Archangel (Gibson comic)

Last updated
William Gibson Archangel
WGArchangel1.jpg
Cover of the first issue of Archangel.
Publication information
Publisher IDW Publishing
ScheduleMonthly
Format Limited series
Publication date
  • May 2016 – August 2017
  • October 2017 (HC)
No. of issues5
Main character(s)
  • Naomi Givens
  • Vince Mathews
  • The Pilot
  • Junior Henderson
Creative team
Created by
  • William Gibson
  • Michael St. John Smith
Written by William Gibson
Artist(s) Butch Guice
Inker(s) Tom Palmer
Letterer(s) Shawn Lee
Colorist(s) Diego Rodriguez
Collected editions
Hardcover ISBN   978-1631408755

Archangel, also written as William Gibson Archangel or William Gibson's Archangel, is a five-issue limited series comic book that was created by William Gibson and Michael St. John Smith, written by William Gibson, illustrated by Butch Guice and story-edited by Michael Benedetto. It is Gibson's first comic book series, which is set in an alternative version of 2016 in which the Vice President of America travels back in time to 1945 to secure power.

Contents

IDW Publishing first released Archangel from May 2016 to August 2017, then in October as a hardcover graphic novel. It was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Limited Series and was adapted into an audio play that was released by Audible.

Synopsis

In a devastated alternative version of 2016, US Vice President Junior Henderson uses a device called the Splitter to travel back in time with six commandos to 1945 Allied-occupied Berlin. They kill Henderson's grandfather, an Office of Strategic Services major, and Junior takes his place. In 2016, another faction led by Major Torres seizes control of the Splitter and sends a stealth plane to stop Henderson but it crashes with The Pilot parachuting into US-occupied territory. Royal Air Force officer Naomi Givens, who had been investigating foo fighters, agrees to share information with her ex-boyfriend Vince Matthews, a US Intelligence officer who has custody of The Pilot. Henderson arrives to take command but The Pilot escapes using a stealth suit sent by Torres. To complete his mission, The Pilot allies with Givens—who, based on her observations, accepts him as a time traveller—and Matthews, who is skeptical but realizes Henderson is a dangerous imposter.

The Pilot predicts the bombing of Hiroshima and reveals Henderson's plan to use the second atomic bomb to attack the Port of Arkhangelsk, Soviet Union, destroying half of the Soviet fleet, and killing Joseph Stalin and most of the Soviet chain-of-command, allowing the United States to rule the world unchallenged. With the aid of Soviet Colonel Yermakov, they locate Henderson's B-29 in flight and Torres teleports them aboard the aircraft, where they defeat Henderson and his commandos. In 2016, US government forces breach the Splitter's bunker and overpower Torres. Physicist Jack Davis, the inventor of the Splitter who until then had expressed doubts about the wisdom of Torres's plan, activates the Splitter. The armed nuclear bomb detonates at a temporary White House located outside the Splitter facility. Givens and Matthews are returned to Berlin as news of the nuclear attack on Nagasaki is received in a restored timeline. The Pilot arrives in a peaceful 2016 Berlin, having thwarted one megalomaniac US president only to be confronted by a newspaper headline describing the possibility of another.

Characters

1945

2016

Writing and development

Archangel's co-creator and writer William Gibson was inspired by supernatural and conspiracy stories surrounding World War II, which he called "the Weird War", and drew upon his own Cold War nuclear anxiety. [2] [3]

Gibson, and writer and actor Michael St. John Smith, [4] first pitched the idea for Archangel to a German television company, [5] [6] which declined it. Gibson and St. John Smith then developed the idea into a screenplay and a computer game. [4] When IDW Publishing approached Gibson about adapting a novel, he immediately proposed developing Archangel into a comic book.[ citation needed ] The IDW team included artist Butch Guice, and the comic book includes inking by Tom Palmer, colors by Diego Rodriguez, and letters by Shawn Lee. [1] [7]

The comic book's main setting in Berlin is a holdover from the project's original pitch for German television. [8] Gibson stated that the story became "leaner" and "more linear" in comics form. [9] According to Gibson's afterword in the hardcover edition, the story was continually revised due to contemporaneous events. The final frames give the ending a context the creators "could [not] have possibly imagined when we began work on our first issue". [1] [3]

