Yesterday's Tomorrows by Rian Hughes

Yesterday's Tomorrows Reviews

• 
  Alex Sarll

  As the title suggests, the defining quality of Hughes' art is retro-futurism, and sure, he gives great chrome fin and robot servant, as seen most poignantly in the card set 'Visions of the Future'. What's really interesting, though, is how that modulates across different projects. Perhaps the most famous piece here, the Grant Morrison-scripted 'Dare', sees the New Elizabethan space hero Dan Dare old and tired and facing a Britain that's betrayed him; an angry, nasty eighties spin on fifties dreams. But then a few years later, Morrison and Hughes collaborate again on 'Really & Truly', possibly the most nineties thing I've ever seen (and I go to Menswear gigs). It's awash with sixties references, all Burroughs and Nadsat, pushed forward into a future after California's Big One (whatever happened to that as a fear?). Also contained here are various other bits and pieces (though by no means everything, despite what you might infer from that 'collected comics' on the cover) including a Raymond Chandler adaptation that doesn't really work for me (I seldom buy prose into comics, and with someone as wordy as Chandler the lettering gets hideously cramped), and 'The Science Service'. This last, a 1988 vision of 2051, ends up oddly prescient as regards 2014, with its London of weirdly-shaped new skyscrapers and hideous corporate-branded novelty venues. There's even a London Overground!
• 
  Tony Laplume

  Both the title and Hughes' art, for me, evokes the work of Dean Motter (Mister X). That being said, I'm not going to talk about the whole collection, or even about both of the Grant Morrison stories featured therein. The second, Really and Truly, is amusing enough.
  
  But if you're a Morrison fan, Yesterday's Tomorrows is essential in that it reprints Dare, one of his many all-but-lost British classics.
  
  Dare concerns the further exploits of Dan Dare, a classic British character you would have to be British to even know exists. It is a scathing political fable. Because Morrison doesn't have the stature of Alan Moore but can sometimes be hard to talk about without mentioning Moore, Dare might best be described as Morrison's V for Vendetta.
  
  As with many of Morrison's works from this period of his career, Dare is relatively brief. Yet its impact, and the deftness of its storytelling, whether you know anything about Dan Dare or not, is breathtaking. One of the things Morrison is constantly criticized for is his lack of accessibility. Hughes' work helps make Dare very accessible.
  
  Another of Morrison's projects, The Invisibles, has been referenced by fans as a precursor to The Matrix, if not outright an unacknowledged source of inspiration. Yet Dare bares remarkable resemblance to concepts depicted in The Matrix, too (you might also see a little Soylent Green in it).
  
  By reprinting Dare within Yesterday's Tomorrows, hopefully this is the next step in broadening awareness of it.
• 
  Michael Norwitz

  Rian Hughes' art harkens back to a streamlined 50's style reminiscent of the science fiction illustrations of the era. This anthology offers stories from Grant Morrison, Raymond Chandler, John Freeman, and others. It's a pleasure to read, although Morrison's dark and reflective post-Thatcherite revival of Dan Dare is the high point in my opinion.
• 
  Robert Boyd

  I thought Rian Hughes was fantastic when I first saw his work, but his retro-futurist art is otclassed by Yves Chaland, Ted Benoit, Serge Clerc and Daniel Torres. The stories here are mostly amusing trifles. The Dan Dare story, written by Grant Morrison. was a heavy handed anti-Thatcher story.
• 
  Erik

  Hughes art is really good, and I really enjoyed the change in style from one story to another. The stories themselves were pretty weak though. With the extras though this is a great book for Rian Hughes fans.
• 
  Lawrence

  
  https://gnomeship.blogspot.com/2020/0...
• 
  Jessica-Robyn

  In Yesterday's Tomorrows, we have five short comics, each with it's own writer and story, but all with the same artist, Rian Hughes. Each story has a unique format and shows a lot of Hughes range and techniques, which were all wonderful on different levels.
  
  Unfortunately what each story has to offer plot wise is a bit of a mixed bag. Although overall the content of this collection was pretty good and the art was excellent, the storytelling just couldn't hold my attention in any sort of meaningful way.
  
  Since I'm not a follower of Rian Hughes or any of the writers for this book, I'm speaking just from the perspective of a causal reader who happened upon this collection. I grabbed this off the shelf because the cover got me. I didn't know what I was in for, but a quick flip through the pages and I was sold on at least reading it through.
  
  I'll admit that I am a little disappointed. I had hoped that at least one of these stories would WOW me. I wanted to be amazed by something and with 5 really good possibilities, yes, it was disappointing to not get that captivating moment.
  
  However, if science fiction comics is your forte then this is something you have to check out. Nothing here particularly wowed me, but that doesn't mean someone more in love with the genre wouldn't see things differently.
  
