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Roswell, Texas facts for kids

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Roswell, Texas is an exciting online graphic novel that was released in parts, like a TV show, from 2006 to 2008. It was published on the Big Head Press website.

This story was written by science fiction author L. Neil Smith and Rex F. May (who is also known as the cartoonist Baloo). The amazing drawings were done by Scott Bieser, with colors by Jen Zach and words added by Zeke Bieser.

Roswell, Texas is a type of story called alternate history. This means it imagines what the world would be like if a few big things in the past had happened differently. In this story, for example, the famous Davy Crockett survived the battle of the Alamo, but Santa Anna (who was a general) did not. Because of this, Texas grew much larger and became the "Federated States of Texas" instead of joining the United States.

What is Roswell, Texas About?

The main part of the story is about a UFO (an unidentified flying object) that crashes in 1947 near Roswell. This city is in the western part of the Federated States of Texas. This event is similar to the real-life Roswell UFO incident that happened in New Mexico.

The story also includes ideas from L. Neil Smith's libertarian way of thinking. This means it explores ideas about freedom, individual rights, and limited government.

A Different World: The Alternate History

In the world of Roswell, Texas, many things are different from our own history, especially outside North America:

  • The European War: World War II is still happening in the late 1940s, but it's called the "European War." Japan and the United States are not involved in this version of the war.
  • Unusual Alliances: The United Kingdom has joined forces with Nazi Germany. In this timeline, King Edward VIII is a puppet ruler, meaning he is controlled by others.
  • New Homes: Many people from Europe have moved to Texas.
  • Changes in the USA: The United States has stopped following the Bill of Rights, which protects people's freedoms.
  • Independent California: California never became part of the United States. Instead, it became an independent state, just like Texas in this story.

Famous Faces in New Roles

Roswell, Texas uses a lot of anachronism and anatopism. This means it puts things or people from different times or places together in unexpected ways. Many real historical figures appear in the story, but they have very different lives and roles than they did in our world.

Some of these famous people include:

Also, characters from L. Neil Smith's other books, like William "Win" Bear from The Probability Broach, show up in this story. They are like "alternate history" versions of their fictional selves.

The Completed Story

By March 18, 2008, Roswell, Texas was finished. It had 640 pages, with some pages being a single picture and others having many comic panels.

In June 2008, a black-and-white paperback book version of Roswell, Texas was published by Big Head Press.

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