From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Transmutation of Ike Garuda
The Transmutation of Ike Garuda
The Transmutation of Ike Garuda Setting
The Transmutation of Ike Garuda is set in a future in which
interstellar spaceflight transportation has been obsolet-
ed by the Galactic Access System (abbreviated G.A.S.), an in-
terstellar transportation system that uses teleportation
devices called wombs that function in a way similar to the
transporters of Star Trek. Wombs are not entirely reliable:
luggage is frequently lost, and, less commonly, people are
lost as well (it is also implied that the Tranzit Authority
may deliberately "lose" its enemies, thereby assassinat-
ing them). Furthermore, a few planets, like New Saxon,
are off-line, meaning that, for unknown (at least, at the
beginning of the story) reasons, they cannot be reached
by G.A.S.
The universe is dominated by four organizations:
• the G.A.S. Tranzit Authority (abbreviated T.A.), the
most powerful megacorp in the universe due to its
monopoly over G.A.S.
• Diamond Minds (abbreviated D.M.), a smaller
megacorp, rival to the Tranzit Authorit; it specializes
in mind-related technologies and controls a planet
also known as Diamond Minds
• Cybertronics Systems (abbreviated Cy-Systems), a
Cover of the 1st issue megacorp specializing in cyberware and organ
growing
Publication information
• Hermeeze Elite (abbreviated Hermeeze or Elite), a very
Publisher Epic Comics reliable courier service whose Grade A couriers may
Format Prestige format mini-series be trusted to safeguard the messages they carry with
their lives
Genre Science fiction Some terms are different from modern-day usage. Com-
Publication date July 1991 – January 1992 puters are known as brain-banks, or more simply, as brains
or banks. The calendar uses, instead of years, periods of
Number of issues 2
time known as kics or kiks (the spelling differs through
Creative team the comic).
Writer(s) Elaine Lee
Artist(s) James Sherman
Plot synopsis
Private detective Ike Garuda is called in by Diamond
Creator(s) Elaine Lee
Minds, ostensibly to investigate the theft of a prototype
of one of its experimental technologies, a sending platform
The Transmutation of Ike Garuda is a two-issue prestige for-
or soloflight transport device. As Garuda investigates, he
mat mini-series published by the Epic Comics imprint of
learns that rather than being involved in a simple indus-
Marvel Comics, with the first issue being released in 1991
trial espionage case, he is actually caught up in a deep-
and the second issue in 1992. It was written by Elaine Lee,
er and much more complex conspiracy that threatens to
with art by James Sherman.
upset the balance of power in the universe.
Like some of Elaine Lee’s other work, The Transmuta-
tion of Ike Garuda is science fiction of the noir space opera
genre.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Transmutation of Ike Garuda
Characters • Lekbah, a Grade A Hermeeze Elite courier working for
Xavier Swann
Characters, in order of their appearance or mention in • Boote, Xavier Swann’s guard, born in and adapted for
The Transmutation of Ike Garuda, with descriptions of low-gravity environments
whom they apparently are when they are first intro- • Jerry Diamond, Jim Diamond’s cousin
duced (by the end of the story, many of the characters are
revealed to be something other than what they initially
seemed):
Themes
• Ike Garuda, the protagonist, a private detective who The Transmutation of Ike Garuda explores a number of sci-
has had some of his memories artificially erased ence fiction existential themes and asks bioethical ques-
against his will tions, such as whether a person who enters a womb has
• Frankie Pongo, a Grade B (second-rate) courier sent by the same identity as the same person reconstituted in a
Jim Diamond to meet Garuda when Garuda arrives on womb on another planet, and whether biodroid copies
Diamond Minds are just as real as the people on whom they are based.[ci-
• Jim Diamond, owner of Diamond Minds, who hires tation needed]
Garuda
• Lark Diamond, daughter of Jim Diamond and manager
of Diamond Minds, who deals with Garuda on her
See also
father’s behalf • Starstruck
• Barry Reasoner, a stuttering engineer who witnessed
the robbery of the sending platform
• Billy Argent, head of Cybertronics Systems, dying of a
References
degenerative disease • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda at the Grand Comics
• an unnamed Ontean, an alien from the off-line Database
planet Onté who desperately wants to return home, • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda at the Comic Book DB
working as a supervisor for the Tranzit Authority • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda at the Big Comic Book
• Maera Lethe, a Tranzit Authority agent and DataBase
interrogator-through-torture who has history with
Garuda External links
• Lark Too, a biodroid copy of Lark Diamond
• Lirren Vyne, owner of the pleasure planet Vyne’s • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda Squiddy Award
World, a member of the three-sexed Rhodbydysawd nomination in 1991
• Eddie Argent, nephew and representative of Billy • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda Squiddy Award
Argent nomination in 1992
• Director Paloma, a representative of the Tranzit • The Transmutation of Ike Garuda on Atomic Avenue
Authority
• Xavier Swann, head of Hermeeze Elite, living on his
generation spaceship (or gen ship, for short)
Swannsong
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Transmutation_of_Ike_Garuda&oldid=445318322"
Categories:
• Marvel Comics limited series
• Epic Comics titles
• 1991 comic debuts
• Science fiction comics
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