StarWarp Spotlight On: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Steven

pan_annual_lgWelcome back to StarWarp Spotlight, a series of posts that runs each Monday to shine a spotlight on one of our titles, as a reminder of the awesome books and comics we publish and to introduce new SWC fans to our backlist.

This week, we look at a full-color comic special that stars our resident monster-fighting teen Goth…

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is a spinoff from the novel series, and this 56-page, full-color comic special finds the teenaged Goth adventuress battling vampires and a jealous, man-stealing siren. Behind that striking cover by award-winning artist Henar Torinos (Mala Estrella), it features:

  • “Song of the Siren,” written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0), in which Pan and her boyfriend Javier attend one of his family’s picnics in Central Park, and run into Javi’s ex-girlfriend, Sophia—who turns out to be a mythological siren!
  • “After Hours,” written by Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up) and illustrated by comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld). It tells the tale of a most unusual New York City bar—and the demon who walks into it after a hard day on the job.
  • And “Shopping Maul,” a short story by me, with title page art and color by Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), in which Pan and her friends run afoul of a group of Elegant & Gothic Lolita vampires in a shopping maul.

Critics sure loved this comic:

“Roman demonstrates yet again his ability to write in the voice of a teenage girl withoutresorting to the petty whining and needless angst that seem to plague a lot of the female teenage characters in books today… I would readily and heartily recommend this comic to anybody.”—Word of the Nerd

“Roman mixes young adult fantasy with themes like ‘young love’ but also with equal parts of ‘female empowerment’ and lets Pandora be a real and true voice. The art by Eliseu Gouveia is just stellar and makes a perfect match for the main story.”—Comics For Sinners

“Pandora is so three-dimensional that you feel you’ve known her your entire life.”—Krypto Dies!

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.

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StarWarp Spotlight On: Lorelei Presents: House Macabre

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Steven

House_Macabre_large_finalWelcome back to StarWarp Spotlight, a series of posts that runs each Monday to shine a spotlight on one of our titles, as a reminder of the awesome books and comics we publish and to introduce new SWC fans to our backlist.

This week, we look at a comic book that stars our resident soul-stealing succubus, Lorelei, in her first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology…

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre is a one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella Strikes, Supergirl, Batman 80-Page Giant).

  • “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. 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 have certainly enjoyed the homage to old horror comics:

“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

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.

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Happy Book Lovers Day 2020!

Posted on August 9, 2020 by Steven

Hey, fans of reading! Today is Book Lovers Day, a worldwide event held every August 9th (although no one seems to know when it started, or who invented it) and if you’re looking for the right book on this special day, here are just a few StarWarp Concepts titles you might want to consider to help you celebrate the occasion:

Dark Urban Fantasy
Blood FeudBlood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 is my young adult novel that’s perfect for lovers of dark urban fantasy. It introduces readers to Pandora Zwieback, 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 professional monster hunter Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin 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. In Blood Feud, Pan, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father!

Chasing-Danger_large_book_coverChasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase, by bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special), is a pulp-fiction-styled collection of noir-fantasy novellas starring a private eye working the supernatural beat in the city of Calasia. From a sexy chanteuse who literally turns into a beast when the moon is full to a string of pearls that kills its owners, and from the ghost of a dead woman seeking justice to the Grim Reaper’s little girl seeking her stolen chicken, Theron Chase certainly has his hands full—of danger, death, and dames!

Fantasy Adventure
harbinger_large_book_cover2017Harbinger of Darkness, also by Richard C. White, is a novel that’s perfect for book lovers. It stars Perrin, the daughter of a bookstore owner in a land of magic and adventure. Quiet and unassuming, Perrin harbors a special secret: with the aid of a mystical talisman, she can transform into Raven, a swashbuckling thief who’s number one on the king’s list of most-wanted criminals. With thugs and fellow thieves and the king’s assassins hot on her trail, Perrin finds just staying alive is becoming a full-time occupation! It’s sword-swinging adventure at its finest!

pieces_gold_large_book_cover2017For a Few Gold Pieces More collects Richard C. White’s fantasy short stories about a Rogue With No Name who travels a world of epic-fantasy adventure, looking for treasure—and revenge against the woman who sent him to prison for a crime he didn’t commit (but she did). Think Lord of the Rings meets the “spaghetti Westerns” of director Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly). It’s “entertaining, old-school sword and sorcery, in the tradition of [Fritz Lieber’s] Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser,” according to author Jim C. Hines of the Magic ex Libris book series, and we at SWC couldn’t agree more!