  Since this is just an overall review, for a story by story run-down, including individual ratings and comments, take a look at my status updates for this book. I don't see much of a point just doing some sort of copy+paste and that might give some more insight into what's-what, without any spoilers.
• 
  Artur Coelho

  O estilo retro-futurista do ilustrador Rian Hughes está em destaque neste livro que colige histórias que ilustrou. Visualmente é um mimo, trazendo ao leitor uma mescla de estilo googie, as cores suaves mas vibrantes em voga nos anos 50, design retro, e toda a parafernália visual de uma tecnologia de ferro curvado e a espiralar para os céus. Histórias como Science Service, Dan Dare e Realy & Truly evidenciam o concretizar no papel destas visões de futuros que nunca aconteceram. Dan Dare, com argumento de Grant Morrison, é a mais brilhante das histórias coligidas. Visualmente está um espanto, com Hughes a actualizar com um toque certeiro de decadência as visões ingénuas de Frank Hampson, criador desta personagem clássica da BD inglesa. Sendo um argumento de Morrison, é de esperar coisa interessante, e não desilude. A inocência luzidia do Dan Dare original leva com uma dose forte de cinismo inspirado no neoliberalismo violento dos anos de Thatcher numa história sobre a amargura da velhice, as ilusões da utopia e o gosto pelo poder a qualquer custo. De Morrison ainda lemos Realy & Truly, talvez escrito sob influência de psicotrópicos com uma ilustração que não lhe fica atrás. Science Service leva-nos a um hipotético futuro, onde os sonhos retro-futuristas moldaram uma realidade que por debaixo do utopismo luzidio esconde a habitual corrupção humana.
• 
  Lisa

  Not really my thing, too science fictiony, however it included Goldfish, a story by Raymond Chandler that was pretty awesome, so 3 stars for that alone!
• 
  Rick

  Originally published as a limited edition hardcover, the beautiful Yesterday's Tomorrows features the clean stylings of acclaimed graphic illustrator Rian Hughes. With five comic book stories -- two by
  Grant Morrison including the controversial post-modern interruption of the iconic Dan Dare, an adaptation of
  Raymond Chandler's "Goldfish," and two over-the-top 50s-infused science fiction stories -- and a sketchbook of designs, trading cards, covers, and pin ups, Hughes demonstrates his mastery over different genres and techniques. While the writing quality of the various tales wavers, the uniqueness of Hughes' gorgeous vision remains impressive. At the affordable price of $24.99 for 264 full color pages, Yesterday's Tomorrows is a welcome addition to any graphic novel or science fiction collection.
• 
  Michael

  This one's a collection of five comics stories and various sketchbook materials, drawn by designer Rian Hughes. Hughes is a strong designer, but years ago when he drew these stories hadn't reached his current heights. The art's solid and effective, but not as striking as some of his other work. The scripts, unfortunately, don't even live up to that standard. Grant Morrison writes two of them, and I did like his re-imagining of Dan Dare (not that I've read any other imagining!) quiet a bit, somber, political, dream-crushingly astute. The rest, bleh. Tom DeHaven's adaptation of Raymond Chandler's Goldfish just laid there, and the rest had no focus to keep the narrative together.
• 
  Norman

  Hughes has his very unique style and I have come to love it. It appears deceptively simple but in fact comes from a strong design background. Notice also his many tricks in the background - pistols called XL5, cars with licence plates FAB1, look for a silhouette of a Klingon cruiser in the background etc etc
  The Dare story is the most controversial but only if you believe dan dare should not be adapted or extended beyond the 50s/60s. Otherwise I found it a true representation of the hero showing his true value. The Chandler tale is gorgeous to look at and even makes sense - unusual for Chandler
• 
  Sam Cavanagh

  Ever have one of those books that you buy just because of the cover? This book was that for me. Then I flicked to the reference and sketch area at the back and I was sold.
  Rian Hughes creates a future that's both amazing and depressing all at once like looking at the wonder of the future through the eyes of the past. Everything is meticulously designed but also covered in graffiti and filth.
  Also add in a great Grant Morrison Dan Dare story and a 2000AD story and a Raymond Chandler story that drips with Darwyn Cooke style colouring (even though its 20 years old) and you've got a great read
• 
  Karen

  I couldn't get into this. If I were a comic book geek and/or British, perhaps I could have. As it was, the stories didn't pull me in, and a couple of them just wandered off instead of ending in any satisfying manner.
• 
  Matthew

  I did not complete the book as the stories after Dan Dare did not seem of interest to me. However, I enjoyed the detail and design of the illustrations. It is worth reading.
• 
  Lynne

  This was ok, but I found it a little dull. the Dan Dare story was by far the best.
• 
  Damon

  Liked this pretty much.
• 
  Mark

  Hughes is a classy, iconic illustrator. The big draw is two collaborations with Grant Morrison: "Dan Dare" and "Really and Truly." Great adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "Goldfish" by Tom DeHaven.