This installment of the Small Press Spotlight focuses on an exciting new Kickstarter that just launched this week thanks to Ablaze. The anthology Mythspace: Ignition offers more than 200 full color pages of sci-fi tales inspired by folklore from the Philippines, complete with starship battles, giant mecha and alien bounty hunters.
Read details below:
Comic and graphic novel publisher ABLAZE takes readers on an amazing galactic journey deep into a word of myth and folklore, transformed into a captivating space opera… Filipino style, as it announces Mythspace: Ignition and the launch of a Kickstarter campaign for its publication.
Mythspace: Ignition is a graphic novel collection of six stories exploring a universe where the old tales of monsters and folklore creatures from the Philippines – Tikbalangs, Kapres, Manananggals – were inspired by actual alien civilizations. From a young man’s journey into myth, to a Kapre war, to a Manananggal coming of age, these stories (now depicted in full color) will take readers on an unforgettable journey both strange and familiar.
The collection was edited and co-created by Paolo Chikiamco and features stories from acclaimed Filipino illustrators including Koi Carreon, C.R. Chua, Borg Sinaban, Jules Gregorio, Paul Quiroga, and Mico Dimagiba.
“The Philippines has a vibrant graphic novel scene that is primed for wider exposure to a substantial and eager global fanbase,” says Rich Young, Co-founder of ABLAZE. “Mythspace: Ignition unites some of the country’s most talented writers and artists for a potent collection that sets a new benchmark for this burgeoning community of creators. We look forward to launching the crowdfunding campaign to bring this work to a new range of readers.”
“We always wanted to see ourselves represented in the kind of stories we enjoyed when we were growing up – heck, which we still enjoy now,” says Chikiamco. “Stories of starship battles and giant mecha, of newly-discovered planets and alien bounty hunters. The stories and characters of Mythspace are our attempt to fill a void, in both shelves and hearts. With the help of ABLAZE and Kickstarter we hope to do it again, this time with the Mythspace edition we always dreamed of making.”
Take a look at a breakdown of each tale in the graphic novel:
Mythspace: Lift Off with Koi Carreon
Monsters are myths and aliens are fiction – that’s what Ambrosio Magkalas believes, not his crazy Lola’s stories about robot-riding Nuno and Kapres from space. But now she’s dead, and Ambrosio is about to learn that she wasn’t so crazy after all… Art by Koi Carreon and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
Mythspace: Black Mark with Paul Quiroga
A story which gives readers a glimpse into the fractious society of the crafty Nuno, where political zealots (who tint their skins to signify their party loyalties) have the government in a persistent state of gridlock. Yet, legend has it that there exists a faction that transcends politics: the legendary Black, a task force that is authorized to go to extreme measures to safeguard Nuno society. Helmless Mang, a pariah on his home planet, is about to find out that the Black are both more powerful and more terrible than that the stories would have you believe… Art by Paul Quiroga and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
Mythspace: Devourers of Light with Jules Gregorio
The reasons behind the centuries-long hatred between the Kapre and the Laho unfolds in this tale. At a turning point in history, the Laho lead an inter-species alliance to punish the Kapre for violating a galaxy-wide taboo… but when Supreme Apex Barkarilkarilmon loses his patience with the other races, the Laho take independent action — with disastrous consequences for the Kapre race. Art by Jules Gregorio and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
Mythspace: Uncommon Ground with Mico Dimagiba
It’s tough being a detective on a planet of shapeshifters. But Inquest Haskra’s life takes a turn for the worse when he’s hired by a Laho to find a missing jewel to prevent the onset of civil war. But does Haskra really want to help a member of the race that destroyed his home planet? Art by Mico Dimagiba and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
Mythspace: Humanity with C.R. Chua
In a galaxy where humans have no rights Danny and Marta work as slaves in the mines of the Kataw. But when they are miraculously rescued by something out of legend, they must decide what freedom means to each of them, and what they are willing to pay for it. Art by Cristina Chua and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
Mythspace: Unfurling of Wings with Borg Sinaban
Ri-En, Books, and Zu are orphans who eke out a living in the slums of an aging space station, under the protection of their mentor, Ka-Ang. But Ka-Ang’s health is deteriorating, and the three friends hatch a desperate plan to save him — one which places them on a collision course with the station’s worst criminal gang, as well as one of the dreaded and immortal “Sixths”. Art by Borg Sinaban and story by Paolo Chikiamco.
To back the Kickstarter, click here. To join Team Mythspace’s mailing list, click here.
