Off on a Comet

Jules Verne (1828-1905) is considered by many the father of science fiction. Born in Nantes, France, he studied law but turned to writing opera libretti until the 1863 publication of Five Weeks in a Balloon, the first of his Extraordinary Voyages series. Its success encouraged him to produce a number of classic and prophetic science fiction novels, including Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. His stories foresaw many scientific and technological developments, including the submarine, television, and space travel.

American comics artist GERALD MCCANN contributed to the legendary Classics Illustrated series. McCann illustrated the adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's 'The Conspiritors', Jules Verne's 'Off on a Comet' and Francis Parkman's 'The Conspiracy of Pontiac' between in 1959 and 1960. He also cooperated on several special issues of the collection, such as 'Crossing the Rockies', 'Royal Canadian Mounted Police' and 'Men, Guns and Cattle'.