These comics offer great blend of SF and human drama

5 Space Opera Comics

To celebrate Star Trek’s 60th anniversary, I decided to write about comics that could be labelled as “space operas.” They all capture Star Trek’s blend of science fiction settings and human drama.

Prophet (2012 – 2016)

Originally published in Prophet issues 21 to 45, Prophet: Strikefile issues 1 and 2, Prophet: Earth War issues 1 – 6

Collections: ProphetVolume 1: Remission (2012) Prophet Volume 2: Brothers (2013), Prophet Volume 3: Empire (2014), Prophet Volume 4: Joining (2015), Prophet Volume 5: Earth War (2017)

On distant future Earth, changed by time and alien influence, John Prophet awakens from cryosleep. His mission: to climb the Towers of Thauili Van and restart the Earth empire. But, news of the Empire’s return brings old foes and allies out of the recesses of the vast cosmos.

Prophet was originally created by Rob Liefeld and first appeared in Youngblood issue 2 (1992) and appeared in his own series. In 2012, the series was revived, along with a number of titles under the Extreme Studios banner. Prophet was relaunched at issue 21, which was different than the usual renumbering we often see in comics. Writer Brandom Graham took over writing duties with artists including Simon Roy.

Having never read the original run, I can say with certainty that you can start with issue 21 and not be lost. Graham does a good job of catching you up and setting up his story. Saying that, there are a number of nods to continuity and appearances from other characters that will satisfy fans of the original runs. The art is what grabbed me and got me to pick up the first issue. It is a series that I have revisited a couple of times, including a re-read for this piece.

Saga (2012 – present)

Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Originally published in Saga Issues 1 – ongoing

Collections: Saga Book One (2014), Saga Book Two (2017), Saga Book Three (2019), Saga Book Four (2026), Saga Compendium One (2019)

The series follows a husband and wife Alana and Marko, from long-warring extraterrestrial races, fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their daughter, Hazel, who is born in the beginning of the series, and who occasionally narrates the story as an unseen adult.

This could be seen as a pretty obvious choice but it is one of those comics that really lives up to the hype. There is an over-arching space drama but it is very character driven. A standout for me is Fiona Staples’ cover art which really draws the reader in. It could also be argued that this more in the vein of Star Wars, with its fantasy elements, and I actually debated including it. However, given the amount of re-reads I’ve done, and it still isn’t a complete story, I felt like I had to. Kind of amazing that Brian K. Vaughan managed to follow Y: The Last Man (2002 – 2008) and Ex Machina (2004 – 2010), but this one even bests those.

Descender (2015 – 2018)

Created by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Originally published as Descender Issues 1 to 32

Collections: Descender Compendium (2024)

Ten years in the past, planet-sized robots appeared out of nowhere. They began to wreak havoc throughout the galaxy, demolishing entire worlds before suddenly disappearing as quickly as they arrived. After the destruction caused by these the “harvesters”, as they are nicknamed by The United Galactic Council, anti-robot fanaticism spreads throughout the council’s nine-core planets, resulting in the culling of all artificial intelligence and robotic life in the galaxy. Ten years after the carnage, a young android named TIM-21 wakes up to discover that he is not only one of the last robots in existence, but also the most wanted being in the universe. Pursuing him are the inimitable Captain Telsa, daughter of the U.G.C.’s president and survivor of the harvester attacks, and Doctor Quon, the disgraced and secretive “father of robotics”. Alongside his robot dog, Bandit, and a maladroit mining droid named Driller, TIM-21 embarks on a cosmic odyssey that has him facing bounty hunters and threats at every turn.

This is very much in the Isaac Assimov area of science fiction. The story of TIM-21 really reminded me of Stephen Spielberg’s A.I. (2001). However, the robot boy lives in world where there is a wider story with giant mysterious world destroyers. It shares the common theme of how robots are treated by men, even if the root cause is somewhat different. The art of Dustin Nguyen really gives it an otherworldly feel and, as with some of the others on the list, the art got me to pick up the series.

For fantasy fans, there is a sequel, Ascender, which deals with magic. It also has the same creative team.

Proteus Vex (2019 – 2024)

Created by Michael Carroll, Henry Flint and Jake Lynch

Originally published in 2000AD Prog 2162 – 2172, 2212 – 2223, 2226 – 2274, 2312 – 2324, 2375 – 2389

Collections: Proteus Vex: Another Dawn (2022), 2000 AD: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 159 (2023)

For fourteen brutal centuries, the Imperium Ascendant and the Obdurate have clashed in an intergalactic war that spanned planets and peoples. Then the war – and the Obdurate – came to a dramatic end. Now, the galaxies are picking up the pieces. In the midst of this sprawling, dazzling system of galaxies, is Proteus Vex, ex-soldier for the Imperium Ascendant turned super-agent. He’s fast, brutal, and he always gets his prey. But when he is sent to find his former superior officer, Vex finds himself caught up in a deadly conspiracy.

Michael Carroll is known for his Judge Dredd work but this was the first series he created for 2000AD. Working with Henry Flint on the first story and with Jake Lynch for the remainder of the series. The series starts off as a spy story with the titular Vex trying to find a missing superior officer. Gradually, the series expands the conspiracy and the settings, bringing in a host of unique looking alien cultures. A lot of fans enjoying the scene stealing Midnight Indicating Shame (I love that name). I loved the version of the unreliable narrator, where a future narrator (possibly a historian) admits that their historical sources are possibly not reliable. It adds a unique feel.

One of those series that I want in a lovely big hardcover or hardcovers. We did get the 2000AD Mega Collection volume with the first three stories. Another one I re-read for this piece.

Salvation’s Child (2026)

Created by Adrian Tchaikovsky, with art by Mike Collins

Original published as a digital graphic novel

The Architects – planet-sized aliens who cannot be bargained with – have destroyed Earth. Now, a woman called Marta desperately tries to protect her daughter Xavienne amongst the human diaspora. But does Xavi hold the secret to saving humanity?

I’m a fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky and Emma Newman’s podcast, Starship Alexandria, and had been trying to decide which of Adrian’s books to try. (He is quite a prolific writer). When I heard about this graphic novel, I decided to go with the Final Architecture series: Shards of Earth (2021), Eyes of the Void (2022) and Lords of Uncreation (2023).

I’m an audiobook fan, and it helped that Sophie Aldred narrates them. She was asked if her likeness could be used for the all-female clone race called The Partheni for this graphic novel and she agreed. She also provides an introduction.

Artist Mike Collins has the tough task of living up to reader’s imaginations, giving us versions of all the important alien races from the books, but he does a wonderful job. He also captures Sophie Aldred’s likeness perfectly. The graphic novel tells us the life-story of an important character from the book series, if not a central one. This balances the graphic novels dual nature of being a great prequel for fans of the books and a great standalone story for new readers. A really good comic debut for Adrian Tchaikovsky.

• About the Author
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John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who MagazineandOverkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.

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