The Nobody is the first 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...

 of the Eisner-nominated cartoonist Jeff Lemire

Jeff Lemire

Jeff Lemire is a Canadian comics artist and writer. He is the author of the Essex County Trilogy, Sweet Tooth and The Nobody. Lemire is known for a his moody, humanistic stories and sketchy, cinematic, black-and-white art....

 to be published by the Vertigo imprint

Imprint

In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...

 of 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...

. It is a story inspired by H.G. Wells novel The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man is a science fiction novella by H.G. Wells published in 1897. Wells' novel was originally serialised in Pearson's Weekly in 1897, and published as a novel the same year...

and recasts the iconic bandaged stranger as a modern day drifter. His presence in a small-town American fishing village creates a frenzy that unwraps and exposes the scarred underside to their own secrets.

Characters

• Victoria "Vickie": Primary narrator. Only friend of John Griffen.
• John Griffen: Main character. Resembles "The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells.
• "Reg" Reggie: Vickie's father.
• Mrs. June Jacques: Inn keeper.
• Teddy "Henfrey": Paranoid old man. First met at King's Tavern.
• Bill: Bartender at King's Tavern.
• "Millie" Jeffers: Waitress King's Tavern.
• Jack "Jeffers": Millie's husband.
• Mr. Tommy Marvel: Old man by the lake and owner of Howie.
• Howie: The dog
• Deputy Ayde: Lawman.
• John "Kemp": Griffen's partner in Chicago.
• "HER": Lady in Griffen's visions.
• Anna: Vickie's alibi friend.

Allusions to "The Invisible Man"

• Both "Invisible men" stayed at an Inn in a small town.
• Both "Invisible men" stirred curiosity and fear within the inhabitants of the town.
• The Invisible Man was only known as "Griffin", while the main character in The Nobody was named John "Griffen".
• Dr. Kemp in The Invisible Man was the partner to "Griffin". The Nobody has a John "Kemp" serving a similar role.
• In The Invisible Man the law enforcers name was Colonel Adye and in the Nobody he was simply Deputy Ayde.
• Both books have a "Mr. Marvel" (Thomas Marvel and Tommy Marvel), both serve different purposes.
• Both "Invisible men" are shot to flee badly injured.
• Both "Invisible men" violently beat their "Kemp" and a police officer (Ayde)
• The invisibility wears out when the person who is invisible dies.

A free preview of this book can be found at http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/11672_x.pdf or on the Vertigo Website