The Cosmic Ballad Of Layla And Airy is the newest project from MOC, a visual artist whose work includes animation for clients such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Netflix, and Disney. They’ve also several games, illustration work, short comics, and seven previously released graphic novels to their credit. The gray and drizzly weather we’ve had in my area made for the perfect opportunity to sit down with a cup of tea and dive into the story. Let me share my thoughts on what I read with you.
As humanity has ventured to other worlds across the universe assorted artifacts and curios become lost and abandoned. The allure of fortune and fame has driven many a person in search of these oddities. Layla Lowlight is just one of many such adventurers. Three words best describe Layla: curious, confident, capable. Hmm…four words because Layla is quick to say she’s the cutest adventurer in the entire universe… and she is! Over the years of countless chases and challenges a single relic has eluded her — the fabled wish granting wand. Then one day Layla discovers this holy grail….her life will be changed forever!
While Layla is the cutest space adventurer Airy Highlight is cool and sexy and also the most popular pop singer in the cosmos. Thanks to legions of adoring fans buying merch and high priced tickets for his concerts Airy is hands down the wealthiest person far and wide. Fans are mesmerized by the ever increasing alluring air of glitz and glamour surrounding the singer. If you ask Airy though this isn’t what he truly wants in life. His ideal life? That would be having a nice quiet life with the love of his life by his side and it just so happens that Airy has the biggest crush on the cutest space adventurer there is — Layla Lowlight!
The trouble is Layla doesn’t have a clue who Airy is. That is until the two cross paths in a humorous meet cute involving a case of mistaken identity. Mind you, a perfectly understandable faux pas since Layla has been transformed into an exact doppelganger of Airy! How did that happen? You know the saying about being careful what you wish for? Magic has rules after all! BL pairings are always given obstacles to confront and deal with as they’re set on the course to become lovers and MOC certainly rises to the challenge here with their protagonists. Layle (there’s a funny reason for the name change but you’ll have to read the story) and Airy may not be an exact “enemies to lovers” couple (KinnPorsche and TharnType come to mind) but they’re very much the “opposites attract” type with a dash of “forced proximity” and “fated.”
Hijinks, headaches, and heartache lay ahead as Layle and Airy navigate their relationship as it changes from being purely transactional when they first meet to full on romance by the story’s ending. Along the way though they’ll have to face Airy’s three self professed biggest fans — Mercury, Tripp, and Fio. Together they form F★AIRY — the terribly toxic trio determined to make their wildest fantasy into reality — and make a fortune at the same time from Airy’s other countless fans. Every fandom has people that run the gamut from the laid back casual type to the scarily obsessed. F★AIRY’s agenda is a clever way for MOC to propel Layle and Airy’s relationship to the next level. At the same time on a personal level I can’t help but think of F★AIRY as commentary on the toxic elements that manifest in fandoms.
At the story’s beginning Layla made a wish that put her into a predicament. Far outside her comfort zone she began to question herself in the way that we do when we find ourselves unmoored from our regular lives and unexpectedly falling in love. The way that wish becomes fully realized in Layle’s life at the story’s ending is a beautiful affirmation that love is love and love does not know gender especially in The Cosmic Ballad Of Layla And Airy.
Interested? The Cosmic Ballad Of Layla And Airy is crowdfunding on Kickstarter now! You’ll find a number of pledge tiers including an NSFW story printed in hot pink exclusive to the print edition only. There’s also a retailer incentive so mention it to your friendly comic shop owner. Head on over there now!
Please visit MOC’s site.