A brewery driver who can move beer with her mind is the latest to join the world (if not the Legion) of comic book superheroes.
KASI is the brainchild of Benjamin Luk, a Richmond graphic artist and writer, and craft beer enthusiast.
The idea of creating a craft beer superhero started as a joke, explained Luk, but soon morphed into a reality when he saw an opportunity to get people excited about comics again.
A release party for the KASI comic series was held Sunday, Nov. 13 at Richmond brewery, Fuggles Beer on Horseshoe Way.
“Comics are, unfortunately, now a bit of a boutique item,” Luk explained.
“It used to be that you could go to a newsstand and pick up your Spider-Man or Captain America. But now comics have been relegated specifically to comic book stores. You really have to go out of your way to find them.”
The lack of Canadian superheroes and independent comics writers prompted Luk to fill the void with his debut comic.
Meanwhile, the decision to make his hero a brewery driver speaks to his passion for beer, wine and spirits after working in the industry since 2010.
KASI, which also incorporates elements of Sumerian and Egyptian mythology, is planned to be a 10-issue series.
Luk compares it to comics such as Marvel’s Jessica Jones, which follows a superhero-turned-detective who investigates cases of people with special abilities and Image Comics' Chew, a story about a psychic U.S. Food and Drug Administration agent.
The first installment of KASI can be picked up at Imperial Hobbies, Richmond’s gaming and model store on Russ Baker Way.
The second comic for KASI is already in production.
Luk is also producing a short horror film called Terroir. The wine term refers to all the factors that influence the flavour of a wine, including region and soil. The film will be about a biodiverse vineyard and is expected to premiere next year.
