#Trapped in an Epic Tale: Return of Balance
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The people love the word redshot for some odd reason
#tiaet#trapped in an epic tale#tiaet fol#trapped in an epic tale: fall of light#tiaet rob#trapped in an epic tale: return of balance#indie games#indie dev
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only 1 day cus I'm impatient so VOTE
#tiaet#trapped in an epic tale#tiaet fol#Trapped in an Epic Tale: Fall of Light#TiaET RoB#Trapped in an Epic Tale: Return of Balance#Celestial Labs#CL TiaET
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Rise of the Blue Dragon - Official Patch Notes
[source blog]
1. NEW LEGENDARY PET: LOTUS DRAGON SCALE
- Makes a Giant Lotus Flower bloom, restoring the Cookie’s Energy!
2. LOTUS DRAGON COOKIE’S MAGIC CANDY
- Sends a Lotus Sound Wave creating Lotus Petal Jellies!
3. NEW TREASURE
- Seahorse Watergun: Traps Jellies inside drops of water.
4. NEW COSTUMES
- Lotus Dragon Cookie's Warlord of the Eternal Lotus (Legendary)
- Lotus Dragon Cookie's Azure Tides of War (Epic)
5. OTHER
TALES OF THE LOTUS EVENT
- What fate awaits the Cookies in the world transformed by Longan Dragon Cookie?
- Gain special powers in each event map through Dino Egg Skills!
- Unlock the skills by reaching Stage 1 of the total score rewards for each respective map.
- Choose your path in the skill tree to earn the maximum amount of points!
- Gain plentiful rewards, including Legendary Magic Candy ingredients and a Lobby Design!
SPECIAL COSTUME DRAW
- Lotus Dragon Cookie's Warlord of the Eternal Lotus (LEGENDARY)
- Special Draw Duration: April 27, 2023, 10:00 - June 15 08:00 (GMT+9)
SPECIAL JELLY SHAPE DRAW
- Colorful Lotus Jelly Set (LEGENDARY)
- Special Draw Duration: April 27, 10:00 - June 29, 08:00 (GMT+9)
GUILD RUNS RANK REWARD BURNING EVENT
- During the event period, the Top Score rank rewards for all Guild Run arenas change to Rainbow Cubes and Crystals.
- Reach S rank in all of the arenas during the event period to earn 3,000 Crystals and 3,000 Rainbow Cubes.
- Event Duration: April 27 - May 30, 08:00 (GMT+9)
* Only rewards claimed within the event duration are eligible. Any rewards claimed after the end of the event will be regular rewards, regardless if they were obtained via scores reached during the event
COOKIE TRIALS
- Added titles for players who place in the top 100 of Cookie Trials. (*New Cookie Cup Rankings excluded)
- When you log in for the first time after the update, all eligible titles will be sent via the in-game mailbox.
- Certain trials have been rebalanced and improved. More information regarding this can be found in the Balance Adjustments & Bug Fixes section.
COOKIE RUN DIARY
- Cookie Run Diary missions have been simplified. Run anywhere once and get the rewards!
- You can now choose which Cookie and Pet to add as a stamp to the diary.
RAID RUN
- Added new Raid Skill: Pink Choco Cookie's "Heart Ray".
- Adjusted Jelly placements in the Custard Queen Bee stage.
- Adjusted Jelly placements in the Desert Highwaymantis stage.
RAID CHESTS
- Increased the number of Skill Gems obtainable from Raid Chests.
PACKAGES
- Added Skill Reset packages for Raid Run Skills.
- Choose any Raid Skill Lv.2 or above and reset it to Lv.1, returning all materials used for leveling the skill.
- Skill Reset packages can be purchased twice per season.
MAGIC LABORATORY
NEW RECIPES
- Added new recipes that use Skill Gems to create Skill Gems of other colors.
NEW FEATURES
- Added recommendation and filter functions to the "Extract All" function used to turn crafting ingredients into Magic Powder.
- Recommendations: Choose ingredients for Cookies who already have max-level Magic Candies.
- Filter: Filter ingredients by grade/category.
TECHNICAL LICENSE
- 2 new Technical License levels will be added with the May 12 update.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
MAPS
- The Mysterious Yogurt Dunes map has rotated out and is replaced with the Fashion Week Brand Showroom map.
- The Bonus Time patterns of the Ancient Forest Altar map have been adjusted.
- In order to collect accurate data for the new map, Dr. Wasabi's Combi Generator will be temporarily unavailable. (Expected to return April 30)
CHAMPIONS SHOP
- Added Lamp of Endless Dreams to the Champions Shop.
BREAKOUT
- If a Cookie has collected a Perfect Stage Reward Jelly, the Relay Cookie will no longer be able to collect the same Jelly.
- After May 4, 09:00 (GMT+9), the Breakout: Special Episode map Escape from the Oven will rotate out and is replaced by the City of Wizards map. The City of Wizards map will be the new Breakout: Special Episode map for 4 weeks.
BALANCE ADJUSTMENTS & BUG FIXES
COOKIES
1. Lotus Dragon Cookie
- Changed so that Cookie now passes through obstacles while the skill is active
- Increased the range of the obstacle destruction of the water dragon form
- Fixed an issue regarding speed-altering effects while the skill is active
- Changed so the Cookie is now affected by Blast Mode while the skill is active
2. Hydrangea Cookie
- Fixed an issue where the Hydrangea Party Jellies spawn height was affected by the Cookie's altitude
- Fixed an issue where Hydrangea Party Jellies could be collected by Cookie, Pet, and Treasure abilities relating to obtaining Jellies
- Changed so that Hydrangea Flower Jellies are created at consistent intervals
3. Snake Fruit Cookie
- Fixed an issue where Giant Mode, while riding the sedan chair, would increase the Cookie's size to unintended proportions
4. Pink Choco Cookie
- Increased points for Lovely Pink Jellies and Lovely Choco Jellies
5. Mustard Cookie
- Changed so that the remaining amount of times Graffiti Points can be obtained is shown on the left of the gauge during the skill
PETS
1. Lotus Polliwog
- Increased Frog Summoning Points
- Increased Frog destruction points
2. Pink Candy
- Increased points for Colorful Candy Jellies
TREASURES
1. Peaceful Dove Bun
- Greatly reduced distance required for skill activation
- Reduced points for Peaceful Jellies
- Reduced Combi point bonus
2. Apple Candy Balloon
- Fixed an issue where Jellies obtained while rescuing from holes would count toward the skill charges
- Changed so that Jellies are created even when the Cookie collapses or is in Last Blast mode
3. Giant Superbean
- Changed so that Rainbow Bear Jellies can now be enlargened
COMBIS
1. Lotus Dragon Cookie & Lotus Polliwog
- Increased points for Lotus Crystal Jellies
COOKIE TRIALS
1. Knight Cookie's Trial
- Fixed an intermittent issue where Jelly patterns sometimes would be skipped after returning from Bonus Time.
2. Red Pepper Cookie
- Fixed an intermittent issue where Jelly patterns sometimes would be skipped after returning from Bonus Time.
- Added Potions to the map.
- Adjusted rank score requirements according to these changes.
3. Sorbet Shark Cookie, Cyborg Cookie, Rose Cookie's Trials
- Added Potions to the maps.
- Adjusted rank score requirements according to these changes.
4. Birthday Cake Cookie's Trial
- Added Jellies in certain parts of the map.
- Giant Potions no longer appear after the first lap.
- Adjusted rank score requirements according to these changes.
5. Devil Cookie's Trial
- Increased base speed in the map by 4.
- Adjusted rank score requirements according to these changes.
6. Ice Juggler Cookie's Trial
- Added Colorful Star Jelly Parties to the map.
7. Pirate Cookie's Trial
- Adjusted Potion locations.
8. Moonlight Cookie, Butter Pretzel Cookie's Trials
- Added Potions to the maps.
9. Pitaya Dragon Cookie's Trial
- Reduced the number of Jellies required for the "Collect Jellies" Bonus Time mission.
10. Apple Cookie, Lotus Dragon Cookie's Trials
- Adjusted rank score requirements.
11. Cherry Ball Cookie's Trial Hard Mode
- Bear Jellies and Giant Star Jellies no longer change into Coins after 1 lap.
END OF SUPPORT FOR 120hz GAMEPLAY
- In order to better optimize and improve the Cookie Run: OvenBreak experience, we are ending support for 120hz gameplay.
- Previously, to prevent differences in score between devices supporting 120hz and those that don't, we had to force all devices to do 120 calculations per second regardless of actual frame rate.
- With this change, all devices will get an upper limit of 60 calculations per second, which we predict will improve the overall performance of the game.
- We would still like to apologize to players who have enjoyed 120hz gameplay up until now and ask for your understanding regarding this change.
OTHER
- The special Check-In Bingo congratulating the winning Guild, Crazy Runners, will take place until April 29, 23:59 (GMT+9)
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Book Review
A Spark of White Fire. By Sangu Mandanna. New York: Sky Pony Press, 2018.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: YA sci fi/fantasy
Part of a Series? Yes, The Celestial Trilogy #1
Summary: In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.
Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.
It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.
Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love.
***Full review under the cut.***
Content Warnings: violence, blood, pseudo-incest
Overview: I don’t remember exactly how I first learned about this book, but I do remember that I decided to read it after learning that it was inspired by the Mahabharata. I love books that are inspired by ancient or medieval literature, and I was excited to see what a sci fi take on an ancient epic would look like. Fortunately, this book exceeded my expectations. I loved the way Mandanna used the characters and plot points from the Mahabharata to create a space opera, and I think this book was very compelling in a lot of ways, making it feel fresh in a literary landscape dominated by YA novels trying to be politically savvy and action-packed. My quibbles are fairly minor and based on personal preference, so I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to shake up their sci fi reads.
Writing: Mandanna’s prose flows fairly well and does a good job of being evocative. I had no problem picturing what was happening or how characters were feeling, and I think the show vs tell balance was good. I did not like, however, that this story - like so many others - was told in first person. First person tends to feel a little awkward or clunky sometimes, as characters have to narrate things that people usually aren’t conscious of in order for the reader to follow the story. I think Mandanna falls into this trap a little bit, but does her best to overcome those moments with interesting character work.
Plot: From the summary, it would seem that this book is a run-of-the-mill speculative YA plot. It has court politics, the threat of war, and a seemingly normal girl at the center of it all. Knowing that the plot was loosely based on the Mahabharata made me more open to the political drama, but I also think Mandanna does a good job of actually moving the story along and creating personal stakes. Usually, I’m not very enthusiastic about watching rulers fight because I find upper class people fairly flat and their ambitions simplistic in speculative fiction; but here, Mandanna roots the political plot in a family drama that is not as straight-forward as I was expecting. There was no good side and bad side; both had valid complaints, and both sides had figures which were sympathetic in some way. It also seemed like the political drama was a means by which Mandanna was exploring things like the concept of justice, as well as heroism, family, and belonging. In that sense, the story was more than just a tale about a couple of rulers fighting; it was a complex exploration of how a character gets caught up in a conflict that has no easy answer.
There were some parts where I think the pacing dragged (such as when Esmae is learning the ins and outs of palace life) or went through events too quickly (like the ending), but my enjoyment of the book as a whole wasn’t too affected. I was also a little underwhelmed by the ending in that I don’t think breadcrumbs were laid to make the twist with Alexi (Esmae’s brother) feel anything other than abrupt; but I did like the direction it took, even if the manner could have been better, in my opinion.
Characters: The characters of this book are complex and have both positive and negative traits - qualities which made them interesting without reducing them to archetypes. Esmae, our heroine and POV character, is interesting in that she has complicated loyalties as well as personal ambitions that shift and change when confronted with challenges. Esmae also seems to be smart in that she takes advantage of situations, and I appreciated that Mandanna didn’t make her do non-sensical things in order to make plot happen.
Supporting characters also seemed to be smart and calculating, and many of them subverted my expectations. The usurping king of Kali and his family were kind and welcoming to Esmae, and genuinely seemed to care for her, which made them hard to dislike. The king’s motivations for usurping the throne were also sympathetic, and I liked that Mandanna explored some of the anxieties and downfalls that came with securing a throne.
On the flip side, I liked how the usurped family (Esmae’s brothers and mother) were presented as having legitimate grievances, yet were shockingly ruthless in their pursuit of justice. It made for a complicated dynamic between Esmae and those she wants to be close to, and I think it also set up a nice commentary on learning to value oneself independent of your family.
The gods and goddesses were also fun to read, since they were an interesting mix of haughty and compassionate. Esmae’s friendship with Amba, the goddess of war, was touching; Kirrin, the god of trickery and bargains, was also fun because he was less of a trickster god bent on causing conflict and more of a player in a game of cosmic chess. I loved that they interacted with humans and influenced events, rather than staying aloof or being purely mythological figures.
I do wish more had been done with Rama’s character. Rama is Esmae’s best friend, and he doesn’t really play an integral part in the story until the end. If he had been more involved in Esmae’s life, or we had seen them interact in more heartfelt ways (rather than alluding to their history), I think Rama’s arc could have been more heart-wrenching.
Worldbuilding: I really like that this book was set in a world where sci fi and fantasy elements could co-exist. Not only are there spaceships and advanced tech, but there are gods and goddesses as well as magical items, like blessed weapons and protective charms (of sorts). Mandanna used all these elements well, and I think they blended together seamlessly. I’ve read other mashups of sci fi and fantasy that seem to be piecemeal - either their elements don’t gel or the author doesn’t seem to have a coherent idea of what their world looks like. I personally found Mandanna’s world to be rather coherent, and I think the larger-than-life elements taken from the Mahabharata helped make the whole story feel like an epic, rather than a “realistic” space opera.
TL;DR: A Spark of White Fire is a refreshing addition to the YA sci-fi/fantasy genre, with complex, subversive characters; a unique setting; and an intriguing plot set in a truly complicated political arena.
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Lost Horizon, Pt. 2
@scharoux is the sweetest and most patient soul for waiting so long for part two of this story - thank you, dear friend, for trusting me with Rhaella and her epic tale!
This long fic picks up almost directly where The Last Game last left off - with Rhaella pregnant and alone in a world where Solas has removed the Veil, despite her attempts to stop him.
My Ko-Fi || My Commissions
Part One of Lost Horizon can be found here
Other pieces about Rhaella I have written include:
1. All Things Green and Growing
2. The Long Road Back
3. The Turning of the Year
3. The Same Kind of Scar (contains explicit content)
4. World Without End (contains explicit content)
5. The Last Game Pt. 1, the Last Game Pt. 2, and the Last Game Pt. 3 (contains explicit content), and the Last Game Pt. 4
Pairing: Rhaella Lavellan x Solas, post-Trespasser
Rating: Teen for violence, references to sex
Warning: Directly referenced character death for a character from DAI, general references to death and destruction
********************************
Merrill and Rhaella’s journey to Skyhold was slow. Isabela’s ship carried them swift and true - that part wasn’t the problem, even if the ship and all the crew seemed haunted, even if Rhaella could feel the absence of a woman she had never met as surely as she could feel the sea breeze - but once they were back on land, and traveling via horseback, her pregnancy proved a problem once more. She felt impossibly huge, her belly as big and round as the horse’s it seemed. Years of practice had made her a good rider, but the extra weight and the shift in her center of balance was even more pronounced now than it had been before, when she had ridden from Skyhold to Jader for her journey to Kirkwall.
The slow going meant she had plenty of time to take in how much had changed since that last journey, when she had been on her way to stop Solas. The burned out villages, and also the rapturous displays of light in the night sky - the dance of spirits thrilled to be free of the Veil. They rarely had to use a campfire for light, in fact. Wisps were drawn to them the way moths used to be. They frequently went to Rhaella’s belly after floating near her head and Merrill’s.
At least you’ll get beauty like this, little one.
Her magic surged towards each and every wisp when they came, but she tamped it down. Solas would know the feel of her magic, even across the distance, as surely as he would know the sound of her voice. They had not been pursued as far as they could tell, by people or by spirits, and she wanted to keep it that way. Merrill had known a draught to keep her from entering the Fade, which was their other means of concealment since they’d left.
“Poor Feynriel,” Merrill said the first time she brewed it. “I wonder what’s become of him in this world. If it makes more sense to him now, or less. Marethari made this for him while he was staying with the clan, and I learned it when we visited once. He was a Dreamer, so a draught like this didn’t always work for him, but it will be good enough for you and I. It feels like a different life to remember those times, when he was one of my biggest worries..”
“It does,” Rhaella said, even if she was only remembering a few weeks ago, when she’d been on this road going in the opposite direction, convinced she could stop the tide of Solas’s power from sweeping through and changing everything.
Sometimes on that long slow journey she lay there and was convinced the baby would never be born. She would be trapped like this forever, huge and waiting, adrift. She wondered how many other pregnant mothers lay awake in Thedas staring at the same moons and feeling the same way. They’d conceived their children in one world, and they would be born into an alien one.
Rhaella was grateful for Merrill’s training as a First, and her involvement in Kirkwall’s alienage since then. She still knew enough about pregnancy and babies to act as a midwife. She seemed less puzzled than the other midwife about the size of Rhaella’s belly, how it was bigger than they were expecting.
“Solas is not a small man,” she said with a shrug. “As long as you feel well, and you can still feel your little one wriggling about in there, I’m not worried.”
Solas is not a small man. The words sent a shiver of memory through Rhaella as she envisioned the days and nights that had led her to this moment. The size and weight of his body, how sheltered it made her feel, how whole. She pushed those thoughts away. She imagined, instead, a son that was as tall as him, who had only his kindness and not his narrowed vision, his pride. A son who reminded her of her own father.
