SKU: 19354235807

Specter of the Monolith: Nihilism, the Sublime, and Human Destiny in Space-From Apollo and Hubble to 2001, Star Trek, and Interstellar

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Specter of the Monolith: Nihilism, the Sublime, and Human Destiny in Space-From Apollo and Hubble to 2001, Star Trek, and InterstellarScience geeks and space film fans, take a journey through the questions from your favorite movies that may continue to haunt or puzzle you. Specter of the Monolith offers a radically original critique of how humans have confronted the majesty of the vast universe via art, media, science, pop culture, space exploration, and the greatest space films. Original and thought provoking, the book explores questions such as: Why don't we have that sleek space

Science geeks and space film fans, take a journey through the questions from your favorite movies that may continue to haunt or puzzle you. Specter of the Monolith offers a radically original critique of how humans have confronted the majesty of the vast universe--via art, media, science, pop culture, space exploration, and the greatest space films. Original and thought-provoking, the book explores questions such as:

  • Why don't we have that sleek space hotel from 2001?
  • What's the meaning of the monolith in 2001 and the tesseract in Interstellar?
  • Why did we pull the plug on the Apollo program, precisely as NASA provided humanity its first and only chance to unite in celebration of human achievement?
  • How do we find human meaning in the vast universe? Or are we meaningless cosmic specks, as suggested by the Hubble Deep Field images?
  • Why is Michael Jackson the most popular moonwalker on Earth?
  • What do Ziggy Stardust and The Six Million Dollar Man tell us about 45 years of "post-Apollo culture"?
  • What are the new Star Trek and Star Wars films really saying about our future in space? What about Gravity, The Martian, and Planet of the Apes?
  • Should Mars be strip-mined or terraformed, as envisioned by Elon Musk? Or protected as a Celestial Wilderness Area?

In 200 pages, this book covers vast territory. It comes down to this: You can look at Hubble's awe-inspiring cosmic images and feel a sense of nihilism and meaninglessness. Or they can point toward an entirely new space philosophy based in the sublime, ecology, and humanity's true place in the universe of the 21st century.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of 2001, Specter of the Monolith offers a hopeful and inspiring alternative vision of human destiny in space.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Center for Media and Destiny
Published: 07/11/2017
ISBN: 9780979840470
Pages: 222
Weight: 0.67lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.47d
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SKU: 19354235807

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4.6 ★★★★★
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J
Verified Purchase
Jon Pettersen
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Fast an easy
Format: Paperback
Quick delivery and a very nice comic book.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2026
S
Verified Purchase
Shan
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 5
Thrilling and illustrated beautifully
Format: Paperback
Do not miss this series if your a Star Wars fan, if your a Vader fan in particular this is a must read comic as it really goes into Vaders early days and his journey to become a true champion of the dark side. Had to put it down on purpose several times so it would not end. Loving my second read of the same volume as well. This book pulls no punches and the writing is much better than I thought it would be. This is one of the few new Marvel comics that can stand tall with the classics and Dark Horses comics. Illustrations are top notch and the story is well thought out.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2019
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Doc Watson
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 4
An origins story of sorts
Format: Paperback
Darth Vader is an angry man. Recently Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Republic, the Chosen One in the eyes of some of the Jedi, he is now a literally broken man, as much machine as human, as result of losing a battle with his former master—and ‘brother’—and left to die along the lava rivers of Mustafar. Worse, he is bereft of his great love, Padme Amidala, and is at least the proximate, if not the direct, cause of her death. So yeah, he has a few things to work out. This first volume of the second DV run from Marvel focuses on how Vader becomes Vader, the Dark Lord of the Sith that strikes fear in the hearts of friend and foe alike. The plot here across the six collected issues is fairly minimal. Having lost his lightsaber to Obi-Wan in the Mustafar fight, he needs a new one, and it needs to a Sith saber, which can only be gotten by taking a saber from a foe and “bleeding” it, by infusing its crystal with all the hate and anger that drives the Sith. In the process, this will turn the crystal’s light red (thus explaining why Sith sabers are the color they are). So, the first three issues are about him acquiring and crafting said saber. The other issues are his rocky introduction to and training of the Inquisitorious, the Emperor’s new Jedi hunters. So, with six issues of not a whole lot of story, does this collection work? To my surprise, yes it does. This is all about emotion, and if there is a standout star, it’s Vader’s rage. His former life gone, crushed and burned in the fires of Mustafar, Vader’s going to forge a new one in the very flames of his anger. Writer Charles Soule has done a fine job in depicting this inner turmoil and translating it into the foundations of the Dark Lord’s new life. Also nicer is artist Giuseppe Camuncoli’s work. The artwork is dynamic—Vader is agile, fluid and skillful —and interesting. It’s good stuff and does a fine job giving us insight to Vader’s state of mind. As I’ve said, there’s not a whole lot of story here, but there is a fine character study of damaged man rebuilding himself into a powerful and formidable individual.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023
K
Verified Purchase
Kenny Smith
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Good story
Format: Paperback
Awesome to see what happens right after episode 3
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2025
Z
Verified Purchase
Zack Klesel
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
I love star wars
Format: Paperback
Yet, I love his comic book so much. I love Star Wars a lot too. I mean, this is a lot. This is a really cool comic. I love seeing dark vader fight like it's really cool
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026

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