What are your favorite sci-fi comics?
January 1, 2005 4:52 PM Subscribe
What are your favorite sci-fi comics? Indie/not-indie, superhero/non-superhero, old/new, US/not-US is fine. Fantasy and Star Trek need not apply.
I enjoyed American Flagg, as well as the earlier Alien Legion comics.
I guess I would consider Nausicaa and Girl Genius to be fantasy.
posted by selfnoise at 6:37 PM on January 1, 2005
I guess I would consider Nausicaa and Girl Genius to be fantasy.
posted by selfnoise at 6:37 PM on January 1, 2005
My god, I completely forgot about Akira.
In fact, a lot of good manga is SF. Masamune Shirow's stuff (Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, etc) is SF and is very cool. And I think there's a lot more out there in that vein.
posted by selfnoise at 6:43 PM on January 1, 2005
In fact, a lot of good manga is SF. Masamune Shirow's stuff (Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, etc) is SF and is very cool. And I think there's a lot more out there in that vein.
posted by selfnoise at 6:43 PM on January 1, 2005
Planetes. Fully captivating, in that it explores the mundane details of a society that has been space faring for 100 years at a point where they are starting to explore the outer systems. For example, the first book spends alot of time in smoking rooms on a colony on the moon; they are set up like the smoking rooms in Asian airports.
posted by sleslie at 6:51 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by sleslie at 6:51 PM on January 1, 2005
Planetary and Transmetropolitan
I also second the vote for Planetes.
posted by gnat at 6:53 PM on January 1, 2005
I also second the vote for Planetes.
posted by gnat at 6:53 PM on January 1, 2005
I guess I would consider Nausicaa and Girl Genius to be fantasy.
huh, really? I find Nausicaa to be soundly in the far future post-apocalyptic sub-genre myself. Guess that can start to look a bit like fantasy.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 6:58 PM on January 1, 2005
huh, really? I find Nausicaa to be soundly in the far future post-apocalyptic sub-genre myself. Guess that can start to look a bit like fantasy.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 6:58 PM on January 1, 2005
Twenty Years ago, my answer would've been 2000AD, Epic Illustraed, Love & Rockets, Mister X,
Pirate Corp$!, Starstruck, Strange Days, Those Annoying Post Brothers, and Heavy Metal.
Five years ago, I would've said JetCat Stories and the Dr. Robot Special.
But now, at the very start of 2005, most of that stuff feels old to me. Call it cynicism, or perhaps maturity, but I prefer something with a hint of realism, like Optic Nerve, Safe Area Gorazde, or the more recent incarnation(s) of L&R. On that note, my current response would have to be The Question miniseries. Perhaps it's not as sci-fi as some would like, but it does have a cameo appearence by a guy in blue tights from a faraway planet.
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:01 PM on January 1, 2005
Pirate Corp$!, Starstruck, Strange Days, Those Annoying Post Brothers, and Heavy Metal.
Five years ago, I would've said JetCat Stories and the Dr. Robot Special.
But now, at the very start of 2005, most of that stuff feels old to me. Call it cynicism, or perhaps maturity, but I prefer something with a hint of realism, like Optic Nerve, Safe Area Gorazde, or the more recent incarnation(s) of L&R. On that note, my current response would have to be The Question miniseries. Perhaps it's not as sci-fi as some would like, but it does have a cameo appearence by a guy in blue tights from a faraway planet.
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:01 PM on January 1, 2005
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is also excellent, though it doesn't come out all that often.
posted by interrobang at 7:33 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by interrobang at 7:33 PM on January 1, 2005
2000 A.D. Review (featuring Judge Dredd), hosted by a green alien fellow whose name currently escapes me. I havn't read any recent issues tho, but the ones from the 80s were fun. I particularly liked the "Rogue Trooper" series.
posted by stray at 9:34 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by stray at 9:34 PM on January 1, 2005
Oh yes, his name was Tharg. I think he was from Betelgeuse. Ah, that takes me back...
posted by stray at 9:35 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by stray at 9:35 PM on January 1, 2005
Though he was a cheesy character back in the day (and still is to an extent) I've been enjoying the new Adam Strange books immensely. And Ocean, by Warren Ellis is altogether extraordinary. It's absolutely worth checking out; as is Grant Morrison's WE 3.
