We had a lot of love for the sci-fi superhero adventure Kuruz, so naturally, we’re feeling hyped for the sequel (Kickstarter). We talked with creator Sonesh Joshi to get an idea of what to expect:
AP2HYC: Can you talk a bit about the story of Kuruz Volume 2 and how it picks up from its predecessor?
Joshi: Kuruz is a story about a group of heroes and villains from across Earth being teleported to a mysterious planet called Kuruz. Together they must find a way back home, co-exist with the natives, and survive on a world ruled by a dictator.
Volume 2 continues the story as Earth’s heroes and villains deal with the recent shocking events, new alliances are formed, loyalty is tested, and characters endure an emotional rollercoaster ride from which they may never recover from.
Opportunity presents itself in the form of returning back home to Earth. But as hope is restored, the element of danger escalates, and in the end… who will live to see Earth again?
AP2HYC: Will this volume be another collection of connected short stories?
Joshi:Â Yes it follows the same format as its predecessor in that there will be a big main story and five short stories. Each story will feature a different artist in a bid to showcase the diverse and talented artists on this book.
AP2HYC: How long are you expecting Kuruz to last? Are there more stories to tell?
Joshi:Â I have Kuruz outlined as a trilogy with plans for Volume 3 already outlined. The journey of how we get there is going to be emotional and wonderful!
I am looking to produce some short comics that take place in between the volumes of Kuruz. My intention is to further develop the characters, showcase new talent, and enrich the overall reading experience of Kuruz.
AP2HYC: Do you need to be familiar with the first volume to understand the sequel?
Joshi: Kuruz Volume 2 will feature a recap page so you’ll be brought up to speed on what happened previously. While Kuruz Volume 2 will be as reader-friendly as possible. I would recommend people getting a copy of Kuruz Volume 1 as it would add more depth to the story.
AP2HYC: Do you use a similar art style for the sequel?
Joshi: There are several artists returning from Kuruz to work on Volume 2 because I thought it’d be nice for those who read Volume 1 and Life on Kuruz to see a style they recognised. There will also be some new artists stepping into the world of Kuruz, and I am very excited to see the work they produce.
AP2HYC:Â Can you talk about the new characters that we will encounter? I believe there will be one new character brought in, but I would like to avoid divulging anything right now. However, I can say that the characters previously introduced will be established further, including the main Kuruzian characters.
AP2HYC: Did your background in photography influence the sequel?
Joshi: To an extent, yes. I am in the process of organising photoshoots with cosplayers who will be portraying actual Kuruzian characters. One of the things I wanted to do, which impacted the sequel, was to make the Kuruzian characters distinguishable from each other. This is something I didn’t get around to doing in Volume 1, but now the main Kuruzian characters will definitely have some distinct characteristics and traits that will help them stand out from the rest of their peers.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sonson/kuruz-volume-2-one-by-one