A ten year labor of love has finally come to Kickstarter as artist Sal Abbinanti launches his first graphic novel, The Hostage. Sal has been multitasking during his career. In his “day job,” he is an art representative for Alex Ross and Bill Sienkiewicz. But his love is still doing his own art.
His book, The Hostage is based at least partially on a trip he made to Brazil. In his story, he takes a trip into the supernatural that centers on a group of children. These children have grown weary of the poverty and violence they have been subjected to in their lives. To combat this, they call upon the being called “the Hostage” to seek retribution. The press release for The Hostage is below:
Sal Abbinanti’s Graphic Novel THE HOSTAGE is Now on Kickstarter
THE HOSTAGE Campaign Includes Limited Edition Lithographs from Alex Ross, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jeffrey Alan Love, Sanjulián, Geof Darrow, and Eric Powell and Tiers with Original Sketch Cards, Postcards, and Bookmarks by Abbinanti
January 25, 2021—Chicago, IL— By day, Sal Abbinanti is the art rep for comic book superstars Alex Ross and Bill Sienkiewicz, but by night he, too, is an artist. For more than two decades, the Chicago native has been obsessed with creating a graphic novel inspired by a visit he made to Brazil when he was in his early 20’s. Now, Abbinanti is launching a Kickstarter campaign for his dream project, a 115-page full-color original graphic novel set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro titled THE HOSTAGE.
Sal Explains how his trip to Brazil inspired him
“When I was 25, I spent six months living in Rio de Janeiro,” said Abbinanti. “I was a starry eyed, full of shit college kid who went there for a Brazilian vacation of samba, nightlife, and beaches. To see the level of poverty, suffering, and death in Rio de Janeiro was eye opening. I will never forget it. THE HOSTAGE is my tribute to the amazing country and especially to the kids living in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.”
Loosely inspired by the culture and religions of Brazil like the Umbanda and the Candomblé, Abbinanti has been building the world of THE HOSTAGE in his studio for over 10 years—sketching characters, panels, and scripting pages. Abbinanti’s unique art style and vibrant color choices create a spellbinding effect. THE HOSTAGE tells the story of a group of street kids who are abandoned by society. Dying every day from poverty and gang violence, the kids join together and summon a mystical spirit—THE HOSTAGE—who will protect them and avenge the deaths of their friends.
Tier Rewards
THE HOSTAGE Kickstarter campaign includes limited edition lithographs from Alex Ross, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jeffrey Alan Love, Sanjulián, Geof Darrow, and Eric Powell, as well as tiers with original sketch cards, postcards, and bookmarks by Abbinanti.
“One of the most exciting parts of bringing my project to Kickstarter is the opportunity to connect with so many amazing artists from around the world and bring their work to you,” said Abbinanti. “I’ve been working in the comics business for a long time and I’m really lucky to know so many talented artists who have been willing to make contributions to this project. It’s an honor to see their visions for THE HOSTAGE and have them be part of this.”
The crowdfunding campaign is live now and concludes on February 25th. Pledge tiers start with a digital edition available in both English and Portuguese (translated by Kelsey Trotta). From there. the tiers go up to the Complete HOSTAGE Package. This package includes an 11×17 original drawing by Sal Abbinanti. Plus a complete set of lithographs by all guest artists. For updates, follow @SalAbbinanti and @comics_mercury.
To support the campaign, visit Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/420812560/the-hostage-a-graphic-novel-by-sal-abbinanti
About The Creator
Sal Abbinanti was educated at the University of Southern California and the Art Institute of Chicago. He began his indie comics career in 2005 with the launch of Mercury Comics. Since then he has created Atomika-God is Red and now, The Hostage. When he is not creating great art, Sal is the art rep for Alex Ross and Bill Sienkiewicz. He lives on the North Side of Chicago.
Be sure to check out Sal’s Kickstarter and look for our interview with Sal, coming soon to Geek Vibes Nation. 🖖🏻
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.