Publisher's Synopsis
We Promised Utopia is a sci-fi epic that takes place in three separate eras, starting with the modern struggle to respond to climate change and inequality; then a utopian future where rising corruption threatens to undo society's hard-won harmony; and, finally, a bleak far-future ice age, in which society has collapsed into small bands of humans struggling to survive.
The first era centers on Isabel Bari, a charismatic idealist attempting to launch a global carbon-based currency. The second era follows auditor Mangus Skåber and his quest to uncover and punish the enemies of Bari's utopia. The final era features a small family scavenging for food and survival, encountering remnants of the previous eras on their journey south where they hope to find salvation. Though separated by thousands of years, these characters will be critical in the rise, fall, and hopeful resurgence of a perfect world.
Charles J. Martin is a novelist, journalist, and comic creator who founded Literati Press Comics and Novels in 2010 as a small publishing company with a focus on cerebral and progressive storytelling. He's a co-creator of We Promised Utopia and Glamorella's Daughter and co-writer of Enigma Machine. In 2016, Martin opened a bookshop in the Paseo Arts District boasting a carefully curated collection of comics, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Robert Holman is a Geophysicist at Chesapeake Energy who loves science fiction and fantasy. His favorite works include those by JRR Tolkien and Brandon Sanderson. While Robert has been published in scientific journals, being a co-creator for We Promised Utopia is his first artistic project. You can find him outside fishing, hiking, camping, or rockhounding. He lives in Oklahoma with wife, Susan, and three daughters who are named after songs by The Beatles: Eleanor, Lucy, and Penny.
Adrian Morales is an engineer by training and profession. Most important to him in this project was to deliver an intriguing and thoughtful story with sci-fi aspects rooted in current technology. He is not an artistic creator by training, but finds passion in collaborating with his peers in this epic project. His own technical writing can be found in journals and conferences.
John Eric Osborn is an Oklahoma-based artist/designer/teacher who has artwork in comic shops, schools, and stores throughout the country. He is the co-creator of the sci-fi dystopian graphic novel We Promised Utopia, the robot sci-fi adventure Enigma Machine, and the all-ages Hiro Doggie: Space Corgi. He specializes in portraits, figure drawing, corgis, pinup girls, and sequential art. He is art director of Literati Press.
Jonathan Koelsch is a full-time illustrator and creator in comics, picture books, storyboards, concept art, and animation. Jonathan's latest graphic novel and comic work includes We Promised Utopia, Rez Detectives, Luther (historical non-fiction), and he has storyboarded many feature films and animated shorts. His client list includes Marvel via Upper Deck, WarnerMedia, TNT, SYFY, Dreamworks, LEGO, Mattel, Target, AT&T, OKC Thunder (their NBA official illustrated mascot), the University of Oklahoma (OU), OSU, and several other children's magazine, graphic novel, and book publishers.
Chloé Elimam is a recent BFA graduate from Columbus College of Art and Design. Passionate about visual development and character design, Chloé loves to learn and develop her craft and to use the skills she learns to bring stories to life. She has worked on children's books, graphic novels, and comics as an illustrator, and she is pursuing her dream of working in the animation industry as a visual development artist.
