Tag Archives: liezl buenaventura

Kwento Comics: The first all-women, all-Asian comic book company

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Kwento Comics, the first all-women, all-Asian comic book company highlighting Filipino and Asian mythology through the medium of graphic novels, has made The Mask of Haliya available on GlobalComix! 

The debut series, The Mask of Haliya, written by Kaitlyn Fajilan and Jenapher Zheng, is a supernatural, multi-perspective saga about a Filipina teen, Marisol Reyes, who discovers a wooden mask at her great-grandmother’s wake. Destiny beckons in the form of a giant sea serpent, an ancient battle, and a grim vision of the future. Art by Renoida Renovilla, Charyn Duy, Minerva Fox, Helena Wu, Liezl Buenaventura, Mikela Kaufman, Kristian Laroa, and Ruth Ann Roman.

To celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Kwento Comics will be in attendance at Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 6 at HiFi Kitchen (1667 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles), from 1PM – 5PM, where attendees will receive a promo code for one free download of The Mask of Haliya #1 exclusively on GlobalComix.

Cecilia Lim and Waverley Lim will also be speaking on the intersection of AAPI voices in the comic book space on May 15th at San Jose City College (2100 Moorpark Ave, San Jose), from 12PM – 1PM. 

The Mask of Haliya #1

Dark Horse and Trackers Earth team for Captain Nick & The Explorer Society – Compass of Mems

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Dark Horse Books and Trackers Earth introduce Captain Nick and the courageous and resourceful Explorer Society, as told by the expert outdoor educators and adventurers of Trackers Earth! Based on their popular Captain Nick camp, the book is written by Grey Allison, Michelle McCann, and Trackers Earth co-founder Tony Deis. Pencils are by Thomas Pitilli, inks by Lukas Ketner, colors by Liezl Buenaventura, and letters by Troy Peteri. 

Trackers Earth is an award-winning outdoor education organization with a mission to inspire kids and families to explore, connect, and care for the natural world. Through their programs and stories, Trackers Earth teaches kids old-school outdoor skills such as wilderness survival, nature awareness, and tracking. These experiences help kids develop resilience, confidence, and independence in all walks of life. Many of their camps teach these skills through fantastic live-action role-playing that takes kids out into the wilderness, including the official B.P.R.D. (aka Hellboy) Camp, which met with widespread acclaim. While Trackers has created non-fiction how-to skills books and short online and printed comics for kids at their summer camps, this is their first graphic novel with Dark Horse Books. 

In Trackers Presents: Captain Nick & the Explorer Society—Compass of Mems, Captain Nick and the kids race to find the mysterious Compass of Mems before their nemesis, the Contessa, gets her hands on it. Can they safeguard this ancient relic and foil her plans to conquer the world? Captain Nick adventures are packed with lost worlds, ancient treasures, time travel, dinosaurs, and butt-kicking girl assassins!

Trackers Presents: Captain Nick & the Explorer Society—Compass of Mems TPB will be available in comic shops June 7, 2023 and will be in bookstores June 6, 2023. It is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop and bookstore. The book will retail for $14.99.

Trackers Presents: Captain Nick & the Explorer Society—Compass of Mems TPB

Review: They Fell From the Sky #1

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They Fell From the Sky #1

There’s nothing particularly unique so far about They Fell From the Sky #1. But, it’s a solid debut that has me wanting to come back for more. The story is a bit of a mix between Galaxy Quest and E.T. but it’s the small details of the series that makes it stand out.

Written by Liezl Buenaventura, the story revolves around Tommy, a young kid bullied at school and dealing with family drama. He and his friends are focused on a television show Space Journey, a Star Trek-like show. They watch the episodes sharing the experience and one day Tommy has his own close encounter with an alien.

Buenaventura’s set-up is good though never quite stands out from the other similar works out there on its surface. Instead, it’s the small details that sets the comic apart. Tommy’s family are ones that stand out in their small town. A town that is seething with underlying racism and broader issues than just family squabbles. We learn about so many of the characters, and this town, through single lines or small moments. It’s all of those things that add up to create such a fleshed out world. That’s the real strength of They Fell From the Sky #1.

The art by Xavier Tárrega is good. DJ Chavis provides the color with an assist from Barry Hall while Joamette Fil does the lettering. The art is really solid and consistent. There’s little to fault it for in a negative way. It also doesn’t quite take advantage of the moments Buenaventura sets up. A racial epithet is thrown out which would be a perfect time to show a little more emotion from Tommy. It doesn’t happen. A fight to gives the potential of some real emotion or domestic issues. And while there are reactions, it never quite really nails things to the point you can connect.

They Fell From the Sky #1 is a solid start and hints that the second issue with take things in a much different direction from the other familiar stories. It’s a good comic that has a lot of potential and hopefully it can build off of the small moments in the first issue to deliver something real special.

Story: Liezl Buenaventura Art: Xavier Tárrega
Color: DJ Chavis Letterer: Joamette Fil Color Assistant: Barry Hall
Story: 7.95 Art: 7.95 Overall: 7.95 Recommendation: Buy

Mad Cave Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology

They Fell From The Sky #1 Gets a Trailer

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Tommy Murphy is just an ordinary kid. He goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and fanboys over his favorite TV show. But when a chance encounter in the woods thrusts him into an unlikely friendship with an otherworldly creature, he is forced to navigate bullies, family squabbles, and tween woes… all while trying to prevent an interplanetary war!

They Fell From the Sky #1 debuts February 3 in comic shops from writer Liezl Buenaventura, artist Xavier Tarrega, colorist DJ Chavis, letterer Joamette Gil, and editor Chris Sanchez.

The creative team on this consists of Mad Cave Studios’ Talent Search winners; Liezl Buenaventura and Xavier Tarrega.

Preview: The Last West Vol. 2

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The Last West Vol. 2

story by Evan Young & Lou Iovino
art by Novo Malgapo, Liezl Buenaventura, Kel Nutall, Dinei Ribeiro
cover by Kody Chamberlain

All secrets are finally revealed in the dramatic conclusion to this surprise breakout series. Bobby Whittenheimer knows the world is dying. He’s been watching it crumble his entire scientific career. But now that he can set right what was broken amidst the desert sands sixty years ago, is he willing to pay the ultimate price to save us all?

001

Beware 215 Ink’s Next Big Thing!

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215 Ink has announced their next big release, Beware … Vol.1: Citizen Science! The volume collects the first three issues of the lauded science-fiction adventure series, along with dozens of pages of additional unreleased shorts, art, pinups and more! Alien invasion. Fungal mutation. Quantum abduction through time and space. All part of everyday life in the otherwise idyllic American town of Haven Hallows. The adventure begins here.

What is Beware …?

In the spirit of the classic EC horror and sci-fi comics of the 40s and 50s, Beware … is a series of “experiments” all set in the same town of Haven Hallows. Each related 1-shot offers a glimpse of life in a town founded on science and faltered by fear. If science is the source of calamity, Beware … is your survival manual.

beware vol 1