Lorelei: Perfect for Lovers of Classic Horror Comic Heroines

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Steven

It’s the first week of the Spooky Season for 2021—we’re just 27 days away from horror fans’ (and the ’Warp Crew’s) favorite holiday: Halloween, of course! So what better time than now to remind you that StarWarp Concepts has a horror-comic heroine perfect for this time of year?

Last year we released From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, a nonfiction examination by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!) of Vampirella, one of comics’ most enduring characters and the queen of the comic book bad girls. It covers the history of Vampi at her original publisher, Warren Publishing, from 1969 to the company’s closure in 1983; the bizarre stories behind the 1970s Hammer Films adaptation (meant to star Barbara Leigh and horror icon Peter Cushing) that never got past preproduction and the 1990s Showtime movie (starring Talisa Soto and rock-god Roger Daltrey) that did get made (and really shouldn’t have been); the six-book series of novelizations by pulp and sci-fi writer Ron Goulart; and provides extensive reviews and a checklist of every Vampi story published by Warren.

And with its release came renewed interest in our very own Lorelei, the fiery-maned, soul-stealing succubus created by Roman in the late 1980s. But, to be honest, that was the plan all along—when you promote From the Stars’ writer on the front cover as the “author of Lorelei: Sects and the City,” well, Vampirella fans are naturally going to be curious as to what that is, especially when she’s received the approval of two very important men in Vampirella’s life…

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which she battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth.Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Stargate Universe,The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1), Steve Geiger (Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Kraven’s Last Hunt, Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Going Gray), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Tom Holland’s Fright Night). It also features work by three Warren Publishing greats: a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost). And look at who were two of the book’s earliest fans:

“Lorelei, you’ve cast your spell o’er thisguy!”—Forrest J Ackerman, cocreator of Vampirella and original editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland

“You sure do pay Warren Publishing a nice tribute. I wish you good luck and good acceptance. I like the graphics, and the story is exciting!”—James Warren, cocreator of Vampirella and legendary publisher of Creepy, Eerie, The Rook, and Famous Monsters of Filmland

Other reviewers dug Sects and the City’s Vampirella-esque vibe as well:

“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming

“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central

Sects and the City was followed by Lorelei Presents: House Macabre, Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology. In this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella Strikes) you’ll find:

• “The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.

• “All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!

• “The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!

• Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo (Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror). A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?

Critics enjoyed this one, too:

“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring

“Any fans of the old-fashioned horror anthology comics (Eerie, Creepy, Tales From the Crypt, etc.) is gonna want to take a look at this one-shot from StarWarp Concepts…. If campy horror fun is your thing, this should be a hit for you.”—The Pullbox

And then there’s Lorelei: Genesis, a 24-page one-shot comic written and drawn by me. Sporting a new cover illustration (colored by Eliseu Gouveia), it’s a digital-exclusive flashback to Lori’s early days, with two stories: “Lorelei” is an 8-pager from 1991 in which Lori journeys through the streets of New York on an important mission: to pick up her dry-cleaning! It’s followed by “In the Midnight Hour,” the 1989 story that introduced horror-comic fans to our favorite redheaded succubus, who steps in to rescue a couple being menaced by a street gang.

“Roman obviously likes good-girl art, but the writing is quite good, too—the stories are interesting and intriguing. They move at a good clip and are injected with humor.”—Randy Reynaldo, creator/writer/artist of Rob Hanes Adventures

“Primo material here, folks. Super concept for an exotic succubus-type supernatural ‘superheroine.’ Good storytelling and art, great character.”—Comics F/X

Lorelei: Sects and the City and Lorelei Presents: House Macabre are available in print and digital formats; Lorelei: Genesis is a digital exclusive. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages. Order them today to get in the proper mood for this Spooky Season!

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Celebrate the Spooky Season with Werewolves and the Headless Horseman!

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Steven

“Short tales to appease your monstrous hunger for suspense” is how we describe SWC Horror Bites, an e-book chapbook series that reprints classic horror stories, and there’s no better time than the days (and nights!) leading up to Halloween to read a couple of classics to get you in the mood for the Spooky Season.

