Abraxis and the Earthman

Comic book, originally serialized in 1981 this edition published in 2006

Abraxis and the Earthman is the first long form work by one of my favorite creators, Rick Veitch. It’s a metaphysical re-imagining of Moby Dick in space. It bears many of the hallmarks of Veitch’s work that I love so much, but their effect on me left me feeling  troubled, whereas his later work often leaves me feel as if the author is messing with my subconscious, so I feel this work is less developed. Another funny note is the coloring. The essay in the back tells us that it’s all been done by hand, but it strongly resembles early attempts at Photoshop coloring- the colors are gaudy and have an almost inhuman three dimensionality to them. A testament to Veitch’s technical skill, even if the finished product isn’t something I love the aesthetic of. But even the early themes and imagery of early Veitch has the power to produce images and ideas that I’m sure will stick in the back of my brain for a long time to come.