Comics
Review: “Wayward” #1
An enjoyable coming-of-age tale, “Wayward” #1 delivers an enchanting adventure about two plucky teenage girls whose idea of fun is killing all kinds of monsters. This debut issue has a wicked sense of humor and holds a lot of promise for the ongoing series.
WRITTEN BY: Jim Zub
ART BY: Steve Cummings
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: August 27, 2014
Reviewed by Jorge Solis
At the end of the world, Rori Lan has traveled across from the states to Japan to discover a brand new life for herself. After stepping foot in her new home, Rori’s mother wants her to learn the new language and make new friends. The adorable immigrant realizes there is something wrong with her eyes. She starts to see things that are not even there. There are dark and evil monsters, hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike at her.
Writer Jim Zub dives into Rori’s perspective, presenting the awe and wonder of Japan. This isn’t about a foreigner who steps into a strange land. The narrative focuses on how Rori wants to learn her new settings and adapt to the culture. She earnestly wants to fit into her new home, even though there is a dark side to it.
What makes Rori different is how her eyes can foreshadow certain events. Because the story is told through our female protagonist, we see how her eyes can focus like a radar, streamlining one absolute route for her. Our secondary character, Ayane, is still a mystery as the issue leaves certain clues about her.
Artist Steve Cummings has done a great job bringing the world of Japan alive. There is so much detail added to the interiors, such as the furniture and clock in Rori’s bedroom. When Rori walks the streets, notice the graffiti on the walls and the tall buildings in the background. The illustrations do a great job making you feel like you’re there in Japan. You can tell a lot of references and research was done in this aspect.
The color scheme by Zub and John Rauch well definitely hook your eyes to the page. Rori’s poppy red hair stands out in the crowded airport. Even her purple and green outfit later on is vibrantly loud as the world around her is in silhouette.
“Wayward” #1 delivers a fun premise with a quirky protagonist. The first issue delivers a lot of promise, let’s hope the creators continue with that in the second installment.
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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