The futuristic world created by Alex Raymond in the comic strip Flash Gordon described its protagonist at odds with creatures from space, mostly Martians, over various attempts to destroy the earth including the use of a special ray to deplete " Nitron" from the atmosphere . Nitron depletion could result in hurricanes and other natural disasters (hmm, sounds familiar).For an early film version of this story, Buster Crabbe struck a pose in a less than masculine suit to meet his Martian opponents. Perhaps the race to space in the 1930's generated or was partly a reaction to the unknown of the extra terrestrial. If the extra terrestrial was to have superhuman qualities, then the earthly counterpart must also be more than human. " He" must tap into the well of strength, guile, charm and skill that may not have been available to either man or woman alone.