Ancient purgatory gets a YA twist in this new Roman mythos comic
Debuted April 2, 2024
MARJAM has just returned from four years training in her new role as the Janus, and she's fine. Basically fine, anyway. Sure, most of her predecessors in the role couldn't handle the split nature of the god's ability to look to the past and future at the same time, but Marjam stayed perfectly stable after her onboarding. In fact, she spends her first evening back home partying with her friends and family, like the charming, normal teen that she is. Or was. When her police chief uncle asks for her help as the Janus in solving a group of missing persons cases connected to the monster prison Tartarus, she turns him down flat: Tartarus is too dangerous to be tampered with. But if she did open the gate, and there were people there to be rescued... she'd be a hero. That would make up for all the lives lost during her training. Then she can finally forget what she did. And if she can forget, she'll definitely be fine. Until then, she'll fake it. After all, what's the worst that can come from pretending to be something you're not?
Written by visual storyteller Abrian Curington, JANUS IN TARTARUS is a full-color graphic novel, slated to be approximately 420 pages. A modern comedic tale infused with ancient history, that explores ideas of self-acceptance and non-romantic love, presented with a clean, clear look; somewhere between Faith Erin Hick’s The Forbidden City and 90’s animated series Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Perfect for magic lovers, burnt out eldest daughters, and classics nerds.
The comic is currently being serialized at BlueCatCo.com/Janus, updated once monthly, and Patreon members have been enjoying early chapters and weekly updates on the project's progress at Patreon.com/AbrianC.
Readers are saying:
"Abrian Curington's coming-of-age story Janus is populated by fascinating characters, not the least of which is Mari, whose foibles are charmingly human but whose powers are decidedly not. A beautifully drawn, dryly funny and mysterious take on Roman deities who walk among us." - Sophie Yanow, award-winning creator of The Contradictions
"I really enjoy the way [Abrian] blends ancient lore and contemporary styles." - Nic Rodriguez
"Abrian has done her research, then spiced it up with a creative re-imagining of the classical world and mythology. This is populated with such engaging characters and action that one might not even notice the worldbuilding, but it weaves a richly entertaining tapestry that should captivate anyone from Rome nerds to anime fans." - Sarah Airriess, creator of the graphic novel adaptation of The Worst Journey in the World
“It's SO good. I absolutely love seeing magic in modern day settings, and the characters have such clear personalities. The worldbuilding is chef's kiss.” - Tori Sharp, creator of Just Pretend and Stand Up
The Creator
Abrian Curington creates wonder in the form of maps, comics and illustrations that explore the intersection of the mundane and the fantastical, while creating a space of connection amid this hectic world. She’s a major nerd and serious tea drinker. Contact her at Abrian.Curington@gmail.com.
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