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Welcome to the "Helios on the Moon" Webpage

Search the Website - The 'Launch 1980' Story Cycle - Launch Buzz - 'The Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories' Epic Trilogy - Glories Buzz - The '1000 Days' Mini-Novels - 1000 Buzzes - The Phantacea Graphic Novels - Gnovels Buzz - Start Page Proper - Page Contents - Hel-Moon Graphics - Bottom of Page Ordering and pHanta-Sites Lynx

"Helios on the Moon", the climactic third entry in the epic 'Launch 1980' story cycle, is now available for ordering either online or directly from the publisher.

Full cover for Helios on the Moon, with spine, artiwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

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Dedicated webpage starts here. Ordering lynx are at bottom of the page.

Front covers for Helios on the Moon and Nuclear DragonsPoster for Launch 1980 story cycle and War-Pox e-bookHel-Moon marks the culminating chapter of the 'Launch 1980' story cycle, Jim McPherson's long term project to novelize what was intended to be Phase One of the Phantacea comic book series. The first two entries in the trilogy are "The War of the Apocalyptics" and "Nuclear Dragon", the latter of which was both set and written simultaneously with "Helios on the Moon".

Based on comic book storylines that began with the launching of the Cosmic Express in Phantacea One, 1977, a similar version of Hel-Moon was serialized on pH-Webworld beginning in 1996. Like all the Phantacea Mythos books and graphic novels, it's an ensemble piece featuring multiple characters and story sequences interspersed with breathtaking action.

Characters on Hel-Moon's front cover are listed here; characters on the back cover here. A ten second teaser for the novel is here; a two second teaser here. An earlier 'work-in-progress' cover can be found on pH-Webworld along with serial synopses for the original prose versions of the interconnected novels. Excerpts from the novel, some of which were edited out of the final print and digital versions, link from Phantacea Publications' main menu.

Look Inside opportunities for most of the Phantacea Mythos full-length novels, mini-novels and graphic novels can be accessed online via Google Books, amazon.com and Drive Thru Fiction. More here.

Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014
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Phantacea Publications in Print

Phantacea Publications in Print

- 'Phantacea Phase Two' 2016-2018 - The 'Launch 1980' story cycle - 'The Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories' Fantasy Trilogy - The '1000 Days' Mini-Novels - The phantacea Graphic Novels -

Phantacea Phase Two 2016-2018

Decimation Damnation

E-cover for Decimation Damnation, cover collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2016

Published in 2016; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

Hidden Headgames

Front cover for Hidden Headgames, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2017

Published in 2017; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

Daemonic Desperation

Promo collage entitled Daemonic Desperation

Tentative cover for Dem-Des; will probably be changed before it's published; scheduled to be released in 2018;
Phantacea Phase Two physically began with 2016's "Decimation Damnation", the first mini-novel extracted from the as yet open-ended saga of 'Wilderwitch's Babies'. It was set between the 9th of Tantalar and the 1st of Yamana, 5980 Year of the Dome. However, its follow-up, "Hidden Headgames" was set between the 30th of Maruta and the 14th of Tantalar in that same year. "Daemonic Desperation" picks up Babes near the end of the second week of Yamana and continues through the Summer Solstice of 5981. As the last known member of the Damnation Brigade, if the Witch was fortunate to survive Dec-Dam, alive and pregnant, she may not be so lucky come the end of Dem-Des. Oddly enough, her unborn babies may yet still be both viable and unborn by then.
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The 'Launch 1980' Story Cycle

The War of the Apocalyptics

Front cover of War Pox, artwork by Ian Bateson, 2009

Published in 2009; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

Nuclear Dragons

Nuclear Dragons front cover, artwork by Ian Bateson, 2013

Published in 2013; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

Helios on the Moon

Front cover for Helios on the Moon, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Published in 2014; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

The 'Launch 1980' story cycle comprises three complete, multi-character mosaic novels, "The War of the Apocalyptics", "Nuclear Dragons" and "Helios on the Moon", as well as parts of two others, "Janna Fangfingers" and "Goddess Gambit". Together they represent creator/writer Jim McPherson's now concluded project to novelize the Phantacea comic book series.
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'The Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories' Epic Fantasy

Feeling Theocidal

Front Cover for Feel Theo, artwork by Verne Andru, 2008

Published in 2008; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here

The 1000 Days of Disbelief

Front cover of The Thousand Days of Disbelief, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2010

Published as three mini-novels, 2010/11; main webpage is here

Goddess Gambit

Front cover for Goddess Gambit by Verne Andru, 2012

Published in 2012; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here

Circa the Year of Dome 2000, Anvil the Artificer, a then otherwise unnamed, highborn Lazaremist later called Tvasitar Smithmonger, dedicated the first three devic talismans, or power foci, that he forged out of molten Brainrock to the Trigregos Sisters.

The long lost, possibly even dead, simultaneous mothers of devakind hated their offspring for abandoning them on the far-off planetary Utopia of New Weir. Not surprisingly, their fearsome talismans could be used to kill Master Devas (devils).

For most of twenty-five hundred years, they belonged to the recurring deviant, Chrysaor Attis, time after time proven a devaslayer. On Thrygragon, Mithramas Day 4376 YD, he turned them over to his Great God of a half-father, Thrygragos Varuna Mithras, to use against his two brothers, Unmoving Byron and Little Star Lazareme, in hopes of usurping their adherents and claiming them as his own.

