What do you think?
Rate this book
Infinitum
Sure to become a treasured collectible, a gorgeous, groundbreaking, full-color Afrofuturist graphic novel that captures the spirit of the record-breaking film Black Panther and its mantra “Wakanda Forever.”
Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that began in the early 20th Century as an escape from racial hostility, economic turmoil, and aggressive policing in black communities, is enjoying a renaissance witnessed by the record-breaking success of creative projects, including the acclaimed, award-winning film, Black Panther; Janelle Monae’s hit album, Dirty Computer; Jordan Peele’s provocative feature Get Out; Octavia Butler’s famed science fiction novel, Kindred; and Solange Knowles’ sundial headdress. Now comes Tim Fielder’s compelling, beautifully rendered graphic novel, INFINITUM.
In INFINITUM, King AjA Oba and Queen Lewa are revered across the African continent for their impressive political and military skills. Yet the future of their kingdom is in jeopardy, for the royal couple do not have an heir of their own. When the King kidnaps his son born to a concubine, Obinrin, she curses AjA with the “gift” of immortality. After enjoying long, wonderful lives both, Queen Lewa and the crown prince die naturally, leaving the ageless bereaved King AjA heartbroken and alone. Taking advantage of AjA’s vulnerability, enemy nations rise to power and kill the king – or so they think. King AjA Oba survives the fatal attack, finally realizing the bitter fruit of Obinrin’s curse.
For decades, the immortal AjA wanders the world, mourning his lost subjects and searching for a new kingdom. His journey leads him across time, allowing him to witness the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the New World, and the American Civil Rights Movement. The expansion of global technology brings about intergalactic travel, first contact with an alien species, and conflicts within and ultimately outside the known universe. Thrust into these seminal events, AjA, now known by many as “John,” faces harrowing decisions that will determine mankind’s physical and spiritual trajectory.
In 260 stunningly, emotionally evocative full-color images, INFINITUM presents a unique cosmic experience, addressing pressing issues of racism, classism, gender inequality, the encroachment of technology and the spiritual cost of war , while exposing the history behind ancient mysteries, including Olmec heads and Maroon societies.
Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that began in the early 20th Century as an escape from racial hostility, economic turmoil, and aggressive policing in black communities, is enjoying a renaissance witnessed by the record-breaking success of creative projects, including the acclaimed, award-winning film, Black Panther; Janelle Monae’s hit album, Dirty Computer; Jordan Peele’s provocative feature Get Out; Octavia Butler’s famed science fiction novel, Kindred; and Solange Knowles’ sundial headdress. Now comes Tim Fielder’s compelling, beautifully rendered graphic novel, INFINITUM.
In INFINITUM, King AjA Oba and Queen Lewa are revered across the African continent for their impressive political and military skills. Yet the future of their kingdom is in jeopardy, for the royal couple do not have an heir of their own. When the King kidnaps his son born to a concubine, Obinrin, she curses AjA with the “gift” of immortality. After enjoying long, wonderful lives both, Queen Lewa and the crown prince die naturally, leaving the ageless bereaved King AjA heartbroken and alone. Taking advantage of AjA’s vulnerability, enemy nations rise to power and kill the king – or so they think. King AjA Oba survives the fatal attack, finally realizing the bitter fruit of Obinrin’s curse.
For decades, the immortal AjA wanders the world, mourning his lost subjects and searching for a new kingdom. His journey leads him across time, allowing him to witness the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the New World, and the American Civil Rights Movement. The expansion of global technology brings about intergalactic travel, first contact with an alien species, and conflicts within and ultimately outside the known universe. Thrust into these seminal events, AjA, now known by many as “John,” faces harrowing decisions that will determine mankind’s physical and spiritual trajectory.
In 260 stunningly, emotionally evocative full-color images, INFINITUM presents a unique cosmic experience, addressing pressing issues of racism, classism, gender inequality, the encroachment of technology and the spiritual cost of war , while exposing the history behind ancient mysteries, including Olmec heads and Maroon societies.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2021
17 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
July 14, 2021
The summary on the back of this book calls it a "unique cosmic experience."
Is that ever freaking accurate as hell.
This book is stunning.
Unfolding like the best science fiction movie ever made this truly cinematic graphic sci-fi novel spans over a billion years as we follow the journey of the African warlord Aja Oba. Cursed by a powerful sorceress for a horrifying crime Oba is told "you will see your loved ones wither to dust!" And so he does. Cursed to live seemingly forever he watches as his family, people, and empire die around him. Now an aimless wanderer he travels the world looking for redemption and a purpose for his existence. Any human connection he makes he loses to disease or violence or time.
Years upon years upon years pass. Oba is enslaved and renamed John. He fights in white men's wars unable to fully suppress his now ancient hunger for war and violence. He studies mankind intently, mastering every subject, language, science and amassing fortunes through the years. Finally he turns his attention to the stars and wonders if perhaps his purpose and the answers to his never ending life can be found on another world?
This story gave me chills. It is the kind of journey that the word "epic" was created for. Tim Fielder writes with the voice of a master storyteller. There's a musicality to the way he writes that makes you feel like you're reading an epic poem or watching an orator in ancient Rome.
