Black smoke (The War of the Worlds) Black smoke (The War of the Worlds) The black smoke, or black powder, is a fictitious poisonous gas in H. G. Wells' 1898 science fiction novel "The War of the Worlds", used by the Martians to eliminate groups of humans, especially artillery crews, and conveyed by shells fired from a gun-like ""black tube"" carried by the Tripods' whip-like tentacles. Any animal inhaling this deadly smoke is killed almost instantly, but the smoke becomes harmless on contact with water. The Martians would dispel it after each use with jets of steam, leaving only a residual, "cindery" black powder, which reminds the
Fighting machine (The War of the Worlds) for entry and exit, and as being possibly based upon the original body type of the Martians. The second volume of the comic book "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" retells the story of "The War of the Worlds", and the tripods are prominently featured. It should be noted that the aliens are not actual Martians as many of the characters believe, but are actually from a further world and are forced off of Mars by John Carter. These fighting machines are more organic-looking than in other depictions, with wide, crested heads, and it is implied that the materials of the