Laika (2007, First Second)
Writer and Artist: Nick Abadzis
10 and up - A blend of fact and fiction, Laika follows three primary characters: Laika herself, the abandoned puppy who became the first living being to orbit Earth; Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika; and Korolev, a top engineer for the Russian space program. Just as interesting a read for it's historical facts as it's deep emotion, Laika is a must-read for dog lovers, space and history buffs, graphic novel fans, and everyone else! The soft color work fits the rough art style well and adds to the emotive quality of the book. Have the tissues handy for this one.
Writer: Warren Ellis | Art: Colleen Doran
16 and up - A scientific mystery with surprising emotional resonance. The Space Shuttle Venture has returned home to the ruins of the abandoned Kennedy Space Center ten years after it went missing. Particularly interesting for anyone who has visited KSC and will recognize the crumbling structures. A strange and powerful story with a hint of the usual Warren Ellis weirdness. The payoff is at the very end.
T-Minus: The Race to the Moon (2009, Aladdin)
Writer: Jim Ottaviani | Art: Zander Cannon and Kevin Cannon
8 and up - An ambitious book that attempts to chronicle the history of the Space Race. This 128-page graphic novel is an easy pick for nonfiction lovers and fact collectors. While writer Jim Ottaviani does a great job of giving equal screen time to the U.S. and Russian sides of the race, several critical missions are barely mentioned, making this an incomplete history. Though it can be a bit of a dry read at times, readers will indeed walk away from T-Minus having learned much about the Space Race and - hopefully - with a little inspiration from the dreamers that launched us into space.
Twin Spica (Vertical, 2010) [English Translation]
Writing and Art: Yaginuma Kou 16 Volumes
12 and up - This is not the sweet shojo series that the cover seems to suggest. Though the Japanese space program was shut down by a tragic accident ten years ago, one that changed her family forever, 13-year-old Asumi is determined to attend Tokyo Space School and be in the first wave of new astronauts. Twin Spica overflows with poignant emotion as Yaginuma examines the relationship between Asumi and her father, her classmates, her history, and her dreams with an unforgettable bittersweet intensity. Grounded in realism and balanced between dreamer’s optimism and tragedy, Twin Spica is a complex and worthwhile read for all ages.
20th Century Boys (2009, VIZ) [English Translation]
16 and up - A scientific mystery with surprising emotional resonance. The Space Shuttle Venture has returned home to the ruins of the abandoned Kennedy Space Center ten years after it went missing. Particularly interesting for anyone who has visited KSC and will recognize the crumbling structures. A strange and powerful story with a hint of the usual Warren Ellis weirdness. The payoff is at the very end.
T-Minus: The Race to the Moon (2009, Aladdin)
8 and up - An ambitious book that attempts to chronicle the history of the Space Race. This 128-page graphic novel is an easy pick for nonfiction lovers and fact collectors. While writer Jim Ottaviani does a great job of giving equal screen time to the U.S. and Russian sides of the race, several critical missions are barely mentioned, making this an incomplete history. Though it can be a bit of a dry read at times, readers will indeed walk away from T-Minus having learned much about the Space Race and - hopefully - with a little inspiration from the dreamers that launched us into space.
Twin Spica (Vertical, 2010) [English Translation]
12 and up - This is not the sweet shojo series that the cover seems to suggest. Though the Japanese space program was shut down by a tragic accident ten years ago, one that changed her family forever, 13-year-old Asumi is determined to attend Tokyo Space School and be in the first wave of new astronauts. Twin Spica overflows with poignant emotion as Yaginuma examines the relationship between Asumi and her father, her classmates, her history, and her dreams with an unforgettable bittersweet intensity. Grounded in realism and balanced between dreamer’s optimism and tragedy, Twin Spica is a complex and worthwhile read for all ages.
20th Century Boys (2009, VIZ) [English Translation]
13 and up - Though this complex mystery could be read and enjoyed by younger audiences, 20th Century Boys is really a coming-of-age tale for thirty- and forty-somethings that considers the gap between our adult lives and the people we dreamed we would become as children. Urasawa is masterful at building and maintaining suspense; you are fortunate if you are just learning about this series now, because the final English volume was just released yesterday, no wait required. Be prepared for a marathon, because once you start you’ll want to power through to the end.
16 and up - An alternate-history version of human space exploration, where America never secured independence from England and the British Empire dominates space travel and colonization. Though the story suffers from being crammed into a 3-issue mini series, the intricate designs, ethical questions, and realism born of attention to detail all make this an important (though often overlooked) addition to graphic novel collections.
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It saddens me that the current generation of children will grow up without shuttle launches to carry their young dreams into space, but hopefully the legacy left by these and other books will keep the dream alive until a new age of space exploration can begin.
This post was written in honor of the Space Shuttle Endeavor's last flight.
Do you know of other great graphic novels about 20th and 21st century space exploration? Please share!
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