Nod Away Vol. 1

by Joshua W. Cotter

Overview

In this sci-fi graphic novel, a woman seeks to develop a way to move the “innernet” (internal internet”) hub from a human child to an electronic nexus.

Nod Away is set on a near-future version of earth. A deep space transport has been developed to take a small crew to an earth-like, habitable planet in a nearby system in an attempt to begin colonization/repopulation. The internet is now telepathic and referred to as the “innernet.” When the hub is revealed to be a human child, Melody McCabe is hired to develop the new nexus on the second International Space Station. Working within the structure of sci-fi, Nod Away moves back and forth between physical and psychological worlds, utilizing traditional and abstract storytelling styles to explore what consciousness could be, where it could possibly be located, and what function or point it might serve.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781606999110
Publisher:	Fantagraphics Books
Publication date:	02/15/2016
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

About the Author

Joshua W. Cotter's debut graphic novel, Skyscrapers of the Midwest, was nominated for an Ignatz award in 2005. He lives in rural northwest Missouri with his family and cats with an acute sense of impending mortality. They keep him making comics.

Editorial Reviews

04/11/2016
This indie SF tale, set in a plodding future dystopia where adults use children as conduits for connecting everyone in a strange form of group consciousness, fails to generate interest in either story or visuals. There are great concepts, but Cotter (Driven by Lemons) tries too hard to be mysterious about everything from a dimensional portal to a sinister, insipid television show. Dr. Melody McCabe, who's trying to find an alternative to the abuse of children, is a paper-thin character with a failing relationship and coworkers from the cliché shop (pedantic woman, loud horny bisexual woman, loud horny heterosexual man, aloof mad scientist). They all talk so much that most panels can barely squeeze in art. Save for a few abstracts and splash pages, there's a sameness in the panels that makes the word balloons even more dominant. This space-based story is inescapably bland. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"There is no one in comics like Josh Cotter. There are no comics in comics like Josh Cotter’s. Josh is like a weird antenna picking up signals only he can hear and broadcasting out these stunning and beautiful waves of strangeness and delight. We are all better off for it, and for him."

Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals

"Cotter skillfully examines the homogenization of society. The artwork is clever and precise, reminiscent of R. Crumb's, and the realism helps heighten the tension as things begin to go very wrong."

Booklist

"Beautifully drawn, provocative, and remarkably intelligent, Nod Away is likely to be one of the most exciting ongoing sagas in comics for many, many years to come."

Solrad

"Joshua Cotter's unique and exquisitely dense dystopian science fiction tale is a provocative commentary on our rapid technological progress and the abject effect it can have on humanity. Nod Away is filled with beautiful black and white line art and exceptional comic book storytelling. If you are a fan of great comics then neural-uplink to Cotter’s data stream."

Farel Dalrymple (The Wrenchies)

"What makes the work so compelling is Cotter’s ability to let things unfold at a precise pace, allowing us to get to know the characters and setting up a sequence of drama that doesn’t really give you the tools to guess what is coming next. And yet with each unexpected moment, the actions of the characters, because he has given such care to them, remain true and consistent, becoming the anchor in the wild ride."

Comics Beat