Science fiction graphic novel
Encyclopedia
A science fiction graphic novel is a full-length book that uses images necessarily to depict a story of a fictional nature that explores different/future time lines, theoretical societies, technology and/or both.
collected as books. Many graphic novels contain elements of science fiction
including robot
s, mecha
, virtual reality
and time-travel. The current usage of the term graphic novel implies a difference from that of a comic book
in that most graphic novels reflect a more sophisticated level of artistry, storyline, or completeness, that run through a complete story arc from beginning to end, unlike many compilation
books, which are simple collections of a comic series.
Likewise, many science fiction stories, sans images, would be significantly altered, as graphics are an integral aspect; a gundam
, a technically complex and detailed machine, requires great effort to explain or dictate, yet is fully, expediently delineated by a picture. Also, the rapid action sequences and moods prevalent in the manners of such graphic novels are impossible to convey in prose.
The first recorded usage of the term, according to the Oxford English Dictionary
(OED), is in 1978 by Will Eisner
: "A contract with God: and other tenement stories... A graphic novel", but graphic novels existed for years prior. The first science fiction-based graphic novel is widely considered to be Astro Boy, by Osamu Tezuka
in 1951. Astro Boy was a child-like robot who was activated in the year 2003. Blending a child's innocence and aspirations with super-powers, Astro Boy represented a positive view on technology, which was important in Japan
after the nuclear bomb attacks that ended World War II
.
Evolution of art in graphic novels
Since the time of its creation, the science fiction graphic novel has been a medium depicting the prevalent science fiction concepts of the time period in question. Also, it has always displayed the cutting edge artwork of the time frame, using modern technology to augment the depictions contained within its pages. The first graphic novels were hand-drawn and inked by their artists, then printed in black and white by their publishers. Nowadays, there are still some retro artists who still use these techniques for their simple yet dramatic effects. Technology has since intervened on behalf of those artists seeking a more cutting-edge, modern approach to the artform. Computer illustration programs such as Photoshop, Paintshop, Paintbucket, Corel Paint and Illustrator
have been utilized in recent years to take artists' hand-drawn images and add various shapes, colors, filters and other special effects to them. Some artists have gone even further with technology, creating graphic novels that are composed of 100% computer images.
by writer Brian Wood and artist Becky Cloonan, which features characters who strive not to use, or are unaware of, their powers until the story's conclusion.
A popular series is Batman
despite the main protagonist's lack of super-powers or advanced technology. A more traditional super hero is Spider-Man
, who gained his superior powers as a result of a radioactive spider biting him. Both the Fantastic Four
and the X-Men
graphic novels tend to emphasize teamwork to some degree, where the characters often have personal agendas. Captain Atom
, initially a stand-alone hero, has assisted the unceremonial Batman/Superman duo. He was later infected excessively by kryptonite
while attempting to deflect a meteor headed for Superman and Earth. Interestingly, Atom has powers that are arguably unique, yet similar to those of Superman
. The Incredible Hulk is the alter-ego of Bruce Banner, who uncontrollably transforms when angered.
Super heroes, depicted in both comic books and graphic novels, find a special role in the graphic novels they are portrayed in. Since the exploits of most popular super heroes are portrayed in sequence through periodically printed comic books, their presence in the graphic novel format is usually to highlight a specific storyline or concept in the heroes' world that the authors/artists feel needs to be elaborated upon. For instance, the Death of Superman plot line was portrayed within the pages of a few different comic book series. However, since it was hard to collect all those different issues of different titles, the publisher (DC Comics
) put all the issues which featured the plot line in chronological order in a single graphic novel The Death of Superman
, so that readers could focus on that storyline for better comprehension. This theme was also prevalent in Watchmen
.
, which feature similar themes and art styles.
