It’s now available across various platforms to read, and we at otakunoculture.com got a chance to talk to the author:
Could you please introduce yourself to readers unfamiliar with your work?
My name is Omar Mora. I am a writer, producer and actor from Puerto Rico who lives in Los Angeles. I have written two independent feature films; 30 Days with my brother and Inside the Circle. Both available on VOD. I have written a series of comics called The Unearthians. You can find my work at MorasProductions.com
What made you decide to create a hybrid written work with graphic novel elements? (and was it difficult to decide what parts of the narrative should be illustrated rather than described?)
When Covid came, so did the economy. Producing a comic is expensive, so the finances weren’t quite right. So we decided to do it as a hybrid. And to be honest it was the best decision. Because the design of the book along with the comic pages looks great and gives a special touch to the story. I am very happy with the final results.
It was not difficult to choose which pages were going to be comics. I usually chose pages that introduced a character, a very important aspect of the story, or fantasy elements that I knew would look amazing as art. I also wanted to choose pages that would help create intrigue in the story and create that suspense necessary for the reader to be engaged.
How did the idea for Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru come about?
The idea came when I was working as a volunteer doctor in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. I found out about the legend of Paiti, which is the lost city of Peru. This legend plus the culture of the Amazon greatly influenced me, and in telling this story.
One detail that I liked is in connecting the narrative to the search for other lost civilizations. What makes this narrative trope so appealing?
I don’t know, stories about lost ancient cities are always interesting. There is always a mysticism and a magic that surrounds those stories. Especially because we humans always want to know where we come from and it is something that is in us to want to explore those aspects. That is why a well-told story about a lost civilization will always have an audience.
Another aspect that I enjoyed is the Indiana Jones style quest and adventure. Were you writing this story with that goal in mind?
Movies like Indiana Jones, The Goonies, and National Treasure have a big influence on me. And definitely my story has inspiration from them. When you combine an adventure story, action and science fiction… I mean what more can you ask for to have fun reading.
In closing, do you have anything you’d like to say?
You can read my stories The Unearthians and Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru on Amazon/Kindle. Also, they are available at MorasProductions.com and you can follow me on Instagram at @morahimself