Nowhere Men
{{short description|Comic book series}}
{{about|the comic series by Eric Stephenson|the social reality game|Nowheremen|the Virgin Comics limited series|Nowhere Man (comics)|similar uses|Nowhere Man (disambiguation)}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox comic book title
|image = Nowhere_Men_1.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = The first issue's cover artwork, done by Nate Bellegarde and Fonografiks.
|schedule =
|ongoing =
|genre = Drama
Mystery
Science fiction
|publisher = Image Comics
|startmo = November
|startyr = 2012
|endmo =
|endyr =
|issues =
|main_char_team = Dade Ellis, Emerson Strange, Simon Grimshaw, and Thomas Walker
|writers = Eric Stephenson
|artists =
|editors =
|pencillers = Nate Bellegarde (#1-6)
Dave Taylor (#7-onward)
Emi Lenox (#7-onward)
Fonografiks
|inkers = Nate Bellegarde (#1-6)
Dave Taylor (#7-onward)
|colorists = Jordie Bellaire
|creative_team_month =
|creative_team_year =
|creators = Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde
|altcat =
|subcat = Image Comics
}}
Nowhere Men is a comic book series written by Eric Stephenson.{{cite book|last1=Booker|first1=M. Keith|title=Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels Volume 1|date=11 May 2010|page=309|isbn=9780313357473|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YbkJ0QJrEZ8C}} The first six issues were drawn by Nate Bellegarde, colored by Jordie Bellaire,{{cite web | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/31/nowhere-men-3-review | title=Nowhere Men #3 Review | publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. | date=30 January 2013 | accessdate=14 August 2014 | author=Bailey, Benjamin}} lettered by Fonografix (Steven Finch),{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/nowhere-men-review-stephenson-bellegarde-bellaire-fonografiks-image/ |title='Nowhere Men': Science, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll [Review] |publisher=Screencrush Network |date=17 October 2013 |accessdate=14 August 2014 |author=Parker, John |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819120621/http://comicsalliance.com/nowhere-men-review-stephenson-bellegarde-bellaire-fonografiks-image/ |archivedate=19 August 2014 }} and published by Image Comics.{{cite web | url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40018 | title=CCI: Stephenson Gets Lost With "Nowhere Men" | publisher=Comic Book Resources | date=24 July 2012 | accessdate=15 August 2014 | author=Dietsch, TJ}}
As of issue 7, Dave Taylor has replaced Nate Bellegarde, who no longer is part of the creative team.{{cite web|last1=Parker |first1=John R. |title=Eric Stephenson Talks About The Return Of 'Nowhere Men' |url=http://comicsalliance.com/nowhere-men-eric-stephenson-interview/ |website=Comics Alliance |publisher=Screencrush Network |accessdate=25 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324125403/http://comicsalliance.com/nowhere-men-eric-stephenson-interview/ |archivedate=24 March 2016 }}{{cite web|title=Image Comics: Nowhere Men #7|url=https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/nowhere-men-7|website=Image Comics|publisher=Image Comics|accessdate=25 March 2016}} Emi Lenox also joined up, providing short comics about Monica Strange, one of the characters of Nowhere Men.{{cite web|last1=Butler|first1=Madison|title=Review: Nowhere Men 8|url=http://graphicpolicy.com/2016/02/24/review-nowhere-men-8/|website=Graphic Policy|date=24 February 2016 |accessdate=25 March 2016}}
The series centers on a fictional world where a group of four scientists, long since gone their own ways, have had huge cultural influences in a way similar to that of The Beatles in our world. It is loosely based on the story of the British Invasion, especially how The Beatles stood out.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/books/review/nowhere-men-vol-1-and-more.html?_r=0 | title=Reanimated: 'Nowhere Men, Vol. 1,' and More | work=The New York Times | date=13 December 2013 | accessdate=14 August 2014 | author=Wolk, Douglas}} The promotional tagline, "Science is the new Rock-N-Roll", exemplifies this.{{cite web | url=http://ifanboy.com/articles/review-nowhere-men-1/ | title=Review: Nowhere Men #1 | publisher=iFanboy | date=28 November 2012 | accessdate=15 August 2014 | author=Richards, Ron}}
The name is derived primarily from the fact that things just seem to come out of nowhere for the scientists, although there are other plot points that the name is based on as well. It was also influenced by the Beatles song "Nowhere Man".{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/books/nowhere-men-and-the-fifth-beatle-the-brian-epstein-story.html?_r=0 | title=Two Graphic Narratives, Inspired by the Fab Four | work=The New York Times | date=1 January 2014 | accessdate=14 August 2015 | author=Gustines, George Gene}}
Nowhere Men was nominated for four Eisner Awards in 2014, of which it won one: Jordie Bellaire won the award for Best Colorist for her work on several titles, including Nowhere Men.{{cite news|title=2014 Eisner Award Nominees Announced|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=52167|accessdate=15 August 2014|work=Comic Book Resources|date=15 April 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Cavna|first1=Michael|title=COMIC-CON 14: Here are your Eisner Award winners|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/07/27/comic-con-2014-here-are-your-eisner-award-winners/|accessdate=15 August 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=27 July 2014}}
As of May 2021, eleven issues have been published, the first six of which form the completed first arc. The seventh through eleventh issues are part of the second arc, which started in January 2016 after a two-year delay.{{cite web|title=Image Comics: Nowhere Men #12|url=https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/nowhere-men-12|website=Image Comics|publisher=Image Comics|accessdate=25 March 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406110758/https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/nowhere-men-12|archivedate=6 April 2016}}
Publication history
= Arc 1 =
