I realize this is going to be extremely vague, but I figured if anyone could identify this, the good folks on The Dope could.
It was early 80’s - I was in 4th or 5th grade, which would put the timeframe at 80-82 or so…my best friend at the time gave me this sci-fi graphic novel (I thought it was just a big comic-book at the time, and I guess it was). The cover was missing and I later found out this was because the bookstore was disposing of the book. Anyway, I don’t remember the title and only a very, very vague bit of the plot. I remember thinking the artwork was pretty cool at the time, though. (And the babes were hot? Boy, is my memory faded, but I think that was part of it…)
Though I don’t remember any minor details to the plot, I do remember that that main characters were searching for this “demon” statue or something that was made out of some sort of green crystal or gem. It was all pretty normal sci-fi kinda stuff until the end, when the pieces of the “demon” were put together and the story got kinda wierd…
I’m sorry I don’t have more details, but if anyone can identify it, or ask some pointed questions that would jar my memory, it would be appreciated.
It was definitely Western style. It may have been Moebius, as some of the drawing is stylistically very similar, but I should clarify that the story was very straightforward sci-fi until the last few pages, after they found the statue.
Moebius did do a story like this that I read, but damned if I can remember what it was. I read it too many years ago, but in Moebius’s afterword, he described it as being based on the Tarot.
You are thinking about Empire: A Visual Novel, written by Samuel Delany and illustrated by Howard Chaykin. Published in 1978.
Unfortunately, I no longer have a copy. I sold mine on eBay a while back. But the characters were searching for these green crystal fragments which when assembled formed a figure (I think it was an eagle, not a demon) which could “control chaos” or something like that. They were opposed by an oppressive govenment.
There were three main characters; two female and one male. Two of them used these daggers as their main weapons that they could throw and would then return to them.
tanstaafl,
Yes, that’s it! I didn’t have the cover, as mentioned before, but the rest sounds familiar, and it looks like the cover art was drawn by the same artist as the work inside - the ship, characters, etc. all look familiar.
Not sure what I’ll do with the info now, but it was neat to find someone actually knew what I was talking about!
Thanks!
Hmm…did some research…I may buy a used copy just for memory’s sake…
Although I was at first confused by the significant quantity of gay-related websites associated with the title. Then I find out Samuel R. Delaney is gay…
…at least it explained the title’s association with all those websites…
But the characters were searching for these green crystal fragments which when assembled formed a figure (I think it was an eagle, not a demon) which could “control chaos” or something like that. They were opposed by an oppressive govenment.