Verdant Spiral is a comic about the adventures of a man from the 20th century, a warrior princess from a parallel universe and a crew of misfits exploring the Milky Way in their stolen starship.
That sums up my comic in one brief sentence. Let’s break it down and look at it in more detail.
Verdant Spiral …
The title of the comic. It refers to the idea of a galaxy (the spiral) that is green as in full of life (verdant). It refers to the idea that in the distant future, humanity and other alien life has spread throughout the Milky Way so that every corner is teeming with life. This image is inspired by the book The Millennial Project.
… is a comic …
The medium for my story is comics. Sometimes referred to as sequential narrative.
… about the adventures of …
It is primarily an action/adventure story. I’m choosing to focus on this framework in order to grab the widest audience. When I look at the inspirations behind Verdant Spiral they always began as an adventure-focused series. They could explore other things like drama, romance, comedy, philosophy, but the core of series like Star Trek, Flash Gordon and Doctor Who was adventure.
… a man from the 20th century …
Noan Rand is one of the two main characters. He’s the “Captain Kirk” in this pitch. He is the viewpoint character for the audience. He is analytical and his response to any situation is to think his way out.
… and a warrior princess from a parallel universe …
Kyrin Adara is the second main character. She’s the “Mr. Spock” if you will. She’s a sword-wielding, empress in exile. She’s a táltos – a genetically-engineered, extraterrestrial human. In contrast to Noan, her response to any situation is always physical.
… and a crew of misfits …
The supporting cast is filled with a bizarre assortment of characters that have joined them along the way. Many, like Morrigan, are sidhe – a genetically-engineered race of clones intended to colonize planets. There’s a Mi-Go doctor, and the disembodied brain of a former space fighter pilot.
… exploring the Milky Way …
The story is set in our galaxy, but in the distant future. Setting it at an unspecified point in the future is more forgiving. Humanity’s expansion through the universe wasn’t steady. The setting is filled with an eclectic mixture of technology and cultures. If the people on another planet look human, then they probably are. If a piece of technology seems too primitive, there’s probably a reason for that.
… in their stolen starship.
The Bellerophon is that starship. It’s familiar home base for the characters and the readers. It’s stolen. They’re not on an official mission. They’re not part of a star fleet. They’re adventuring on their own because they have a need to discover what’s out there.