#IReadsYou Review: KONI WAVES

KONI WAVES

HAUNTED PIZZA LLC/ARCANA STUDIOS

STORY: Mark Poulton

SCRIPT: Mandy Summers

ART: Renzo Rodriguez

COLORS: Dexter Weeks

LETTERS: Dexter Weeks

COVER: Renzo Rodriguez with Ink Spots

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Irene Strychalski; Chris Graves

ISBN: 979-8-987-45314-8; paperback (November 2023)

56pp, Color, $25.00 U.S.

Koni Waves created by Mark Poulton, Stephen Sistilli, and Dexter Weeks

Koni Waves is an independent supernatural horror comic book that was published as a series of miniseries and one-shots from 2006 to 2010 by Arcana Studio.  Created by Mark Poulton, Stephen Sistilli, and Dexter Weeks, Koni Waves focused on Koni Kanawai, a female detective in Honolulu, Hawaii, who specialized in supernatural cases.

Koni Kanawai returns in a new original graphic novel, entitled Koni Waves, that was crowdfunded on Indiegogo last year and was published late last year (2023). The new graphic novel is written by Mark Poulton (story) and Mandy Summers (script); drawn by Renzo Rodriguez; and colored and lettered by Dexter Weeks.  In this new story, Koni becomes involved in a complicated murder case that involves supernatural scheme and conspiracy.

Koni Waves opens with Koni Kanawai rescuing her pal, Pete, from the vampires(!) of Black Bear Cove, but that adventure is easy compared to what is coming.  Koni's father, James Kanawai, a detective with the HPD, wants Koni to try to get back on the force.  Koni, who was suspended apparently after running afoul of Internal Affairs, is willing to give that a try.

Later, at her favorite watering hole, Koni learns that District Attorney Choi believes that he has convicted the wrong man, Danny Snyder, of the murder of Felicity Andrews, an exotic dancer and former associate of Koni's.  Taking on the case, Koni contacts Krystal, another dancer and former associate of Felicity's.  After snooping around, Koni comes to believe that a local power broker, Prince Hopohopo, is connected to the Felicity Andrews case.  However, Koni will discover that this case involves Hawaii's darkest secrets and its edgiest supernatural and spiritual past.

THE LOWDOWN:  A few years ago, I came across the Twitter feed of a Mexican comic book artist named Renzo Rodriguez.  From the first of examples of his art I saw, I thought he was very talented, but because I had never heard of him previously, I assumed Renzo was a new talent.  I would later learn that Renzo was a veteran talent who had been drawing professionally for a long time, including for Zenescope Entertainment.

Last year, I learned that Renzo would be the artist for a crowdfunded project, entitled Koni Waves, so I quickly contributed.  I did not know that Koni Waves was a comics property with a history, so I did not know what to expect.  Now, having read and received this original graphic novel, I am glad that I contributed to the campaign.

Renzo is obviously influenced by legendary comic book artist Art Adams.  Some artists who were influenced by Adams (such as J. Scott Campbell and Rob Liefeld) picked up on Adams' stylish flourishes.  However, what Renzo seems to have taken from Adams is the ability to compose complex, multi-panel pages that allows a story to be told in detail without going into overdrive with decompression.  Most of Renzo's pages have at least seven panels of varying size, and Renzo composes detailed backgrounds and environments in a way that compares to the work of set decorators for film and television.  Renzo makes the world of Koni Waves feel lived-in, like a real place.

All those panels on each page allows scripter Mandy Summers to flesh out Mark Poulton's character-rich story in a way that conveys motivation and personality, plot and mythology, and action and drama.  Summers makes Koni Waves read like an actual graphic novel in a way that so-called graphic novels (trade paperbacks) three times its size do not.

Dexter Weeks' precise, rich colors capture the curves, shapes, and contours of Renzo's figure drawing.  Those colors make every character seem alive and, in the case of some, seem quite sexy, and they also make the art pop on the page.  In addition, Weeks' lettering finds plenty of space for Summers' dialogue, so that nothing is crowded out.

I like Koni Waves, and I'd like to see more of Koni and her closest allies and most dangerous adversaries.  This comic book scratches the surface of Koni Waves' supernatural skin, but the freaks want to come out.  So I say let them out with more Koni Waves.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of supernatural and occult detective comics will want Koni Waves.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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Arcana Has Comics App

ARCANA COMICS now available for the iPad and iPhone

VANCOUVER (July 5, 2011) - Arcana Studios, an award winning comic book publisher and transmedia producer, is excited to announce that an app is now available, showcasing all of the amazing books Arcana has to offer.

