Kosi Harris wrote a fun and fabulous Fashion Comic Book called Hunter Haute! We got a chance to interview her about it!
Check it out!
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about your fashion comic book Hunter Haute?
Kosi Harris: It’s a mix of Batman and The Devil Wear’s Prada all set in NYC! It is centered around Amina Wiliams, a fashion student/socialite who has returned to NYC from a Gap year. Her mother was killed a year before in an “accident” and Amina is trying to salvage what is left of her mother’s company from while noticing the mysterious disappearances of her classmates. She decides to do something about both! Can’t give the plot entirely away, y’all have to read it 😉
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about your character Amina Williams?
Kosi Harris: Amina Williams! Of course there is a little bit of myself in the character but I like to think of her as less angrier Bruce Wayne meets Lisa Bonet, meets Serena Van Der Woodsen. She is loyal, fashionable, stubborn af, loves a good party, and is trying to figure out what she is going to do with her life now back to NYC and reconnecting with the friend’s (that she realizes in time are her family) that she left behind.
upfrontNY: Where did the inspiration for this comic book come from?
Kosi Harris: This was a six year project when I was a marketing manager at a fashion company. It was around the same time I started getting back into comic books attending my first comic con it was also the same time we were prepping for a winter trade show. After a late night of prepping for the show (including tagging, steaming and packing for the movers for the move to the Javits center) the idea just popped up to me. There are very few comic book character’s that have a female lead much less a women of color. I started writing outlines and character descriptions. It was initially supposed to be a graphic novel. Fast forward 2014, I resigned from the wholesale job, to take a new job to only get laid off after a month. That leaves you with a load of time, as I was cleaning out my computer I found the outline I did and started updating it. Then i decided it was better for it to be a comic book and started putting a team together to help me do it. I couldn’t thank Phil (my co-writer) and Candace (my illustrator) enough for their dedication to the project.
upfrontNY: Were you a previous fan of comic books?
Kosi Harris: Heck yes! As in the second grade there was a comic book shop on the way to school. After school a few of us would go in buying trading cards and comics. It was the same time as the Xmen and Batman the Animated series appeared on Fox after school at 4pm (nostalgia kick in right now) in the early 90s so that def got me into comic books. The first comic book I brought was inspiration for the Hunter Haute Cover it was Uncanny X-Men, #300 May 1993 – Direct Edition Silver Metallic Enhanced Cover. I think I fell in love with it cause it was silver foil and Storm (an iconic comic book character) also a woman of color was on the cover. Years later I brought the comic book again and showed it to Candace (my illustrator) as inspiration.
upfrontNY: What has been the best part of bridging fashion and comic books?
Kosi Harris: Taking situations from being a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology and working in fashion for 20 years. It’s rewarding hearing readers give feedback saying mentioning how realistic the storyline is as I based it on personal experiences Looking at influencers/celebrities to create the outfits for certain character’s has been the most fun!
upfrontNY: If you could have your own super power what would it be and why?
Kosi Harris: Telekenesis. Telekenesis is a power with infinite possibilities. Actually, whenever I take a Superhero quiz I get Jean Grey. She is the queen of Telekenesis in the Marvel Universe. I think having the ability to control any element, influence any movement, and manipulate any physical action is far better than any other power. Imagine being able to cure cancer by destroying cancerous cells in a person’s body, or influencing a sports match from miles away while watching it on television. Heck, if I had that power the NY Giants and the NY Knicks would be champions for life!
upfrontNY: What is next for Hunter Haute?
Kosi Harris: Working in issues #3 and 4 in early 2017! Issue #2 will debut next summer online, and printing Issues #1 and 2 as a fashionable set next fall! Stay tuned!
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