I will love you no matter who you are, she promised anyway, feeling the child move.
The journey grew slower and more difficult as they climbed the mountain paths towards Skyhold. Rhaella struggled to lean far enough forward in the saddle to make her horse comfortable, so they had to walk the steepest parts of it. But, the feeling of being further from civilization, and the giddiness of having evaded Solas for nearly two weeks now, loosened their tongues a little, and Rhaella and Merrill were able to talk more freely. Merrill told stories of Hawke that she had not heard from Varric, and they shared their memories of growing up Dalish, compared notes on the Arlathvhens they had been to, speculated on whether or not they had ever met at one of them. It started to feel a little normal. Almost like Rhaella was back to being Inquisitor, and Merrill was one of her companions.
(It was probably a testament to how upside down things were now that Rhaella could think back to that time with fondness.)
Then they arrived at Skyhold, and all that warmth, all that strength she’d built, drained away.
It was not so much that the building was different. Its ancient stone was largely unchanged. It had weathered the creation of the Veil, after all. It was not even the scorch marks all over the courtyard, or the charred ruins of the stables.
It was the sound of the empty hospital tents flapping in the breeze. Of wooden shutters banging listlessly against stone walls.
It was the total, absolute emptiness of the place that had become her home.
The castle stood, but the people were gone, and the emptiness of that threatened to swallow her whole.
She should have been wise enough to expect this, to know that things would not be as she left them, that she would not return home to rally the people she’d left behind to some sort of unlikely victory. She had not heard from any of her forces in the weeks she’d been in Kirkwall. She’d hoped that was because Solas was intercepting their messages, that against all odds, there was still a home to come back to, a chance to set things right. Still, the blow of the silence struck her as true as any kick or punch ever had.
Then there was a high, hollow sound - a call, almost like that of a bird’s - but bigger, and then louder, like a trumpet, coming from the lower courtyard, and the sudden movement of a big brown blur -
“Thistle!” Rhaella called, and her hart galloped to her, drawing up short when he reached her, and then snuffling her with his warm, soft nose, whining again in his throat. She rested her forehead against his, breathed in the warm, woodsy smell of his hide. She scratched the place behind his ears that always made him stamp his feet with delight.
“Hello, friend,” Merrill said, approaching. “You’re a delight! I haven’t seen a hart like this in a long time.”
“He has been my constant companion for years now. I can’t even tell you how good it feels to see that he is okay.” Rhaella leaned her head against Thistle’s again and took another calming breath. She did not need to jump straight to despair. She had not even gone inside the keep yet. Who knew who else she would find, or what signs would be left behind - maybe everyone had moved somewhere else, or gone out into the world to help make a difference -
She wasn’t sure whether to feel reassured or afraid when the first arrow flew and landed at her feet.
Merrill’s hand flung out instantly, as if to shield her, and Rhaella’s magic crackled beneath her skin, longing to cast a barrier. She had to actively work not to cast the barrier without the Veil in the way, and it made her grind her teeth. Her son kicked wildly in her stomach at the sensation of the caged magic.
“It’s okay,” Rhaella called out when the urge to cast her spell passed. She looked in the direction the arrow had come from - the old tavern. She started in that direction, brushing off Merrill’s arm. “It’s me, it’s Rhaella.”
Another arrow flew, this one passing over her shoulder, so close that Rhaella could hear the pitch-perfect whine as it cleaved the air by her ear. Thistle snorted and stamped behind her, spooked, and Merrill took her staff off her back. The third arrow struck the barrier that Merrill cast, splintering into a shower of wooden shards, but Rhaella had seen where it was headed. Straight for her head.
Then Rhaella saw her, in the upper window of the tavern, leaning out now, bow in hand. Sera.
“Sera!” She called, waving her arms, walking closer. Surely it was an accident. Surely Sera had not actually meant to aim for a killing blow. “Sera, it’s just me.”
“Yes,” Sera said, nocking another arrow, half-drawing back the string. She stepped out onto the roof of the tavern. Her skin was even paler than usual, but her eyes were rimmed as red as the plaidweave armor she wore. “Who the fuck do you think I have been waiting for?”
Rhaella’s heart sank.
“Sera -”
“They’re all dead!” Sera shouted, the tears coming now. “All of them! Every person that mattered to me is gone now. Every person who trusted you to lead us. They all paid the price, and for what? So you could get a good shag with a man who never really loved you? And you didn’t even have to see it, did you, oh high and mighty Inquisitor? No, you got to be somewhere far away when it all came crashing down, all the fire and magic and shite, all the screaming and the dying. But I didn’t get that. I had to be here. I had to see it happen. I had to watch and even when I shut my eyes I had to listen. D’you know what it sounded like when your precious Commander died?”
Cullen.
No, not Cullen.
He was many things - not all of them good - but Rhaella prayed in that moment to the gods she didn’t believe in that Sera was lying.
“D’you know what it was like for him when all that bloody magic came rushing back, after all those years he’d worked to stop taking that Maker forsaken lyrium? I bet you didn’t even think about it when you went rushing back to your arse-wiping Dread Wolf. About how he would fucking scream -”
“Stop!”
Rhaella was aware that Merrill had shouted the word, that Sera was still talking, but the sounds were distant, covered up by a roaring as real as the sound of an ocean storm, of an earthquake. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t even think beyond the roaring sound. It was only the kicking and rolling of her child within her womb that brought her back to the surface.
“You don’t understand,” Merrill was saying. “Rhaella went to Kirkwall to stop him. She tried her best. She never stopped trying. She fought him until the very last moment, but there was nothing anyone could do. He was too strong for anyone but another of his own kind. And Rhaella didn’t stop there. She has been aiding the wounded ever since then, and once she had her first opportunity to flee from Solas, she did. How do you think she ended up here?”
“It doesn’t make a difference,” Sera said, and there was a sudden wave of magical heat rolling off of her, sparks at her fingertips. “Shite!”
She threw down her bow and Rhaella could see the trembling in her fingers. Sera had never wanted this, and now she was cursed with it. Magic.
Rhaella opened her mouth but no words came out. Her chest felt like it was caving in. Like all of Sera’s words had lodged there, true as arrows, true as morning sun.
“Please, believe us,” Merrill was pleading. “Neither of us wanted this. We’re trying to make our way in this world, the same as you.”
Sera shook her head once, viciously, and picked up her bow. She nocked the arrow again and started to draw it back. Rhaella realized that her hands were over her belly, feeling it warm and tight as a drum, but her magic was not seething inside her this time. She was making no real move to defend herself. Merrill grounded herself, started gathering the energy for a barrier. Then Sera lowered her bow.
“Get whatever supplies you need to get somewhere else. And then get gone.” Her eyes bored into Rhaella’s. “If I ever see you again, I will kill you.”
Then she disappeared back into the shadows of the tavern.
Rhaella felt rooted to the ground where she stood. Like she might never move from this spot again.
It was one thing to see the devastation of Kirkwall - a city that was not a part of her, another vein through which her own heart’s blood flowed - it was another to stand here in Skyhold and witness the magnitude of her failure. To hear those words of accusation dropped not from the mouth of a stranger but from a friend.
Cullen.
“Rhaella. Rhaella. Come on, love. I don’t think we want to stay here long.”
Merrill was using the same voice that Rhaella herself used to gentle Thistle when he was spooked. Her hands were on Rhaella’s shoulders, guiding. Their steps towards the keep were slow. Thistle whined, high and loud and mournful. Rhaella wondered what stories he would share of the day the Veil fell, if he could speak.
She tried not to study Skyhold as they walked through it. Tried not to see the blood or the winding patterns of lighting etched into wood and stone, the overturned tables, the shattered glasses. The kitchen was ripped apart but there was still food enough in the storeroom beyond it, and she and Merrill filled their packs with as much of it as they could reasonably carry. Rhaella felt the burden of her pregnancy all over again, how she would need more food than she ever had before on the road.
“Is there anything else you want to get?” Merrill asked when they were done there.
Rhaella nodded, and went wordlessly towards the long staircase that led to her chambers. Merrill did not follow. She was grateful for that.
Her chambers were exactly as she had left them. That was the most eerie part of all. She was not the same woman she was the last time she slept here. Her bedroom should have reflected that. But everything was in its place - each pillow on the bed, each paper on her desk. She picked up her field journal, which she’d left behind in her haste to get to Kirkwall. Then she saw the one thing that was out of place. A letter in an envelope, right in the center of her desk.
Rhaella
It was Cullen’s handwriting.
D’you know what it sounded like when your precious Commander died?
Rhaella tucked the letter quickly into her bag. She couldn’t read it. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Merrill had distributed everything they gathered between Thistle and their other two horses by the time Rhaella returned. After a brief discussion, they agreed that they would keep both horses, using one for supplies and if one of their other mounts got tired.
“So where do we go now?” Merrill asked, her eyes shifting towards the tavern and then back to Rhaella.
“The Emerald Graves,” Rhaella said. “It has plenty of resources, plenty of places to hide, and it isn’t terribly far from here.”
“I have always wanted to see them,” Merrill said. “All those tombs of the elves who came before us, who fought for our people.”
Rhaella half wondered if the tombs had broken open when the Veil fell - if those elves had stepped out to a brave new world where their people had both won and lost.
She cast one glance back at Skyhold as they rode through its gate. The towers and battlements she’d come to know as home. It was lost to her now, like so many things were. Another ghost of her own, standing stark and sad against the blue mountain sky.
She took a deep breath and rode on.
*
They rode until nightfall, back down the same road they’d taken up the mountain, until Rhaella’s lower back ached so badly that they could not continue. She warmed damp cloths on a stone over the fire that Merrill built and then had Merill place them where it ached. She’d never wished so desperately for a bed in her life as she did in that moment, lying there on her side on the nest of blankets they’d arranged, unable to curl up into a ball or lie on her stomach, anything to relieve the pain.
“Warn me if it gets more intense,” Merrill said. “Sometimes that’s how it goes for women - the start of labor, that is.”
Rhaella felt a surge of panic and joy alike. Would tonight be the night she met her son, the person that made all of this worth it? The reason she continued putting one foot in front of the other on this road that had no real destination yet. At least not one she could see or count on. But the pain in her back did subside eventually. There was a new chill in the air by that point, a wind coming down off the mountains that made them both shiver. Rhaella looked to the saddlebags they’d removed from their pack horse, hoping for another blanket - and spied something familiar sticking out of one of the ones Merrill had packed. Red and fur-lined.
Cullen’s cloak.
She rose, went to it, pulled it out, half-hoping she was wrong. She wasn’t. She’d have known it anywhere, and of course Merrill would not have. She’d just seen something warm that might help them on their journey, and not another dagger aimed directly at Rhaella’s heart.
Merrill was a few paces away, standing watch since they didn’t want to risk setting wards. Rhaella went to her bag and pulled out the letter she’d found on her desk, the tears already rising in her throat, the guilt already swimming in her stomach. She found a tree that she could sit against, looking away from Merrill, and eased herself to the ground, cloak and letter clutched in one hand.
She read.
Rhaella,
I am never going to see you again.
That's the worst part of this. It isn't the pain or the screaming or the uncertainty. It's knowing I will never see your face or hear your voice again.
My hand is shaking. I hope you can read this if you find it. When you find it. I refuse to believe that you did not survive this. You and the baby - you have to survive. I have to believe this was all worth something, and if the two of you are still out there, it was.
You are the most incredible woman I have ever known, Rhaella. Your quiet strength - I know it will see you through. I have watched you move mountains and I know you will move them again and again.
(I hope this all makes sense. I was never good at words, and my hand is shaking, and everything hurts -)
I wish I could be there to see you move those mountains. To see your baby. The baby I thought of as ours no matter what. I understand that what we had was never going to be real. I am at peace with that. I would have given you everything nonetheless, Rhaella. You and the baby deserved that and I would have been whatever you needed me to be. If - if this isn't the end - if I can withstand this - if we are both alive - I will still give you everything. Not because I want you to wake up one day and love me. But because you deserve that as my friend.
Whatever happens - when you find this - I want you to know that I believe in you. I wish I had words good enough to express it. I don't. I believe in you the same way I believe in the Maker and his Bride. Maybe that is the closest I can come to explaining it. I believe in you, and if anyone can stop Solas, it is you.
If I die today, I die with nothing but faith and devotion in my heart. It was how I always wanted to go, Rhaella. It's okay. I am at peace.
Yours always,
Cullen
She was crying before she finished the third paragraph, of course. Deep, wracking sobs that hollowed out her chest, carved up her ribs, scratched up her throat. They were animal sounds. She wasn't sure how long they went on. It seemed there was no beginning or end to her grief as she thought of everything Sera said, how she'd sacrificed everything for a man who never really loved or deserved her. Were they both right? Was that really the source of her weakness? Had there been some final part of her strength locked behind a door with Solas's name written on it, where she hid all the memories that were good? Had that been the strength she would have needed that day in Kirkwall?
Rhaella cried into the folds of Cullen's cloak, her mind a maze of questions with no answers, and grieved.
*
Solas generally prided himself on being the master of his emotions. Controlling them, subduing them, and, when all else failed, simply hiding them away.
He did not bother hiding his frustration when he returned from his fight with the Evanuris.
He came into his Kirkwall base of operations and threw down the helm he'd been wearing, reveling in the loud sound of metal striking wood as it hit the table. Maybe if he did that over and over again he could drown out the sound of his failure - of half of the Evanuris's forces escaping into eluvians and shattering them as they left. He'd wanted to pull them out, root and stem, to be done with all of this, to focus on what came next - rebuilding, helping those that remained find peace and meaning in the new world he'd made. Helping himself find peace with what he'd done. Finding time to mourn the friends he had lost (sacrificed).
Mending things with Rhaella.
"We have not been able to trace them yet," Abelas said, calm and even, but with a hesitance that Solas noted at once.
"What else?" He barked. He'd tried not to be the kind of Commander who yelled unless it was truly what the situation warranted. Then again, he'd tried a lot of things. And yet here he was again, with nothing but ash and loneliness to show for it.
"Rhaella and Merrill are gone."
Abelas said it swiftly and calmly, with the precision of a surgeon making his first cut.
Solas felt the air leave the room.
He felt his power leach into the vacuum it left behind.
Raw mana, undirected, uncontained, filling up every object and person around him, lighting up the room with a blue glow, filling it with a subtle roar. He felt his advisors shield themselves in barriers, as if he would attack them. Perhaps he would. (He would not.)
Solas took a breath and drew his mana back in.
“When?”
“Not long after you did as far as we can tell,” Abelas said. Another surgeon’s cut.
“Together.”
“Presumably, yes.”
“Where?”
“Unknown. We have not been able to track them via traditional or arcane means, though perhaps you will have greater success with the latter. You know Rhaella better than any of us, after all.”
For a moment, Solas considered letting her go. It would be kinder in the long run. He’d told her that once, when he was a stronger man. But he still had dried blood under his fingernails, the screams of the dying in his ears. He still had unfinished business, and people who would seek to hurt Rhaella and his child.
(The child, the child, the child, he could hardly bring himself to think the word at first but now it was ringing through his mind like a struck bell, an endless echo. He might not get to meet his child if he could not find her, and perhaps that was what he deserved -)
He had to find her to protect her. To tell her one last time that he was sorry. If she went her own way then - if they went their own way then - he would just have to find a way to endure.
Var lath vir suledin, she had said to him the day he took the Anchor and her arm. Perhaps that was when she was a stronger woman. Perhaps he had broken them both.
“We leave for Skyhold at dawn,” he said. He turned on his heel and left. He had enough control, enough composure, not to spill his tears before them. He waited until he was in Rhaella’s room, surrounded by the smell of her, to do that.
He would endure, he told himself over and over again. He would endure. He simply wasn’t sure what it would cost.
#beach writes#beach does commissions#scharoux#rhaella lavellan#rhaella x solas#lost horizon#character death#angst#...like all the angst
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Here's an idea for a Boom prompt: Perci tries to help Amy out with Sonic by having it seem like she's asking him out on a date which ignites Amy's determination to confer her feelings to him?
(x) Please support the artist!
*If you have art or know of friends who do and would be interested in featuring their art as ‘preview images’ for my prompts, please let me know! I’d be deeply appreciative!
Prompt:
Perci kicks her feet out as she sits high up on a store’s window, smiling down at Sonic who caught her ice cream for her.
“Hey. Still quick on your toes, I see.” she happily compliments, but seems content within her voice in having her ice cream back.
He hands it up and tries to act cool for a moment, “You know it! Ah, gotta stretch these legs somehow.” he stretches in front of her, and she pretends to not notice while rolling her eyes.
Her eyes remain calm and uninterested, although giving the boy his just dues for ‘rescuing’ her ice cream cone, before seeing Amy hiding behind some plant pots.
Her finger twitch at the rims before she sees that Perci might have spotted her jealous glare, and ducks her head down.
She worriedly starts to mumble, “Oh no, oh no, oh no���!” and bites at her nails under her gloved-hands.
Perci’s eyebrows bounce as she suddenly gets an idea.
She leans some of her bodyweights down to Sonic, “Hey… wanna hang out?”
Sonic was in the middle of showing-off, doing one-handed presses off the ground before looking up at her as if surprised by the notion, “huh?”
Amy suddenly turns around with figurative fire in her eyes, growling.
“So it’s war, then!?”
