As you've stated, this was a good way to flash back towards the beginning of the book and refresh/reseed some of the ongoing story elements. A little prequel action at the act break. Now, I don't exactly remember when SDC was founded, and I don't feel like scrolling 60+ chapters to find that - 1963? - but Callahan's "Feels like it was put together in the 60s" reads odd to me in 1971. It's like in 2021 saying, "that's SO 2018," but that type of "a couple years ago is old" thinking is an offshoot of our digital age and speed of communications. The 70's was a time when shows from 10/20 years before would be in heavy rerun rotation and general cultural change still felt slower. (I could be overlooking sociological factors from Max-Earth contact here). Still, if SDC dates to the 50's maybe change Callahan's line to "50's" or to something like "Feels like the place hasn't been changed since day one?"
As you've stated, this was a good way to flash back towards the beginning of the book and refresh/reseed some of the ongoing story elements. A little prequel action at the act break. Now, I don't exactly remember when SDC was founded, and I don't feel like scrolling 60+ chapters to find that - 1963? - but Callahan's "Feels like it was put together in the 60s" reads odd to me in 1971. It's like in 2021 saying, "that's SO 2018," but that type of "a couple years ago is old" thinking is an offshoot of our digital age and speed of communications. The 70's was a time when shows from 10/20 years before would be in heavy rerun rotation and general cultural change still felt slower. (I could be overlooking sociological factors from Max-Earth contact here). Still, if SDC dates to the 50's maybe change Callahan's line to "50's" or to something like "Feels like the place hasn't been changed since day one?"