A Distant Soil
| A Distant Soil | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the first graphic novel collection, Image Comics definitive edition. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | WaRP Graphics (1983–1985) Starblaze Graphics (1987–1989) Aria Press (1991-1995) Image Comics (1996-present) |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | Aria Press/Image Comics definitive edition June 1991 |
| Number of issues | 39 Image |
| Main character(s) | Jason Liana |
| Creative team | |
| Letterer(s) | Image Colleen Doran |
| Creator(s) | Colleen Doran |
| Editor(s) | Image Jim Valentino |
| Collected editions | |
| The Gathering | ISBN 1-887279-51-2 |
A Distant Soil is a science fiction/fantasy comic book series written and illustrated by Colleen Doran, and is one of the works for which she is best known.
The story, which Doran created at the age of twelve, centers on a young girl who is born heir to an alien religious dynasty, and explores issues of politics, gender identity, and tolerance. A Distant Soil is among the first US graphic novels created solely by a female writer/artist, appearing in fanzines when the artist was still in high school. It was unique in comics at the time of publication for its New Age themes, crystal technology, and space opera setting. A Distant Soil is also notable for being among the earliest comics to feature openly gay characters, long predating Marvel's Northstar, and for featuring a gay couple as romantic leads. The series gained a Gaylactic Spectrum Award nomination.[1][2][3]
Its strong characterization and elegant art style has inspired the Young Adult Library Services Association to profile the book in their quarterly journal.
Contents |
Publication history [edit]
Work from A Distant Soil was originally published in several fanzines, and was scouted by The Donning Company's Starblaze Graphics editions, before being snatched up by Wendy and Richard Pini's WaRP Graphics. Doran left after nine issues due to an acrimonious dispute with WaRP, which attempted to claim copyright and trademark on her work.[4][5][6] The WaRP version of the story has never been reprinted, despite its unusual all-pencil style, although in one collected volume of the new series Doran did reprint the short Distant Soil story "R & R" that had appeared in a WaRP anthology.
After leaving WaRP, Ms Doran went on to completely rewrite and redraw the entire A Distant Soil series from scratch, initially for Starblaze Graphics, the company which first approached Doran for publication rights when she was a high school girl. Colleen Doran and twelve other creators, including science fiction artist David Cherry and New Age author Mary Summer Rain, found themselves in a legal quagmire there, with Doran fighting for her rights on the series once again. She chronicled the battle in Very Bad Publishers,[7] a widely referenced series of blog posts which earned praise from an array of comics industry notables like Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter and Frank Miller. Doran wrote that, once again, she retained all rights to her series, and received a non-disclosed settlement.
Doran's experiences and writings helped establish her as a prominent artist spokesperson, eventually landing her in Washington, DC, working as a lobbyist for creator rights.[8]
When parent corporation The Donning Company folded Starblaze Graphics, Doran self-published it under the Aria Press imprint, reprinting earlier work and creating new work. The ending of the Cold War necessitated some minor revision to political references in early chapters. She fleshed out earlier scenes and added new ones, as well as a back up series Seasons of Spring, the story of A Distant Soil's protagonists as children.
Doran was a core member of the fledgling self publishing movement with Cerebus creator Dave Sim, Bone creator Jeff Smith, and Strangers in Paradise creator Terry Moore. They toured the US and Canada under the Spirits of Independence banner, pushing for greater recognition and rights for self publishers, including the right to sell self-published books at comic convention creator appearances.[9]
Some years later Doran continued the series at Image Comics, where it is now in multiple printings as a series of trade paperbacks. The first volume had four printings, and it is now in its fourth collected volume. It has sold, collectively, more than 700,000 copies.[10]
A Distant Soil spawned trading cards, fanzines, pinup books, limited editions, prints and posters, a fan club, and its creator has appeared in numerous documentaries and interviews about the series. It was also optioned for film and television, with interest from Energy Entertainment and David Uslan.[11]
The series was on hiatus from 2006 to 2013, after its printer lost the archives of the photographic negatives of the graphic novels. An extensive restoration process is underway, with art being recovered and scanned for digital archiving. The series returned in 2013 from Image Comics, and the graphic novels will be reprinted in new editions. Jim Valentino's Shadowline imprint has taken on the restored editions and redesign tasks.[12]
Collected editions [edit]
The series has been collected into a number of trade paperbacks:
At The Donning Company the volumes were:
- Volume 1: Immigrant Song (collects A Distant Soil #1-4, 68 pages, The Donning Company, April 1989, ISBN 0-89865-514-5)
- Volume 2: Knights of the Angel (collects A Distant Soil #5-9, 120 pages, The Donning Company, April 1989, ISBN 0-89865-557-9)
The Image Comics collections are:
- Volume 1: The Gathering (collects A Distant Soil #1-13, 240 pages, Image Comics, June 1999, ISBN 1-887279-51-2)
- Volume 2: The Ascendant (collects A Distant Soil #13-25, 240 pages, Image Comics, November 1998, ISBN 1-58240-018-0)
- Volume 3: The Aria (collects A Distant Soil #26-31, 164 pages, Image Comics, July 2001, ISBN 1-58240-201-9)
- Volume 4: The Coda (collects A Distant Soil #32-38, 184 pages, Image Comics, softcover, March 2006, ISBN 1-58240-478-X, hardcover, November 2005, ISBN 1-58240-525-5)
Notes [edit]
- ^ "Reviews/Press | A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran". Adistantsoil.com. 2009-03-06. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
- ^ "Interview with Colleen Doran by Jeff Mason". Indyworld.com. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
- ^ "2001 Gaylactic Spectrum Awards". Gaylactic Spectrum Award Foundation. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
- ^ "The Battle for A Distant Soil," The Comics Journal #108 (May 1986), pp. 7-12.
- ^ "Doran/WaRP Dispute Now Settled," The Comics Journal #110 (August 1986), p. 17.
- ^ "Donning Sues WaRP," The Comics Journal #123 (July 1988), p. 8-9.
- ^ : Colleen Doran » A Distant Soil website
- ^ : Colleen Doran » A Distant Soil website
- ^ : Colleen Doran » Remembering the Self Publishing Movement, Jeff Smith Boneville Website
- ^ : Colleen Doran » A Distant Soil website
- ^ "Comic Related: Colleen Doran Talks with Filmmaker David Uslan". 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
- ^ : Colleen Doran » A Distant Soil website
References [edit]
- A Distant Soil (WaRP Graphics) at the Grand Comics Database
- A Distant Soil (WaRP Graphics) at the Comic Book DB
- A Distant Soil (Aria Press) at the Grand Comics Database
- A Distant Soil (Image Comics) at the Grand Comics Database
- A Distant Soil (Image Comics) at the Comic Book DB
