Follow a 17-year-old Fil-Am’s adventure in this YA graphic novel

Photo from “The Mask of Haliya: Heir To The Warrior Moon’s” Kickstarter page

This year’s Friday the 13th just ended, prompting people to mull over various forms of “bad luck”. Sometimes, though, these misfortunes—making you think that the universe is conspiring against you for no reason—pave the way for a life-changing moment. 

That’s the case for the protagonist of this new graphic novel. On the way to your bookshelves soon is “The Mask of Haliya: Heir To The Warrior Moon,” a graphic novel that takes inspiration from the rich Philippine mythology.

This will be the first book in a series from Filipino-American publisher Kwento Comics, which also joined forces with Clover Press for the young adult urban fantasy creation’s Kickstarter campaign ending on Nov. 2.

So, what misadventures does the main character get into in this supernatural tale? According to Screen Rant, the 200-page story follows 17-year-old Filipina-American Marisol Reyes who’s been a constant school kickout because of her “strange behavior.” 

Another murky experience comes—her great-grandmother’s wake—but little does she know that this would lead to discovering an archaic chest. Upon opening, she finds a mask “showing her visions of heroes and monsters.” 

In this tale, “destiny beckons in the form of a giant sea serpent, an ancient battle, and a grim vision of the future,” according to Kwento Comics’ official site. Fun fact: With a representation-focused goal, Kwento Comics is the first all-women and all-Asian comic book company—and its founders are a mother-daughter duo.

Set in Cebu, “The Mask of Haliya: Heir To The Warrior Moon” is also packed with “shamans, gods, and monsters,” among others, as revealed by Kwento Comics COO and co-founder Waverley Lim.

In the same Screen Rant article, Lim also said that they knew “the creation of these characters starts with women who look like us, who can share our stories and shared experiences in an authentic way.”