An old buddy, Andy Horner, called Kyle Webster with an idea for a “Tolkien-size” story.
Kyle knew what “Tolkien-size” might mean for an illustrator like himself. “I'm thinking, Oh no!”
But Kyle heard Horner out. He had done illustration work for Horner before, and he found himself enthused about his idea for an epic graphic novel. “The day I quit my day job, I called him, and said, ‘We have to do this!’”
Horner, who lives across the state line in Virginia, surprised him. “You're not gonna believe this, but I just quit my job today, too.”
And so “Light Children” was born.
The story? Far from the outskirts of civilization, in a fantastic subterranean realm, seven orphans discover a frightening and terrible secret at the Westover Lake Orphanage for Abandoned Youth. With one of them close to death, and no adults left to trust, they must rely on each other as they leave home and begin an unforgettable adventure.
Kyle and Horner have published the first volume in a planned 12-part series. Like Tolkien's “Lord of the Rings,” the story will unfold as a trilogy, told in three four-book sections. They published volume one in June and sold 200 copies within the first week.
Kyle, who grew up reading Batman and Wolverine comics, wants to do more comic illustration.
“My goal is to have this be my bread and butter,” he says.
To preview “Light Children” log on to www.lightchildren.com.
On a lark, Kyle made a promotional video, a satire of rap artists, and posted it on YouTube.
The video viraled to become a huge hit on the net — so popular that Print's Regional Design Annual 2007 gave it a mention. Print is the publication for graphic artists and designers.
Check out Kyle's video, “Original Design Gangsta,” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJexyQT0l1c. Here's a sampling of the lyrics:
I'm a freehand man
not an indesign pranksta
Multi-page layout is for true design gangstas
Yeah Yeah…
Multi-paaaaage
And my messenger bag hangs low
And my Cooper's riding high on 24's
On the weekends I be spending mad dough
at the North Cackalack Apple Sto'
Kyle describes this as “a series of daily figurative doodles from my imagination.”
Check out Kyle's blog, "The Daily Figure" at:
http://dailyfigure.blogspot.com/
Kyle sketches while Pavarotti sings “Nessun Dorma.”
Check out Kyle's video, “Pavarotti sketch” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-g9shRoGA.
View a sampling of Kyle's work at his portfolio web site:
http://www.kyletwebster.com/
Sonja, 2005
Most artists have an aura of romance about them that seems to illuminate their art — and, sometimes, their lives.
The story of how Kyle Webster met, wooed and won his wife, Sonja, is no exception. It spans a decade and two continents. Add in the other necessary ingredients — a balcony; a serenade; Florence, Italy — and you have a fairy tale.
Kyle and Sonja Bunzendahl '98, a native of Germany, both lived in the Moore-Strong residence hall. “I immediately had a huge crush on her, but I just wasn’t brave enough to say anything,” he recalls. “We were best friends all through college.”
Then Sonja graduated. His dream girl went home to Germany.
In 2005, about seven years later, Kyle could keep his secret no longer. He sent her an email. The subject line? “My Confession.”
“I was always in love with you in school,” he wrote. “I just didn’t have the guts to tell you.”
Then he waited, and worried. Did she feel the same way about him? Was she still seeing that guy from Finland?
Finally, after three days, he heard from her: She felt the same about him. They spoke by phone and he bought a plane ticket to Italy. They met in Florence, where they sealed the deal: Sonja would return to the States with Kyle and they'd get married.
He proposed in front of Moore-Strong, hiring a student musician to play a romantic guitar ballad they had heard in Florence. Every person on their halls during their freshman year stepped out onto the balcony above them.
They married in Florence in May 2007 and expect a daughter, whom they plan to name Hermione after the Harry Potter character, in October.