Deep character building isn't something I necessarily go to graphic novels to find but Fielder delivers that in spades as well. As we travel through the endless years of Oba's story the narrative is broken by monologues from the men and women he encounters, befriends, and loves through his endless life. All of their voice are so distinct and perfectly fit whatever time period they're a part of.
Field's artwork is, simply put, breathtaking. Thought in the interests of full disclosure I should say I wasn't sure how much I liked it at first. Its very visceral and rich and I wondered at first if it was too much. I've got a high bar for illustrators and comic artists and Mr. Field just kicked it up another few notches. His panels look like grand master oil paintings and that's what finally turned the corner for me. I began treating each page as its own unique piece of art. There's so much richness to the light and depth to the darkness. I love art that feels like you could touch it. You half expect the sweat on a characters lip to feel wet against your finger or to be able to smell it.
It goes without saying that we are long overdue for Black representation in graphic fiction and to get it finally and have it be of this caliber, to get a classic right out of the gate is pretty fantastic. It asks immense questions with grace and breathtaking beauty. It has romance and superheroes and gods and monsters.
Oba's journey is astounding and resonate so much because it is everyone's journey. We don't all have thousands upon thousands of years to look for the answers to why we're here or what the point of existence even is but if Oba's story is any indication it is enough that we keep looking for those answers, striving to understand ourselves, correct our mistake, atone for our missteps and keep telling our stories.
edited on 7/14/21 for spelling and additional fawning.
Is that ever freaking accurate as hell.
This book is stunning.
Unfolding like the best science fiction movie ever made this truly cinematic graphic sci-fi novel spans over a billion years as we follow the journey of the African warlord Aja Oba. Cursed by a powerful sorceress for a horrifying crime Oba is told "you will see your loved ones wither to dust!" And so he does. Cursed to live seemingly forever he watches as his family, people, and empire die around him. Now an aimless wanderer he travels the world looking for redemption and a purpose for his existence. Any human connection he makes he loses to disease or violence or time.
Years upon years upon years pass. Oba is enslaved and renamed John. He fights in white men's wars unable to fully suppress his now ancient hunger for war and violence. He studies mankind intently, mastering every subject, language, science and amassing fortunes through the years. Finally he turns his attention to the stars and wonders if perhaps his purpose and the answers to his never ending life can be found on another world?
This story gave me chills. It is the kind of journey that the word "epic" was created for. Tim Fielder writes with the voice of a master storyteller. There's a musicality to the way he writes that makes you feel like you're reading an epic poem or watching an orator in ancient Rome.
Deep character building isn't something I necessarily go to graphic novels to find but Fielder delivers that in spades as well. As we travel through the endless years of Oba's story the narrative is broken by monologues from the men and women he encounters, befriends, and loves through his endless life. All of their voice are so distinct and perfectly fit whatever time period they're a part of.
Field's artwork is, simply put, breathtaking. Thought in the interests of full disclosure I should say I wasn't sure how much I liked it at first. Its very visceral and rich and I wondered at first if it was too much. I've got a high bar for illustrators and comic artists and Mr. Field just kicked it up another few notches. His panels look like grand master oil paintings and that's what finally turned the corner for me. I began treating each page as its own unique piece of art. There's so much richness to the light and depth to the darkness. I love art that feels like you could touch it. You half expect the sweat on a characters lip to feel wet against your finger or to be able to smell it.
It goes without saying that we are long overdue for Black representation in graphic fiction and to get it finally and have it be of this caliber, to get a classic right out of the gate is pretty fantastic. It asks immense questions with grace and breathtaking beauty. It has romance and superheroes and gods and monsters.
Oba's journey is astounding and resonate so much because it is everyone's journey. We don't all have thousands upon thousands of years to look for the answers to why we're here or what the point of existence even is but if Oba's story is any indication it is enough that we keep looking for those answers, striving to understand ourselves, correct our mistake, atone for our missteps and keep telling our stories.
edited on 7/14/21 for spelling and additional fawning.
January 28, 2021
An angry and immortal warrior fights his way through the entirety of human history and beyond, inserting himself Forrest Gump-style into key moments, from the Middle Passage, through the Buffalo Soldiers and Harlem Hellfighters, to a future filled with spaceships and aliens. It's a little bit of Black Panther and a whole lot of Shaft. The art is the main draw here, filled with rage and cathartic release.
It's a graphic novel of sorts, told almost entirely in typeset text and usually in third person, but with the occasional first-person insert. Some pages have a lot of text, but most only have a sentence or two. The writing style is a bit too straightforward, too often unfolding in an "and then this happened next" style, but it's a picture book for adults really, so it's easy to flow along from image to image.
It's a graphic novel of sorts, told almost entirely in typeset text and usually in third person, but with the occasional first-person insert. Some pages have a lot of text, but most only have a sentence or two. The writing style is a bit too straightforward, too often unfolding in an "and then this happened next" style, but it's a picture book for adults really, so it's easy to flow along from image to image.
March 26, 2021
Many have compared Tim Fielder’s graphic novel Infinitum: An Afrofuturist Tale (2021) to the hit Marvel movie Black Panther (2018). While definitely in that Afrofuturist vein of science fiction, Infinitum is a powerful worlds-spanning tale that stands on its own.
