I've been a fan of mythology and legends my entire life. I have always found it interesting and at the same time a glimpse into a past that has almost been forgotten. My love for graphic novels came in sometime during my teenage years. So imagine my reaction when 2 of the things I like got combined into one mind-blowing book.?!
*All photos and images are from: http://www.aglakomiks.com/. I have asked the permission of the graphic artist, Kael Molo, to use these in this blogpost.
Welcome to the world of Agla!
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| Agla (The Graphic Novel) by Kael Molo |
Agla is a graphic novel and the brainchild of Kael Molo. It is based on local Filipino, particularly Visayan mythology (a big +++ I must say). It is a retelling of old the old gods and the Pintados (the painted/tattooed warriors of the Visayas) and their mysterious and "magickal" tattoos.
So far, Agla has a total of 3 chapters so far (Prologue, Chapter 1 and 2). I've been following Agla since I first saw it on Facebook (January, 2016) and since then I've been hooked!
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| Halmista |
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| Sidapa |
These two gods, have always been favourites of mine. They are that delicate balance of benevolence and malevolence. And they have a strong aura of mystery surrounding them; especially Halmista, who has little to no information on his origins and his role as the god of magick and sorcery.
Agla's prologue, is taken directly from the creation story of the Visayans, and is, as I heard from many storytellers, true to every word. It tells how the gods sky and sea fell in love and had 4 children, who would later become earth, sun, moon, stars (and give life to the first humans), after they are killed in due to a the rage of their grandfather.
The rest of the graphic novel is combination of Kael Molo's imaginative mind and the old Visayan way of life and their relationship with nature and their gods. All of which are told in action-packed pages. You'll keep wanting to read further and wait patiently for Agla's next updates.
*To give you a glimpse into the world of Agla:
"Agla wakes up with no memory of who he is and what he is (he's basically a blank slate and an anomaly of creation). The only thing keeping him going is the primal instinct to kill all the gods. With the help of the crafty and powerful Halmista, Agla finds ways to bring out powers from the tattoos on his skin, giving him the ability to kill all who stand in his way to achieve his goal."
Agla (the character) is also quite funny at times. In away his blood lust provides humour during the many fights he has throughout the pages that have been released. And Halmista pops in every now and then with his trickster attitude and sage like wisdom, providing a twisted yet fascinating insights on how to live, fight and survive in life.
*By the way, for those who might be wondering, Agla is written in English. But even though it may not be in the traditional language that some of the characters may have used in real life; the choice of language does not take away anything from the mythology of the Visayas. And I think the use of English is a wise choice by Kael Molo, so that the graphic novel can reach a wide and international audience. And show the richness of the Visayan culture.
What I love the most about Agla, is that it brings back to life the old stories, which were wiped out by centuries of colonization and Spanish influence. It's a way to "re-educate" the many that, we Filipinos, had a innate relationship with nature and a deep sense of spirituality long before the arrival of the Spanish. This is something I think is a big NEED in today's society. We need to remember our own stories and our own culture and be proud of it and who we are. And Kael Molo, does exactly that through is work!
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| My favourite character by far! The mysterious and crafty Halmista! |
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| An epic way to end Chapter 2!!!! |
So as Agla continues on his journey to fulfill his goal, I can only hope that updates will come soon. Hopefully Halmista will help Kael and his creative mind to continue on working on the colourful and mysterious world of Agla: The Graphic Novel.
You can read Agla at:
You can also follow Agla on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aglakomiks/
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Please continue to create the world of Agla and share the wonderful mythology of the Visayas to everyone!
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