Joining in with the digital revolution, Arcana Studios has been looking for the best way to offer their readers access to their substantial library of over 150 comic book titles on smart devices. Using the comiXology platform, Arcana has developed an app bringing their books into the hands of the masses. Available now as a free download for the iPad and iPhone, Arcana's app will allow readers to download any of a large number of books for some of the most competitive prices in the industry. The app features a number of free comics available for download and other titles are $5.99 each. The majority of these downloads are full length graphic novels! View screen shots of the app and download a free copy at http://appshopper.com/books/arcana-comics.


About Arcana Studios:
Since 2004 Arcana Studios has established itself as an innovative leader in developing content in numerous mediums. Arcana owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, and has adapted this library into live action feature films, stereoscopic 3D animated features, episodic television series and toys. Arcana focuses on a transmedia approach to the scaffolding process of developing brands and intellectual properties.

Arcana's primary method for establishing new brands has been through comic book publishing since their inception, Arcana Comics has published over 150 original intellectual properties in nearly 200 graphic novels reaching sales of over 2,000,000 units. Arcana is found on 15 different countries and translated into seven languages across the globe. Winning the Shuster Award for Top Publisher, the Moonbeam Award for Top Children's Graphic Novel, Foreward Magazine’s Top Graphic Novel at Book Expo America, BIV's Top 40 Under 40 Award and the Top 40 Under 40 in Canada are just a few of the accolades that Arcana has achieved. Arcana has also been awarded the Digital Readiness Grant from BCFilm, a development fund from Telefilm, the Digital Springboard Program from NMBCA, the CME’s Top Export Award and BIV’s Top Fastest Growing Companies Award.

Each graphic novel showcases the high quality branded entertainment that contains over 5000 characters. These characters and storyworlds transcend gender, age, cultural and geographic boundaries. Arcana’s focus towards new media platforms has kept it ahead of the industry’s curve providing customer choice for distribution and format of content.

Our History:
Completing our debut title Kade, we had great success with the gothic hero and began to see the potential we had uncovered. Ant was Arcana's follow-up title and completely sold out in less than 9 days, an unprecedented feat for an independent publisher. Ezra and 100 Girls went on to be featured as one of the top 12 books of the year in Wizard's Secret Stash. Arcana Studio is an official Disney vendor, and has been hired by Disney, Sony Animation, Spike TV, MTV, HBO, CAPCOM, NBC, Warner Bros, Mattel, American Girl, the National Hockey League, Harley Davidson, THQ and more to establish new worlds, characters, stories and brands.

Arcana is a transmedia company that has aggressively pursued establishing brands through engaging storytelling and compelling art. With a strong foothold in the print publishing world, Arcana continues to be a premier content provider. Arcana owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, and has adapted this library into live action feature films, stereoscopic 3D animated features, episodic television series and toys.

Arcana Studio Inc. remains independent of major entertainment studio affiliation. Arcana Studio is currently in production of the stereoscopic 3D animated feature, The Clockwork Girl. Arcana is also partnered with Gale Ann Hurd (“Terminator”, “Aliens”) on Gearhead, Alexandra Milchan (Sylvestor Stallone’s “Head Shot”) on Blade of Kumori, Hans Rodinoff and Hollywood Media Bridge (“Lost Boys: The Tribe”) on Raise Kane, Scott Milam (“Mother’s Day”) on Gauze, Ben Magid (“Hack/Slash”) on Trout, Jar Productions (“Hidden Howie”) on Philosopher Rex, Terry Dougas (“The Invention of Lying”) on The Tower, Doc Wyatt (“Napoleon Dynamite”) on 100 Girls, JC Spink (“The Hangover”) on Continuum, Adrian Askarieh (“The Hitman”) on Amnesia and also is producing a three slate at Codeblack/Universal for Light’s Out, Ant and Blam!

Leroy Douresseaux on HARBOR MOON, an Original Graphic Novel

HARBOR MOON - OGN

ARCANA

 

WRITER/EDITOR/PRODUCER: Ryan Colucci

WRITER: Dikran Ornekian
STORY: Brian Anderson
ARTIST: Pawel Sambor
ART ASSIST: Nikodem Cabala
ART DIRECTOR: Karol Wisniewski
ISBN: 978-1-897548-95-0; paperback
140pp, Color, $19.95 U.S.