Our main character, King Aja Oba, is cursed by Obinrin, concubine and sorceress, to live an eternal life as the price for his taking her child away so he could have an heir to continue his legacy. As a result, Aja Oba (later known as John) is doomed over and over again to watch his family, loved ones, and settlements he built crumble to dust around him. Yet as the years quickly pass him by, he is constantly driven to recreate his prosperous kingdom of old, despite the doom that inevitably comes to destroy what he’s built.
Creation and destruction. It’s a Sisyphean cycle that manages to hit home every time, one of the many heavy-hitting themes this graphic novel explores, from colonialism to the costs of war.
Oba’s character is very much morally gray, going from warlord-king to vigilante to a hero of sorts towards the end of Infinitum. And the people he encounters, largely side characters, are even given similar--but more necessarily limited by the constraints of the graphic novel form--quality character development as our protagonist. That is very important, as these side characters, minor as they are, loom large in the molding of Oba into who he becomes by the end of the story.
Okay, enough about the story!
Yes, the story was good, quickly unfolding from the beginning of life on Earth, and allowing readers to see many worlds across incomprehensibly long stretches of time. But if I talk anymore about the story, I’ll spoil something, and I don’t want that!
What I will talk about now is how amazing the visuals are in Infinitum. Granted, I’ve read relatively few graphic novels, but the very grand, cinematic, spiritual, and even metaphysical aesthetic produced by Tim Fielder’s artwork provides a satisfying symmetry to the big themes this work explores, whose roots in the past are deep, and their effects lasting long into the future.
Refreshingly ambitious in scope and with stunning visuals, Infinitum helps readers imagine the almost endless possibilities of tomorrow.
-Cora
Our main character, King Aja Oba, is cursed by Obinrin, concubine and sorceress, to live an eternal life as the price for his taking her child away so he could have an heir to continue his legacy. As a result, Aja Oba (later known as John) is doomed over and over again to watch his family, loved ones, and settlements he built crumble to dust around him. Yet as the years quickly pass him by, he is constantly driven to recreate his prosperous kingdom of old, despite the doom that inevitably comes to destroy what he’s built.
Creation and destruction. It’s a Sisyphean cycle that manages to hit home every time, one of the many heavy-hitting themes this graphic novel explores, from colonialism to the costs of war.
Oba’s character is very much morally gray, going from warlord-king to vigilante to a hero of sorts towards the end of Infinitum. And the people he encounters, largely side characters, are even given similar--but more necessarily limited by the constraints of the graphic novel form--quality character development as our protagonist. That is very important, as these side characters, minor as they are, loom large in the molding of Oba into who he becomes by the end of the story.
Okay, enough about the story!
Yes, the story was good, quickly unfolding from the beginning of life on Earth, and allowing readers to see many worlds across incomprehensibly long stretches of time. But if I talk anymore about the story, I’ll spoil something, and I don’t want that!
What I will talk about now is how amazing the visuals are in Infinitum. Granted, I’ve read relatively few graphic novels, but the very grand, cinematic, spiritual, and even metaphysical aesthetic produced by Tim Fielder’s artwork provides a satisfying symmetry to the big themes this work explores, whose roots in the past are deep, and their effects lasting long into the future.
Refreshingly ambitious in scope and with stunning visuals, Infinitum helps readers imagine the almost endless possibilities of tomorrow.
-Cora
August 28, 2021
Beautifully illustrated, but the writing... ouch. Declarative sentences; affectless characters; just a progression of events with occasional unsuccessful attempts at connection. And, twice, sequences terminated with “, etc.” It felt like an adolescent male wish-fulfillment fantasy, with Rambo Mary Sue wreaking violence throughout history and then into the deep future, mostly on bad guys but all too often on innocents. But hey, sometimes there’s a need for that kind of book
March 21, 2021
Tremendous story. Absolutely brilliant! The art was exquisite. Story was so expansive and multi layered. Wow blown away!
August 26, 2021
Excellently illustrated. I would consider this more of an adult picture book. I loved the storyline!
January 1, 2022
I don’t know if I’ve ever read a work of Afrofuturism before. I’ve read Octavia Butler, so maybe, but this, this takes things to the next level. It begins as some sort of Wakanda Forever fantasies but then it takes things further, in fact, it goes so far…
The sheer span of this book is hugely impressive. It literally takes the readers from the beginning to the end of time. In the beginning, there was life and life evolved into a proud African king and warlord who desperately wanted a legacy, a son. To this end, he took one and incurred a wrath of a witch and from that day on he wouldn’t die.
Thus, he went on, outliving all he’d known and loved time and again, a one-man citadel traveling through centuries, witnessing grave injustices, wars, and progress. All the way into the distant future. All the way to the stars.
And so, as a reader, you get to witness the entirety of the African experience, cradle to grave of civilization, as lived by one reluctant witness weighted down by his own immortality. It’s epic in the purest form of it, it is an epic.
