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Terres Lointaines #1
Distant Worlds, episode 1
18 year old Paul, his mother and his sister land on Altair-4, a recently established human colony. They expect to be reunited with Paul's father there and start a new life, but he doesn't show up to welcome them at the spaceport... Later, they are rescued from a gang of thugs by a Stepanerk, a member of a sentient alien species. An encounter that will prove invaluable to Paul when he decides to go and look for his father...
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira (Leo)
145 books174 followersLuiz Eduardo de Oliveira (born on December 13, 1944 in Brazil),[1] more famous under his artist name LEO is a Brazilian comics creator.
After having graduated as an engineer in mechanics, Oliveira left Brazil because of the military dictatorship that was in power at the time. He went first to Chile, but the following year saw the Chilean coup of 1973. This led Oliveira to leave, moving to Argentina, from where he finally returned to Brazil in 1974.
He found work as an illustrator in the advertising industry of São Paulo, before once more leaving Brazil, in 1981, this time moving to France, hoping to illustrate comics. However as the Franco-Belgian comics industry was in recession at the time, he was forced to work in advertising once again, although he managed to get the occasional piece published in L'Écho des savanes and Pilote.
In 1986, with the assistance of Jean-Claude Forest, Oliveira began contributing to the youth dedicated magazines of Bayard Presse. He illustrated true stories for Okapi magazine. He then recounted Mahatma Gandhi's life in the album Gandhi, le pèlerin de la paix, for Astrapi.
In 1988, the comics writer Rodolphe asked him to provide the artwork for his stories. Their collaboration proved fruitful, producing 8 albums of material for their Trent series and 5 for their Kenya one.
In 1993, Oleveira finally achieved an old dream when Dargaud agreed to publish his first solo series: Aldébaran. In 2000, after 5 volumes of Aldébaran, he launched Bételgeuse, which was nominated for the Prize for a Series at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2004.
After having graduated as an engineer in mechanics, Oliveira left Brazil because of the military dictatorship that was in power at the time. He went first to Chile, but the following year saw the Chilean coup of 1973. This led Oliveira to leave, moving to Argentina, from where he finally returned to Brazil in 1974.
He found work as an illustrator in the advertising industry of São Paulo, before once more leaving Brazil, in 1981, this time moving to France, hoping to illustrate comics. However as the Franco-Belgian comics industry was in recession at the time, he was forced to work in advertising once again, although he managed to get the occasional piece published in L'Écho des savanes and Pilote.
In 1986, with the assistance of Jean-Claude Forest, Oliveira began contributing to the youth dedicated magazines of Bayard Presse. He illustrated true stories for Okapi magazine. He then recounted Mahatma Gandhi's life in the album Gandhi, le pèlerin de la paix, for Astrapi.
In 1988, the comics writer Rodolphe asked him to provide the artwork for his stories. Their collaboration proved fruitful, producing 8 albums of material for their Trent series and 5 for their Kenya one.
In 1993, Oleveira finally achieved an old dream when Dargaud agreed to publish his first solo series: Aldébaran. In 2000, after 5 volumes of Aldébaran, he launched Bételgeuse, which was nominated for the Prize for a Series at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 24, 2022
This science fiction story has interesting world building and sets up a mystery that could lead to something interesting in later volumes, but in this particular volume nothing much happens. It feels like the whole book is just set-up, so it is not a satisfying read on its own.
November 9, 2018
From the illustration point of view, I found the quality not quite up to 100% standard and a little difficult to view, especially if you are visually impaired.
I also was a little put off by the lack of morality in some instances (e.g. prostitutes) but what makes this story interesting is the Stepanerk - a highly intelligent sentient extra-terrestrial coupled with other extraordinary abilities whose perspective on humans is quite challenging.
Paul's father seems to possess a rather dubious character in some ways though it is quite evident that Paul has a high regard for him. His father intended to bring his family to a new planet to enjoy a better life.
It does seem somewhat strange that the city area surrounding the spaceship terminal is even worse than cities on Earth.
There seems to be a sinister plot coupled together with a strange mystery involving the disappearance of a former civilisation on the planet Paul is exploring.
This comic sci-fi adventure is obviously geared to be a series.
I also was a little put off by the lack of morality in some instances (e.g. prostitutes) but what makes this story interesting is the Stepanerk - a highly intelligent sentient extra-terrestrial coupled with other extraordinary abilities whose perspective on humans is quite challenging.
Paul's father seems to possess a rather dubious character in some ways though it is quite evident that Paul has a high regard for him. His father intended to bring his family to a new planet to enjoy a better life.
It does seem somewhat strange that the city area surrounding the spaceship terminal is even worse than cities on Earth.
There seems to be a sinister plot coupled together with a strange mystery involving the disappearance of a former civilisation on the planet Paul is exploring.
This comic sci-fi adventure is obviously geared to be a series.
November 18, 2018
Rather splendidly, there’s a new Leo book out, and like Aldebaran it’s set on a distant colony world struggling to find its feet.