Hundreds of years later, these selfsame thrice-cursed Godly Glories helped turn the devil-worshippers of Sedon's Head against their seemingly immortal, if not necessarily undying gods. Now, five hundred years after the 1000 Days of Disbelief, they've been relocated.

The highest born, surviving devic goddesses want them for themselves; want to thereby become incarnations of the Trigregos Sisters on the Hidden Continent. An Outer Earthling, one who has literally fallen out of the sky after the launching of the Cosmic Express, gets to them first ...
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The '1000 Days' Mini-Novels

The Death's Head Hellion

- Sedonplay -

Front cover for The Death's Head Hellion, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2010

Published in 2010; main web presence is here; Character Companion starts here; ordering lynx are here;

Contagion Collectors

- Sedon Plague -

Front cover for Contagion Collectors, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2010

Published in 2010; main web presence is here; Character Companion starts here; ordering lynx are here;

Janna Fangfingers

- Sedon Purge -

Front cover for Janna Fangfingers, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2011

Published in 2011; two storylines recounted side-by-side, the titular one narrated by the Legendarian in 5980, the other indirectly leading into the 'Launch 1980' story cycle; main web presence is here; Character Companion starts here; ordering lynx are here;

In the Year of the Dome 4825, Morgan Abyss, the Melusine Master of the Utopian Weirdom of Cabalarkon, seizes control of Primeval Lilith, the ageless, seemingly unkillable Demon Queen of the Night. The eldritch earthborn is the real half-mother of the invariably mortal Sed-sons but, once she has hold of her, aka Lethal Lily, Master Morgan proceeds to trap the Moloch Sedon Himself.

In the midst of the bitter, century-long expansion of the Lathakran Empire, the Hidden Headworld's three tribes of devil-gods are forced to unite in an effort to release their All-Father. Unfortunately for them, they're initially unaware Master Morg, the Death's Head Hellion herself, has also got hold of the Trigregos Talismans, devic power foci that can actually kill devils, and Sedon's thought-father Cabalarkon, the Undying Utopian she'll happily slay if they dare attack her Weirdom.

Utopians from Weir have never given up seeking to wipe devils off not just the face of the Inner Earth, but off the planet itself. Their techno and biomages, under the direction of the Weirdom of Cabalarkon's extremely long-lived High Illuminary, Quoits Tethys, have determined there is only one sure way to do that -- namely, to infect the devils' Inner Earth worshippers with fatal plagues brought in from the Outer Earth.

Come All-Death Day there are more Dead Things Walking than Living Beings Talking. Believe it or not, that's the good news.
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phantacea Graphic Novels

Forever and Forty Days

- The Genesis of Phantacea -

Front cover of Forever and Forty Days; artwork by Ian Fry and Ian Bateson, ca 1990

Published in 1990; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here

 

The Damnation Brigade

- Phantacea Revisited 1 -

Front cover of The Damnation Brigade, artwork by Ian Bateson, retouching by Chris Chuckry 2012

Published in 2013; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here

Cataclysm Catalyst

- Phantacea Revisited 2 -

Front cover for Cataclysm Catalyst, artwork by Verne Andru, 2013

Published in 2014, main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here

Kadmon Heliopolis had one life. It ended in October 1968. The Male Entity has had many lives. In his fifth, he and his female counterpart, often known as Miracle Memory, engendered more so than created the Moloch Sedon. They believe him to be the Devil Incarnate. They've been attempting to kill him ever since. Too bad it's invariably he, Heliosophos (Helios called Sophos the Wise), who gets killed instead.

On the then still Whole Earth circa the Year 4000 BCE, one of their descendants, Xuthros Hor, the tenth patriarch of Golden Age Humanity, puts into action a thought-foolproof, albeit mass murderous, plan to succeed where the Dual Entities have always failed. He unleashes the Genesea. The Devil takes a bath.

Fifty-nine hundred and eighty years later, New Century Enterprises launches the Cosmic Express from Centauri Island. It never reaches Outer Space; not all of it anyhow. As a stunning consequence of its apparent destruction, ten extraordinary supranormals are reunited, bodies, souls and minds, after a quarter century in what they've come to consider Limbo. They name themselves the Damnation Brigade. And so it appears they are -- if perhaps not so much damned as doomed.

At least one person survives the launching of the Cosmic Express. He literally falls out of the sky -- on the Hidden Continent of Sedon's Head. An old lady saves him. Except this old lady lives in a golden pagoda, rides vultures and has a third eye. She also doesn't stay old long. He becomes her willing soldier, acquires the three Sacred Objects and goes on a rampage, against his own people, those that live.

Meanwhile, Centauri Island, the launch site of the Cosmic Express, comes under attack from Hell's Horsemen. Only it's not horses they ride. It's Atomic Firedrakes!
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A Phantacea Publications Webpage
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"Helios on the Moon"

| Search Engine | Page Welcome | Publications in Print | 30 Second Teaser | Front and Back Covers | Text on Back Cover | Auctorial Preamble | Row upon Row of Graphics for Hel-Moon in particular and the 'Launch 1980' story cycle in general | Ordering Lynx | Additional phantacea Websites |
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"Helios on the Moon" - A Thirty Second Tease

Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, re the Dual Entities

Some two hundred thousand light years before the present, the Dual Entities caused the first Weirstar to go supernova. They were attempting to annihilate not just the Moloch Sedon, whom they helped engender in an earlier lifetime, his Fifth, and still believe to be the Devil Incarnate.

