RanXerox

RanXerox is an Italian 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 antihero, RanXerox is a mechanical creature made from Xerox photocopier parts.

At first (1978, in Italian, in Cannibale) the name was "Rank Xerox", identical to that of a joint venture between the Xerox Corporation of the U.S. and The Rank Organisation of the U.K., the latter of which manufactures and markets Xerox equipment in Europe. Due to a threatened lawsuit by Rank Xerox for using their trademarked name, Tamburini changed it to "RanXerox" (1980, also in Italian, in Frigidaire). The name "Ranx" has also been used in some cases. The first time RanXerox was published in English is in the July 1983 issue of Heavy Metal. Then came many more issues of Heavy Metal, and novels, featuring RanXerox (such as RanXerox in America). The artist uses Pantone pens for his unique art style.

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.

Ranx: The Video Game was developed by Ubisoft in 1990 for DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST.