.gif)
Air (comics)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the American comicbook. For information about the manga with the same name, see Air (visual novel).
Air was an ongoing
comic book
series published by DC Comics
as part of the Vertigo imprint
. It was created by writer G. Willow Wilson
and artist M. K. Perker.
and G. Willow Wilson explained her plans: "I have a solid detailed topographical map for the first year and a half and a loose hand-written treasure map for another couple of years. If this follows the four year model that has become typical of good Vertigo series lately, I'll be happy, and I've got ideas to fuel the whole run."
Wilson has also discussed the influences on the story, which partly comes from her non-fiction, journalistic work, but may also have been precipitated by one specific incident: "The concept behind Air came from Wilson’s own experiences after being grilled by a flight attendant in Amsterdam for the many visas in her passport."
flight attendant
for the fictional Clearfleet Airlines, is invited to join the "Etesian Front", who claim to be an anti-terrorist organization. The Etesians trick Blythe into transporting plans for a terrorist attack. When she discovers this, she and a man named Zayn are kidnapped and taken on board the plane that is the hijack target. Later, Zayn and Blythe leap clear of the plane as it crashes into the sea. The head of the Etesian Front, a man named Benjamin Lancaster, also survives. Zayn is later accosted by Lancaster in Narimar, a place that ostensibly disappeared from maps during the 1947 Partition of India
, and interrogated as to the whereabouts of an Aztec
artifact. Blythe follows him to Narimar, where she is designated by the Etesian Front a "hyperpract", that is, someone with the power to move into different dimensions or realities. The three escape Narimar, while their plane is followed by a mysterious winged serpent.
As the story progresses, the ambiguous concept of 'hyperpraxis' is introduced, as what seems to be a supernatural form of teleportation
. The story develops more eccentric and fantasy elements, introducing Amelia Earhart
and Quetzacoatl as supporting characters.
has compared Air to the works of Salman Rushdie and Thomas Pynchon
. The series has garnered positive reviews from writers and critics including Gail Simone
, Brian Azzarello
, Jason Aaron
, Brian Wood
, The Onion
A.V. Club, and The Wall Street Journal
.
Greg McElhatton, reviewing the first issue for Comic Book Resources
, felt it started too slowly and they were also lukewarm about the art: "It's like a strange cross between early Brandon Peterson and the Pander Brothers, with elongated, exaggerated expressions and strange tousled bunches of hair. It's not bad, but it's also not knocking my socks off either." Comics Bulletin
had a "slugfest" review in which three reviewers had their say on the first issue. Matthew J. Brady felt that the "plot doesn't make any sense" and the art is "merely workmanlike," concluding "this book will have to improve by quite a bit to even raise itself to the level of passable." Joey Davidson was more positive as he felt that "the movement and pacing felt tight and well directed. There were never any moments when I found myself wondering why the hell we had been taken here." Chris Murman felt the story was interesting enough to keep him reading but felt there was a problem with engaging with the characters "I was left with an overwhelming sense of apathy that I feel comes from the dialogue used." Davidson reviewed issue #2 and remains positive, the story move along quickly and visually the comic "is a joy to look at and you’ll never be troubled or confused by layouts or scenes."
The first issue had sales estimates of 11,088 putting it at 163rd in the sales chart.
The series was cancelled after 24 issues due to low sales.
:
Air was an ongoing
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
as part of the Vertigo imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
. It was created by writer G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson is an American comics writer, prose author, essayist, and journalist.-Biography:After converting to Islam while attending Boston University, Wilson moved to Cairo, where she contributed articles to the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and the Canada National Post...
and artist M. K. Perker.
Publication history
Air was an ongoing seriesOngoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
and G. Willow Wilson explained her plans: "I have a solid detailed topographical map for the first year and a half and a loose hand-written treasure map for another couple of years. If this follows the four year model that has become typical of good Vertigo series lately, I'll be happy, and I've got ideas to fuel the whole run."