All presented in gorgeous art panels, something of a mashup of classic fantasy art and photorealism, with giant muscles and expressive faces, and stunning scenery. This story isn’t just entertaining (although it certainly is at that), it is exciting, emotionally engaging and thrilling. Presented quite succinctly by a sort of omniscient narrator, which is logical considering how much it has to cover, this story tackles so much, racial and gender inequality, war complex, all the repeatable offenders of the past, all the imaginable dangers of the future. It’s a story of Earth itself and its flawed and faulty denizens. There’s so much here and all so well done.
I’m impressed. I really am. Nicely done. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
The sheer span of this book is hugely impressive. It literally takes the readers from the beginning to the end of time. In the beginning, there was life and life evolved into a proud African king and warlord who desperately wanted a legacy, a son. To this end, he took one and incurred a wrath of a witch and from that day on he wouldn’t die.
Thus, he went on, outliving all he’d known and loved time and again, a one-man citadel traveling through centuries, witnessing grave injustices, wars, and progress. All the way into the distant future. All the way to the stars.
And so, as a reader, you get to witness the entirety of the African experience, cradle to grave of civilization, as lived by one reluctant witness weighted down by his own immortality. It’s epic in the purest form of it, it is an epic.
All presented in gorgeous art panels, something of a mashup of classic fantasy art and photorealism, with giant muscles and expressive faces, and stunning scenery. This story isn’t just entertaining (although it certainly is at that), it is exciting, emotionally engaging and thrilling. Presented quite succinctly by a sort of omniscient narrator, which is logical considering how much it has to cover, this story tackles so much, racial and gender inequality, war complex, all the repeatable offenders of the past, all the imaginable dangers of the future. It’s a story of Earth itself and its flawed and faulty denizens. There’s so much here and all so well done.
I’m impressed. I really am. Nicely done. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
May 31, 2021
So unique! The art was great. The story was so expansive that the character development was minimal, but it hit on so many themes and ideas you could think/ talk about this one for a while!
July 23, 2021
This was AWESOME!!! Seeing a GN representing African history, African-American history, American history, and possible futures was amazing. The images and writing drew me right in the story. And as the character grew and changed, I just became more and more invested in him. He's now a friend that I haven't seen in a while. I'm wondering what he's doing now. Did he figure out how to fix his situation? But I can't call him since I lost his number. So I'll keep wondering...
December 29, 2021
Holy shit. Epic in every conceivable way, from the scope of the story to each exquisitely illustrated page, this cosmic, Afrofuturist tale is a masterpiece to behold. Fans of Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okorafor will eagerly devour this saga of an African king and warlord, cursed to live forever. Highly recommend!
September 7, 2023
8- I am a fan of graphic novels. Especially those that fall out of the Superheroic antics of the mainstream, but that still take a sciencefictional approach. The level of imagination that can be found in SF-comics, often independently published, is astounding. Also there is a lot of experimentation with artstyles and form. Here we find one illustration on every page, against a black background. Like the way Batman The Animated Series was animated on a black background, this transforms the impact of the story, making each illustration very impactful (and it also fits with the pretty dark subject matter of the story).
The art took some getting used to for me, as starting out I thought it was maybe a bit too cartoony in its characters (especially the faces) and too coarse for me to enjoy, but I quickly put those thoughts aside. Even though the art is a bit coarse, this is a conscious choice, as it fits with the story. The art radiates the anger and passion of the main character, but at the same time has a timeless quality that fits with the epoch spanning nature of his exploits, and the story would not have worked with another style. Also - the slight exaggeration fo features makes it easier to recognize individuals who only appear in a couple of pages, making all of them distinct.
The story itself is suitably epic, spanning billions of years, from a fantasy like beginning in a prehistoric kingdom to far future science fiction. This scope means that the plotting is done with very broad strokes and character building likewise. This is not a character examination, but more of an epic poem (larded with some interiority, where also side characters get the chance to comment on the story from their own point of view). A lot of fascinating historical moments are shown and through it all the theme of the protagonist, experiencing rage and frustration, but being powerless to change his own circumstances, seems to reflect the struggle of black people, who despite centuries still have to experience discrimination and being fitted into a construct created by others.
As I am of white descent, I don't think I can comment on the power of this tale as an 'Afrofuturist' story. In another review I found someone saying 'Fielder’s book is a cathartic externalization of rage and frustration, but it lacks the optimism and scope of works by contemporary Afrofuturists like Nnedi Okorafor and N. K. Jemisin.' And I found others complaining about the lack of women with agency in the story. Those comments resonated with me, but maybe this all reads differently from another perspective? Still, the imagination here is grandiose, and I will certainly read this one again, if only to gain some inspiration for my own fiction. Recommended for those interested in SF graphic novels and/or Afrofuturism.
The art took some getting used to for me, as starting out I thought it was maybe a bit too cartoony in its characters (especially the faces) and too coarse for me to enjoy, but I quickly put those thoughts aside. Even though the art is a bit coarse, this is a conscious choice, as it fits with the story. The art radiates the anger and passion of the main character, but at the same time has a timeless quality that fits with the epoch spanning nature of his exploits, and the story would not have worked with another style. Also - the slight exaggeration fo features makes it easier to recognize individuals who only appear in a couple of pages, making all of them distinct.
