Timed to Comic-Con International San Diego, Comixology Originals announced a riveting new original graphic novel, The Girl Who Draws on Whales, by Ariela Kristantina, the artist of the Eisner award-nominated original graphic novel Adora and the Distance. This epic YA adventure about a sister and brother struggling for survival who must use their art to save their world, marks the first-ever graphic novel that Kristantina has both written and illustrated.
In The Girl Who Draws on Whales, Kristantina takes readers on a powerful and atmospheric journey through a lush island environment inspired by her homeland of Indonesia. With soft and inspiring colors by Sarah Stern, letters by Bernardo Brice, and edits by Will Dennis, The Girl Who Draws on Whales is a captivating and visually stunning story of exploration and discovery. The Girl Who Draws on Whales will be available digitally on October 8, 2024, from Amazon’s exclusive digital content line and arrives in print from Dark Horse Books in bookstores on March 25, 2025, and in comic shops on March 26, 2025.
“Creating The Girl Who Draws on Whales has been a deeply personal and exhilarating experience. Living in the island nation of Indonesia, surrounded by the beauty and mystery of the sea, I drew inspiration from the rich landscapes and diverse cultures of our islands. Through Wangi and Banyu’s story, I wanted to capture the bravery it takes to defy expectations and the strength found in siblinghood. This journey of art, courage, and discovery reflects the resilience of our spirit and the magic that storytelling brings to life. I hope readers feel the same sense of wonder and connection that I felt while crafting this tale.”
The Girl Who Draws on Whales is set in a post-apocalyptic world, several centuries after “The Great Flood.” Siblings Wangi and her younger brother Banyu live in a sea-village. Wangi has a special bond with the Great Whales that visit the sea-village and they allow her to draw on their backs. Sometimes they return with new drawings on them. Wangi believes that there are other sea-villages or island settlements scattered around their oceanic world and that they are sending her messages but none of the elders listen to her.
One day, a new whale arrives in the village alone, wounded, and dying—this whale has a drawing on her back that doesn’t look like the previous drawings. Motivated by this mystery, Wangi vows to investigate. Although forbidden by her parents and the village elders, Wangi—along with a stowaway, who happens to be her younger brother Banyu—embarks on a wondrous sea journey to investigate where the drawings are coming from—only to find much more than they were expecting.
The Girl Who Draws on Whales is a testimony to the power of stories—their uncanny ability to entertain, educate and, ultimately, unite us. “The Girl Who Draws on Whales is a captivating and inspirational story,” says Jeff DiBartolomeo, Comixology’s GM and CTO. “Finding an incredible artist that’s also a brilliant storyteller is rare, and this book showcases Ariela’s amazing talents at both. We’re very excited that Ariela is making her writing debut with Comixology Originals, and we can’t wait for readers to experience this outstanding work.”