Comics had some REALLY intense and powerful damsel in distress imagery back in the 40s and 50s, as this image from the November 1946 issue of Planet Stories demonstrates.
A snake-headed Medusa Man menaces a futuristic cutie who's securely cuffed and manacled to a slab while wearing the nothing much that futuristic hotties are wont to wear. The piece de resistance of the whole scene -- various ringlets of her hair have been tied to nails set in a circle around her head, immobilizing her head very nicely. My guess is that the point of the ringlet-nailing would probably be some process that would transform her into a suitable Mrs. Medusa for Medusa Man, who, let's face it, isn't likely to have been very lucky on the dating circuit with that bluish complexion of his, plus his hair consists of live snakes. That'll put your average non-Medusa woman off in short order, lemme tell ya.
Fortunately, some futuristic progenitor of the Mythbusters' Ballistics Bob is bursting into the room, his skeleton uneasily visible through his translucent flesh. Frankly, I'm not sure which guy is more hideous looking, because Ballistics Bob's great great great great grandson has a definite weirdness to his face. I think she should just crawl under the slab until everyone clears out. But of course, she can't.
