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The Electric Life, by Albert Robida
Step into the retro-futuristic vision of Albert Robida (1848–1926), the French illustrator who blended the adventure of Jules Verne with the biting satire of Voltaire. Originally penned in 1893, this prophetic masterpiece imagines a 1950s defined by "electric life", complete with flying machines, video-telephones, and biological warfare, masking a deep warning about modernity’s exhaustion. This Time Warp Editions release presents arguably the first science fiction graphic novel, modernized for the English-speaking reader. It features a fresh, expanded translation and over 100 restored, high-definition illustrations that bring Robida’s chaotic world to life. With extensive historical notes and a new introduction, discover why Robida’s vision of pollution, female empowerment, and technological fatigue is more relevant today than ever.
Step into the retro-futuristic world of Albert Robida (1848-1926), the astonishingly prolific French visionary who created 60,000+ illustrations and authored or contributed to nearly 80 books.
Part Jules Verne, part Voltaire, Robida's witty satire imagines a 1950s where flying machines dock atop cathedrals and families argue via video-telephones, while bodies waste away from "electric life" exhaustion.
Here is a new and original translation from the French, refined and expanded for maximum readability for an English-speaking audience, alongside over 100 of Robida's delightful drawings, combining to create what is arguably the first ever science fiction graphic novel: originally penned in 1893, now modernized for 2025.
With delightful humor masking serious warnings, he depicts women running stock exchanges and scientists deploying germ warfare for profit, all while pollution chokes cities and citizens retreat to recreated 19th-century villages for respite. A masterpiece that entertained Belle Époque readers while prophetically warning them of modernity's seductive perils.
In this updated and expanded version you will be delighted by:
100+ original illustrations, sharpened and brightened for best print viewing
Improved translation and readability to enhance the story and character interactions
Extensive chapter notes to contextualize Robida's biting satire and historical references
New introduction, author biography and full bibliography
Download now to get a fresh perspective on technologies that power our life now, and what we're still waiting for...