Warren Ellis: Going to Mars is important. VICE: What kind of merit is there to Gingrich’s proposals-which he’s self-described as “grandiose”-for developing a rocket that can reach Mars, establishing a permanent moon base, and so on? So I couldn’t help but wonder with the future of human spaceflight at risk would Ellis see Gingrich as a fellow dreamer? Was there common ground between this bearded geek icon and the doughy former Speaker of the House? I got in touch with Ellis to find out-and ended up with a lot more than I bargained for. It demands great ingenuity. But we cannot remain children, standing on the shore or in front of the TV set.” In the introduction to Orbiter he explained that “Human spaceflight remains experimental.

In 2010 he said, 'Keeping all your breeding pairs in one place is a retarded way to run a species.' But he can also be inspirational. His impassioned arguments for space travel can be bluntly utilitarian. The 43-year-old Brit has written two acclaimed graphic novels on the topic ( Orbiter and Ministry of Space), as well as an array of nonfiction essays. In addition to being an iconic comic book writer ( Transmetropolitan, Planetary, Red), cult novelist ( Crooked Little Vein), futurist intellectual, and beloved Internet curmudgeon, Ellis is also a longtime proponent of space exploration. But me? I ask myself, “What would Warren Ellis do?” Whenever Newt Gingrich talks about lunar colonies and conquering Mars-and he certainly wasn’t stingy on that during last night’s GOP debate in Florida-most onlookers see an opportunity for easy laughs and cheap mockery.

Ministry of Space by Warren Ellis