All of the above should still be available in single issue format. While some prefer to wait for the trade paperbacks, I rather like the individual issues.
posted by aladfar at 11:29 PM on January 1, 2005
All of the above should still be available in single issue format. While some prefer to wait for the trade paperbacks, I rather like the individual issues.
posted by aladfar at 11:29 PM on January 1, 2005
2001 Nights is a manga series that riffs on 2001: A Space Odyssey and 101 Arabian Nights, but also manages to find some fresh insight. It's a series of short stories that eventually connect to form a larger story about humanity's place in the cosmos. The art is also really beautiful.
posted by teg at 11:31 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by teg at 11:31 PM on January 1, 2005
Weird Science and Weird Fantasy also remains some of my favorites. Great art, great writing, sadly now no longer being reprinted, as far as I know.
posted by interrobang at 11:43 PM on January 1, 2005
posted by interrobang at 11:43 PM on January 1, 2005
Since Planetary has been mentioned, I'll say Global Frequency, by the same author. I don't think it's too unfair to say that both have similar underlying premises -- "there's a trippy science fiction thing going on, and we've got to go have a look at it!"
But, since both are from the fecund, somewhat grisly imagination of Warren Ellis, they're usually pretty great.
posted by Hildago at 1:28 AM on January 2, 2005
But, since both are from the fecund, somewhat grisly imagination of Warren Ellis, they're usually pretty great.
posted by Hildago at 1:28 AM on January 2, 2005
popbot.
ashley wood and sam kieth, how can you go wrong?
posted by juv3nal at 3:35 AM on January 2, 2005
ashley wood and sam kieth, how can you go wrong?
posted by juv3nal at 3:35 AM on January 2, 2005
Response by poster: Thanks, all. The question was inspired by reading Ellis' "Ocean", and the reflection that Comics might be the ideal medium for visual science-fiction , especially considering that cinematic s.f. is almost always dumbed down and testosterone injected.
posted by signal at 6:53 AM on January 2, 2005
posted by signal at 6:53 AM on January 2, 2005
another vote for vote for "transmetropolitan" - not to mention any other ellis stuff. the man is bloody brillian, as graventy said. i'd suggest picking up "orbiter", if you haven't read it yet.
if you enjoy ellis, you may enjoy grant morrison. i just read his comic "the filth", and enjoyed it a good deal, although i must admit that it made me wonder whether all british comic-writers are as twisted as morrison and ellis. [morrison is probably better known for his series "the invisibles."]
posted by ubersturm at 11:04 AM on January 2, 2005
if you enjoy ellis, you may enjoy grant morrison. i just read his comic "the filth", and enjoyed it a good deal, although i must admit that it made me wonder whether all british comic-writers are as twisted as morrison and ellis. [morrison is probably better known for his series "the invisibles."]
posted by ubersturm at 11:04 AM on January 2, 2005
Frey is Buffy of THE FUTURE (written by Buffy inventor Joss Whedon) if you like that kind of thing.
you set him on fire!
So?
You Set Him On Fire!
Yes, I know.
YOU SET HIM ON FIRE!
Maybe he was cold.
Tee hee.
posted by Sparx at 4:47 PM on January 2, 2005
you set him on fire!
So?
You Set Him On Fire!
Yes, I know.
YOU SET HIM ON FIRE!
Maybe he was cold.
Tee hee.
posted by Sparx at 4:47 PM on January 2, 2005
It's Fray, like a fight, and it's excellent even if you're not a Buffy fan.
posted by nicwolff at 5:42 PM on January 2, 2005
posted by nicwolff at 5:42 PM on January 2, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 4:57 PM on January 1, 2005