Art

Butch Guice illustrated Archangel, except for the fifth issue, which was illustrated by Wagner Reis and Tom Palmer. [10] Publishers Weekly noted the art contrasts the bright neon colors of future technology with dark, earthy tones of the 1940s "that evokes wartime cloak-and-dagger exploits". [11] A review in Paste noted the "conscious interplay of shadows and silhouettes" in the composition of frames makes for "a thrilling combination of uncertainty, dynamism and intrigue" that is required of the genre. [12]

Publication history

Archangel was initially published as a five-issue limited edition comic book series, the first issue of which was released on 18 May 2016 [12] and the final issue was released in August 2017. [10] The story was republished as a hardcover graphic novel on 3 October 2017. [2] [9]

Critical reception

Critics gave Archangel a positive reception. Tom Batten of Library Journal described the graphic novel as "thought-provoking, unabashedly political [science fiction]". [13] Joel Cunningham described the graphic novel as a "twisting, complex narrative ... [that is] perfectly suited to the medium". [9]

Writing about the first issue, Toussaint Egan of Paste found it an impressive first comic by Gibson and Smith with strong artwork aiding the establishment of the main characters. [12] Jonathan Gitli of Ars Technica stated Archangel has "hit a chord" and is "thought-provoking science fiction"; Gitli writes positively about the female characters with "strong wills and personalities", and also notes IDW Publishing sold out the initial print run in just a few days. [8] Cory Doctorow reviewed the first issue in Boing Boing and said it "fires on all cylinders" and that the "art and dialog work extra duty to convey a story that is native to the medium". He concludes the comic is "spectacular". [14]

A review in Publishers Weekly stated the graphic novel "mines the rich pseudoscience mythology surrounding World War II, or 'The Weird War'". [11] Laura Hudson of Wired wrote the graphic novel is part of a "long tradition of 'what if' stories about World War II", which examines "the apocalyptic terror of nuclear weaponry" and alludes to repetition of self-destructive human impulses. [2] Jason P. Woodbury of Comic Book Resources gave the series a positive review and said it felt "deliriously contemporary" because it was published during the 2016 United States presidential election and features "power-hungry politicians, complicated conspiracies involving Russia, UK and US agents caught between shifting national allegiances ... pondering the justification of their actions". He took particular note of the Twilight Zone -like ending and asks: "What if the true dystopia is whatever dystopia you happen to inhabit?". [10]

Awards

Archangel was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Limited Series. [10] [11] [15]

Adaptations

Archangel was adapted into a full-cast, three-hour radio play that was written by Gibson and Smith, and produced and released by Audible. [16]

On 25 July 2016, at San Diego Comic-Con, William Gibson stated Archangel had been optioned for television and he later confirmed this on Twitter. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

Sam Kieth is an American comics artist and writer, best known as the creator of The Maxx and Zero Girl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IDW Publishing</span> American comic book publishing company

IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic book publisher in the United States, behind Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Image Comics, ahead of other comic book publishers such as Archie, Boom!, Dynamite, Valiant, and Oni Press. The company is known for its licensed comic book adaptations of films, television shows, video games, and cartoons.

Jackson "Butch" Guice is an American comics artist who has worked in the comics industry since the 1980s.

In comics in the United States, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually presenting either a complete miniseries, a story arc from a single title, or a series of stories with an arc or common theme.

Godzilla has appeared in a range of comic books that have been published in Japan and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Stevens</span> American illustrator (1955–2008)

Dave Lee Stevens was an American illustrator and comics artist. He was most famous for creating The Rocketeer comic book and film character, and for his pin-up style "glamour art" illustrations, especially of model Bettie Page. He was the first to win Comic-Con International's Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award in 1982, and received both an Inkpot Award and the Kirby Award for Best Graphic Album in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwyn Cooke</span> Canadian cartoonist

Darwyn Cooke was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier, The Spirit and Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter. His work has been honoured with numerous Eisner, Harvey, and Joe Shuster Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan North</span> Canadian writer

Ryan North is a Canadian writer and computer programmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Hampton</span> American comic book artist (born 1959)

Scott Hampton is an American comic book artist known for his painted artwork. He is the brother of fellow comics-creator Bo Hampton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Maberry</span> American author (born 1958)

Jonathan Maberry is an American suspense author, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. He was named one of the Today's Top Ten Horror Writers.

In comics, an ongoing series is a series that runs indefinitely. This is in contrast to limited series, a one shot, a graphic novel, or a trade paperback, but a series of graphic novels may be considered ongoing as well. The term may also informally refer to a current or incomplete limited series with a predetermined number of issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Harris (writer)</span> American comic book writer and screenwriter

Joe Harris is an American comic book writer and screenwriter. He made his big screen debut in 2003 with his screenplay for the Sony Pictures release Darkness Falls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Little</span>

Troy Little is a Canadian cartoonist working in comic books and animation. He began self publishing with Chiaroscuro, a graphic novel that was developed between 2000 and 2005 under his Meanwhile Studios imprint. After winning two grants and being praised by Dave Sim, Chiaroscuro vol. 1 was released in 2007 by IDW Publishing.

