A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran

Kovar regains upper hand. Order restored.

One of the biggest influences on my work was an obscure graphic novel called Empire by Samuel R. Delany and Howard Chaykin. Originally published in 1978, I found it in a library, which not only makes this book one of the first graphic novels, but an early recipient of bookshelf respect. It had a great deal to do with molding my ideas about what comics were and could be, and was a direct influence on A Distant Soil.

There’s some website out there which has some genuinely whack job info on it, claiming I declare myself to have created the first graphic novel of all time and other bizarre nonsense. This “journalist” has never spoken to me in my life, but I suspect he gathers his info while gossiping in science fiction convention bars. Probably while filking badly. God help him.

There’s no benefit in running around the internet trying to correct information on other people’s websites. It’s like playing an endless game of Whack-A-Mole. So, for the record, no I do not think I created the first graphic novel and never said I did.

Empire was my earliest graphic novel influence. I was probably not born when the first graphic novel was published, anyway. Sheesh.

Regardless, my nod to Empire is D’mer’s costume in this scene. A female character wears a similar jewel-encrusted outfit in Empire.

Empire has been out of print for a very long time, and prices vary from cover to over $100 for the hardback. I haven’t read it in years, and I wonder how it holds up. Maybe I will get a copy of my very own. I am sure it is long gone from that library. I do believe I was the only person who ever checked it out.

Maybe someone should consider bringing it back into print.