They were also targetting his three Great God sons, the Thrygragos Brothers, and all their then nameless offspring by his Great God daughters, the Trigregos Sisters. They only partially succeeded. Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, using Phantacea artwork

They didn't even try to wipe out the three Sisters. Indeed, they yet live -- on New Weirworld.

========

Over four thousand years earlier, in yet another lifetime, the Dual Entities believed the Devil as well as the by then longtime, earthly Demon King Sedon was cohabiting with his fellow Perpetual Presence, Pyrame Silverstar, on the Outer Earth near the not quite yet Dead Sea.

They tried to assassinate them -- he, as King Sodom; she, the half-mother of his Dome-preserving Sed-sons, as Queen Gomorrah -- with an asteroid. They missed, or nearly missed, but in the process triggered a massive eruption that ripped an enduring gash in Cathonia.

(It, aka the Cathonic Zone or, less correctly but much more commonly, the Cathonic Dome, lies between the Inner and the Outer Earth; keeps them separate. Still does as well, mostly.)

Collages utilizing Phantacea graphics, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014Over time this gash came to be known as the SAG Gap, for Sodom and Gomorrah. Sometimes it wanders, both in terms of its ingress and its egress. Sometimes it's stationary, although usually only in terms of where it exits on the Inner Earth.

In 5980, Year of the selfsame Dome, it's akin to a Black Hole, anchored in outer space not far from the Moon. It doesn't go through the Dome anymore. It goes to New Weirworld, where dwell the Trigregos Sisters.

========

The launching of the Cosmic Express takes place on the 30th of November 1980. It never makes it beyond Earth's atmosphere, not entirely. One of its component cosmicars does blast out of between-space near the Moon. Its cosmicompanions are possessed, by decathonitized demon-devils.

(Decathonitized in part means they can kill, apparently with impunity, all the more so since they're not on, in or above the Hidden Continent of Sedon's Head anymore.)

The UNES Liberty is already in lunar orbit. A membranous hand stretches out of somewhere. It's reaching for the cosmicar. Collages prepared by Jim McPherson suggestive of King Cold and Freespirit NihilaIt looks like it belongs to a little boy, an impossibly huge little boy.

The Liberty gets help, if you can count a middle-aged Gypsium Man and an even older, prototypical Multivoid help.

========

Must be time for the Headworld's most revered Death Gods, the two (very) highborn Thanatoids of Frozen Lathakra, to finally reap the rewards of their power-draining efforts to free their fourth generational offspring from Cathonia, not to mention Limbo.

Must be time for Freespirit Nihila to reunite with her lover of thirty-five hundred years ago, during the heyday of the Goddess Culture in the Outer Earth's Middle Sea. Must be time for Thrygragos Lazareme to go walkabout.

Or not.

========

The time-tumbling Dual Entities are on the Moon. They're not alone. Or won't be for long. If heads do roll, and if one of them is one of theirs, is that necessarily a bad thing, especially for the other? Depends on who you ask.
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Helios on the Moon

- Front and Back Covers -

Front and back covers for the digital and print versions of Helios on the Moon, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, text by Jim McPherson, 2014

Artwork in both panels by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014; text by Jim McPherson, 2014

========

The background in this panel combines the outer space backdrop of the darker front cover of "Helios on the Moon" with a graphic taken from pH-4, 'Lunar Trigon', by Gene Day, 1979

background images prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, using Phantacea graphics

The background in the panel beside this combines the same outer space backdrop with two images drawn by Verne Andru: the first (as Verne Andrusiek) of old King Cold from pH-6, 1980; the other of Freespirit Nihila from the cover of "Cataclysm Catalyst", 2013/14; the third figure is of the Gynosphinx, All of Incain, taken from the darker front cover of "Helios on the Moon", art by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Backgrounds prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, mostly using images taken from publications featuring the Phantacea Mythos

 

 

 

 

Back Cover Text

Front covers for print and digital versions of Helios on the Moon, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

The Dual Entities return to their own timeline determined to make life perfect for everyone.

Heads are bound to roll!

Scientists first detect signals coming from outer space in early 1978. Finally there is proof humanity isn't alone. A month later, they pinpoint the source. Elation gives way to near-panic. The beams are coming from the Earth’s moon!

The United Nations’ Security Council agrees to meet this off-worldly intrusion aggressively. The result, the UNES Liberty, is already in lunar orbit when, on the Thirtieth of November 1980, the launching of the Cosmic Express takes place on the Outer Earth’s Centauri Island.

At the same time, three Great Goddesses preside over an extraordinary session of the Courtroom of the Visionary in the far off Utopia of New Weir. Meanwhile, on the Inner Earth of Sedon’s Head, the Hidden Continent’s most revered Death Gods prepare to welcome home the entirety of their fragmented family, devils almost to a one.

