DARK HALO – Part 1
(Hardback edition – English)
Our Earth was once ravaged by The Organic Plague. All biological life was eradicated, and in a desperate attempt to preserve what once existed, the last remnants of flora and fauna were sent out into the endless expanse of space. The spaceship ARK-1 became nature’s final echo, its trajectory set for a distant exoplanet.
Now, many thousands of years after its launch, the small percentage of humanity that survived the O.P. has forgotten all about ARK-1. It has become nothing more than a myth, akin to the Garden of Eden. Generations upon generations have grown up without nature. And without it, oxygen is humanity’s sole currency.
As the ashes of life scatter across the desolate Earth, a secret expedition embarks on a journey into the uncharted cosmos with the purpose of finding ARK-1. Among the small crew is the idealistic biologist Hio, who dreams of rediscovering nature.
However, as the crew locates the seemingly abandoned world of ARK-1, they discover that their mission may have far greater consequences than anticipated. Over the course of thousands of years, ARK-1 has transformed into a colossal terrarium. Plants and organic life have proliferated throughout the ship in grotesque forms, while the ship’s original crew, across generations, have forgotten their origins and the fact that they inhabit a colossal spacecraft.
DARK HALO is a cli-fi narrative that explores the rift between humanity and nature, and the profound impact it has on us.
The book’s interior employs various printing materials (cardboard, paper, and plastic) to allow the reader’s hands to experience the changing textures that mirror the decay of nature. Portions of the book are made from remnants of paper found in obscure warehouses worldwide, which will acquire a patina over time, integrating itself into the very essence of the work’s message of decay and oblivion.
Certain pages are infused with ethereal oils. Just as the characters in the comic encounter nature for the first time, the reader, too, will feel the overwhelming presence of nature through scent, colors, and textures.
The work is a collaborative effort between comic artist Gabriel Tiedt Lange and author Onkel Hawaii.
Gabriel Tiedt Lange is a rising star in the Danish comic scene, with a generous drawing style reminiscent of French masters such as Moebius and Jean-Claude Méziéres, capturing vast landscapes, intricate details, and depth of structure.
What the critics wrote:
An impressive and unsettling story. An exciting science fiction adventure with some impressive scenery. Beautifully drawn. Beautifully conceived.
A heartfelt recommendation. I will always have books by Baggaardsbaroner/Backyardbarons on my bookshelf.
– Troldspejlet, Jakob Stegelmann & Ida Rud
*****
Dark Halo conjures up a both peculiar and frightening future in the intersection between science fiction and climate fiction, and one definitely senses a kinship with Moebius and Jean-Claude Méziéres in Dark Halo’s dreamlike and sensory-saturated portrayal of the spaceship’s peculiar microcosm.
– Nummer 9
