ARLEQUIM

ARLEQUIM is a comic series that tells a story about a land called “Reino das Águas Claras” (Clear Waters land). You already inagined what if all the characters that fill the books in you room would be real? If so, the Reino das Águas Claras is where they live. All came from the mist, on the borders of the land, and try to make telephatic contact with an human from Earth. Yes, all the writers don´t create nothing, they only “tell” the story of a life of such character. The more people hear avout the character, more “real” it becames in Reino das Águas Claras. Som get so “famous” that can magically trip alone to Earth. Yes, some of then could be between us...
Such thinking could be dangerous. Just imagine an Edgar Allan Poe killer or a Duna monster between us!! To prevent this, the reing decided to create a “title” called Commedia Dell´Arte”; for a time, some character is nominated to control the impulses of such creatures that coulf destroy Águas Claras or Earth both.
The “Title” quote the Moliére “Commedia”, so each chosen to be the guardian of the characters have the title as it´s pseudonymus. “Pulcinela” was the first, in the dawn of humanity. Later, came “Pierrô”, during the Mythologic Greek era. But Pierrô was destroyed during Middle Ages, and the Reing fell in chaos, while the world was plaged. Colombina was then nominated, to restore the world and prepare Aguas Claras to the future.
But, misteriously, Colombina dissappeared. And, as surprise and even destiny´s irony, the chosen one to be the new guardian was Emília, the toy puppet from Sítio do Picapau Amarelo (character from Monteiro Lobato books). And she get the “Arlequim” title – a man´s title! Maybe as a reflect of the changes of XX century, they chosen her.
But, there´s many other mysteries to uncover in ARLEQUIM adventures. And each edition brings a new surprise.
Here you can see a short story published in “ARLEQUIM” fanzine number 11. I´m slowly doing english versions of this comic published since 1996 (five years before Alan Moore´s “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and even more before “Fables”) and winner of PRÊMIO NOVA for best comic of 1998. hope you like it!