The story itself is suitably epic, spanning billions of years, from a fantasy like beginning in a prehistoric kingdom to far future science fiction. This scope means that the plotting is done with very broad strokes and character building likewise. This is not a character examination, but more of an epic poem (larded with some interiority, where also side characters get the chance to comment on the story from their own point of view). A lot of fascinating historical moments are shown and through it all the theme of the protagonist, experiencing rage and frustration, but being powerless to change his own circumstances, seems to reflect the struggle of black people, who despite centuries still have to experience discrimination and being fitted into a construct created by others.
As I am of white descent, I don't think I can comment on the power of this tale as an 'Afrofuturist' story. In another review I found someone saying 'Fielder’s book is a cathartic externalization of rage and frustration, but it lacks the optimism and scope of works by contemporary Afrofuturists like Nnedi Okorafor and N. K. Jemisin.' And I found others complaining about the lack of women with agency in the story. Those comments resonated with me, but maybe this all reads differently from another perspective? Still, the imagination here is grandiose, and I will certainly read this one again, if only to gain some inspiration for my own fiction. Recommended for those interested in SF graphic novels and/or Afrofuturism.
January 1, 2021
A stunning work of art.
January 29, 2021
You haven’t read a thing in science fiction until you’ve dabbled in Afrofuturism.
June 19, 2021
A beautifully illustrated graphic novel with an equally beautiful and heartbreaking story. A must read.
August 25, 2022
Simple story with a whistle-stop tour through millenia and I like the style of the artwork.
September 17, 2024
Super good - glad I got a chance to read it!
February 17, 2021
A powerful science fiction graphic novel that spans all of human existence. The main character is ambitious, militaristic and fascinating if too power-oriented to be a "good" hero (which seems to be part of the author's point--no perfection here, just momentary glimpses. This story has unique elements and contains elements of epic tales from around the world with moments of joy, struggle, and despair. This is a dark book both in content and in the colors used for the art--which is sculptural and makes good use of light and glow amidst all the dark colors.
A medium level of violence, often brutal, might turn some people off and makes this a story for older teens and adults. Not to be missed if you enjoy realistic-to-dark speculative fiction, Afrofuturism, and a graphic novel that will grab you and pull you in.
A medium level of violence, often brutal, might turn some people off and makes this a story for older teens and adults. Not to be missed if you enjoy realistic-to-dark speculative fiction, Afrofuturism, and a graphic novel that will grab you and pull you in.
May 15, 2022
Takes the graphic novel concept and presents it in a way I haven't seen before. Hardcover and turned into landscape orientation, the whole book is essentially one single panel per page and told almost exclusively in the 3rd person, with dialogue in the form of word balloons spoken by a character only appearing in maybe 10 pages out of over 100.
The concept is unique, but the main character is given several superpowers over the course of the story with no explanation of how or why. The color palette is generally very dark, each page/panel border is black.
Towards the end of the book, there is a brief sequence where the main character is told they're not immortal, just very long-lived, which is entirely contradicted by the last 10 pages. At least based on the common definition of immortality. It just seems a little pointless and misleading.
The concept is unique, but the main character is given several superpowers over the course of the story with no explanation of how or why. The color palette is generally very dark, each page/panel border is black.
Towards the end of the book, there is a brief sequence where the main character is told they're not immortal, just very long-lived, which is entirely contradicted by the last 10 pages. At least based on the common definition of immortality. It just seems a little pointless and misleading.
July 18, 2022
Content notes for nudity, loss of family, blood splatters, and animal death.
So, to nit pick a little bit, this is one of those is it a graphic novel situation? As someone who reads picture books, this feels a lot like an adult picture book, but that's not a real thing right now... So I understand why it's being called a graphic novel. Story and political nit pics I will note are over population is basically blamed for catastrophic climate change, with catastrophic climate change only described and not mentioned by name. Side note, over population is not actually a thing. The failure to distribute resources equitably is the real problem. Because the people who happen to be contributing the most to climate change are white people who aren't having babies but want to be racist against BIPOC communities who are having babies and not contributing as much to climate change overall statistically speaking.
It is also implied that John makes a lot of money via crypto currency... Which means at the very least that John is definitely part of the cohort of people who are contributing the most to climate change. He would also have to be participating in an MLM and either actively or passively tricking a lot of people with less money then him out of what little money they might have. Although, to be fair, I do think John is supposed to be a complicated protagonist and most immortal protagonists are some level of complete asshole.
The depiction of the emotional anguish that John experiences throughout his endless existence is a nice dimension to things. And considering this is a very fast overview of John's life that only hits the highlights I did appreciate that each of John's romantic partners has a page. It is all about John though, he is the person of this book and everything in this book very closely revolved around him.
Art wise, it was neither my most or least favourite. It's adjacent to the hyper muscular super hero style I really don't like, but more painterly. 99% Women have hourglass figures.
Not terribly surprisingly gender is very binary and one note.
Sexuality saw a little bit more diversity and one of John's romantic partners is a man. That was nice.
As an Afrofuturist text, race and being Black is fairly central to the story being told.
As you may have already parsed, a story about an immortal king who invests and outlives the universe is not super class conscious.