Wilson has also discussed the influences on the story, which partly comes from her non-fiction, journalistic work, but may also have been precipitated by one specific incident: "The concept behind Air came from Wilson’s own experiences after being grilled by a flight attendant in Amsterdam for the many visas in her passport."
Plot
Blythe, an acrophobicAcrophobia
Acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, especially if there is little...
flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
for the fictional Clearfleet Airlines, is invited to join the "Etesian Front", who claim to be an anti-terrorist organization. The Etesians trick Blythe into transporting plans for a terrorist attack. When she discovers this, she and a man named Zayn are kidnapped and taken on board the plane that is the hijack target. Later, Zayn and Blythe leap clear of the plane as it crashes into the sea. The head of the Etesian Front, a man named Benjamin Lancaster, also survives. Zayn is later accosted by Lancaster in Narimar, a place that ostensibly disappeared from maps during the 1947 Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, and interrogated as to the whereabouts of an Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
artifact. Blythe follows him to Narimar, where she is designated by the Etesian Front a "hyperpract", that is, someone with the power to move into different dimensions or realities. The three escape Narimar, while their plane is followed by a mysterious winged serpent.
As the story progresses, the ambiguous concept of 'hyperpraxis' is introduced, as what seems to be a supernatural form of teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
. The story develops more eccentric and fantasy elements, introducing Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
and Quetzacoatl as supporting characters.
Reception
Neil GaimanNeil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
has compared Air to the works of Salman Rushdie and Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. is an American novelist. For his most praised novel, Gravity's Rainbow, Pynchon received the National Book Award, and is regularly cited as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature...
. The series has garnered positive reviews from writers and critics including Gail Simone
Gail Simone
Gail Simone is an American writer of comic books. Best known for penning DC's Birds of Prey, her other notable works include Secret Six, Welcome to Tranquility, The All-New Atom, and Deadpool. In 2007, she took over Wonder Woman...
, Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.-Career:...
, Jason Aaron
Jason Aaron
Jason Aaron is an American comic book writer, known for his work on titles such as The Other Side, Scalped, Ghost Rider, Wolverine and PunisherMAX.-Early life:Jason was born in Jasper, Alabama...
, Brian Wood
Brian Wood
Brian Wood is a writer, illustrator, and graphic designer living in Brooklyn, New York. He is known primarily as a comic book creator; Wood both writes and illustrates graphic novels and serialized monthly comic books for a variety of publishers.During his comics career, Wood held a day job for...
, The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
A.V. Club, and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
.
Greg McElhatton, reviewing the first issue for Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
, felt it started too slowly and they were also lukewarm about the art: "It's like a strange cross between early Brandon Peterson and the Pander Brothers, with elongated, exaggerated expressions and strange tousled bunches of hair. It's not bad, but it's also not knocking my socks off either." Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
had a "slugfest" review in which three reviewers had their say on the first issue. Matthew J. Brady felt that the "plot doesn't make any sense" and the art is "merely workmanlike," concluding "this book will have to improve by quite a bit to even raise itself to the level of passable." Joey Davidson was more positive as he felt that "the movement and pacing felt tight and well directed. There were never any moments when I found myself wondering why the hell we had been taken here." Chris Murman felt the story was interesting enough to keep him reading but felt there was a problem with engaging with the characters "I was left with an overwhelming sense of apathy that I feel comes from the dialogue used." Davidson reviewed issue #2 and remains positive, the story move along quickly and visually the comic "is a joy to look at and you’ll never be troubled or confused by layouts or scenes."
The first issue had sales estimates of 11,088 putting it at 163rd in the sales chart.
The series was cancelled after 24 issues due to low sales.
Collected editions
The series is being collected as trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Volume 1: Letters from Lost Countries (collects Air #1-5, 144 pages, March 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2153-X)
- Volume 2: Flying Machine (collects Air #6-10, 128 pages, October 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2483-0)
- Volume 3: Pureland (collects Air #11-17, 168 pages, June 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2706-6)
- Volume 4: A History of the Future (collects Air #18-24, 168 pages, February 2011, ISBN 1-4012-2983-2)