Those of you who have read “S.W.O.R.D.,” “Our Love is Real,” or maybe even The Five Fists of Science may know artist Steven Sanders. If you know who he is, then you have probably picked up that one of his most impressive talents is his knack for world building. Unlike some artists who are fine with drawing characters with active roles and plot-specific scenery, Sanders often goes that extra mile to make the comic panel not a stage, but a living, breathing world. In his new project, Symbiosis, Sanders is putting that talent to work and crafting a new world, where the line between biology and technology is blurred. It isn’t a comic… but it can be. It can also be a video game, a novel, or a pen and paper RPG, or pretty much anything else you want it to be. I’ll explain in a moment.
On a basic, face value level, Symbiosis is an art book. As Sanders explains in the project’s promotional video, the book is inspired by the relationship we have with technology; in a way, technology has become an extension of evolution, an essential part of our life. While some of us may be a bit more nature-savvy than others, the simple fact is that many of us who have lived most of our life in this technology-laden society could not survive as well in the wilderness as our forebearers — or those who live in less fortunate areas of the world. Symbiosis take this dependence to the next level, depicting a world where humanity and technology are co-dependent. The landscape-format book is packed with awe inspiring widescreen shots, character designs, and bits of text describing the world. It would be interesting enough were it just this, a peak into the mindscape of an incredibly talented artist, but there’s a bit more to it.
What sets Symbiosis apart from many projects is that it is Creative Commons licensed. The role of the book isn’t just to look pretty (though if you look at the previews, you can see that is does that, too): this is a book depicting a setting that anyone can use, free of cost beyond buying the book. Want to make a comic set in the world Sanders has created in Symbiosis? A series of prints? A movie? Go for it. Symbiosis is made to inspire, to foster a spirit of collective creativity where anyone, expert or novice, can further define the world. And how could you not be inspired? Every one of the preview pages is asking to be the centerpiece of a story, each a springboard for the imagination. This is an experiment with intellectual property that cannot be missed out on, and has the potential to form a creative community unlike anything we’ve seen before.
All it takes to get the e-book is $10, and it comes in either 175 or 300 DPI for optimum display on your digital viewing device of choice, in both .pdf and .cbr. As you might expect, the book is DRM-free, so don’t be a knucklehead and go sharing this as soon as you get it. The real incentive, though, is the Kickstarter-exclusive hardcover. No matter if a publisher decides to pick up Symbiosis and distribute it on a larger level, the book will only ever again be published in softcover. Unlike some projects, Sanders means it when he says exclusive. The physical book is $85, but considering that it is 11″ by 17″, comes with a clamshell box, and is Smyth sewn, that’s hardly an unfair price. Of course, there are options between the two, such as being put on the production email list, a giclee print or four, a half-hour of portfolio review, or a prop of the “resonance tooth” that plays a central role in the setting. Naturally, each of these also include the ebook.
For bigger spenders, Symbiosis has quite a few neat rewards. For $100, Sanders will design either a Symbiosis character or vehicle based on your description and will send you a print-resolution digital copy. Those who want a prop that’s a bit larger can get a Bezrodynm First-aid/Survival Kit in a few packages, including some that include both the kit and the tooth. Retailers can check out the $325 retailer level, earning five copies of the book (averaging $65 a piece). $350 and $1000 get you either a pinup or a painted cover, respectively, of anything of your choice that can be used in any capacity — including your own comic. As always, there’s more; Sanders seems very interested in offering as many options for potential backers as possible, and has created quite a few nifty combinations.
Symbiosis is a daring endeavor that requires more than just your monetary support — it needs an active fan-base to truly help it reach its potential. If the support of Kieron Gillen, Matt Fraction, Jason Aaron, and others more reputable than myself isn’t enough to convince you, perhaps a certain Nikola Tesla can convince you:
I have come from beyond the grave, through the etheric plane, simply to gaze upon this epic work. My long-dead eyes are filled with anticipation and excitement.
