Philip Gordon Wylie (1902–1971) was a prolific American author of works ranging from pulp science fiction, mysteries, social diatribes and satire, to ecology and the threat of nuclear holocaust. He served as director of the Lerner Marine Laboratory, and also was an advisor to the chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee for Atomic Energy. As his scientific and philosophical views were present in his novels, so were his love of pulp-style serials, and his earliest work influenced the creation of Flash Gordon and later, Watchmen, while at least nine movies were made from his novels and stories, including When Worlds Collide.