EYES ON LUMINA VHOX PART 1
Legendary mercenaries, Eldritch Gods, strange creatures from the Abyss, WAR, follow Mya on her Space Eldritch Adventure inside the pages of Lumina Vhox.
A distress signal has been sent to the Coalition of Galaxies from the Exelion Sector. An Executor and a couple of Adjudicators have been sent to investigate the Exelion incident alongside legendary war hero, Preator Ragnar, and his Iron Brotherhood. Something dark is about to be awakened, and the race for power that’ll change the Universe is about to begin.
THE CREATOR
The Lumina Vhox series is written and illustrated by José García. He is a professional storyboard and comic book artist from Mexico and worked on DreamWorks TV and Cartoon Network projects, First Second Books, Heavy Metal, Ankama Editions, and ComiXology originals.
THE BOOKS
Lumina Vhox is a sci-fi space action/adventure, supernatural, fantasy, mystery, and Eldritch horror tale for teens and adults. The making of the series is influenced by Naruto, Warhammer 40,000, Gunbuster, Attack on Titan, Berserk, Made in Abyss Bloodborne. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans or human-like beings and mythical creatures coexist.
Volume 1 and Volume 2 were printed on high-quality paper in full color with a square bound printed spine and a UV Spot Gloss soft cover. The books contain 96 pages each. The publishing company is not mentioned in the books.
THE STORY
The story has 3 main characters: Mya, Dix Neuf, and the Gods. Mya is the vessel of an eldritch god; the vessel is called “Lumina”. Dix Neuf the Godkiller, is a member of the Abyssal Hunter Society. The Gods, the old ones, are ancient Eldrich gods with unimaginable power and uncontrollable hunger.
Mya is selected to be the vessel of an eldritch god by a mysterious cabal but in the middle of the ritual, something goes wrong. As the god inside her devours the souls of her family and loved ones, Mya is trying to get back control of her own body and save the souls of her family without losing herself in the process.
Mya is thrown into an unending cosmic conflict that is set to decide the fate of the universe once she wakes up to find out she is a vessel of an ancient eldritch god, Legendary mercenaries, political power, ancient beings from the void, and a never-ending war can be found within the pages of Lumina Vhox.
Volume 1 starts in the Exelion sector where what appears to be a team of executors (soldiers) of the coalition are assigned to investigate a distress signal. The assignment appeared simple in the report. A distress signal lighted up for a very brief moment. Just a glitch no invasion could ever take down a world in such a short amount of time.
But this is no invasion, no alliance of mercenaries, or another conqueror or mind slaver. This is different. The sheer power of raw violence. This is mindless. This is something more primal. Agent Dix Neuf is contacted to assist with this conundrum.
Volume 2 starts on planet Braxis at the Arixis Main colony; however, it seems that the executors were too late to prevent the destruction. It looks like a war zone. Dix Neuf is still on the hunt to catch the source of this power. Will he find it before the destruction of the universe?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Upon first glance, the Lumina Vhox series by Jose Garcia appears to be a captivating and visually stunning comic book. The artwork is vibrant and detailed, drawing the reader into a world that is both fantastical and immersive. The characters are well-designed and expressive, and the use of vibrant color adds depth and dimension to the scenes.
The lettering is very small in some places for example at the bottom of the second page in Volume 1 and I’m not a fan of the white text on blue balloons, most were difficult to read at night except for those in bold format.
In the beginning, there is much text giving context to the story (while covering the art) in almost a standard format but as the story progresses the format of lettering changes with several styles which makes it look more interesting.
The story itself is intriguing, with a unique premise that combines elements of fantasy and adventure. The post-apocalyptic setting and the concept of humans/humanoids coexisting with mythical creatures create a rich and dynamic world that is both exciting and thought-provoking.
The story is a bit complex as a lot is happening at the same time. And you don’t understand the depth and complexity of the problem until later on. There is not much information about the galaxies and all the world and creatures living on them but you almost instantly see the results of a destructive malign power. Only to later discover that the power is wielded by Mya, an innocent girl, who is being used by powerful forces to enforce destruction in exchange for saving her family or so she thinks.
