The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane

March 15, 2016

Celebrated French artist Druillet, cofounder of the influential magazine Metal Hurlant (which inspired the U.S. publication Heavy Metal), won a European science fiction award for this visually spectacular 1972 collection. Engagingly pulpy narration relates the adventures of human space explorer Sloane, who is trapped by alien entities and encounters unimaginably powerful cosmic gods while on an interstellar quest. Sloane's remote and indeterminate personality renders the stories less engaging than they could be, but the book's main draw is its astonishing, full-color depictions of extraterrestrial beings, technology, and architecture, complete with feverish baroque detail. Druillet's human figures, panel-busting designs, and spreads are reminiscent of Jack Kirby's work on series such as New Gods and Fantastic Four. Yet Druillet's art is sleeker and more art nouveau-esque, and his creatures and themes point toward another avowed early influence, H.P. Lovecraft. Previously published in English in 1973 and 1991, this hardcover edition features sharp, oversized reproduction that does justice to its incredible content. VERDICT A space opera of extraordinary visual splendor.--S.R.

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