The Life Eaters
Encyclopedia
The Life Eaters is a 2003 science fiction
graphic novel
written by David Brin
and art
by Scott Hampton
. It was published by Wildstorm
. The story is based on Brin's Hugo-nominated novella Thor Meets Captain America
, featuring an alternate history scenario where the Nazis won World War II.
The trickster, Loki
, works against his fellow Aesir. On the night they arrived, Loki used his magic to whisk hundreds of thousands of death camp internees to safety in Persia. Thanks to his knowledge of magic, the American government cracks the necromancy
angle: The beings they are fighting are not gods, but are physical manifestations of belief, brought about by the mass sacrifice of life. Before they had assumed the Aesir were secretly alien invaders. (This is a reversal of roles from the The Mighty Thor
series of Marvel Comics
, which partially inspired Brin, and where Loki is the unquestioned villain).
As the Nazis continue to conquer the world, with the help of their Japanese allies (and their Shinto
gods), the story of the necromancy spreads. As a result of "Asian faith and African desperation... and all the madness of the tropics", the multiple gods of the developing world are given form through human sacrifice, band together and fight the Aesir (who have to keep to colder regions). As the Tropicals advance, they burn the Arabian oilfields, leading to global warming
. With the atomic-armed Nazis beginning to understand the principles of nuclear winter
, the remaining free Americans must race against time to prevent the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy.
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...
graphic novel
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...
written by David Brin
David Brin
Glen David Brin, Ph.D. is an American scientist and award-winning author of science fiction. He has received the Hugo, Locus, Campbell and Nebula Awards.-Biography:...
and art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
by Scott Hampton
Scott Hampton
Scott Hampton is an American comic book artist well known for his painted artwork. He is the brother of fellow-comics-creator Bo Hampton.-Biography:Scott Hampton was born in 1959 in High Point, North Carolina....
. It was published by Wildstorm
Wildstorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
. The story is based on Brin's Hugo-nominated novella Thor Meets Captain America
Thor Meets Captain America
Thor Meets Captain America is a science fiction novelette by David Brin. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1987. The graphic novel The Life Eaters is based on the story.-Summary:...
, featuring an alternate history scenario where the Nazis won World War II.
Story
The history of the comic follows ours, until one night during the winter of 1943, when a number of bright lights appeared over Nazi-occupied Europe. Intentionally or otherwise, the slaughter of the death camps has somehow been used to summon the Aesir, Norse gods. Quickly allying themselves with the gods, the Nazis are able to push aside their mortal foes. The extended war has an amazing effect on human technology - by the fifties, the American military has a manned spy satellite.The trickster, Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
, works against his fellow Aesir. On the night they arrived, Loki used his magic to whisk hundreds of thousands of death camp internees to safety in Persia. Thanks to his knowledge of magic, the American government cracks the necromancy
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
angle: The beings they are fighting are not gods, but are physical manifestations of belief, brought about by the mass sacrifice of life. Before they had assumed the Aesir were secretly alien invaders. (This is a reversal of roles from the The Mighty Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
series of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, which partially inspired Brin, and where Loki is the unquestioned villain).
As the Nazis continue to conquer the world, with the help of their Japanese allies (and their Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
gods), the story of the necromancy spreads. As a result of "Asian faith and African desperation... and all the madness of the tropics", the multiple gods of the developing world are given form through human sacrifice, band together and fight the Aesir (who have to keep to colder regions). As the Tropicals advance, they burn the Arabian oilfields, leading to global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. With the atomic-armed Nazis beginning to understand the principles of nuclear winter
Nuclear winter
Nuclear winter is a predicted climatic effect of nuclear war. It has been theorized that severely cold weather and reduced sunlight for a period of months or even years could be caused by detonating large numbers of nuclear weapons, especially over flammable targets such as cities, where large...
, the remaining free Americans must race against time to prevent the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy.