This week’s spotlight is on Avalia by Delaney Januzzi!
Updates: Tuesdays Recommended if you liked: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Elantris, Mistborn, A Darker Shade of Magic, Princess Mononoke, The Nameless City
I don’t want to give away too much of this comic, because the awe-inspiring nature of its story and landscapes is part of what makes it so magical to read.
So I’ll try to give you enough of an idea that you want to dive right in.
Two countries balance precariously between a peace treaty... or another war.
While the Crown Princess Delmareve reluctantly walks toward a marriage she couldn’t care less about, the world outside the palace struggles with a disease both deadly and seemingly incurable. A young man named Revan sets off to find the cure, but his search for answers reveals that a cure is perhaps beyond the reach of anyone - anyone except a royal authority.
Avalia may not look like it at first, but it’s strength is in its varied portrayal of family dynamics. Whether that’s in the royal family with Delmareve and her parents, or with the townie Revan and his mother, this story shows the ways that we are bound to those we care about and the ways family may not care for us in the way we want.
Full of intrigue, Avalia pulls you into sprawling landscapes, larger-than-life battles, and political tensions. Its immersive world will make you stop to catch your breath, as you experience the majestic of this world alongside its young protagonists. Characters and their motivations will make you want to root for their success (or their failure). Within pages of meeting each character, I was ready to go to battle with General Asher, ready to travel the world with Revan, ready to run away with Francesca.
Read it here from the beginning!
Support independent artists! Delaney Januzzi’s Patreon