One of the earlier manga, Astro Boy, originated in 1951, centers on the exploits of its namesake, and, for a time, enjoyed comparable Japanese notoriety to Mickey Mouse
. Akira
, inspired from Japan
, has attained some popularity in America
. The graphic form lends a useful level of detail and alteration of the feeling of Metropolis
, while Cowboy Bebop
, whose story focuses on bounty hunters, develops a mystic, estranged feeling by using drab and dark, contrasting colors. A fast-paced exceptionally realistic future setting, such as that in Ghost in the Shell
, puts emphasis on human aspects.
, alternate history, horror
, cyberpunk
, time travel
, military science fiction
, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
, hard science fiction
and soft science fiction
. A typical work of this medium, David Cronenberg's eXistenZ: A Graphic Novel
, employs many characteristics common to explorations of the future, but uses graphic depictions to convey visceral biological details and emotional impacts. Orbiter
, by Warren Ellis
, explores a space shuttle that mysteriously crash-lands back on earth after losing contact ten years earlier. Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street
Other traditional graphic works in graphic novels of science fiction include: Red Star: The Battle of Kar Dathra's Gate,
Kabuki: Circle of Blood (1) A Distant Soil, The Authority: Relentless, Global Frequency: Planet Ablaze and The Victorian.
Introduction
The first graphic novels were popular comicsComics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
collected as books. Many graphic novels contain elements of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
including robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
, virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
and time-travel. The current usage of the term graphic novel implies a difference from that of a 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...
in that most graphic novels reflect a more sophisticated level of artistry, storyline, or completeness, that run through a complete story arc from beginning to end, unlike many compilation
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
books, which are simple collections of a comic series.
Likewise, many science fiction stories, sans images, would be significantly altered, as graphics are an integral aspect; a gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
, a technically complex and detailed machine, requires great effort to explain or dictate, yet is fully, expediently delineated by a picture. Also, the rapid action sequences and moods prevalent in the manners of such graphic novels are impossible to convey in prose.
History
First usageThe first recorded usage of the term, according to the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
(OED), is in 1978 by Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
: "A contract with God: and other tenement stories... A graphic novel", but graphic novels existed for years prior. The first science fiction-based graphic novel is widely considered to be Astro Boy, by Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
in 1951. Astro Boy was a child-like robot who was activated in the year 2003. Blending a child's innocence and aspirations with super-powers, Astro Boy represented a positive view on technology, which was important in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
after the nuclear bomb attacks that ended World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Evolution of art in graphic novels
Since the time of its creation, the science fiction graphic novel has been a medium depicting the prevalent science fiction concepts of the time period in question. Also, it has always displayed the cutting edge artwork of the time frame, using modern technology to augment the depictions contained within its pages. The first graphic novels were hand-drawn and inked by their artists, then printed in black and white by their publishers. Nowadays, there are still some retro artists who still use these techniques for their simple yet dramatic effects. Technology has since intervened on behalf of those artists seeking a more cutting-edge, modern approach to the artform. Computer illustration programs such as Photoshop, Paintshop, Paintbucket, Corel Paint and Illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
have been utilized in recent years to take artists' hand-drawn images and add various shapes, colors, filters and other special effects to them. Some artists have gone even further with technology, creating graphic novels that are composed of 100% computer images.
Super hero
As in most science fiction mediums, graphic novels regularly feature protagonists who possess unnatural and augmented abilities. Usually, a story will establish the hero's power, then explore various implications and possibilities facilitated by said power vis-a-vis saving "the day". Departures from this standard include such works as Demo, the collected EditionDemo (comics)
Demo is a twelve-issue limited series of comic books by writer Brian Wood and artist Becky Cloonan, published from 2003–2004 by AiT/Planet Lar. Each issue is an isolated story, but they all revolve around the lives of young people...
by writer Brian Wood and artist Becky Cloonan, which features characters who strive not to use, or are unaware of, their powers until the story's conclusion.
