Castle Swimmer: Volume 1

In the gorgeous first installment of the hit Webtoon series Castle Swimmer, two young mermen reject their destinies and embark on an epic adventure full of romance and danger, featuring exclusive bonus material.

“Castle Swimmer hooks you from the start and doesn’t let go. It’s devastatingly charming with a hint of sweetly heartbreaking.”—Katie Cook, author of Nothing Special

From the moment Kappa tumbles into existence on the ocean floor, his life’s purpose is already decided for him: He is the Beacon, a light to all sea creatures, and destined to fulfill their many prophesies. In high demand and under immense pressure, Kappa quickly realizes that fame and glory are small compensation for a life of predetermined self-sacrifice.

Unable to resist the call of destiny due to a magical yellow cord that appears from his chest and pulls him inexorably to any sea creatures he swims by, Kappa ultimately finds himself drawn to the Shark kingdom, where he is immediately imprisoned. The Sharks’ prophecy states that the curse maiming their people will only be lifted once their prince, Siren, kills the Beacon. But when Prince Siren decides to defy fate and help Kappa escape, Kappa realizes that there might be more to life than fulfilling endless prophesies, leading to a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself—and a romance that nobody could have predicted.

Episodes 1-19 of Webtoon's Castle Swimmer Season 1 is collected in this stunning graphic novel, which also includes a never-before-seen bonus chapter featuring Kappa and Siren.

Wendy Martin was born in the Midwest and grew up in Iowa. She spent her childhood raising animals, but she spent even more time drawing them. As she grew older, she dedicated more time to the arts and creating fantasy comics and stories, particularly ones that involved characters who were half human and half animal. After graduating high school, she worked as a waitress and continued making comics on the side until Castle Swimmer, a story about two mermen, was picked up by Ten Speed Graphic and allowed her to draw comics full time. Castle Swimmer is her first series.