Tag Archives: The Will Production

Victory Comic by Ukranian Artists

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It just happened! Ukrainian publishing house The WILL Production together with the company  Art Nation presents the comic Victory, created by Ukrainian artists who worked on it from the first days of the large-scale invasion of the Rashists, channeling their anger, despair, courage, love and dreams into a single manifestation of the nation’s struggle for freedom.

Publisher Tokyopop gave the comic its digital release on August 24, and will release the print edition on September 13. Part of the proceeds from sales will be sent to the Razom for Ukraine fund.

What if your family, your hometown, your entire way of living were threatened by force? That’s what the people of Ukraine faced when Putin’s Russian army invaded their sovereign land, displacing millions of refugees and causing an international crisis threatening democracy across the globe. But the Ukrainian people refused to cave – and these 9 stories weave the greater tale of their resistance – and fight for Victory!

The comic book collection consists of nine graphic novels each in their own unique style and zarní.

Among the authors of the legend of the Ukrainian comic industry: Alexander Koreshkov, Catherine Kosheleva, Eugene Tončilov, Vladimir Povoroznik, Oleg Okunêv, Igor Kurilin, Maxim Bogdanovsʹkij, Bogdana Vitkovsʹka, Nazar Ponik, Kiril Malov.

Stu Levy, Founder/CEO of Tokyopop, encourages people to use this comic to learn about the war’s impact on millions of Ukranians.

It is with a heavy heart that we bring you this publication. War is never a welcome event, but some conflicts are unavoidable and important. Unfortunately, the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is quite the opposite — it is simply a unilateral act of state violence and greed. The actions of Vladimir Putin and the Russian army have unleashed widespread destruction, atrocity and death and have forced millions of innocent Ukrainians, mainly women and children, to flee their homeland.

Two of those refugees — a young mother, Natalia, and her 3-year-old daughter, Kyra — are living with my family at our home in Berlin, Germany. Following the invasion in February 2022 and soon after the birth of our daughter in March 2022, we attended an event here in Berlin where many Ukrainians — unsure of where to go or what to do next — gathered for fellowship and information. Ukraine’s neighbor, Poland, has given refuge to millions of people, with nearly 1 million also now residing in Germany. We have had a wonderful experience with Natalia and little Kyra as two families living as one (my little son Aiden has become Kyra’s inseparable bosom buddy), but it breaks my heart to watch her FaceTime every night with her father and grandparents still back in Ukraine. Their neighborhood has been shattered by Russian bombs and last week Natalia’s best friend’s house was destroyed — the explosion and shrapnel just missing her friend’s mother by a dozen yards.

Displacement, anxiety, and fear are now part of daily life for millions of Ukrainians — both at home and abroad. The 9 stories in VICTORY FOR UKRAINE were created entirely by Ukrainians to express their fears, tears, and anger towards “the Enemy.” While Ukraine and its people are on the defense, they will never surrender and their resolve and will to fight and rally the world is an inspiration and a shining beacon of freedom.

VICTORY FOR UKRAINE is one way we can not only learn about their struggles but also join them in solidarity. Comics are a truly personal medium and one with unlimited beauty and depth. TOKYOPOP and I are very honored to be able to play a small role in delivering their message to you. Thank you for joining us in welcoming these brave individuals, these creators, these fighters into our homes, and may they one day achieve Peremoha: Victory for Ukraine.

[Based on a press release.]

Fight With Art

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By James Bacon: “Fight With Art” is an exhibition of Ukrainian Contemporary Art created under exceptional circumstances taking place now in Kraków at the Manggha Museum until April 30. 

We reached out to curator Artur Wabik to learn more of this topical exhibition:

“The War in Ukraine affects the entirety of Europe and European people, including artists, curators, and other workers in the cultural sector. While providing shelter to refugees, and sending food and supplies to the fighters, we must not forget that our first language of expression is culture and art. With this strong foundation, we can fight today for truth and peace. Culture is the arbiter of civil society, it prevents us from sliding into the arms of brash propaganda and naked aggression.

“This is perfectly understood by the artists from Ukraine, who have been involved in building a civil society since 2014, creating works that comment on the current political and social situation. Many of them arise in opposition to Russian disinformation. Perhaps that is why they eagerly use popular, concise art forms, such as murals, stencils, posters, or comics.

“This War that now engulfs Ukraine meant that many of these artists had to put away their pencils and paintbrushes and reach for real weapons. One of them is street art artist, Dima Fatum, whose illustration, which is the leitmotif of the exhibition, was created a few days ago in the bombed Kharkiv. Others emigrated to Poland, where they started cooperation with the local artistic community and formed new friendships.