From the creator/writer of the Phantacea Mythos comes the culmination of the ‘Launch 1980’ story cycle. Plus, a surprise addendum to “Goddess Gambit”, the concluding novel in ‘The Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories’ fantasy masterpiece.

 
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"Helios on the Moon" - Auctorial Preamble

Launch 1980 promos with images taken from Phantacea comic books, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014Thus ends Phantacea Phase One.

So I intended to write on the inside front cover of Phantacea Seven in 1981. Except, it never got finished. I next reckoned on writing it about a decade later when Phantacea Phase One #15 came out. Except, this time, that project never got beyond the #1 stage; not in print anyhow.

That said, #2 and a number of background stories were ready for press; as were the scripts and reprint art for a good deal of the rest. While most of these did make it into one or another of the graphic novels released by Phantacea Publications over the years, prepublication orders didn't warrant continuing the Phantacea Mythos at that time; especially not in that form. (Artists aren't just temperamental, they're costly.)

Let me repeat: ‘Thus ends Phantacea Phase One’. Sounds good, after all these years, but "Helios on the Moon" does much more than that.
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It also ends the ‘Launch 1980’ story cycle, my personal project to novelize the Phantacea comic book series. Plus, for those who felt the ending of the last trilogy, ‘The Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories’, as presented in "Goddess Gambit", was not absolutely clear as to whether anyone survived – or anyone not explicitly done away with already didn't – that'll be sorted starting about nine chapters, or ‘moons’, from now.

Collages prepared using covers for Cataclysm Catalyst, art by Verne Andru, 2013; collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2013/14Not surprisingly Ninth Moon shares commonality with "The War of the Apocalyptics", the first book in the Launch trilogy, in that it continues winding down the stirring saga of the Damnation Brigade and their erstwhile companion in supra-doings, Kid Ringo, nowadays Ringleader.

As for the Family Thanatos and their never-remembered ‘guest’, the fiendish, always smiling fellow who speaks in bold-italics, they show up three moons prior to D-Brig et al. Of course non-devic characters didn't just precede non-devic characters literally, in terms of literature, they preceded  them chronologically.

Witness "Feeling Theocidal" and "The 1000 Days of Disbelief", which were set in the Cathonic Dome’s Fifth and mid-Sixth Millennium respectively. Or "Forever & 40 Days -- the Genesis of PHANTACEA", which featured a series of graphic story snippets set before there was a Dome, let alone a Genesea necessitating one.
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Collages based on cover for Nuclear Dragons, images taken from comic books and Ian Bateson's cover, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014The previous book in this trilogy, "Nuclear Dragons", divided into four parts. ‘Indescribable Defiance’ began it with the launching of the Cosmic Express. We saw what happened to one of its cosmicars in War-Pox, and to the cosmicompanions aboard it in Gambit. We're about to begin finding out what becomes of one occupant of the control hub, one of the other cosmicars and the seven cosmicompanions occupying it.

Nuke’s aforementioned first part also brought our attention to the small matter of a perceived menace on the Moon, something also alluded to during War-Pox, and what governments and top dog corporations were doing about it. For starters, they set up the United Nations SPACE Council (‘Society for the Prevention of Alien Control of Earth’) and appointed the by now 80-year old Great Man, Loxus Abraham Ryne, to run it.

He promptly had built, and launched, the United Nations of Earth Spaceship (UNES) Liberty. Not that long before Hel-Moon gets (over more so than) underway, it boldly blasted out there in order to deal with said menace, be it alien or otherwise. (Go with the otherwise.)
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In terms of the titular pair who provided ‘Indescribable Defiance’ with its sectional sub-heading, did you know the Space Shuttle Columbia took off secretly in December 1980, months prior to its official inaugural flight? Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, utilizing images taken from Phantacea Mythos publicationsReturned safely, as well. You do now. You’re also not too many moons away from finding out whom it was transporting towards the Liberty, which is already in lunar-synchronous orbit.

Nuke’s second section, ‘The Strife Virus’, focused our attention on, among others, a pair of (very) long term, inveterate nasties, Daemonicus and Strife. Both first appeared, or at least were mentioned, in Feel Theo, the initial book of the ‘Glories’ trilogy. To say the least it seems they're extremely difficult to deal with permanently.

Until, that is, in terms of her anyhow … well, that would be telling too much for a preamble. That said, while preambles may be no place for telling all that’s to come, I would be remiss if I didn't at least remind you of All, capitalized.

Nuke readers will recall the phantom freighter, whence Crystallion and her Hell's Horsemen, whence also Sharkczar. And what have they got to do with Incain’s She-Sphinx you might ask. Once again I refer you to Feel Theo, as well as "Janna Fangfingers" and Gambit.

Ginny the Gynosphinx is no Andy the Androsphinx. She lives on Incain. He persists, in Egypt. She moves; he hasn't since before the Flood. And when she does move, be smart. Stay out of her way.

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Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, utilizing images taken from Phantacea Mythos publicationsSpeaking yet again of Feel Theo, the time-tumbling Dual Entities appear in a number of its story snippets, if perhaps not explicitly so in its underlying narrative, the one-day saga of Thrygragon (Mithramas, Year of the Dome 4376) as told from a number of different viewpoints. As foreshadowed during the course of ‘The Strife Virus’, they do much more than show up in this book; hence its title.

