Dystopia
The future is a fertile ground for stories, but some of those invariably show where might have gone wrong (or are going wrong) as a civilization and species.
Name:
Dystopia
Aliases:
- Dystopian Future
- Broken Future
Start year:
1952
First issue:
Mystery in Space (1951) #8 It's A Woman's World / Earth - The Forbidden Planet / Lives Of A Rocket Lancer
Dystopian Future
Since the seminal novel 1984 the notion of a dystopian future has been a fertile ground for comics book and science fiction writers. Famously Blade Runner is seen as a movie that defined the genre and established the pallet and conventions. While dystopian futures often take place after some cataclysmic event, they are distinctly different from that of a post-apocalyptic future, even though many of the themes are similar.
The genre is typically dominated by two major themes: a massively increased governmental control and the loss of the individual against the whole of society. Generally speaking the dystopian future is seen through the eyes of a protagonist that is struggling against the controlled system which has been placed on them by society.
Although 1984 is considered the stalwart of the genre, others are rightfully equally influential including Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Huxley's A Brave New World. Earlier version were made by Zamyatin and London. The genre can be seen as a reaction against both futurism and communism.
Some notable dystopian comics include
- 2000 AD
- Blade Runner
- Elephantmen
- Escape From New York
- Finn
- Hotwired
- Robocop
- Scout
- Tank Girl
- The world of Flashpoint England under the rule of the Amazons
- V for Vendetta
