The Timeline of Genesis

Sand: Genesis, the first volume of this epic, is finished! So it's time I parted the curtain and explained some things. Like why this volume is structured as an anthology. Will that continue? Will there be a protagonist? What the heck are we even doing here?

Without burying the lede, the anthology format will somewhat continue, in so far as each issue will still feature different artists (although perhaps with some returning). That said, the next volume will focus on one story, currently planned for six issues. We will have a proper A plot starring Jona, and a B plot starring the Twin Blades (Bryn & Rayko).

So how did we end up here? And why not begin in a more cohesive fashion? It’s really down to necessity. The scope of this story was always ambitious, so my lack of experience writing comics presented a challenge, while another was the sheer difficulty of finding a single artist to illustrate this epic.

Whether it was down to the scale of the commitment or just my ability to pay an artist for a project of that scale, it quickly became apparent that focusing on single issues was entirely more manageable. Never mind that it also made the story more accessible by creating four possible entry points — five by the time we count the first issue of volume two.

Although it began as a matter of necessity, this approach will now continue into volume two. To some extent this still comes down to that manageable practicality, but also it has simply become a part of the identity of this project. There is something unique about pairing all of these different artistic voices, while also attempting to create a cohesive whole. Something that hopefully, if we’re successful, will set Sand apart.

Of course, the downside is that it may have made it more difficult to latch on to single protagonist or narrative. While that is coming with volume two, we are not there yet. What we have so far are four stories that span the formation of the world of Sand, and show different aspects or eras of that world that do eventually dovetail in to the main plot. Those eras are set apart by centuries, millennia, and even millions of years (look at that handy graphic!), and yet everything is connected (even Bubby will show up again!).

Truth be told, necessity is the practical (and maybe more respectable) excuse, there is also an indulgent reason. World building is fun, and can often grow to eclipse the actual story (which I like to think has not happened here). Particularly during the hiatus between Tale of Luc & San (2017) and Of Wolf & Prey (2023), as my day job took over, it was fun to think about Sand. That’s how these four supporting pillars grew, and became critical parts of the story. But it wasn’t enough to just indulge, everything needs to serve a narrative purpose, which is why eventually everything & everyone introduced in these four issues will have a part to play!

It’s entirely fitting that I am writing this now, ahead of Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2025 (where I will be tabling), since there I was in Toronto back in 2017 taking photos in the Allan Gardens. Snapping every bit of visual inspiration possible, which might later be used to shape the world of Sand. That was also the year that Tale of Luc & San (illustrated by Jade Lee) was finished, although not in time of TCAF, it would later make its debut at SPX instead.

Anyway, Sand: Genesis is a four issue anthology, which tells of the creation of the world & conflicts of Sand across four eras. It’s an exercise in world building, a prequel, and hopefully a worthy introduction. It features comics illustrated by Jade Lee, Erin Lisette, Margaret Huey, and Raven Warner, as well as illustrations by Angela Hsieh, Nika, and Cat Caro (Study of Monsters).

One of many photos I snapped in Toronto’s Allan Gardens in 2017.