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Kriss

The Gift of Wrath

Illustrated by Warren Wucinich
Published by Oni Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

"...an utterly enjoyable first volume with accessible worldbuilding and an eye-catching goth-tinged aesthetic." – Kirkus

For fans of The Graveyard Book and Through the Woods comes a different kind of YA fantasy graphic novel, in which a teen boy's search for his destiny leads him into darkness.

Lean, ghostly pale, and permanently grim-faced, Kriss has always been an outsider in his small village. Not even his adoptive parents love him. Only Anja, the blacksmith's daughter, brings kindness and friendship into the life of the sullen teenager. But Kriss is haunted by dim memories of his true father, Erikk Iron Tooth, the king of Darkovia.

When Anja's mother is killed by a wild sabercat from the far north, the young girl's world is shattered, and Kriss determines to avenge her. Armed with only a pitchfork, the skinny teen sets out to kill the beast, only to learn that it's actually a dark spirit from Darkovia, come to bring him his destiny. The spirit grants Kriss the power to vanquish the mightiest foes, and commands him to reclaim his father's kingdom. But his gift of power comes with a price — uncontrollable rage. And leaving the village would mean leaving Anja, the only person who's always been there for him. Kriss must choose between his destiny and Anja, who needs his friendship more than ever. But his growing power, and the fiery anger that comes with it, threatens to make the choice for him, and burn everything he holds dear.

About The Author

Ted Naifeh first caught the attention of the independent comics scene in 1999 as the artist for Gloomcookie, the goth romance comic he co-created with beloved author Serena Valentino. After a successful run, Ted struck out on his own, writing and drawing Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things, a spooky children’s fantasy series about a grumpy little girl and her adventures with her Warlock uncle. Nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Limited Series, Courtney Crumrin's success paved the way for Polly and the Pirates, another tween adventure series, this time about a prim and proper girl who’s secretly the daughter of a long-lost queen. Over the next few years, Ted wrote four volumes of Courtney Crumrin, plus a spin-off book about her uncle Aloysius. Since then, Ted has worked with many great co-creators. He illustrated Death Junior with famed screenwriter Gary Whitta. For world-renowned fantasy author Holly Black, he illustrated TheGood Neighbors, a three volume graphic novel series, published by Scholastic. And he teamed with Spider-Gwen co-creator Robbi Rodriguez for a sequel to Polly and the Pirates. In 2012, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Courtney Crumrin, Ted wrote and illustrated the final two volumes of the series. He’s since authored Princess Ugg, the tale of a barbarian princess going to princess finishing school. And in a radical departure from his previous work, he created Night’s Dominion, an experimental project blending high fantasy with superheroes. But unable to stay away, Ted returned to Courtney’s world with The Crumrin Chronicles, a new three-volume series in the eponymous heroine’s magical world. Ted lives in San Francisco, where he enjoys the dreary weather.

About The Illustrator

Warren Wucinich is an illustrator, colorist, and part-time carny currently living in Dallas, TX. When not making comics he can usually be found watching old Twilight Zone episodes and eating large amounts of pie.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Oni Press (September 17, 2019)
  • Length: 120 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781620106617

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Raves and Reviews

"A brooding, dark thrill ride that interrogates machismo."

– Kirkus

"A dark, violent fantasy recommended for those who enjoy coming-of-age stories and adventure."

– School Library Journal

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More books from this author: Ted Naifeh

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