Vault Comics offered big news at ALA 2023. The publisher recently announced the Kickstarter for Sainted Love from Steve Orlando and newcomer and queer artist Giopota (letters by Simon Bowland). Today, Vault announced the wider debut of the series in September. In addition, the publisher revealed details of Brooklyn-based artist Angie Marie Hewitt’s previously announced Wonderbound debut series Lone for the same month.
Read the details below:
Sainted Love, the steamy time-traveling adventure series; equal parts romance and science fiction is already a certified success midway through its crowdfunding campaign, currently sitting at nearly four times its original funding goal.
Now, Angie Hewitt’s supernatural middle-grade mystery series joins the party after previously being announced last summer. On the last day of summer before eighth grade, Alma makes a disturbing discovery: the lake her town is named for has disappeared. Not dried up. Vanished! What’s more concerning is that no one else remembers it ever existed. With the help of her best friend, Kel, Alma tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. But as more things start to disappear, Alma worries she might somehow be the cause.
Meanwhile, Sainted Love is a gay romance that sees queer heroes become legends themselves as they explore and adventure through iconic times in queer history, from the passion of gay saints Sergius and Bacchusto to the Lavender Mafia of the 1970s, and in between. Irina and Wolf first think they need to return home, but they soon realize that their real calling is elsewhere in time, to places where they’re free to love and exists as who they are and eras that desperately need their help.
“Sainted Love is, in a lot of ways, the book my whole career’s been building to–it’s unabashed, it’s bold, it’s provocative, and it’s sexy!” said Orlando. “It speaks truths through fiction, reveals history through fantasy, and is the proud, ass-kicking adventure that brings together the themes I’ve been building for years across many titles and publishers. Its two heroes crisscrossing to defend not just their love, but all of our loves, and all of our history. And god help anyone who tries to get in their way and erase it!”
“Sainted Love is the dream project I didn’t know I needed to work on” added Giopota. “This is only my first job ever for the US market and it’s great that I’m having the opportunity to collaborate with a seasoned professional like Steve. I think I immediately clicked with him and found a method that allows us to work smoothly while having fun. Working with Vault Comics, a publisher so attentive to LGBTQIA+ issues makes me really proud, as my commitment to telling queer stories is the engine that drives me to pursue this career. I think the readers will be very entertained by this story, both for the twists and for the more romantic and even spicy scenes.”
For those looking for the special Kickstarter edition of Sainted Love, it is still available here. The direct market edition will arrive on September 27, while the first issue of Lone will debut on September 13.
In the meantime, check out an exclusive preview below!