Published by Arcana, Harbor Moon is a new original graphic novel (OGN). It is the production and brainchild of writer Ryan Colucci. Part small town mystery and part horror comic book, Harbor Moon tells the story of a man who travels to his father’s hometown only to find a conspiracy of dark secrets that is decades old.

The story focuses on Timothy Vance, a lone wolf type. He receives a mysterious phone call from a man claiming to be, Andrew O’Callaghan, his long lost father. Tim follows the call to out-of-the-way Harbor Moon, Maine, but the residents of this sleepy town don’t take to strangers. In fact, some of the townsfolk get downright violent with Tim, and even Sheriff Roland Sullivan seems reluctant to help him.

Tim does find a sympathetic townie in the form of Kristen, principal of the local high school (among other things). She gives Tim some information, but it is clear that Kristen, like everyone else, is holding onto an incredible secret. As Tim begins to discover that he has something in common with the residents of Harbor Moon, danger from inside and outside the town threatens everyone.

Anyone can read Harbor Moon and pretty early into the book figure out that the creative talent behind it is new to producing a graphic novel. A reading of the entire text will also tell you something else: when they do get more experience, these creators will be scary because Harbor Moon is a damn good read.

Sometimes, the art, by Pawel Sambor, does not clearly convey the story or action, and the figure drawing is a little awkward in places. For the most part, however, the compositions are exciting, the graphic storytelling electrifying, and the shimmering colors make the art jump off the page.

There are times when a writer telling a mystery story is a bit too vague and oblique in his attempts to string the readers along by keeping them guessing. In Harbor Moon, writers Ryan Colucci and Dikran Ornekian do that to an extent, but their story is still exciting. The first half of Harbor Moon is a sort of detective story rich with suspects and subplots. The second half of this graphic novel explodes in a fury of blood splatter and shocking revelations. From beginning to end, this dark tale is a joyous race.

There are some faults, here and there, but the book rises above them. I guess that the best thing I can say is that I didn’t want Harbor Moon to end.

Readers who like Ben Templesmith and Vertigo comics will want to give Harbor Moon a try.

B+

http://www.harbor-moon.com/

Shadowflame Trade Paperback Has John Byrne Cover

John Byrne Covers Shadowflame

 

Industry legend, John Byrne, is lending his artistic talents to the wraparound cover of the new Shadowflame trade paperback (Diamond Code: SEP10 0773) out this November.

 

John Byrne rose to fame in the late 70s' with his work with Chris Claremont on the Uncanny X-men. His run would last over 3 years and include the creation of fan favorite character, Kitty Pryde. His 6 year run on the Fantastic Four is considered by many to be a "2nd Golden Age." In 1986, Byrne helped DC revitalize the Superman franchise with The Man Of Steel series. In the 90s, he launched the popular creator-owned series, John Byrne's Next Men. He continues to be a presence in the industry with his work on popular licensed properties Angel and Star Trek. Arcana is proud to have him provide the cover for the new Shadowflame collection.

 

Shadowflame tells the story of officer Tom Wyatt. After his wife, Janice, is murdered he tried to find solace in his own grief and despair. He attempted to end his own life. Instead he found himself transported to a ship orbiting the Earth. The aliens aboard explained that he could not kill himself for he was the last of a chosen line. A family line which possessed the perfect genetic imprint to receive the "gift of power" and become a third holy man of Isht. So after hearing the story of Isht and his family, Tom agreed to take the power. In a painful ceremony he was endowed with powers that set him apart from other men. He was now a superman, capable of vast feats of strength, flight, telekinetic force bolts, and all the rewards of being a holy man. This gave him not only great powers, but a reason to live. The trade paperback collects for the first time all four issues of the series which was originally released in 2007.

Shadowflame is 135 pages, full color and has interior work by Joe Martino, Peter Palmiotti, Ian Sokoliwski, Dash Martin, Rick Buckler Jr, Naser Subashi, Johnny Lowe and Jeff Austin. It is loaded with pinups and chapter covers by Bob Layton, Mike Grell, Rudy Nebres, Andie Tong, Paul Ryan, Darren Taylor, Steven Perkins, Anthony Castrillo, Rob X. Roman, Buzz, Rob Stull, Grant Perkins, and an amazing wraparound cover by comic legend John Byrne

The Shadowflame Trade will be released in early December, 2010. You can buy it at comic book stores and wherever fine paperbacks are sold.

For more information, please visit: http://www.arcana.com/ or if you want to see more about Shadowflame you can visit his fan page on Facebook: htpp://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shadowflame/119600607608