In some respects remarkably, Nuke's final two subsections, ‘Supra Survival’ and ‘Sinking and Swimming’, did leave a few tales left to tell. One who won't be telling them is the deviant Legendarian, Jordan ‘Q for Quill’ Tethys. (The legendary 30-Year Man, aka 30-Beers, came as close as anyone who passes through the Phantacea Mythos comes to being a protagonist, as opposed to just another participant, throughout the ‘Glories’ trilogy.)

Gambit readers may recall that, for a change, Jordy's latest incarnation did not seem to be in jeopardy once the moment of its moderately cliff-dangling denouement arrived. Indeed, they probably assumed that either he or the improbably enormous, ever-fishifying Fisherwoman had saved everyone worth saving.

That was certainly one of the impressions left. Another was that the subheading for its final third, Endgame-Gambit, meant endgame everyone. When it comes to the Phantacea Mythos, it’s always dangerous to make assumptions. That’s why it's Anheroic Fantasy (anheroic = without heroes).

I do feel fairly confident in leaving you with one accurate assumption, however: Every ending begets a new beginning. And a correction to my opening statement.

Thus begins the ending to Phantacea Phase One.

Collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014, for the climactic book in the Launch 1980 story cycle


Jim McPherson
Creator/Writer
The PHANTACEA Mythos
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Graphics prepared for 'Launch 1980' and "Helios on the Moon"

| Final Cover for print version of "Helios on the Moon" | 'Launch 1980' colour promo | Publisher's mock-up for "Helios on the Moon" | B/w Promos for 'Launch 1980' | Collages prepared for 'Launch 1980' | Helio-Humour and the Collage Collective | More Launch Collages | Backgrounds and covers for Hel-Moon | Previous Collages | Earliest Hel-Moon cover variations | Incomplete Table of Covers for Phantacea Publications | Notes on the Page and Panel Backgrounds |

- double-click for enlarged images -

"Helios on the Moon"

Full covers for print version of "Helios on the Moon", artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Final cover for print version of Hel-Moon, the latest multi-character, full-length novel featuring Jim McPherson's Phantacea Mythos

Artwork on both the front and back covers is by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014; Jim McPherson's back cover text can also be read here and here; the sun-moon kissing on lower back cover, is a shot taken by Jim McPherson during his travels; for more on the two head-like graphics at bottom of back cover, see here; notes on panel background here
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Comics and graphic novels novelized

Promo for Launch 1980 story cycle utilizing covers for the the two Phantacea Revisited graphic novels, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

Hel-Moon marks the culminating chapter of the 'Launch 1980' story cycle, Jim McPherson long term project to novelize Phase One of the entire Phantacea comic book series. The first two entries in the trilogy are "The War of the Apocalyptics" and "Nuclear Dragon", the latter of which was rewritten at the same time as "Helios on the Moon"
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Hel-Moon culminates the 'Launch 1980' Story Cycle

Publishers mockup of covers for "Helios on the Moon", images taken from Phantacea comics and the Web

The two female sphinxes (note the wings), the outer space backdrop on the front cover mock-up, and the Louvre's Mithraic relief (featuring Sol and Luna) were taken from the Web. The rest of the artwork on both the front and back covers was taken from the Phantacea comic books, of which much more is here. For more on the two head-like graphics at bottom of back cover, see here; notes on panel background are here

The latest multi-character, full-length mosaic novel from Phantacea Publications is now available for ordering
(James H McPherson, Publisher)
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'Launch 1980'

Promo for The War of the Apocalyptics entry in the Launch 1980 story cyclePromo for the Nuclear Dragons entry in the Launch 1980 story cyclePromo for the Helios on the Moon entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle

The 'Launch 1980' story cycle comprises three complete novels, "The War of the Apocalyptics", "Nuclear Dragons" and "Helios on the Moon", as well as parts of two others, "Janna Fangfingers" and "Goddess Gambit". Together they represent Jim McPherson's now concluded project to novelize the Phantacea comic book series.
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Three from the back cover of "Helios on the Moon"

Yajur, Strife & All, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Thunder and Lightning Lord Yajur, All of Incain (though acting nowhere near as tamely as she looks) and Miracle Memory all appear in Hel-Moon

Memory isn't always altogether Memory, however; she probably isn't occupying Night (the future Ereba Thanatos) at the start either

Heard of Strife, from "Nuclear Dragons" and before that many of the pH-Webworld web-serials? How about Primeval Lilith, most prominently from "The Death's Head Hellion"?

Artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014; collage by Jim McPherson, 2014

 

Memory seizes control of the Liberty

Images taken from Phantacea Publications Helios on the Moon covers, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

Among those on the UNES Liberty when the Mnemosyne Machine aspect of Miracle Memory remotely takes over its controls are Professor Romaine Kinesis and OJ 'Big Max' Maxwell from "Nuclear Dragons"

They don't stay Normie Normalmen for long. Their transformation has nothing to do with the Magellan Toe Brains they're served during their repast with the past, as hosted by the Dual Entities, though

It has, rather, everything to do with the Cosmic Express's secondary, not to mention teleportive, fuel, Gypsium Godstuff, aka Brainrock

Larger Defiance & No Name artwork by Gene Day, taken from pH-4, 1979; smaller Defiance and No Name figures, as well as Liberty, are by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014; collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

The Dual Entities are roughly two thousand years old, taken from the Louvre museum's website here, also here; backdrop also used here and here

The Black Rose of Anarchy

Collage employing images from Phantacea comics, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

Rom Kinesis, Big Max Maxwell, Mik Starrus and Kadmon Heliopolis briefly come into play during "The War of the Apocalyptics", albeit only in a couple of flashback sequences;

However, Starrus, Kinesis and Max have been in phantacea since pH-1, 1977; as per here, Heliopolis as Helios on the Moon first appeared on the front cover of pH-3, 1978;

The Black Rose artwork, which features Mik Starrus and Lord Order, is by Peter Lynde, from pH-3, 1978; the larger versions of Doc Defiance and the Indescribable Mr No Name are by Gene Day, from pH-4, 1979

Artwork in the background of this panel is by Verne Andru, 2013/14, an enlarged version is here; collages by Jim McPherson, 2014

LAC Squads converted on the Moon

Yajur, Strife-Memory, All of Incain, from back cover of Helios on the Moon, artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

The Liberty lets loose two of its four Lunar Assault Crews, one led by an American, the other by a Soviet 'citizen'; evidently both squads quickly come to see the light -- and it's all coming from Helios

The 'Helios on the Moon' graphic is taken from pH-4, 1979, artwork by Gene Day; the rest of the artwork is from the back cover of the novel, "Helios on the Moon", artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014
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Nihila, Ginny, King Cold background

Background prepared by Jim McPherson featuring images taken from Phantacea comics and graphic novels

Bluish background is from darker front cover artwork two panels over; Nihila is taken from cover of "Goddess Gambit", artwork by Verne Andru, 2012; King Cold is from pH-6, artwork by Verne Andrusiek, 1980; Ginny the Gynosphinx (All of Incain), artwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014; same images are used here; more here

Brighter Earth

Full cover for Helios on the Moon, with spine, artiwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Covers will probably be used on PDF and e-book versions of the novel

 

Darker Earth

Full cover for Helios on the Moon, with spine, artiwork by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

Likely covers for print version of the novel

Lunar Trigon background

Lunar Trigon Bg with art from Phantacea comic book

Purplish background is from darker front cover artwork panel to left; Lunar Trigon came from pH-4, art by Gene Day, 1979; more here
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Who's possessing Helios anyhow?

Shot and layout by Jim McPherson, Helios by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

The Female Entity, often aka Miracle Memory, thinks it's Future Order (Lord Vajra, no longer Lord Yajur), from their 99th Lifetimes.

She may actually believe that's true, too. Then again she reckons Future Night (Erebe Thanatos) is humanizing her. Could be she's just as wrong about that.

In any case, her male counterpart, Helios called Sophos the Wise (Heliosophos), doesn't agree with her assertions. He doesn't think anyone's possessing him.

Being a time-tumbler, he might yet prove himself right in that regard. However, as per the graphic, certain indicators strongly argue otherwise.

 

Helio-Humour in 2014

Photo and meshing by Jim McPherson, 2014; Helios by Ricardo Sandoval, 2014

You too can stick your head in the hole and become for a shot ... probably the Sun King, since Jim McPherson, the creator/writer of the Phantacea Mythos, took this shot in Versailles, the onetime home of Louis XIV.

As the caption gives away, it wasn't in 1980, though.

The Dual Entities are time-tumblers, not time-travellers. They fall through time randomly so, even if the events described in the 'Launch 1980' story cycle occurred during Helios's 100th Lifetime, he could easily have spent part of an earlier one in France, ca 2014.

(As rather strongly suggested in "Forever & Forty Days -- the Genesis of Phantacea", he was in Versailles during Louis's reign. Indeed, all due apologies to Alexander Dumas ("The Man in the Iron Mask"), he might even have been Louis.)

The 'Launch 1980' Collage Collective

Collection of collages prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

Three full-length novels, as well as parts of both "Janna Fangfingers" and "Goddess Gambit" comprise the story cycle.

That makes it an ensemble piece, meaning a lot happens, to a lot of characters, in a lot of different places, over the course of roughly ten days. While nary a one might be considered a hero per se, there's plenty of derring-doing.

The two seemingly collecting the collages are shown in the top corners. Some two thousand years ago, when their images were crafted, their generic names were Sol and Luna.

In the Phantacea Mythos, they're the Dual Entities. They're also both on the moon, the reason why everyone else goes there.

Have to say, though, "The Dual Entities on the Moon" doesn't have quite the ring to it you'd want in a book title.

Did anyone survive Gambit?

Background collage utilizing characters on the front cover of Cataclysm Catalyst, artwork by Verne Andru, 2013; prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

A valid question. Either everyone who hadn't died already in "Goddess Gambit" did or something happened to all those still alive once the Godbadian air force reached Diminished Dustmound.

As for the fates of some of those in serious trouble at the end of "Nuclear Dragons", which wasn't set on Sedon's Head, well, conclusions made after reading either book are as valid as conclusions made after reading "The War of the Apocalyptics"

After All (capitalized), which is how it ends, "Helios on the Moon" isn't just set on the moon.