Nick Percival is a British graphic artist and graphic novelist primarily known for his published comic book, concept artwork and career in computer animation directing.

<i>Locke & Key</i> American comic book series

Locke & Key is an American comic book series written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez, and published by IDW Publishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Van Sciver</span> American cartoonist

Noah Van Sciver is an independent American cartoonist who resides in Columbia, South Carolina.

Adventures in Oz is a collection of five graphic novels by Eric Shanower set in the Land of Oz. They were originally published separately from 1986 to 1992. The first four, The Enchanted Apples of Oz (1986), The Secret Island of Oz (1986), The Ice King of Oz (1987), and The Forgotten Forest of Oz (1988) were published by First Comics. The fifth, The Blue Witch of Oz, was published by Dark Horse Comics in 1992. The hardcover edition contained an extensive appendix by Shanower about his Oz comic work, including previously unseen artwork and comics, as well as alternate endings to some stories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringo Awards</span> Annual comic book award

The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Ringo Awards, are prizes given for achievement in comic books. They are named in honor of artist Mike Wieringo and they were founded by the Reisterstown, Maryland-based Cards, Comics, & Collectibles shop alongside the Ringo Awards Committee in 2017, their ceremony meant to succeed the Harvey Awards which left the Baltimore Comic-Con as its venue in 2016.

<i>Goosebumps</i> (comics) Comic book series

From 2006 to 2019, several comic book adaptations have been printed, based on the Goosebumps books by R. L. Stine. The first was Creepy Creatures, a graphic novel compilation book in the Goosebumps Graphix line. This series began when Stine starting receiving letters from fans asking him to write more Goosebumps books. The comics have been adaptations from 10 original books and new stories from various artists. IDW Publishing would produce Goosebumps comics that were more original stories but contain characters from the books.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gibson, William; Smith, Michael St. John (w), Guice, Butch; Barrionuevo, Alejandro; Reis, Wagner (p), Palmer, Tom; Guice, Butch (i). Archangel (hardcover)(October 2017).San Diego, California: IDW Publishing, ISBN 978-1-63142-875-5.
  2. 1 2 3 Hudson, Laura (2 October 2017). "William Gibson's New Graphic Novel Takes Nuclear Anxiety to Its Terrifying End". Wired . Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 Merchant, Brian (24 August 2017). "William Gibson: 'I Never Expected to Be Living in an American Retro-Future'". Vice . Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 "William Gibson Goes From Sci-Fi To Sky High With Archangel". Archived from the original on 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  5. ↑ "William Gibson on his time-bending trip into comics with IDW's new Archangel miniseries". Archived from the original on 2016-05-21. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  6. ↑ Riesman, Abraham (1 August 2017). "William Gibson Has a Theory About Our Cultural Obsession With Dystopias". Vulture . Vox media.
  7. ↑ "GCD :: Issue :: Archangel #2 [Regular Cover]". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 Gitlin, Jonathan M. (29 May 2016). "William Gibson has written a comic, and you should read it". Ars Technica . Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 Cunningham, Joel (25 September 2017). "William Gibson's Archangel Is a Story That Demanded to Be a Comic". Barnes & Noble . Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Woodbury, Jason P. (7 August 2017). "Archangel Successfully Brings William Gibson's Cyberpunk to Comics". Comic Book Resources. St Laurent, Quebec. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 "William Gibson's Archangel". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 Egan, Toussaint (20 May 2016). "William Gibson & Butch Guice's Archangel Takes Mind-Bending Flight". Paste .
  13. ↑ Batten, Tom (1 November 2017). "William Gibson's Archangel". Library Journal . Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Doctorow, Cory (8 July 2016). "William Gibson's Archangel: intricate military sf, mercilessly optimized for comics". Boing Boing . Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  15. ↑ Brown, Tracy (3 May 2017). "2017 Eisner Award nominees include 'The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye' and 'Saga'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Gunderson, Alexis (20 August 2018). "With William Gibson's Archangel, Audible Translates a Graphic Novel into a Radio Play". Paste .
  17. ↑ "William Gibson Tweet: "Optioned for television"". Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2016-08-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.