Every so often an announcement we would have wished to prioritise gets lost in our spam folder. Such was the fate of new publishing outfit Kwento Comics’ recent announcement of their debut comics offering a week or two back. We’re rectifying that today with the news of what to expect from ‘The Mask of Haliya’ next month. Full details in the following press release.
KWENTO COMICS, FIRST ALL-ASIAN WOMEN COMIC BOOK COMPANY SET TO RELEASE DEBUT ISSUE
Los Angeles, CA (February 7, 2022) – Kwento Comics is proud to announce the upcoming release of their first graphic novel series, The Mask of Haliya. The first issue in the series, Eye of the Serpent, will be available on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
The Mask of Haliya is a young adult urban fantasy that follows the journey of a troubled Filipina-American teen who discovers a mysterious mask at her great-grandmother’s wake. A gritty drama inspired by Philippine mythology, the story engages with topics like mental health, intergenerational trauma, and corruption, with a major emphasis on its female characters.
Founded by creator Cecilia Lim, Kwento Comics is an international all-Asian women comic book company whose mission is to create stories that introduce Filipino and other Asian mythos to a wider audience. Lim’s team is comprised of head writer Kaitlyn Fajilan (Fruit Fly, Madeira), head artist Renoida Renovilla (Creative Connections and Commons, Inc.), cover artist Kathryn Layno (Batman Legends of the Dark Knight, Castlevania), editor Jenapher Zheng (Oblivious, Borrowed Light), colorist Charlyn Duy, and producer Waverley Lim (The Women’s Project). Kwento Comics recognizes the importance of representation, and they hope that the narrative scope and level of social commentary within Haliya will illuminate Asian identity on a global level.
L-R: Kaitlyn Fajilan, Cecilia Lim, Waverley Lim, and Jenapher Zheng
Pre-orders for hard copies of The Mask of Haliya: Eye of the Serpent can be purchased now at www.kwentocomics.com. Pre-orders for digital copies can be made at the Amazon Kindle store. Paperback copies will also be available at select comic book stores nationwide in the US.
