A Distant Soil. Vol. 1: The Gathering

This new edition of the initially self-published (1987) space opera graphic novels by writer/artist Doran, recipient of the International Horror Guild Award for Best Illustrated Narrative, collects the first 12 issues of the series. Doran's classic black-and-white penciling is the perfect accompaniment to this sprawling sf/fantasy epic, with some of the artwork reminiscent of art nouveau. From 1980s America to outer space to King Arthur's Avalon, the story crosses time and space to bring together potential warriors to fight for the dying planet of Ovanan and the threatened planet Earth. Liana, the most powerful psychic in the universe, escapes captivity from a mental health and research institute with her brother, Jason, only to encounter a warship with aliens bent on assassinating them and another set of aliens from Ovanan. The latter, it seems, are set on making Liana believe she can help save Earth and the world her lost family is from—Ovanan.