As a super hero style comic thing, it's also not very surprising that everyone is super able bodied. John certainly gets knocked down a few times, and even loses a leg, but in order to foreshadow the end, he grows a new leg automatically.
To conclude, with some interesting and/or pretty parts and then my nit picks I feel like the books really evened out to a good level for my own personal enjoyment. Which means three stars. Obviously check it out if this sounds the least bit interesting, a lot of people have really enjoyed it.
So, to nit pick a little bit, this is one of those is it a graphic novel situation? As someone who reads picture books, this feels a lot like an adult picture book, but that's not a real thing right now... So I understand why it's being called a graphic novel. Story and political nit pics I will note are over population is basically blamed for catastrophic climate change, with catastrophic climate change only described and not mentioned by name. Side note, over population is not actually a thing. The failure to distribute resources equitably is the real problem. Because the people who happen to be contributing the most to climate change are white people who aren't having babies but want to be racist against BIPOC communities who are having babies and not contributing as much to climate change overall statistically speaking.
It is also implied that John makes a lot of money via crypto currency... Which means at the very least that John is definitely part of the cohort of people who are contributing the most to climate change. He would also have to be participating in an MLM and either actively or passively tricking a lot of people with less money then him out of what little money they might have. Although, to be fair, I do think John is supposed to be a complicated protagonist and most immortal protagonists are some level of complete asshole.
The depiction of the emotional anguish that John experiences throughout his endless existence is a nice dimension to things. And considering this is a very fast overview of John's life that only hits the highlights I did appreciate that each of John's romantic partners has a page. It is all about John though, he is the person of this book and everything in this book very closely revolved around him.
Art wise, it was neither my most or least favourite. It's adjacent to the hyper muscular super hero style I really don't like, but more painterly. 99% Women have hourglass figures.
Not terribly surprisingly gender is very binary and one note.
Sexuality saw a little bit more diversity and one of John's romantic partners is a man. That was nice.
As an Afrofuturist text, race and being Black is fairly central to the story being told.
As you may have already parsed, a story about an immortal king who invests and outlives the universe is not super class conscious.
As a super hero style comic thing, it's also not very surprising that everyone is super able bodied. John certainly gets knocked down a few times, and even loses a leg, but in order to foreshadow the end, he grows a new leg automatically.
To conclude, with some interesting and/or pretty parts and then my nit picks I feel like the books really evened out to a good level for my own personal enjoyment. Which means three stars. Obviously check it out if this sounds the least bit interesting, a lot of people have really enjoyed it.
May 1, 2025
I really seem to be alone here, but I think that this work either fails or underperforms in every aspect.
Art:
Ok my personal distaste for digital painting is obviously subjective. But my real problem with this book is its lack of dynamism. It's being marketed as a graphic novel because that's what sells right now, but it's just an illustrated novel. It follows the same template as something like Dinotopia; large splash page of detailed art and then a bunch of text describing what it happening in said art. It's "tell, don't show." The art is obviously labored over and often impressive, but you get more storytelling in the most mundane Krazy Kat sketch.
Plot:
Ok here is the thrust of the work. The eon-spanning SF saga. Unfortunately it largely reads like someone running down all the bullet points of the backstory to the RPG they're dreaming up. Or like reading "History of Middle Earth" synopsis on a Wiki somewhere. Yeah you're getting a bunch of names and events and conflicts. But you're not going to become emotionally invested without connecting to the.....
Characters:
So we come to the Achilles heel of the whole operation, in my opinion. There just aren't any interesting characters.
Ok there is *character* singular, but he's boring as hell. We have a 1 dimensional lead and a series of .5 dimensional supports that float through without much real impact.
The whole thing could be read like an inversion of Gilgamesh, where instead of seeking immortality he's cursed with it. But somehow the oldest known story in the history of humanity is still more fresh and alive than something that a professional writer published in 2021.
But I liked the Uhura cameo. Uhura should cameo in everything. Uhura rules.
Art:
Ok my personal distaste for digital painting is obviously subjective. But my real problem with this book is its lack of dynamism. It's being marketed as a graphic novel because that's what sells right now, but it's just an illustrated novel. It follows the same template as something like Dinotopia; large splash page of detailed art and then a bunch of text describing what it happening in said art. It's "tell, don't show." The art is obviously labored over and often impressive, but you get more storytelling in the most mundane Krazy Kat sketch.
Plot:
Ok here is the thrust of the work. The eon-spanning SF saga. Unfortunately it largely reads like someone running down all the bullet points of the backstory to the RPG they're dreaming up. Or like reading "History of Middle Earth" synopsis on a Wiki somewhere. Yeah you're getting a bunch of names and events and conflicts. But you're not going to become emotionally invested without connecting to the.....
Characters:
So we come to the Achilles heel of the whole operation, in my opinion. There just aren't any interesting characters.
Ok there is *character* singular, but he's boring as hell. We have a 1 dimensional lead and a series of .5 dimensional supports that float through without much real impact.
The whole thing could be read like an inversion of Gilgamesh, where instead of seeking immortality he's cursed with it. But somehow the oldest known story in the history of humanity is still more fresh and alive than something that a professional writer published in 2021.
