The term All Tomorrows has become a cultural touchstone, representing a unique blend of speculative evolution, cosmic horror, and profound philosophical inquiry into the future of humanity. While C.M. Kosemen's seminal work, All Tomorrows: The Myriad Species and Mixed Fortunes of Man, stands as the cornerstone of this concept, its themes have resonated across a diverse spectrum of media. This exploration delves into the fascinating ecosystem of books, games, and art that orbit the powerful ideas first seeded by All Tomorrows.
The Speculative Biology Spectrum: From Yesterdays to Tomorrows
For readers captivated by the rigorous yet imaginative biological speculation of All Tomorrows, a natural companion is All Yesterdays: Unique and Speculative Views of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals. Co-authored by Kosemen, this book applies a similar 'what if' lens to the ancient past, challenging rigid paleoart conventions. It's a masterclass in thinking beyond fossils, much like its counterpart projects possible futures. Together, they form the twin pillars of modern speculative biology, exploring the full timeline of life's potential. For a deeper analysis of their connection, the blog post All Yesterdays vs. All Tomorrows: Speculative Biology's Twin Masterpieces offers excellent insight.
Cosmic Horror and Existential Dread: Literary and Visual Kin
The unsettling, universe-spanning horror of All Tomorrows finds a clear ancestor in the works of H.P. Lovecraft. This lineage is vividly realized in H.P. Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu (Manga), which translates cosmic dread into stunning visual form. The thematic bridge is strong: both deal with humanity's insignificance in a vast, uncaring cosmos and the terrifying transformations imposed by ancient, alien forces. Another stark vision of apocalyptic transformation can be found in All the Fiends of Hell, a novel that explores horror on a more intimate, yet equally world-shattering, scale.
Visually, the biomechanical nightmares and surreal anatomy of All Tomorrows owe a debt to the iconic artist H.R. Giger. HR Giger. 45th Ed. is a definitive collection of his work, providing the aesthetic blueprint for much of the body horror and alien machinery that defines this subgenre. The fusion of biological and mechanical terror is a key component of the evolutionary horror that Kosemen's epic so powerfully conveys.
Interactive Nightmares: Gaming in the All Tomorrows Spirit
The concepts of All Tomorrows have even infiltrated the world of tabletop role-playing. All Flesh Must be Eaten: All Tomorrows Zombies is a supplement for the Eden Studios horror RPG that directly adapts these themes. It allows players to experience a zombie apocalypse through the lens of bizarre evolutionary twists and existential threats, moving beyond standard undead fare into the realm of biological fiction and cosmic dread. It's a perfect example of how these ideas can fuel collaborative storytelling.
Literary Echoes: From Family Sagas to Cyberpunk Futures
The phrase "All Tomorrows" echoes beyond strict horror and science fiction. All the Tomorrows After is an emotional novel and family saga that, while not dealing with alien geneticists, explores the passage of time and the legacy of choices across generations—a thematic cousin to the vast timelines of Kosemen's work.
In the realm of cyberpunk, William Gibson's All Tomorrow's Parties (Bridge Trilogy Book 3) uses the phrase to ponder the convergence of technology and culture at the end of an era. Meanwhile, All Tomorrow's Parties: The Velvet Underground Story captures a pivotal moment in 1960s music and counterculture, reminding us that the quest for new, unexplored futures is also a driving force in art and music.
Why All Tomorrows Resonates
The enduring appeal of All Tomorrows lies in its potent combination of rigorous scientific speculation and profound horror. It forces us to confront the fragility of the human form and identity over cosmic timescales. As explored in blogs like All Tomorrows & Cosmic Horror: Exploring Humanity's Evolutionary Nightmares, it taps into a deep-seated fear of transformation and oblivion.
From the paleontological re-imaginings of All Yesterdays to the biomechanical art of Giger, from Lovecraftian manga to cyberpunk finales, the ideas central to All Tomorrows have proven incredibly fertile. They invite us to look at the past, present, and future of life with a mixture of wonder and terror, reminding us that evolution is not just a history lesson but an ongoing, unpredictable saga. Whether you're a fan of dystopian fiction, art books, or horror RPGs, the universe of thought inspired by this modern classic has something profoundly compelling to offer.