Before Tomorrowland, a book by Jeff Jenson, Jonathan Case, Damon Lindelof, and Brad Bird (phew!) is now available in your favorite bookstore, or digital format. We at Tomorrowland Times had a blast reading it, and you'll want to add it to your collection.
But this review is going to be a little different, and will be presented both from “The Other World” and “Science Factual”.
“Science Factual” review: We'll avoid spoilers, and I’ll explain why I loved the book.
“The Other World” review: We're going to treat everything in the book as an actual historical account of Plus Ultra history, and reflect on some of the revelations exposed (and how they relate to actual history). This is in-character to the overall mythos. You may want to come back to the “The Other World” review after you've read the book to pick out some finer details that we picked up on.
Wow. What a fun read. After The Optimist, now nearly two years ago, I’ve been ready for more in-universe fiction for Tomorrowland - and the book delivers. It delivers in the best way I could want, our main characters are visitors to New York, from the country town going on a grand adventure, and there’s Nazis in their way, and a cyborg in the way to stop them.
The amount of actual history crossover is amazing. From people, places, and events - the ‘alternate reality’ aspect of the book is a ton of fun. There’s an intricate detail into linking events and actual history with that specific weekend, and Plus Ultra’s overall history. Constant Googling keeps revealing aspects of the events that actually happened in the past. Clara, a huge science fiction geek in her late 30s, and her son, Lee, explore 1st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) - an actual event that took place that weekend that the 1939 World’s Fair opened (two major plot locations). There's other references as well to that weekend.
Due to my resounding love for The Optimist, it’s hard to see me to not see the book and the film as a prequel and sequel to that specific experience. So I couldn’t help but put myself in Lee’s shoes. I may be a little older (okay, maybe double - but I’m a kid at heart), but his adventure was structured in the same way as The Optimist, and some of those great feelings that I experienced that last weekend, I could only put in his mind. This made the book even more rewarding for me. Even Henry’s cynicism about the experience reminds me of some of the people that I talked to over the weekend, dismissive and dare I say, pessimistic. It seems that these structured grand adventures and reveals are part of the mythos of Tomorrowland - as it seems that Casey’s pin is the catalyst for that in the film too (or at least I hope so).
I have a feeling if you are reading this website, you’re already are nose-deep in the book, or have finished it. If you haven’t, you have two options. You can read the book before the film comes out, and enjoy some of the nods to it we’re already seeing in the trailers and marketing - or you can wait and keep Tomorrowland’s origins a mystery until after you see it. Either way, even if you are a casual fan (or become a fan) of the movie, you have to read it. It explains the motivations behind Plus Ultra, and the struggle that the society faced through their development.
Stop Plus Ultra calls Before Tomorrowland a “propaganda” piece, and I can see why - but the history does seem whitewashed. Come on, the only people that die in the book are Nazis?
Here’s some of the discoveries we found in the book:
Walt Disney had been working with Plus Ultra long before the 1964 World’s Fair - As part of the media for the reveal, +U contracted with Disney for an animated short (not unlike some of the war propaganda Disney did produce). Also, Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie was used in early The World of Tomorrow exhibits that were placed around the country to demonstrate early digital technology by Plus Ultra.
Plus Ultra had ‘house of the future’ exhibits all around the country - One of them was nearby us on the Santa Monica Pier. A round house (which reminds me of the Dymaxion house at the Henry Ford Museum), with displays devoted to improvement in our homes. The display sounded amazing. We see this would be a common theme with +U over the years, with the House of the Future at Disneyland, Carousel of Progress at the Fair, and eventually Horizons at EPCOT Center.
Plus Ultra funded Science Fiction - As not only a way to get the public interested in Science, +U funded key science fiction stories and magazines, including Amazing Stories (a copy of an issue was found in the 1952 box). This would not only motivate and inspire, but would prepare us for a new world and way of living.
“The Other World” sounds amazing - Giant beasts, lush forests, and never-ending fields of wheat. Just the descriptions sound like a new amazing world. We have no idea if that world is a parallel universe, is a rip in space-time, or it’s location. It doesn’t matter, Tesla developed a ‘safe’ way to travel there, and we’re ready to go. From atom bombs, to tour jets and The Grid, to little rooms under attractions - it’s seems the method of transport has been well refined over the years.
Plus Ultra had robots, to serve and recruit - As part of their marketing campaign, a plan to distribute comics to optimists around the country, they had robots distributing materials at the 1st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon). Not unlike the final recruitment steps at D23 Expo nearly two years ago, we’re fairly sure that Wallace (of Disney Cartography) was not a robot. His assistants however, felt robotic and lifeless. Going forward, if we do have any interactions with +U, we’ll be on the lookout for additional robots.
The 1939 World’s Fair was to reveal Plus Ultra’s secrets - As you will discover in the book, the World’s Fair was the end of the journey, and there was a big plan to reveal “the other world” in a big adventure for optimistic citizens. But it didn’t work. Was the fate of the 1964 World’s Fair the same? Is that why Robert Moses pushed forward with the fair, even without BIE sanction? What about the VIP approach we know they used? Was that not good enough? Why wait 20 years after the fair, as the Orson Welles animation told us? It’s clear that we were not ready for what lies in Tomorrowland - yet again. The frustration that Stop Plus Ultra shows seems justified. Time and time again were we to be showed Tomorrowland, yet they kept it away from us. Maybe it is time to Take Back Tomorrow?
But this review is going to be a little different, and will be presented both from “The Other World” and “Science Factual”.