White Fell: The Werewolf, by Clemence Annie Housman, was originally published in 1896 as The Were-wolf, and is regarded by scholars as perhaps the first feminist werewolf story. In it, a beautiful woman named White Fell wanders into a snowbound village—and into the hearts of twin brothers, one of whom immediately becomes smitten by her. The other brother, however, soon grows suspicious of the enigmatic White Fell. Where did she come from? Why does she always carry an ax? And is her sudden appearance somehow related to the recent sightings of a bloodthirsty wolf in the area?He may come to regret being so inquisitive…

“White Fell is a powerful, independent woman, a fur-slinging, axe-wielding huntress descended satright from Hyperborea, [and] Housman shuns all of the werewolf traditions so dully repeated in many tales written before and after. White Fell is either a revenant from Valhalla or maybe just a good girl gone lupine.”—The Scream Factory

“For Housman, the female werewolf is a vehicle for her to present a strong feminist-inspired female character…. It is possible that Housman was telling the world that women had a hidden strength and that men should beware of their own hidden nature.”—The Nuke Mars Journal of Speculative Fiction

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving, is the legendary tale of the Headless Horseman that has captivated readers ever since its first publication in 1820, in Irving’s collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. In the 200 years since, it’s become the quintessential Halloween story, as well as the basis for countless movies, TV shows, comic books, and other pop-culture adaptations. When schoolteacher Ichabod Crane arrived in Sleepy Hollow, New York, he had dreams of marrying beautiful socialite Katrina of the wealthy Van Tassel family, only to encounter the horrific Headless Horseman one fateful night—and the Horseman was looking to own Ichabod’s head and set it on his ghostly shoulders!

Both White Fell: The Werewolf and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are available for download from the SWC webstore, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information.

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It’s Banned Books Week 2021!

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Steven

Got a favorite book? Well, odds are good there’s someone out there in the United States who’d liked to see it censored. And that’s where Banned Books Week comes in—an annual celebration of literacy in which the spotlight is shone on the problem of censorship in U.S. libraries and bookstores. To quote the Banned Books Week website:

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries…. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

This year’s theme is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us,” which “emphasizes the ways in which books and information bring people together, help individuals see themselves in the stories of others, and aid the development of empathy and understanding for people from other backgrounds.”

Banned Books Week 2021 is happening right now, September 26 to October 2, so visit the BBW website for more information, including a list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2020 that they’re celebrating this year. 

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It’s National Comic Book Day 2021!

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Steven

Today is National Comic Book Day, an unofficial “holiday” that’s celebrated every year on this date…although no one seems to know why that is, or who exactly started the tradition. Nevertheless, if you’re thinking that the friendly fiends at StarWarp Concepts musthave some illustrated fiction that would be perfect for this occasion—you’re absolutely right! 

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A free, downloadable comic that serves as an introduction to the adventures of Pandora Zwieback and her monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, with an 8-page story written by Steven A. Roman (that’s me) and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Hell High, Beware the Witch’s Shadow), and a preview of Pan’s first novel, Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1. Pan is a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets Annie that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world.    

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is a 56-page, full-color comic special that features cover art by award-winning artist Henar Torinos (Mala Estrella) and contains three original stories. In “Song of the Siren,” by writer Steven A. Roman and artist Eliseu Gouveia, the teenaged Goth adventuress matches wits with a man-stealing enchantress who’s set her sights on Pan’s boyfriend, Javier. It’s followed by “After Hours,” by writer Sholly Fisch (The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries), and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), in which a demon walks into a bar to unwind after a long day of scarifying. And rounding out the issue is “Shopping Maul,” a short story by Roman with title-page art by Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), in which Pan and Annie, along with Javier and Pan’s best friend, Sheena, run into a group of Gothic Lolita vampires out to do more than a little window shopping.

Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa: Long before she met Pan, Annie was the star of this short-lived “bad girl” comic book miniseries published in the 1990s. Here you’ll find Annie doing a bit of research for an article about gentlemen’s clubs in Times Square—research that includes actually performing as an exotic dancer (I did say it was a ’90s comic, didn’t I?). It’s that part-time gig that brings her into contact with Corum de Sade, a heavy metal singer with a deadly secret: he’s a soul-devouring incubus! All three issues—written by me, with art by cocreator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual), Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews—are available for free from this very website, so download them today!

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, Steve Geiger (Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Kraven’s Last Hunt, Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Going Gray), and Neil Vokes (Beware the Witch’s Shadow, Tom Holland’s Fright Night). It also features work by three Warren Publishing greats: a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon.

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre is Lori’s debut as the hostess of a horror anthology comic. Behind that eye-catching cover by bad-girl artist supreme Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella/Lady Death), you’ll find stories by me and Dwight Jon Zimmerman (Iron Man, Web of Spider-Man). Art is provided by Uriel Caton & “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa), Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics), and Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo (Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror).

