Empire (graphic novel)

Lore & Background

Set thousands of years in the future, Empire follows Qrelon, whose planet was destroyed by the empire, leading a small group of rebels to collect pieces of a hidden device that can destroy the planet-sized computer running the empire. Wryn, an archaeology student, is chosen by the empire to assassinate the rebel leader. The graphic novel is 120 pages long and features bold, detailed, colorful painted graphics, primarily using three-panelled pages to shift action quickly between landscapes.

Delany challenged traditional science fiction by selecting a protagonist and sidekick who are both female, noting in a 1979 interview the lack of representation of women and female friendships in speculative fiction. However, he later commented that he wished he had focused more on the female friendship, arguing that the male point-of-view-character almost displaces her. The book's style was also shaped by editor Byron Preiss, who insisted on no speech balloons to avoid a 'comicy' look—a decision Delany thought was a mistake—and who rewrote a significant portion of the text; Delany stated he took full responsibility for maybe half the sentences, later specifying that 39 percent had been rewritten by Preiss.

Delany cited influences including comic writers Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, and others; Chaykin identified Gil Kane as his greatest artistic influence. Oxford Bibliographies also notes Métal Hurlant as a potential influence. Delany and Chaykin had sought to collaborate since the late 1960s, and in 1976 they began discussing the project with Preiss, who knew Chaykin from school.

Reader's Guide

Empire holds significance as one of the first graphic novels published in the United States, marking an early attempt to blend literary and visual storytelling in a longer form. Its publication was ambitious: Mediascene reported that Berkley editor David Hartwell planned a print run of 50,000 copies for the paperback and 1,500 signed hardcovers. The work's reception was mixed; contemporary reviews criticized its integration of text and art, with Richard E. Geis deriding it as a 'basic interstellar Star Wars plot' and Bob Toomey calling it 'boring, hard to follow, and poorly conceived.' Algis Budrys, while noting imperfect plot transitions, recommended the work overall. The graphic novel placed 8th in the 1979 Locus Award for Best SF Art or Illustrated Book. Empire is also notable for the editorial disputes between Delany and Preiss, with Preiss altering both style and content, including rewriting 39 percent of the text and removing speech balloons. Delany's attempt to feature a female protagonist and sidekick, though imperfectly realized, was an early effort to address gender representation in science fiction. The work remains a reference point for discussions of early graphic novels, editorial control, and gender in speculative fiction.

Did You Know?

• Empire is regarded as one of the first graphic novels in the United States.
• Editor Byron Preiss rewrote 39 percent of Delany's text, according to Delany.
• The graphic novel placed 8th in the 1979 Locus Award for Best SF Art or Illustrated Book.
• Delany chose a female protagonist and sidekick to challenge the lack of representation of women in speculative fiction.

The Making of a Pioneering Collaboration

Delany and Chaykin had been eager to work together since the late 1960s, but it was not until 1976 that the project truly took shape. That year, the writer, the artist, and publisher Byron Preiss—who had known Chaykin from their school days—began devising what would become Empire. The result was published in 1978 as a hardcover through Berkley Windhover, and it is widely regarded as one of the first graphic novels produced in the United States. The commercial ambitions were considerable: science fiction editor David Hartwell planned a 50,000-copy paperback run at $9.95, alongside 1,500 signed and numbered hardcovers retailing at $24 each. However, Preiss's editorial hand proved heavy. In a 1979 interview, Delany revealed that Preiss had rewritten roughly 39 percent of his sentences. Preiss also insisted on eliminating speech balloons, arguing they made the work look 'too comicy,' a decision Delany called a mistake, insisting he always conceived of Empire as a comic book rather than a novel.

A Distant Future of Rebellion and Ruin

Set thousands of years beyond the present, Empire unfolds across a vast expanse of space and planetary travel. At its center is Qrelon, a woman whose homeworld has been destroyed by the empire. She leads a small group of rebels who risk everything to collect the scattered pieces of a powerful device. Once reassembled, that device becomes a weapon strong enough to destroy the planet-sized computer that runs the empire. Opposing Qrelon is Wryn, an archaeology student whom the empire has chosen to carry out an assassination of the rebel leader. The narrative spans 120 pages and is categorized as speculative fiction and science fiction, offering a fantastical foray into interstellar settings. The story's structure pits two women against each other in fundamentally opposed roles—one fighting to dismantle the empire, the other tasked with protecting it through lethal force. This framing places personal conflict at the heart of an empire-scale political struggle, giving the 120-page work a focused, character-driven engine beneath its epic scope.

Breaking Patterns in Science Fiction and Sequential Art

Delany deliberately challenged the conventions of the science fiction genre by making both his protagonist and her sidekick women. In a 1979 interview, he pointed to the conspicuous absence of female characters and, more specifically, female friendships within speculative fiction, noting that his choice broke 'a lot of mythical patterns.' Yet he also expressed a measure of self-criticism, acknowledging that he wished he had explored the female friendship more deeply and that at times 'the male point-of-view-character almost displaces her.' On the visual side, Chaykin built his pages primarily around three-panel layouts filled with bold, detailed, and colourful painted graphics. This approach gave the narrative a kinetic quality, allowing action to leap rapidly from one landscape to the next. Both creators drew on a wide range of influences: Delany cited comic writers such as Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, S. Clay Wilson, Jan Strnad, Lee Marrs, Richard Corben, and Trina Robbins, while Chaykin named Gil Kane as his greatest artistic inspiration. The French science fiction magazine Métal Hurlant has also been identified as a potential source of creative influence on the work.

Critical Responses and a Pioneering Place in Comics History

Contemporary reviews of Empire were divided, with many critics struggling to reconcile its literary ambitions with its visual storytelling. Richard E. Geis, writing in Science Fiction Review, dismissed the plot as a 'basic interstellar Star Wars' scenario and suggested the book's strength lay primarily in its 'pretty comic book pictures.' Bob Toomey in The Comics Journal delivered a sharper critique, finding the work 'boring, hard to follow, and poorly conceived' in nearly all respects, and raised concerns about both its literary merit and visual design. Algis Budrys offered a more balanced view, acknowledging that some plot transitions felt abrupt and that the revolutionaries' victory over their oppressors came too easily, yet he still recommended the book, calling the execution 'first-class.' Despite the mixed critical reception, Empire secured a notable achievement: it placed eighth in the 1979 Locus Award for Best SF Art or Illustrated Book. Its broader significance, however, lies in its status as one of the first graphic novels published in the United States, marking an early milestone in the medium's recognition as a legitimate form of speculative fiction.