SDCC Coverage sponsored by Mad Cave
Along with Hilo Presents, Judd Winick is what is the beloved heart behind the Hilo graphic novel series, inviting readers on a fresh, thrilling adventure set in the fan’s favorite universe. Starting with the story of 12-year-old Miranda Luna, aka The Mighty, these new Hilo Universe stories and worlds are filled with his trademark action, laughable humor, and the perfect heart for devoted Hilo fans and anyone looking for a true hero!
Please read the following official explanation:
Welcome to Willow City. Miranda loves Willow City and her life… exactly as it is. But it seems that everything has changed recently. Crimes are in the city. Bullying is at school. Even Miranda’s family behaves strangely. It feels like everything is out of her control…even her own body! (What is this hair? And where did this super strength come from?!) The world needs someone to fix things. There is a local legend about the huge, furry, mythical creatures that have kept Willow City safe whenever necessary. But that has nothing to do with Miranda…is that so? Does Miranda have what Willow City needs to be the hero they need?
Hiro catches up to Winnik, who presented the creator, Beat discusses his new hero, The Mighty, why stubborn Hilo fans like the series, and if we can expect to see the clown again.
Ollie Kaplan: Hilo Book 11: The Great Space Iguana arrived in February 2025. So how does the Hilo Presents series differ from the original Hilo Books?
Judd Winick: It was born from the desire to create a new story with new characters. It’s been 10 years since I was talking about this with Hiro and his friends, but we thought we were planning on pivoting. For me it’s creative and for readers. And the mighty things went crazy!
Kaplan: Is Hilo a one-off thing, or can you expect a volume that focuses on a variety of characters?
Winnick: No! You can expect more! I already have another set of books, stories, and characters that are in the work. Mighty is the first thing I want to have so much.
Kaplan: Are there any plans for a crossover or a larger arc that spans multiple entries in this spinoff series?
Winnick: All of this is found in the “Hiro Universe.” So the Mighty characters live in a world where Hiro, Gina and DJ live. What was wild for me on my last book tour was when I was visiting school and giving presentations. I told the students that this would become “Hiro’s world.” And in almost every school, did the kids raise their hands and ask if the mighty person would meet Hiro? They had already planned a crossover!
The idea of superheroes intersecting is now a mainstream concept. Even for the kids! When I was a kid and an avid comic reader, there was nothing more thrill than having superheroes dive into each other’s stories.
Kaplan: Can you tell us more about topics you may be exploring in Hilo Presents?
Winnick: This tells the story of Miranda Luna, a 12-year-old girl who discovers she can turn into a 10-foot furry monster. So she does what the kids do. She fights crime without telling her parents.
I don’t want to give too much when it comes to the subject of the story, but I think this is a sudden plaguing with new abilities and responsibilities. The story has a clear Spider-Man vibe. Both happen in that it takes place in a city that is different from that of Hiro’s in our suburbs, and Miranda struggles with what her life has become. Miranda was totally happy to be a child. She loves her parents, her friends, she loves school! Now, suddenly, she has a second life she has to live.
Kaplan: How do you handle your commitment to serious or complex topics for younger readers of this new series?
Winick: The Mighty has a very serious problem at its heart. When creating stories and themes that are more emotionally impactful, I always keep in mind who is reading this. I’m not the first story that kids say they’re saying things intelligently and emotionally that we trust them. And I don’t necessarily create stories directly for children. I’m trying to tell a story for everyone. And to my delight, what resonated with so many Hiro’s readers is that it is not a single note. I’m trying to talk emotionally. A complicated story. In some cases, villains are not that bad. And heroes have their drawbacks. And sometimes it’s all very difficult. Life is challenging, whether you can fly around and bring a laser out of your hand, become a big, furry monster, or become strong enough to throw a car. And so, I’m trying to make it really interesting. I like interesting stories. I like to read them. I like to tell them.
The Kaplan: Hilo series is known for its way of balancing humor, action and heart. Will fans see the same thing in Hilo gifts, and how did that balance evolve?
Winnick: I have very limited skills. The powerful tone, feel and atmosphere are exactly the same as Hiro in so many ways. It’s full of jokes. It has a lot of emotions. There is a large, beautiful screaming colour from Marta Raijo.
And it has a lot of action. I always acted with Hiro, who plays “to maintain.” What that means is that they don’t actually do a lot of particularly ridiculous battle scenes. They may have funny moments, but most of the time I like the action being cool! And when the character is in real danger, layers are added.
For me, it’s an explosion. And I hope it’s not too technical here. Hiro, Gina and Polly all have certain powers and abilities and must take action to play those powers. But Mighty is acrobatic and incredibly strong bigfoot. This allows you to draw a different action sequence than before. And it’s fun! For every comic nerd you may know this term, I can portray a great power. And it’s an explosion! So far, the big difference from the Hilo series is that adults and Miranda’s parents play a greater role in the story than Hilo adults. The cheat in the Hilo series is that adults don’t actually exist. And it’s a place where the story needs and feels like it needs to go. This is different. Miranda’s mom and dad are in the vicinity, but at the same time a little within their thickness. That’s a completely different story like that.
Kaplan: What do you hope younger readers take away from this new installment?
Winnick: I hope the kids are excited about people as powerful as them and excited about Hiro. That’s another story, but in many ways it’s very deeply similar. I really hope they love Miranda. I hope she connects with them. And I hope they find it interesting.
Kaplan: As a stubborn frumpy clown fan (as a Sunday comic kid growing up in ABQ, it was my Hiro), will he ever make his return? How do the themes you explored in your early work continue in your work today?
Winnick: That’s very flattering! I’m so glad that you loved Frumpy. My youngest child, my daughter, is now 16 years old and discovered she was in a gross mood about 10 years ago. She only pulled two collections off the shelf. And she really loved it! And I wasn’t involved in it for a long time. For those playing at home, I did a syndicated comic strip that ran in the newspaper for about four years. She laughed at her ass. It makes me want to do more. At the same time, it reminded me of what I always wanted to do. As a kid, I just wanted to do the Daily Syndicated Comic Strip, the annual comic I really ran in the newspaper. And it turned out that’s what I’m doing now. Hiro and Mighty are drawn like a manga. Above my head is a balloon of good old words. And despite being an action-adventure story, it’s still a big old comedy like a comic strip.
That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. And now I’m doing it. That being said, can I make the clown even more awkward? We’ll see. I didn’t know that I could come up with a new series other than Hilo. So you never know.
I am very fortunate. I live like I’m ten years old. I create things and then draw them. And thank you for the goodness, it seems people are digging it.
Find out more about Judd Winick’s new series, Hilo Presents: The Mighty, Here.
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