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Girl And Her Robot Travel Through Wastelands In Alternate 90s USA In Chilling Illustrations
Picture the USA in late 1997, but with less boy bands and more post-apocalyptic desolation. That's exactly how Simon Stålenhag envisioned The Electric State, his upcoming latest installment to an impressive streak of successful artbooks, and we're completely lost in how fascinating it turned out.
The artist and author, who hails from Stockholm, Sweden, bases The Electric State on "a runaway teenager and her yellow toy robot," an unlikely pair that travels the West Coast in the aftermath of a massive technological meltdown, which has apparently resulted in brutal warfare between monstrous 'battle drones' and sheepish humans controlled by individual Virtual Reality helmets. It's a dark, confronting saga, and one Stålenhag vividly illustrates to the point that it looks terrifyingly real. His attention to detail mirrors that of his previous efforts, Tales From the Loop and Things From the Flood, while exploring similarly morose themes.
The Electric State has partially been a community effort, with over 5 thousand fans plunging forward to support the book's development on Kickstarter, resulting in more than $300,000 in donations. If you're like us and can't wait to get your hands on a copy, there's good news and bad news; you'll have to wait until December 2017 for the physical release, but it is set to include texts written by Stålenhag himself explaining each photo. Check it out below, and let us know what you think!
More info: Official Website, Tumblr (h/t: DesignYouTrust)
This post may include affiliate links.
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Flavia Slag 8 years ago
I would love to know what the artist is thinking as he creates these pictures. As an artist myself, each creation has a story in my mind.
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Sarah Lennie 8 years ago
Main stream media, and its clueless followers completely unaware they're being fed harmful propaganda. That's what I'm reminded of.
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Alap ND 8 years ago
Multiple references beautifully interwoven: The scene appears inspired from Will Smith's "I Am Legend" Deer Caught In Headlights. The animal will be hunted, presumably for food. A robot is helping the little girl to kill. Ironically... his elder siblings slaughtered humans.
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BREAK YOUr perceptions 8 years ago
scary part is there are already places like this in the world. aside from the tech.
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TheLastSpacePirate 2 years ago
I wonder if you still have to call Dig-Safe if you've been braincabled into the hive mind?
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S Missions 8 years ago
The more I look at them the more I think they might be fusion reactors.
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Nobody Knows...anything 8 years ago
I would really love to know what is up with the zombies, and what the Vertually Reality hats look like inside.
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Just a Purpler 8 years ago
The advertisement he made up for this is impressive... It just seems like it would be real. These pictures have me really impressed :O
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Sarah Lennie 8 years ago
Oh look, it's consumerism and the homes of the zombies that soak it up. Not that much of an alternate reality.
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What do you think ?
Jef Bateman 8 years ago
It is interesting that this artist is from Stockholm. I am a native of the American West, and these pictures capture the feel of the towns and the landscape in a way that is rare even for a local. It's really amazing work. I hope his book is successful!
Ayonashi 8 years ago
Same here! People living their life inside the OASIS.
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Markus McCloud 8 years ago
Can someone please make this into a game, or a mod for an existing game? This looks beyond awesome!
Art Mesa 3 years ago
There is a show, "Tales From the Loop" and an RPG with the same name. There is also a video game.
Load More Replies...
Derpicorn 8 years ago
I really want a show or movie like this! These are so cool and I can think of a million things to go with them! Just wow! 😄🦄👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Cheese 8 years ago
If you are interested in themes like these, you should check out 'ready player one'. It is honestly such an amazing book!
Load More Replies... BREAK YOUr perceptions 8 years ago
man you'd think the computer overlords would understand and prefer the use of wireless connections.
Christine Cameron 7 years ago
Today is the day (that the book is released to everyone (like me) who didn't get in on the Kickstarter! Just got word my copy has shipped and should be here tomorrow!!!!!
Shawn Wright 8 years ago
this..needs to be made into a book and give us more history as to the life and why things happened! im so amazed at this!
Mixedupste 8 years ago
These are amazing!! So much detail! I would love some of these prints for my staircase. Just so interesting and amazing to look at.
Dominik Muench 8 years ago
How does someone with such a great vision and amazing talent need a kickstarter to get his work seen ? You'd think publishing houses would knock this guys door down.....and yet we have publishers who printed Snookies biography and put it out there.....we live in crazy times.
Brett McCoy 8 years ago
Maybe he wants to stay independent and not get entangled in the world of commercial publishing... same way a lot of musicians are staying independent and away from corporate record labels.
Load More Replies...
Lazy Panda 8 years ago
It almost reminds me of Wall-E because of the robot and the wasteland like theme
Just a Purpler 8 years ago
Just from looking at his pictures, I can hear the sounds of the cars driving on the wet roads, and the sound of the machinery buzzing and tinking as it slowly moves to wherever it goes!
DhampireHEK 8 years ago
Absolutely breath taking. I would love to read/watch/play something based off of this.
Kurtz Frausun 8 years ago
PLEASE make this into an animated series. It would be the best thing on television.
Jef Bateman 8 years ago
It is interesting that this artist is from Stockholm. I am a native of the American West, and these pictures capture the feel of the towns and the landscape in a way that is rare even for a local. It's really amazing work. I hope his book is successful!
Ayonashi 8 years ago
Same here! People living their life inside the OASIS.
Load More Replies... Markus McCloud 8 years ago
Can someone please make this into a game, or a mod for an existing game? This looks beyond awesome!
Art Mesa 3 years ago
There is a show, "Tales From the Loop" and an RPG with the same name. There is also a video game.
Load More Replies... Derpicorn 8 years ago
I really want a show or movie like this! These are so cool and I can think of a million things to go with them! Just wow! 😄🦄👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Cheese 8 years ago
If you are interested in themes like these, you should check out 'ready player one'. It is honestly such an amazing book!
Load More Replies... BREAK YOUr perceptions 8 years ago
man you'd think the computer overlords would understand and prefer the use of wireless connections.
Christine Cameron 7 years ago
Today is the day (that the book is released to everyone (like me) who didn't get in on the Kickstarter! Just got word my copy has shipped and should be here tomorrow!!!!!
Shawn Wright 8 years ago
this..needs to be made into a book and give us more history as to the life and why things happened! im so amazed at this!
Mixedupste 8 years ago
These are amazing!! So much detail! I would love some of these prints for my staircase. Just so interesting and amazing to look at.
Dominik Muench 8 years ago
How does someone with such a great vision and amazing talent need a kickstarter to get his work seen ? You'd think publishing houses would knock this guys door down.....and yet we have publishers who printed Snookies biography and put it out there.....we live in crazy times.
Brett McCoy 8 years ago
Maybe he wants to stay independent and not get entangled in the world of commercial publishing... same way a lot of musicians are staying independent and away from corporate record labels.
Load More Replies... Lazy Panda 8 years ago
It almost reminds me of Wall-E because of the robot and the wasteland like theme
Just a Purpler 8 years ago
Just from looking at his pictures, I can hear the sounds of the cars driving on the wet roads, and the sound of the machinery buzzing and tinking as it slowly moves to wherever it goes!
DhampireHEK 8 years ago
Absolutely breath taking. I would love to read/watch/play something based off of this.
Kurtz Frausun 8 years ago
PLEASE make this into an animated series. It would be the best thing on television.
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