Lorelei: Genesis is a 24-page, one-shot digital-exclusive comic that collects the original small-press Lori stories that I wrote and drew back in the late eighties and early nineties. Behind a brand-new cover drawing by yours truly (and colored by Eliseu Gouveia), you’ll find a pair of stories: “Lorelei” is an 8-pager from 1991 in which Lori journeys through the streets of New York on an important mission: to pick up her dry-cleaning! It’s followed by “In the Midnight Hour,” the 1989 story that introduced horror-comic fans to our favorite redheaded succubus, who steps in to rescue a couple being menaced by a street gang. If you’re curious about Lori’s early days as a horror heroine, then be sure to order yourself a copy!

Heroines and Heroes: Another free digital comic book! It’s a collection of stories (and a few pinups) that I’ve drawn over the years, featuring mainstream and indie comic characters that include the superheroic Blonde Avenger, the anthropomorphic Motorbike Puppies, the half-human/half-rabbit superspy Snowbuni, and my “legendary” Wonder Woman-meets-Harley Quinn three-page tale that was meant to be my entrée to fame and fortune as a DC Comics artist (it didn’t work out, though). 

Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings: A general readers’ graphic novel about a group of supernatural-superheroes-for-hire taking on their first case. The team consists of a wizard, a female ninja, a sorceress, a werewolf, and a rock ’n’ roll lighting designer wearing high-tech armor. Sure, they might not be on a power level with the Avengers or Justice League of America—they’re more like superpowered Ghostbusters—but they get the job done. The graphic novel is written by the husband-and-white team of Richard C. White (Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase) and Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman, with cover art by Richard Dominguez (El Gato Negro).

The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special is a digital pirate-fantasy comic created and written by Richard C. White, coauthor of SWC’s supernatural-superhero graphic novel Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings. Drawn by Bill Bryan (artist of Caliber Press’ Dark Oz and DC Comics’ House of Mystery), and featuring cover art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (SWC’s The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual), it’s 48 pages of high-seas adventure perfect for fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, as well as classics like The Crimson Pirate, Against All Flags, Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk—and it’s available for download for just 99¢!

Snow White: Not really a comic book, but our presentation of the classic story by the Brothers Grimm features lush full-color illustrations first published in 1883 (and they really are beautiful drawings), and is available for immediate download for the low price of just 99¢!

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual, Lorelei: Sects and the City, Lorelei Presents: House Macabre, and Troubleshooters Incorporated are available in print and digital formats. Pandora Zwieback #0, Heartstopper, Heroines and Heroes, Chronicles of the Sea Dragon, and Snow White are digital exclusives. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages. And then get out there and start reading them in public!

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A Planet Where Blood Is Used for Construction? Holy Drakulon!

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Steven

Yes, it’s true: It was announced just last week by researchers at the University of Manchester that if future explorers of the Red Planet, Mars, want to have places to live in, the most useful substance for creating building materials…is their very own blood!

In the article “Blood, Sweat and Tears: Extraterrestrial Regolith Biocomposites with in vivo Binders” (set to appear in the magazine Materials Today Bio), researchers A.D. Roberts, D.R. Whittall, R. Breitling, E. Takano, J.J. Blaker, S. Hay, and N.S. Scrutton outlay how they conducted successful experiments to formulate a concrete variant, combining simulated Martian soil with protein from blood plasma; the results proved that blood could potentially be used as construction material for future Martian settlements.

Question is, who’s going to supply all that blood…?

Art by Jose Gonzalez, “The Origin of Vampirella,” Vampirella Annual #1

So why am I talking about blood buildings here at the SWC blog? Well, as any horror-comic fan can tell you, there’s already a planet where blood was vitally important to its inhabitants beyond just coursing through the body: Drakulon, the homeworld of Vampirella, the cosmic vampiress—created by publisher James Warren and sci-fi/horror legend Forrest J Ackerman, and designed by artists Frank Frazetta and Trina Robbins—who traveled to Earth in 1969 from her dying planet in search of adventure, love…and blood!

You can learn all about one of comics’ most famous characters in From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, Steven A. Roman’s nonfiction history of the queen of the comic book bad girls. In its pages you’ll find: 

• A breakdown of every Vampirella story that appeared during her Warren Publishing days from July 1969 to December 1982 (plus a list of the books from Harris Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, and Dark Horse Comics that later reprinted them)

• A checklist of every Warren Era appearance she made, including those in other Warren magazines

• A look at the six-book novelization series written by sci-fi and pulp-adventure author Ron Goulart that was published by Warner Books in the 1970s

• An examination of the awful 1996 movie that starred Talisa Soto of the Mortal Kombat movies as Vampi and featured a scenery-gulping performance from rock-god Roger Daltrey as Dracula 

• And an extensive look at the history and behind-the-scenes drama of Hammer Films’ Vampirella movie, announced in 1975 with model/actress Barbara Leigh and Hammer legend Peter Cushing as its stars, but which was never produced. 

