Some creators plan everything down to the panel. Kikoo Light draws until the page feels right, then does it again if it doesn't. The result is two comics with very different moods and the same restless energy behind them.
We sat down with Kikoo Light to talk about Order, Journal, creative process, and the Jujutsu Kaisen manga that never leaves their desk.
Building a World After the War
VerseDB: For readers discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe Order and what inspired its setting?
The world of Order is Blade Runner-inspired. I've always been drawn to that sense of a mysterious future, where the world feels lived-in and a little worn down. People always ask why the characters wear regular clothes if they're in the future, and I think that's exactly the point. We used to imagine everyone would be in silver jumpsuits by now, and here we are. The future tends to look a lot more like the present than we expect.
VerseDB: Order takes place after a war, in a world split between two societies, with factions like the Sentinels and the Vanguard Initiative. What themes and character journeys are you most excited to explore?
I'm really excited to dig into the characters' development and their pasts. There's so much I want to show about where these people came from and where they're headed. It's like when you've already seen a great movie and you sit with someone watching it for the first time. You know what's coming, and you just have to hold your tongue.
The Personal Side: Journal
VerseDB: You also created Journal, a one-shot about a child discovering her mother's love. What drew you to that story, and how does it differ from Order?
Journal was a real challenge in the best way. I wanted to push myself toward something more cinematic, more quiet. Getting my brain into that mode of writing took work. I cried when I wrote the last pages of the script. I cried again when I drew them.
The biggest difference from Order is pacing. With Journal, I forced myself to slow down and hold space in slow, deliberate scenes. It taught me something I'm bringing back to Order and everything I work on going forward.
The Process: Paper, Pens, and Going Off-Script
VerseDB: You write, draw, letter, and edit your own work. Walk us through your creative process. Which parts do you enjoy most?
The rule I work by is simple: if I'm not enjoying it, I stop. Making something by force takes the life out of it. I do this work because I love it.
The process usually starts somewhere subconscious. Inspiration comes from anything, films, music, manga, real life conversations. Something clicks, and suddenly I have a shape for the chapter in my head. I write a paragraph to capture the general idea, then move into a rough draft and storyboard, and work out the dialogue.
Then I pick up actual paper, pens, and pencils and start penciling. I take pose references, improvise as I go, pull scenes or add them, and if I'm not happy with a page, I redo it until I am. After inking, I show the pages to a trusted friend for a second opinion. Sometimes to my mom too. She has a good eye.
Influences
VerseDB: Which artists or writers have shaped your style?
Honestly, everything I read or watch leaves a mark. When I finish a manga, I find myself drawing something that echoes it. When I see a great scene in a film, I find myself writing toward it.
The two artists I've learned the most from are Gege Akutami, creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, and Takehiko Inoue, creator of Vagabond and Slam Dunk. Both of them push storytelling and craft in ways I keep coming back to. When I start a new chapter, I'll often pull my Jujutsu Kaisen volume off the shelf and leave it open on my desk. Which, admittedly, does not help with the overall state of the desk.
What's Next
VerseDB: What can readers look forward to in upcoming chapters of Order or any other projects?
More fun.
I want the stories I tell, the characters and everything that happens to them, to land with readers on some level. Whether that's excitement, joy, or just seeing a character you like having a good moment. For any writer or artist, I think that's the most fulfilling thing you can get from your work.
Thanks to Kikoo Light for taking the time to answer our questions. Their desk sketch may or may not be included above.
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About the author
mike
Started VerseDB because existing tools didn't work the way I wanted. Now I spend my time building features, cleaning up data, and discovering just how weird comic book numbering can get.
Always open to feedback - if something's busted or you've got ideas, let me know.
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