“Science Factual” review: We'll avoid spoilers, and I’ll explain why I loved the book.
“The Other World” review: We're going to treat everything in the book as an actual historical account of Plus Ultra history, and reflect on some of the revelations exposed (and how they relate to actual history). This is in-character to the overall mythos. You may want to come back to the “The Other World” review after you've read the book to pick out some finer details that we picked up on.
Science Factual Review
No major spoilers: A personal reflection on the bookWow. What a fun read. After The Optimist, now nearly two years ago, I’ve been ready for more in-universe fiction for Tomorrowland - and the book delivers. It delivers in the best way I could want, our main characters are visitors to New York, from the country town going on a grand adventure, and there’s Nazis in their way, and a cyborg in the way to stop them.
The amount of actual history crossover is amazing. From people, places, and events - the ‘alternate reality’ aspect of the book is a ton of fun. There’s an intricate detail into linking events and actual history with that specific weekend, and Plus Ultra’s overall history. Constant Googling keeps revealing aspects of the events that actually happened in the past. Clara, a huge science fiction geek in her late 30s, and her son, Lee, explore 1st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) - an actual event that took place that weekend that the 1939 World’s Fair opened (two major plot locations). There's other references as well to that weekend.
Due to my resounding love for The Optimist, it’s hard to see me to not see the book and the film as a prequel and sequel to that specific experience. So I couldn’t help but put myself in Lee’s shoes. I may be a little older (okay, maybe double - but I’m a kid at heart), but his adventure was structured in the same way as The Optimist, and some of those great feelings that I experienced that last weekend, I could only put in his mind. This made the book even more rewarding for me. Even Henry’s cynicism about the experience reminds me of some of the people that I talked to over the weekend, dismissive and dare I say, pessimistic. It seems that these structured grand adventures and reveals are part of the mythos of Tomorrowland - as it seems that Casey’s pin is the catalyst for that in the film too (or at least I hope so).
I have a feeling if you are reading this website, you’re already are nose-deep in the book, or have finished it. If you haven’t, you have two options. You can read the book before the film comes out, and enjoy some of the nods to it we’re already seeing in the trailers and marketing - or you can wait and keep Tomorrowland’s origins a mystery until after you see it. Either way, even if you are a casual fan (or become a fan) of the movie, you have to read it. It explains the motivations behind Plus Ultra, and the struggle that the society faced through their development.
The Other World Review
Spoilers: An analysis of Plus Ultra’s failed ‘reveal’.Stop Plus Ultra calls Before Tomorrowland a “propaganda” piece, and I can see why - but the history does seem whitewashed. Come on, the only people that die in the book are Nazis?
Here’s some of the discoveries we found in the book:
Walt Disney had been working with Plus Ultra long before the 1964 World’s Fair - As part of the media for the reveal, +U contracted with Disney for an animated short (not unlike some of the war propaganda Disney did produce). Also, Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie was used in early The World of Tomorrow exhibits that were placed around the country to demonstrate early digital technology by Plus Ultra.
Plus Ultra had ‘house of the future’ exhibits all around the country - One of them was nearby us on the Santa Monica Pier. A round house (which reminds me of the Dymaxion house at the Henry Ford Museum), with displays devoted to improvement in our homes. The display sounded amazing. We see this would be a common theme with +U over the years, with the House of the Future at Disneyland, Carousel of Progress at the Fair, and eventually Horizons at EPCOT Center.
Plus Ultra funded Science Fiction - As not only a way to get the public interested in Science, +U funded key science fiction stories and magazines, including Amazing Stories (a copy of an issue was found in the 1952 box). This would not only motivate and inspire, but would prepare us for a new world and way of living.
“The Other World” sounds amazing - Giant beasts, lush forests, and never-ending fields of wheat. Just the descriptions sound like a new amazing world. We have no idea if that world is a parallel universe, is a rip in space-time, or it’s location. It doesn’t matter, Tesla developed a ‘safe’ way to travel there, and we’re ready to go. From atom bombs, to tour jets and The Grid, to little rooms under attractions - it’s seems the method of transport has been well refined over the years.
Plus Ultra had robots, to serve and recruit - As part of their marketing campaign, a plan to distribute comics to optimists around the country, they had robots distributing materials at the 1st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon). Not unlike the final recruitment steps at D23 Expo nearly two years ago, we’re fairly sure that Wallace (of Disney Cartography) was not a robot. His assistants however, felt robotic and lifeless. Going forward, if we do have any interactions with +U, we’ll be on the lookout for additional robots.
The 1939 World’s Fair was to reveal Plus Ultra’s secrets - As you will discover in the book, the World’s Fair was the end of the journey, and there was a big plan to reveal “the other world” in a big adventure for optimistic citizens. But it didn’t work. Was the fate of the 1964 World’s Fair the same? Is that why Robert Moses pushed forward with the fair, even without BIE sanction? What about the VIP approach we know they used? Was that not good enough? Why wait 20 years after the fair, as the Orson Welles animation told us? It’s clear that we were not ready for what lies in Tomorrowland - yet again. The frustration that Stop Plus Ultra shows seems justified. Time and time again were we to be showed Tomorrowland, yet they kept it away from us. Maybe it is time to Take Back Tomorrow?
What other Plus Ultra discoveries did you find in the book? Let us know in the comments below!
The way they described the +U robots at the Santa Monica Pier, and on the airship, reminded me of the butler robot from Horizons: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/44/58/76/4458764149220332be465e0da38b9d7c.jpg
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