Graphic novel Gigs defiantly celebrates humanity in the face of omnipotent AI

Artificial intelligence might be coming to take our jobs, but one upside is that it has inspired Gigs – an outstanding new graphic novel by Leeds-based duo Mark Mosedale and Si Smith. And while our gallows humour might be bordering on poor taste, bear with us because the creativity that has gone into this gorgeous 6.75- by 9.5-inch book will renew your faith in humanity. Literally.

The idea came about back in 2019 – before AI was quite the threat it is today. Illustrator Si Smith asked writer Mark Johnson (nom de plume Mosedale) to collaborate with him on a comic book project. The comic became a graphic novel, published by Top Shelf on 16 June at $24.99, but what resonates is how prescient the story became as they worked on it. And, seven years in the making, Gigs is a labour of love.

"When we embarked on the project, the idea of artificial intelligence hollowing out the job market felt like an interesting sci-fi avenue to explore," says Si. "But now that the book is here, it feels like the advent of that world is unstoppably imminent. I know that sounds a bit gloomy, but we have tried to thread some little moments of hope through the narrative as well."

The story takes place in a world where AI has taken over, everyone gets a basic income, and to earn extra, one must work for 'the app'. The technology organises human activity, and in many cases, it's the characters' creativity that rails against it. Isn't that how it feels right now for so many in our industry?

"I think anyone creative will see themselves in the book," says Mark Johnson. "We've got a street artist who paints these towering murals by night, then is forced to paint over them by day to keep his basic income coming in, we've got a writer who got marooned on a space station cleaning toilets after the funding for her project dried up, and an octogenarian punk who's stuck in a care home, trying her best to hang onto her identity."

Si's dedication to the artwork will make you gasp, and it's an excellent demonstration of how real illustration is the antithesis of AI slop. Drawing panel-by-panel on his battered Wacom Bamboo in Photoshop, it took him about three days to create each of the 276 pages. His hand-drawn images are layered, full of texture and depth, with haze, and the English weather thickening the atmosphere.

"Mark and I wanted the world of Gigs to feel solid and dense and lived-in, so there's lots layered into the panels," explains Si. "For example, where there's graffiti, it's drawn in at least four separate layers of varying transparencies. I draw the pages at 600 dpi at 150 per cent of the print size, which means that in the printed version, you can't really read much of that detail, but I think it's still important that it's there. It's the texture – the greebling – that hopefully makes the world feel real."

Meanwhile, his characters exist in a world no longer built for humans, and there's a sense of claustrophobia – both physical and psychological. But it isn't all bleak; the story also spins a yarn of hope and has a warm undercurrent.

More than a commentary on AI and the gig economy, Gigs is about how we relate to our changing world. "Si and I are grappling with the feeling you're a human living in a world that's no longer built for humans. We're being squeezed from all sides by these structures – physical, social, economic, political – that are built and organised for inhuman things: businesses, technologies, political forces, the whims of billionaires. And we're stuck trying to navigate the cracks between them," says Mark.

With its story and artwork, Gigs offers an experience that current generative AI likely could not create. That may change, but for now, perhaps that is something to celebrate. Mark and Si are already working on a follow-up, which may be a direct sequel or one in spirit. They're also pitching another graphic novel, this time aimed at the young adult market and featuring football and magic.