Illustrated Classics
CarmillaCarmilla is J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century classic vampiric tale of love gone wrong. Laura is so desperate for a friend that when a young woman named Carmilla practically turns up on the doorstep of the castle owned by Laura’s father, she thinks her prayers for companionship have been answered. But as she comes to realize, Carmilla isn’t as interested in making friends as she is in spilling blood. Regarded as the one of the earliest female vampire tales—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on author Bram Stoker in the creation of the vampire brides in his seminal novel, Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day. Our edition contains six original illustrations done especially for StarWarp Concepts by the super-talented Eliseu Gouveia.

King_Kong_LG_CoverKing Kong is our e-book-exclusive Illustrated Classics edition of the 1932 novelization of the renowned motion picture. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, the SWC edition of King Kong features scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. What makes our version special is that it contains six exclusive, original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages ofThe Twilight Avenger and Flare.

Nonfiction
terra_ingoc_lg_coverTerra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which Richard C. White takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, the book is so popular that it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media Design program at Becker College in Worchester, Massachusetts!

vampiress_LG_CoverFrom the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is 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 modern-day books that reprinted them); a checklist of every Warren Era appearance she made; a look at the six-book novelization series written by sci-fi and pulp-adventure author Ron Goulart and 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 a pretty extensive look at the history 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. Plus 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.

With the exception of King Kong (a digital exclusive), all titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information. And while you’re at it, be sure to check out all the other books, comics, and graphic novels we offer. Happy reading!

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Vampirella Visits the Monster Library

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Steven

vampiress_LG_CoverIt’s review time again! At the book-lover site Monster Librarian, reviewer Lizzy Walker gives her opinion on From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures:

“From the Stars…a Vampiress is not only a fantastic reference guide, but it is also a love letter to the fanged horror heroine…. Libraries that specialize in comics history should consider including this volume in their collection as well. Highly recommended.”

Read the entire review here.

From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!) is a nonfiction book—not a comic—and a history of Vampirella that takes an extensive look at her early days, from the debut of her series in 1969 to the death of Warren Publishing in 1983. I provide an in-depth guide to all her Warren stories, a checklist of all her Warren appearances (plus the publications from Harris Comics and Dynamite Entertainment that reprinted her Warren adventures), an overview of the six novelizations by pulp sci-fi author Ron Goulart that were published in the 1970s by Warner Books, and most important of all, what may be the first time anyone has actually told, in chronological order, the story behind the rise and fall of Hammer Films’ proposed Vampi movie of the 1970s that was meant to star Playboy model Barbara Leigh and horror icon Peter Cushing. It also includes my look at the awful 1996 direct-to-cable-TV movie that was made, starring Talisa Soto and Roger Daltrey; a peek at Peter Cushing’s personal copy of the ’70s Vampirella screenplay; a foreword by Official Vampirella Historian Sean Fernald, a frontispiece by Warren artist Bob Larkin, and photographs from the personal archives of Forrest J Ackerman.

From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is available right now in print and as a PDF e-book, so visit its product page for ordering information. The print edition can be purchased from us as well as through your usual retail outlets like Amazon, Amazon UK, and Barnes & Noble; the e-book is available through the SWC webstore and DriveThru Fiction.

This book is unofficial and unauthorized. It is not authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Dynamite Entertainment or any of its licensees. Vampirella is a trademark of Dynamite Entertainment.

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StarWarp Spotlight On: Snow White

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Steven

Snow WhiteWelcome back to StarWarp Spotlight, a series of posts that runs each Monday to shine a spotlight on one of our titles, as a reminder of the awesome books and comics we publish and to introduce new SWC fans to our backlist.

This week, we look at an Illustrated Classic and fairy tale that became the first of our e-book-exclusive titles…

Snow White is the classic story by the Brothers Grimm. You know the plot: A wicked queen, jealous of her stepdaughter’s beauty, plots to kill the girl so that the queen can become “the fairest of them all.” But standing in her way are seven dwarves who’ve taken quite a liking to the young lady—and they’re not about to let the queen win this particular beauty title.

First published in 1812 in the brothers’ collection Grimm’s Fairy Tales, it’s perhaps best known as the inspiration for a host of big-screen adaptations that include the classic Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and, most recently, the live-action films Mirror Mirror, Snow White and the Huntsman, and The Huntsman: Winter’s War.

The StarWarp Concepts edition of this fairy tale features lush full-color illustrations first published in 1883—and best of all, it’s available for the wickedly low price of just 99¢!

