Nil: A Land Beyond Belief
Encyclopedia
Nil: A Land Beyond Belief is a satirical
dystopic graphic novel
written and illustrated by James Turner
. It was published in 2005
by SLG Press
as ISBN 1-59362-020-9.
of the protagonist
, Proun Nul. Nul is employed by the city of Nihilopolis X (the city is rebuilt each time the people destroy the previous one) as a deconstruction
engineer
on board the Derrida (named for Jacques Derrida
). The citizens of Nihilopolis are committed to the philosophical
principle of nihilism
, and Nul's job involves destroying idea
s (manifested as large edifices in the desert
) before they can infect the population. In keeping with Nil's motto "In Nothing We Trust
", this constant work has led to a war with the neighboring republic of Optima
.
After a conversation one night with his friend Mr. Ooze in the Gripe Pit bar
, Nul begins to question the foundation his society is built on — namely, nothing. The average Nilean has no conception of love
save as selfish DNA, no higher aspiration (besides an elevator
between Nil and Hell
, Nil sports individuals whose workaholic
existence leaves them no time to think about alternatives) in life, and no pleasure beyond the cynical moment. Suicide booth
s are placed throughout Nil for anyone to use when they're extremely depressed.
On the following day, Nul at his job has to get the engine
s of the Derrida to full power to destroy an idea edifice. One crew member, Mr. Sly, is burned alive, and it's known among his friends and co-workers that Sly and Nul resented each other. An investigation is started by the Hypocripope, the chief religious authority of Nil, who also happens to be Mr. Sly's uncle. When Nul is taken to be interrogated by two of Hell's demon
s, his words are twisted into a confession of guilt. Once in jail, Nul walks out unhampered by the police
because the people of Nil have become so indoctrinated
by the ruling ideology that no one ever tries to escape. The demons, not wanting to return to Hell, concoct a story that Nul broke out of jail and slew dozens of guards in his escape.
Nul takes a train to Borderville and intends to defect
to Optima when he's intercepted by Jacob Proudsmear III, an art dealer
who considers turning him in before Nul makes up the story that he's the leader of a Nilean terrorist group, The Bowel Movement, and that he can get Proudsmear "The Gum of Egoh Dadah" after Nil is overthrown. From Borderville, Nul rides on an ammunition truck toward No Man's Land
and is drafted into the Nilean army
. A chance meeting between himself and a paraplegic Optiman on the battlefield convinces Nul that Optima doesn't offer anything better -- or worse -- than Nil if he doesn't believe himself. When confronted by an Optiman Battleziggurat, Nul decides to go AWOL and return to Miss Void, the woman he loves back in Nil. Other members of his unit retreat as well, and Obliterator Plee joins Nul is returning to Nil.
The streets of Nihilopolis are deserted because the Hypocripope made a grand decision to relieve the problem of suffering: kill everyone. Nul arrives in his soldier's uniform as Miss Void's apartment
and she's excited by what she heard about Nul as a terrorist. After some intense sexual activity, Nul leaves the apartment and proclaims, "I believe in love, I believe in beauty, I believe in truth and honesty and justice and the Tooth Fairy
and the inner beauty of humanity
!" A Nilean soldier overhears this statement and shoots Nul, liberating him from his "prison of the flesh".
Nul dies smiling, and the last scene of the novel has him relaxing on a beach
with a photograph
of Miss Void and the presence of Nah, a dream character that had appeared to Nul twice before as a Mayan
glyph
.
Nil is illustrated in black and white with many death
motifs.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
dystopic graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
written and illustrated by James Turner
James Turner (illustrator)
James Turner is a Canadian illustrator, comic book writer, and artist. He wrote the series Rex Libris for the Slave Labor Graphics Publishing Company. The comic ran between 2005 and 2008, for a total of 13 issues...
. It was published in 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
by SLG Press
Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics is an independent American comic book publisher, well-known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics.-Company history:...
as ISBN 1-59362-020-9.
Overview
Besides referring to the Latin term for nothingness, Nil is also a phonemePhoneme
In a language or dialect, a phoneme is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances....
of the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Proun Nul. Nul is employed by the city of Nihilopolis X (the city is rebuilt each time the people destroy the previous one) as a deconstruction
Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
on board the Derrida (named for Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
). The citizens of Nihilopolis are committed to the philosophical
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
principle of nihilism
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
, and Nul's job involves destroying idea
Idea
In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images; i.e. images of some object. In other contexts, ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear as images...
s (manifested as large edifices in the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
) before they can infect the population. In keeping with Nil's motto "In Nothing We Trust
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. It is also the motto of the U.S. state of Florida. The Legality of this motto has been questioned because of the United States Constitution forbidding the government to make any law respecting the establishment of a...
