PRESS RELEASE
Writers Guild Award and Inkpot Award-winning writer Marc Bernardin and acclaimed artist Ariela Kristantina’s highly anticipated original graphic novel Adora and The Distance will be available this June from comiXology Originals, the exclusive digital content line of comiXology, an Amazon company. Inspired by Bernardin’s daughter who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, Adora and The Distance is a YA fantasy story about a brave young woman of color who lives in a fantastical world with underground pirates, giants, and ghosts who must confront a mysterious force called “The Distance” which threatens to destroy it all. Adora and The Distance will be available digitally on June 15, 2021, in time for Father’s Day, at no additional cost, for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited, and for purchase on the Amazon Kindle Store and comiXology.
Adora and The Distance is written by Bernardin (the award-winning television writer-producer and co-host of the popular podcast, Batman Beyond, with Kevin Smith), illustrated by Ariela Kristantina (the artist of Insexts and Mata Hari and the upcoming Chain, written by Scott Snyder), colored by Bryan Valenza, lettered by Bernardo Brice, and edited by legendary comics editor Will Dennis.
The book features a foreword by Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Damon Lindelof (Lost; Watchmen), who writes that “at the end of your journey, Dear Reader, I have no doubt you will feel closer to Adora . . . and by the deft magic and intimate honesty of the storytelling, you will feel closer to the very real person upon whom Adora is based. . . . And if you have anything resembling the same experience, I have no doubt you will emerge as I have . . . Triumphant and Transformed.”
Marc Bernardin has been developing Adora and The Distance for more than a decade. “According to the CDC, one in 54 children in America are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. That’s millions and millions of kids — and millions more parents and siblings who have someone with autism in their lives,” said Bernardin. “I didn’t want to tell a story about those of us who love their autistic friends or family members. Instead, I wanted to try and imagine the story one of those kids could be telling about themselves, about the adventures they’re taking inside their own mind. It’s the story I most want to hear.”
“Every creator-owned project is personal to its creator, but this book feels even more so,” said Kristantina, who is a single mother. “It’s a great book to give to young adults who may not read comics, but love fantasy stories. And it’s a great book for adults looking for a sense of hope, nostalgia, and reflection upon their own childhood.”
Adora and The Distance is the first YA graphic novel for both Bernardin and Kristantina. It’s a deeply personal story, full of dazzling designs, gorgeous imagery, whimsical storytelling, and hope.
Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive digital content, Adora and The Distance will be available upon release, at no additional cost, for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited, and for purchase on the Amazon Kindle Store and comiXology. Prime Reading offers all Amazon Prime members a rotating selection of over a thousand top Kindle books, magazines, short works, comic books, children’s books, and more – all at no additional cost. Kindle Unlimited gives customers access to more than 1 million titles, including thousands of audio books, and current magazines for just $9.99 a month with a 30-day free trial at amazon.com/kindleunlimited. ComiXology Unlimited offers over 30,000 comics, graphic novels and manga for just $5.99 a month with a 30-day free trial at comixology.com/unlimited.
For more updates on comiXology Originals, check out http://comixologyoriginals.com.
