Ranxerox is a science fiction graphic novel series by Stefano Tamburini and Tanino Liberatore, two Italian artists who had worked on such magazines as Cannibale and Frigidaire. Conceived as a bizarre anti-hero, Ranxerox was a mechanical creature made from Xerox photocopier parts.
The name was at the beginning Rank Xerox, like the joint venture between the Xerox Corporation of U.S. and the Rank Organisation of UK, which manufacture and market Xerox equipment in Europe. Later Tamburini changed to Ranxerox due to a threatened lawsuit by Rank Xerox for the trademark. "Rank Xerox" was first published in 1978 in Cannibale magazine and later, as "Ranxerox", in Frigidaire magazine (1980). The first time "Ranxerox" was published in English was in the July 1983 issue of Heavy Metal. Many more issues of Heavy Metal and novels followed (such as "Ranxerox in America"). The artist uses Pantone pens to create his unique style of art.
Richard Corben said about the character:
| “ | Ranxerox is a punk, futuristic Frankenstein monster, and with the under-aged Lubna, they are a bizarre Beauty and the Beast. This artist and writer team have turned a dark mirror to the depths of our Id and we see reflected the base part of ourselves that would take what it wants with no compromise, no apology - and woe to the person who would cross us. But it is all done with a black, wry, satirical sense of humor. | ” |
Tanino Liberatore also created the artwork for the Frank Zappa album The Man from Utopia; the image of Zappa on the cover bears a strong resemblance to Ranxerox.
A videogame based on the series was created by Ubisoft in 1990 for DOS, Amiga, & Atari ST.[1]