Snow White is available as a digital exclusive. Visit its product page for ordering information.

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StarWarp Spotlight On: Harbinger of Darkness

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Steven

harbinger_large_book_cover2017Welcome back to StarWarp Spotlight, a series of posts that runs each Monday to shine a spotlight on one of our titles, as a reminder of the awesome books and comics we publish and to introduce new SWC fans to our backlist.

This week, we look at Harbinger of Darkness, a fantasy novel by Richard C. White, the author of the SWC titles For a Few Gold Pieces More (a fantasy story collection), Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination (a guide to world-building, perfect for writers and gamers), Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase (a noir-fantasy story collection), and Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings (a supernatural-superheroes graphic novel).

What’s Harbinger of Darkness about? Here’s the back-cover copy to fill you in:

Raven is the night. She is known all around town as an accomplished thief and a complete enigma. Never seen in the light of day, no one is quite sure where she goes or where she hides the bounty of her crimes. There’s never been any challenge she’s turned down, so when the chance comes to tweak both king and church, she finds the temptation too much to resist.

Perrin is the day. Trapped by expectations and circumstances, her dreams of exploring the lands she’s read about while working in her father’s bookstore feel as if they’ll never come true. When a master alchemist offers her a chance to become his apprentice and travel with him, it feels like a dream come true—except for one thing.

Perrin is Raven.

A magic pendant allows Perrin to disguise herself, keepingher other life as Raven hidden from everyone up to now. But after the theft of a mystic gem, which unknown to her is the lynchpin for the king’s upcoming campaign, both of her worlds are upended as the king’s assault on the Thieves’ Guild results in the death of her best friend and partner.

With bounty hunters and the king’s personal assassins pursuing her darker half, Perrin finds herself swept her into a conspiracy against the throne she despises. Add in the complication of an apprentice thief she never wanted to train, and the odds of Perrin living long enough to pursue her dreams are steadily shrinking…

Bottom line? If you’re a fan of swashbuckling adventure, with a butt-kicking female protagonist who knows her way around a sword, then this is the book for you!

Harbinger of Darkness is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.

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Comic Conventioneering at Home

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Steven

Corona-Con-illoToday is the launch day for Comic-Con@Home: the all-free online iteration of the ever-popular San Diego Comic-Con (aka Comic-Con International), which has been forced to go viral due to the coronavirus pandemic. If you head over to their site, you’ll find links to a virtual exhibition hall and other goodies, along with a massive list of newly recorded videos of panels that will each go live on YouTube according to their respective times on the four-day schedule.

StarWarp Concepts won’t be there, unfortunately—although truthfully we haven’t attended SDCC since 2005 (it’s just too expensive to exhibit there, what with travel, hotel, and shipping costs)—but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience a sorted of scaled-down version of the big show right here!

You want vendors? Our webstore is open 24/7, so at any time you can order our amazing titles that range from comics and graphic novels to fantasy and dark fantasy novels, and from Illustrated Classics to nonfiction books about gaming and comics history.

Our Downloads page has a bunch of free stuff—Pandora Zwieback wallpapers for your smartphone and computer, full-color-comics, and book samples. Why, it’s just like receiving convention giveaways!

Our Gallery area—think of it as an online artists’ alley—features two sections, The 13 Days of Pan-demonium and Visions of Lorelei, both containing original renderings of our two best-known characters by a host of artists from small press and mainstream comics.

vampiress_LG_CoverAnd while we don’t have online panels, we do have links to interviews with authors Steven A. Roman (that’s me!) and Richard C. White:

There’s my recent appearance on the YouTube series Indy Comics Explained, hosted by J.D. Calderon, in which I discuss my history as a writer, editor, and publisher, touch on my work for fellow indie house Oniric Comics, and promote SWC and my latest project, the nonfiction comics history From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures.

Rich made an appearance earlier this year on the podcast series Dicegeeks to talk the intricacies of fantasy world building and to promote his nonfiction writers guide, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, which has become extremely popular with roleplaying gamers and gamemasters—and is even used as part of a college course on game design!

Chasing-Danger_large_book_coverIn 2019, Rich was interviewed by Paranormal Underground magazine to discuss his noir-fantasy story collection, Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase, and you can read that interview, as well as the entire issue, online for free.

And then there’s Rich’s 2018 appearance on the podcast Geek Radio Daily to promote his fantasy short-story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More and his fantasy novel Harbinger of Darkness.

