KIRU PROJECTS EXPLAINED

I realize that a few people are still unsure as to what exactly the Almier project is? why it's called Almier if it has the same story and character as Jinn? and why stop Jinn? Well this post is going to clear it all up once and for all.

KIRUcomics projects broken down

ALMIER CHARACTER JOURNAL

CHARACTER’S NAME:  Hakim Balogun

AGE: 15

Dual nationality

NATIONALITY 1: British

NATIONALITY 2: Nigerian

Journal Entry 1

Wat’s good  future me! If you're reading this then I know you must be bored. Why else would you read your own journal..hehehe? I don't even know why I’m doing this, Sebastian mentioned it would be a good idea for me and Luke to keep a journal but honestly, writing is hard work bruv.

Anyhooo..what to talk about, well today I got a B for my English test. The whole class including Miss seemed super surprised and proud of me, I didn't like that… nah scratch that, I hated it. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being praised for my efforts but not when people think of me as some disadvantaged illietrate (two big words right there). Then it’s just annoying.

People in this country overhype this whole dyslexic/ADHD thing. I mean so what I’m hyperactive, so what I take longer than most people to read and write sentences. In the end I still get it done, that’s just me innit. Back in Nigeria there’s no such thing as ADHD & dyslexia. If you’re slow, you’re slow. If you can’t pay attention then you’re getting slapped. No long ting. Not saying they shouldn't acknowledge it but sometimes all these labels feel a little unnesse… unnesccer…  aaahhh told you writing was hard bruv (basically sometimes labels ain't needed innit).  With all that being said, I’m still crazy proud of my B. Don’t get it twisted fam, it’s not everyday manz gets a B innit.

PEACE

ALMIER CHARACTER JOURNAL

CHARACTER’S NAME:  Rose Beaumont

AGE: 36

Dual nationality

NATIONALITY 1: Almier

NATIONALITY 2: French

Journal Entry 1

I left Nepal today, a nation just learning to stand on its own feet again. Samir organized a pleasant surprise send off for me, I’m still not sure if it was wise to leave him behind. At 15 he’s the youngest I’ve ever discovered. One more year and he’ll be just old enough for G9. The Elders will be pleased, we haven’t had anyone so young since Sebastian 5 years ago. I wonder what they’ll think if they knew he had been using the flame since the age of 12. No doubt the comparison to Shinji will be inevitable.

What’s most fascinating about Samir’s situation is that his people know what he is. Yet they don’t fear, reject or even revere him. He is simply treated as just another member of the community. Moreover they welcomed me with open arms knowing full well who I was. The only logical explanation I can think of at the moment for this unusual attitude is that Nepal must have not been affected during the dark days. I must remember to look further into the matter, maybe there are other places in the world where Almier and flame users are treated as equals.

 I am still in the air, on a questionable light aircraft. We have just entered Chhattisgarh and will be landing at Bilaspur Airport in 15 minutes. There have been reports of unknown flame users in the forests around the area.

Maybe he is somehow entangled in it.

ALMIER TITLE LOGO

Been working on a title logo for the new series Almier, finally decided on one that we were happy with but we're not 100% sure on the finishing touches. Below are the two variants, we would appreciate your opinions on the one you prefer.

Almier logo with outline

Almier logo without outline

Outline & black background

No outline with black background

Or you can propose your own changes for example a different colour background and the like.

ALMIER CHARACTER JOURNAL

CHARACTER’S NAME:  Juda Al-Jazari

AGE: 32

Dual nationality

NATIONALITY 1: Almier

NATIONALITY 2: Palestinian

Journal Entry 1

G9 is my home…. Sometimes even I can’t believe it. As I sit here on the edge of Ma-Nago, I can look around at our 9 islands with a sense of pride. My nation. A nation of peace, of equality and diversity. To think during my days of gloom, I never thought in a million years I would find such a place to call home. Nablus, Jenin, father, mother, everyone, I’ve found peace… and I know that you have to.

Yet my dreams are haunted by pain filled eyes, silently accusing. What right do they have to accuse me of betrayal after the way they rejected me? I didn’t betray them… I didn’t.  But no matter how many times I tell myself that, I can’t seem to believe it.

I am here, a part of this beautiful society while they are dying, fighting for their home, for their land. I use to be one of them, deep down I still am. I could go back. The Almier are to remain neutral at all times but the 4^th law. I could use the 4^th law and go back and fight. I am worth a hundred soldiers, I could fight back, protect them and… and what? More violence won't solve anything. If I fight, they will only retaliate even harder and more will die. I cannot defeat a whole nation by myself. Besides those that I protect will only reject me again out of fear.

 No, I’ve lost Palestine. But I can still protect the Almier. I am a Guardian and I will defend my new home, my new family till my last breath. Hopefully with the ‘Almier International Security Treaty’ everyone will soon be able to find peace in their lands. I have faith in the elders, they will make the nations see reason.  

WHO ARE THE ADIVASIS?

Hey all!!

Hameed Catel here, creator of the Almier project. Now very early on in the series, some of my main characters will be in India and one of them will be from India. So I had to research India if I was to depict an accurate representation of how things really are there. During my research, I came across an interesting story which I am surprised I didn’t know before. So I decided to share this particular story with you all. It’s about the Adivasis.

Now it's no secret that India's economy is fast growing and diverse but one particular group are being left behind drastically. The Adivasis are on the lowest rung of India’s social and economic ladder, the poorest of the poor. They’re a loose collection of tribes and villages in the jungles of central and eastern India and for generations have scraped together a living off farming and the spoils of the land.  Believed to be the first ones to live in India, they’re about 84 million in number (8% of India’s population). To help you put that into perspective think of it this way, there are about 64 million people in the UK; so imagine everyone in the UK (and then some) living below the poverty line or on the edge of starvation.

The Adivasis - normal people like me and you

THE ALMIER PROJECT

As some of you may know we’re embarking on a new manga project called Almier. Almier is a creator owned graphic novel series that is different because as well as being an intensely entertaining story with a message, it also has another purpose. Its second purpose is to bring to light the many problems faced by our world in a fictional setting.

In order to accomplish this goal as well as adhere to the four principle of KIRUcomics (Knowledge, Imagination, Responsibility & Understanding) we must do our research into the many plights and difficult situations being suffered in our world. And as we do this research we will be sure to share with you any issues we feel more people should know about.

To find out more about the project itself please visit the Almier page on our website.