The first arc of Nowhere Men consists of six issues,{{cite news|last1=Arrant|first1=Chris|title=Eric Stephenson's NOWHERE MEN Rolls On Past First Arc|url=http://www.newsarama.com/19457-eric-stephenson-s-nowhere-men-rolls-on-past-first-arc.html|accessdate=15 August 2014|work=Newsarama|date=1 November 2013}} published between November 2012 and October 2013 and collected in November 2013 in a collected edition with the title Nowhere Men, Vol. 1: Fates Worse Than Death TP.{{cite web|title=Image Comics Series: Nowhere Men|url=https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/nowhere-men|website=Image Comics|accessdate=15 August 2014}}
= Arc 2 =
The second arc was originally scheduled to start with the release of issue 7 in January 2014, but this release did not happen. Around the same time, Image Comics pulled the webpages on issues 7, 8 and 9, which resulted in speculation on the series' possible cancellation.{{cite news|last1=Peach|first1=Josh|title=Nowhere Men still in development|url=http://capelesscrusader.org/nowhere-men-still-development/|accessdate=15 August 2014|work=Capeless Crusader|date=21 May 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140815225550/http://capelesscrusader.org/nowhere-men-still-development/|archive-date=15 August 2014|url-status=dead}}
In May 2014, a tweet by Image Comics confirmed the series was still being worked on.{{cite web|title=Image Comics Tweet (May 20, 2014)|url=https://twitter.com/ImageComics/statuses/468879926419279872|website=Twitter|accessdate=15 August 2014|date=20 May 2014}} Nate Bellegarde attributed the delays in Nowhere Men to himself in a long Google document he posted on his Tumblr in July 2014. While it did not give a predicted date of publishing, it confirmed that the series was still being worked on.{{cite web|last1=Bellegarde|first1=Nate|title=Where Are The Nowhere Men?|url=http://fetorpse.tumblr.com/post/92450281569/where-are-the-nowhere-men|website=A Little Too Ralph (Tumblr)|accessdate=15 August 2014|date=21 July 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Meylikhov|first1=Matthew|title=Nate Bellegarde Opens Up on the Whereabouts of "Nowhere Men"|url=http://multiversitycomics.com/news/nate-bellegarde-opens-up-on-the-whereabouts-of-nowhere-men/|accessdate=16 August 2014|work=Multiversity Comics|date=21 July 2014}}
On November 2, 2015, Image Comics announced the return of Nowhere Men. David Taylor replaced Nate Bellegarde. Jordie Bellaire and Fonografiks continued working on the series alongside Stephenson.{{cite news|title=Nowhere Men Returns, Welcomes New Series Artist|url=http://imagecomics.com/content/view/nowhere-men-returns-welcomes-new-series-artist}} Emi Lenox provides small comics about the Nowhere Men character Monica Strange.
Issue 7 was released on January 20, 2016, starting the second story arc which is incomplete as of May 2021.
Cast
- Dade Ellis, a neuroscientist and co-founder of World Corp.
- Simon Grimshaw, a geneticist and co-founder of World Corp.
- Emerson Strange, an inventor, designer and co-founder of World Corp.
- Thomas Walker, a theoretical physicist and co-founder of World Corp.
- Daniel Pierce, a quantum physicist, astronomer and engineer, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Adra Madan, a chemist, nutritionist, botanist and biologist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Kurt McManus, a medical doctor and biologist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Jackson Peake, the ISS systems officer and an EVA, employed by the World Corp. Test Division
- Susan Queen, a medical doctor and immunologist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Karen Reynolds, a chemist and biologist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Holly Jameson, a nuclear physicist, astronomer and engineer, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Albert Langley, the ISS section chief and an EVA, employed by the World Corp. Test Division
- David Burnett, an engineer and roboticist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Brian Robeson, an engineer and roboticist, employed by the World Corp. Test Division and assigned to the ISS
- Nicholas Hewitt, the ISS communications officer employed by the World Corp. Test Division
- Peter Wilson, the ISS life systems officer and an EVA, employed by the World Corp. Test Division
- Monica Strange, Emerson Strange's daughter
Story
Nowhere Men centers on four scientists—Dade Ellis, Emerson Strange, Simon Grimshaw, and Thomas Walker—whose work leads to science becoming as culturally important as rock music. Together, the four form World Corp., a research and development firm that becomes the most influential business in the entire world; but their differences, including a dispute over how to handle a secret experiment gone wrong, drive them apart.{{cite web|last1=Wolverton|first1=Andy|title=Review: Nowhere Men, Volume 1: Fates Worse Than Death|url=http://comicsalternative.com/review-nowheremen1/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082741/http://comicsalternative.com/review-nowheremen1/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 19, 2014|website=Comics Alternative|accessdate=16 August 2014}} According to Stephenson, inspiration was drawn not just from The Beatles, but also from the story of Apple and their war with Microsoft and how he thought the leaders of the two rivals would work if they were teammates.
Sometime after the scientists leave, World Corp. workers aboard the International Space Station begin suffering from a virus that affects each of them differently. Due to the secrecy of the mission, only some higher-ups in World Corp. know that the workers are there, and are unwilling to bring them back to Earth. The crew is left to themselves trying desperately to find a way to get back home.
Awards
Nowhere Men was nominated for four Eisner Awards in 2014, of which it won one:
- Best Continuing Series: Nominee
- Best Writer (Eric Stephenson): Nominee
- Best Penciller/Inker (Nate Bellegarde): Nominee
- Best Coloring (Jordie Bellaire): Winner{{efn|The award was granted for Bellaire's work on multiple titles, including Nowhere Men.}}
External links
- [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/835972757 Nowhere Men on WorldCat]