The creative process sometimes comes from what some might consider unexpected places. Jean “Moebius” Giraud created The World of Edena after an initial project for another company. This original story originated from a promotional assignment aimed at the sales team of an auto maker. A project meant to create a comic for this relatively small audience turned into an epic tale, stretching the imagination of many more readers by allowing their own interpretation of his interesting, exciting, and dream-like tale.
Dark Horse Books, working closely with Moebius Productions, presents this amazing collection of The World of Edena, which includes for the first time ever an English translation for the final chapter. These pages are colorfully illustrated and as described by its creator, “simple, yet very polished.” His illustrations provide an emphasis to his story that goes beyond simple explanations. Moebius’ depictions of his own story are fluid and sometimes unknown until moving onto the next chapter. One of his gifts is allowing the reader to interpret his vision to however you see fit.
His approach allows this adventure to build and build, creating an endless landscape of planets, stars, and a variety of uniquely bizarre characters. Edena’s two main characters are space repairmen living “regular” lives in the distant future. These regular lives include chemically enhanced food and numerous organ transplants to maintain their health. Extended years of life have allowed society to become dependent on technological advances ultimately restricting individuality.
The main characters, Atana and Stel, start out as two similarly dressed individuals with similar likenesses. Their journey starts with fixing a self-aware spaceship with an uncanny ability to steer the truth. After fixing the ship, they travel to a nearby station for fuel, and this normal errand for them turns into a mind-bending adventure, where reality and sleep state become easily distorted. Our heroes consistently have to deal with ideas never even fathomable to them before.
Atana and Stel find themselves stranded on a lush planet, where they believe to be alone, and surrounded by things unfamiliar and frightening – grass, trees, water, apples, and animals only known in history books. Never before have they experienced life in the wild, and questions arise on how they’ll survive without their technological comforts. During this transition, they begin to experience bodily changes and raw emotions usually experienced during puberty. These two suddenly aren’t alike; one is a woman and one is a man. Although they both are experiencing changes, only one loses control and attempts to force himself on his lifelong friend.
This unacceptable behavior, halted by a rock to the head, drives the two apart, leading them to their own separate journeys of self-discovery. Their trek includes nudity, violent, dream-like sequences, and an overwhelming need to set things right. Moebius builds a seemingly straightforward premise of individuals adapting to severe changes in life, while creating an ambiguous set of circumstances ultimately deciphered by the reader.
Multiple layers of uncertainty and intrigue are added along each step of their path. This hardcover edition also includes notes from the highly regarded creator himself, a biography, and comments from individuals influenced by his “original and strong” vision and “the brilliance of his linework.” Atana and Stel’s adventure is a constant state of flux, and you must determine if it continues or even ends; that’s the power Moebius leaves for his readers.
Moebius Library: The World of Edena will be available for purchase on Wednesday, October 26.
