recommendations for SF/space opera comics

[mekon]

hi all. first time caller, long time listener etc..

I have a challenge/request for you all, which is for recomendations for good space-based sci-fi comics, graphic novels, or online strips.

They can be outlandish, fantastic, historic, pulp, serious, realistic, epic - hopefully you get the picture..

BUT..preferably not superhero based

Here's a list of stuff I have already digested:

* titles by Humaniods publishing (Metabarons, The Incal, Memories of Outer Space etc)
* titles by Warren Ellis (Switchblade Honey, Orbiter, Minstry of Space etc)
* titles by Yukinobo Hoshino (2001 Nights, Saber Tiger etc)
* titles by Osamu Tezuka (Phoenix, mainly)
* the works of Moebius
* Planetes
* The Masterplan, by Scott Mills
* Flash Gordon
* Dan Dare
* The Trigan Empire

Am I missing anything amazing? anything epic? anything unknown?

cheers

 

[Thadlerian]

Try Crimson Dark by David C. Simon. It's a webcomic about the crew of a privateer in the middle of a war, and is illustrated solely with 3D rendered imagery. It seems to update with new strips 2-3 times a week.

Then there's Freefall by Mark Stanley. Hard SF combined with family-friendly humour.

And Starslip Crisis by Kristofer Straub. Humourus tales about the curator and the crew of a museum starship.

 

[iansales]

The Fourth Power by Juan Gimenez
Valerian, Spatio-Temporal Agent by Mézières & Christin

 

[mekon]

thanks Thadlerian - these look great (and inspiring)

thanks also, Mr Sales. have read The Fourth Power, but had completely forgot about The Valerian collection I once read..

 

[iansales]

There's also Dan Dare and Trigan Empire.

 

[DeepThought]

Cowboy Bebop by Cain Kuga, though this was originally an Anime.

Cheer's, DeepThought

 

[Connavar]

Battle Angel Alita is a great SF manga.

Nova and Annihilation comics from marvel are pretty good space comics. Sure they are superhero but they are about space and aliens mostly.

I liked the first issue of the new Dan Dare by Garth Ennis.


Authority by Warren Ellis was also SF. They are a superhero team but they are more political and realistic as you can expect of Ellis. Its very fantastic with superpowers,aliens,other dimensions etc

 

[iansales]

I've only read #3 of the new Dan Dare. I didn't think it was as good as Ministry of Space.

Yes, the Authority is very good.

 

[Connavar]

Have you tried Black Summer series by avatar ? Its his new Authority type comic.


Ministry of Space what is that ?

I dont know anything about Dan Dare except alittle of his history in old comics. I picked him up cause Ennis is my fav comic writer. I like him smaller work where he can do what he wants.

 

[iansales]

No, I've not tried Black Summer. I'll kep an eye open for it.

Ministry of Space is another Warren Ellis mini-series. See here.

I'm a big fan of Dan Dare. I have about half of the Hawk Publishing collector's editions, which gathered together all of the original strips from Eagle. I'm hoping that Titan Books will publish the 2000AD Dan Dare one of these days. It wasn't as good, but I remember liking it.

 

[Connavar]

Oh i remember that comic now. I think i tried it alittle when i was on my Ellis phase with Authority,Transmetro etc

Speaking about Ellis i picked up Fell issue 9 yesterday. It was great seeing the awesome art and world of that comic again. Ever read it ? I love the art Templesmith.

Shame Ellis is killing the comic with doing too many other works at the same time.

 

[iansales]

I've not read all that much by Ellis - the Authority, Stormwatch, Ministry of Space, Orbiter, Ocean, Switchblade Honey, and Ultimate Galactus. Ocean's good; didn't like Orbiter much. Didn't think Swtichblade Honey was very good, either. Ultimate Galactus is good, but owes a bit too much to Ocean.

I'm also a fan of Alan Moore's Tom Strong series, although there's a lot of other stuff by Moore I've not read.

 

[Connavar]

I stay away from his marvel work.

I feel he is better in smaller press or in imprints like Wildstorm with Authority type comic where he has more freedom.


Fell is very good. Very dark Noir. Richard Fell is from the tradition of Holmes,Marlowe,Archer and co.

 

[iKon]

If you're willing to check out manga, I highly recommend Hoshi No Koe and the Sekai Trilogy (Crest of the Stars and Banner of the Stars I & II).

 

[Shinya]

Hi, Mekon. Your list is almost perfect for hard-SF manga.
Especially, I haven't known that Yukinobo Hoshino is available in English.
So, I can provide only one recommendation: Moto Hagio's works.
She is a common figure in the Seiun award, Japanese version of Hugo.

 

[chopper]

if you can track em down, try Chris Gossett's The Red Star, the first 3 story arcs available as TPBs.

absolutely wonderful art, but one of those things where you just...have...to...wait...for...the...next...one...for...ages....

 

[zoran]

Am I missing anything amazing?

Yup. "The Balad of Halo Jones" by Alan Moore.

 

[Joe the Timelord]

Kind of wanting some good Space Opera comicking, myself. I happened to eye Metabarons in my search. Anybody know if it's any good? The premise according to Wikipedia looks promising, I think.

EDIT: Not to bump a four year old thread or anything. My bad.

 

[Magnus85]

The Metabaron stuff I've read was just as much fantasy as sci-fi, and although the artwork was astonishing, I think Jodorowsky isn't a very good storyteller.

Little dramatic tension, and a lot of deus ex machina devices. But if you're up for a cheesy and Heavy Metal-ish adventure, then it's decent fun.


I've just read the first issue yet but Azzarello's Spaceman seems to be quite interesting. I also hear great things about Prophet from Image Comics.

 

[Joe the Timelord]

I'm always up for a delightful romp (especially if its as well drawn as Metabarons seems to be). Thanks, Magnus. I've also read the first issue of Spaceman, and I couldn't agree more; the concept of a man bred for space travel (for better or worse) struck me.

EDIT: Also, considering Jodorowsky, the fact that he even attempted anything resembling a coherent story came as quite a surprise. If The Holy Mountain is a fair example, that kind of storytelling isn't exactly his area.