“God didn’t create the beasts. I did.”
Format: Comic Book
Genre: Science Fiction
Sub-Genre: Biopunk
Progress: 3rd Personal Edit
Synopsis
Deep in the frozen tundra of the Barrens, Dr. Alphonse Moreau is playing God. Exiled from the corporation he started, MINA, he now plots his revenge.
Evelyn Prendrick, a corporate pawn at MINA, has a chance encounter that will change her life after her Aerodyne Vehicle crashes in the desolate wastelands, forcing her to seek refuge at Moreau’s complex.
Two worlds collide in a grand vision that explores the limits of man and machine, pushing everyone to their breaking point as they come to a horrific revelation that threatens them all.
Concept
When my friend, the talented artist James Gallegos, asked me to collaborate on a comic book, I was blown away and scared beyond belief. What did I know about writing a comic book? He was gracious enough to give me full rein over the story, a stack of reading material to teach myself the inner workings, and plenty of time.
Asking for something truly different and wicked, my mind instantly fell back on an idea I was working on to combine H.G. Wells’s classic novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and the cyberpunk genre. The images began to leap off the pages in my mind.
I moved Dr. Moreau to the frozen tundra of the north and gave him and many of his “beasts” (Chimera) a dark backstory that included the ever-present body horror (now, with augmentations!), then I took our revamped protagonist, Evelyn Prendrick, and made two worlds collide.
What followed is chaos, science, and a lot of bloody fun!
Glossary
Alphonse Elias Moreau
A man from a troubled home, with a troubled past. He started MINA after college, but was ousted when his business partners became aware of his less-than-above-board experiments.
Years later, exiled from the city, he has taken refuge in an abandoned warehouse, where he continues his work with cruel intentions.
Aerodyne Vehicle (AV)
Commonly abbreviated as AV. It is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft powered by ducted jet fans that can hover and traverse varied terrain, including water, and drive on roads with a set of retractable wheels.
Because of the price point, Aerodyne Vehicles are mainly used by the wealthier class.
Barrens
As the climate began to evolve, the northern regions of New America became increasingly cold to the point that it was deadly to all life. The major cities in the area developed Weather Tech to help mitigate the effects. Outside the city is a barren wasteland, hence the name.
Chimera
Cleo
Constans
Democratic Commonwealth of America (DCA)
Evelyn Prendrick
Helmar
Intern
Kong
M
Max
MINA
New America
Republic of Texas
Sawyer
Sloth
Sohn
Sovereign Pacific States
United American Republic (UAR)
The Vibe
Cover photo by Илья Косарев on Unsplash