Co-Created with Nick Tapalansky
Young Adult
Sydney and Cal’s lives couldn’t be more different: Syd has relocated to Laituri City with his dad while his parents “take on some new adventures” apart; Cal comes from a dynastic family that’s been responsible for defending the world since time out of mind from the Umbra, unimaginable monsters who come from behind the stars, and he’s about to inherit the mantle of his generation’s Guardian.
What they do have in common is their total disenchantment with the new status quo being foisted upon them. As much as Syd wants to support his parents, he definitely didn’t want to leave behind his entire life. And Cal knows that some Guardians don’t live to see 20.
So, you know. There’s that.
Syd and Cal meeting one another is like finding the best friend neither knew they had as both discover a wonderful, and often hilarious, escape in each other’s crazy, awkward, and downright strange lives. But while both will do whatever it takes to avoid facing what fate seems to have in store for them, fate isn’t always so great about being ignored.
With the question of how permanent his parents’ separation is still looming for Syd, Cal’s ascension around the corner, and the biggest Umbra of them all threatening to swallow the world whole, before long Cal and Syd find themselves forced to face the very things they’ve been running from.
At least they have each other?
Co-Created with Nick Tapalansky
Young Adult
Samantha is bored out of her skull. She lives on an island, her entire world is covered in ocean, and she’s explored pretty much every crusty corner of the sunken city that surrounds her home. She’s just about accepted a tedious, excitement-free life when a contest with a rival diver sends her deep into the sunken city’s forbidden zone, where she discovers a pathway to a world more exciting, and more dangerous, than anything she’d ever imagined — one full of uncharted lands, mysterious creatures, and the mythical Thanatos Diver who is rumored to either save both worlds or destroy them… you know, depending on who you ask.
PREVIEWS
NPR - "…bright and fun, and provides plenty of underwater intrigue while firmly grounding itself in the emotional lives of its characters."
Omnicomic - "There's a certain lightheartedness to the book that Eckman-Lawn captures quite elegantly with his illustrations."
IO9 - "…both charming and instantly captivating."
We The Nerdy - "Alex Eckman-Lawn’s art for this series is also unique and wonderful to look at"
Co-Created with Nick Tapalansky | Lettering by Thomas Mauer | Rereleased digitally by Top Shelf/IDW, 2015
For Mature Readers (16+)
ABOUT THE BOOK
The once peaceful city of Park Falls has been tainted by a series of missing persons and gruesome murders. Town crazy Cynthia Ford comes forward to speak with retired police detective Derrick Peters one January afternoon with information about the strange happenings, claiming that they’re connected. But does she hold the key to unlocking the mystery, or has she gone completely insane? To Derrick’s disbelief she utters one word:
Zombies.
Though he doesn’t believe her, Derrick is compelled by their shared history to look into Cynthia’s evidence. What he finds should be impossible.
The investigation leads Derrick, federal scientist Dr. Daniel Howe, attack survivor Sandra LaFayette, and others in the city down a murky path as each must reconcile their past before facing what lies ahead. Coming to grips with all that they’ve been through is only the beginning as the weeks turn to months and the death toll slowly rises…
Investigate the mystery and dive into the horror of the critically acclaimed zombie noir series, Awakening, now collected in one giant volume, including a short story, production extras, guest pin-ups, and more.
REVIEWS
“A dark journey into the end of days. Genuinely unsettling and scary, Awakening delivers all the moods and the chills– a genre-bending graphic novel.”
– Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
“Deftly written by newcomer Tapalansky… Eckman-Lawn’s art is a fantastic complement to the prose… The panels evoke a building, palatable sense of unease, and by the last turn of the page, the reader is immersed in the terror of Awakening.”
– The Library Journal
“[Awakening is] near, if not at, the pinnacle of the best execution of a zombie graphic novel.”
– The San Francisco Book Review
Alex Eckman-Lawn is an Eisner Award winning comic artist, working in a wide variety of styles and subjects.
PRESS
Mouse Guard: Legends of The Guard:
Broken Frontier - "...Eckman-Lawn’s fine linework and rich colors captivate the eye."
Comicosity - "This was, without a shadow of a doubt, the strongest story of the three, and I’d happily see work like this from these two creators at any point down the road."
Comic Book Resources - "It's pretty cool when a short story can find that kind of significance."
Awakening:
Aint It Cool - "Eckman-Lawn proves that he understands what you don’t show can be just as terrifying as what you show. The story of AWAKENING is a heavy one, Eckman-Lawn’s art reflects that mood perfectly."
IFC - "Awakening is likely to stand out from the crowd and benefit from offering such a fresh take on the genre"
The Quarter Bin - "The fact that the artwork is freaking amazing definitely helps recommend this book"
Samantha Lorring and the Impossible World:
NPR - "…bright and fun, and provides plenty of underwater intrigue while firmly grounding itself in the emotional lives of its characters."
Omnicomic - "There's a certain lightheartedness to the book that Eckman-Lawn captures quite elegantly with his illustrations."
We The Nerdy - "Alex Eckman-Lawn’s art for this series is also unique and wonderful to look at"