Terra Obscura
Encyclopedia
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries
spun off
from Alan Moore
's Tom Strong
series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette
and Karl Story
with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault
. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore
and Peter Hogan. It was published under Moore's America's Best Comics imprint through Wildstorm Comics, which is owned by DC Comics
.
, and the team of science-heroes
known as the Society of Major American Science Heroes (SMASH
). All the members of SMASH are based on characters previously published by Nedor Comics
in the 1940s. With the original publisher's collapse, copyright
s on the characters were not renewed upon 28 years of creation and so lapsed into the public domain
. One of Nedor's many titles was America's Best Comics, and when the coincidence of this was pointed out to Alan Moore, he decided to incorporate these characters into his Tom Strong series.
For their 2000 debut, Moore created a backstory for them, covering the time periods during which they were not actually being published. For the Terra Obscura spin-off, Moore worked out plots with Peter Hogan, who then wrote the scripts.
They encounter the revived heroes in the inverted city of 'Invertica'.
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
spun off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
from Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's Tom Strong
Tom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette
Yanick Paquette
Yanick Paquette is a Canadian penciller in North American comics. He has worked for Antarctic Press, Topps, Marvel and DC Comics and since 1994.-Career:...
and Karl Story
Karl Story
Karl Story is an American comic book artist specializing in inking. He is one of the original members of Atlanta's Gaijin Studios.Over a career of almost two decades, he has worked on books such as Nightwing, Batman, Star Trek: Debt of Honor, Aliens versus Predator, X-Men, Wildstorm Summer Special,...
with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault
Eric Theriault
Éric Thériault is a Canadian comics artist and writer, illustrator and blogger living in Montreal in Quebec .- Biography :...
. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Peter Hogan. It was published under Moore's America's Best Comics imprint through Wildstorm Comics, which is owned by 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...
.
Origin and backstory
Terra Obscura first appeared in Tom Strong #11 (January 2001). Terra Obscura is an alternate version of Tom Strong's Earth located on the far side of the galaxy, discovered by Strong in 1968. On his visit to Terra Obscura, Tom meets his counterpart Tom "Doc" StrangeDoc Strange
Doc Strange is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1...
, and the team of science-heroes
Science hero
Science hero is a term coined by Alan Moore in his work for America's Best Comics to describe fantastic heroes. This includes those that have a science fiction explanation for their powers, as well as magical and non-powered characters. The term is used extensively throughout the ABC titles,...
known as the Society of Major American Science Heroes (SMASH
SMASH (comics)
The Society of Modern American Science Heroes, or SMASH, is a team of fictional superheroes whose adventures are published by America's Best Comics and take place on the parallel world of Terra Obscura.- History :...
). All the members of SMASH are based on characters previously published by Nedor Comics
Nedor Comics
Nedor Publishing was a comic book imprint of publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics...
in the 1940s. With the original publisher's collapse, 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...
s on the characters were not renewed upon 28 years of creation and so lapsed into the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. One of Nedor's many titles was America's Best Comics, and when the coincidence of this was pointed out to Alan Moore, he decided to incorporate these characters into his Tom Strong series.
For their 2000 debut, Moore created a backstory for them, covering the time periods during which they were not actually being published. For the Terra Obscura spin-off, Moore worked out plots with Peter Hogan, who then wrote the scripts.
Publishing history
- Collections:
- Terra Obscura v1 (ISBN 1-4012-0286-1). Collects issues #1-6, volume 1.
- Terra Obscura v2 (ISBN 1-4012-0622-0) Collects issues #1-6, volume 2.
- Special issue:
- ABC A-Z: Terra Obscura and Splash Brannigan (published January 2006): Background on SMASH and the superheroes of Terra Obscura.
SMASH Members
- Doc StrangeDoc StrangeDoc Strange is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1...
- Mike Ellis (deceased): The young sidekick of Tom Strange. He was killed in 1969 when battling the invader from the moon.
- The TerrorBlack TerrorThe Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist...
/ Terror 2000 (Deceased/revived) - Tim Roland: The Terror's loyal side-kick. His reflexes and strength have been augmented by energy-enhancing vapors discovered by Bob Benton.
- PyromanPyromanPyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Startling Comics #18 , with art by Jack Binder. His character was latter revived by both AC Comics, and Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:Pyroman was the secret...
- Captain Future
- The Fighting Yank (I)Fighting Yank-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
(deceased) - The Fighting SpiritFighting Yank-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
. Now the Fighting Yank II. - Miss MasqueMiss MasqueMiss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.-Nedor Comics:...
- The Ghost / The Green Ghost (deceased/revived)
- Princess PanthaPrincess PanthaPrincess Pantha is a fictional jungle heroine that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived twice; first by AC Comics, and second by writer Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura...
- American CrusaderAmerican CrusaderThe American Crusader is a fictional character, a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19 . The character was revived in the Modern Age in Femforce #59, by AC Comics, and in Tom Strong #11, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse.-Character history:His secret identity is Professor...
- Lance Lewis, Space DetectiveLance Lewis, Space DetectiveLance Lewis, Space Detective is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Mystery Comics #3 , published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.-Nedor Comics:...
(deceased) - The Magnet
- The Liberator
- Adam the Ape: An enhanced ape.
- The Woman in Red
- Mystico: An Egyptian mummy restored to life by a mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
's vita-ray machine in 1940. His magical powers are seemingly without limit. - The Scarab
- The Grim Reaper (deceased): killed by the Terror 2000 program.
The Four Comrades
A science-hero team based in New Lancaster who were forced to try and maintain control after SMASH were left frozen in space and time in 1969. By the time the members of SMASH had been released from their captivity in 2000, they had aged and an original member, Tip, had died and been replaced by his sister, Tipper.They encounter the revived heroes in the inverted city of 'Invertica'.
- Pudge
- Buzz
- Tommy
- Tip (Deceased)
- Tipper
Miscellaneous characters
- Dr. X: Occultist and physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, apparently researching interdimensional travel at his base, Fort X, near the Hoover DamHoover DamHoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
. Notoriously reclusive. - The OracleOracleIn Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
: Can see the future in his dreams. Has a special chamber beneath the PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
where he is kept safe and his predictions are recorded. - Theseus: Not seen since the 1960s.
- The Gremlin
- Spectro
- Black Satan
- Dr. Voodoo