Borg

The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek series. The Borg manifest as cybernetically enhanced humanoid drones of multiple species, organized as an interconnected collective, the decisions of which are made by a hive mind. The Borg inhabits a vast region of space in the Delta Quadrant of the galaxy, possessing millions of vessels and having conquered thousands of systems. They operate solely toward the fulfilling of one purpose: to "add the biological and technological distinctiveness of other species to their own" in pursuit of perfection. This is achieved through forced assimilation, a process which transforms individuals and technology into Borg, enhancing, and simultaneously controlling, individuals by implanting or appending synthetic components.


The Bord woud “assimilate” humans by using a Nanoprobes which are microscopic machines that inhabit a Borg's body, bloodstream, and many cybernetic implants. The probes perform the function of maintaining the Borg cybernetic systems. They generate new technology inside a Borg when needed as well as protecting them from many forms of disease and virus. Borg nanoprobes, each about the size of a human red blood cell, travel through the victim's bloodstream and latch on to individual cells. The nanoprobes rewrite the cellular DNA, altering the victim's biochemistry, and eventually form larger, more complicated structures and networks within the body such as electrical pathways, processing and data storage nodes, and ultimately prosthetic devices that spring forth from the skin. (1)



The idea is microscopic technology is interesting and isn’t completely science fiction. This is every similar to the technology of nanobots, which would allow microscopic particles to flow through the bloodstream and repair DNA.

These ideas follow along a similar line as the High evolutionary- whereby The Borg race, which essentially evolves humans into machines. This idea was also utilised within the Transformer series, whereby machines were transformed into killer robots.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borg_(Star_Trek)

The Bionic Woman

The Bionic Woman is an American television series which spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. It starred Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers, a tennis professional who was nearly killed in a skydiving accident, and was rebuilt by Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson) and Dr. Rudy Wells (Martin E. Brooks), who had also rebuilt The Six Million Dollar Man.

As the result of her surgical implantation, Jaime Sommers had amplified hearing, a greatly strengthened right arm, and enhanced legs, enabling her to run faster than a speeding car.



The whole concept of the Bionic woman is very similar to that of the six million dollar man. I think that the whole concept of a human who has encountered an accident and is then rebuild (mostly against their own will), is a very well worn one. My concept for my animation will have to be a very unique, and really take the idea of the cyborg and spin it on its head.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bionic_Woman

Six Million Dollar Man

The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a fictional cyborg working for the OSI. The show was based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, and during pre-production, that was the proposed title of the series. It aired on the ABC network as a regular series from 1974 to 1978, after following three television movies aired in 1973.


The background story of the original novel and the later series is the crash of former astronaut Steve Austin in a “lifting body” craft, shown in the opening credits of the show. Austin is severely injured in the crash and is “rebuilt” in a title-giving operation that costs six million dollars. His right arm, both legs and the left eye are replaced by "bionic" implants that enhance his strength, speed and vision far above human norms: he can run at speeds of 60 miles per hour (100 km/h), and his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens and infrared capabilities. He uses his enhanced abilities to work for the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence) as a secret agent, and as a guinea pig for bionics.

Caidin’s novel was a best-seller when it was published in 1972 and was followed by three sequels, Cyborg II: Operation Nuke, Cyborg III: High Crystal, and Cyborg IV (with no subtitle), respectively about a black market in nuclear weapons, a Chariots of the Gods scenario, and fusing Austin's bionics to a space plane.



The first half of the novel details Austin's operation and both his reaction to his original injuries -- he attempts to commit suicide -- and his initially resentful reaction to being rebuilt with bionics. The operation comes with a hefty price tag, and Austin is committed to working for the OSO as a reluctant agent. (1)

The idea of the victim, who becomes resentful of what he becomes is very similar to that of the Cyborg (cartoon character), and many others. There is always a sense of isolation, and anger that comes with the transformation due to that fact, that they have no say in the matter, or they are forced to transform.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Million_Dollar_Man

Watchmen Graphic Novel

Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987.


Moore used the story as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to critique the superhero concept. Watchmen takes place in an alternate history United States where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s, helping the United States to win the Vietnam War. The country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most costumed superheroes are in retirement or working for the government.

Gibbons said he deliberately constructed the visual look of Watchmen so that each page would be identifiable as part of that particular series and "not some other comic book". He made a concerted effort to draw the characters in a manner different than that commonly seen in comics. The artist tried to draw the series with "a particular weight of line, using a hard, stiff pen that didn't have much modulation in terms of thick and thin" which he hoped "would differentiate it from the usual lush, fluid kind of comic book line".

