A Distant Soil
Encyclopedia
A Distant Soil is a science fiction
/fantasy
comic book
series
written and illustrated by Colleen Doran
, and is the work for which she is best known.
The story, which Doran created at the age of twelve, centers on a young girl who is born heir to an alien religious dynasty, and explores issues of politics, gender identity, and tolerance.
Its strong characterization and elegant art style has inspired the Young Adult Library Services Association
to profile the book in their quarterly journal, and it has been nominated for the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
for Best Science Fiction in the Other category in 2001.
's WaRP Graphics
, but Doran subsequently left the company due to an acrimonious dispute with Richard Pini, who she alleged was attempting to claim copyright
on her work. The WaRP version of the story has never been reprinted, despite its unusual all-pencil style, although in one collected volume of the new series Doran did reprint the short Distant Soil story "R & R" that had appeared in a WaRP anthology
.
After leaving WaRP, Colleen went on to completely rewrite and redraw the entire A Distant Soil series from scratch, initially for Starblaze Graphics
. When The Donning Company
, the parent company, folded Starblaze, Doran began self-publishing
it under the Aria Press imprint, starting from the beginning yet again. (The ending of the Cold War
necessitated some revision to political references in early chapters.)
Some years later Doran moved the series to Image Comics
, where it is now in multiple printings as a series of trade paperbacks
. The first volume has had four printings, and it is now in its fourth collected volume. It has sold, collectively, more than 500,000 copies.
:
At The Donning Company
the volumes were:
The Image Comics collections are:
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
/fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
written and illustrated by Colleen Doran
Colleen Doran
Colleen Doran is an American writer/artist, film conceptual artist, and cartoonist. She has illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines, and dozens of stories and articles, including works written by Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, J...
, and is the work for which she is best known.
The story, which Doran created at the age of twelve, centers on a young girl who is born heir to an alien religious dynasty, and explores issues of politics, gender identity, and tolerance.
Its strong characterization and elegant art style has inspired the Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
to profile the book in their quarterly journal, and it has been nominated for the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBT topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999. In 2002 the awards were given their own...
for Best Science Fiction in the Other category in 2001.
Publication history
A Distant Soil was originally published by Wendy and Richard PiniWendy and Richard Pini
Wendy Pini née Fletcher, and Richard Pini are the husband-and-wife team responsible for creating the well-known Elfquest series of comics, graphic novels and prose works...
's WaRP Graphics
WaRP Graphics
WaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's...
, but Doran subsequently left the company due to an acrimonious dispute with Richard Pini, who she alleged was attempting to claim copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
on her work. The WaRP version of the story has never been reprinted, despite its unusual all-pencil style, although in one collected volume of the new series Doran did reprint the short Distant Soil story "R & R" that had appeared in a WaRP anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
.
After leaving WaRP, Colleen went on to completely rewrite and redraw the entire A Distant Soil series from scratch, initially for Starblaze Graphics
Starblaze Graphics
Starblaze Graphics was an imprint of The Donning Company, a publishing company established in 1978 to publish illustrated books. Notable Starblaze publications include Robert Asprin's MythAdventures series, as well as a graphic novel based on the first book...
. When The Donning Company
The Donning Company
The Donning Company is a specialty book publisher based in Virginia Beach. It was first established in the mid-1970s to publish a pictorial history of the founders' hometown. Its imprints included Starblaze Graphics.In 1985, Donning became a wholly owned subsidiary of Walsworth Publishing Company...
, the parent company, folded Starblaze, Doran began self-publishing
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
it under the Aria Press imprint, starting from the beginning yet again. (The ending of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
necessitated some revision to political references in early chapters.)
Some years later Doran moved the series to Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
, where it is now in multiple printings as a series of trade paperbacks
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
. The first volume has had four printings, and it is now in its fourth collected volume. It has sold, collectively, more than 500,000 copies.
Collected editions
The series has been collected into a number of trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
At The Donning Company
The Donning Company
The Donning Company is a specialty book publisher based in Virginia Beach. It was first established in the mid-1970s to publish a pictorial history of the founders' hometown. Its imprints included Starblaze Graphics.In 1985, Donning became a wholly owned subsidiary of Walsworth Publishing Company...
the volumes were:
- Volume 1: Immigrant Song (collects A Distant Soil #1-4, 68 pages, The Donning Company, April 1989, ISBN 0-89865-514-5)
- Volume 2: Knights of the Angel (collects A Distant Soil #5-9, 120 pages, The Donning Company, April 1989, ISBN 0-89865-557-9)
The Image Comics collections are:
- Volume 1: The Gathering (collects A Distant Soil #1-13, 240 pages, Image Comics, June 1999, ISBN 1-887279-51-2)
- Volume 2: The Ascendant (collects A Distant Soil #13-25, 240 pages, Image Comics, November 1998, ISBN 1-58240-018-0)
- Volume 3: The Aria (collects A Distant Soil #26-31, 164 pages, Image Comics, July 2001, ISBN 1-58240-201-9)
- Volume 4: The Coda (collects A Distant Soil #32-38, 184 pages, Image Comics, softcover, March 2006, ISBN 1-58240-478-X, hardcover, November 2005, ISBN 1-58240-525-5)