Wretched Dario
What is Wretched Dario?
Wretched Dario is an adventure graphic novel series that is currently in production. It could be classified as Sword & Sorcery, or even Dark Fantasy, or both. This project is currently my primary focus.
Perpetrators | Creators
Liam Whinery | Creator, Producer, Writer & Letterer
Robespierre Feitoza | Character Design, Pencils and Inks (Colors for the promo release and chapter one).
Otaguro Rodrigo | Character Design, Colors (From chapter two and onward).
What is it about?
The story focuses on a soldier named Dario and his comrades, a tight-knit band of fellow veterans and nomadic warriors revered as heroes in the lands they have defended time and time again. Their story is related by Nurgul, a young woman who is like a beloved daughter to them all, but the very real daughter of their close comrade, and leader; the divine hero Karah.
A couple years prior to the telling of this story, Karah left the crew on a mysterious mission in which he never returned. Since then Nurgul was sent away to a priestess, Lady Zhanna, where she would receive the loving tutelage of the enchantress. Upon becoming her own woman, Nurgul returned to claim her place amongst the band of Dario, to aid them in their endeavors and possibly discover what happened to her father.
However, the rescue of a dear friend captured by mercenaries will seemingly derail the search for Karah, sending the group on a path of epic adventure that will challenge their strengths and tease their weaknesses.
As the journey takes them deeper into their mysterious world, only selflessness and devotion for one another will empower them to tear through the darkness of ancient plotting.
Wretched Dario isn’t just a fantasy adventure, but a multi-layered mystery, and deceptive in its depths.
concept & spleen
I thought it would be fun to create this comic book about a group of war buddies who together, discover the wonders and complexity of their world beyond common understanding. They are pushed to explore, and confront the mysterious workings that passively and actively influence existence. Through their adventures, bonds are strengthened and enlightenment is attained.
Concerning the mechanisms of this setting, in rpg gaming terms, I wanted to play with the idea of the seemingly disconnected side quest leading to the epic main quest, and thus concluding the arc(s). Also, I thought it would be fun to tell a kind of heroes’ journey” from the perspective of the princess, but in this case she isn’t necessarily needing to be saved, but is an active, important participant, and her hero is a guardian rather than a lover.
Despite not being a die-hard fan of the type of fantasy that is dominant in popular culture, I do see that the genre is a great place to introduce, and work out ideas that are philosophical and/ or intellectual in nature.
I hope everyone will enjoy this work. So far it has been the most challenging for me, creatively speaking.
Cheers!
-Liam “the Lucky Bastard” Whinery
Read Chapter One now!