But I liked the Uhura cameo. Uhura should cameo in everything. Uhura rules.
May 4, 2021
King AjA Oba and Queen Lewa are acknowledged across the African continent for their impressive political and military skills. But their kingdom is in jeopardy - the couple can't have an heir of their own. The King then kidnaps his son born to one of his mistresses, concubine, Obinrin. She curses AjA with the "gift" of immortality. After enjoying long, wonderful lives, both Queen Lewa and the prince both die. Seeing his vulnerability, enemy nations attack and kill the King - or so they think. King AjA survives the fatal attack, finally realizing the work of Obinrin's curse.
For decades, AjA wanders the world, mourning his lost loves and lives and searching for a new kingdom. His travels allow him to witness the trans-Atlantic slave trade, where he gets the new name of "John", the New World, both World Wars, and the American Civil Rights Movement. Once global technology brings intergalactic travel, the first contact with alien species happens, and then of course, intergalactic war. Thrust into it all, AjA (John) faces a decision on what will determine mankind's future.
OMG! I loved this graphic novel! Each page is it's own panel so you end up with 260 AMAZINGLY stunning full-color images! When I read through it I was so amazed. This is a unique experience addressing the issues of racism, classism, gender inequality, the advancement of technology. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys graphic novels and would like a unique experience.
For decades, AjA wanders the world, mourning his lost loves and lives and searching for a new kingdom. His travels allow him to witness the trans-Atlantic slave trade, where he gets the new name of "John", the New World, both World Wars, and the American Civil Rights Movement. Once global technology brings intergalactic travel, the first contact with alien species happens, and then of course, intergalactic war. Thrust into it all, AjA (John) faces a decision on what will determine mankind's future.
OMG! I loved this graphic novel! Each page is it's own panel so you end up with 260 AMAZINGLY stunning full-color images! When I read through it I was so amazed. This is a unique experience addressing the issues of racism, classism, gender inequality, the advancement of technology. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys graphic novels and would like a unique experience.
April 25, 2023
A gorgeously illustrated epic that begins with the Big Bang and carries on past the heat death of the universe. So it’s fairly significant in scope. It is an Afrofuturistic story that tells the tale of King Aja Oba, ruler with his wife Queen Lewa of a vast, wealthy and powerful African nation. But they are without an heir, and Aja Oba angers his concubine, a shamaness, by taking their baby to be his heir. She curses him with eternal life, which sounds great until you realise he will lose everyone he ever loves, eventually. The story sees Aja Oba, later named John, as he experiences history from his unique perspective as an increasingly physically powerful black man who cannot die. He watches the Europeans come to Africa, is transported to America in a slave ship, participates in slave uprisings, the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement, and many other wars besides, all while loving and losing family along the way. The story then transitions into the future, as John is at the forefront of space exploration and terraforming new planets, first contact, and then intergalactic wars. All the while he continues to grow in power, but also desperation, as nothing seems able to put him to rest. This story is incredibly inventive, beautiful, violent, and thought-provoking - I could easily see it becoming a streamed series at some point.
December 28, 2022
Wow, this is exceptionally epic with stunning illustrations and scope. On a conceptual level, 5-stars for sure!!!
For me, it felt like the writing is a vehicle for the concept, supporting it's visibility for the reader. The writing was in service to the art and artistry of monumental Afro-Futurist scope.
And this piece checks every box in that genre with it's sweeping scope and story. It's like a highly condensed form of many epic novels worth of narrative.
Also, I think it would be a great one for certain reluctant readers I've known who want the Real and don't shy away from brutality that comes with that reality. With a war-lord protagonist and exceptional art style, this would have captivated many a classroom reader... And been one that's iffier to have with easy access in a middle school classroom (or would it be? Aren't we more okay with violence than sex? But also, there are some traumatic images...)
Not for the faint of heart or the limited in imagination! An epoch of epic. Worth many rediscoveries.
For me, it felt like the writing is a vehicle for the concept, supporting it's visibility for the reader. The writing was in service to the art and artistry of monumental Afro-Futurist scope.
And this piece checks every box in that genre with it's sweeping scope and story. It's like a highly condensed form of many epic novels worth of narrative.
Also, I think it would be a great one for certain reluctant readers I've known who want the Real and don't shy away from brutality that comes with that reality. With a war-lord protagonist and exceptional art style, this would have captivated many a classroom reader... And been one that's iffier to have with easy access in a middle school classroom (or would it be? Aren't we more okay with violence than sex? But also, there are some traumatic images...)
Not for the faint of heart or the limited in imagination! An epoch of epic. Worth many rediscoveries.
August 21, 2022
I enjoyed this book, it takes golden-age comic and sci-fi tropes into a new world (like Octavia Butler, Samuel R Delaney, and NK Jemisin have done). This gives "alien" and "otherness" a whole new meaning. The art is stunning, and helps add a dimension to the authors I mentioned above, so that more readers can actually SEE heroes and anti-heroes and warriors who look like them.
