Sometimes being an adult is rough, especially when you are barely making ends meet. In Ryder on Tapas, the titular protagonist is a struggling singer-songwriter who has just about had it with Los Angeles. That is, until a beautiful stranger changes her life forever.
Created by Austen Marie (Soul on Hold), the fantasy-romance series blends a few genres to create a fun, enchanting narrative. Ryder is a likable, relatable lead. We’ve all felt the pressure of trying to keep our heads above water. We’ve also all had that one teenage celebrity crush. For Ryder, it’s Landon Moon, a musician who suddenly disappears right after breaking off from the boy band he was part of. When she encounters Blithe years later, she is immediately taken by the mysterious woman. Things get even more magical when Blithe inadvertently leads her into a secret world filled with supernatural creatures like werewolves and vampires. And who else is in this strange new place? None other than Landon Moon.
Austen Marie’s art style is always a draw for me. Each character is expressive and distinct, and the color palette perfectly sets up the atmosphere of each panel. The dialogue is also fun, and the personalities have their own consistent voices throughout.
To begin reading Ryder, head over to Tapas here.