“It is our duty to give a voice to artists from Ukraine and to create a platform for the presentation of their works. Both those created at the front and those created in exile, Ukrainian contemporary art, and its creators need our support more than ever. We give selflessly, remembering that once Polish artists also received shelter and support from greater Europe. Today, we honor an old debt and we will pay and pay it forward, and persevere.

“Fight With Art is a living, experimental exhibition that will change. As life has now unexpectedly changed because of the war in Ukraine.”

The exhibition was opened on Monday, April 4, and there are some meetings planned with the Ukrainian artists and art critics who are already in Kraków. There is also a desire to launch an online auction of selected works.

As well as refugees who have found safety in Kraków, artists from Kyiv and Lviv are represented. Most of them are members of Ukrainian Assembly Comix or The Will Publishing.

(The Patreon we mentioned for The Will and the Anthology Comic The War is going very well with art being added continually — (https://www.patreon.com/TheWillProduction).) 

The exhibition is presented as part of FestivALT in cooperation with the Muzeum Komiksu and the Muzeum Sztuki i Techniki Japo?skiej Manggha at the Manggha Museum – Marri Konopnickiej 26, Krakow, Poland.

Artur Wabik adds, “Some artists hid their works to protect their art from the war and they agreed to transport their works to Lviv and from there to Krakow in order to make them available to a wider audience, others sent us the materials in electronic form to be printed in Krakow. Others are Ukrainian artists currently living in Poland. We want help Ukrainian artists fight with their art!”

FB video of exhibition by Viktoriia Steblyk: https://fb.watch/cl14FVUKI_/

Two images and poster. 

By Yarko Filevych
By Zakhar Polishchuk
By Kateryna Kocheleva

The following works were created in March by Dima Fatum, a street art artist who was involved in a territorial defense of Kharkiv. All of them are war-related and were created between shellings.

Many thanks and best wishes to Artur and all the Ukranian artists.  

‘War’ Comic Anthology in Production in Ukraine 

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By James Bacon: The Invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the horror of a modern mechanized war in Europe, viewable instantaneously, the destruction and merciless death rained down on civilians, is utterly appalling. 

From this though, art fights back. Art is a form of expression and many are horrified at what is occurring, and demonstrate this through their personal ability to portray a message, be it resistance, revulsion or rebellion. 

The focus has also brought works to the attention of readers. I found some amazing war comic images online, and hunted them down and soon found that there was an exciting Ukrainian Comic enterprise, with established comics which was pivoting to share work by artists that reflects the war. 

“WAR” is a comic book Patreon from The Will (https://www.patreon.com/TheWillProduction). The project supports Ukrainian artists and the Ukranian defense forces. The production team is creating a comic book compilation of short stories in various genres about the ‘War’, being created right now during this tumultuous time.  Artists are waiving their fees and The Will are using these to buy supplies for the defense forces. 

Artists who are already working on the project include: Kateryna Kosheleva (https://twitter.com/tokkamakart), Igor Kurilin (https://twitter.com/gentik72), Nazar Ponik (https://www.artstation.com/misterrook), Maxim Bogdanovsky and Alexander Koreškov (https://www.artstation.com/digitalfly). 

Kateryna Kosheleva’s story is in the style of a fantasy about the area of Ukraine known as KONOTOP, where many witches have lived since ancient times and the images speak for themselves. 

Igor Kurilin is working on a story depicting the action at Snake Island. 


And the cover is by Nazar Ponik.


War Comics have a long and varied history, but such direct support is new, yet laudable given the horrendous circumstances faced by these creatives. 

“The Will” is a Ukrainian alternative history fantasy comic, with a strong steampunk theme, looking at events during 1917-1920, presenting a struggle for truth and freedom. There is also “The Prince’s Will”, a different series featuring anthropomorphic hamsters. 

While these comics are in Ukrainian, the Will is also a publishing house, and as can be seen from their website, they are working to license and help their stories reach a further audience: The Will Production.

Fans will be personally challenged. War Comics are often anti-war, the arts, literature, culture lean towards civil resolutions, protest for sure. There is a known history of fans fighting in wars, and also abstaining. We are often able to dissociate ourselves from the tax we pay being used for god knows what, yet personal choices can and will be made. A country is fighting for its survival, a people have been brutally attacked, and while here on File 770 we know that there are Russians who hate Putin and this War equally, there is an actual existential fight that has been taking place in Ukraine now over a month since the invasion. 

I cannot imagine how it is for a fan, comic artist or writer to wake to shelling, to curfews, to whatever is left of a city like Mariupol, to know an invading force of aggressors control parts of one’s country, to have seen millions have to leave their home, displaced, refugees, fleeing. How hard and devastating that must be. 

Yet here we have some art, that captures the moment, that is really good to look at, that is accurate and well-drawn during adversity, and we see artists supporting their national defense forces, doing what they feel is best under dreadful circumstances, brave and admirable.

[We have permission from The Will to use these Facebook and Patreon Images.]