And Then… 2022: ‘The Hatland Oddities’ by Porad Gasan-Zade
In the deepest crevice of space, there is a peculiar planet called the Hatlands, where everything is hat-shaped!
A man of former high status known as Hatmann lives in solitude with his own herd of hat creatures, miles away from his hometown, which lies in ruin from past disaster. Hatmann’s life changes forever when a scientist adventurer named Mem crash lands her ship near his home, destroying it and scaring away his beloved hat creatures. Mem wants to get off of the planet as quickly as possible and Hatmann wants his herd back, so they’re forced to strike a deal to help each other. During their adventure, Mem’s intellect and eagerness to explore reawakens Hatmann’s curiosity and he rediscovers lost knowledge that could make his hometown flourish again or throw it into further shambles.
THE STORYTELLER: Po Gasan-Zade is a storyteller, illustrator and full-time cryptid who loves to draw people when they aren’t looking. In 2018 they graduated from SVA with a BFA in cartooning: their curiosity for many things resulted in a fondness for drawing monsters, nature, erotica and mythological concepts. In their stories, Po explores complex topics while balancing seriousness and humor. Po is currently working on a WW2 graphic novel, told from the perspective of a Russian soldier fighting in Belgium who has gone mad from his experiences, and independent projects including character design and storyboarding. In their free time, Po enjoys the comfort of dark forests where they play and write concepts for video games, sculpt, and experiment with food recipes.
Website: poradical.com
Instagram: @p0radical
