Saka: The Unearthly Legacy — A Creator Q&A with Ross Monday

Saka: The Unearthly Legacy is Singapore’s newest supernatural comic rooted in Malay folklore. We sit down with its creator, Ross Monday, to explore the ghost stories, influences, and journey behind bringing this ambitious first comic to life.

Q1: Introduce to us who Saka is, where is he from and what is he about.

Saka: The Unearthly Legacy follows Dylan, a young man whose life is turned upside down when he discovers that he has inherited a mysterious supernatural legacy after he was saved from an abduction. The story is rooted in Malay folklore and explores the concept of a “saka”, a spiritual inheritance that is passed down through generations. While the comic draws inspiration from traditional beliefs, it’s ultimately about identity, friendship, and the choices we make when confronted with our past. I wanted to create a modern supernatural team adventure that celebrates our local culture while remaining accessible to readers everywhere.

Q2: From your creator POV, how did the idea for Saka come about and when did you first conceptualize it?

The idea had been in my pipeline for several years before it became a one-off pilot comic at SGCC 2024. I’ve always been fascinated by local myths and ghost stories that I grew up hearing, especially the idea of a “saka” and the responsibilities that come with it. Having a “saka” is never a good thing. Someone having it will die a terrible death, for the price of what they wished for. And so I started asking myself, “What if someone inherited this legacy but with a purpose of protecting instead of doing bad or selfish means?” That question became the foundation of the story. Once I felt I had the right characters and world, I committed and developed it into my first original comic.

Q3: What were the influences or inspirations leading up to the creation of Saka? Also share with us the challenges you face bringing the comic to fruition.

The biggest influences come from ghostbusting comics and movies: Ghostbusters, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Chainsaw Man, with a tint of X-Men. The concept of a misfit team that busts ghosts together intrigues me. I feel it is always more interesting to tell a story of a group of friends compared to an individual hero, because of the different characters within the team.

Another influence was real-life heroes like firefighters from SCDF. I just feel they are a different breed of heroes, and that’s the reason why my hero squad wore old versions of SCDF uniforms.

As for challenges, bringing a comic to life is never a smooth journey. As a first-time comic creator, Ross had to navigate every aspect of production largely on his own, from scripting and art direction to print coordination and distribution. From developing the right characters and world-building, to the actual production of the book, every step required a great deal of commitment and perseverance. But the passion behind the project kept things moving forward, and the end result speaks for itself.

Q4: What are your plans moving forward for Saka and where can we buy a copy?

I’m excited to continue expanding the universe of Saka: The Unearthly Legacy. There are many stories I want to tell, and my goal is to continue introducing new characters and raising the stakes for the series.

Readers can purchase Saka: The Unearthly Legacy at selected comic conventions, Kalibak’s Kave, and through Ross Monday’s official social media channels. The response so far has been incredibly encouraging. The first prints have already sold out and a reprint is ready to go. I’m looking forward to sharing the next chapter of Saka’s journey with everyone.

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About the Creator

Md Rosman, better known as Ross Monday, is a Singapore-based digital illustrator and aspiring comic artist. He made his debut as a book cover illustrator in 2019, working with local writers on Redhill Days and Zac Rushd. After completing his Diploma in Concept Design and Illustration, he pursued his dream of becoming a full-time illustrator. His published work includes variant comic covers for Pink Ponk Comics titles such as RawGem, Hello2, and Munyu, a poster illustration for Chiral Comics’ The World My Arena 1 & 2, and a spin-off limited series for Singapore superhero Sacred Guardian Singa. His latest collaboration is with award-winning writer Hassan Ali on Pengembaraan Zack Rushd: Cincin Bima Sakti, a modern fantasy Malay novel and sequel to the original Zac Rushd. In 2026, Ross was nominated as one of ten finalists for the Singapore Book Publishing Association Best Illustrator Award.