Plusit contains little-seen photos and other material pulled straight from the vaults of the Ackermonster by the Official Vampirella Historian, Sean Fernald, who also wrote the foreword. 

From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is available in print and digital editions. Visit its product page for ordering information. It’ll give you something to read while you’re waiting for those blood bricks you’ve been mixing to harden!

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Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2021!

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Steven

Avast, ye curs, whether you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, or classic films like Captain Blood, The Crimson Pirate, and The Sea Hawk, it’s time again to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day—with StarWarp Concepts’ own pirate-fantasy comic for you to enjoy!

The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special is a one-shot digital comic created and written by Richard C. White, author of the fantasies For a Few Gold Pieces More and Harbinger of Darkness, the noir-fantasy collection Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase, and the writer’s guide Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination. It’s drawn by Bill Bryan (artist of Caliber Press’ Dark Oz and DC Comics’ House of Mystery), and sports cover art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual#1).

Best of all, it’s 48 pages of swashbuckling adventure for just 99¢!

“There seems to be a fair amount of deviousness amongst the crew of the Sea Dragon, but I was greatly pleased to see the heroes using their smarts as well as their swords. Lots of high adventure and old-school artwork make this a fun read for those of us that grew up on Sinbad movies.”—Nth Degree

The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special is a digital exclusive. Visit its product page for more information, including sample pages.

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Happy Batman Day 2021!

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Steven

Held the 3rd Saturday in September since 2015, Batman Day is an annual celebration of one of DC Comics’ most iconic superheroes, who made his debut in Detective Comics #29 in 1939.

Created by Bob Kane with the help of writer Bill Finger, Batman has remained popular with fans throughout the world for over 80 years through comics, TV shows, movies—and novels like Wayne of Gotham, by New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance).

Photo of Tracy Hickman © 2012 Richard C. White

In 2012, author Richard C. White interviewed Hickman for Rich’s how-to book for writers and RPG gamemasters, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination. In addition to the ins and outs of proper world building for fantasy and science fiction projects, they also discussed what was then Hickman’s latest novel: Wayne of Gotham, in which Bruce Wayne traces his family history to discover whether there was more to the murder of his parents when he was a boy—the traumatic event that led to his becoming Batman—than a simple robbery gone wrong. 

“When approaching an iconic character like Batman, you walk a really fine line. My first reaction after we proposed this story and they accepted it was, ‘Oh man, I get to write Batman.’ And then the second reaction was, ‘What have I done? I have to write Batman!’ Because everyone has an idea of who Batman is.”

However, since the topic had nothing to do with Terra Incognito’s focus on world building, I cut it from the book during the editing process. But there’s no reason why you can’t read it now, given today’s celebration of all things Batman.

So head on over right now to the Richard C. White blog and celebrate Batman Day by reading all about Tracy Hickman’s Wayne of Gotham!

And to read the rest of Rich’s interview with Hickman—which includes a discussion of Hickman’s creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons—pick up a copy of Rich’s Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, which takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. In fact, it’s a book that’s become so popular with gamers that it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media Design program at Becker College in Worchester, Massachusetts!

Terra Incognito is available in print and digital editions. Visit its product page for more information.

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Tomorrow Is Batman Day 2021!

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Steven

Held the 3rd Saturday in September since 2015, Batman Day is an annual celebration of one of DC Comics’ most iconic superheroes, the Darknight Detective who made his debut in Detective Comics #29 in 1939. 

Created by Bob Kane with the help of writer Bill Finger, Batman has remained popular with fans throughout the world for over 80 years through comics, TV shows, and movies, with two big film debuts scheduled for next year: The Batman (starring Twilight’s Robert Pattinson) in March; and Batman 1989 star Michael Keaton’s return to the role in November’s multiverse-spanning adventure The Flash.

Well, if you’re a fan of the Caped Crusader, then perhaps you’d be interested in checking out a free digital comic available exclusively from your friends at StarWarp Concepts…

Heroines and Heroes is a collection of comic stories and pinups written and drawn by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!), dating back to my days in the early 1990s small-press movement—that age of dinosaurs in which creators like me used to make our comics by printing them out on photocopiers and then stapling them by hand. In H&H you’ll find mainstream heroes and small-press heroines, and even a couple of anthropomorphic bikers. 

Leading off is “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime),” a three-page story starring Wonder Woman and Batman enemy Harley Quinn that I wrote and drew in the late ’90s as a sample for a DC Comics editor who thought I’d be a good fit for their Batman: The Animated Series comic (spoiler warning: it didn’t work out). It’s followed by an adventure of small-presser Jeff Wood’s rabbit-eared superspy, Snowbuni; three pages from the long-canceled indie comic Motorbike Puppies; and an adventure of the indie superheroine The Blonde Avenger. 

Heroines and Heroes is a free digital exclusive, so visit its product page for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Author Richard C. White at Maryland Renaissance Festival

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Steven

This Sunday, September 12, fans of sword and sorcery will be gathering at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, being held in Annapolis, Maryland. And among the knights and maidens and jousters and fantasy royalty will be author Richard C. White, who’ll be there to promote his writing projects.

Rich, as SWC fans should know by now, is the bestselling author of the licensed novel Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, as well as a number of fantasy-related titles published by SWC: the noirish dark-urban-fantasy story collection Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase; the swashbuckling adventure novel Harbinger of Darkness; the fantasy adventure story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More; the writers and RPG gamemasters aid Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination; and the pirate-adventure digital comic The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special.

Rich will be at the Signing Authors tent of the bookstore Page After Page, autographing copies of his books, so keep an eye out for the white-haired gent in the kilt, because that’ll be Rich!

For more information on the festival, visit the Maryland Renaissance Festival website.

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StarWarp Concepts Books: Perfect for Comic Shops and Indie Bookstores!

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Steven

Hey there, owners of comic book shops and independent bookstores around the world! With this being an extremely book-centric week—what with Monday having been Read a Book Day and yesterday marking Buy a Book Day—are you interested in adding StarWarp Concepts titles to your shelves? Well, here’s how you can do it!

SWC’s in-print titles (as opposed to our e-book exclusives) are all print-on-demand releases available through our distributor, Ingram Book Group—and POD means they’re never out of print, so they’re always ready to appear on your shelves!

Our ever-growing list of titles ranges from the young-adult thrills of supernatural heroine Pandora Zwieback and the Lovecraftian chills of the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City to the nonfiction books Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination (perfect for writers and RPG gamemasters) and From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures (perfect for horror comic fans), and from the Illustrated Classics A Princess of Mars and Carmilla to the swashbuckling adventure of the fantasies Harbinger of Darkness and For a Few Gold Pieces More, StarWarp Concepts has a book sure to appeal to your customer base!

And our titles are critically acclaimed, with overwhelmingly positive responses from reviewers:

“Far and away one of the best young adult supernatural fantasy novels. Pan is exactly the kind of teen heroine that readers should be standing up and cheering for.”—HorrorNews.net on the Steven A. Roman novel Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1

“This is without a doubt the essential, authoritative reference book for anything related to the Warren-era Vampirella… There are lots of books out there with good information, but none offers such a broad, all-encompassing look at the history of this character.”—Vampirella of Drakulon (news blog) on the Steven A. Roman nonfiction comics history From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures

“A solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework on which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang on the Richard C. White writers and gamemasters how-to book Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination

“A visceral adventure through a world of magic with well-developed characters, dynamic dialogue and a good dose of two-handed sword fights.”—Experience Writing on the Richard C. White fantasy novel Harbinger of Darkness

“With a cover that looks like it belongs on the paranormal romance shelf in a bookstore and half a dozen illustrations provided by Eliseu Gouveia, this edition stands a good chance of tempting some younger readers to pick up this classic vampire tale…. I wish I’d picked this book up in seventh grade instead of slogging through Dracula.”—The Gothic Library on J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Illustrated Classic novella Carmilla

“A satisfying romp and one that feels like it would have made an excellent seventies horror film (especially one made by Hammer)…. The story is funny at times, graphic at times, and horrific at others, and it’s always delivering its stuff at full volume.”—Strange Amusements on the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City

“Roman demonstrates yet again his ability to write in the voice of a teenage girl without resorting to the petty whining and needless angst that seem to plague a lot of the female teenage character in books today. I would readily and heartily recommend this book to anybody.”—Word of the Nerd on the comic book The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1

Take a look at our backlist to see what we offer—best done by exploring our StarWarp Spotlight blog-post series from last year, in which we shined a spotlight on each of our horror, dark urban fantasy, fantasy adventure, and nonfiction books, not to mention our comic books and graphic novels—and thencall Ingram Books at (800) 937-0152 if you don’t already have an account with them. If your store is outside the United States, call (615) 213-5000. 

After all, why should Amazon have all the business—and the fun?

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