot, in the form of a written confession. In the story, the robot explains that it was built and educated by Dr. Charles Link. When Dr. Link dies in an accident, the housekeeper assumes that the robot murdered his master, and the robot goes on the run. At the end of the story, the robot realizes that its flight endangers other living creatures, and prepares to turn itself off. Immediately popular, the robot was featured in nine more stories published in ''Amazing Stories''. The character was translated into the comic book medium in the pages of

EC Comics Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books, which specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-195 ...

' ''

Weird Science-Fantasy ''Weird Science-Fantasy'' was an American science fiction-fantasy anthology comic, that was part of the EC Comics line in the early 1950s. Over a 14-month span, the comic ran for seven issues, starting in March 1954 with issue #23 and ending with ...

'' in 1955, and then in Warren Publishing's ''

Creepy Creepiness is the state of being wikt:creepy, creepy, or causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or wikt:unease, unease. A person who exhibits creepy behaviour is called a creep. Certain traits or hobbies may make people seem creepy to others. The ...

'' in the mid-60s. In 1964, the original story was also adapted for television in '' The Outer Limits''.

Paperback Library Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a publishing company owned by Hachette Livre, the largest publishing company in France, and the third largest trade and educational publisher in the world. Hachette Livre is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lagardère Grou ...

published a mass market paperback collection entitled ''Adam Link - Robot'' in 1965, which tells the character's story in a

first person narrative A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller ...

from Creation to Citizenship in twenty-one chapters. The collection ends with an Epilogue, encouraging humanity's future. The volume was reprinted in 1970 by Fawcett Crest Books and by

Warner Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...

in 1974;

Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...

also reprinted the book.

Stories

All stories were published in ''

''. * "

", Jan 1939
story
* "The Trial of Adam Link, Robot", July 1939
story
* "Adam Link in Business", Jan 1940
story
* "Adam Link’s Vengeance", Feb 1940
story
* "Adam Link, Robot Detective", May 1940
story
* "Adam Link, Champion Athlete", July 1940
story
* "Adam Link Fights a War", Dec 1940
story
* "Adam Link in the Past", Feb 1941
story
* "Adam Link Faces a Revolt", May 1941
story
* "Adam Link Saves the World", Apr 1942
story

Influence

Isaac Asimov says that his robot stories were influenced by the first Adam Link story: "It certainly caught my attention. Two months after I read it, I began '

Robbie Robbie or Robby is a surname. It is usually encountered as a nickname or a shortened form of Robert, Rob (given name), Rob or Robin (name), Robin. The name experienced a significant rise in popularity in Northern Ireland in 2003. People Given nam ...

', about a sympathetic robot, and that was the start of my

positronic robot A positronic brain is a fictional technological device, originally conceived by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It functions as a central processing unit (CPU) for robots, and, in some unspecified way, provides them with a form of conscio ...

series. Eleven years later, when nine of my robot stories were collected into a book, the publisher named the collection ''I, Robot'' over my objections. My book is now the more famous, but Otto's story was there first."

Adaptations

"I, Robot" and "The Trial of Adam Link, Robot" were adapted for a 1964 episode of the television show '' The Outer Limits'' called "

". In the 1995 revival of ''The Outer Limits'', the show again aired an adaptation titled "

". Both versions featured

Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...

. The series has been adapted for comic books twice, once for

' ''

'' in 1955 (issues 27-29), and again for

Warren Publishing Warren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren (publisher), James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades. Magazines published by Warren include ''After Hours (magazin ...

's ''

'' in 1965-67 (issues 2, 4, 6, 8–9, 12–13 and 15). In each case, the adaptation was scripted by Binder and drawn by

Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando (April 4, 1927 – December 23, 1998) was an Italian American illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades. He was the associate publisher of '' Mad'' and the vice president of DC Comics, ...

. Both series were discontinued before they could be completed. In 1964, an adaptation of "Adam Link's Vengeance" was published in the fanzine ''Fantasy Illustrated'' # 1, script by Otto Binder and illustrated by D. Bruce Berry and

Bill Spicer Bill Spicer (born October 1, 1937) is an editor and publisher who spearheaded the 1960s movement away from commercial comics, opening the gateway to underground, alternative, and independent comics, notably with his publication '' Graphic Story Mag ...

, the adaptation won the

Alley Award The Alley Award was an American annual series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1962 for comics published in 1961. Officially organized under the aegis of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences, the award shared close ties with th ...

for Best Fan Comic Strip of the same year.Schelly, Bill. ''Founders of Comic Fandom'', 2010.
/ref>

References

External links

a

* * {{IMDb title, 0667904, The Outer Limits (1995) "I, Robot"i-robot.html "I, Robot" on The Outer Limits (1964) Link, Adam