Isle Over Matter, Vol. 1
Isle Over Matter
Written by: ARY
‍Art by: Ivan Shinoda
A coming-of-age romantic dramedy about Arman, a college student who escapes to a familiar island to outrun his feelings—only to crash headfirst into them.
Volume One is now live on Kickstarter. But not for long!
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How do you move forward when the person holding you back is...
Arman has always had a habit of retreating to the beach when life becomes too much. It’s where he goes to think, to escape, and, occasionally, to talk to a mysterious stranger known only as Nameless. But life beyond the shore is getting harder to avoid.

‍Isle Over Matter is a romantic comedy-drama graphic novel based on the award-winning short film Friendzoned Island (2019).
Take a Look Inside
Manga-inspired storytelling. Sun-soaked memories. Messy relationships.
Explore a few pages from Isle Over Matter, Volume One.
Black and white comic page with two young men. One calls out, 'Arman!' The other asks if he's heading to the train station or bus stop. Arman thinks, 'Okay, so fifty/fifty chance of throwing him off.' Arman then asks, 'Train station?' The man excitedly replies, 'Perfect. I'll walk with you!' Arman reacts with frustration thinking, 'Shit!'Black and white comic page with two young men walking and talking outside a building about their relationship with Maya; one man has short dark hair and wears a backpack, the other has glasses and a beard. They discuss how long they've known each other, whether they're together, and clarify that they are not dating despite appearing close.Black and white comic strip showing a conversation between two young men outside. The first panel shows one man saying, 'We're just friends.' The second panel displays both men, with one asking, 'Do you know if she's going out with anyone?' and the other responding, 'No!' The next row has four close-up panels where the man with glasses says, 'Okay, that's cool dude. I didn't mean to offend.' The other man replies, 'I'm not offended.' Then the man with glasses states, 'I didn't say you were.' Finally, the other man, sweating, says, 'I--yes you did!'Black-and-white comic page showing a conversation between two young men. One with glasses and a beard raises his hands saying, 'Dude, relax. You're getting all fired up over nothing.' He then asks, 'You sure you're not into Maya?' The other man, visibly frustrated and blushing, responds 'You-- I'm not--'. In the next panel, the frustrated man says he has to head back. The man with glasses says he thinks he left something in the classroom and asks if he wants company. The frustrated man loudly replies, 'No thank you!' as he walks away along a beach with palm trees and clouds in the background.Black and white comic panels show a young man with a backpack walking on a beach with palm trees under a cloudy sky. He looks pensive, depicted in a close-up, then sits on the sand reading a phone message from Maya asking if he minds if she invites Andrew for coffee next week. He thinks, 'What am I going to say?' and decides, 'No, I don't think it's a good idea.' Waves softly lap the shore with sound effect 'SHHHHH.'
Read Chapter One — Free
Not sure if you're ready to get started?
Read Chapter One - A Moment of Weakness, the complete first chapter of Isle Over Matter, free.
READ CHAPTER ONE
Meet the Cast
Everyone brings a little baggage to the beach.
Black and white illustration of a young man with short dark hair holding a smartphone to his ear, looking to the side with a slightly open mouth, surrounded by tropical palm trees in the background.
ARMAN
Professional overthinker. Tries to move forward but often ends up in his own head instead.
Black and white anime-style drawing of a smiling young woman with long straight hair wearing a striped top, standing outdoors with clouds and the sea in the background.
MAYA
Bright, kind, and impossible to ignore. Closer than he thinks, further than he fears.
Black and white line drawing of a young man with short spiky hair and glasses, smiling and holding one hand close to his face.
JOSHUA
Confident, charismatic, and somehow always knows exactly how to get under Arman’s skin.
Black and white anime-style illustration of a smiling woman with medium-length dark hair wearing a high-neck sweater.
TARA
Sharp, perceptive, and not afraid to call Arman out when he needs it most.
Black silhouette of a person with textured pattern on the body facing a bright sun emitting radiating lines on a white background.
NAMELESS
A mysterious stranger with the right words at the wrong time... or maybe the right time all along.
More Than a Love Story
Isle Over Matter is a story about the messy space between friendship and romance and the even messier relationship we have with ourselves.

Through Arman's friendships, memories and conversations with a mysterious stranger on the shore, Volume One explores love, rejection, self-worth, depression and the ways fear can convince us that standing still is safer than moving forward.

It's romantic. It's uncomfortable. Occasionally it's funny. Sometimes all three at once.
Isle Over Matter - Songs Listened to While Writing Spotify Playlist
Songs Behind the Writing
Every story has a soundtrack. These are some of the songs that stayed with me while writing Isle Over Matter, helping shape its mood, emotional beats, and the world inside Arman’s head.
Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Music
Based on the Short Film — Friendzoned Island
Winner of Best Feel Good Film at the Sydney Indie Film Festival 2019Nominated for Best Romantic Comedy Film at the Sydney Indie Film Festival 2019
There is a dark place that some dating rejections take us to... welcome to Friendzoned Island.

Friendzoned Island is a short film about Clay, who wakes up on an island after experiencing yet another date gone wrong. This isn’t the first time he’s found himself in the friend zone but what he thinks is happening to him may not be the real problem.
WATCH THE SHORT FILM
Friendzoned Island Short Film Poster by Rico Jr.
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With ♥ from Sydney, Australia