The Surrogates

In this Dutch one-shot from De Vliegende Hollander, readers are introduced to a near-future world where people interact through lifelike robotic avatars known as surrogates. The story follows a detective investigating a murder that breaks the ultimate taboo—the destruction of a surrogate while its operator remains connected. Written and drawn by creator team, the issue distills the series' core premise of identity, control, and the cost of mediated reality into a single, self-contained narrative. Though brief, this 2009 release offers a tight, atmospheric entry into a concept that would later gain wider recognition.