Perci smiles, feeling the atmosphere shift. “Oh yeah, this… could be fun.” she continues to pretend she’s talking to Sonic… but she silently schemes a clever ploy within her pretty, brilliant mind.
Nervously, Sonic doesn’t really get a chance to respond. He at first gets up and tries to fumble his way through avoidances before Perci jumps down and slides her hand down his arm to his own, and points towards a place they can walk to and talk together at.
Shyly, Sonic continues to try and get out fo the awkward situation he wasn’t planning for. However, he ends up stumbling along with her leading the way, and Amy close behind them as she continues to dart into hiding and silently judge their interaction.
Once sitting on a bench, Perci holds herself erect and looks around to check and make sure Amy kept up with them.
Amy’s ‘ouch!’es and ‘Ah!’s reach her ears as she turns to see the bushes rattling.
Pleased, she smiles and began her act.
“So, Sonic.” she pats her lap with her hands, before scooting closer to him, and then, faking interest, she puts her hands under her chin to hold her head up, leaning towards him. “Haven’t you ever hung out with other girls before?”
“Eh-heh…heh..heh.” Sonic sweats, looking around to avoid eye-contact. “Have I been around other girls, Y-yes. In this close of a proximity, ehh… j-just one, but under entirely different circumstances.” he spoke awkwardly and she giggled, encouraging the odd behavior before turning her back to him and scotting closer, getting him to the edge of his seat and pressing her back against his side.
“Under… what circumstances? Are you saying you’ve never really been this close to a girl before?”
Sonic’s muffled whimpers showed he wasn’t expecting this AT ALL. She honestly wondered for a moment if she should lighten up on the guy for a moment, before hearing teeth grinding sharply in the bushes.
She smiled, perking up and hoping he’d say something to please Amy.
She shifted towards him, poking his chest with a playful finger, twirling it to make him completely unaware of the trap she was setting up for the two fo them.
“So.. Am I your first date, then?”
“LIKE HECK YOU ARE!”
“A-Amy!”
“Hmm?”
With a clever cock of her eyebrow, she smirked at how fast her little scheme had hooked its fish.
“Oh no. Am I interrupting something?” she played dumb, putting her hand to her mouth and acting innocently shocked at Amy’s outburst.
Amy shook a blind fist at her, “Y-yooouuu…” Sensing her act, Amy twitched with rage, before Sonic quickly shook his hands out, getting up, and shifting his eyes to Perci and then Amy.
“A-Ames! Listen! I-It’s not what it looks like!” he pleaded, and Perci only hid her chuckle at what this scene looked like.
“You… You let her drag you away! Boy, if I wasn’t here… you’d be in a world of trouble!”
“W-what is that suppose to mean!? I can handle myself!” growing defensive, Sonic put a hand on his hip and gestured the other out, challenging her.
‘Uh-oh.’ Perci was hoping he would continue to submit. ‘Things just got interesting..’ as if enjoying her little ‘show’ she pulled up her legs to bend over the bench and happily leaned on the back, watching the two squabble on.
“Yourself!? Haha! Don’t make me laugh! she had you eating out of her hand!”
“What!?”
“You heard me!”
“First of all, I don’t take free food! -U..Unless it’s yours.- AND TWO… well, I haven’t thought of two yet, but- I DON’T NEED YOU WING-GUARDING ME!” he spat out, as Perci’s eyes widened in amusement at that.
She looked at Amy’s hurt expression.
“You…” she stepped back a moment, “You.. don’t want me … to stop her…from taking advantage of you?” she dipped her head down.
“N..No, that’s not… she wasn’t… help me out here, Perci.” Sonic gestured to Amy and looked back to her, as Amy held her arms tightly around herself.
“Um, no thanks. Y-you got this.” she had randomly pulled out a drink and started lightly slurping on it. It was like her own personal liquid popcorn.
His arms flopped down, seeing her lay back and chillax, watching the two in quiet pleasure.
“You… you wanted to go on a date with her?” Amy turned her face away.
Sonic flinched back to her. “D-date!? Who said anything about a date!” he spread his arms out, clearly trying to understand. “Just cause I’m with another girl doesn’t mean-”
“EVEN WHEN YOU PROMISED I WOULD HAVE THE FIRST ONE!?” her fists came crashing down to her sides.
Perci dropped her drink, her straw still in her mouth, having it whiplash and spray some soda on her face, making her pause and blink a moment.
Sonic, embarrassed, stepped back.
He peered and searched the ground as if grasping for an answer. “I.. no… um…”
“FINE! I get it! But what does she have that I don’t!? Why does she deserve the extra attention, huh? HUH?” she was now up in his face, and he was leaning back, a wide scale of his mouth revealed his pearly white teeth and scared expression.
“Is she prettier!? Fight better? Does she make home-cooked meals, take you on picnics and listen to your epic tales of defeating the same old coot time and time again!? Even when they’re so predictable!”
“Hey!” Eggman looked like he was grocery shopping, holding a tin can in his hand and having a bag in his arms.
“No harm intended.” Amy struck a face and looked forward, before glaring back at Sonic.
“I’m only saying that out of all your female friends in your life... I SCHOOL THEM ALL!”
Sonic finally was bending so far over that he fell, but ironically, Amy was about to lose her balance and fall after him until Perci got up and pulled her back, looping an arm around her shoulders.
“In other words..” she placed a hand on her hip and leaned forward. “You two-timing cheater.”
Sonic kicked the dirt back a minute, “W-what?” he was too awestruck by Amy’s outburst to understand her clearly.
She moved over to him, threw some gum in her mouth, chewed, and then kicked him.
“You have a girl who cares about you already. And you made me believe we were something? Tsk, tsk.” she fibbed, before dramatically moving her arm over her head and the other one to her heart.
“I can never compete with such a rogue~ Besides, she’s way more loyal than I’ll be.” she popped the gum, acting completely normal again and then waved the two off. “Bye.”
Sonic zipped his head up again, watching her walk off before looking to Amy.
“Wait..” he shook his head, Did I just accidentally get two girlfriends?”
“But you’re going straight back to square one!” Amy leaned down, grabbing him by the back of his bandana and dragging him away.
He kicked and pleaded for her to understand and stop, still confused, before suddenly laughing.
“What’s so funny?!” Amy spun around, letting him drop on the ground again and folding her arms as she loomed over him.
He smiled up at her, “She was right! She could never be as loyal as you are to me, Ames.”
She blushed.
“If you were my girlfriend, I really couldn’t go anywhere!”
She twitched in rage again.
“I..” Her body quaked in sudden nerves.
“I am your girlfriend…”
“Haha! What was that?”
“….S-shut up!” she grabbed him by the bandana again, as his laughter completely subsided and returned him to a shocked state.
“You’re still in trouble, Mister!”
“Man… maybe they’re right. You do sound like a-”
He stopped when he saw her expression.
Reading into her like he never had before, his mouth suddenly dropped open.
She was acting angry.. but every time he laughed, her eyes grew glossy with sorrow and pain.
Unable to hurt her again by denying her as his girlfriend, he sighed and shrugged with a pathetic smile.
“How can I make it up to you this time… Amy?”
“You can start by saying how great I am to you.” She barely noticed how he changed his tone with the sounding of her name.
“The greatest.”
The line literally put Amy into shock, and she suddenly blinked her eyes and leaned away from him.
He smiled like a Casanova, before looking away with a sly expression.
“Perci was just a passing fling.”
Amy pouted, having hoped he meant something from that previous line…
“It’s her sister that’s got the real bod!” he kid, but it was too late for redemption now.
They say that that night, there was a shooting star that could be heard wailing out in terror across the sky as a hammer sound whacked it over the length of the island.
#sonamy#sonic boom#sonamy boom#boom!sonamy#sonic boom prompt#sonamy prompt#sonamy boom prompt#amy rose#boom!amy#boom!sonic#sonic#cutegirlmayra
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Epic Battle Darth Vader vs Maul: Which Sith Lord Is More Powerful https://youtu.be/ZvX0sEp4cdw Ever because Darth Maul exposed his double-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, individuals have actually discussed if the Sith Lord wasmuch more effective than theStar Wars legend's best bad guy, Darth Vader. Although his just significant look in the motion pictures remained in The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul left a long lasting perception on target markets. His enormous layout, acrobatic dealing with design, distinct lightsaber as well as, maybe, the extraordinary soundtrack throughout his battle, all assisted him end up being one more renowned Star Wars personality. WhileMaul's loss by a young Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared quite conclusive, in a universe where mechanical arm or legs as well as body organs are conveniently offered, it’s not a shock that Darth Maul at some point re-emerged on the cinema in Solo: A Star Wars Story. He was likewise an invited enhancement to Star Wars Rebels as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars. These duties exposed a little bit much more regarding his inspirations, as well as progressed Maul past what The Phantom Menace revealed,transforming him right into a completely three-dimensional personality, as well as showcased even more of his powersas well as capacitiesMeanwhile, Darth Vader is, undeniably, among one of the most well-known bad guys of perpetuity many thanks to his duty in the initial Star Wars trilogy. His trip from Jedi to Sith was the subject of the innovator trilogy also, however he likewise showed up in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in a ruthless scene that lastly showcased his powers at the elevation of the Empire’s guideline. https://videofeed.tv/movies-upcoming-releases-trailers/will-there-be-a-star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-8/ Considering his notoriety, it’s difficult to reject that Darth Vader is the much moreeffective of both, however his triumph over Maul wouldn’t come conveniently.As the Emperor’s enforcer, Vader is frightening. His unplanned use the Force versus non-Force customers paints him as a cooling number without any agitations of utilizing his powers versus those that can’t resist. However, his document of lightsaber battles versus various other Jedi as well as Sith is a little shakier. As Anakin Skywalker, his combating abilities went over, however not nearly enough to beat Obi-Wan on Mustafar throughout Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. And that battle transformed him right into even more device than male – significantly deteriorating him literally for the rest of his life. His older, much heavier kind might be at a downside when dealing with somebody as active as well as rapid as Darth Maul. If Maul managed to trap as well as surprise Vader, the ensuing lightsaber fight could start in Maul’s favor. However, Vader’s Force skills would change the tide of the battle very quickly. While Maul's own powers are considerable, as evidenced in his own brutal hallway fight in The Clone Wars, Anakin was born to bring balance back to the Force. Darth Vader is the Chosen One, as well as his connection to the Force is thus unparalleled. The powerDarth Vader wields can be translated into devastating telekinesis, Force chokes, and mind attacks. Vader is capable of repairing his suit mid-battle, tossing AT-DP walkers aside, and invading the minds of opponents without losing stamina. One moment of hesitation from Darth Maul would mean a piece of the scenery being hurled at him faster than he can dodge. And while Vader’s machine body might slow him, it also provides a strong defense against Maul’s lightsaber attacks. The longer the fight goes on, the weaker Maul’s advantages would become. What Vader lacks in finesse, he more than compensates with sheer raw power. Not only that, but he had the backing and resources to hunt down any enemy to the ends of the galaxy, leading Stormtroopers and Sith Inquisitors. Meanwhile, Darth Maul lost control of his criminal organization Crimson Dawn and was eventually defeated again by Obi-Wan. Finally, Darth Maul himself admitted he wasn’t capable of facing Vader alone in Star Wars Rebels. And while the story in question is no longer part of the official Star Wars canon, Darth Vaderfought and defeated Maul in comicStar Wars Tales #9. In the end, the only one who might get close enough to Darth Vader as well as get to the excellent male within was Luke Skywalker. https://videofeed.tv/movies-upcoming-releases-trailers/star-wars-what-went-wrong-with-palpatines-rise-of-skywalker-return/
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#tiaet#trapped in an epic tale#tiaet fol#trapped in an epic tale: fall of light#tiaet rob#trapped in an epic tale: return of balance#art#art tag#artwork#artists on tumblr#tumblr polls#my polls#polls#poll time#tarot cards
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#tiaet#trapped in an epic tale#TiaET fol#Trapped in an Epic Tale: Fall of Light#TiaET rob#Trapped in an Epic Tale: Return of Balance
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The 15 Best Nintendo Switch RPGs
Full of both brand-new vibrant titles and critically acclaimed classics, the Nintendo Switch has become a hot commodity among the gaming world.
The Nintendo Switch video games bring this iconic storytelling on the go.
Switch video games have as wide a range of addicting games as any home-based console. You can find everything from Animal Crossing New Horizons to the beloved creations of Square Enix.
There are so many to cover; we could spend an entire day going over all the fantastic games produced on the Nintendo Switch!
Lucky for you, we have pulled our 15 best Nintendo Switch Roleplaying games for you to try!
The 15 Best Nintendo Switch RPGs
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a massive, sprawling open-world RPG. It is a world full of Titans – enormous living creatures that house entire civilizations on their bodies. Along the way, you’ll meet a wide variety of characters, solve a bunch of quests, and save the world.
Created by Monolift Soft, the same creators of Breath of the Wild, there is no doubting the quality of the creation. Ambitious, enormous, and enthralling it delivers a memorable experience.
If you are ready to play and save the world of Alrest, you must first demystify its cloudy past.
Love this title and waiting for more? The Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch in May 2020!
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Our next installment Nintendo Switch installment, hardly needs an introduction as it falls amongst one of the most classic and iconic series, Zelda. In Breath of the Wild, we return to the expansively beautiful and colorfully captivating land of Hyrule. Reprising your role as Link, you embark on another brilliant adventure.
But what elevates Breath of Wild above its open-world contemporaries is its sheer freedom. This open-world allows you to run, climb, or jump anywhere you want to go. Part of the intrigue? You must figure out how to get there.
Additionally, Breath of the Wild’s skillful combat is as approachable as it is deep, but you’ll need to study and refine it if you want to survive into later part of the game.
With its open-world design, endless mystery, and a plethora of things being dangled in front of you for you to explore, Breath of the Wild will always leave you wanting more.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive – Edition
You are the Luminary, the hunted hero who will protect the land from destruction in the latest Switch RPG from the iconic Dragon Quest series. With a shaggy group of adventurers, you’ll engage in well-balanced, turn-based battles and embark on quests across the kingdom of Erdrea.
You can even complete the new tale with new character-focused stories, and travel to past Dragon Quest worlds.
With fully voiced dialogues and rich character personalities, this Nintendo Switch RPG truly brings your imagination to life if you haven’t tried Dragon Quest before I highly suggest that you start now.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
The brilliant cover art alone makes you want to give this Switch RPG a second glance! Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the story of three separate houses, territories, and journeys.
War is coming to the continent of Fódlan. Here, the order is maintained by the Church of Seiros, which hosts the prestigious Officer’s Academy within its headquarters. You are invited to teach one of its three mighty houses. As their professor, you must lead your students in their academic lives and, in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic, new twists to overcome.
Which house, and which path, will you choose?
Grab yourself a copy of this Switch RPG and embark on this intriguing story!
Diablo III: Eternal Edition
You’re a surrounded world’s only defense against Heaven and Hell. Diablo III: Eternal Collection is a lovely port of a classic RPG loot-a-thon that keeps its feet firmly in the past.
The execution is excellent, but while gameplay is fantastic for some to others, it may be an acquired taste. The primary gameplay is exactly that, an abundance of loot collection while slashing hordes upon hordes of enemies. Its visuals are also clear and functional if not especially impressive, but performance is top-notch to make up for it.
If you’re looking for epic grinding, hordes of loot, and a dark continuous storyline, this is definitely the game for you.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
There is no surprise here that we have an epic Pokémon game on the Nintendo Switch list!
Pokémon Sword and Shield succeed in bringing some new ideas to the table. The vast expanse of land in the Galar region, known as the Wild Area, is both colorful and beautiful. The wonders of exploring the Wild Area feel like the true evolution of the series. They even expanded to having an online competition: Galar Beginnings!
On the whole, Pokémon Sword and Shield are an excellent start to the HD generation of Pokémon games. Now It’s time to begin your adventure as a Pokémon Trainer by choosing one of three new partners!
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is an excellent example of what developers should aspire to do with remastering old games; this is the best-designed and most enjoyable version of this RPG classic currently on the market, and it can all be played on the go.
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age improves upon the 2006 classic FINAL FANTASY® XII, now more beautiful and easier to play than ever. The high-definition remaster introduces several modern advancements, including reconstructed battle design and a revamped job system.
The Gambit-focused combat system still proves to be one of the best we’ve seen in an RPG to date, making it dangerously easy for hours to slip by as you work on min-maxing characters to the best of their abilities.
Players, both returning and new to the game, will experience a grand adventure that spans the world of Ivalice in an entirely fresh and improved way.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age may not prove to be the most iconic Final Fantasy ever made, but it’s still a really great game in its own right.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
While Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition doesn’t make any major changes to the original game, it does combine practically every piece of exclusive content into one perfected package.
A power struggle begins in a civilization dependent on an ancient technology, the Blastia, and the Empire that controls it. The fates of two friends traveling separate paths intertwine in an epic adventure that threatens the existence of all.
With the improved graphics in both cutscenes and gameplay, it is impossible to honestly recommend this JRPG classic on anything other than the Nintendo Switch. This RPG game performs exceptionally well in both the docked and the handheld modes.
If you’ve missed out on this classic, there’s never been a better way to rectify that error.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar
Battle Chasers; Nightwar frames a beautiful world with a surprising amount of depth. It is a modernized game version that dabbles in the old school charm of retro RPG design.
It contains an expansive overworld filled with secrets, exploration areas, and dungeons. Dungeons are filled with traps, treasure, and dangerous creatures. It contains enhanced progression through crafting, loot, and enchanting.
