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Take in the entire history of science fiction with this gorgeous poster

Take in the entire history of science fiction with this gorgeous poster

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From Plato to Star Wars

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Ward Shelley

A couple of years ago, I came across a gorgeous poster from an artist named Ward Shelley. It charted out the entire history of science fiction, from its earliest roots in mythology and legends to the latest television shows and novels. Since the image originally went viral, Shelley has since sold out his initial print run, and has turned to Kickstarter to fund a new, updated poster.

I picked up one of the posters a couple of years ago when I first discovered it, and my copy now graces a wall in my office. (It’s hanging behind my computer as I type this.) It’s a beautiful work of art, with flowing streams that highlight the various strains of speculative fiction. It shows how each entry in the larger canon builds on its predecessors.

Ward Shelley

Shelley notes that he’s updated the poster for this new print run: a couple of spelling errors have been corrected and a “few grievous omissions have been remedied.” The entire work has also been repainted with some more vibrant colors. You can snag a copy of the poster for $30, provided the campaign makes its goal of $4,000 in the next two weeks.