 

 
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The epic 'Launch 1980' fantasy trilogy

Cover for pHz1 by Ian Bateson, 1985; collage by Jim McPherson, 2014

... starts with the launching of the Cosmic Express. But did you know that it wasn't just New Century Enterprises behind it?

You will, once you read Hel-Moon, which effectively marks the end of Phantacea Phase One.

"The War of the Apocalyptics" ensues; "Nuclear Dragons" explode; "Helios on the Moon" climaxes -- as does, as it happens, Mars Bellona, who's pictured in lower right corner of pHz1 cover.

Big Mistake, Maelstrom

DBrig graphic novel cover reversed for Launch 1980 promo by Jim McPherson, 2014

Now that you've got hold of the Elemental Twins' power foci and thereby thoroughly annoyed the newly re-solidified Damnation Brigade, you better flee.

Won't do you much good, though. Indeed, the launching of the Cosmic Express will prove a very bad day for you and yours.

And not just in War-Pox either. Your Thrygragos of an Unmoving father should have never have committed to building the Express.

(Who did you think was occupying the Fatman's Untouchables in, most notably, "Nuclear Dragons" anyhow?)

Waiting in the Wings

She-Sphinx, Nihila, King Cold, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

On the Hidden Continent: Freespirit Nihila, old Kind Cold and All of Incain, to name the three pictured.

The Phantom Freighter, Crystallion and Hell's Horsemen had to have come from somewhere. And if one of the Atomic Idiots (Mithras's Torchbearers) powers nuclear dragons, who do you think powers All while the Idiot's otherwise occupied?

No, it's not Nihila, but one of them is pictured. He's married to the other, Heat to his Cold. And they did have a bunch of children, fourth generation devils all. Guess where a half-dozen of them end up?

Whose face is All wearing? Rather, wearing before she got all Nemesis-like, again, on Sedon's Head after events told in Gambit. Any guesses where she gets to before Hel-Moon ends?

Artwork is as per here

 

Where dwell the thrice-cursed Sisters

Starrus Yajur reach New Weir, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

They haven't been seen since "Forever & Forty Days -- the Genesis of Phantacea" but they, the three simultaneous mothers of devakind, have always been around.

They're just really, really faraway. Or were, until the Wandering SAG Gap gets itself relocated near the Moon. And who might have done that?

Hint: All of Incain doesn't just wear pre-Nihila's face.

More on the Trigregos Sisters here and here
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Who or what can stop ...

Collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2013, utitizing artwork from the Phantacea comic books

In addition to Crystallion and Hell's Horsemen, characters featured in the collage are Doc Defiance, the Indescribable Mr No Name, the Female Trickster, Sea Goddess and the Great Man; all return howsoever briefly in "Helios on the Moon"

King Cold

King Cold collage prepared by Jim McPherson, ca 2010

The Hidden Headworld's most revered Death Gods, the Thanatoids of Lathakra, got hold of the Dual Entities during the Male Entity's 11th Lifetime, which began in 19/5908 when Trans-Time Trigon burst through the Cathonic Zone above Tunguska, Siberia

Freespirit Nihila

Annuling Nihila collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2012, utilizing his own shots from Merida and a variation of Verne Andru's figure from the cover of Cataclysm Catalyst, 2013/14

The Damnation Brigade's Wilderwitch appears in the background of this panel; although she doesn't figure until the very end of Hel-Moon, the devil whom she may be an incarnation of does -- big time

Can anything stop ...

Promo for Nuclear Dragons, artwork by Ian Bateson, 2013, prepared by Jim McPherson, 2013

"Nuclear Dragons" and "Helios on the Moon" were written at the same time; similarly, the events described in each book occur over the same roughly ten day period;

There is next to no overlap, however; just an eleventh day in Hel-Moon
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Coming Next No Longer

Helios on the Moon, artwork by Richard Sandoval, 1978; variation by Jim McPherson, 2013

"Helios on the Moon", the final entry in the 'Launch 1980' story cycle

Colour variation of Richard Sandoval's Helios on the Moon cover for Phantacea Three prepared by Jim McPherson for inclusion at the end of the "Nuclear Dragons" trade paperback

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Here from Phantacea Publications

Helios on the Moon, artwork by Richard Sandoval, 1978; variation by Jim McPherson, 2013

"Helios on the Moon", the final entry in the 'Launch 1980' story cycle

Black and white variation of Richard Sandoval's Helios on the Moon cover for Phantacea Three prepared by Jim McPherson for inclusion within the "Nuclear Dragons" trade paperback

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From Comic Books to Web-Serial

The Helios on the Moon sequences from pH-2, pH-3 and pH-4 have yet to be reprinted

However, the Helios on the Moon web-serial is being expanded and should appear as a full-length novel in 2014

 

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From Web-Serial to Novel

Gold-trimmed version of pH-3 cover, artwork by Richard Sandoval, 1978

Richard Sandoval's front cover for the Helios on the Moon upside of Phantacea Three

 

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Background images for this panel and a few others on this page are variations of the collages displayed here, here and here
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Anheroic Fantasy Novels, Graphic Novels, Mini-Novels and Collections

