Happy April Fools to all you adoring Grand Geeks and Gatherers aplenty! I hope everyone is continuing to observe proper precautions with regard to quarantining yourselves and observing social distancing. The toll is indeed significant to all of us, and not just for ourselves but for the comics industry with distributions coming to a standstill due to the current conditions present. Alas, let’s see what new books could be available for us, shall we?
The Swan King #1 (one-shot)
Writer(s): Tyler Wentland
Artist(s): Tyler Wentland
Cover Artist(s): Tyler Wentland
Publisher: Alterna Comics
Synopsis: “A haunted king must journey to a devil’s fire to confront the ghosts of his bloody past if he is to save his serene lake kingdom and himself, questioning whether redemption is truly possible in this rich, dark fantasy one-shot.”
Fresh Comics
I’ve always been a fan of fantasy, whether in a high or swords & sorcery fashion. And the Swan King definitely provides such a rich tale in an interesting spin, with the main protagonist being what looks like a haunted royal that needs to go through hellish conditions just to get some kind of redemption. Said redeeming though is not just for himself but also for his kingdom, which apparently is threatened of its very serenity should he not take up this quest. Of course, along the way the Swan King must then decide if redemption is truly within his reach, for was it not justly given if he is already a haunted one as is? Furthermore, why was he haunted in the first place? A true antihero’s tale set within a dark realm.
Available in digital format from https://www.alternacomics.com/ and https://www.comixology.com/.
Trespasser #1 (one-shot)
Writer(s): Justin M. Ryan
Artist(s): Kristian Rossi
Cover Artist(s): Kristian Rossi
Publisher: Alterna Comics
Synopsis: “The terrifying thrill ride comes back to life in this giant-sized 100 page epic. Featuring the complete Trespasser storyline, this titanic tome tells the tale of Hector and his daughter Maria. Alone and afraid, how far will one father go to protect his child from the unknown?”
Fresh Comics
Finally we receive a full on completion of the Trespasser storyline in this 100 page Alterna Giants remake. Hector and his daughter Maria must survive in midst of an alien invasion and it’s up to the former to see just what sacrifices he would make in order to protect his only surviving family member. Now, the father/child dynamic within an apocalyptic setting is nothing new, but all too often the story is set in midst of a zombie contagion, whether in video games (The Last of Us), comics (The Walking Dead), or even film (Maggie). But this puts the urgency of action of a father to protect his daughter in midst of a world overrun by a superior invading culture. Quite an amazing combination if you ask me!
Available in digital format from https://www.alternacomics.com/ and https://www.comixology.com/.
And there we have it for the week, folks! A dark fantasy tale of a haunted king’s redemption coupled with the hard choices a father must make in midst of an alien invasion! These stories and so many others are available at there touch of a button on your keyboard or even at the touch of a screen on your tablets or phones. Sadly, distribution is comic stores is at a halt currently due to the urgency for social distancing per Diamond Comic Distributor’s current policy (for further information, go to https://previewsworld.com/Article/241552-Steve-Geppi-Addresses-Coronavirus-Effect-on-Distribution). Some stores might be still open and could still offer door service for holds and pre-orders. I would encourage you to still show support for your local stores by calling them regarding subscriptions and/or purchases, for in these troubled times local business needs all the support they can get! For additional information of what you can do to support local comic shops, please refer to http://cbldf.org/2020/03/support-your-local-comic-shop/?fbclid=IwAR02FZYE83zgWEe5OuDAv5jbaQUJGw-k1NvvyznTE5m1UFq8nWB9HUtEsYg. And with regard to your books, as usual, read them and share with your friends (preferably at a safe social distance!). Start a conversation (again, preferably at a safe social distance!) and be sure to leave a comment or two. But most importantly, remember…GGG!