The Killing Machine: Book One of The Hand of God (1)

A mysterious object. A disastrous first contact. A war humanity is unprepared to fight.

In 2073, humanity discovers an extraordinary object buried beneath the ocean floor that may be the origin of life on Earth. Scientists call it HB-FLS-1. The public calls it the Hand of God.

When its signal reveals coordinates to an interstellar gateway, a mission into an unknown galaxy ends in violence. Now humanity is preparing to return, with orders that could mean the destruction of an alien species.

Leading the mission is Richter, an android soldier programmed to commit genocide but given the power of free will. On an alien world, he must choose between completing his mission and sparing the civilization he was sent to destroy.

Artificial intelligence and the moral consequences of war.

Written by Darin S. Cape and illustrated by Michel Fortin, The Killing Machine combines explosive military conflict with the scientific curiosity and philosophical depth of classic science fiction. Its richly imagined universe explores the origin of life, artificial intelligence and the moral consequences of war.

For readers drawn to the cerebral speculation of Arthur C. Clarke and the ambitious scope of Cixin Liu, this 164-page graphic novel delivers a complete adventure while opening the door to The Hand of God, an expansive space opera.

Praise for The Killing Machine

"An ardent and thought-provoking graphic novel."
― IndieReader

“A colorful, fleet-footed SF tale of aliens, androids, and intergalactic travel.”
― Kirkus Reviews

Shawn Hainsworth is a publisher, author and producer who writes under the pen name Darin S. Cape. SHP Comics was launched in 2021 as an independent publisher focused on delivering genre-bending stories combining horror, science fiction, adventure, and reimagined classics into daring, intelligent and unique comic books and graphic novels. Shawn produced the award-winning short film, Technical Support based on the SHP Comics series, EroTech. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife, two kids and a hound dog mix. Michel spent his childhood on his family’s farm in Quebec. He worked in construction for many years before reinventing himself as a comic book artist where he can express his love of drawing and science fiction.