The traditional turn-based RPG combat system is used, showing tribute to the original classic battle system styles.
This is a methodically modernized version of the classic RPG games we have come to know and love.
Octopath Traveler
The Square Enix studio developed Octopath Traveler, and it definitely lives up to the expectation in the final product.
From its sensational art style to its impeccable mechanics, it’s the kind of RPG game that keeps an eye on the past while walking bravely into the future. This game has a brilliantly harmonious blend that walks the line between classic history and the bright future.
Octopath Traveler is an excellent game for both fans and newcomers of RPGs; it does a fantastic job of walking that diligent tight rope of accessibility and depth, satisfying both kinds with its bewildering amount of content.
Classic-inspired gameplay, an orchestrated soundtrack, and a unique approach to storytelling make this a game that you won’t want to pass up. An absolute must buy.
Child of Light: Ultimate Edition
Child of Light is a gorgeous RPG developed in the same UbiArt Framework that gifted us Rayman Origins and Legends.
Join Aurora on her journey to save her ailing father and a lost kingdom in the magical world of Lemuria. Along the way, she’ll discover that her destiny may be far greater than she dreamed.
You will battle wicked witches, sea serpents, and oddball creatures. Work together with allies to solve puzzles and mysteries while upgrading your stats, unlocking unique abilities, and using unique gems to improve your skills.
Both pleasantly delightful and carefully crafted, Child of Light: Ultimate Edition is a wonder to play anytime or anywhere.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim is a critically acclaimed cross-platform masterpiece. The expansive world, endless side quests, and fully immersive experience is only improved by being available on the go via Nintendo switch.
The legendary freedom of choice and adventure of Skyrim is realized like never before. Dragons, long lost to the passages of the Elder Scrolls, have returned, and the future of Skyrim hangs in the balance. As Dragonborn, the prophesized hero born with the power of The Voice, you are the only one who can stand amongst them.
Elder Scrolls Skyrim exudes an unparalleled level of freedom and gameplay finesse. This one will keep you fully immersed both on the go and at home.
Dark Souls Remastered
Beautifully remastered, return to Lordran in stunning detail. This remastered version includes the main game plus the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. This marks the franchise’s debut on a Nintendo platform, and for the first time ever, can be played on-the-go with Nintendo Switch.
Delve into an epic dark fantasy universe stricken by the Curse. Explore its intricate world design, full of hidden passages, dungeons, and secrets. It is rich with possibilities having hundreds of unique weapons, armor, magic, and crafting combinations.
Dark Souls even has a multiplayer option of up to 6 people. Whether you are looking to quest alone or conquer with friends, this Nintendo Switch roleplaying game deserves a go!
The World Ends with You: Final Remix
Over ten years on from the Nintendo DS original, The World Ends With You has lost none of the fun or style that made it such a cult classic.
The chaotic battle system, catchy soundtrack, and engaging storyline all combine to make this an unforgettable RPG that hits all the right points.
We follow through Tokyo as Neko, who awoke in the middle of a busy intersection with no knowledge of how he got there. Now he and his partner must fight to survive a life-or-death game in this twisted tale.
The dark story is now brought to life on the Nintendo Switch system along with an extra chapter, exclusive two-player combat, and some killer, new remixed music.
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
This charming tale has been brought to life on the switch using expertly blended standard RPG
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an experience unlike any other on the Switch, expertly combining conventional RPG imaging with a heartwarming story, innovative art style, and an immersive soundtrack composed by some of the best in the business.
Join Oliver as he embarks on an adventure through a world inhabited by new friends and ferocious foes alike in the hopes of bringing back his mother after a tragic incident. Carry a copy of the Wizard’s Companion and accompanies by his trusty friend Drippy, he will cross a lavish fantasy world.
Whether you consider yourself an avid fan or are just looking to dip your toe into the vast sea of RPGs, you owe it to yourself to give Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch a shot.
Wrap Up
This list is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of what the Nintendo Switch has to offer. There are so many different Switch RPG editions that deserve a turn!
Whether you are looking to go on an adventure as Geralt in Witcher Wild Hunt, explore the world of Stardew Valley, or just want to get ridiculous in South Park, you cannot go wrong with the Nintendo Switch.
Grab your Switch, select a game, and begin your adventure into the beautiful unknown.
Are you looking for more RPG Games? Don’t miss our Best RPG lists for the PS1 and PS2!
Where can I buy Nintendo Switch RPG Games?
Nintendo Game Store
Gamestop
Best Buy
Amazon
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NON-STOP SPIDER-MAN #1
JOE KELLY [W] • CHRIS BACHALO (A) • Cover by DAVID FINCH
WRAPAROUND VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS BACHALO
DIE-CUT COVER BY CHRIS BACHALO – ORDER USING CODE MAR201129
HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY LARRY LIEBER
PARTY VARIANT COVER BY TBA
PREMIERE VARIANT COVER BY DAVID FINCH
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
VARIANT COVER BY GREG LAROQUE
VARIANT COVER BY Adam Kubert
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
BLANK VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
BUCKLE UP, TIGER!
Get ready for the most action-packed, pulse-pounding, adrenaline-pumping comic OF ALL TIME! As the name implies, once you read page one, panel one, SPIDER-MAN DOES NOT STOP! A mystery at Empire State University thrusts Spider-Man into an adventure that starts in uptown Manhattan and will take him around the world, pitting him against Marvel Universe villains old and new and give you a Spider-Man adventure (and Spider-Man) the likes of which you’ve never seen.
THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, SO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE READING!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
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THE DARKHOLD ALPHA #1
STEVE ORLANDO [W] • CIAN TORMEY (A) • Cover by GREG SMALLWOOD
TEASER VARIANT BY GREG SMALLWOOD
Variant cover by AARON KUDER
ENTER THE PAGES OF THE DARKHOLD… IF YOU DARE!
Critically acclaimed writer Steve Orlando (Martian Manhunter, Batman, Wonder Woman) makes his Marvel debut with a story that will delight and terrify! For hundreds of years, scholars and heroes alike have searched for the complete text of the Darkhold — A.K.A. the Book of the Damned, written by the elder god Chthon. Now one of the greatest sorcerers in the Multiverse has found it — and Chthon has found him. To save them all, the Scarlet Witch must gather the world’s greatest heroes…and unleash their inner darkness. Witness the Marvel Universe’s descent into chaos!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
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SHANG-CHI #1 (OF 5)
GENE LUEN YANG [W] • DIKE RUAN WITH PHILIP TAN (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Design variant by Jim Cheung
VARIANT COVER BY INHYUK LEE
VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY INHYUK LEE
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY RUDY NEBRES
SNEAKER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
THE MASTER RETURNS!
An ancient and evil secret society has stayed in hiding since the death of their leader, Zheng Zhu. But now his successor has been chosen to shift the balance of power in the world…Zheng Zhu’s son, Shang-Chi! Witness the Marvel Universe’s greatest fighter return to a world of death and destruction he thought he left behind long ago…and discover the secrets to Shang-Chi’s past that will change his world forever.
Don’t miss out on this epic tale of family, betrayal and justice as the incredible team of Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese), Dike Ruan (SPIDER-VERSE, BLACK CAT) and Philip Tan (UNCANNY X-MEN) launch a new chapter in the legend of Shang-Chi!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
EMPYRE #4 (of 6)
AL EWING & DAN SLOTT [W] • VALERIO SCHITI (A) • Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Avengers Variant Cover by ALEXANDER LOZANO
Fantastic Four Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHO
Kree/Skrull Variant Cover by TONY DANIEL
2-PACK ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY LEE GARBETT
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER…
Tensions mount as the action heats up!
As the attack on Wakanda intensifies, the heroes find themselves under attack from their enemies — and their allies!
In a war where nobody can be fully trusted, betrayal cuts deep — as the alien invasion claims its first casualty!
In this issue: The shock ending you never expected! You’ll want to frame it for your wall, True Believer!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
EMPYRE #5 (of 6)
AL EWING & DAN SLOTT [W] • VALERIO SCHITI (A) • Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Avengers Variant Cover by ALEXANDER LOZANO
Fantastic Four Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHO
Kree/Skrull Variant Cover by TONY DANIEL
2-PACK ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
Love and war — in the midst of cosmic cataclysm!
One fan-favorite Marvel hero reveals their secret — as another faces the ultimate showdown with a monstrous foe!
Meanwhile, an outer-space jailbreak leads to a trial by combat you’ll have to see to believe…
…but is it all too late to save Earth from two world-ending threats at once?
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
EMPYRE: SQUADRON SUPREME #2 (OF 2)
MARK WAID [W] • Dio Neves (A) • Cover by PACO MEDINA
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The Squadron Supreme has discovered something that could turn the tide of the invasion!
But overwhelmed by the invaders, will the Squadron be able to battle their way out in time to make a difference?
Or will the Squadron Supreme meet their end in this shocking issue???
32 pages/Rated T+ …$3.99
EMPYRE: CAPTAIN AMERICA #2 (OF 3)
PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON [W] • ARIEL OLIVETTI (A) • COVER BY Mike Henderson
Variant cover by Luke Ross
Earth’s defenses are being overrun!
With his back against the ropes, Captain America reaches out for aid…
…but is there anyone left to hear the call?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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EMPYRE: STORMRANGER #2 (OF 3)
SALADIN AHMED [W] • Danilo S. Beyruth (A)
Cover by Federico Vicentini
VARIANT COVER BY KIM JACINTO
Stormranger finds herself trapped on a space pirate ship with an unlikely ally — the Guardian of the Galaxy known as GAMORA!
Can Stormranger work with someone else long enough to stage a daring jailbreak, or will she leave this ship with a lethal new nemesis?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
EMPYRE: THOR #2 (OF 3)
RAM V [W] • PASQUAL FERRY (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY ED MCGUINNESS
THE GOD OF THUNDER MEETS HIS MATCH!
Aliens are invading Midgard, longtime Asgardian ally and Agent of Wakanda Roz Solomon has gone missing, and Gaea, Thor’s mother and guardian of the Earth, is dying. Thor, the king of Asgard and the god of the storm, has one singular duty: Save. Everyone. So who is this new god standing in his way — and what does he know about Thor’s birthright?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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EMPYRE: THE INVASION OF WAKANDA #2 (OF 3)
Jim Zub [W] • LAN MEDINA (A)
COVER BY Dustin Weaver
VARIANT COVER BY KIM JACINTO
WAKANDA UNDER SIEGE!
Alien weapons, psychic spirits, ancient magic — T’Challa prepared for war, but not even he could have foreseen the forces now brought to bear against his homeland.
If the Great Vibranium Mound is lost to these invaders, our planet will follow…
Yibambe!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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STRIKEFORCE #10
TINI HOWARD [W] GERMÁN PERALTA (A) Cover by JUAN JOSÉ RYP
VARIANT COVER BY DAN MORA
THE SEEDS OF DISCORD!
Aliens are invading Earth, and after taking care of the exiled Vridai, this team is more than prepared to oust unwanted visitors. But their enemy is no delicate flower…and for Wiccan, the stakes are higher than anyone can guess. This is the single issue you’ll wish you’d read – so beat the regret and get on the Strikeforce train before it’s too late!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
LORDS OF EMPYRE: SWORDSMAN #1
ALEX PAKNADEL [W] • THOMAS NACHLIK (A) • Cover by Rod Reis
Variant cover by Jay Anacleto
The swordsman has been resurrected!
But there are more secrets than what lies beyond the grave… Join Swordsman and his son, Quoi, as they embark on a journey of discovery here on Earth – one they can’t walk back from!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
EMPYRE: AVENGERS #3 (of 3)
Jim Zub [W] • Carlos Magno (A) • COVER BY Paul Renaud
Variant cover by Paco Medina
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are caught in a conflict against nature itself as the soul of the Savage Land hangs in the balance.
Guest-starring Ka-Zar, Shanna the She-Devil and the macabre Man-Thing!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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EMPYRE: SPIDER–MAN #3 (of 3)
TARAN KILLAM [W] • DIEGO OLORTEGUI (A) • Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
Variant Cover by Marco Checchetto
If there’s one thing you know about Peter Parker it’s that he will sacrifice his personal life for saving people as Spider-Man.
This time, that sacrifice will change aspects of his relationship with his girlfriend, Mary Jane, but it may save MANY lives. This time from an interstellar invader.
Maybe his burgeoning friendship with a new, strange, very small Spider-Man-obsessed super hero will help fix things?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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EMPYRE: X-MEN #3 & #4 (OF 4)
Issue #3 – ED BRISSON, VITA AYALA & ZEB WELLS [W]
Issue #4 – JONATHAN HICKMAN & TBA [W]
Issue #3 – TBA (A)
Issue #4 – JORGE MOLINA (A)
Issue #3 – cover by EDUARD PETROVICH
Issue #4 – cover by TBA
ISSUE #3 – VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ISSUE #4 – VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ALIENS! PLANT-MEN! MUTANTS! ZOMBIES! OLD WOMEN! DEMONS! EXPLOSIONS!
These issues have more than you ever dreamed to ask for. And then some.
40 PGS.(each)/Rated T+ …$4.99 (each)
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THE UNION #2 (OF 5)
PAUL GRIST [W] • Andrea Di Vito (A) • Cover by Paco Medina
EMPYRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
DESIGN VARIANT COVER BY R.B. SILVA
The Union must battle for their lives (and each other) as the Empyre Invasion crescendos!
Thrust unto the global stage, will they be able to prove themselves as a team or will they crumble as the world watches?
Plus, a devastating blow to the fledgling team rocks them to their very core!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
CAPTAIN MARVEL #20
KELLY THOMPSON [W] • CORY SMITH (A) • Cover by JORGE MOLINA
EMPYRE VARIANT COVER BY JEFF DEKAL
THE ACCUSER CORPS!
Captain Marvel recruits some of her closest allies to unravel the mystery of the Universal Weapon — and the woman she’s meant to accuse. But is Carol splitting her power just when she’ll need it most? And how is the united Kree/Skrull Empire going to react to three more HUMAN Accusers?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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FANTASTIC FOUR #23
DAN SLOTT [W] • SEAN IZAAKSE (A) • Cover by NICK BRADSHAW
EMPYRE VARIANT COVER BY KHOI PHAM
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The ultimate Omni-Wave Projector — built by Valeria Richards, powered Franklin Richards. In their hands, it could lay waste to the Empyre…
…but what if it fell into the hands of the Celestial Assassins? A tipping point in the Empyre saga! A fight that Spider-Man and Wolverine can’t afford to lose! And two lives that that will be forever changed!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #21 FACSIMILE EDITION
Written by JIM SHOOTER & DAVID MICHELINIE
Penciled by PAUL RYAN Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
The comics wedding of the twentieth century! Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to join Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in holy matrimony — that is, unless Electro ruins any chance of Spider-Man making it down the aisle! Or unless Peter and MJ’s respective cold feet get in the way! Before the celebrations can begin, the bride and groom have plenty of soul-searching to do — and they’ll need the support of both family and friends to get them both to the church on time…or nearly on time! Will Spider-Man and the amazing Mary Jane say, “I do”? It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all! Reprinting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #21.
48 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
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X-MEN #30 FACSIMILE EDITION
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA Penciled by ANDY KUBERT Cover by ANDY KUBERT
Relive the moment X-Men fans spent decades waiting for: the wedding of Jean Grey and Scott Summers! After years of tragedy and torment, death and rebirth, Cyclops and Marvel Girl finally say “I do”!!” And it’s cause for not just celebration but also reflection as Professor X takes stock of how far his dream has come and how his original students have grown. The X-Men’s X-tended friends and family descend on the mansion to join the festivities — but a longtime ally’s absence is deeply missed. Will the wedding go as planned? Can the X-Men finally relax and be happy? And once the vows are exchanged and the first dance is over, who will catch the bouquet? It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all! Reprinting X-MEN (1991) #30.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
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JUGGERNAUT #2 (OF 5)
FABIAN NICIEZA [W] • RON GARNEY (A) • Cover by GEOFF SHAW
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
SMASH OR BE SMASHED!
Juggernaut isn’t the only one who’s left destruction in his wake, and he thinks it’s about time for the IMMORTAL HULK to take responsibility for his actions!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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X-MEN #12
JONATHAN HICKMAN [W] • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A/C)
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY MIKE MAYHEW
THE SUMMONING BEGINS.
A lead-in to the biggest X-story of the summer.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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CHILDREN OF THE ATOM #3
VITA AYALA [W] • BERNARD CHANG (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY R.B. SILVA
ORIGIN REVEALED!
Who are the X-Men’s sidekicks behind the masks? Meanwhile, a brand new alternative medicine is changing lives at school, but who’s recruiting the victims – I mean patients?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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X-FACTOR #3
LEAH WILLIAMS [W] • DAVID BALDEÓN (A) • Cover by IVAN SHAVRIN
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
DROWNING IN THE STREAM!
Every streamer in the Mojoverse is desperate to get a little of the X-magic on their channel, but all X-Factor wants to do is figure out who murdered a Krakoan citizen.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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HELLIONS #4
ZEB WELLS [W] • STEPHEN SEGOVIA (A/C)
HAVOK STANDS ALONE!
Krakoa’s resident rabble are up against the grand dame of the damned — the Goblin Queen, Madelyne Pryor! Talk about a return that could raise some havoc!