Even though she has been mind-controlled by the gods, she is still guilty of killing millions of beings so the high lords want to eliminate her. Her main goal is to save her family, but she doesn’t seem to be aware that she is hurting innocent lives. To her, they all seem bad.
But why did the gods choose her in the first place? Who are these Eldritch Gods and where did they come from? Would Dix Neux kill Mya or try to help her? Hopefully, we will learn more in the next volume.
THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
The Lumina Vhox campaign on Indiegogo aimed to fund the production of the first volume of a new comic book series. The art and the story looked interesting so I during the last quarter of 2023 with a new exclusive variant cover for each volume. decided to back it on August 12, 2021. 2021 was the year I started my adventure looking for and supporting crowdfunded entertainment.
I selected the “Selfish Lumina tier” which included the Lumina Vhox Vol.1 digital edition and physical copy, My 8 Bit Story digital edition and physical copy, Egoísta Physical Book (Spanish), and Egoísta digital edition (English).
The campaign offered backers the opportunity to support the project and receive various rewards, including digital and physical copies of the comic book, exclusive artwork, and merchandise. The creator of Lumina Vhox hopes to bring his unique vision to life and share it with readers who enjoy fantasy and adventure stories.
The campaign offered the following stretch goals: UV Spot cover, Vinyl Sticker set, hire a flatter, future projects review newsprint black and white ashcan with 80 pages of future projects. A second campaign was released on the Fund My Comic platform I think during the last quarter of 2023.
COMUNICATION AND COSTOMER SERVICE
This was one of those campaigns that left me a little disappointed. While monthly updates were provided it seems like the progress on this project was extremely slow. At one point the story expanded into two volumes. It did not sit well to see other projects like Chrimon Rhen of the True North get completed and delivered while the Lumina Vhox project remained a “work in progress”. What I missed was a clear explanation about the priority of the project. I wouldn’t have minded waiting if this was the plan from the beginning.
I believe backers will understand if the creator needs to prioritize other projects for personal financial reasons, causing their creator-owned project to take a back seat for a while. Honest communication and transparency are always the best options in such situations.
While it is commendable to see creators working hard on multiple projects, it can be disappointing when their creation is neglected. Similarly, it can be disheartening for backers to see creators spending money on leisure activities like concerts and holidays without disclosing the progress of their work. This lack of communication can give the wrong impression, so it is always better to clearly communicate the work plan with backers.
In this particular case, I think the communication on the creator’s work plans could have been better. The books were great, especially Egoísta. The Lumina Vhox books were individually sealed with thin plastic wrap and back & boarded. The other books with different sizes were carefully packaged as well. In addition to the books I also received 3 stickers and a Thank You card.
The following digital rewards were delivered with no issues: the digital editions of Lumina Vhox Volume 1 and Volume 2 and My 8 Bit story in original and redux pdf format. The Egoísta digital edition remains pending as of this date.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Lumina Vhox series is a different addition to the comic book genre with its mythology and the constant battle of inner conflicts. It reminds me a bit of the short novel “They Call Me Charleston” which coincidentally was also created by someone with Mexican roots.
It seems that Mexican mythology, history, and culture have a profound impact on Mexican and Mexican-American storytellers. This influence offers a special chance to craft narratives that stand apart from the usual superhero, wizard, Viking, zombie, and vampire tales. Instead, storytellers can find inspiration in their legends, leading to stories that are culturally rich and authentic like for example the Lumina Vhox series, The Forever Now series, and the La Muerta series.
With its engaging story, beautiful and very peculiar artwork, and imaginative world-building, the Lumina Vhox series has the potential to appeal to a wide range of readers. Whether you’re a fan of fantasy or adventure, or simply enjoy a good story, Lumina Vhox is worth checking out.
Hopefully, Volumes 1 and 2 will soon be available for sale at josegarciaartworks.com. Looking forward to volume 3 to know what will happen next. My notes on “Egoísta” and “My 8 Bit Story” will be published soon. Stay tuned!
Interested in more titles? Check more GRAPHIC NOVELS from the “EYES ON” series wherein I documented my experience with supporting crowdfunded entertainment and shared my notes on the products I received.
My notes are all set. Let me know what you think.
See you on the next page!
