Hawaii comic book creators unite for ‘Maui Strong’ anthology to aid wildfire disaster relief

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii’s comic book creators have teamed up to produce a series of comics called Maui Strong. The anthology will raise money for disaster relief on the Valley Isle.

“I believe in this project, and I believe we can do some incredible good with this,” said illustrator and editor Carl Shinyama.

He’s spearheading the project and is one of more than a dozen Hawaii illustrators and writers who are working on the anthology.

“Some of these stories are being adapted for the very first time. In a way, we’re making history,” he said.

The stories are illustrated versions of ancient Hawaiian Maui myths and legends passed down through generations.

“To bring those stories to life, we’re really excited to do that for the anthology,” writer Joshua Sky said.

Like Shinyama, Sky was born and raised on Maui. He now works for Netflix and has written for Marvel and Disney.

He’s been hooked on comics since childhood.

“The older I get and the more I read about Hawaiian mythology and ancient Hawaiian history in particular, the more blown away I am at these incredible stories that a lot of people don’t know about. I think They are just as exciting as stuff in Marvel or DC or any mythology really,” he said.

Many of the collaborators on Maui Strong are independent artists who create and publish their own comic books. This is the first time they have worked together on one project.

“The best way to tell people who we are and where we come from is through the mo’olelo and the chant of our ancestors,” Shinyama said. “We decided to reach out to Hawaiian artists and writers to help tell this mo’olelo.”

The independent comic website Zoop is coordinating donations to fund the anthology’s production. Many people have already ordered the first issue in advance.

All proceeds will go to Maui Rapid Response.

“Some have the option of pledging directly to Maui County Response, no comic ordering necessary. But if they want to, they have the option of getting a digital copy of the comic and a physical copy of the comic,” Shinyama said.

Besides comic book collectors, he hopes comic book retailers, schools, and libraries purchase copies of the anthology in bulk so more financial aid can get to Maui residents who need it.

“The point of the book isn’t to make a big profit; it’s to give back to the community and also leave something worthwhile that will move readers and also show future generations these stories, really educate them in an entertaining fashion,” Sky said.

The creators believe in the anthology series so much that they’ve waived their fees.

“I just wanted to tell all of the creators, ‘You guys have been incredible! Thank you so much for making my job easy throughout the process. I appreciate all of you,’” Shinyama said.

You can buy the first Maui Strong comic and collectible art or make a donation directly to Maui Rapid Response at zoop.gg/c/mauistrong.

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