New Cover for Badin and the Secret of the Saami

The final cover

Inspired by the Star Wars Rogue One poster (a movie I really want to see), I created a new cover for the graphic novel, Badin and the Secret of the Saami. It's not a copy. However, the placement of the main character and villain was heavily inspired by Rogue One.

Badin is frontmost. He is holding a special book. Behind him is the villain (read the Kraken or the Mini-Sagas Compilation to learn more about him). Below Badin, from left is Queen Lovisa Ulrika, Crown Prince Gustav III, South Saami elder Gaaktu, Princess Sofia Albertina and Anna Olsdotter.

The other characters—including the owl—were carefully placed along the Golden Spiral, Golden Ruler and Golden Ratio. It includes scenes from the graphic novel. An abstract of the Swedish flag is in the sky. The flag is based on the Christian cross and is placed along the top section on the Rule of Thirds. The background scenes contain some reindeer, a South Saami earth dwelling (Goahti) and a deep cave with four figures approaching it. Of course, all of this was created in Clip Studio Paint.

Since the graphic novel is in the hands of a second assistant editor, I have been putting energy into promotion and planning for a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a final editor and Swedish translator. I have given up trying to get a literary agent for this book. They want stuff I don't want to make and they aren't sure how to sell a story about an 18th century Black Swedish child and his Saami mentor.

Badin and the Secret of the Saami is a story I wanted to tell. So I used comic book art as the medium. I know this is a beautiful story. I know the artwork helps tell it. I believe in it and that is all that matters. I will not sit and hope or wait that someone will believe in it.

This story is about belief—belief in sacrifice for the good of other than one's self. It's about history and redemption. It is a story that can heal the wounds of social, racial and religious strife. It is about the importance of indigenous culture for the survival of our species and how the most foreign—or different—among us, can be the ones who usher in a new and better society.

Well, I hope you believe in what I'm doing. If you do, please share the official website for Badin and the Secret of the Saami. The graphic novel is due to be released in just 100 days from tonight!