Adora and the Distance
| Adora and the Distance | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 15, 2021 |
| Publisher | ComiXology |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Marc Bernardin |
| Artist | Ariela Kristantina |
| ISBN | 9781506724508 |
Adora and the Distance is a young adult graphic novel written by Marc Bernardin and illustrated by Ariela Kristantina. It was published exclusively digitally by ComiXology in 2021.
Plot
Adora is a nine-year-old girl adopted into royalty who begins having dreams of a future calamity. She learns this is a strange and evil force known as the Distance and sets out with a group of companions to defeat it.[1][2]
Development
The book was first announced in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con.[2]
The character of Adora is based off of Bernadin's daughter and her experience as an autistic person.[2][3][4] Bernadin spent 15 years developing the novel.[5]
Although intended as a one-off, Bernadin has expressed openness to continue the story.[5]
Reception
The book was reviewed by Publishers' Weekly.[1] It praised Kristantina's art as "cinematic" and stated it "adeptly portray Adora’s ever-expanding worldview", though it argued the supporting cast was underdeveloped and described the book's conclusion as rushed. Ray Goldfield of GeekDad rated the book 9 out of 10, praising the narrative's avoidance of inspiration porn tropes, but criticized the book's short length and shared PW's assessment of the weak development of the supporting characters.[6] Ian Keogh of The Slings & Arrows Graphic Novel Guide gave a more mixed review, finding the setpieces to be fantasy cliches, but described the ending as clever.[7]
The book won the 2021 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics.[8] It was also nominated for the 2022 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens[9] and the 2021 Harvey Award for Digital Book of the Year.[10]
References
- 1 2 "Adora and the Distance by Marc Bernardin". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
- 1 2 3 Puc, Samantha (2019-07-17). "SDCC '19: ComiXology Originals announces YA fantasy OGN ADORA AND THE DISTANCE". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
- ↑ "Exclusive preview: New graphic novel 'Adora and the Distance' is a heroic fantasy about living with autism". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
- ↑ Breznican, Anthony (2021-07-08). "The Father Who Searched for His Daughter in a Comic Book". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- 1 2 Kit, Borys (2021-06-17). "Marc Bernardin on the 15-Year Journey of His 'Adora and the Distance' Graphic Novel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
- ↑ Goldfield, Ray (2021-06-15). "Review – Adora and the Distance: One Girl's Quest". GeekDad. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Keogh, Ian. "Adora and the Distance | Slings & Arrows". Retrieved 2026-07-21.
- ↑ Staff, Beat (2023-12-22). "Finalists announced for 8th Annual DWAYNE McDUFFIE AWARD FOR DIVERSITY IN COMICS". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Kaplan, Ollie (2022-07-23). "SDCC '22: 2022 Eisner Award winners, top moments, and more!". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Grunenwald, Joe (2021-10-09). "NYCC '21: Moms, Lore Olympus and Nguyen top this year's Harvey Awards". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-20.