Fantasy and Science Fiction

This chapter describes and analyzes books where fantasy is the dominant element and acquires vivid degrees of visuality. Adhering to a chronological order, analyses of Moebius’ Arzach, Enki Bilal’s Nikopol trilogy, and Yslaire’sXXeCielare carried out and concluded by comparisons between these works and other popular examples of fantastic comics. In order to underscore the degrees of openness between comics generated by images, JarmoMäkilä’sTaxi Ride through Van Gogh’s Earis then discussed. The importance of Moebius’ books comes through their visual detail and the subsequent encouragement of intensive visuality and experimentation with form usually ascribed to the fine arts. The comics by Bilal, Yslaire, and Mäkilä indicate both the extent and the ways in which conventional comics have been altered:adhering more strongly to comics conventions, Bilal’s and Mäkilä’s comics offer diverse options of interpretation through, for instance, intertextual and intermedial references.