A popular series is Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
despite the main protagonist's lack of super-powers or advanced technology. A more traditional super hero is Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, who gained his superior powers as a result of a radioactive spider biting him. Both the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
and the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
graphic novels tend to emphasize teamwork to some degree, where the characters often have personal agendas. Captain Atom
Captain Atom
Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
, initially a stand-alone hero, has assisted the unceremonial Batman/Superman duo. He was later infected excessively by kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
while attempting to deflect a meteor headed for Superman and Earth. Interestingly, Atom has powers that are arguably unique, yet similar to those of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. The Incredible Hulk is the alter-ego of Bruce Banner, who uncontrollably transforms when angered.
Super heroes, depicted in both comic books and graphic novels, find a special role in the graphic novels they are portrayed in. Since the exploits of most popular super heroes are portrayed in sequence through periodically printed comic books, their presence in the graphic novel format is usually to highlight a specific storyline or concept in the heroes' world that the authors/artists feel needs to be elaborated upon. For instance, the Death of Superman plot line was portrayed within the pages of a few different comic book series. However, since it was hard to collect all those different issues of different titles, the publisher (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...
) put all the issues which featured the plot line in chronological order in a single graphic novel The Death of Superman
The Death of Superman
"The Death of Superman" is a 1992 comic book storyline that occurred in DC Comics' Superman titles. The completed multi-issue story arc was given the title The Death and Return of Superman....
, so that readers could focus on that storyline for better comprehension. This theme was also prevalent in Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
.
Manga
Not all manga are science fiction, nor are they all complete stories. Many manga are monthly or weekly collections of different popular series and do not follow a complete story arc. By definition, a manga is graphic, meaning "with images", and is the Japanese word for comics or cartoons. Manga are characterized by their cheaply made forms and are meant to be disposable, with colorful covers but filled with mainly black and white illustrations. Massive worldwide popularity of manga has led to the popular genre of film called animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, which feature similar themes and art styles.
One of the earlier manga, Astro Boy, originated in 1951, centers on the exploits of its namesake, and, for a time, enjoyed comparable Japanese notoriety to Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
. Akira
Akira (manga)
is a manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo. Set in a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, the work uses conventions of the cyberpunk genre to detail a saga of turmoil. Initially serialized in the pages of Young Magazine from 1982 until 1990, the work was collected in six volumes by Japanese publisher Kodansha...
, inspired from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, has attained some popularity in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The graphic form lends a useful level of detail and alteration of the feeling of Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
, while Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
, whose story focuses on bounty hunters, develops a mystic, estranged feeling by using drab and dark, contrasting colors. A fast-paced exceptionally realistic future setting, such as that in Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
, puts emphasis on human aspects.
General science fiction
Science fiction is a wide genre, not simply limited to superheroes and spaceships. Below is just a small list of science fiction comics including such sub-genres as: fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, alternate history, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
, cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
, time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
, military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
, hard science fiction
Hard science fiction
Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science...
and soft science fiction
Soft science fiction
Soft science fiction, or soft SF, like its complementary opposite hard science fiction, is a descriptive term that points to the role and nature of the science content in a science fiction story...
. A typical work of this medium, David Cronenberg's eXistenZ: A Graphic Novel
EXistenZ
eXistenZ is a 1999 body horror/science fiction film by Canadian director David Cronenberg. It stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law....
, employs many characteristics common to explorations of the future, but uses graphic depictions to convey visceral biological details and emotional impacts. Orbiter
Orbiter (comics)
Orbiter is a graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Colleen Doran, published in 2003 by DC Comics under their Vertigo imprint.It is a hard science fiction story set in the early 21st Century about a team of specialists employed to understand the mysterious reappearance of the space shuttle Venture...
, by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
, explores a space shuttle that mysteriously crash-lands back on earth after losing contact ten years earlier. Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street
Transmetropolitan
Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis with art by Darick Robertson and published by DC Comics. The series was originally part of the short-lived DC Comics imprint Helix, but upon the end of the book's first year the series was moved to the Vertigo imprint as DC...
Other traditional graphic works in graphic novels of science fiction include: Red Star: The Battle of Kar Dathra's Gate,
Kabuki: Circle of Blood (1) A Distant Soil, The Authority: Relentless, Global Frequency: Planet Ablaze and The Victorian.