This book has the whole hero story arc, and it comes across as so absolute that Michael Moorcock's Elric stories come to mind. Elric's pigmentation is also mentioned in his stories, but as I recall he is albino. But Elric is also a flawed hero/anti-hero combination, cursed and tormented far beyond his original sins. The characters are all stock characters of Greek tragedy, without the resolution you expect in the life of a man.
The art brings the story to life, and I enjoyed the layout of scene, characters, and text. I look forward to reading more by Tim Fielding!
This book has the whole hero story arc, and it comes across as so absolute that Michael Moorcock's Elric stories come to mind. Elric's pigmentation is also mentioned in his stories, but as I recall he is albino. But Elric is also a flawed hero/anti-hero combination, cursed and tormented far beyond his original sins. The characters are all stock characters of Greek tragedy, without the resolution you expect in the life of a man.
The art brings the story to life, and I enjoyed the layout of scene, characters, and text. I look forward to reading more by Tim Fielding!
May 4, 2021
THIS is one of the best graphic novels I have ever read without a doubt. Oba is one of the first human warlords to exist and in poor faith he stills his heir away from one of concubines due to the queens infertility. Before being sentenced to death, his concubine (who’s familiar with magic) curses Oba to live forever. This stunning graphic novel takes us through centuries of Oba becoming a slave and fighting in every war to watching King die and see Obama get elected. Then we watch as he moves into our unforeseen further and how he chooses to navigate it under cover as an investor/tech giant. He not watches the fate of humanity but engages with it beginning and end cycle. Y’all I loved this. The artistry alone is GORGEOUS. So much time has gone into this and it shows. PLEASE READ THIS.
August 12, 2023
An I mortal warrior…battles throughout history…
Infinitum: An Afrofuturist Tale by Tim Fielder is a fairly decent scifi idea, following the leader of an African kingdom from centuries ago as he experiences human history…primarily the violent parts…in an effort to find his place in the world…
This is a story told through art book with each full page piece developing the story…with roughly the first half covering history Up to the 21st century…and the second half going beyond…long into the future…
I recommend this for those into historical and futuristic fantasy…and immortal stories like those of the Highlander franchise…and it’s nice to see it full embracing the sci fi element with intergalactic colonization, wars, and genetic intermingling…
Infinitum: An Afrofuturist Tale by Tim Fielder is a fairly decent scifi idea, following the leader of an African kingdom from centuries ago as he experiences human history…primarily the violent parts…in an effort to find his place in the world…
This is a story told through art book with each full page piece developing the story…with roughly the first half covering history Up to the 21st century…and the second half going beyond…long into the future…
I recommend this for those into historical and futuristic fantasy…and immortal stories like those of the Highlander franchise…and it’s nice to see it full embracing the sci fi element with intergalactic colonization, wars, and genetic intermingling…
December 11, 2022
I don't remember where I found this book, and I'm not quite sure why I requested it from the library. It's way out of my normal reading zone, despite the fact that it is indeed in a graphic format, but it is a book very much centered around war, and that's just not my thing. However, this is much more about the artwork than the narrative. The story moves really quickly, and there's very little development of anybody, including the central character, if you're thinking about just pure plot. But when you take into consideration the artwork and the philosophical underpinnings of the narrative, there's a lot more to work with.
July 22, 2024
Tim Fielder's Infinitum is amazing, brash and colorful; perhaps
the best Graphic Novel I have ever read or seen or experienced!
I'm willing to bet if Fielder was given the choice between words
or pictures OR was forced to alternate between the two, he would
always get the story told, getting that story told well!
Even the Introduction and Afterword and Acknowledgements
deserve rereads! Arthur Jaffa's Afterword introduced me to a
wonderful if horrific synonym for Mississippi (Fielder's birth state):
"Armaghetto."
This book is also plush and slick and, while I checked it out of a
library, it is also going on The List of books I want to purchase for
my home library.
the best Graphic Novel I have ever read or seen or experienced!
I'm willing to bet if Fielder was given the choice between words
or pictures OR was forced to alternate between the two, he would
always get the story told, getting that story told well!
Even the Introduction and Afterword and Acknowledgements
deserve rereads! Arthur Jaffa's Afterword introduced me to a
wonderful if horrific synonym for Mississippi (Fielder's birth state):
"Armaghetto."
This book is also plush and slick and, while I checked it out of a
library, it is also going on The List of books I want to purchase for
my home library.
October 20, 2021
Interesting graphic novel. The protagonist starts off as an African king cursed with immortality, who then spends the first half of the book Forrest Gumping his way through the historical black experience. The second half of the book mostly deals with the colonialization of space and a war against belligerent aliens.
The story was interesting but unfortunately told rather than showed for most of the story. On the other hand, the art was fantastic, with each page a single painted splash panel. A decent quick read.
The story was interesting but unfortunately told rather than showed for most of the story. On the other hand, the art was fantastic, with each page a single painted splash panel. A decent quick read.
June 5, 2021
An African king is cursed with immortality and the graphic novel follows him as he goes through thousands of years of global and US history, suffering a lot of loss, grief, and war, ending in space exploration and colonization. The writing was interesting. The main character’s humanity shines through, and the author highlights several female characters as well. The artwork was stunning, vibrant and detailed. If you like graphic novels or Afro futurism you’ll enjoy this!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews