Orbiter

In 2004, DC Comics published this single-issue graphic novel by writer Warren Ellis and artist Colleen Doran, a self-contained story that blends hard science fiction with a haunting mystery. It follows the return of a long-lost space shuttle, the Venture, which reappears after a decade with its hull transformed by an alien intelligence, carrying a single, changed crew member. Doran's detailed, atmospheric art grounds Ellis's contemplative script, exploring themes of cosmic awe and the limits of human understanding. A quiet, resonant entry in DC's early-2000s creator-owned work, Orbiter stands as a thoughtful meditation on exploration and the unknown.