In Review: Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy

Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy - Cover

Created by Daniel Locke and David Blandy
Foreword by Dr. Adam Rutherford
Full Colour – Hardback – 248 pages – £16.99

The Story: “Surreal sequences take us from Gutenberg’s printing press to Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web, Grand Master Flash and more. Spanning millennia, this ambitious graphic novel explores humanity’s inherent ‘dreaming mind’ and its impact on our world.”

It is also the story of a little blue-skinned alien girl who wanders through the events of time…

Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy - Sample Art

The Review: I often ask a creator why they choose a particular subject or period to make a comic about. It doesn’t apply here, because Daniel Locke and David Blandy decided to make a comic about every time, both past present and future – and they’ve created a brick of a book. It is full of big ideas, the biggest in fact – and places us smack bang in the middle of those ideas as they formed.

Out of Nothing is intelligent and thoughtful – yet also colourfully fun and dreamlike.

Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy - Sample Art

“These humans are no longer just scurrying across the surface…. they are beginning to change it.”

Through the history of the Universe, and Planet Earth in particular, we see many events. We see the science of creation and we see that comparable and inseparable to this science is the art of nature and of man. Through art, we see the world around us and through the scientific developments of humankind, we see the investigation of physics and biology and chemistry and in the intricate evolutionary designs we see the patterns of artistic beauty.

This is a book that makes a whoosh as it pulls you down the time stream. From prehistoric fights with lions to drinking in a cafe in Paris to the sand clouds of Mars.

Out of Nothing makes use of time and space both in the narrative and in the style. Whole pages and sequences are allowed to develop in front of your eyes. We see the strands of DNA hang in the air, the lines of connectivity of the web, the clouds of a nuclear explosion and many, many more. In fact, I barely remember turning the pages as the scenes move along with intelligence combined with bright star fields telling us the history of the world and full colour comics.

Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy - Sample Art

Locke and Blandy use a guide, in their story, an otherworldly, blue-skinned female child. She can seemingly go anywhere, at any time. Each time jump is prefixed with her eyes opening to a scene. She finds herself in Mainz in 1450, in the workshop of Johannes Gutenberg, or watching Braque and Picasso discussing art in the Paris of 1907. Then, in one of my favourite sequences, in the 1970s, she’s in New York City dancing to a funk DJ when the ‘Get Down’ hits. Through this alien girl we get both perspective on events, complemented with a wry, winking humour to the tale.

Out of Nothing by Daniel Locke and David Blandy - Sample ArtWhen two human minds really connect, something truly powerful happens…”

The art is simplistic when it needs to be and then shifts gears and pacing to present more complicated images. The faces of the characters have an indie animation style to their often goggle-eyed intensity – but you are never at a loss to know who is who. At moments we can laugh at the ridiculousness of the human condition and some panels are played for both gravitas and laughs all at once.

Don’t think this is an overly serious book. It has big issues at its heart, but delivered with a playfulness that makes you want to return to read a bit more.

On Page 153, there is something that happens that also raises a smile. History is given a little tiny nudge… I’ll leave you wanting to find out what that is.

This was the last book launch of the year from Nobrow and yet another triumph. GeisDalston Monsterzz and now, Out of Nothing.

Bloody hell! How much better can their catalogue get? A big thanks to Sam, Zoe and Emma for keeping me in the loop and letting me see some of the best comics out there.

Roll on 2018!

Out of Nothing - Launch Event

Out of Nothing: Meet the Creators

I got to go to the launch party for this book at ‘The Cube’ in Shoreditch earlier this week (many thanks to Zoe from NoBrow for inviting me) and got to spend some time with the two creators. They were both hugely excited about the book finally being released and spoke to me with grins on their faces about tackling such a big subject.

David Blandy and Daniel Locke. Photo: Tony Esmond

David Blandy and Daniel Locke. Photo: Tony Esmond

David Blandy and Daniel Locke have been friends and comics creators since meeting at University. We spoke about the process of creating something and also the process of observing its formation, standing back and looking at what you have done. It wasn’t lost on us all that being at a launch party is itself part of this chain of events.

They described their little blue-skinned guide as both a Muse to figures in history and also the aforementioned observer. She is the glue that holds their story together. She is also be great fun to write and draw.

When I was talking to these two guys, I could see the passion they had for their project. They both spoke about the artistic process and their particular take on it with a refreshing thoughtfulness. I’ll be looking for more from these guys from now on.

 

• Find out more about this book and grab a copy at www.nobrow.net or follow them on Twitter @NobrowPress

• Daniel Locke is an artist and graphic novelist based in Brighton. Much of his work has been informed and shaped by the discoveries of contemporary science. He’s online at www.daniellocke.com | Twitter | Instagram

• David Blandy is an artist who works with the image in the digital world; highlighting our relationship with popular culture and investigating what makes us who we are. He’s online at davidblandy.co.uk | Instagram

• Currently showing: David Blandy – The End of the World, Seventeen Gallery, London until 16th December, Wed-Sat 11.00 – 6.00pm | Web: www.seventeengallery.com/exhibitions/david-blandy-end-world

Many thanks for reading.



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