I mit indlæg om Wernher von Braun i dag nævner jeg også Howard Chaykins graphic novel pionér arbejde, med hans tegneserie bearbejdelse af Alfred Besters klassiske science fiction kult roman, “The Stars my Destination”, og den skal I bestemt ikke snydes for, denne cyberpunk graphic novel, som endda findes i to udgaver, så klassisk er den: “He was one hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead…”
Her er først den senere udgave fra Epic Comics fra 1994, 192 siders klassisk cyberpunk science fiction:
amazon.com Review
When it comes to pop culture, Alfred Bester (1913-1987) is something of an unsung hero. He wrote radio scripts, screenplays, and comic books (in which capacity he created the original Green Lantern Oath). But Bester is best known for his science-fiction novels, and The Stars My Destination may be his finest creation. First published in 1956 (as Tiger! Tiger!), the novel revolves around a hero named Gulliver Foyle, who teleports himself out of a tight spot and creates a great deal of consternation in the process. With its sly potshotting at corporate skullduggery, The Stars My Destination seems utterly contemporary, and has maintained its status as an underground classic for forty years. (Bester fans should also note that Vintage has reprinted The Demolished Man, which won the very first Hugo Award in 1953.) –This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Og her er den tidligere udgave fra Baronet fra 1979, én af de allerførste graphic novels:
Howard Chaykin havde fået sit store kommercielle gennembrud med “Star Wars” bladet på Marvel Comics i 1976, men han forlod bladet og Marvel efter ti numre for at prøve det mere lukrative illustrationsarbejde for bog forlagene, og det førte ham bl.a. til graphic novel projektet, “The Stars my Destination”. Chaykin husker tilbage til dengang:
fra http://www.comicbookbin.com/bubble072.html
Of course nobody had any idea the phenomenon that Star Wars would become. “Had I known, I probably would’ve worked harder on it. I still haven’t gotten over the resentment of the fact that it existed in the pre-royalty times so I got chump change for those books.”
Chaykin’s wish for royalties was understandable, given his weak financial standing at the time. Publisher Byron Preiss provided an opportunity to illustrate science fiction books such as Alfred Bester’s Stars My Destination and Samuel R. Delaney’s Empire, taking a sabbatical from comics he hoped would prove more lucrative. “I hardly call it a sabbatical,” he points out. “It was debtor’s prison.”
Og romanen, der fik den allerførste Hugo Award, helt tilbage i 1953:
amazon.com customer review:
A true sci-fi classic!, February 2, 2001
| By | Chad M. Brick (Ann Arbor, Michigan USA) (REAL NAME) |
Bester’s “The Demolished Man” is a true classic of the sci-fi genre, and perhaps the first cyberpunk novel. Though it does appear dated at times, Bester’s work remains as fun and powerful as when it was written fifty years ago. Threads of Bester’s comic book roots can be seen woven throughout the story, which moves along at a brisk, almost frantic, pace.
fra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demolished_Man
The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester, is a science fiction novel that was the first Hugo Award winner in 1953. The story was first serialized in three parts, beginning with the January 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, followed by publication of the novel in 1953. The novel is dedicated to Galaxy’s editor, H. L. Gold, who made suggestions during its writing. Bester’s title was Demolition!, but Gold talked him out of it.