Ray Fawkes Returns To His Indie Comics Roots

The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group is proud to announce the tenth anniversary edition of Ray Fawkes’ critically acclaimed and deeply moving graphic novel One Soul, as well as the upcoming One Line, a brand-new book from Fawkes. Both One Soul: Tenth Anniversary Edition and One Line will be available in 2021. 

Born of a creative need for answers in a world that provided only questions, Ray Fawkes found himself driven to craft One Soul. “When I wrote One Soul ten years ago, it was to give voice to my need for answers in a time of great personal turmoil. I hoped to reach others who felt as I did, and to tell them that they are not alone—that none of us are alone,” said creator Ray Fawkes. “In the time that’s passed, I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response to the book from readers around the world, by those who were touched or inspired by it. Now, it seems to me, One Soul is even more relevant than it was then, and I hope both new readers and old find that it speaks to them as deeply as ever.”  

One Soul details the lives of eighteen individuals throughout history whose lives unfold simultaneously. Comprised entirely of double-page spreads split into eighteen panels, with each panel featuring one character’s life, cartoonist Ray Fawkes uses an experimental narrative structure to artfully craft eighteen linear stories into one non-linear masterpiece. Nominated for the 2012 Eisner Award in the New Graphic Album category, One Soul is a powerful and life-affirming story about the way human beings all over the world are connected. The tenth anniversary edition of One Soul will be available as a metallic foil-stamped hardcover. 

For Oni-Lion Forge editor Shawna Gore, working with Ray on both One Soul and the upcoming continuation of Fawkes’ experimental graphic novel, One Line, felt incredibly special in a year like 2020. “I remember first seeing One Soul when it debuted in 2011 and feeling utterly struck by the beauty of it—both the stories it contains and the structure. It’s rare to discover a book that uses the format of sequential storytelling in such a distinctive way, and Ray’s gorgeous articulation of his vision to capture the stories of so many lives on a couple of pages at a time is still unparalleled,” she said. “Getting to work with him on the tenth anniversary edition of One Soul, as well as his newest book, One Line, has been a bright spot in a very difficult year.”  

As One Soul followed eighteen people from birth until death, showcasing their common joys and pains as well as their unique experiences, the upcoming One Line follows eighteen families through four centuries, showing how traditions, ethics, and prejudices are handed down from generation to generation. Some families will interact, some will join together, some will remain alone. Some will persist, and some will die out. One Line will be published as a beautifully designed foil-stamped hardcover edition. 

One Soul: Tenth Anniversary Edition will be available in stores and online on February 24, 2021, with One Line to follow in the summer on July 21, 2021.