ABAKAN 2301 (Paperback)

Weingart Lieutenant Richard Mertzbow (aka “Mertz”) has been stuck on the mysterious Abakan Base in solitude for decades, while war raged on his home planet, Terra, between the ruling Weingart power, which put him on Abakan, and those rebelling against their oppressive rule. 

One day a young woman suddenly appears at his door, revealing secrets that threaten to unravel his already fragile state of mind. Abakan 2301 picks up where 2011’s Abakan 2288, by renowned mecha artist Kallamity, left off. 

The sequel is an exciting exploration of mecha, narrated by the compelling, but strained voice of Mertz as he navigates a world he does not recognize, alongside Kallamity’s, which shares his own complicated adventures in executing his mecha designs. Just as with the first installment, Abakan 2301 features Kallamity’s original story illustrations and images of his remarkable mech creations—the Kastor, the Watchel, and Briegel II, to name a few—in all their intricate and colorful glory, with detailed information about their builds, as well a section featuring prominent artists reimagining Kallamity’s remarkable designs.

Born in Mantova, Italy, Luca Zampriolo (aka Kallamity) has been passionate about mecha design since he was a child. His brand, Kallamity, focuses on concept art and mecha design, which incorporates illustration, sculpture, and modeling. Zampriolo started collaborating with DreamWorks Animation in 2012 on the Netflix series Dinotrux, for which he served as a character designer and the senior mech designer for Ty Rux and his friends. He has also worked on Paolo Parente’s Dust, Dream Pod 9’s Heavy Gear, and Mecha Workshop’s Armarauders. Other clients have included Toei Animation, Oktobor Animation, Mango Entertainment, AMMO of Mig Jimenez, Sideshow Collectibles, Officine Brennero, the magazines Wired and Weathering, and Italian brands Prada and Luxottica. His previous books include Abakan 2288: Kallamity’s World of Mecha Design, Part 1 (2011) and Kallamity Sketchbook: Mech in Ink (2015), both with Design Studio Press.

Born in Mantova, Italy, Luca Zampriolo (aka Kallamity) has been passionate about mecha design since he was a child. His brand, Kallamity, focuses on concept art and mecha design, which incorporates illustration, sculpture, and modeling. Zampriolo started collaborating with DreamWorks Animation in 2012 on the Netflix series Dinotrux, for which he served as a character designer and the senior mech designer for Ty Rux and his friends. He has also worked on Paolo Parente’s Dust, Dream Pod 9’s Heavy Gear, and Mecha Workshop’s Armarauders. Other clients have included Toei Animation, Oktobor Animation, Mango Entertainment, AMMO of Mig Jimenez, Sideshow Collectibles, Officine Brennero, the magazines Wired and Weathering, and Italian brands Prada and Luxottica. His previous books include Abakan 2288: Kallamity’s World of Mecha Design, Part 1 (2011) and Kallamity Sketchbook: Mech in Ink (2015), both with Design Studio Press.