Kickstarter has some of the most amazing books in comics today. I love the place, and I need an adult to go there these days, and one amazing book came to my door. I’ve been waiting for this for nearly a year, and I was genuinely impressed with what I got. I give you, Mara.
The Book
Mara Book One
Writer: Dylan Goss
Illustrator and Mandarin Translator: Rosi Woo
Portugese Translator: Rogerio Rios
Spanish Translator: Manuel Gil Fernandez
Mara is in short about a gentle girl that’s turned into a creature bent on revenge, and not entirely of her own will. The beginning of the issue starts innocent. Mara is a girl in a tribe talking to her parents about the wolf spirit Amaruq, who watches over the tribe. This innocent scene is shattered brutally as Mara’s tribe is murdered in the midst of a dispute. Her parents are killed.
In the spirit realm, something is amiss with the tribe that killed Mara’s kin. Amaruq, the wolf spirit in an act to save the tribe’s sole survivor, merges with Mara’s spirit and turns her into a creature bent on revenge, killing her first man, and stealing his weapons.
This is an interesting concept. Obviously entering and destroying what remained of Mara’s innocence isn’t right, but Amaruq’s argument is quite simple. How else is she going to survive in the harsh world that remained? You need strength to live.
Will this come back to bite Amaruq? One would think so. But how? And Mara? What of her? Who does she become in the later issues of the saga? Will she hate the spirit that shares a bond with her? This is an intriguing idea. Credit to Dylan Goss for coming up with a fantastic story. This is a very complex story that puts the reader through a gambit of emotions from innocence to shock, and brutal shock at the fate of Mara at the end of the first issue.
The art is simply phenomenal. Rosi Woo is a gifted illustrator. She made Mara very adorable, and it adds to the horror you feel when you see her fate at the end of the issue. The book has emotion and depth with all the characters, wolf and man, and you get a real feel for the story. The oversized book also helps with the feeling you get reading this. I think this was a clever design choice as well. A bigger book highlights the art and characters more. I really enjoyed this story. I can’t wait for the second issue.
The Business
The podcast continues to countdown to 1000. I just did a heck of a drink and draw with Elsa Garagarza, and am lining up some of my favorite guests one last time, and a few new ones here and there.On top of that, I’ve launched my Patreon. I know if you’ve read the column early on, I’ve done it before. This time is different. I’ve been working on a producing a show post 1000 now. I’ve already had some cool guests so far in Marc Watson and actress Barb Sims, and I got a few cool guests lined up going forward. It’s a new take on the show.
In addition to that, I have drawings and an ongoing novel there you can join in. Five dollars a month gets you all of that. Click here if you want to join and support my podcast as I am going on the road, and get some cool stories and art in the process.
Speaking of prepping for that, I’m selling my comic book collection. Not all of it, but I’m purging. On my ebay account right now, I have sets of books for sale. If you are interested in helping me out on the next leg of the journey, check out my account, and bid on something you like.
And don’t forget, I do advertise comic projects, and creators with my advertising services. I’ve worked with creators in both prose and comics and am looking forward to helping you. Take a look if you’re looking to get your project out there.
That will do it for another column. Next week I review another amazing kickstarter book I got in the mail. It blew me away.
Stay inspired out there.
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