Aquablue
Encyclopedia
Aquablue is a French science fiction graphic novel
by writer Thierry Cailleteau with several artists, Olivier Vatine (first volumes) and Ciro Tota (middle volumes) and Stéphane Brangier ('Siro', latest volumes). An adventure and military-themed series, it also places a lot of weight on interesting characters, ecological
themes and criticism of colonial
exploitation. Much of the series has been translated into German and parts into English.
-shaped whale - takes an interest in him before disappearing back into the depths of the sea.
Taken in by the primitive blue-skinned humanoid natives who see in him a messenger of their gods due to the visitation of Uruk-Uru, he grows up one of their own. Eventually he becomes a strong young man, skilled at swimming, diving and fishing to non-human levels, even though he does not have the gills and other water-adaptions the locals possess. His abilities, strength and ingenuity - as well as the friends he makes during his adventures - help him overcome the issues he faces during the series.
company, 'Texec', supported by new colonial policies back on Earth, decides to use Aquablue as a location for special power plants feeding on the ocean's warmth. If they are not stopped, they will eventually cause the planet to glaciate and destroy the native life and culture.
With the help of his native friends, a repaired Cybot and some Terrans disillusioned by the ruthless colonial expansion, he decides to fight back at the intruders. However, they are guarded by a powerful mercenary army - the 'Brigades Morgenstern', owned and led by Nao's aunt, Ulla, who inherited billions from Nao's parents when they died on the White Star.
The original series chronicles the fight against the invaders, on Aquablue, in space and in the courtrooms of Earth, where Nao tries to regain his inheritance. Numerous setbacks occur, with Nao and the natives losing several major battles, but always eventually being rescued by new allies or their own skill and ingenuity.
The first four volumes were drawn by Vatine, before Tota took over in the last volume.
characters.
The series is drawn in the ligne claire
style, though there are obvious changes with the different artists the series has had, with Tota's style being slightly more manga
-inspired than the more realistic drawing of Vatine. Siro's style in the latest volumes is more reminiscent of Tota than of Vatine.
(Youth Prize, 9-12 age category) at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
in 1989.
was developing an action-adventure video game for PC based on the comic. Entitled Aquablue: The Game, it was to be released 31 December 2004. Apparently, no finished game was ever produced, and the developer does not list it on its website (2007).
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by writer Thierry Cailleteau with several artists, Olivier Vatine (first volumes) and Ciro Tota (middle volumes) and Stéphane Brangier ('Siro', latest volumes). An adventure and military-themed series, it also places a lot of weight on interesting characters, ecological
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
themes and criticism of colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
exploitation. Much of the series has been translated into German and parts into English.
Plot / Themes
Aquablue centers around the adventures of Wilfried Morgenstern, called Nao, young orphan and one of the sole survivors of the White Star cruise spaceliner wreck. Growing up on a space lifeboat with only Cybot (a simple but sentient and caring robotic nurse) to care for him, he eventually arrives on Aquablue, a planet almost totally covered by water. Arriving on the surface, Uruk-Uru - a gigantic manta rayManta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
-shaped whale - takes an interest in him before disappearing back into the depths of the sea.
Taken in by the primitive blue-skinned humanoid natives who see in him a messenger of their gods due to the visitation of Uruk-Uru, he grows up one of their own. Eventually he becomes a strong young man, skilled at swimming, diving and fishing to non-human levels, even though he does not have the gills and other water-adaptions the locals possess. His abilities, strength and ingenuity - as well as the friends he makes during his adventures - help him overcome the issues he faces during the series.
Aquablue - Volumes 1-5
Eventually, Nao's idyll is shattered shortly after his coming-of-age, when a terranEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
company, 'Texec', supported by new colonial policies back on Earth, decides to use Aquablue as a location for special power plants feeding on the ocean's warmth. If they are not stopped, they will eventually cause the planet to glaciate and destroy the native life and culture.
With the help of his native friends, a repaired Cybot and some Terrans disillusioned by the ruthless colonial expansion, he decides to fight back at the intruders. However, they are guarded by a powerful mercenary army - the 'Brigades Morgenstern', owned and led by Nao's aunt, Ulla, who inherited billions from Nao's parents when they died on the White Star.
The original series chronicles the fight against the invaders, on Aquablue, in space and in the courtrooms of Earth, where Nao tries to regain his inheritance. Numerous setbacks occur, with Nao and the natives losing several major battles, but always eventually being rescued by new allies or their own skill and ingenuity.
The first four volumes were drawn by Vatine, before Tota took over in the last volume.
Aquablue II - Volumes 6-7
This short series, set after the conclusion of the fight for Aquablue (and not actually on the planet itself) chronicles the adventures of Nao and his friends as they discover the secret of why the White Star crashed in an asteroid field. Introducing a number of new settings in the Aquablue universe (which was previously mostly restricted to Earth and Aquablue), it also features a number of new point-of-viewPoint of view (literature)
The narrative mode is the set of methods the author of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical story uses to convey the plot to the audience. Narration, the process of presenting the narrative, occurs because of the narrative mode...
characters.
Aquablue Foundation - Volumes 8-(11)
After the original storyline is wrapped up by volume 7, Nao uses his inherited fortune to create the Aquablue Foundation, with the goal of stellar exploration and the protection of native societies and lifeforms. In one of the first volumes, he works to secure specimens of indigenous lifeforms before a stellar catastrophe destroys a remote planet. However, rich big-game hunters who've come to shoot trophies on the doomed planet soon cause problems.Visual style
Ligne claire
Ligne claire is a style of drawing pioneered by Hergé, the Belgian creator of The Adventures of Tintin. It uses clear strong lines of uniform importance. Artists working in it do not use hatching, while contrast is downplayed as well...
style, though there are obvious changes with the different artists the series has had, with Tota's style being slightly more manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
-inspired than the more realistic drawing of Vatine. Siro's style in the latest volumes is more reminiscent of Tota than of Vatine.
Awards
Aquablue received the Prix Jeunesse 9-12 ansAngoulême International Comics Festival Prix Jeunesse 9-12 ans
The Prix Jeunesse 9-12 ans is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. It rewards the best album for a 9 to 12 years old targeted public.The award started in 1981 as the "Alfred enfant", without the distinction in age groups....
(Youth Prize, 9-12 age category) at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
in 1989.
In video games
In 2004, it was announced that game studio KylotonnKylotonn
Kylotonn Games is a French video game developer company, located in Paris, France. It was founded in 2002 by Roman Vincent and Yann Tambellini. The company is most notable for developing Bet on Soldier and its expansions.- Games :...
was developing an action-adventure video game for PC based on the comic. Entitled Aquablue: The Game, it was to be released 31 December 2004. Apparently, no finished game was ever produced, and the developer does not list it on its website (2007).
External links
- Aquablue (series entry (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) on DargaudDargaudLes Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
website)