The Mask of Haliya from Kwento Comics is a compelling Young Adult graphic novel series rich in characterization in a world of urban fantasy inspired by Philippine mythology. In addition to telling compelling stories, the mission of Kwento–founded by the mother/daughter duo of Cecilia and Waverly Lim–is to publish new comic series focusing on Asian female characters and Asian women artists and writers.
Last year, Kwento–in collaboration with Clover Press-launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the second volume of The Mask of Haliya to print. Written by Kaitlyn Fajilan, with art from Susan Bin and Vik Caedo, colors by Liz Buenaventura, lettered by Kiela Sibal, and edited by Arielle Jovellano, Haliya focuses on Marisol Reyes, a Filipina-American teen who struggles with the new powers she comes to possess, powers stemming from the titular mask that belonged to her great grandmother.
I spoke with Co-Founder and CEO Cecilia Lim and Co-Founder and COO of Kwento Comics Waverley Lim last year during the Kickstarter campaign about the conceit of The Mask of Haliya, where we find Marisol at the beginning of The Mask of Haliya Volume 2: Echoes of the Forgotten Past, and what this project means to them.
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted last year. Due to technical difficulties, we had trouble posting the interview. Now that that has been resolved we are publishing the interview. It has been edited to reflect that the Kickstarter is no longer going on.
Freaksugar: For folks who might not be familiar with the first volume, what can you tell us about The Mask of Haliya?
Cecilia Lim: The Mask of Haliya is the first series brought to you by Kwento Comics. Beneath the pulse of Cebu City, ancient echoes awaken as our story begins with Marisol Reyes, a young Filipina-American, who goes back to the Philippines for the funeral of her great-grand Lola. For it is here that she discovers her ancestral past and her connection to the ways of the Babaylan. Will she wield her inherited power to heal, or will her past’s shadows consume her? If you are a fan of action, mystery, and thrilling mythological adventures, you’ll definitely enjoy this read!
FS: The characters in the first book are so fleshed out. Who are some of the cast we’ll meet in the story?
Waverley Lim: I’m glad you think so! It was super important for us to craft layered characters as they are the engines driving our narrative forward. In the next chapters of our story, the past lives of our characters will begin to reveal themselves as we begin to uncover how all of the characters are intertwined. We also will meet a new classmate from Mari’s school with a secret double life that leads him down a dangerous journey. As memories buried begin to unravel, the lines between myth and reality blur, forcing each character to confront their deepest fears and the power they hold within.
From The Mask of Haliya Vol. 2: Echoes of the Forgotten Past
FS: The Mask of Haliya is steeped in Filipino mythology. What kind of research and care went into this project?
CL: Doing research for this project has taught me so much about the importance of the preservation of culture and folklore. Philippine mythology is not necessarily the easiest topic to research on so it was important that we found as many books as possible where the authors have taken the time to go in depth on the subject from the creatures, to systems and practices, and even the different belief systems on souls in the Philippines. In addition to trying to obtain as many sources as possible, we also sought out experts and anthropologists on the subject and our writer, Kaitlyn Fajilan, even took a research trip out to the Philippines.
FS: Reading the press release and information on the Kickstarter page, this project is clearly a personal one. What does it mean to you and the team, both creatively and on the business side of the endeavor?
WL: Our team truly poured their hearts and souls into creating this book and we couldn’t be more proud to share it with you. For my mom and I, it was really important that our company truly reflected our core mission which was to create more stories that shine a light on our culture and to simultaneously provide more opportunities, as much as we could, for AAPI and women creatives to shine. Creating this company with my mom continues to be a really special experience because it taught me that we have the power to enact the change that we want to see in this world.
From The Mask of Haliya Vol. 2: Echoes of the Forgotten Past
FS: If you had a final pitch for Echoes of the Forgotten Past, what would it be?
CL: Through reading, Echoes of the Forgotten Past, readers may be led to reflect on the weight of legacies. We are all shaped by the shadows of what came before, the triumphs and the tragedies, influencing every choice we make. Do we succumb to the destructive patterns of the past, allowing them to define our present, or do we choose to forge a new path, to wield the power we possess for healing and restoration? Ultimately, it’s a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for both profound darkness and radiant light, asking us: what echoes will we choose to amplify, and what future will we dare to create? Readers of epic stories will be thrilled by the unexpected twists as we delve deeper into the world of Haliya.
The Mask of Haliya: Echoes of the Forgotten Past, the second volume in the series from Kwento Comics, is on sale now from Clover Press.