The Elements. The Rescue Mission

THE ELEMENTS THE RESCUE MISSION

THE ELEMENTS

THE RESCUE MISSION

Kayetan k usz Korczak in the book ”Kayte His story was described by Jan ers pow y n discovered his sorcer the Wizard”. As a child, Kayeta rn more powerful spells, he got but when he was trying to lea for more than 50 years. When stuck in a magical glass castle ished a group of superheroes he finally broke free, he establ d clones of the most eminent consisting of magically create 2025, when robots from the Polish scientists and artists. In Kayetan sacrificed himself, planet Serkres attacked Earth, turning into a giant tree.

Maria

Maria is a clone of Maria Skło dowska-Curie, the Polish scientist twice awarded the Nob el Prize: first in physics, and then in chemistry for the discovery of two new elements: radium and poloni um.

Fryderyk Chopin, Poland’s most Fryderyk is a clone of Fryderyk ero, he proves that even eminent composer. As a superh apon in the fight against music can be an effective we threats from outer space.

Nicolas Nicolas is a clone of the astron omer Nicolaus Copernicus, who “stopped the Sun and mo ved the Earth,” and also revolutionised the perception of the Solar System structure with his work ”On the Revolution s of the Heavenly Spheres”.

Nicolas possesses the extrem ely useful Power of the Sun.

Krystyna who spied for the Allies during Krystyna Skarbek is an agent British Prime Minister Winston World War II and worked with during his time travel and Churchill. She meets Kayetan decides to help him.

Staszek Staszek is a clone of Stanislaw Lem, the world-famous science-fiction writer, and loo ks after the Earth Defender Squad’s base. In the Squad, he serves as a specialist on alien civilisations.

Ignacy Paderewski, the composer, Ignacy is a clone of Ignacy Jan tributed significantly to the pianist, and politician who con ish state after the end of World creation of an independent Pol r of cultural diplomacy. The War I. Paderewski was a pionee nt on his advice. superheroes can always cou

Marian Marian is a clone of the Polish cryptologist Marian Rejewski, who broke the code of the Enigma, the German cipher machine of Wo rld War II. He acts as a high-tech specialist in the Squad.

Pages 10-13

the heroes of the Henryk and Longinus Podbipięta are ski yjow łod Wo hał Mic a, łob uge” (”Potop”) and ”Fire Onufry Zag (”Ogniem i Mieczem”), ”The Del rd” Swo and Fire th ”Wi ks: boo Sienkiewicz stories set in one of the ich make up a trilogy, telling wh i”), wsk yjo łod Wo n (”Pa ” in the Steppe 19th century, the books ory. Published at the end of the hist ish Pol in s iod per nt ule most turb adapted to films and TV ng to this day, and were also stro still , rity ula pop us rmo gained eno inated for the Academy d by Jerzy Hoffman was nom cte dire ”) top (”Po ” uge Del e series. ”Th ge Film in 1975.

Award for Best Foreign Langua

Pages 14-19

some of the most interesting features comic references to m seu i, mu the in set ne sce The (”Bociany”) by Józef Chełmońsk ish artists, including: ”Storks” Pol by rks ka, wo n pic now Łem ll-k ara we and atti”) by Tam ” (”Autoportret w zielonym Bug ”Self-Portrait in a Green Bugatti , or the Fall of Poland” jtan ”Re fer, hof ród”) by Józef Me Og ny ziw (”D n” rde Ga nge Stra ”The ums” (”Dziewczynka Matejko, ”Girl with Chrysanthem Jan by ) ski” Pol dek Upa – n (”Rejta s” (”Żydówka nańska, ”Jewess with Orange z chryzantemami”) by Olga Boz Zdzisław Beksiński. by gs ntin pai r Gierymski, and nde ksa Ale by i”) am ńcz ara z pom

Pages 23-26 been gaining Polish computer games have world for years. the und immense popularity aro of them, the one to ce This comic makes referen dios, which stu bit 11 by game ”This War of Mine” ws an sho t tha tion is a highly original produc lians civi of e ctiv spe image of war from the per to ng tryi and hiding in ruined buildings ed conflict. survive in a city engulfed in arm ernment, the gov ish Pol In cooperation with the included as n bee has game ”This War of Mine” riculum for cur e cor the educational material in ts. secondary school studen

Pages 27-31 popular Polish comic ”Binio Bill” is one of the most rst printed in episodes in series from the 1980s; it was fi h” (”World of Youth”), and the newspaper ”Świat Młodyc ter is Zbigniew Bilecki, later in albums. Its main charac compatriots, emigrated a Pole who, like millions of his became sheriff in the to the United States, where he name was too difficult for town of Rio Klawo. As his real nged it to Binio Bill. The the locals to pronounce, he cha ions, Jerzy Wróblewski, author of the script and illustrat d West from his who was fascinated by the Wil ics, where the childhood, created hilarious com ses bandits but also eponymous sheriff not only cha n flies into space. becomes a movie star, and eve

Pages 32-34 racter Diplodocus is a comic book cha In 2024, i. wsk ano Bar z created by Tadeus screen big the on ed Diplodocus appear e larg the ing join s thu in a feature film, e hav t tha s tion ma group of Polish ani world and been recognised around the years. for s ard aw s winning prestigiou by ” ngo ”Ta n Suffice it to mentio n an Zbigniew Rybczyński, which wo Film in rt Sho ted ma Oscar for Best Ani ”) dra ate (”K l” dra the 1983, or ”The Ca an for ted ina nom i,

by Tomasz Bagińsk Oscar in 2003.

Pages 39-40 The comic book characters appear in some of the most popular Polish books: ”The Revenge” (”Zemsta”) by Aleks” sander Fredro, ”Nights and Day (”Noce i dnie”) by Maria Dąbrowska, ”The Quack” (”Znachor”) by Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz and ”Quo Vadis” by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

The latter is a historical novel that has seen numerous film s adaptations, and its author wa awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905.

Pages 43-44 ters” was coined in the The term ”Polish School of Pos Polish poster artists who, 1960s, referring to a group of ned international working in socialist Poland, gai posters that were original recognition for their designs: n mainly social and in their form, and touched upo were joined by Andrzej cultural themes. These artists ing film posters in the Pągowski, who started design comic as a character 1970s, and who appears in the from a self-portrait.

Copyright © Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Publisher:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Department of Promotion and Cultural Diplomacy

Warsaw, 2024 Script:

Maciej Jasiński

Graphics:

Rafał Szłapa, Arkadiusz Klimek, Jacek Michalski, Piotr Nowacki, Jarosław Wojtasiński

Cover design:

Rafał Szłapa

ISBN 978-83-68207-07-1 Printed and bound in Poland by SINDRUK, Opole, www.sindruk.pl