GirltalkHQ: New Graphic Novel Inspired by Philippine Mythology

October is Filipino-American History Month and Kwento Comics, the trailblazing Filipino-American comic book publisher, is partnering with Clover Press for a Kickstarter campaign to publish a graphic novel inspired by Philippine mythology, THE MASK OF HALIYA: HEIR TO THE WARRIOR MOON.

This 200-page deluxe hardcover is a young adult urban fantasy which follows the journey of a troubled Filipina-American teen who discovers a mysterious mask at her great-grandmother’s wake. The story is written and illustrated by an all-Asian, all-female creative team from around the world and the 200-page deluxe hardcover edition features a brand new cover by superstar comic book artist Haining (Spirit World, DC vs. Vampires: All Out War), and an optional slipcase.

Cecilia:  I grew up in the Midwest in the 1960’s and since my mother didn’t learn to drive until I was much older, we always took the bus to go into the city. Going home from the city, there was always a newsstand that had a section for comic books. My mom would always let me buy one comic for the trip home on the bus. I would frantically search for the latest Wonder Woman or Batman and then have the comic read by the time I got home. Some of my fondest memories of my mom were on a bus as a child reading my favorite comics. As I got older, I continued to read comics as well as stories of mythology and fantasy novels.

Waverley: After moving to Los Angeles with my mom in 2017, it became glaringly evident that there was a lack of representation of Asian Americans in the entertainment industry, not just historically in front of the camera, but behind it as well. We thought to ourselves well how can we expect to see ourselves reflected in media if our authentic voices weren’t more present in these spaces. So my mom and I decided why not be a part of the solution and create the space, a space to give more talent in our community a platform to tell our stories and put our culture on the map in a meaningful way, while also putting an emphasis on strong female heroines at the heart of our narratives.

Cecilia: We’re super grateful to all our fans, who have supported us on our journey. It’s really special to have women of all ages see us at conventions and be so excited to see a company like ours that’s telling a story about women, written by women, and artistically drawn by women. When our readers come back to our booth at the conventions and ask for the next issue, it really warms my heart that the story is connecting to readers regardless of their gender or background. The Filipino community here and abroad agree that bringing Philippine mythology and culture to this genre was needed and are thrilled that Haliya can hopefully be just one of many books that dive into the rich landscape of our mythology.

Read More: https://www.girltalkhq.com/new-graphic-novel-inspired-by-philippine-mythology-from-mother-daughter-creators/?fbclid=IwAR3tR9xmmL6w48YgK5VKdcKiba7eRey9ktGsptxeZ8KQYCyK_FiQOg4tpUA