32 PGS./PARENTAL ADVISORY …$3.99
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CABLE #4
GERRY DUGGAN [W] • PHIL NOTO (A/C)
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
FORCED INTO A CORNER…
Ancient knights from another galaxy are targeting Cable…and he’s got no choice but to give them what they want!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: STORM #1
JONATHAN HICKMAN [W] • RUSSELL DAUTERMAN (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY JEN BARTEL
HICKMAN & DAUTERMAN TAKE FLIGHT AGAIN!
In GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: JEAN GREY & EMMA FROST, Hickman and Dauterman took Jean and Emma into Storm’s mind to learn what had happened to her. Now they take the X-Men’s resident goddess to the far end of the world to save herself!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/ Rated T+ …$4.99
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WOLVERINE #5
BENJAMIN PERCY [W] • VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC (A) • Cover by ADAM KUBERT
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
BLOOD CLOCKS!
In the snowbound darkness of the north, Wolverine is the prisoner of Dracula. By forming an unlikely alliance, Logan fights back. Stakes, claws, tricked-out snowmobiles and wintry mayhem await you.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
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EXCALIBUR #12
TINI HOWARD [W] • MARCUS TO (A) • Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
SECRETS OF THE BOOK!
With Rictor in his clutches, Apocalypse must survive long enough to begin the ritual he has waited on for eons.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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X-MEN: DAWN OF X SAGA #1
JESS HARROLD [W] • VARIOUS (A)
Catch up on the revolutionary new era for the X-Men! Jonathan Hickman transformed everything in the pages of HOUSE OF X and POWERS OF X, bringing all of mutantkind together on the island nation of Krakoa! Witness the many lives of Moira MacTaggert that paved the way for the Dawn of X — and experience Charles Xavier’s world-altering announcement! As the X-Men ally with former foes to act as ambassadors for this brave new nation, strange and different mutant teams come together! Captain Kate Pryde leads the seafaring Marauders, rescuing mutants and protecting Krakoa’s interests! Betsy Braddock, the new Captain Britain, assembles her own Excalibur! Kwannon, now known as Psylocke, leads fellow Fallen Angels in battle! The New Mutants head into deep space to find an old friend! And X-Force, the mutant CIA, does whatever it takes to keep Krakoa safe!
32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99
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MARAUDERS #12
Gerry Duggan [W] • MATTEO LOLLI (A) • Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
RED RECKONING!
The Black King removed the Red Queen from the board…what move will the White Queen make?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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NEW MUTANTS #12
ED BRISSON [W] • MARCO FAILLA (A) • Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
The human world never seems to tire of lashing out at Krakoa. The NEW MUTANTS have their ways of striking back.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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X-FORCE #12
BENJAMIN PERCY [W] • BAZALDUA (A) • Cover by Dustin Weaver
THE CEREBRO SWORD!
After taking on the Flower Cartel, Logan has brought back valuable intel to the mutant CIA. The non-treaty nation of Russia is working to undermine Krakoa — and may be aligned with Xeno. Beast wants Colossus on their side as the first drumbeats of war begin to sound.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
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THE MARVELS #2
KURT BUSIEK [W] • YILDIRAY CINAR (A) • Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant cover by Dan Panosian
Aero. The Punisher. The Black Cat. Melinda May. The Terrible Tinkerer. And more.
There’s an aftermath in Manhattan, after the explosion in our first issue — and a crisis in the nation of Siancong as things go from bad to worse. And amid all that, meet Kevin Schumer, an ordinary guy with some big secrets…and see more of the mysterious Threadneedle and the role he’ll play in our building epic. Marvel’s most wide-ranging thriller continues, from Kurt (MARVELS) Busiek and Yildiray (X-MEN) Cinar. And you’ll never guess where we go next.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
MARVELS X #6 (of 6)
ALEX ROSS & JIM KRUEGER [W] • WELL–BEE (A) • Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by WELL–BEE
The war to tear down the Baxter Building continues while those heroes left in New York seek a cure for whatever it is that has transformed everyone they ever loved into mutants. Even the gods themselves don’t know their place in a world where all of man has become a deity unto itself. Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Well-Bee conclude the incredible prequel to the EARTH X trilogy.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
MARVEL #4 (of 6)
ALEX ROSS, STEVE DARNALL, DANIEL ACUÑA, DOUG RICE & MARK WAID [W]
ALEX ROSS, DANIEL ACUÑA, LUCIO PARRILLO & HILARY BARTA (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY Daniel ACUÑA
As Doctor Strange continues to contend with the machinations of Nightmare in the framing story by Alex Ross and Steve Darnall, a bevy of other creators lend their talents to stories from all across the Marvel Universe: Daniel Acuña spins a saga of the Deviants in the world of the future; Doug Rice and Hilary Barta explore the earliest adventures of Doctor Droom during the time of the Marvel monsters; and Mark Waid and Lucio Parillo pit the Hulk against a fighting mad Wolverine in a brutal painted saga!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
CAPTAIN MARVEL: MARVELS SNAPSHOT #1
MARK WAID [W] • COLLEEN DORAN (A) Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant cover by Colleen Doran
HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER BY DAVE COCKRUM
A team of heroes fights a stirring battle for the safety of the planet. A young woman struggles with desperation and despair, trying to cope in the modern world. But that’s only the beginning. Superstar creators MARK WAID (Kingdom Come, FANTASTIC FOUR) and COLLEEN DORAN (SPIDER-MAN, A Distant Soil) tell a tale of inspiration within inspiration, as we see how the world’s marvels have inspired others – and how they’ve been inspired themselves. Featuring Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and a few surprises.
40 PGS./One–Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
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CIVIL WAR: MARVELS SNAPSHOT #1
SALADIN AHMED [W] • Ryan Kelly (A) Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant cover by Ryan Kelly
HIDDEN GEM VARIANT COVER
BY MICHAEL TURNER
In the heart of the Civil War event, a human story unfolds. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, doing his best to do the job with honor – but is that possible anymore? A young, low-level super hero, trying to help his neighbors – but that’s not even legal any more. The two come together in a story that’ll test their commitment, ideals, hopes and dreams, by Hugo-Award-winning writer Saladin Ahmed (Miles Morales: Spider-Man, The Magnificent Ms. Marvel) and artist Ryan Kelley (Lucifer, Stranger Things). Featuring Captain America, Giant-Man, Maria Hill and more.
40 PGS./One–Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
AMERICA CHAVEZ: MADE IN THE USA #1 (OF 5)
KALINDA VAZQUEZ [W] • CARLOS GÓMEZ (A) Cover by SARA PICHELLI
VARIANT COVER BY STEPHANIE HANS
VARIANT COVER BY JUNGGEUN YOON
VARIANT COVER BY ELIZABETH TORQUE
WHO IS AMERICA?
America Chavez is incredible – her origins, her strength, her dimension-shattering star portals! But when the foundation of everything she believes is shaken, America will stand up and face the parts of herself she’s been running from. From writer Kalinda Vazquez (Marvel’s Runaways) and artist Carlos Gomez (Amazing Mary Jane) comes an explosive, brand-new story all about what made America Chavez who she is – and what she’ll do to protect the ones she loves.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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Infinite Destinies
The Infinity Stones are destined to return! Both new and iconic characters seek to wield them leading to a titantic clash in Infinite Destinies, which will lay the groundwork for future stories re-shaping the Marvel Universe!
But in the final battle…who will possess the stones?
JUNE
Iron Man Annual #1
Guest-Starring: Quantum!
Captain America Annual #1
Guest-Starring: Overtime!
JULY
Thor Annual #1
Guest-Starring: Spirit of Corruption!
Black Cat Annual #2
Guest-Starring: White Fox!
AUGUST
Avengers Annual #1
Guest-Starring: CLASSIFIED!
Black Panther Annual #1
Guest-Starring: Amulet!
SEPTEMBER
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
Guest-Starring: Prince of Power!
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2
Guest-Starring: Star!
IRON MAN ANNUAL #1
JED MACKAY [W] • Ibraim Robserson • Cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Variant Cover by TRAVIS CHAREST
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
IRON MAN VERSUS QUANTUM!
When Iron Man learns about the strange people who kidnapped and tortured Miles Morales, he HAS to look into it. What he finds out about the Assessor and especially Quantum will shock him and you! Don’t miss this in depth look at some of the coolest new villains and the groundwork laid for major future Marvel stories!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Part 1 (of 8) of “Super-Spy vs. Super-Spy”- Nick Fury is Agent of Nothing and Phil Coulson is Agent of Mephisto. For the first time since Coulson came back from the dead, these two brothers-in-arms will face off.
40 PGS./One–Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
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CAPTAIN AMERICA ANNUAL #1
GERRY DUGGAN [W] • MARCO CASTIELLO (A) • COVER BY ALEX GARNER
VARIANT COVER BY TRAVIS CHAREST
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
CAPTAIN AMERICA VERSUS OVERTIME!
The fugitive known as Overtime broke out of death row when the time stone chose to bond with his soul, giving him powers he barely understood. Now, thanks to Captain America… his time is up.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Part 2 (of 8) of “Super-Spy vs. Super-Spy”!
40 PGS./One–Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
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SILVER SURFER BLACK DIRECTOR’S CUT #1 & #2 (OF 5)
DONNY CATES & TRADD MOORE [W] • TRADD MOORE (A/C)
ISSUE #1 – A life-altering saga for the Silver Surfer – represented in full splendor befitting the Sentinel of the Spaceways! Spinning out of events in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, many of the universe’s greatest defenders have been blown through a black hole, including the Surfer! But Norrin Radd’s story doesn’t end there. Lost in space and time, he faces a battle unlike any he has known before – a fight to save his own soul! The transformative series from comic book superstars Donny Cates (VENOM, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) and Tradd Moore (ALL-NEW GHOST RIDER, VENOM) is given the Director’s Cut treatment, featuring Moore’s cosmic power-packed pencils – and more behind-the-scenes extras!
ISSUE #2 – The Surfer has been marooned across the cosmos! Facing oblivion, Norrin Radd must risk everything to beat back a void that threatens to swallow the galaxy whole! But with darkness infecting his body, can he stand against an ancient and horrible alien god? The transformative series from comic book superstars Donny Cates (VENOM, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) and Tradd Moore (ALL-NEW GHOST RIDER, VENOM) is given the Director’s Cut treatment, featuring Moore’s complete cosmic power-packed pencils – and more behind-the-scenes extras!
56 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$4.99 (EACH)
Shop HERE for SILVER SURFER Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
W.E.B. OF SPIDER-MAN #1 (OF 5)
KEVIN SHINICK [W] • ROBERTO DISALVO (A) • Cover by GURIHIRU
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ATTRACTION VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
Peter Parker. Spider-Man. Scientist. Troublemaker?
Thanks to none other than Tony Stark, a new scientific research station for the teenage heroes of the Marvel Universe has just been completed – and Spider-Man just got an invitation to join! Working alongside some of your favorite faces from the MU and a whole bunch of awesome new gadgets, and with Iron Man keeping an eye on the them, surely everything’s going to go great for the heroes, right?
…Right?
Face front, True Believers, and treat yourself to this first issue in an adventure of the WORLDWIDE ENGINEERING BRIGADE!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
TASKMASTER #3 (OF 5)
JED MACKAY [W] • ALESSANDRO VITTI (A) • Cover by VALERIO GIANGIORDANO
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
TARGET: AMI HAN
Taskmaster’s journey to clear his name brings him to South Korea’s national super human espionage agency! But before he can target Director Han, he’ll have to go toe-to-toe with the White Fox!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
BLACK WIDOW #3
KELLY THOMPSON [W] • ELENA CASAGRANDE (A) • Cover by ADAM HUGHES
Variant cover by ANNIE WU
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY EMA LUPACCHINO
WHITE…WIDOW?!
Nobody who knows Natasha Romanoff would have imagined THIS when hearing the words “White Widow,” but nothing about this new Nat is what anyone could have imagined. It’s no surprise that she’s looking sublime in white, but who’s the lucky groom? And is this a match for love…or death?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for BLACK WIDOW Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
NEW WARRIORS #3 (OF 5)
DANIEL KIBBLESMITH [W] Luciano Vecchio (A) COVER BY R.B. SILVA
Variant cover by PACO MEDINA
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
AT WAR WITH THE CHAMPIONS!
Night Thrasher and his New Warriors picked a side – the side of the law! And that means shutting down teenage vigilantes…even if they’re supposed to be friends. Luckily Night Thrasher doesn’t need friends. At least, that’s the lesson he’s giving his new recruits – after kicking one of them out. Turmoil abounds! Betrayal lurks around every corner! Villains are revealed! It’s another can’t-miss issue with the tightest team around!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
POWER PACK #3 (OF 5)
RYAN NORTH [W] • NICO LEON (A) Cover by Carlos Gómez
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER
BY PEACH MOMOKO
The Power Pack is in over their heads (metaphorically) as their powers are (literally) about to start misbehaving and shutting down!
Only they don’t know that yet, which is what’s known to STUFFY OLD LITERATURE PROFESSORS as “dramatic irony” and known to everyone else as “oh dang, that’s some exciting and suspenseful comic soliciting!” Sophocles used it! Shakespeare used it! Now it is our turn to experience dramatic irony.
As if that weren’t enough, the Power Pack faces ANOTHER threat they never saw coming, delivered to them by special guest…TASKMASTER!
Honestly, given how badly things are going, it really seems that one or more of the Power Pack should die in this issue. DO THEY?
Heck, you’ll have to buy this (Julie-narrated!) issue to find out!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
CHAMPIONS #3
EVE L. EWING [W] • SIMONE DI MEO (A) • Cover by TONI INFANTE
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY VALENTINE PASCHE
The Champions are on the run! Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man, Nova and Ironheart race to stay one step ahead of C.R.A.D.L.E., but someone keeps leaking their location, and they’re running out of places to hide.
With a spy in their midst and their allies locked up in a disturbing correctional school, they’ll turn to the one adult they know they can still trust…
32 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99
MAGNIFICENT MS. MARVEL #16
SALADIN AHMED [W] • Minkyu Jung (A) Cover by EDUARD PETROVICH
AMULET RETURNS – just in time for C.R.A.D.L.E. and Dum Dum Dugan to crack down on the teen heroes of Jersey City!
An arcane horror threatens everything Amulet and Ms. Marvel hold dear – but can they do anything to stop it when they could be arrested at any moment?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
STRANGE ACADEMY #4
SKOTTIE YOUNG [W] • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C) VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT VARIANT COVER BY ART ADAMS
TAG, YOU’RE IT!
The students at the Strange Academy blow off their homework for the craziest game of tag ever.
Every door of Strange Academy holds a surprise – one takes you to Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, another to Weirdworld, another to Asgard; and some doors’ destinations are unknown even to Strange himself.
The students plan on stepping through every door, and at least one of the students will bear some significant consequences of their actions.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
2020 iWolverine #2 (OF 2)
LARRY HAMA [W] • ROLAND BOSCHI (A) • Cover by Juan JOSÉ Ryp
VARIANT COVER BY DAVE JOHNSON
Murder in Madripoor!
Albert may have recovered Elsie-Dee, but the bloodshed isn’t over yet…
When the two androids attempt to get revenge, they’ll find that their enemies aren’t the only things at risk for permanent deletion!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
IRON MAN 2020 #6 (OF 6)
DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE [W] • PETE WOODS (A)
5th Color Fluorescent Ink Cover by PETE WOODS
Variant Cover by Takeshi Okazaki
Connecting Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
Variant Cover by RON LIM
Heads Variant Cover by SUPERLOG
Throw out the rest of your stupid, worthless flesh-bag calendars. 2020 is over, man! The moment Arno Stark has been preparing for is here: the end of all human and artificial life as we know it! All this time you thought he was just some egomaniacal jerk; well, who’s laughing now? Well…no one really. We’re all about to die.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Shop HERE for IRON MAN Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
PUNISHER VS. BARRACUDA #3 (OF 5)
ED BRISSON [W] • DECLAN SHALVEY (A) Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
Variant Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY
VARIANT COVER BY DAVE JOHNSON
GATOR BAIT!
Punisher brings hell to the Miami Mafia, but they already have more than enough to worry about.
Barracuda is armed to the teeth and has forced a crew of angry backwoods bigots to help him in his mission of vengeance, but he still feels like something is missing. What could it be?
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the swamp…meet Trixie, a fun-loving Florida gal with a heck of a smile.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Shop HERE for PUNISHER Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #3 (OF 4)
TABOO & BENJAMIN JACKENDOFF [W] • SCOT EATON (A)
Cover by Mike McKone
Variant Cover by James Stokoe
WOLF FIGHT!
Red Wolf and Werewolf by Night battle it out under an Arizona moon!
What is the true history of this werewolf curse?
Who really runs Life Pharmaceuticals, and what plans do they have for our heroes in that big glass tower?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
SPIDER-MAN NOIR #4 (of 5)
MARGARET STOHL [W] JUAN FERREYRA (A) Cover by DAVE RAPOZA
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The drums of war continue to beat SPIDER-MAN NOIR down as he finds himself buried in the deserts of Babylon!
Will the sands drown our hero, or will he withstand the hammering and save the day?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
GWEN STACY #5 (of 5)
CHRISTOS GAGE [W] • TODD NAUCK (A) Cover by MIGUEL MERCADO
Variant Cover by Greg Smallwood
Gwen continues, against her father’s wishes, to clear George Stacy’s good name.
She’s been threatened, attacked and belittled, but Gwen has no quit in her.
This final issue of the series pits her up against a man of rising importance in the NYC criminal underworld: Wilson Fisk, the future Kingpin of Crime.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
SPIDER-WOMAN #4
KARLA PACHECO [W] • PERE PéREZ (A) • Cover by JUNGGEUN YOON
VILLAIN VARIANT COVER BY JUNGGEUN YOON
SNEAKER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN!
Spider-Woman finds herself in the last place on Earth she wants to be: Wundagore Mountain.
What could possibly bring Jess back to the place that gave her powers? Who would put someone through that trauma? The answers will shock you!
It’s about to get very, VERY personal.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #47
NICK SPENCER [W] • MARCELO FERREIRA (A) • Cover by JOSEMARIA CASANOVAS
Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY LEE GARBETT
“SINS RISING” PART 3
Sin Eater has leveled up and is looking for more sins to eat.
His new target? A place with plenty of sins to go around: Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane.
Spider-Man faces a conundrum he hasn’t faced before, and it is messing him up.
We are one month from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN LGY #850 and it is going to be a doozy.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #48
NICK SPENCER [W] • Mark Bagley (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY MARK BAGLEY
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY DAVID LOPEZ
Spider-Man has been pushed harder than he has in a very long time and in ways he has never been before.
How far can he be pushed before he breaks?
Who he has to face this issue is going to answer that very clearly as we are one issue from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN LGY #850!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
AMAZING MARY JANE #9
Leah Williams [W] ZÉ CARLOS (A) COVER BY PAULO SIQUEIRA
There are snakes and serpents everywhere in Anaconda, Montana, some you’ll recognize, and some hide in the shadows.
If a battle can be won with positivity and force of will, you know Mary Jane Watson is up to the challenge!
But what if someone comes packing a grudge and some literal–futuristic–firepower?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #19
SALADIN AHMED [W] CARMEN CARNERO (A) COVER BY JAVIER GARRÓN
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER
BY DAVE JOHNSON
EVEN IF MILES LIVES…HE DIES!
No one knows the full consequences when worlds collide: Are there aftershocks, echoes, doubles?
Miles is already battling a man who shares his name. What does it mean when he finds someone with his face in his family living room?
Was this clone made or born? And which Miles will survive this saga?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Shop HERE for recent Miles Morales Spider-Man Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
MORBIUS #8
Vita Ayala [W] ALBERTO ALBURQUERQUE (A) Cover by SKAN
VAMPIRE VS. HUNTER!
Blade doesn’t see eye to eye with Morbius as Michael continues his uncontrollable rampage!
PLUS: Another MARVEL HERO enters the fray! But who are they here to help?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for recent Morbius Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
BLACK CAT #13
JED MACKAY [W] • NINA VAKUEVA (A) Cover by SARA PICHELLI
LUCKY 13 VARIANT COVER BY Dave Johnson
UNLUCKY 13 VARIANT COVER BY Dave Johnson
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY DAVID NAKAYAMA
CAT VS. CAT!
Lily Hollister has been through a lot. Her dad was district attorney, she was engaged to Harry Osborn, she found her future father-in-law’s Goblin stash and accidentally turned herself into Menace, sided with the Green Goblin and his Goblin Nation and ended up with amnesia and a leased super hero identity, “Queen Cat.” Whew. Like we said, A LOT. But she’s turning over a new leaf.
Queen Cat is a super hero, and every good super hero needs an archenemy. HER target? Felicia Hardy, A.K.A. the Black Cat.
This may not go well.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for recent Black Cat Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
SCREAM: CURSE OF CARNAGE #8
CLAY MCLEOD CHAPMAN [W] • GARRY BROWN (A) • COVER BY GERARDO SANDOVAL
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
With Demagoblin tearing through the city’s most vulnerable, SCREAM finds herself dangerously close to losing control of her symbiote…and herself.
It’s GOBLIN vs. SYMBIOTE in the MIGHTY MARVEL MANNER — just how you like it!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for recent CARNAGE Related Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
VENOM #27 & #28
DONNY CATES [W] • JUAN GEDEON (A) • Covers by RYAN STEGMAN
ISSUE #27 – LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEL MUDO
ISSUE #27 – SNEAKER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ISSUE #28 – LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
IN THE WAKE OF “VENOM ISLAND,” WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE WICKED WEB-SLINGER?
ISSUE #27 – When a new and dangerous foe erupts into Eddie Brock’s life, it threatens to rip away everything Eddie holds dear. His son, his symbiote, even himself — EVERYTHING Eddie Brock loves is in jeopardy!
ISSUE #28 – As if ONE new threat to Eddie Brock and his son, Dylan, wasn’t bad enough, an entirely different foe rears its monstrous head as Eddie and Dylan try to find their way! But in this dangerous new world, Eddie’s also enlisted the help of some new allies, some of whom have familiar faces — and who Eddie may never want to leave!
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$3.99 (EACH)
Shop HERE for recent VENOM Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
AL EWING [W] • Marcio Takara (A) • Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
As old tensions explode in the far-off Earth System, the political map of the galaxy is redrawn.
Meanwhile, old friends and lovers must redraw the maps of themselves – or tear them up entirely.
He used to be the Human Rocket. Now he’s the Human Wreck. Is there any coming back for Nova?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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THOR #7
DONNY CATES [W] • AARON KUDER (A) • Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant cover by NIC KLEIN
VARIANT COVER BY GUILE SHARP
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MJOLNIR…
And this is a poor time for the All-Father of Asgard to lose his primary weapon. The Golden City is in chaos after Galactus’ ill-timed visit, and there are new threats on the horizon. Thor needs his hammer now more than ever…and yet the Uru grows heavier with every passing day. What will it take for the God of Thunder to hang on to one of the most powerful weapons in the Multiverse?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for THOR Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
DR. STRANGE #7
MARK WAID ([W] • TOM Reilly (A) Cover by MAX FIUMARA
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER
BY MIRKA ANDOLFO
Are YOU Doctor Strange’s biggest fan?
Would you jump at the chance to join the Sorcerer Supreme on an epic magical adventure—no matter the danger???
Those are the questions that Kermit, Stephen’s office assistant and #1 Strange fan, will have to answer, as he gets swept up in Doctor Strange’s latest mystical maelstrom!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for DR. STRANGE Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
FALCON & WINTER SOLDIER #5 (of 5)
DEREK LANDY [W] FEDERICO VICENTINI (A) Cover by DAN MORA
Variant by KHOI PHAM
A diner, somewhere in Nevada.
Inside, a battle rages, as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes do their very best to take down the Natural, the most gifted killer to emerge in years. Outside, another battle rages — this time between the two people vying to become the next Hydra Supreme. It’s the bullet-riddled, window-smashing, table-breaking conclusion to the action-paced series, and it’s going out in style…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
DOCTOR DOOM #9
CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL [W] • SALVADOR LARROCA (A/C)
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
After growing the Latverian empire through bloodshed, Doom turns his attention to the potential apocalypse that is the black hole in Earth’s orbit, as he’s the only brilliant scientific mind left that has any chance of preventing catastrophe. But in the wake of all he’s been through, Victor grapples with a profound change of heart…one he dare not show his enemies, else they see his weakness as opportunity!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
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SAVAGE AVENGERS #14
GERRY DUGGAN [W] • Patch Zircher (A) • Cover by VALERIO GIANGIORDANO
Conan leads a team of Savage Avengers against an Asgardian dragon in a quest for treasure. Get out your twenty-sided dice and roll to attack with Conan, Magik and new Savage recruits the Black Knight and Juggernaut!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Shop HERE for AVENGERS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
AVENGERS #35
JASON AARON [W] • JAVIER GARRÓN (A) • Cover by MATTEO SCALERA
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
THE AGE OF KHONSHU!
An empowered, godlike Moon Knight has just saved the world from fiery ruin. Now an army of mummies and moon priests begins to reshape the world in the image of ancient Egypt. But where does that leave the Avengers? Broken, imprisoned – or on the run in the moonlit streets of New Thebes City.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for AVENGERS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
GHOST RIDER #9
ED BRISSON [W] • JUAN FRIGERI (A) • COVER BY AARON KUDER
Classic Ghost Rider villains return! Danny Ketch might have punished Scarecrow, Deathwatch and Blackout before as a Spirit of Vengeance, but can he do the same as the Spirit of Corruption?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for GHOST RIDER Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
GHOST RIDER ANNUAL #1
HOWARD MACKIE & ED BRISSON [W] • JAVIER SALTARES (A/C)
Variant Cover by PHILIP TAN
THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR – THE RETURN OF VENGEANCE!
MICHAEL BADILINO was a bad dude in life…and that landed him in hell. But not just any old rung of hell, a layer so deep it’s reserved for those special enemies of hell – one where a former SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE may suffer for all eternity!
As LILITH’s gambit against JOHNNY BLAZE and MEPHISTO for the throne of hell heats up, you can bet other players will enter the arena……and Badilino will find a way to ride again as VENGEANCE!
Fan-favorite GHOST RIDER creators Howard Mackie and Javier Saltares return to the saga of the Spirits of Vengeance in an all-new tale as Vengeance brings his own brand of hellfire to the Marvel Universe!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
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NEBULA #5 (OF 5)
VITA AYALA [W] • CLAIRE ROE (A) Cover by JEN BARTEL
VARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKO
Nebula is done running—this time she’s bringing the fight straight to Devos the Devastator!
But will her thirst for vengeance poison the peace she’s recently found?
Blinded by rage, Nebula is on a crash course to exact her revenge on Devos – even if it means going down in flames with him to get it!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
RUNAWAYS #34
RAINBOW ROWELL [W] ANDRES GENOLET (A) Cover by KRIS ANKA
Wolverine and Pixie guest-star in RUNAWAYS and answer what Runaways fans have been asking for months: With the X-Men’s opening of Krakoa, the island-nation that welcomes mutants in existence, will Molly go?
You may think you know the answer to that or what is going to happen here, but this comic is like its stars: They never do what they’re told or expected to do.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for RUNAWAYS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
IMMORTAL HULK #37
AL EWING [W] • JOE BENNETT (A) • Cover by ALEX ROSS
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TONY DANIEL
When Bruce Banner first came to Shadow Base, he was cut up into pieces and stored in jars. Now Shadow Base is under his control.
But Bruce Banner was only the second test subject.
Now…THE FIRST is free.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for HULK Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
CAPTAIN AMERICA #23
TA-NEHISI COATES [W] • BOB QUINN (A) • Cover by ALEX ROSS
”All Die Young” continues! A restoration! A resurrection! A bit of redemption! And the return of Cap’s number one foe!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for Captain America Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
BLACK PANTHER #25
TA-NEHISI COATES [W] • DANIEL ACUÑA & BRIAN STELFREEZE (A) • COVER BY DANIEL ACUÑA
FINAL ISSUE VARIANT COVER BY BRIAN STELFREEZE
VARIANT COVER BY SAM SPRATT
THE FINAL ISSUE OF TA-NEHISI COATES’ LANDMARK RUN!
It’s the end of an era for the Black Panther as renowned writer Ta-Nehisi Coates concludes his Wakandan epic! Over four years, Coates has taken the Black Panther to hell and back and expanded Wakanda into the distant stars. Now, in his final issue, he brings T’Challa full circle, back to the home he left behind…and the crown he has never fully accepted. This is the story of a king who sought to be a hero, a hero who was reduced to a slave, a slave who advanced into legend…and the man who has struggled to hold up an empire in his bare hands. The journey will conclude, but the legend remains. Don’t miss the close of a historic epoch in comic history!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
Shop HERE for BLACK PANTHER Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
VALKYRIE: JANE FOSTER #12
JASON AARON & TORUNN GRØNBEKK [W] • MATTIA DE IULIS (A)
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
VALKYRIE VS. KRAVEN THE HUNTER!
The Last Son of Kraven has come to New York City on the hunt for a mythic beast — one whose freedom risks the safety of all the realms. So why is Valkyrie standing in his way?! And if a monster of Hel is roaming Midgard, where are the queens of Hel? What is Karnilla singing to sleep in her underworldly bower?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for THOR Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
DAREDEVIL #22
CHIP ZDARSKY [W] • FRANCESCO MOBILI (A) • Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
“TRUTH/DARE” CONTINUES!
Still grappling with the blood on his hands, Matt Murdock makes one of the biggest choices of his life.
But what effect will Matt’s choices have on DAREDEVIL? And what about the people who need him?
See why people are talking about DAREDEVIL as one of Marvel’s best ongoing series!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Shop HERE for DAREDEVIL Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
AERO #12
ZHOU LIEFEN & AMY CHU [W] KENG (A/C)
FIGHT OR FLIGHT!
The fate of SHANGHAI hangs in the balance as AERO and IRON MAN attempt to unlock the secret of the jade towers.
How will they defeat the enemy that threatens Aero’s beloved city?
And where does the mysterious MADAME HUANG fit into this whole puzzle?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
SWORD MASTER #12
SHUIZHU & AMY CHU [W] GUNJI (A/C)
SECRETS OF CHIYOU’S TOMB REVEALED!
With the help of SHUANGSHUANG and her grandmother, the chief of the NU WA CLAN, the SWORD MASTER confronts the past.
But he’ll also discover a big clue as to his missing father’s fate.
Is LIN LIE ready for the truth?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
HOW TO READ COMICS THE MARVEL WAY #3 (of 4)
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS [W] • SCOTT KOBLISH (A) • COVER BY DAVID NAKAYAMA
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
WHERE DO I START???
For everyone who’s ever been intimidated by Marvel’s uncanny catalogue, we have a surprising solution: start in Ancient Rome!
Follow Spider-Man into the past to stop Mysterio from claiming an object with absolute power, AND learn how understanding historical storytelling can make you a smarter comics reader.
Plus, what happens when Spidey runs into a certain marvelous publication’s swinging ‘60s offices! We’re PRETTY sure the timestream won’t collapse?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
DEADPOOL #8
KELLY THOMPSON [W] • GERARDO SANDOVAL (A) • Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY NICK BRADSHAW
SCANDAL! BETRAYAL! GOO!
Elsa lied, and Deadpool died!
Well, not yet. But he might! Which, given that this is Deadpool, means it must be a pretty spectacular lie.
What is the ACTUAL truth of the Bloodstone curse? And what does it have to do with a dimension full of hideous goo? Don’t wear your nice clothes when reading this one – IT’S GONNA GET MESSY.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Shop HERE for DEADPOOL Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #17
JIM ZUB [W] • ROBERT GILL (A) • Cover by E.M. GIST
Variant Cover by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
LIVING VAMPIRE VARIANT COVER BY BUTCH GUICE
“THE CURSE OF THE NIGHTSTAR” CLAIMS CONAN!
CONAN has escaped the Great Crucible, but his “March to Khitai” has just begun! Conan now possesses the TOOTH OF THE NIGHTSTAR, a mighty weapon liberated from the Uttara Kuru leadership. But if he’s not careful, the sword will possess him! A dark force is bound to the mystic blade, a spirit hungering for souls—including the Cimmerian’s! And It. Must. Feed!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Shop HERE for CONAN Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
ROBERT E. HOWARD’S DARK AGNES #5 (OF 5)
BECKY CLOONAN [W] • LUCA PIZZARI (A) • Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
REVENGE IS BITTERSWEET!
THE DUKE D’ALENCON returns!
THE KILLER shows their true face!
DARK AGNES’ past catches up with her!
Don’t miss the shocking finale of DARK AGNES’ inaugural comic series!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
CONAN: BATTLE FOR THE SERPENT CROWN #5 (OF 5)
SALADIN AHMED [W] • LUKE ROSS (A) • Cover by Mahmud Asrar
Variant Cover by VALERIO GIANGIORDANO
Variant Cover by MIKE MCKONE
MEPHISTO TRIUMPHANT?!
The trail leading to the SERPENT CROWN has brought MEPHISTO’s ultimate goal within reach!
As CONAN makes his last-ditch effort to stake his claim on the treasure, NYLA SKIN makes a daring move!
But will the Serpent Crown’s newly revealed secret doom Conan to a fate undreamed of?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Shop HERE for CONAN Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS #5
ETHAN SACKS [W] • PAOLO VILLANELLI (A)
Cover by LEE BERMEJO
Empire Strikes Back Variant COVER by CHRIS SPROUSE
BATTLE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS!
Only one man can stop BOBA FETT from executing his long sought vengeance. But can VALANCE survive the battle of the two greatest bounty hunters of their age?
Why did NAKANO LASH betray her team during their doomed mission to CORELLIA?
The answer could ignite an all-out crime war across the underworld and change Valance’s life forever.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Shop HERE for STAR WARS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #5
GREG PAK [W] • RAFFAELE IENCO (A) • Cover By Inhyuk Lee
Empire Strikes Back Variant COVER by CHRIS SPROUSE
A QUEST FOR TRUTH…A JOURNEY OF DESTRUCTION!
DARTH VADER’S search for revenge against those who hid his son Luke reaches a terrible climax – at the tomb of PADMÉ AMIDALA!
What secrets does he learn? And who will pay as a result?
All the answers are coming – in the ruins of POLIS MASSA – the birthplace of Luke Skywalker!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Shop HERE for STAR WARS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
STAR WARS #7
CHARLES SOULE [W] • JESUS SAIZ (A) • Cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSE
VARIANT COVER BY AARON KUDER
SHE WILL HAVE REVENGE!
COMMANDER ELLIAN ZAHRA has been tasked by the terrifying DARTH VADER with the job of tracking down the remnants of the REBEL FLEET, scattered since the BATTLE OF HOTH.
From the bridge of her flagship the TARKIN’S WILL, she hunts the galaxy, eradicating all resistance, her secret goal to destroy LEIA ORGANA.
