Vector 13
Encyclopedia
Vector 13 is a 2000 AD
comic
strip which featured the eponym
ous agency setup to investigate anomalous phenomena and conspiracy theories
. It was influenced by The X-Files
(which was at the height of its popularity at the time) and other events like the 1995 release of the alien autopsy film
. However, it was very much "of its time", and as the general interest in the paranormal and parapolitics waned, the series was wound up and replaced by Pulp Sci-Fi as a venue for single issue self-contained stories. In turn it foreshadowed other agencies like Caballistics, Inc.
and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.
It is notable not just for the number of (usually single issue) installments produced in such a short space of time but for the wide mix of the best of the comic's talent of that period. It really acted to bring together the various tales from Tharg's Future Shocks
, Terror Tales and Beyond Science under one "umbrella" plot. The format was created by former 2000 AD editor and long-time contributor, Alan McKenzie
.
, as being a true file from their cases touching on a whole range of Forteana from Mothman
to the Chupacabras and broader conspiracy theories
like MKULTRA
.
In the middle of the series run (and as the interest in such subjects peaked) the MiB even broke out of their own strip and took over the running of the magazine from #1014 (appearing as part of the logo from #1018), as Tharg was away dealing with a crisis. This first issue coinciding with a promotion of the X-Files series 2 trading cards.
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
comic
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
strip which featured the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous agency setup to investigate anomalous phenomena and conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
. It was influenced by The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
(which was at the height of its popularity at the time) and other events like the 1995 release of the alien autopsy film
Ray Santilli
Ray Santilli is a British musician, record, and film producer, best known for his exploitation in 1995 of the controversial "alien autopsy" footage, subject of the Ant & Dec film Alien Autopsy.-Life and career:...
. However, it was very much "of its time", and as the general interest in the paranormal and parapolitics waned, the series was wound up and replaced by Pulp Sci-Fi as a venue for single issue self-contained stories. In turn it foreshadowed other agencies like Caballistics, Inc.
Caballistics, Inc.
Caballistics, Inc is a horror/fantasy comic strip, set in the present day, that has been running in the weekly British anthology comic 2000AD since December 2002...
and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.
It is notable not just for the number of (usually single issue) installments produced in such a short space of time but for the wide mix of the best of the comic's talent of that period. It really acted to bring together the various tales from Tharg's Future Shocks
Future Shocks
Future Shocks is the name given to a long running series of short strips in the weekly comic 2000 AD in 1977. The name originates in a book titled Future Shock, written by Alvin Toffler, published in 1970.-Publishing history:...
, Terror Tales and Beyond Science under one "umbrella" plot. The format was created by former 2000 AD editor and long-time contributor, Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie
Alan McKenzie is a British comics writer known for his work at 2000 AD.-Biography:McKenzie worked for Marvel UK during the early 1980s, editing Starburst, Cinema and Doctor Who Monthly magazines. After leaving the Marvel staff in 1985, he wrote several Doctor Who comic stories for the Monthly under...
.
Plot
Each story was presented, by the Men in BlackMen in Black
Men in Black , in American popular culture and in UFO conspiracy theories, are men dressed in black suits who claim to be government agents who harass or threaten UFO witnesses to keep them quiet about what they have seen. It is sometimes implied that they may be aliens themselves...
, as being a true file from their cases touching on a whole range of Forteana from Mothman
Mothman
Mothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia from 15 November 1966 to 15 December 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated 16 November 1966, entitled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird...Creature...Something"...
to the Chupacabras and broader conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
like MKULTRA
Project MKULTRA
Project MKULTRA, or MK-ULTRA, was the code name for a covert, illegal CIA human experimentation program, run by the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence. This official U.S. government program began in the early 1950s, continued at least through the late 1960s, and used U.S...
.
In the middle of the series run (and as the interest in such subjects peaked) the MiB even broke out of their own strip and took over the running of the magazine from #1014 (appearing as part of the logo from #1018), as Tharg was away dealing with a crisis. This first issue coinciding with a promotion of the X-Files series 2 trading cards.