- The Memory Machine
- Written by John Ward
- Illustrated by Daniel Caval
- Letters & Logo by Rick Joseph
- Cover art by Javiera Argandona
- Coming to Kickstarter May 7, 2024
A depressed man named Jacob tests a new device that allows you to relive – and modify – your memories. He becomes addicted to its power, and takes drastic action to ensure he can afford to keep visiting his past. However, his desire to make changes to his real-world life lead him into a dangerous downward spiral from which there may be no way out
I wrote the script for The Memory Machine back in 2022 during a period when I was struggling with depression. I was in a downward spiral and unable to stop reminiscing about the past and how life had seemed so much easier and more enjoyable back then.
Completely untrue of course, but that lie held me in its power for some time until I was finally able to break free. It got me thinking about the connection between depression and nostalgia, and whether extreme nostalgia fed depression or whether it was the other way around. Certainly the famous quote from Lao Tzu says that “if you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present,” suggests the latter.
John Ward, writer
What do other comic pros think of Memory Machine?
John, Daniel, and Rick have created a comic that’s as unique as it is beautiful. It’s perfect, but I know there’s more to this and can’t wait to see what unfolds with the memory machine. The cover by Javiera is one that I often return to; a favourite memory. Add to this a backup story that packs a real (emotional) punch and you won’t want to miss out on this comic!
Randy Stone (Bullet Adventures, Death & Comics)
The Memory Machine by Ward, Caval, and Joseph is a powerful portrait of how memory and nostalgia aren’t always as comforting as we remember. This is a finely crafted cautionary tale of technology and the escapism it seems to afford the socially disillusioned
Jason Copland (Full Tilt, Kill All Monsters)