But why such hate for the PRINCESS OF ALDERAAN? The truth…will be REVEALED!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Shop HERE for STAR WARS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #4
ALYSSA WONG [W] • MARIKA CRESTA (A) Cover by VALENTINA REMENAR
VARIANT COVER BY TULA LOTAY
RING OF FIRE!
Trapped and betrayed, DOCTOR APHRA fights to escape the cursed city of VAALE before madness overcomes her!
Meanwhile, RONEN TAGGE’s sinister plan for the RINGS OF VAALE approaches fruition.
Will Aphra be able to thwart him in time?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Shop HERE for STAR WARS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER ADAPTATION #1 (OF 5)
JODY HOUSER [W] • WILL SLINEY (A) • Cover by PHIL NOTO
VARIANT Cover by BRIAN STELFREEZE
VARIANT Cover by JODIE MUIR
MOVIE VARIANT Cover ALSO AVAILABLE
INCLUDES UNREVEALED STORY!
FROM BEYOND THE OUTER RIM, AN OLD ENEMY RETURNS! REY and the RESISTANCE set out on a desperate quest to stop the threat of the FINAL ORDER! Can they succeed where Jedi Master LUKE SKYWALKER himself failed? And what is KYLO REN’S real goal in partnering with the resurrected PALPATINE? Jody Houser (TIE FIGHTER) and Will Sliney (THE RISE OF KYLO REN) adapt the landmark Skywalker saga, featuring extended and deleted scenes!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Shop HERE for STAR WARS Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trades on Amazon!
June 2020 Marvel Comics Solicits NON-STOP SPIDER-MAN #1 JOE KELLY [W] • CHRIS BACHALO (A) • Cover by DAVID FINCH WRAPAROUND VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS BACHALO…
#Ant-Man#avengers#Black Cat#black panther#cable#captain america#captain marvel#carnage#comic books#comics#conan#conan the barbarian#daredevil#darth vader#deadpool#doctor doom#doctor strange#dr strange#Empyre#Excalibur#Falcon#fantastic four#Ghost Rider#Giant Sized X-Men#guardians of the galaxy#gwen stacy#Hellions#Hulk#immortal hulk#iron man
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Last month, DC reunited with legendary author Neil Gaiman to introduce The Sandman Universe, a new line of graphic novels conjuring epic storytelling, and immersing the readers into the evolving world of the Dreaming. This expanded universe of books introduced new, untapped corners of the Sandman world, including new characters, a new House, a Voodoo Goddess and so much more. This month the story continues in Books of Magic Vol. 1: Moveable Type, available this July.
Sometimes magic is not the answer to all problems. In fact, sometimes it creates even more trouble. Destined to be the world’s most powerful magician, Timothy Hunter faces supernatural forces that seem to have it in for him all the while dealing with teenage drama–distant parents, school bullies, and adolescent crushes. There are more than a few shadowy figures who will stop at nothing to eliminate what they see as a deadly threat to the balance of power – and those are the good guys.
In order to fulfill his destiny, Tim must survive. He must learn to harness his burgeoning powers, no easy task as he does not know who he can trust. Luckily, a new teacher named Ms. Rose is ready to take the young magician under her wing and educate him in the magical arts so that he can discover the secrets behind the Books of Magic…
This gorgeous new series from author Kat Howard (Roses and Rot, An Unkindness of Magicians) and artists Tom Fowler and Jordan Boyd is available in bookstores everywhere July 16, 2019.
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Then, the dream river turns sour sending Erzulie Freda from one realm to the next, and ultimately into the Dreaming in the pages of House of Whispers Vol. 1: The Powers Divided available late July.
Something is amiss at the House of Dahomey, Erzulie Freda’s houseboat where the souls of Voodoo followers go when they sleep. Erzulie scries upon the mortal realm from her bayou, discovering four human girls opening a mysterious and magical journal filled with whispers and rumors charged with the power to release Sopona, loa lord of infectious disease and cousin to Erzulie. Meanwhile, another threat infection doctors termed, “Cotard’s Delusion” is looming as countless souls are trapped in the Dreaming, leaving their physical bodies yearning for death.
This mystifying new tale from author Nalo Hopkinson (Brown Girl in the Ring, Midnight Robber) and artist Dominike “Domo” Stanton is available in bookstores everywhere July 30, 2019.
We hope you’ll join us on this return to the Realm of Dreams, and hope you’ll find the magic within the new Sandman Universe.
The Sandman Universe: Books of Magic Vol. 1 and House of Whispers Vol. 1 available this month! Last month, DC reunited with legendary author Neil Gaiman to introduce The Sandman Universe, a new line of graphic novels conjuring epic storytelling, and immersing the readers into the evolving world of the Dreaming.
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Fantasy New Releases: 8 June, 2019
Steampunk knights, bloodthirsty pirates, chi-cultivating dungeons, and isekai samurai feature in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in fantasy.
Cirsova: Summer Special 2019 – presented by Cirsova Publishing
The Ghost of Torreón By EDD VICK and MANNY FRISHBERG
A strange experiment gone wrong has granted Professor Rigoberto “Beto” Caminante an extraordinary power—the ability to “ride” radio waves!
The Bullet From Tomorrow By MISHA BURNETT
A mysterious visitor claiming to be from the future has a simple job for Private Investigator Butch Norton: sabotage an airplane to prevent World War III!
The Star-God’s Grave By SCHUYLER HERNSTROM
A young sorcerer’s apprentice steals a starship from his master… only to be pressed into the service of a pair of space hussars to undertake a perilous quest!
Bleed You Dry By SU-RA-U
A simple news assignment—talk to the reprobate son of an aloof dying billionaire—leads one small-town reporter down a trail of death and madness!
The Last Fortune of Ali al’Ahmar By REV. JOE KELLY
No search for treasure is ever easy, but the hoard of a legendary pirate sought by a shifty client steeped in sorcery may prove tricky for even Sudah’s tough crew!
Halcyon By CAROLINE FURLONG
An interstellar war has spilled onto the planet Halcyon, where humanity finds an unexpected ally in their fight against an alien race and their sinister masters!
The Coming Chaos (The Elder Stones Saga #4) – D. K. Holmberg
Altered and augmented by his increased connection to the metal lorcith, Haern must use this ability to protect the women he’s brought with him from the dangerous city of Dreshen. A series of attacks suggests a control over metal even Haern might not be able to withstand. Worse, the source of the attacks might be closer than he knows.
Daniel’s search for the remaining stone brings him to a surprising place. Once there, it becomes increasingly clear how little they know about the stones—or how to protect them. Answers require he learn how to master aspects of his powers that have been beyond him, but are essential for what is to come.
Lucy begins to suspect another threat that rivals even Olander Fahr. Learning more about this threat requires she chase the one person she fears most. If she can’t find and face the Architect, they won’t know what Olander Fahr intends in time to stop his plan.
Separated from the Great One, Ryn wants to understand her blessing, but she’s tasked with much more. Searching for answers reveals a deeper divide within the Ai’thol. As emissary, she shouldn’t be the one to fix it, but in the Great One’s absence, she might be the only one who can.
Crossbones & Crosses – edited by Jason M. Waltz
Pirates & Crusaders, ahoy!
Hoist your banners, unsheathe your blades, kiss your crosses, and search for booty across the seas and the sands! More of the age of steel than shot and no fantastical elements, this is a lineup of the strongest of swashbuckling historical adventures. Gritty, dangerous, and bloody tales of the past, realistic without being nihilistic.
The anthology kicks off with a rousing foreword by swashbuckling and sword-and-sorcery guru Howard Andrew Jones. This is followed by 3 sections of adventure: 7 tales each of pirates and crusaders, and 3 tales combining the two. Sections contain stories by current bestselling authors, up-and-coming authors, and classic tales from 1910. Epic verse and song round out each section of historical action.
There’s never been anything like this. It’s a massive tome of piratical and crusading adventure you’ll be delighted to read!
Darkening Skies (Path of the Thunderbird #1) – eden Hudson
Ji Yu Raijin is happy to live out his life serving his school, cultivating his life force, and learning the Path of Darkening Skies, an ancient and noble warrior art—until the day comes when he has to choose: remain true to the teachings of his path and allow his art to die out or commit an unforgivable sin and save the world.
Second princess Shyong San Koida was born the only cripple in a dynasty of powerful warriors. With a broken life force, the only way Koida can contribute to her family’s empire is by sealing a strategic alliance to a barbarian leader with her hand in marriage. But hidden forces within the court conspire to stop the union and obliterate the Shyong San dynasty at all costs.
At the intersection of the servant boy and the princess’s stories lies a secret, malignant art bent on destroying not only them, but the entire world.
Dungeon Eternium (Divine Dungeon #5) – Dakota Krout
The world watches the sky with trepidation. The insanity of Xenocide knew no bounds, and all will soon suffer the effects he had planned for a millennium. Though none know what is to come, they all know it isn’t going to be easy to survive.
The Master has a plan, one that can give the world at large a way to escape the onrushing desolation. It may be on the bleeding edge of morality and what he needs might prove too difficult to secure, but The Master asks for trust.
Cal and Dale both have their role to play as the world hurtles toward destruction. One needs to bring the races of the world together while the other simply needs to survive. Surrounded by supposed allies, the duo will do all that they can to succeed—but with every new arrival comes rising tensions and faltering trust.
The apocalypse is coming. Will honor or greed stand the test of time?
The Last Swordsman – Benjamin Corman
Nikolis’ parent’s are dead – murdered before his eyes. What’s worse, they were traitors to the crown.
At least that’s what he hears the village folk saying moments before he is whisked away to the castle of Highkeep. There he finds himself before the aged King Alginor, a man brought to a boil by his very presence.
With his fate hanging in the balance, Nikolis accepts an apprenticeship with the castle’s master of arms, a decision that catapults him on a journey fraught with danger, treachery, self-discovery and burgeoning love, where his wit and the edge of a blade may be all that protects him from a world that is spiraling out of control.
Kamikaze (Dungeon Samurai #1) – Kit Sun Cheah
Yamada Yuuki is an ordinary college student with an extraordinary hobby: the classical martial art of Kukishin-ryu. Until one fateful day when a demon rips through the fabric of space-time, abducts everyone in his dojo, and transports them to another world.
To return home, Yamada and his friends must join forces with other displaced humans to conquer the dungeon that runs through the heart of the world. Standing in their way are endless hordes of bloodthirsty monsters and countless traps. Armed only with steel, faith and guts, they must battle their way through the winding catacombs to confront the demon waiting at the bottom floor.
Yamada was once a student. Now he must become a samurai.
Spy Training (The Steam Knight #3) – Jon del Arroz
Deadly secrets lie behind enemy lines…
…will he make it out alive?
The Kingdom of Rislandia sends their finest Knights of the Crystal Spire on an espionage mission in hopes of uncovering plans to the one weapon that could turn the tide of the war in their favor—the airship.
James Gentry takes on this difficult assignment while juggling overwhelming personal troubles that threaten his ability to do his job. If he can’t regain his focus, it could lead to his death.
To compound his problems, the Wyranth have a secret plan far more dangerous than the knights could have even imagined.
Fantasy New Releases: 8 June, 2019 published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/
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Title Knight Bewitched Developer Joshua Keith Publisher Joshua Keith Original Release Date April 18, 2018 Genre Fantasy RPG Platform PC (Steam)
I always appreciate it when development tools and engines are made available to newcomer game designers. They allow beginners and amateurs to make reality a vision of a game they may have, and they also allow for as much customization and creativity as the designer desires. Knight Bewitched is one such vision, allowing a newcomer game designer to share with us his unique and immersive story.
Knight Bewitched tells the epic tale of Ruth, a well-respected knight from the kingdom of Halonia. When we first join her, she is tasked to slay a dragon, the spawn of Typhus the World-Breaker. After a successful mission, an image of Typhus appears, vowing to fully return and end humanity as he once attempted in the past. Back then, Typhus set humanity against the race of dragons in a bloody war and a repeat of these events would doom the world. In the meantime though, Ruth is soon tasked to eliminate a lone witch, Gwen. However during the mission, Ruth falls deathly ill and is, in turn, rescued by Gwen. Not able to harm her benefactor, Ruth returns to Halonia and is assumed bewitched and arrested. After escaping her arrest with the help of her squire, Stray, and the assassin, Uno, the three reunite with Gwen to set off into the world to prevent the return of Typhus.
The story elements of Knight Bewitched are the game’s greatest strength. Although the overall plot, defeat a big boss and save the world, is a touch on the dry side, the narrative and character development are outstanding. Starting with the narrative, the writing of Knight Bewitched is fantastic, as I found myself immersed and my attention held throughout the game. The banter between the main characters, the plentiful humor, and our heroes’ reactions to enemies and NPCs is all brilliant. While the game is set in a fantasy setting, there are many references to modern and internet culture, yet these seemingly out of place jokes and references don’t break immersion and only add to the fun and light-hearted nature of the game. The writing overall is incredibly fun and charming. Not once did I find it drag on or become stale. Rather, I was pleasantly entertained throughout.
The character development is also impressive, as we see personal struggles and satisfying growth amongst the individual characters. Gwen is a wonderful character. She’s funny, charming, witty, and sarcastic at the perfect moments. Stray is a character easy to sympathize with, given his background, and just as easy to root for. Despite his troubles, he still manages to show his jovial and cheerful sides. Ruth and Uno tend to fit common molds a bit more than the other two, but they are no less likable. Ruth is a straightforward and determined woman, capable of handling anything in her way. And yet despite her upright personality, the ease at being ruffled by Gwen’s banter is incredibly cute. It’s another level to her character that makes her special and enjoyable. Uno, the brooding silent type, does get plenty of meaningful development that lets any player grow to like him on a personal level. He even has his own moments of humor too, which makes him even more memorable.
The only complaint I have in terms of story is the relationship between Ruth and Gwen, as I found its development lacking in depth. Early on, we are made aware of Gwen’s attraction to Ruth, as Gwen’s dialogue, inner thoughts, and behaviors all demonstrate her care and growing feelings for Ruth. However, Ruth never properly nor convincingly reciprocates this attraction at all. She is distinctly passive or nonreactive to the point of indifference. Finally, when it’s revealed that Ruth shares Gwen’s feelings, it comes off as such a rushed response, as again, Ruth hadn’t shown any attraction towards Gwen up to that point. In fact, it could very well had been assumed that Ruth had only been concerned for Gwen simply as any other friend or companion. It also could have been assumed that Ruth was straight, bi, or even asexual because of how little the relationship dynamic was actually developed. One-sided until close to endgame and boom, they’re lovey-dovey. This is especially disappointing because all other story aspects like the narrative, individual character development, and humor are all admirably written. It is clear the developer has the talent, but the ball was dropped when it came to the one major relationship in the game. It’s a dishearteningly missed opportunity, as pacing and balanced buildup between both Ruth and Gwen would have made their relationship worlds more intriguing.
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The story elements are what make this game remarkable, but unfortunately, the same level of quality failed to be maintained in its gameplay. Knight Bewitched does nothing special with its gameplay, relying solely on the cookie-cutter RPG Maker mechanics. It’s not broken. On the contrary, gameplay all works well, yet nothing unique was changed or added to make the experience more memorable. Gameplay is split between combat and overworld mechanics, with battles occurring at random and utilizing the engine-provided turn-based setup. I will say that I found encounter rates and challenge level to be acceptable, never requiring any serious grinding nor ever feeling like your team is over leveled. I did come across one bug, having to do with how status effect turn counts are handled. Turn counters only turn over or refresh when someone takes damage. My team was once sleep-locked by an enemy that could no longer attack, due to it running out of MP. So, no one could attack and adjust the sleep stat counter, resulting in my having to reset the game.
I do like that turn order and action icons are visible in battle.
Outside of combat, the world is made of various towns filled with NPCs to interact with and plenty of dungeons to explore. However, exploration is limited to acquiring uninspired items, many of which are unnecessary or fail to give a reasonable advantage upon acquisition. I will say that I do like the variety of obtainable equipment, as they require some strategy to use. They are not your typical “boost everything” kind of equips, so deciding how you wish to utilize your characters and what stats to heighten all comes into play. The ability to change equipment during a fight is also a nice touch. Finally, I found it disappointing that there is only the main campaign to play through, as there are no subquests to be had.
Further issues include the complete lack of a quest log. Many times during play, players will be completely on their own to discover where to go next. Only sometimes do teammates or NPCs guide players to the next area. Even when you do receive hints, most often they are vague compass directions. A quest log, especially after spending significant time in a village or dungeon, would have helped remind players on what to do or where to go next. Speaking of being on your own, the first segments of the game provide zero guides or tutorials as to how to actually play the game. Those familiar with RPG Maker games will undoubtedly figure things out quickly and will regard this as a non-issue. Yet, not everyone has played RPG Maker games and may not be familiar with its standard use of the Z, X, and C buttons, or its alternate configurations. (I prefer using Enter, Shift, and Num 0.) Only after your first boss fight does a gameplay guide become available. Overall, gameplay is uninspired, its lack of quest logs hurts, and the potential struggles for newcomers as to how to play may take away from their experience.
As I stated, I really do like the idea of mechanisms and tools that allow anyone to create a game on their own. RPG Maker, Unity, Ren’py, you name it. Having said that, I do take issue when developers completely rely on the tools and assets available with zero effort to leave their own marks. This is exactly the case here in regards to the aesthetics of Knight Bewitched. There are no custom pieces of art, nor are there any original pieces of music. Most of the assets are taken from RPG Maker Fes and some from other RPG Maker and free asset sets.