So even though you won’t find the StarWarp Concepts crew attending any real-world conventions for the balance of the year, at least you can have a con-like experience in the meantime, right from the virus-free safety of your home. And with luck (and science), hopefully we’ll see you live on the convention floor next year!

Stay safe, and stay well!

In the Before Times: Rich White and SWC head Steve Roman at the 2015 Brooklyn Book Festival. Photo by Frank Roman.

In the Before Times: Rich White and SWC head Steve Roman at the 2015 Brooklyn Book Festival. Photo by Frank Roman.

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StarWarp Spotlight On: A Princess of Mars

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Steven

A Princess of MarsWelcome back to StarWarp Spotlight, a series of posts that runs each Monday to shine a spotlight on one of our titles, as a reminder of the awesome books and comics we publish and to introduce new SWC fans to our backlist.

This week, we look at an Illustrated Classic that inspired a century’s worth of science fiction stories…

A Princess of Mars, originally published in 1912, is the first in the “John Carter of Mars” ten-novel series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known as the creator of the pulp-fiction jungle lord, Tarzan. Unlike Tarzan’s African adventures, Princess is the story of a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself transported to the Red Planet, where he must constantly fight to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats—and where he falls in love with Dejah Thoris, the titular Martian princess. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter (a movie that didn’t deserve the poor treatment it got from the studio), and inspired works like Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon, George Lucas’s Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar.

The StarWarp Concepts edition of A Princess of Mars features six incredible illustrations by SWC artist supreme Eliseu Gouveia (Carmilla, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and a special introduction by Mars-fiction expert John Gosling, author of Waging the War of the Worlds. Here’s the back-cover synopsis:

Captain John Carter thought his days as a fighter were over. The South had lost the Civil War, and as a soldier now without a battle to fight or a cause to believe in, he journeyed west in search of a new life.

But not even Carter could have expected that his new life would begin with his death in the Arizona desert, and his inexplicable arrival on the barren plains of the planet Mars. Or that he would find love in the eyes of the beauteous Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium.

A prisoner of the giant, green-skinned warrior race called the Tharks, Dejah Thoris is meant to be used as a pawn in the ongoing war between the Tharks and her people, the red Martians—unless the gentleman from Virginia takes sword in hand to free her…and thus unite a divided world.

Once more, John Carter has a cause to fight for—and this time, a love to win, as well….

A Princess of Mars is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.

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DriveThru’s Christmas in July 2020 Ebook Sale Is On!

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Steven

Christmas-in-JulyWhat a time to be a reader! Not only is this Free Comic Book Summer, as I told you about a few days ago, but e-book distributor DriveThru Fiction—and its sister site, DriveThru Comics—is currently running its annual Christmas in July Sale, during which you can purchase tons of digital books at special prices! It runs from now to July 26—and yes, you’ll need to set up an account (it’s free) to take advantage of this promotion.

Included among the many participating publishers is StarWarp Concepts (of course), and among the titles we’re offering at a sweet discount, you’ll find:

vampiress_LG_CoverFrom the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!). It’s a nonfiction history of Vampirella that takes an extensive look at her early days, from the debut of her series in 1969 to the death of Warren Publishing in 1983. In addition to telling the tale of Hammer’s unproduced film adaptation that was to star Barbara Leigh and Peter Cushing, I provide an in-depth guide to all her Warren stories; a checklist of all her Warren appearances (plus the publications from Harris Comics and Dynamite Entertainment that reprinted her Warren adventures); an overview of the six novelizations by pulp sci-fi author Ron Goulart that were published in the 1970s by Warner Books; and a look at the awful 1996 direct-to-cable-TV movie that was made, starring Talisa Soto and Roger Daltrey. There’s also a peek at Mr. Cushing’s personal copy of the ’70s Vampirella screenplay; a foreword by Official Vampirella Historian Sean Fernald, a frontispiece by Warren artist Bob Larkin, and photographs from the personal archives of Forrest J Ackerman.

Blood FeudBlood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 is my young adult novel that’s perfect for lovers of dark urban fantasy. It introduces readers to Pandora Zwieback, 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 professional monster hunter Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin 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. In Blood Feud, Pan, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father.

terra_ingoc_lg_coverTerra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman  (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

 Harbinger of Darkness is Rich’s original fantasy novel in which a thief named Perrin steals an extremely valuable—and magical—gem from the evil king ruling her home country. With thugs and fellow thieves and the king’s assassins hot on her trail, Perrin finds just staying alive is becoming a full-time occupation, which directly conflict with her secret life—and identity—as a humble bookseller’s daughter. It’s sword-swinging adventure at its finest!

