Science Fiction Annotation - The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy

The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy by Alejandro Jodorowsky & Moebius 
(Translated by Sasha Watson and Justin Kelly)

John DiFool is a Class R private investigator. He recovers The Incal, a powerful, mystical artifact, from an alien disguised as a mutant. The Incal leads DiFool and his allies, including a dog-headed mutant, a superhuman Metabaron, a reformed revolutionary and a concrete, talking bird, on a quest deep into the planet. They are pursued by the planet's Aristo president cloned into the Necrodroid, Technopriests who have launched the Shadow Egg to devour the galaxy and agents of the Emperoress, the Holy Androgyne.









Characteristics of Science Fiction:

The Incal is a science fiction story with a galactic backdrop. Being a graphic novel the visuals enhance the setting, emphasizing the advanced science of spaceships and futuristic cities. As well forms of trans-humanism and intelligent alien life.

Jodorowsky's language highlights familiar science fiction terms, "Within nanoseconds, beams of dark energy poured out of the egg, reducing our fleet to scattered atoms."
And pseudo-scientific neologisms, "Yes! The Ekonomat supports the Technoguild's position and demands a vote of no confidence!"

The mood of The Incal is grim and hallucinatory and the pacing is fast. The story is an adventure quest set against a doomsday scenario.



Suggested Reading:




The Metabarons #1: Othon & Honorata
by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Juan Gimenez



Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street
by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson

Saga: Chapter One
by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples



Heavy Metal Magazine
by Various