Now I fully understand that not everyone is an artist and even fewer are musical composers, so much so that I forgive the use of pre-made music, but there are options available to leave a unique visual mark, whether it’s through commissions or teaming up with volunteers willing to help. It’s disheartening to see a complete dependence on pre-made visual assets, as I believe any custom artwork would have brought more life and impact to these characters. Instead, the reliance on stock artwork, which is someone else’s vision, is unfortunate. I will say this. I suppose it is impressive that the developer managed to use Fes assets for a PC game, as Fes is only available for the 3DS. I haven’t figured out how this was done, since I don’t believe Fes assets are available to download for any of the PC-based RPG Maker engines. Regardless, I would have preferred custom artwork, especially if the game is being sold for profit. Instead we get stock portraits, stock sprites and tilesets, and zero in-game CGs.
Knight Bewitched is a marvelous story trapped in a less than stellar game. The game overall is painfully average with a few hiccups too, which is disappointing given the impressive writing waiting to be discovered. With unremarkable gameplay and a full dependency on engine assets, it is difficult to rate this any higher than our average score of 2.5. Again, nothing here can be considered awful, but its many bright spots are just as soon cancelled out by its flaws and the end result is a game few would consider a gem. I would perhaps argue that this story would have been more outstanding in another media form, rather than an RPG. My thoughts aside, Knight Bewitched has its charm and points of brilliance, and for about $5 for this roughly 10-hour campaign, I can still easily recommend this to those looking for an RPG with terrific immersion, strong narrative and a very easy group of characters to root for. I hope we see a continuation of the Knight Bewitched saga in the future.
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[easyreview cat1title=”Overall” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”2.5″]
Review Copy Purchased by Author
TBT REVIEW: Knight Bewitched Title Knight Bewitched
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New Release Roundup – 28 April, 2018: Science Fiction
Robot geneticists, grand strategists, A. I. invaders, and time-lost explorers feature in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in science fiction.
A. I. Battle Fleet (The A. I. War #5) – Vaughn Heppner
It came from deep space. It sent the signal. Now our computers are killing us, helping the enemy drive us into extinction.
But some of us refuse to die. We fight back. We learn.
In a desperate fight, we captured one of the machine empire’s factory planets. Can we now defeat an interstellar superpower that has exterminated thousands of sentient races across the galaxy and slaughtered billions of us in the Solar System?
Not bloody likely, but Captain Jon Hawkins is on a mission. Using new warships from the factory planet, he’s searching for alien allies, more battle stations to storm and death machines to kill. He’s buying us time to turn the Solar System into a fortress…if he can stay alive long enough.
Alliance Stars (The Alliance Trilogy #1) – Michael Wallace
Captain Jess Tolvern of HMS Blackbeard is leading a Royal Navy expedition across long-dormant space lanes toward Old Earth when an alien fleet ambushes her battle cruiser. The aliens are Adjudicators, an ancient race whose ethos is to judge other species and reduce their survivors to a stone age existence.
Tolvern sends a desperate message back to headquarters and retreats with her damaged ship to friendly systems. By the time she returns, the aliens have already invaded Alliance territory with a powerful fleet of star fortresses and accompanying dragoon ships, trapping and laying siege to the allied fleet.
While repairing her ship, Tolvern cobbles together a squadron of damaged allied warships, former raiders, and the local survivors of an Adjudicator attack to drive off the alien fleet.
Ascension (Ascension #6) – Ken Lozito
Earth’s greatest protection will become its biggest threat.
When the Confederation gathers a grand armada ostensibly to liberate Earth from the Boxans, the crew of the Athena must stop them before it’s too late.
Some species believe they can avoid war and endure the oppression of the Confederation while others choose to resist. The Athena and her crew struggle to keep the Star Alliance from splintering apart by offering them something unthinkable.
Ascension, is the final book in the Ascension series, an action-packed space opera saga that spans worlds. A journey that began when the brave crew of the Athena left Earth to investigate an alien structure discovered in the furthest reaches of the solar system will now come to an end.
Broadswords and Blasters #5
In this issue we’ve got a tale loosely based on the legend of Yennenga of Burkina Faso. What happens when the prophesied warrior wants something more out of life than warfare?
When the palace guards stage a coup against the royal family, will the young daughter of the family escape to a new world or stay where her home and heart are?
What happens when a small town calls out to the evil that dwells in dark places, and the evil answers?
Can a small contingent of warriors hold back the villainous forces of Kagan Kadir, whose lieutenants are each more horrific than the last?
Stranded on a planet, can a frontier space man escape? If he leaves, what will he be forced to leave behind?
A man can’t remember how he got on the train. He doesn’t know the other passengers, but each has a story to tell. What kind of destination is Oblivion anyway?
And finally, our cover story—to what ends will an emperor go to become a god, and what might it cost a man to oppose him?
Beyond Eternity (Paradox #2) – Phillip P. Peterson
Travel to the Stars . . . A Dream Fulfilled or Humankind’s Worst Nightmare?
Assumed dead, four astronauts are fighting for the future of humankind at the end of time and space.
After their mission to the outer limits of the solar system failed, David and his crewmates wake up at a strange place at the end of time. The alien intelligence wants them to go on a dangerous mission: circumnavigate the universe. If they succeed, they will secure the future of humankind.
But the universe is even more threatening than the AI believed. In the end, David, Ed, Grace, and Wendy must fight for survival at a place beyond space and time.
Exiles of the Belt (Void Dragon Hunters #4) – Felix R. Savage
They made him Commander of the Dragon Corps.
And left him to die.
With his Void Dragon, Tancred, Jay Scattergood has been given command of a newly formed unit: the Dragon Corps. Stuck on a remote asteroid in the Jovian Belt, Jay and his friends know they’ve been sidelined. Jay is determined to expose and defeat the conspiracy of traitors in the Department of Defense.
But a sneak attack on their asteroid changes his plans. The Dragon Corps launches into a death-defying mission that will take them deep into enemy space, where they will face the full might of the Offense’s firepower … and discover the truth about the conspiracy.
The Void Dragons are about to face their biggest test yet.
Flight (Legend of the Galactic Heroes #6) – Yoshiki Tanaka
“The Golden Brat” Reinhard von Lohengramm, a military prodigy and admiral of the Galactic Empire, has ambitions beyond protecting the borders or even defeating the Empire’s enemies. He seeks to overthrow the old order and become a truly absolute—yet benevolent—dictator. His rival, the humble Yang Wen-li of the Free Planets Alliance, wishes to preserve democracy even if he must sacrifice his political ideals to defeat the Empire. Their political and military battles play out over a galactic chessboard in an epic saga fifteen centuries in the making!
After donning the emperor’s crown, Reinhard becomes the target of an assassination plot. Knowing that the Church of Terra is behind it, he deploys his troops to the church’s holy land: Earth. Meanwhile, Yang’s leisurely retirement is tempered by the surveillance networks watching his every move from both sides. And when he is one day visited by a group of men dressed in black, the galaxy, too, relinquishes peace to become embroiled in upheaval once again. Welcome to the turning point in the war for the fate of the galaxy!
He Who Crosses Death (Star Warrior #3) – Isaac Hooke
Tane has travelled to Aegean Tetragon in search of the archaeoceti, a mystical race that he believes can restore Sinive to life. He is willing to pay any price to save her.
Any.
Unfortunately, shortly after his team arrives, he discovers that a few uninvited guests have tagged along.
Now Tane must not only complete the trials the archaeoceti have laid before him, but he must outwit his hunters. Either way, he won’t back down. The stakes are too high. And when Tane discovers the true price he must pay, he must make a choice that could destroy him.
For he who crosses death does not do so lightly.
Also available: Doom Wielder (Star Warrior #4)
Human Phase (Robot Geneticists #6) – J. S. Morin
The red planet will run red with blood.
Martian terraformer Kaylee Fourteen is a recent immigrant from Earth. Residents of the domed colonies of Mars can practically smell the day they’ll be able to walk outdoors on their own planet without the need for air supplies. But the committees on Earth control the resources the colonists need and their interference threatens the terraforming project’s very existence…
Until a group of radicals takes hostages to force the release of the tech and materials the terraformers need.
Caught in the crossfire, Kaylee has to navigate the delicate line between sympathy for her captors’ goals and horror at their methods. If she can’t keep the peace and find a way to get the hostage takers what they ask for, humans and robots alike will pay with their lives.
How can anyone negotiate a hostage crisis with a bomb locked around her neck?
The fate of two worlds and the balance of power between humans and robots hang on that answer.
Lucky Empire (Lucky’s Marines #3) – Joshua James
Mankind’s luck has run out…
As humanity rushes toward universal slaughter, the last Marine standing in the way of extinction is the least qualified one around — just ask him.
With the conspiracy now fully in power, Lucky & crew have turned into fugitives within the Empire. As an ancient enemy closes in on humankind, one last, desperate gamble is their only chance at survival — if it isn’t too late already. Luck may not be on their side this time.
Lucky’s Marines are at their over-the-top finest in this third outing, reveling in salty language, violent outbursts, and lucky escapes – even if their fearless leader would rather be dead already.
Osiris (The Locus #3) – Ralph Kern
It’s been three months since the cruise ship M/S Atlantica arrived in a hostile new world.
The survivors dream of building a home, but just as their hopes rise, they learn the true cost of saving thousands of people from catastrophe.
Conrad Wakefield, the architect of the Locus project, killed billions.
Fleeing, Wakefield unleashes the full fury of the advanced weaponry of his ship, the Osiris, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Commander Heather Slater and her battle-damaged destroyer, the USS Paul Ignatius, relentlessly pursue, hungry for revenge.
But two stowaways hide aboard Osiris. Marine Jack Cohen and Karl Grayson, a CIA assassin, have more in common than they care to admit. They must use every skill they have to evade Wakefield’s elite mercenaries and bring him to justice. As they explore the secrets of Osiris, they discover the fate of this new Earth depends on whether the mysterious artificial intelligence aboard truly has humanity’s best interests at heart.
Paradox Slaughter (Roak: Galactic Bounty Hunter #4) – Jake Bible
Robbed of his chits and betrayed by one of his oldest contacts, Roak is now on a rampage across the galaxy to hunt the duplicitous scumbag down and exact some serious payback.
Bishop is on the run and Roak is right behind him.
System by system, planet by planet, contact by contact, Roak leaves no rock unturned and no lead unchecked. He beats answers out of those that dare help Bishop. He kills those that refuse to answer. Roak is waging war on the criminal grapevine and no one is safe from his wrath.
But Roak soon finds out that while he is the galaxy’s preeminent bounty hunter, it is now his turn to be hunted. And the hunter coming for him is a force from his past that he may not be able to escape!
New Release Roundup – 28 April, 2018: Science Fiction published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames
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BLOG TOUR - Runes of Issalia
Check out my tour stop for The Runes of Issalia series blog tour! There is an excerpt and giveaway below.
The Buried Symbol (The Runes of Issalia #1)
by Jeffrey L. Kohanek
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: May 5th 2016
Black Rose Writing
Summary:
Discover a lost magic, long buried and forgotten…
Without a rune marking his role in society, Brock is doomed to an existence below the lowest rung of the social ladder. Unwilling to accept his fate, the teen risks his life to obtain a fake rune that marks him as a member of the Empire's ruling class. He then embarks on a quest to join an institution where the Empire’s future leaders are trained.
As a student of the Academy, he soon uncovers a chain of secrets kept hidden for centuries, secrets that expose cracks in the foundation of Empire society. Among his discoveries is a powerful magic, long buried and forgotten.
Brock’s compassion and sense of justice are seeds that sprout tight friendships and a blossoming romance. An unwillingness to be bullied earns him a dangerous enemy, becoming a feud that escalates to a climactic showdown.
The Emblem Throne (The Runes of Issalia #2)
Release Date: October 6th 2016
Summary:
Journey on a magical quest to save the world...
As they strive to become Masters within the Ministry, Brock and his friends resume their training at the Academy, an institution founded on magic, science, knowledge, law, and combat. They soon discover an expansive web of conspiracies and deceit within the Ministry, hidden behind a veil of benevolence and piety. The exposure of one of those secrets forces Brock and his friends to flee the institution with their lives in the balance.
Joined by a fierce Tantarri warrior, the group embarks on a quest to locate a mysterious throne that has been lost for centuries. Guided by the cryptic words of an ancient prophecy, and backed by a forbidden magic that they are still learning to wield, they journey across the continent to save humanity from extinction.
An Empire in Runes (The Runes of Issalia #3)
Release Date: April 27th 2017
Summary:
A Long Forgotten Magic That Might Save the World…Or Destroy It
Led by a boy named Brock, a small team of teens urgently assembles a force to confront an army of monsters, one that ravages and destroys anyone or anything in its path.
In a race against time, Brock attempts to train a group of recruits to wield the powerful magic known as Chaos, a magic that he himself is still learning to master. All the while, they must remain vigilant against a secret organization within the Ministry that will do anything to prevent the return of Chaos.
As foretold by an ancient prophecy, the human army must face and defeat their ancient enemy on the Tantarri Plains. For if they fail, all will be lost.
Amazon Buy Links: The Buried Symbol | The Emblem Throne | An Empire in Runes
Here is an excerpt from THE BURIED SYMBOL. This is a short scene that takes place after Brock and his friend Tipper take refuge in a cave when a rain storm interrupts their journey to the Academy.
A noise woke Brock, who sat up to find his clothes still damp. He rubbed the crust from his eyes and blinked to shake the cobwebs from his brain.
Recognizing his surroundings, he remembered the cave they had found to escape the rain. Early morning light emanated from the entrance, shedding light on Tipper, who lay asleep beside him. In the dim light, Brock noticed something near Tipper.
He leaned close to get a better look, finding bones he hadn’t noticed in the dark of night. Near the bones, rows of four parallel lines marked the surface of the rock. His chest constricted as he realized that something lived here, something large.
A howl echoed in the forest outside the cave.
Brock urgently shook Tipper.
“What? What’s happening?” Tipper blurted, sitting up in confusion.
“Shh.” Brock whispered. “Be quiet. There’s something out there.”
Tipper rubbed his eyes. “Huh? What are you talking about?”
A shadow eclipsed the light at the mouth of the cave. As Brock turned toward the entrance, his breath caught in his throat.
Against the light of the morning sky, the silhouette of a massive four-legged creature blocked the opening. Whatever it was, they were in its home and it was angry.
A low growl sounded, its ferocity rumbling in the small cave. The boys backed away, and Brock stumbled when he collided with a boulder near the rear of the cave. He scrambled to his feet as his mind raced. The beast blocked the only exit. Like the banshee attack at Glowridge Pass, they were trapped in a hopeless situation with no way out. His mind drifted back to that event and he reacted.
Brock scooped a bone from the cave floor and began scraping a symbol on the boulder: the same rune he had drawn on Hank.
The creature stepped forward, and Brock noticed the beast’s eyes, glowing an angry red. The smell of wet animal filled the cave, mixing with the smell of fear from Brock and Tipper.
Spurred by desperation, Brock closed his eyes and began pushing with his will. He felt the same force as last time, just beyond himself. Pushing harder, he latched onto it and his body grew flush with hot energy. A storm raged within, threatening to destroy him. He opened his eyes and poured the energy into the rune. It glowed bright red, pulsing as the boulder began to shake.
Brock backed from the advancing creature into the rear of the cave, against Tipper’s cowering form.
The boulder suddenly burst. Bits of rock pelted him, cutting hands held up to protect his face from the beast. The creature leapt back from the blast, dozens of small shards hitting its face and body. It growled in rage. Brock lowered his throbbing hand to see what had happened.
The boulder moved toward the beast. The round headless body of the rock advanced on four legs made of stone, emitting crunching and grinding sounds with each movement.
The hairy beast attacked, swinging vicious swipes with its huge paws. Sharp claws scraped the hard surface of the living boulder and bounced off harmlessly. The beast backed away, but the boulder continued to advance.
The beast attacked again, with little result as the boulder relentlessly forced it backwards. Suddenly, animal was outside, its red eyes squinting in the pale light of pre-dawn. It made one last swipe and then bolted.
The boulder turned the corner to give chase, one leg stepping over the edge, and it disappeared. The rumbling and crunching sound of a small rockslide followed as it tumbled away.
The cave became silent.
“What in the blazes? Brock, what did you do?” Tipper shouted. “What was that thing? What’s happening?”
“I don’t know!” Brock yelled back. He was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself. “I don’t know, Tipper. I had to do something, and it just came to me. I don’t know what it is.”
“It’s like what happened with Hank. You did it again with that big rock,” Tipper said.
“Yeah. I know,” Brock replied. “I wish I knew what it was, but I don’t.”
Brock grabbed his pack and headed toward the entrance. “Let’s get out of here before that thing comes back.”
Stepping outside the cave, he looked down. The rock-thing lay at the bottom of the outcropping, its legs broken off with the pieces still twitching. A shiver went down Brock’s spine.
“That’s creepy,” Tipper said.
Nodding, Brock began to climb down as the first rays of morning sun streaked across the valley.
About the Author
Jeffrey L. Kohanek grew up in rural Minnesota, where comic books sparked his young imagination and inspired fantasies of heroes with super-powers saving the day. His tastes later evolved to fantasy epics, featuring unlikely heroes overcoming impossible odds to save worlds born from the writer’s imagination.Now residing in southern California, Jeff uses that imagination to weave tales of engaging characters caught in fantastic plots to inspire young adults and the child within us all. His first book series, The Runes of Issalia, began in May 2016 and will conclude in Spring 2017.
Author Links:
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