Interstellar director Christopher Nolan has written a comic book about an earlier mission to other planets, referenced in his blockbuster space drama.

Working with the award-winning artist Sean Gordon Murphy, the film-maker reveals the back story surrounding the Lazarus missions. In Nolan’s film, these are revealed to have been the first attempts to journey through a wormhole to planets beyond our solar system. Matt Damon cameos as Dr Mann, the astronaut who led the missions with support from robot Kipp.

Nolan’s seven-page comic book, titled Absolute Zero, presents a Dark Star-like vision of a lonely, soulless interplanetary expedition, with an increasingly hopeless Mann taking out his frustrations on his mechanised companion. It will feature in the new issue of Wired magazine, which Nolan is guest editing, and is also available to view online.

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, Interstellar is the futuristic story of a widower forced to lead a mission and leave his family behind as he journeys into space in the hope of finding a new home for humanity. Nolan’s film blasted past the $300m mark at the weekend despite experiencing greater-than-expected resistance from critics, thanks largely to a huge $42m debut in China and another $29.2m in north America.