RISING SUN - Local woman creates ‘marvellous’ comic book - Sarvasan Pillay
The genre-breaking style of using pictures of real people in unison with animation and the ‘BANG’ and ‘BOOM’ comic book style of text bubbles and writing has set The Shadower apart from other contemporary comics.
What began as a discussion between comic book-loving friends quickly became a reality for a young Marvel fan when she created and published her own comic book with a refreshing twist to the genre. Lauren Bianca Maduray works as an administrator for a chemical company by day, however, in secret, she writes action-packed comic books with her first being entitled: The Shadower. “It started as fun between myself and a few friends, who wanted to make a comic about me. Despite my protests, I eventually agreed to write a story, however, I thought it would be interesting to involve real people. As such, I used pictures of real people in my life including my friends and family, with each getting their own character and special traits. We love the Marvel franchise, so ideas were flying around. The story came about as life went on and took around a month to complete, but finding a publisher took a lot longer. Eventually, I found a self-publisher, in the form of the Bevan group,” explained Maduray. The genre-breaking style of using pictures of real people in unison with animation and the ‘BANG’ and ‘BOOM’ comic book style of text bubbles and writing has set The Shadower apart from other contemporary comics. “The story is basically about a girl, who gets sick but her father owns an experimental lab. She mistakenly drinks the wrong medication, which was meant to convert a person into a superhero. She then finds out her father is part of an undercover agency, and that someone else stole the same potion but became a villain instead. She now has abilities to defend it, along with her friends. The photos I used in the book vary from pictures taken from past years as well as current ones,” explained the 26-year-old. She continued that the main inspiration for the comic is her diehard obsession with the Marvel comic and cinematic universe, which became an overnight success in the early 2010s.“It is my own take on a Marvel comic but it is going to be grounded by actual people. The protagonist, Chasi Avens, portrayed by myself, was also inspired by Charlie’s Angels with themes of women empowerment and agency-type work. She is the superhero I always wanted to see but never found until now. I added my five friends to the comic because they were a motivational streak for me. They supported me every step of the way,” she added. A self-proclaimed plain Jane, Maduray also plans to donate to charity, mainly animal shelters, once a month, with her sidekick being a black pet rabbit named Toothless. “I did not think it would be published. I am almost finished with a digital deal with Amazon. Whoever I speak to, I tell them about the book. I have plans for mass publishing and there has been a response from international companies and comic warehouses in SA. My long-term goal is to create a franchise but my ultimate dream is to become part of a Marvel cast. I feel like this, along with my cosplaying, provides me with a foot in the door for such an opportunity. I hope that the book inspires others and shows people that no matter what background you come from if you have an idea or a dream, go for it. The only thing stopping you is yourself,” she concluded. If you wish to find out more about The Shadower or follow Maduray, follow her on Facebook at Lauren Bianca Marvel.
https://risingsunchatsworth.co.za/207942/local-woman-creates-marvellous-comic-book/