", this constant work has led to a war with the neighboring republic of Optima
Optimism
The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best." Being optimistic, in the typical sense...
.
After a conversation one night with his friend Mr. Ooze in the Gripe Pit bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, Nul begins to question the foundation his society is built on — namely, nothing. The average Nilean has no conception of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
save as selfish DNA, no higher aspiration (besides an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
between Nil and Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, Nil sports individuals whose workaholic
Workaholic
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work.The term generally implies that the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it...
existence leaves them no time to think about alternatives) in life, and no pleasure beyond the cynical moment. Suicide booth
Suicide booth
A suicide booth is a fictional machine for committing suicide. Suicide booths appear in numerous fictional settings, including the American animated series Futurama and the manga Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita...
s are placed throughout Nil for anyone to use when they're extremely depressed.
On the following day, Nul at his job has to get the engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s of the Derrida to full power to destroy an idea edifice. One crew member, Mr. Sly, is burned alive, and it's known among his friends and co-workers that Sly and Nul resented each other. An investigation is started by the Hypocripope, the chief religious authority of Nil, who also happens to be Mr. Sly's uncle. When Nul is taken to be interrogated by two of Hell's demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s, his words are twisted into a confession of guilt. Once in jail, Nul walks out unhampered by the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
because the people of Nil have become so indoctrinated
Indoctrination
Indoctrination is the process of inculcating ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or a professional methodology . It is often distinguished from education by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine the doctrine they have learned...
by the ruling ideology that no one ever tries to escape. The demons, not wanting to return to Hell, concoct a story that Nul broke out of jail and slew dozens of guards in his escape.
Nul takes a train to Borderville and intends to defect
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
to Optima when he's intercepted by Jacob Proudsmear III, an art dealer
Art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art. Art dealers' professional associations serve to set high standards for accreditation or membership and to support art exhibitions and shows.-Role:...
who considers turning him in before Nul makes up the story that he's the leader of a Nilean terrorist group, The Bowel Movement, and that he can get Proudsmear "The Gum of Egoh Dadah" after Nil is overthrown. From Borderville, Nul rides on an ammunition truck toward No Man's Land
No Man's Land
No man's land is an unoccupied area between two opposing positions.No Man's Land may also refer to:-Places:In the United Kingdom* No Man's Land, Cornwall, England* No Man's Land Fort, off the coast of England* Nomansland, Devon, England...
and is drafted into the Nilean army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
. A chance meeting between himself and a paraplegic Optiman on the battlefield convinces Nul that Optima doesn't offer anything better -- or worse -- than Nil if he doesn't believe himself. When confronted by an Optiman Battleziggurat, Nul decides to go AWOL and return to Miss Void, the woman he loves back in Nil. Other members of his unit retreat as well, and Obliterator Plee joins Nul is returning to Nil.
The streets of Nihilopolis are deserted because the Hypocripope made a grand decision to relieve the problem of suffering: kill everyone. Nul arrives in his soldier's uniform as Miss Void's apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
and she's excited by what she heard about Nul as a terrorist. After some intense sexual activity, Nul leaves the apartment and proclaims, "I believe in love, I believe in beauty, I believe in truth and honesty and justice and the Tooth Fairy
Tooth fairy
The tooth fairy is a fantasy figure of early childhood. The folklore states that when a child loses a baby tooth, if he or she places it beneath the bed pillow, the tooth fairy will visit while the child sleeps, replacing the lost tooth with a small payment....
and the inner beauty of humanity
Human nature
Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally....
!" A Nilean soldier overhears this statement and shoots Nul, liberating him from his "prison of the flesh".
Nul dies smiling, and the last scene of the novel has him relaxing on a beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
with a photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
of Miss Void and the presence of Nah, a dream character that had appeared to Nul twice before as a Mayan
Maya script
The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered...
glyph
Glyph
A glyph is an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written. A glyph is made up of one or more graphemes....
.
Nil is illustrated in black and white with many death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
motifs.