Hopes for the Leviathan

Ian Edginton and D’Israeli have released their 2000 AD comic strip Leviathan as a graphic novel. It’s about a gigantic ocean liner, a mile long, that set out on its maiden voyage in 1928 and has somehow been lost in the middle of the ocean for 20 years. A structured society – based on ticket class – has evolved on board, but is being disrupted by a series of murders, which may or may not be being carried out by a semi-mythical being (a ‘stoker’) that stalks the lower decks.

Sounds like a great read – except that I feel like I’ve already read it.

James Lovegrove published a novel named  The Hope back in 1990. It’s about a gigantic ocean liner, 3 miles long, that set out on its maiden voyage and has somehow been lost in the middle of the ocean for decades. A structured society – based on ticket class – has evolved on board, but is threatened by a series of strange and terrifying events, some involving a semi-mythical being (the ‘Compass Man’) that stalks the lower decks.

Leviathan was first published in 2000 AD in the early 2000’s, just over ten years after The Hope. I don’t want to accuse anyone of plagiarism – but I do have to wonder at the similarity.

Sarah, Say it Ain’t So

Currently there’s a thread up on a board I frequent where people are sharing music via the wonder of YouTube. While perusing said thread I came across this piece by Nick Drake (who’s Nick Drake? Shame on you!)

While listening to it I couldn’t help thinking it sounded familiar. Then I realised why…

Now, maybe it’s just my tin ear. And maybe it’s difficult to construct a melancholy song around a descending scale without sounding like every other melancholy song constructed around a descending scale. And maybe it’s a tribute from Sarah Blasko to Nick Drake. But it really does seem a bit too close to me.

Say it ain’t so Sarah!

Close Bitnami banner
Bitnami