Colourist John Higgins used a template that was "moodier" and favoured secondary colours. Moore stated that he had also "always loved John's colouring, but always associated him with being an airbrush colourist", which Moore was not fond of; Higgins subsequently decided to colour Watchmen in European-style flat colour. Moore noted that the artist paid particular attention to lighting and subtle colour changes; in issue six, Higgins began with "warm and cheerful" colours and throughout the issue gradually made it darker to give the story a dark and bleak feeling. (1)

I do like the style of the watchmen comic, and do feel like it has a moodier feel that standard comic book, a noir, or pulp feel- similar to that of the 100 Bullets. These are definitely ideas and concepts that I can utilise within my own animation, due to the fact that the storyline will be quite dark, and intense, it’s only fitting that the style of that animation should relate to that as well.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen

100 Bullets

100 Bullets is an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning comic book written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso. It was published in the USA by DC Comics under its Vertigo imprint and ran for one hundred issues. Both the writing and artwork in 100 Bullets exemplifies the noir and pulp genres. It presents morally ambiguous stories with dark realism. Consistent with noir convention, most of the characters are deeply flawed. (1)


The initial plot of 100 Bullets hinges on the question of whether people would take the chance to get away with revenge. The mysterious Agent Graves approaches someone who has been the victim of a terrible wrong, and gives them the chance to set things right in the form of a nondescript attaché case containing a handgun, 100 bullets, a photograph of a person, and irrefutable evidence that this person is primarily responsible for their woes. He informs the candidate that the bullets are completely untraceable: any police investigation that uncovers one of them will stop.


Though all of the murders enabled by Agent Graves are presented as justifiable, the candidates are neither rewarded nor punished for taking up the offer, and appear to receive nothing other than closure for their actions. Several people have declined the offer. (2)


I think that the whole concept of people being given an opportunity to seek revenge for the actions is fascinating. However, what I really like about the 100 Bullets graphic novel is the drawing style. The varieties of angles that are portrayed in the screens are really inventive, original and charismatic. These are definitely concepts that I would like to utilise within my own animation.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_bullets
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_bullets

Cyborg Comic

Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in DC Comics in (October 1980). Victor Stone is the son of Silas and Elinore Stone, a pair of scientists who decided to use him as a test subject for various intelligence enhancement projects. However, Victor grew to resent this treatment and struck up a friendship with Ron Evers, a young miscreant who led him into trouble with the law.

When he visited his parents at work at S.T.A.R. Labs, an experiment in dimensional travel went horribly awry when a massive gelatinous monster crossed over an experimental portal and killed Elinore. The creature then turned on Victor and severely mutilated him before Silas managed to force the creature back through the portal.

To save his son, Silas outfitted him with experimental prosthetics of his own design. However, the equipment could not be worn inconspicuously, and thus Victor was horrified to see much of his body, including part of his face, replaced with sheer metallic limbs and implants. Although Victor wanted to die at this shock, he eventually adjusted enough through his resulting physical therapy to control his implants with suitable skill.

However, upon release from medical care, he found his life was seriously inconvenienced with the fearful reactions of the public at his implants; even his girlfriend Marcy Reynolds rejected him.

The character has moved from the comic books into the TV series Smallville In this version, Victor (Lee Thompson Young), is a former Metropolis High School football star. He is involved in a car accident that kills him, supposedly, and the rest of his family. However, he is secretly rebuilt by Cyntechnics scientists, who experimented on a group of test subjects which Victor was the only test subject to survive. (1)



I think that its very interesting how the concept of the cyborg has progress through time, from its conception during the 1980’s right the way through to today. What I have noticed is with a lot of these cyborg cases, it’s always a sense of tragedy that leads a person to become a cyborg. A Human, never opts to become part man part machine, its is always a result of something going horribly wrong that their only chance of survival, it to be fused with a machine.

Sources used within this post

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyborg_(comics)

High Evolutionary

The High Evolutionary is currently considered the leading geneticist in the Marvel comics. Due to experimentation on his own genetic code, his highly evolved brain and cybernetic exoskeleton, The High Evolutionary has demonstrated god-like powers; ability to evolve and devolve life-forms; matter and energy manipulation; matter creation; energy projection; cosmic awareness, telepathy, telekinesis, extra-dimensional travel, and size alteration. (1)

The High Evolutionary had become increasingly unstable and maniacal. His attempt to end his life was prevented by his suit. He returned to Earth, hoping to find something strong enough to overcome his armour and end his miserable life. He goaded the Hulk into attacking him, and Hulk succeeded in smashing his armour; the malfunctioning armour then devolved the High Evolutionary into a mass of one-celled organisms. However, it was only a matter of time before the suit's circuits reorganized and restored the High Evolutionary to his previous state. His death and subsequent re-birth gave the High Evolutionary a new insight into the future of mankind. Rather than being a benevolent yet distant protector, as he had been with his New Men, he would take a direct hand in moulding the future of humanity, so that they might one day be as powerful as the Beyonders he had witnessed. (2)



I really like the concept of evolution, and really pushing the ideas of evolving backwards and forwards thought the evolutionary stage, from a single celled organism to a god like being. Another element that I found fascinating was the idea the suit had taken complete control over him- to the extent that the only way he could be free from his armour was to kill himself.

Sources used within this post

(1), (2), (3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Evolutionary#Powers_and_abilities