Doktor Sleepless
Encyclopedia
Doktor Sleepless is a monthly comic book
series
written by Warren Ellis
with art by Ivan Rodriguez that is published by Avatar Press
, launched in July 2007. The comic draws from a wide range of ideas - from futurism
and transhumanism
to corporatism
and counter-culture.
According to series writer Warren Ellis, Doktor Sleepless may be a man named John Reinhardt, a trust-fund baby and boy genius who is shunned by the counter-culture
he helped found. After disappearing from the city of Heavenside three years ago, he suddenly returns having undergone some changes during the interim. Upon his return, he's transformed himself from a relatively mundane man into what he describes as a "cartoon mad scientist," calling himself "Doktor Sleepless."
Ellis compares the series to his earlier fan-favorite work on Transmetropolitan
, published under the DC Comics
imprint, Vertigo.
Due to a series of computer difficulties the series is currently on a hiatus; Ellis plans to release new material by early 2012 after which time the book will go on another hiatus.
It is initially unclear if he works at inciting a truly positive revolution or has much darker, harmful plans for the people of Heavenside, until the sixth issue where he states outright his plans to bring about the apocalypse, using Heavenside as a testing ground. His stated reason is that this is "not the future we were promised... if we can't have that, then we shouldn't have anything at all". It is revealed he is deliberately instigating violence by the grinder counter-culture and is providing them with the means to do so, as well as releasing a bioweapon — "St Theresa's Eyes" — that causes people to "see angels" (actually winged, mechanical constructs which may be or not be hallucinations).
By the eighth issue, he has claimed that the world is merely a source of food for a race of tenth-dimensional animals (based on the Cthulhu Mythos
stories) that feed on souls and live in a realm similar to Heaven; he claims these creatures killed his parents and that while he originally wanted to organise people against these creatures, he now just wants to kill the whole world to spite the monsters by starving them.
While Doktor Sleepless gives the impression of being in full control, it is unknown how true this is. He is unaware his companion ("Nurse") murdered an old colleague of his that he intended to contact; directly after outlining his grand scheme, he is shocked when he sees one of the angel constructs himself.
From issue nine on, the series focuses less on the Doktor himself and more on how Heavenside has changed in his wake. It is also revealed that his former caretaker plans not only to kill him but anyone who could spread his ideas. Preston Stoker, the police commissioner, agrees to turn a blind eye to this.
At the end of each issue, writer Warren Ellis
provides background information on the fictional devices, organizations, technological advancements, etc., used in the narrative, as well as the occasional piece of Flash fiction
.
All of these things can be recalled and researched in a special "Doktor Sleepless" Mediawiki site.
As with other Avatar titles, each issue comes with a number of variant covers; the majority are by Rodriguez including a variant displaying an unusual warning sign (warning against things such as "psychoactive air" and "Wavy lines ov deth") and Raulo Cáceres
produces a wrap-around cover designed to evoke an earlier era, as Ellis said: "Raulo was tasked with producing covers that looked like woodcut
s that recalled the late 19th century through to the days of Tesla
and James Whale
movies."
:
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 by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
with art by Ivan Rodriguez that is published by Avatar Press
Avatar Press
Avatar Press is an independent American publisher of comic books, founded in 1996 by William A. Christensen, and based in Rantoul, Illinois.Avatar initially published only mini-series; however, they have since begun to branch out...
, launched in July 2007. The comic draws from a wide range of ideas - from futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
and transhumanism
Transhumanism
Transhumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
to corporatism
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
and counter-culture.
According to series writer Warren Ellis, Doktor Sleepless may be a man named John Reinhardt, a trust-fund baby and boy genius who is shunned by the counter-culture
Counterculture
Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
he helped found. After disappearing from the city of Heavenside three years ago, he suddenly returns having undergone some changes during the interim. Upon his return, he's transformed himself from a relatively mundane man into what he describes as a "cartoon mad scientist," calling himself "Doktor Sleepless."
Ellis compares the series to his earlier fan-favorite work on Transmetropolitan
Transmetropolitan
Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis with art by Darick Robertson and published by DC Comics. The series was originally part of the short-lived DC Comics imprint Helix, but upon the end of the book's first year the series was moved to the Vertigo imprint as DC...
, published under the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
imprint, Vertigo.
Due to a series of computer difficulties the series is currently on a hiatus; Ellis plans to release new material by early 2012 after which time the book will go on another hiatus.
Synopsis
Set in the near future, this series follows the exploits of John Reinhardt, an enigmatic "mad scientist" whose motivations for returning to Heavenside are shady at best. Since his mysterious disappearance, he has reinvented himself as "Doktor Sleepless" and, to the dismay and utter confusion of the authorities, seemingly rules the airwaves (through his mastery of all things technological) with his thought-provoking, radical rhetoric. He addresses the disenfranchised citizens of Heavenside, acknowledging their disappointment in the "future" they live in. With the resources, knowledge and ambition that John Reinhardt possesses, everyone is listening and watching closely as he represents the one shard of hope everyone is looking for.It is initially unclear if he works at inciting a truly positive revolution or has much darker, harmful plans for the people of Heavenside, until the sixth issue where he states outright his plans to bring about the apocalypse, using Heavenside as a testing ground. His stated reason is that this is "not the future we were promised... if we can't have that, then we shouldn't have anything at all". It is revealed he is deliberately instigating violence by the grinder counter-culture and is providing them with the means to do so, as well as releasing a bioweapon — "St Theresa's Eyes" — that causes people to "see angels" (actually winged, mechanical constructs which may be or not be hallucinations).
By the eighth issue, he has claimed that the world is merely a source of food for a race of tenth-dimensional animals (based on the Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
stories) that feed on souls and live in a realm similar to Heaven; he claims these creatures killed his parents and that while he originally wanted to organise people against these creatures, he now just wants to kill the whole world to spite the monsters by starving them.
While Doktor Sleepless gives the impression of being in full control, it is unknown how true this is. He is unaware his companion ("Nurse") murdered an old colleague of his that he intended to contact; directly after outlining his grand scheme, he is shocked when he sees one of the angel constructs himself.
From issue nine on, the series focuses less on the Doktor himself and more on how Heavenside has changed in his wake. It is also revealed that his former caretaker plans not only to kill him but anyone who could spread his ideas. Preston Stoker, the police commissioner, agrees to turn a blind eye to this.
Issues and format
- (Future Science Jesus)
- (Tesla Boy Gangster)
- (Bastard of Tomorrow)
- (Don't worry ma'am, we're from the internet)
- (Your Imaginary Friend)
- (The Mortician of Love)
- (Marg Bar Amrika)
- (Superconnected Superinsane)
- (Engineer of Your Future Doom)
- (Immanentising the Eschaton)
- (Butterfly on a Wheel)
- (Salvage Messiah)
- (Diabolus Ex Machina)
- (Borderland Security)
- (Infernal Chapion)
- (Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy)
At the end of each issue, writer Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
provides background information on the fictional devices, organizations, technological advancements, etc., used in the narrative, as well as the occasional piece of Flash fiction
Flash fiction
Flash fiction is a style of fictional literature or fiction of extreme brevity. There is no widely accepted definition of the length of the category...
.
All of these things can be recalled and researched in a special "Doktor Sleepless" Mediawiki site.
As with other Avatar titles, each issue comes with a number of variant covers; the majority are by Rodriguez including a variant displaying an unusual warning sign (warning against things such as "psychoactive air" and "Wavy lines ov deth") and Raulo Cáceres
Raulo Cáceres
Francisco Raúl Cáceres Anillo, usually credited as Raulo Cáceres is a Spanish comic artist. He is best known for his work at Avatar Press, in particular providing art for titles by Warren Ellis.-Biography:...
produces a wrap-around cover designed to evoke an earlier era, as Ellis said: "Raulo was tasked with producing covers that looked like woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s that recalled the late 19th century through to the days of Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
and James Whale
James Whale
James Whale was an English film director, theatre director and actor. He is best remembered for his work in the horror film genre, having directed such classics as Frankenstein , The Old Dark House , The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein...
movies."
Collected editions
The series is being collected into volumesTrade 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...
:
- Engines of Desire (216 pages, October 2008, softcover, ISBN 1592910548, hardcover, ISBN 1592910556)
External links
- Doktor Sleepless wiki
- Grinding.be
- AVATAR (publisher) site
- Review of issue #1 and #3, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...