Fiction: Egypt, a seven-issue graphic novel mini-series

Comic Book Resources

I loved the cover, which Kat brought to my attention. There's a big version of it on the above page.

Today we’re looking at Egypt, a seven-issue mini-series from 1995 Milligan did with artists Glyn Dillon and Roberto Corona, Dillon doing only the first two issues and Corona filling in thereafter.

The series chronicles with the time-hopping adventures of one Vincent Me, a self-loathing, charming but completely irresponsible and utterly untrustworthy British slacker; the type who shacks up with any willing woman (and he apparently finds plenty) long enough to get a hand on her wallet.

After being thrown out into the street for the umpteenth time, Vincent gets meets up with a bunch of self-absorbed college students who it turns out are fascinated with Egyptian history and, more significantly, religion.

It turns out they’re conducting some experiments in after-death experiences a la the Pharoahs of old, and Vincent is their latest guinea pig, trussed up and sealed alive in a tomb. Apparently the experiment doesn’t go too well for Vincent however, because the next thing he knows, he’s actually back in ancient Egypt, inhabiting the body of one Vin Centhotep.

Vincent tries to figure out what exactly happened to cause this backward reincarnation, but there are … obstacles in his way. Centhotep apparently is even more of a bastard than Vincent, acting as a bit of a double-agent, fluttering between the city’s rebels who seek to overturn the authoritarian power structure and the high priests who would prefer everything to stay just like it is, led by one Soter, a “boo-hiss” villain if there ever was one.

Oh, and then there are the gods. Seems our archaeologists were wrong about a lot of Egyptian mythology, as Seth, Osiris and at several other members of the pantheon are alive and running around, at times laying waste to whoever gets in their way.