The Surrogates
Encyclopedia
The Surrogates is a five-issue comic book
limited series
written by Robert Venditti
, drawn by Brett Weldele
, and published by Top Shelf Productions
from 2005 to 2006. In 2009 it was followed by a prequel graphic novel, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone.
It has been made into a film, Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis
.
graphic novel
, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone, was published in July 2009 (ISBN 1603090185). A limited edition hardcover, The Surrogates Operator's Manual, collects both books into a single volume (ISBN 1603090452).
Venditti was inspired to write The Surrogates after reading Indra Sinha
's book The Cybergypsies, about numerous individuals who lost their spouses or their jobs due to their addiction to the internet and their online personas. In an interview, he says: "It dawned on me that if you were somehow able to create a persona and send it out into the real world—where it could go to work for you, and run your errands, and so on—then you would never have to go back to being yourself."
s) to interact with each other (telepresence
). In Central Georgia Metropolis, Lt. Harvey Greer investigates the destruction of two surrogates. Greer soon discovers a mysterious figure, which he nicknames “Steeplejack”, plots to permanently disable all surrogates in an effort to eliminate people's dependence on them. Greer considers the anti-surrogate religious leader named “The Prophet” a suspect, but The Prophet is later killed by Steeplejack. Similar to Steeplejack and The Prophet, Greer feels people have become too reliant on surrogates for superficial reasons. Greer chooses to work the investigation in person after Steeplejack destroys Greer's surrogate. Greer later discovers Steeplejack is a surrogate controlled by Lionel Canter, the inventor of the original surrogate. Lionel designed surrogates as a tool for the physically impaired and became dissatisfied with their widespread personal use by the non-impaired. Eventually Lionel/Steeplejack successfully disables surrogates throughout the city. Greer later discovers his wife Margaret, a surrogate-addict, has committed suicide because her attractive-looking surrogate was disabled.
. Greer is promoted to detective after his investigation leads to the teenage boy’s involvement in the beating death of the homeless man. The lawyer is charged (framed) with plotting the witness’ murder, although the murder was actually orchestrated by The Prophet.
and stars Bruce Willis
. Disney bought the film rights in 2007, and filming began in April 2008 in Boston
. Surrogates was released on September 25, 2009 under the Touchstone Pictures
banner.
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...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
written by Robert Venditti
Robert Venditti
Robert Venditti is a comic book creator. Venditti is most notably known for his work on the Top Shelf Productions title The Surrogates, which was adapted to a major motion picture starring Bruce Willis directed by Jonathan Mostow for Disney.-Education:...
, drawn by Brett Weldele
Brett Weldele
Brett Weldele is an American comics artist and originally from Great Falls, Montana.-Biography:Weldele attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and received his BFA there in Sequential art....
, and published by Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....
from 2005 to 2006. In 2009 it was followed by a prequel graphic novel, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone.
It has been made into a film, Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
.
Publication history
The first series ran from 2005 to 2006, with a collected edition published in July 2006 (ISBN 1891830872). A prequelPrequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
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...
, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone, was published in July 2009 (ISBN 1603090185). A limited edition hardcover, The Surrogates Operator's Manual, collects both books into a single volume (ISBN 1603090452).
Venditti was inspired to write The Surrogates after reading Indra Sinha
Indra Sinha
Indra Sinha is a British writer of English and Indian descent. Formerly a copywriter for Ogilvy & Mather, London, and, from 1984, Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners, Sinha has the distinction of having been voted one of the top ten British copywriters of all time...
's book The Cybergypsies, about numerous individuals who lost their spouses or their jobs due to their addiction to the internet and their online personas. In an interview, he says: "It dawned on me that if you were somehow able to create a persona and send it out into the real world—where it could go to work for you, and run your errands, and so on—then you would never have to go back to being yourself."
The Surrogates
In the year 2054, people use surrogates (humanoid remote control vehicleRemote control vehicle
A remote control vehicle is defined as any mobile device that is controlled by a means that does not restrict its motion with an origin external to the device. This is often a radio control device, cable between control and vehicle, or an infrared controller...
s) to interact with each other (telepresence
Telepresence
Telepresence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via telerobotics, at a place other than their true location....
). In Central Georgia Metropolis, Lt. Harvey Greer investigates the destruction of two surrogates. Greer soon discovers a mysterious figure, which he nicknames “Steeplejack”, plots to permanently disable all surrogates in an effort to eliminate people's dependence on them. Greer considers the anti-surrogate religious leader named “The Prophet” a suspect, but The Prophet is later killed by Steeplejack. Similar to Steeplejack and The Prophet, Greer feels people have become too reliant on surrogates for superficial reasons. Greer chooses to work the investigation in person after Steeplejack destroys Greer's surrogate. Greer later discovers Steeplejack is a surrogate controlled by Lionel Canter, the inventor of the original surrogate. Lionel designed surrogates as a tool for the physically impaired and became dissatisfied with their widespread personal use by the non-impaired. Eventually Lionel/Steeplejack successfully disables surrogates throughout the city. Greer later discovers his wife Margaret, a surrogate-addict, has committed suicide because her attractive-looking surrogate was disabled.
The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone
Flesh and Bone is set fifteen years prior to the original Surrogates story. It explores the early days of surrogate availability, including riots that take place in the wake of a surrogate-related murder. Harvey Greer is a patrolman investigating the beating death of a homeless person by a teenage boy who uses his father’s surrogate without permission. The father’s lawyer claims the father operated the surrogate in self defense. The police reluctantly drop the charges after their witness is murdered by an assassin. Thousands of members of a religious group riot for several days, protesting the dropped charges and the growing popularity of surrogates. The mayor meets with the group’s leader “The Prophet” and negotiates an end to the riots by giving the group a large parcel of land to establish a reservationReservation
Reservation may refer to:* Indian reservation, in the United States* Indian reserve, in Canada* Indigenous Territory, in Brazil* Reservation , a caveat to a treaty* Table reservation, for restaurant seating...
. Greer is promoted to detective after his investigation leads to the teenage boy’s involvement in the beating death of the homeless man. The lawyer is charged (framed) with plotting the witness’ murder, although the murder was actually orchestrated by The Prophet.
Film adaptation
The Surrogates was made into a film, Surrogates. The film is directed by Jonathan MostowJonathan Mostow
Jonathan Mostow is an American film director, writer and producer.-Biography:A graduate of Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut and Harvard, Mostow also trained at the American Repertory Company and New York City's Lee Strasberg Institute...
and stars Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
. Disney bought the film rights in 2007, and filming began in April 2008 in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Surrogates was released on September 25, 2009 under the Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone...
banner.