Cody White
Is’nana the Were-Spider is back with an all new one-shot via Kickstarter (you can back the project HERE) and it looks like pure fire. Is’nana is a series that caught my attention a while back as a series that explores African mythology and the black diaspora in a distinct superhero setting.
Drawing from multiple sets of mythos, Is’nana is a well crafted series from creator Greg Anderson Elysee and a team of incredibly talented artists. Letters are provided by mainstream superstar letterer Deron Bennett for this one shot. I had the pleasure of reviewing Is’nana the Were-Spider Vol.1 and recently spoke with Elysee regarding the new project:
Comic Watch: Is’nana is back with a new special, “The Ballads of Rawhead & John Henry” that seems to take on American mythology. What can you tell our readers about this particular installment?
Greg Anderson Elysee: Well the previous installments were released as full volumes. This one is a single issue one-shot with two stories. The first story follows John Henry, of the folklore legend, who gets transported to a Robot Apocalyptic world due to the portals Is’nana accidentally opens in the first volume. Is’nana and his father, Anansi the Spider, finds the lost Henry and must help him in this world where machines hunt humans. The art is done by Walter Ostlie.
The second story, drawn by David Brame and colored by Lee Milewski and Kat Aldrich, follows a boy named Isaiah who moves to South Carolina with his father and twin brother and finds that their house is haunted by two boogeymen from the Gullah-Geechee folklores, Rawhead, and Bloody Bones. We’re hoping Is’nana can save them in time. This story is also lettered by Deron Bennett.
CW: Given the nature of Is’nana in the past, what prompted the move from African mythology to a more “New World” sort of connection?
Elysee: Well it’s not really a move per se, more so an expansion. I always marketed and stated that as the series will go on, Is’nana will be meeting and interacting with more characters and figures from various Black backgrounds. Even though Anansi is commonly known as being a West African character, he’s also known in some parts of the Caribbean. Volume 1 hinted at appearances from other figures from African, the Caribbean cultures and African American also, like Brer Rabbit. Volume 2 introduced us to some Haitian folklore characters and figures in Ti-Malice, Bouki, Compere Chat, and of course Papa Legba.
CW: Is’nana Vol.2 seems to have done quite well for itself. What can we expect moving forward from vol.3?
Elysee: Well it will be a while for Volume 3 to come out due to my schedule and raising funds. Right now the focus will be to get these two volumes into more hands and to maybe continue with some one-shots, ala Hellboy style, and see where that takes us.
So there you have it! Go get your copy today and enjoy a brilliantly crafted new world!