Phantacea Publications

- Since 1977 -

- Forever & 40 Days - Feeling Theocidal - The War of the Apocalyptics - The Death's Head Hellion - Contagion Collectors - Janna Fangfingers - Goddess Gambit - The Damnation Brigade - Nuclear Dragons - Cataclysm Catalyst - Launch 1980 - Helios on the Moon - Decimation Damnation - Hidden Headgames

- double-click to enlarge images in a separate window -

Forever & 40 Days

1990 Graphic Novel

Front Cover of pH4-Ever, artwork by Ian Fry

Genesis of the PHANTACEA Mythos; dedicated webpage is here

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Feeling Theocidal

2008 Full Length Novel

Front Cover for "Feeling Theocidal", a PHANTACEA Mythos Print Publication, Artwork by Verne Andru, 2008

Book One in the Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories trilogy; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated webpage is here

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The War of the Apocalyptics

2009 Full Length Novel

Front Cover for War of the Apocalyptics, artwork by Ian Bateson 2009

Opening entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated webpage is here

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The Death's Head Hellion

2010 Mini-Novel

Front cover for The Death's Head Hellion, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2010

Commences "The 1000 Days of Disbelief", Book Two in the Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories trilogy; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated website is here

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Contagion Collectors

2010 Mini-Novel

Front cover for Contagion Collectors, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2010

Continues "The 1000 Days of Disbelief", Book Two in the Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories trilogy; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated website is here

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Janna Fangfingers

2011 Mini-Novel

Front cover for Janna Fangfingers, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2011

Concludes "The 1000 Days of Disbelief", Book Two in the Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories trilogy; doubles as the prequel to the Launch 1980 story cycle; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated website is here

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Goddess Gambit

2012 Full Length Novel

Front Cover for Goddess Gambit, artwork by Verne Andru, 2011/12

Book Three in the Thrice-Cursed Godly Glories trilogy; eventually meshes with the Launch 1980 story cycle; also available in a variety of e-book formats; dedicated webpage is here

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Phantacea Revisited 1: The Damnation Brigade

120 page Graphic Novel

Front cover for Damnation Brigade graphic novel, art by Ian Bateson, touch up by Chris Chuckry, 2012

Published in 2013; artwork from pH 1-5 (1977-1980), pHz1 #1 (1987) and pHz1 #2 (unpublished), of which more is here; dedicated webpage is here

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Nuclear Dragons

2013 Full Length Novel

Final front cover for Nuclear Dragons

The for sure second, full length entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle, cover art by Ian Bateson; recounts, in four parts, the actual launch of the Cosmic Express and the immediate ramifications of its apparent destruction particularly on its launch site, the Outer Earth's Centauri Island; dedicated webpage is here

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Phantacea Revisited 2: Cataclysm Catalyst

96 page Graphic Novel

Ad incorporating the front cover for the Cataclysm Catalyst graphic novel, art by Verne Andru, ad prepared by Jim McPherson, 2014

Published in 2014; artwork from pH 1-7 (1977-1980) and pHz1 #1 (1987), dedicated webpage is here

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Launch 1980

Promo for The War of the Apocalyptics entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle

Promo for the Nuclear Dragons entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle

Promo for the Helios on the Moon entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle

Trilogy completed in 2014; Phantacea Mythos story cycle novelizing the Phantacea comic book series

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Helios on the Moon

2014 Full Length Novel

Final front cover for Helios on the Moon

The climactic, full length entry in the Launch 1980 story cycle, cover art by Ricardo Sandoval; the Dual Entities have been back in their own timeline for a few years now; they're trying to change things for the better; how often does that work out; dedicated webpage is here

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Decimation Damnation

E-cover for Decimation Damnation, cover collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2016

The start of the Phantacea Phase Two Revival; published in 2016; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

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Hidden Headgames

Front cover for Hidden Headgames, collage prepared by Jim McPherson, 2017

Continuing the Phantacea Phase Two Revival; published in 2017; main webpage is here; ordering lynx are here;

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Daemonic Desperation

Promo collage entitled Daemonic Desperation

Tentative cover for Dem-Des; will probably be changed before it's published; scheduled to be released in 2018;

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Webpage last updated: Autumn 2016

There may be no cure for aphantasia (defined as 'having a blind or absent mind's eye') but there certainly is for aphantacea ('a'='without', like the 'an' in 'anheroic')

Link to Drive Thru Fiction's Phantacea Ordering PageLink to Drive Thru Comics Phantacea Ordering PageInteractive PDFs of some of the Phantacea Mythos books and graphic novels released by Phantacea Publications are available for downloading from One Book Shelf and its frontline ordering sites: Drive Through Fiction and Drive Through Comics

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Alternative Ordering Information for PHANTACEA Mythos mosaic novels

Downloadable order form for additional PHANTACEA Mythos Print Publications

Current Web-Publisher's Commentary

Jim McPherson's Worldwide Email Address -- jmcp@phantacea.com

pH-Webworld 1996-2006: THE WEB SERIALS

pHantaBlog

Website last updated: Winter 2017/182013 logo for Phantacea Publications

Written by: Jim McPherson -- jmcp@phantacea.com
© copyright Jim McPherson (www.phantacea.com)

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