Comics
Samurais And The Supernatural Collide In ‘Okko Volume 4’
Another Archaia series I had no idea existed until BOOM! took hold of the company, “Okko Volume 4: The Cycle of Fire” drops on February. The series follows Okko and his clan of demon hunting samurai. Yep, it sounds awesome. Check out more details along with some praise for the series below.
Official Press Release:
January 10, 2014 – Los Angeles, CA – Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, is pleased to announce the February debut of the OKKO VOLUME 4: THE CYCLE OF FIRE hardcover graphic novel. Available for the first time in English, the fourth volume of the series from writer and artist Hub continues the story of the ronin Okko and his group of demon hunters as they roam feudal Pajan.
“The OKKO series has been a perennial favorite of fans of Archaia’s translations of beautiful French comics,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “We know that VOL. 4: THE CYCLE OF FIRE has been a long time coming, so we’re very excited to finally get this into the hands of the title’s most ardent readers.”
When two of Pajan’s great clans covertly agree to a marriage between their heirs to form a powerful alliance, Okko the ronin and his group of demon hunters are recruited to insure the security of the ceremony in the long-awaited fourth volume of the series that blends the fantasy and samurai genres.
“One of OKKO’s great strengths is the unusual and distinct world Hub has created. Pajan resembles the feudal Japan of so many popular anime, but with plenty of quirks all its own.” – IGN.com
“Hub has created a rich and diverse land that has been well thought out and keeps in nature of the fantastical world of demons and demon hunters. I never once felt lost in this expansive world that Hub has created for OKKO.” – WatchPlayRead.com
“Hub’s writing is impactful and entertaining with well-placed plot twists and a near-perfect balance of dialogue and action. His characters are well-developed, endearing individuals with baggage and consistently portrayed idiosyncrasies. But for all Hub’s abilities as a writer—and they are appreciable—where he really outshines the pack is in his talents as an illustrator. – Comic Book Snob
OKKO VOL. 4: THE CYCLE OF FIRE arrives in comic shops on February 5th with a cover price of $19.99 under Diamond order code DEC130994. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! It’s also available for order directly from boom-studios.com.
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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