King_Kong_LG_CoverKing Kong: Our e-book-exclusive Illustrated Classics edition of the official novelization of the renowned motion picture, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, the SWC edition of King Kong features scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. What makes our version special is that it contains six exclusive, original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.

CarmillaCarmilla: J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century classic vampiric tale of love gone wrong. Laura is so desperate for a friend that when a young woman named Carmilla practically turns up on the doorstep of the castle owned by Laura’s father, she thinks her prayers for companionship have been answered. But as she comes to realize, Carmilla isn’t as interested in making friends as she is in spilling blood. Regarded as the one of the earliest female vampire tales—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on author Bram Stoker in the creation of the vampire brides in his seminal novel, Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day. Our edition contains six original illustrations done especially for StarWarp Concepts by the super-talented Eliseu Gouveia.

Again, the Christmas in July Sale runs now through July 26, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher page at DriveThru Fiction and start your summer-reading shopping!

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Happy Free Comic Book Summer!

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Steven

Free-Comic-Summer-2020Free Comic Book Summer? Where’d that come from? Isn’t it supposed to be Free Comic Book Day?  That’s probably what ran through your mind when you saw the header for this post—and you’d be right to be confused. Free Comic Book Day—the brainchild of retailer Joe Field as a promotional tool to get people to visit their local comic shop—has been around since 2002, held the first Saturday in May and usually timed to coincide with the release of one of Marvel Films’ big summer blockbuster.

But then the novel coronavirus pandemic became all the rage during the first third of 2020, sweeping around the globe and throwing everything into chaos. Just about all businesses (the ones not considered “essential” by government officials) shut down, including movie theaters, comic book shops—and Diamond Distribution, the source of those shops’ retail products. Suddenly there was no summer blockbuster from Marvel—if you remember, it was supposed to be the long-awaited Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johanssen—no comics being shipped, and no Free Comic Book Day.

Of course, that didn’t stop us from celebrating FCBD back in May. After all, we have some free digital comics you can download, so why not make them available?

Which brings us to today, which Diamond has designated the start of Free Comic Book Summer, slated to run until September 9. During this period, the comics you should have been able to pick up all at once on a single day back in May will now be staggered throughout the summer. According to their press release:

“Comic shops will receive five to six Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) titles in their weekly shipments during each week of the promotional window. Release of these titles may vary from shop to shop, as retailers are encouraged to release the books as they see fit for their unique circumstances. Retailers may release one free title a day, may make all of that week’s free titles available at once, or any other plan that works for them. Free Comic Book Summer is designed to be flexible and customizable so retailers and fans can get the most out the event.”

As for SWC’s free titles, well, they’re all still available right now for your reading pleasure, so join us in celebrating Free Comic Book Summer 2020 by downloading them directly from us!

heroines_large_coverHeroines & Heroes: A collection of comic stories and pinups all drawn by 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 Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn story 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 (it didn’t work out). If you enjoyed Harley’s recent animated series or her latest movie, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), you might get a kick out of her matching wits with the Amazon Princess (whose own movie, Wonder Woman 1984, comes out later this year). The WW/Harley matchup is 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.

pandoracomic-1The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A full-color introduction to the young adult novel series of the same name, hosted by Pan herself. Pan is a 16-year-old New York City Goth who’s not only a horror fangirl but someone with the rare ability to see the for-real monsters that regular humans can’t (she calls it her “monstervision”), and with the help of a 400-year-old, shape-shifting monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, she’s learning how to protect her family, her friends, and the world from the supernatural dangers out there—and maybe even have some fun while doing it. This 16-page comic features a seven-page story written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual#1, Carmilla, A Princess of Mars), and includes two sample chapters from Blood Feud, the first Pan novel.

heartstopper_lg_cover_2013Hearstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa#1–3: Before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in this short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series from Millennium Publications. A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms? Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen; and issue 3 is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales). As a special bonus, issue 3 includes a brief look at the never-published Heartstopper/Trollords, a crossover special that would have had Annie meet Harry, Larry, and Jerry, the Three Stooges–inspired trolls created by Scott Beaderstadt and Paul Fricke, written by me with pencils by Holly and Scott and inks by Bill Lavin (Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings).

(Warning: Heartstopper is designated a “Mature Readers” comic for violent scenes and some sexual innuendo, so younger Panatics should avoid it.)

All these comics are available for download, so visit their respective product pages for more information as well as sample pages.

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