Written & Lettered by Clifford VanMeter. Artwork by Joe Querio

From “The Hammonds of Ore City: Deconstructing a Dynasty” by Cyril Linkus, Stanford University Press – There is little doubt that the Hammonds saved the mines from closure and saved the livelihoods of thousands of Ore City citizens. That they did this with ruthlessness, brutality, torture and slavery is equally unquestioned.

Written, Colored & Lettered by Clifford VanMeter. Penciled & Inked by Joe Querio

Personal Journal of Felicia Lauden, Chief Constable of Ore City: Simply put, whoever said honesty is the best policy, obviously never worked in Ore City.

Written, Colored & Lettered by Clifford VanMeter. Penciled & Inked by Joe Querio

From the Chronicles of Sa’dish, Historian to Va’namir VII, Emperor of the Tir’a People: 20 Terrachian years. They crave ritual, these hoo-manz. They turn mourning into festival.  We, in seeking to understand them… to share in their culture… have allowed the anniversary of their atrocity to become a cause of celebration.

Written & Lettered by Clifford VanMeter. Artwork by Joe Querio

From the Chronicles of Sa’dish, Historian to Va’namir VII, Emperor of the Tir’a People – Conflict between the terrachians and the children of Va’annu was written in our collective consciousness millennia gone. While they grubbed and scavenged on the savanna of their homeworld, the Tir’a took prey by fang and claw and guile in the forests of Va’annu. Scavenger and predator – scoundrel and killer. These are the evolutionary paths that separate us at the very core of our beings.

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“I’ve been describing Orion the Hunter as ‘Space Cowboy Noir’,” said VanMeter, a former writer, penciller and colorist for companies like DC, Valiant and Marvel Comics in the 90’s. “It takes inspiration from things like Joss Whedon’s Serenity, but also draws on movies like Bad Day at Black Rock and High Plains Drifter and touches on more modern tragedies like 9/11.”

Orion takes place about 200 years in the future, shortly after a devastating war has ravaged two civilizations, earth’s and the tir’a. The tir’a are the only other space-faring race humanity has encountered, thus far. In the aftermath of nearly a decade of warfare, the humans and tir’a have formed a new alliance and out of that a peace-keeping force has been established.

“The main character, Orion is a half-breed,” continues VanMeter. “His real name is Geos Arion Rasas rel Pen Atha. “Orion” is a kind of nickname humans have tagged him with.”

One of peace-keepers, Orion is a Federation marshal. A  hunter tasked with pursuing interplanetary criminals. In his premier adventure, Orion goes home for the first time since the end of the war. His mere presence there sets off a chain of events and he has to walk a fine line between seeking revenge and upholding his oath as a marshal.

Orion the Hunter will be updated weekly, every Tuesday at 3PM.