It begins with the arrival of a mother and her two young adult children, summoned to Altair-3 by the husband and father they’ve all seen so little of. When they leave the spaceport, however, he’s not there to meet them, and they’re forced to take up local lodgings and hunt for paid work before their meagre resources run out. During this time they run into trouble with some of the more dangerous locals only to be rescued by a Stepanerk, an impressive alien that looks like a cross between a spider and a crayfish. The Stepanerk is resourceful, intelligent and capable, and sees to it that the family are returned to safety where it learns of the children’s missing father. It aids Paul, the son, in learning something of his father’s whereabouts, but in order to seek him out these two unlikely companions must travel to another continent in this unusual new world.
So typical of Leo’s tales, this is a story of exploration, bizarre creatures and fascinating sci-fi concepts, not to mention a look at what makes us human. But along for the ride this time is one of the most bizarre creature designs in the genre, a leggy, brooding, mysterious, giant prawn. At first glance I thought this really wasn’t going to work, but along with the strange look they’ve managed to invest it with a personality that utterly fits. It’s not subservient or bedecked with weapons, nor after riches or on a mission; it’s simply after knowledge and intrigued by the new, so as a travelling companion it’s perfect company, and possesses a moral centre that places it on the side of the good guys from its first appearance.
Come the final page I’m rooting for them both and already hungry for the next episode. Leo has a habit of doing that. Looking forward to where this story takes us next.
It begins with the arrival of a mother and her two young adult children, summoned to Altair-3 by the husband and father they’ve all seen so little of. When they leave the spaceport, however, he’s not there to meet them, and they’re forced to take up local lodgings and hunt for paid work before their meagre resources run out. During this time they run into trouble with some of the more dangerous locals only to be rescued by a Stepanerk, an impressive alien that looks like a cross between a spider and a crayfish. The Stepanerk is resourceful, intelligent and capable, and sees to it that the family are returned to safety where it learns of the children’s missing father. It aids Paul, the son, in learning something of his father’s whereabouts, but in order to seek him out these two unlikely companions must travel to another continent in this unusual new world.
So typical of Leo’s tales, this is a story of exploration, bizarre creatures and fascinating sci-fi concepts, not to mention a look at what makes us human. But along for the ride this time is one of the most bizarre creature designs in the genre, a leggy, brooding, mysterious, giant prawn. At first glance I thought this really wasn’t going to work, but along with the strange look they’ve managed to invest it with a personality that utterly fits. It’s not subservient or bedecked with weapons, nor after riches or on a mission; it’s simply after knowledge and intrigued by the new, so as a travelling companion it’s perfect company, and possesses a moral centre that places it on the side of the good guys from its first appearance.
Come the final page I’m rooting for them both and already hungry for the next episode. Leo has a habit of doing that. Looking forward to where this story takes us next.
December 25, 2023
I had a hard time figuring out who was who from the first (exposition-type) pages of this book. But after that, I think this is a promising series, which feel to me as the coming together of sci-fi (less so) and fronteering / swashbuckling / wild west (more so).
I think I agree with mr. Step though, that humans in this series are confusing and more concerned with their personal relationships than the mysteries they stumble upon. The latter tend to get ignored in the wake of yet another person or beast entering the stage, never to be referred to again. Hope this all comes together satifyingly in the fifth part, that I do not own yet at this time.
I think I agree with mr. Step though, that humans in this series are confusing and more concerned with their personal relationships than the mysteries they stumble upon. The latter tend to get ignored in the wake of yet another person or beast entering the stage, never to be referred to again. Hope this all comes together satifyingly in the fifth part, that I do not own yet at this time.
October 3, 2020
A young man searching for his father is taken under the claw of an intelligent crustacean, Stepanerk (the chap on the cover). To reach the right continent, they join an archaeological expedition, the goal of which is to discover what happened to the previous inhabitants of this planet. Stepanerk was the character who made this book for me: he considers everything in terms of whether it is interesting or annoying, which was often amusing, and his spidey-sense was a fine way of creating tension, by letting the reader know something bad was about to happen without telling us what it was.
June 25, 2022
An interesting Sci-fi comics with a fascinating world that, on one hand, makes me quite upset, but on the other hand draws me in. The combination of sci-fi and contemporary or even old tech is for now weird but maybe I will like it later more. First, when usual looking cars popped up in the scifi-setting, it felt weird, but then when an old sailing boat was the main means of transport... Yet the world, the questions, the setup, they are all great.
August 20, 2019
Gli do quattro stelle perché siamo appena all’inizio. Ma la storia, per quanto semplice, per adesso fluisce bene, e la presenza dello stepanerk, così inusuale e così alieno, contribuisce a dare una carica diversa al racconto.
May 29, 2022
Recent Reads: Distant Worlds: Episode 1. Another graphic novel SF travelogue from Leo, with artist Icar. A family arrives on a colony world following their father. But this is not a safe world, and he is not there to meet them. How to find him and survive? They need alien help.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews